AK: Gazala Line

[Ballacraine]

Simply because a Rail Head would be tactically or even strategically important.

I think my source of confusion is the use of Flags & Gold Hexes.
I appreciate that there will be upgrades available for aircraft at flagged airfields.
Logically to me though there should be some distinction between flagged hexes that have sufficient resources to allow upgrades & those which do not.
There are a few Gold Hexes in this scenario with no apparent resource availability, which makes me question why they would be a priority target.

For instance I think Gazala (17/11) should be a Gold Hex as it provides for resources & would be a likely military objective.
Relatively a lot of the Desert Hex Gold Hexes have little strategic value that I can see. ( eg 17/14 18/20 20/221 )

Balla.

[Ballacraine]

On my second attempt at this scenario, there are elements that do work for me.

I like the counter attacks from differing directions, although the later one would be better with a message along the lines of:

'The enemy are gathering resources for a counter attack in the South East of your area of operations.'

I like the change of pace from a static assault at the outset followed by sweeping column maneouvres later in the scenario.

I do think the Gold Hexes need a little more work though.

Balla.

[zappel]

For military reason it is not general that only cities are objectives. Sometimes a hill in a plain terrain is also an objective because of good visibility and coverage, like Knightsbridge (29, 32: winning objective/gold hex).

[Ballacraine]

I realise that but a lot of the gold hexes here seem to have little strategic importance.

Balla.

[Ballacraine]

Debrief / Briefing at DV of this scenario is incorrect as it implies Tobruk has yet to be taken.
It had 2 Gold Hexes & you would not have got a DV if you hadn't taken them.

Balla.

[zappel]

...till now I have not find any city without a flag...

Correction: now I see cities without flags: Jerusalem and Haifa.

[LostAgain]

So upgrades are limited to cities as opposed to just a flagged hex settlement?

I have had aux. Italian Infantry & artillery units on Gold Hexes in the desert area without any upgrade options appearing.

The Rail Head at 46/21 should be a gold hex, I would have thought?

Balla.

I thought upgrades had ALWAYS been limited to cities?

[Rudankort]

I thought upgrades had ALWAYS been limited to cities?

When upgrading in the course of a battle - yes.

[Cygnus2112]

Played through this yesterday on Field Marshal

After upgrading all my core and overstrengthening all possible I started with about 1000 Prestige.

I used a majority of my core to penetrate in the south to the airfield and then sweep up taking Tobruk as well. I had a minor force also drive to the back airfield as well and then meet back up at tobruk. I used the italians to hold the line while another minor force punched a hole on the north coast and then proceeded to roll up the flank of the line - this did take awhile. In the end I also had to have my main force race from tobruk back to the main line and take the last objective on the last turn of the scenario - Truly on intense! I enjoyed the counter attack as well - having to strip italians off the line and deal with that was a good twist. I must say that I was challenged for reinforcements on this one due to my low prestige. there were many times I had units sidelined due to lack of prestige to reinforce them. I primarly use basic reinforcments during scenario.

In hind sight, perhaps a little less core in the south and a few more in the north could have speeded up my attack, but a decisive victory was achieved so it is all good. I am heading to malta now and have 6002 prestige. The 4000 boost was nice - and most likely needed.

Cygnus

[LostAgain]

Playing FM in beta 4. this has been one of my favourite scenarios right from the start and nothing has changed in that regard. The only comment I will make at all is regarding the SAS troops. I had always thought they should attack multiple airfields simultaneously so I was pleasantly surprised to see you had done that of your own volition, but with them dispersed like that I would suggest that perhaps they should be muscled up a bit. I think one or two more of them, and perhaps give them 14 or 15 exprience. After all, they are on their own pretty well...

Edit: Don't know how, but I forgot to mention the extra Italian units that appeared at the start of this scenario. I had wondered if they were some kind of auxilliary that I could place myself, (hey, THERE'S an idea...Auxilliary units that the player can place!!) and they would be gone at the start of the next scenario, but I'm in Malta and they're still there, so I'm a happy camper. Little unexpected surprises like that are always welcome, and I'm actually playing the Italian units this game, instead of phasing them out as fast as prestige allows, so they WILL be handy for more than deactivating them for the prestige.

[Razz1]

Beta 4
General
got the 4k bonus
end 4501
DV 30/32

[Ballacraine]

Don't know how, but I forgot to mention the extra Italian units that appeared at the start of this scenario. I had wondered if they were some kind of auxilliary that I could place myself, (hey, THERE'S an idea...Auxilliary units that the player can place!!) and they would be gone at the start of the next scenario, but I'm in Malta and they're still there, so I'm a happy camper. Little unexpected surprises like that are always welcome, and I'm actually playing the Italian units this game, instead of phasing them out as fast as prestige allows, so they WILL be handy for more than deactivating them for the prestige.

Placement of auxiliary units?

I think it reasonable that they are pre-placed. After all these units are wherever they are, when they come under your command.

Deactivating Italian units for prestige?

If we are striving for historical accuracy, I think that should not be available under default conditions.

Balla.

[Kamerer]

Gazala, Beta 4
Level: Field Marshal
Begin Prestige: 300. End: 5,000 Net: 4,700
Result: DV at 24/32

- Message for Sherman capture repeats at start of following turn. Posted this comment also in Message thread.
- Para drop counterattack drops too close to airbases; is easy to spot:

I had a fighter on that base, saw the single transport. Moved to attack, which revealed the 2nd. Another fighter revealed the 3rd. Most of my air was close by, so all they were able to drop was a single para at ½ strength. Maybe make the drop one unit further away so spotting them while in the air isn’t possible (or at least easy if you have air on that base).

I played this before in Beta 2, but had actually forgot about that counterattack, so I was not “looking” for it.

Otherwise this was a fine scenario and quite fun and challenging.

[Kamerer]

Gazala Line – RC2

Level: Rommel
Begin prest.: 250. End: 3,075. Net: (+825 – w/o 2k bonus)
Result: DV at 27/32

Issues:

1) I noticed for the first time that units can fully resupply/reinforce in city hexes even if not captured yet. E.g., I can put an artillery unit in an uncaptured city hex in the desert, fully resupply. Maybe consider for future changes?