DLC '44 West #11: Montelimar
Moderators: Slitherine Core, The Lordz, Panzer Corps Moderators, Panzer Corps Design
DLC '44 West #11: Montelimar
Please post here your comments about this scenario.
Re: DLC '44 West #11: Montelimar
beta1
Colonel, Imported Core, DV 9/14
Prestige before/after deployment: 13380/10941
Prestige on last turn/incl. victory bonus: 12099/15099
The conditions for MV or DV are very different, and luckily I decided straight away to go for the DV, as I have a lot of fast units. The map is strategically very interesting, thanks to the vertical split (by the Rhone) and the locations of the airfields. Early on I spotted the upcoming Allied armored counter-attack from the east, so I had little trouble dealing with them when they got moving. Although I did notice they went for the escorted units whenever they had the chance, I'm not sure if that is intentional but it sure gives the impression as if the AI is on a 'mission' of it's own. When I arrived at Montelimar I got a message after being fired upon by hero'd artillery units, a nice touch, but I took out the nearest to Montelimar to prevent further casualties to my siege units.
The town of Crest (23,1) had me worried initially, but I didn't have to conquer it, I could drive up my escorted units next to the (defended) city and have them gone before the AI could interfere, which was fortunate because the evac hexes around the city would make it impossible to conquer without having the attacking units disappear from the map. Overall, a nice rush, I did not go north-west of Montelimar to capture more victory hexes and left the city mostly alone, to keep the casualties down.
One little oddity caught my eye when scrolling over the map, but it's not an error, just me being weird:
Around hexes (8,14) and again at (14,8), these are clumps of Thick Forest hexes, but they nearly all use same tile, which looks a little bit artifical. I sincerely doubt most people would notice, although it does make for a good 'cannot be unseen' easter egg.
Colonel, Imported Core, DV 9/14
Prestige before/after deployment: 13380/10941
Prestige on last turn/incl. victory bonus: 12099/15099
The conditions for MV or DV are very different, and luckily I decided straight away to go for the DV, as I have a lot of fast units. The map is strategically very interesting, thanks to the vertical split (by the Rhone) and the locations of the airfields. Early on I spotted the upcoming Allied armored counter-attack from the east, so I had little trouble dealing with them when they got moving. Although I did notice they went for the escorted units whenever they had the chance, I'm not sure if that is intentional but it sure gives the impression as if the AI is on a 'mission' of it's own. When I arrived at Montelimar I got a message after being fired upon by hero'd artillery units, a nice touch, but I took out the nearest to Montelimar to prevent further casualties to my siege units.
The town of Crest (23,1) had me worried initially, but I didn't have to conquer it, I could drive up my escorted units next to the (defended) city and have them gone before the AI could interfere, which was fortunate because the evac hexes around the city would make it impossible to conquer without having the attacking units disappear from the map. Overall, a nice rush, I did not go north-west of Montelimar to capture more victory hexes and left the city mostly alone, to keep the casualties down.
One little oddity caught my eye when scrolling over the map, but it's not an error, just me being weird:
Around hexes (8,14) and again at (14,8), these are clumps of Thick Forest hexes, but they nearly all use same tile, which looks a little bit artifical. I sincerely doubt most people would notice, although it does make for a good 'cannot be unseen' easter egg.
Re: DLC '44 West #11: Montelimar
11) Montelimar – beta 1
Level: Field Marshal
Prestige: Begin: 14,700. End: 15,300. Net: +600.
Result: DV at 12/14
Replacements: none used.
Problems:
General impressions/comments:
Core prestige was, apples to apples - at start of Arnhem 17,250 via this easier path vs. 16,575 via St. Lo/Falaise. So pretty dead equal except for value of aux transport I disbanded.
Level: Field Marshal
Prestige: Begin: 14,700. End: 15,300. Net: +600.
Result: DV at 12/14
Replacements: none used.
Problems:
- • Air range miscalculated – I had a fighter on edge of fuel, but still on awhite space. Next turn, it came up one short of fuel to reach base (no bases lost or any other reason safe range would have changed between turns).
• Evac hex location: having the town itself at 23,1 also be an evac hex is a problem – any air that attacks the AT gun is lost. The next turn, allied air showed up and mauled the ground units that otherwise would have been protected. Perhaps leave surrounding hexes for evac, but not town itself, or the hex immediately in front/south.
• After working a while, the “save” and “load” features stopped working again if accessed via pressing “esc” instead of UI button. Accessing it via UI button causes it to start working again w/o having to exit/restart.
General impressions/comments:
- • Scenario seemed very tame. I understand it is the easy path, but still it was fairly uneventful.
• Is it possible to have units exert zoc for evac hexes? Seems wrong to be able to just position a unit adjacent to an evac hex inside an allied zoc, and it still evac it.
• Are you supposed to get transport for prestige bonus? I had the five transport worth 700 in core as aux at start of next scenario.
Core prestige was, apples to apples - at start of Arnhem 17,250 via this easier path vs. 16,575 via St. Lo/Falaise. So pretty dead equal except for value of aux transport I disbanded.
Re: DLC '44 West #11: Montelimar
11) Montelimar – beta 2
Level: Rommel, stock core
Prestige: Begin: 150. End: 750. Net: +600
Result: DV 12/14 (I played until 14 to take some hexes for pp)
Core changes:
Level: Rommel, stock core
Prestige: Begin: 150. End: 750. Net: +600
Result: DV 12/14 (I played until 14 to take some hexes for pp)
Core changes:
- Upgraded Pz.IV/H to J model.
- Upgraded 17cm field artillery to 21cm
- • None noted.
- • Instead of just snaking up easiest route to evac, this time I took a “broad front” approach and went after hexes for points. Much more fun.
• Good scenario overall.
• Warning re: artillery was timely, helpful, and welcomed.
Re: DLC '44 West #11: Montelimar
Leunant Level Beta 3 - MV
1. Important to avoid following the left path because the river cannot be crossed (even with bridging unit I think, I never tried). I have chosen the front path and constantly blocked by Allied tanks and infantry units in town.
2. Fade scenario. No fun compared with all previous scenarios. Maybe I say this because I lost a Panther G 14 strength... I have not found this scenario essential. The transports were running so fast compared with the rest of my core army and I was forced to leave them behind constantly. They were attacked in front of evac zones at the very last turn.
1. Important to avoid following the left path because the river cannot be crossed (even with bridging unit I think, I never tried). I have chosen the front path and constantly blocked by Allied tanks and infantry units in town.
2. Fade scenario. No fun compared with all previous scenarios. Maybe I say this because I lost a Panther G 14 strength... I have not found this scenario essential. The transports were running so fast compared with the rest of my core army and I was forced to leave them behind constantly. They were attacked in front of evac zones at the very last turn.