Slitherine

Anyone play the night escape scenario yet? I seem to get mu butt handed to me on a platter no matter what I do. Any advice on beating this level?

Well I guess you are the only one that got that far, I been having a similar experience trying to take a ridge in on the normandy campaign.

The biggest treat in this scenario is the Panther sneaking around in the dark. The PIVs and Stugs are not to be underestimated, but if you can defeat the panther without taking too much casualties you should be ok. The trick is to use infantry and scouts ahead of your tanks to provide spotting. All LOS is reduced because of the nightfall but this mostly affects vehicles. Use this as an advantage, track the panther and PIVs with infantry and make sure they can't run into any of your tanks. Let it pass by your tanks and then engage it from the flanks and backside. Make sure you can focus enough firepower to kill it in one turn before you move in.

Note that light tanks can be good to deplete enemy tanks' attack points. Move and shoot enemy tanks from max distance to provoke counter fire. A fair chance the enemy misses. Once all shots are depleted (1 + any shots it did not use in its last turn) you can move a tank destroyer right next to the panther - preferable flank or side - and destroy it. Infantry can also be used as cannon fodder if you want to deplete enemy shots, they are mostly there to provide LOS, not to kill enemy units. Once the panther and PIVs are dead it should be fairly easy to mob up the light vehicles as they drive along the main roads. Also important to keep your forces close together, so they can support eachother when necessary. I generally split them in 2 attack groups because a lot of enemy units might sneak past if you only use a single group.