Final thoughts on DLC 43
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:59 am
I enjoyed DLC 43 a lot, and I am sure that when it is released people will definitely enjoy it too. As a test, I replayed the entire DLC 43 on Colonel, but at the beginning of each scenario I used the prestige cheat code to add just enough prestige to completely repair all of my units to maximum over-strength. This usually meant adding anywhere from 2500 to 3500 points at the beginning of many of the scenarios (mostly the Kursk battles). I also tried several scenarios on the General level doing this.
My conclusion is that with a full core of fully upgraded, over-strength German units, the German Army always rolls over the Russians. I was able to get DVs with an average of 5 or more turns to spare in many scenarios, and in every scenario I was able to capture most, if not all, hexes held by the Russians. I do not feel that the AI is much of a challenge to an experienced player in this situation. It is clear that the only balance in the game is achieved by a shortage of prestige which forces the German Army core to be under-strength, and not upgraded to its maximum potential. Essentially, the AI can make the game a challenge if one arm is tied behind the German Army's back by a prestige and unit shortage. I am definitely not trying to knock the game, but I think the AI could definitely be tweaked up. Small things, like having the AI make better use of its arty by firing it at the beginning of the turn, would really make a difference. I don't know how many times a Russian tank or infantry unit will attack one of my units (usually a soft-target like infantry or towed arty), and then after that skirmish is complete, the AI fires its arty at the unit it just attacked. This totally defeats the purpose of using arty in an offensive capacity. Also, Russian aircraft need to be more aggressive. I can remember in Panzer General that the AI would sometimes throw aircraft in suicide waves against my attacking aircraft just to drain my aircraft's ammo. Perhaps an instruction could be added to the code whereby if a German plane's ammo is down to less than three shots, the Russian planes will go after it to drain its ammo and then have a better shot at shooting it down.
Additionally, once you have a fighter with a 12 or 13 strength, especially if it is an FW190, you are going to blow every Russian aircraft out of the sky. By the last few scenarios of DLC 43, my FW190's were 14 and 15 strength. Most of the time the Russian fighter or bomber disappeared completely with no losses to my fighter. The only way the Russians could get at my fighters were with ground AA, or if they caught a bomber of mine without an escort and without ammo.
The bottom line is that this game shows that there is not really a question of which army has the better equipment--the Germans do in almost every single area. And with enough strength and experience, the Germans will crush the Russians every single time. The game is about using less-than-the-best equipment, and with little prestige, and with weakened units and seeing how well you can do. This can be enjoyable, and a definite test of your playing skills. However, it is also hard/tiresome to see core units that have been brought along from 1939 get wiped out--not because they were not superior to the enemy they faced--but rather, because you can't afford to keep them at full strength, or near full strength on the map. So I guess Panzer Corps is a supply/demand type of game when you look at the big picture, and the game ultimately mirrors what happened in real life--the Germans did not have the ability to fully replace their losses in equipment and manpower.
I remember I several years in the mid to late 90s playing Panzer General against human opponents on Mplayer. Playing an experienced player adds a whole new dimension to the game, which I believe would undoubtedly be the case with Panzer Corps. I am thinking it is getting time for me to leave the AI behind and start playing human opponents again!
Thanks for letting me participate in this testing process for DLC 43!
My conclusion is that with a full core of fully upgraded, over-strength German units, the German Army always rolls over the Russians. I was able to get DVs with an average of 5 or more turns to spare in many scenarios, and in every scenario I was able to capture most, if not all, hexes held by the Russians. I do not feel that the AI is much of a challenge to an experienced player in this situation. It is clear that the only balance in the game is achieved by a shortage of prestige which forces the German Army core to be under-strength, and not upgraded to its maximum potential. Essentially, the AI can make the game a challenge if one arm is tied behind the German Army's back by a prestige and unit shortage. I am definitely not trying to knock the game, but I think the AI could definitely be tweaked up. Small things, like having the AI make better use of its arty by firing it at the beginning of the turn, would really make a difference. I don't know how many times a Russian tank or infantry unit will attack one of my units (usually a soft-target like infantry or towed arty), and then after that skirmish is complete, the AI fires its arty at the unit it just attacked. This totally defeats the purpose of using arty in an offensive capacity. Also, Russian aircraft need to be more aggressive. I can remember in Panzer General that the AI would sometimes throw aircraft in suicide waves against my attacking aircraft just to drain my aircraft's ammo. Perhaps an instruction could be added to the code whereby if a German plane's ammo is down to less than three shots, the Russian planes will go after it to drain its ammo and then have a better shot at shooting it down.
Additionally, once you have a fighter with a 12 or 13 strength, especially if it is an FW190, you are going to blow every Russian aircraft out of the sky. By the last few scenarios of DLC 43, my FW190's were 14 and 15 strength. Most of the time the Russian fighter or bomber disappeared completely with no losses to my fighter. The only way the Russians could get at my fighters were with ground AA, or if they caught a bomber of mine without an escort and without ammo.
The bottom line is that this game shows that there is not really a question of which army has the better equipment--the Germans do in almost every single area. And with enough strength and experience, the Germans will crush the Russians every single time. The game is about using less-than-the-best equipment, and with little prestige, and with weakened units and seeing how well you can do. This can be enjoyable, and a definite test of your playing skills. However, it is also hard/tiresome to see core units that have been brought along from 1939 get wiped out--not because they were not superior to the enemy they faced--but rather, because you can't afford to keep them at full strength, or near full strength on the map. So I guess Panzer Corps is a supply/demand type of game when you look at the big picture, and the game ultimately mirrors what happened in real life--the Germans did not have the ability to fully replace their losses in equipment and manpower.
I remember I several years in the mid to late 90s playing Panzer General against human opponents on Mplayer. Playing an experienced player adds a whole new dimension to the game, which I believe would undoubtedly be the case with Panzer Corps. I am thinking it is getting time for me to leave the AI behind and start playing human opponents again!
Thanks for letting me participate in this testing process for DLC 43!
