7 PzD Ghost Division France 1940 Mini Campaign

[JCE]

Hello All,

Here a new (mini) campaign to play Rommel's 7PzD during Fall Geb in 1940, only four scenarios (Dinant, Flavion, La Sambre & Arras) with 16 core units; each one representing a battalion:
Pz Regiment 25, Abt 1, 2 & 66 (3 armors)
Schtz Regiment 6 & 7 with 3x mot battalions each (6 infantry)
Art Regiment 78 with 3x Mot Art battalions (3 artillery)
Pz Aufklarungs Abt 37 (1 recon)
PzJgABt 42 (1 37mm AT mot)
PiBtl 58 (1 engineer mot)
le FlakAbt 59 (1 20mm AA mot)
I designed it to be medium/difficult but not hard, anyway it becomes always easier with a second play.
Spec points don't work with the campaign editor so i added 10 points after scen 1. Spec points are only available then trough secondary objectives.
Here a link to download it with "we transfer" (for one week only - from 1 march 2018 to 8 march 2018): https://we.tl/3KSXApkTUI
Enjoy,

JCE

[JCE]

7 PzD The Ghost Division (1940)
by JCE

Description: The 7PzD fights in France during Fall Geb, each unit representing a battalion from the Division.

Theatre of War: Europe (Belgium/France)

Side: German

Scenario List:
Dinant
Flavion
La Sambre
Arras

Last Version: Beta V1

Forum Link Discussion: SCENARIO DISCUSSION THREAD

Download Link: we transfer (1week until 8 march 2018) = https://we.tl/3KSXApkTUI

[bru888]

JCE, thanks for this but until you obtain a permanent link (and perhaps the campaign is out of beta), we should not post it in the locked Custom Campaigns thread yet. Please post again here when you are ready in this regard. In the meantime, folks can download it, play it out, and comment here if they wish.

[kondi754]

Excellent first scenario, difficulty level optimum for me (maybe a little too easy ) but i'm a OoB's veteran.
I decided to play because I plan a similar campaign, maybe a little bigger.(France 40, too) I was curious to find out how you solve the problem of the lack of supplies after the landing on the other side of the Meuse River. I like what you've come up with.
There is only one bigger error - there is no promised Flak battery.
There are a few minor bugs but in my opinion you've created this scenario very well.

First try - Feldmarshall difficulty
Result - Draw, I played fast and didn't analyze the mission objectives accurately
I had time to destroy all bunkers (those 2 in the south were basically without cover) but I missed it

[JCE]

Hello Kondi,

I think you got the Flak 88 (Flak Abt 86) as i see it on your screenshot - we get it fast (round 3-4)/Historically it was incorporated to the 7PZD for the campaign of France.
For the supply i wanted to avoid to have to put a supplies ship on the river, you only get supply taking more ground and villages around.
Thanks for playong!

JCE

[kondi754]

Hi,

This Flak you see I bought after crossing the Meuse
No new unit appeared on the map after the announcement that Flak will be attached to the division.

[JCE]

Hello Kondi,

You're right, the trigger was broken, i did it anew for the next release.
Best,

JCE

[kondi754]

Next scn, Flavion
It's impossible to deploy any aircraft but deployment of land units is ok.
Or maybe it will be possible only after the capture of the airfield

[terminator]

Why is East Dinant a Secondary VP ?

Dinant.JPG (37.85 KiB) Viewed 5225 times

[JCE]

To Kondi: aicrafts are available on turn 3 only (i mention it in the briefing texts).
To Terminator: effectively east Dinant should not be a secondary objective (i fixed it for the next release)
Best,

JCE

[terminator]

Suggestion (Dinant) : a counter for the first Primary Objective ?

Primary.JPG (16.99 KiB) Viewed 5220 times

[JCE]

Yep there's at least two ways to do it, with counter for each objective using "check hex owner" or just a total without counter using "check VP count", i used both in my scenarios.

[gunnyjs]

Spoiler Alert: Comments on First Scenario Ok Great so anyway I played it on Major level primarily because this level is in the middle and its disheartening to play it on a sort of less than average - (less than the middle level) although I usually get slaughtered on Major level as I did in this first battle. so am going to replay it ... on Turn 30 the last turn I took 2 primary objectives and had 4 forts or whatever they are called under my belt problem was I was no where near the last objective and had not yet even damaged the 5th bunker ...

I bought a good tank and a fighter at scenario beginning I think the fighter is not needed at all even though 6 units of aircraft can be purchased cause the enemies fighters did not show up after their 1st assault. I was unable to use the flak to fire at the planes again I'm kind of a dufus I call it fog of war. Ok great so uh, I could not figure out how to cross the river for 3 or 4 turns (AFTER I had taken out the bridge area.) Then I figured out I could use the port. so then I had to shift entire army over there. THEN I figured out later many hexes have supply so I did not need to take a city in order to have supply then when I did take the city I unloaded to many so I was under supply fighting. I left my arty on my side of the bank.

I do like this campaign as the player is in the attack I am tired of the defending campaigns and the defend then counter attack with a limited army and resources scenarios in many campaigns I have been playing. This first battle is also good because I had plenty of reinforcements so I could attack with full strength units. Also the Turns go fast so its not a tiring event to play this scenario. With 200 spending at the beginning of the scenario if causes one to think hard of what to buy there are 6 helmet things and 6 air things but not enough money to buy primes stuff in both categories but thats ok it adds to the ambiance. The units are pre placed and I believe unable to be moved but they can be upgraded but then you definitely won't have much to buy stuff with.

Ok back to the drawing board 2nd Try. I purposely have not read any other posts yet want to experience it like uh, Windows ??

on the 2nd try got a minor victory but it took 31 turns. had to do an overtime .. did not take out the tank with my tank used infantry also - then I didn't take enough losses form aircraft figured out how to use the aa was provided with ... even it you engage the aa you still can't fire it until the next turn Lost 2 units enticing enemy out of last Objective so could get it by turn 31 which was still to late.

May play it again later.

The Minor Victory pic at the end had not picture just greyed out.

[JCE]

Hello Gunnyjs,

You faced the main difficulty of this first scenario: the crossing of the meuse river (where to embark, face the lack of supply, not loose too much time to cross..) - it will be easier with a second try.
I used myself the 200 first points to buy 2 planes (fighter and TAC) but you can do otherwise of course.
For the 5 damage to aircrafts, i re-tested it again and again to find out that it don't work if you take damage during IA turn but it will work if you take damage during your own turn so i changed the trigger condition to have the event to work only at the start of your own turn (a turn start event rather than a combat event) and it should work properly every time now (to get the welcomed 88 AA).
For the Minor victory pic it's normal nothing appeared as i only put the pic for a major victory - Rommel Greetings!
Thanks for your testing.

JCE

[JCE]

Here a new link to download the last version V1.1: https://we.tl/6fH9WUiRY2
- i removed the secondary objective (east dinant/terminator)
- i fixed the 88AA not showing (a turn start event rather than a combat event for the "unit damage done" trigger)
Thanks for your testing.

JCE

[kondi754]

Here a new link to download the last version V1.1: https://we.tl/6fH9WUiRY2
- i removed the secondary objective (east dinant/terminator)
- i fixed the 88AA not showing (a turn start event rather than a combat event for the "unit damage done" trigger)
Thanks for your testing.

JCE

Additional Flak 88 is needed because the French DCR attack at the beginning of the 2nd map is devastating, so it's good that everything works now.
It's perfect to have two switchable Flaks, I only had one and it was very hard. First screenshot - my units after French armoured division's attack.
I must admit that I like your campaign more and more.
The air battle over Flavion was very demanding at the 5th diff. level. I bet on Bf 110 and Stukas, but maybe it would be better to buy Bf 109.

[gunnyjs]

comment but its not an easy fixnot needed though at it is a normal thing - First though I played the 2nd Scenario it was great. Also how does one put a minor victory pic in there I look at other campaigns and scenarios and can't figure that one out.

Anyway regarding the comment but its not an easy fix It seems like so many Scenarios with Order of Battle have many important hex's (Primary, Secondary Victory Points and other stuff) on the map edge or close to it. Then when enemy units get on the hex it is difficult to see their strength etc. Also difficult and unrealistic in that one cannot surround the city (hex) ?? Maneuvering gets difficult but maybe that is the idea ???

The Campaign is a wonderful experience though !!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gw9sg9vvpkl83 ... n.pdf?dl=0

I just remembered though I could use that keystroke to get rid of the bottom of the screen thing the UI or whatevers its called keystroke #videomode on/off Its a cheat code thing

[Erik2]

You can put .png graphics in each scenario folder using the the file name outcome_3_x.png (in my example)
A number of the official scenarios lists both Major and Minor Victory as simply Victory using the same little x number and graphic.

[JCE]

I fixed the 88 AA gun spawn quickly as effectively it's really needed all along the campaign and specifically at Flavion and Arras, as historically the 7PsD use them a lot against french heavy tanks.
I was lazy with the minor victory pic as i used only one pic for major victory for the 4 scenarios - well i don't have access to a lot of good 7PzD pics from campaign of France too but i'll try to find one for a next release.
Flavion map seems a bit under used as only the southern part sees combat but the main fight occurs near the german border with the DCR counter attack and the last stand at Florennes should be a formality for the Germans.
Thanks for your comments, it will help to do a better game so continue.
Best,

JCE

[terminator]

- At the beginning with Dinant, German units are facing Right and Belgian and France Units are facing Left. Should not it be the opposite ?

Dinant.jpg (215.22 KiB) Viewed 5075 times

- How did you do to place a 20mm FlaK38 (switchable) with the Editor ?