Slitherine

I only have Winter War
It might only be that my tactics "stink on ice" (to quote Mel Brooks)
But I am having a hard time just enjoying level 4 - can't seem to beat the attrition war
(Though am sure 1939 Finns felt same way)

I first started out with The Pacific on level 2, and then afterwards moved up to level 3.
I am also currently playing Winter War, and I find it is a fine balance with this level, where everything feels challenging, but not impossible.
If a scenario gets too difficult, and I can see I cannot complete it, I use a cheat code to add 5 extra turns or something like that. And if I have 15 command points, but am struggling to get any resource points gathered together, I could also cheat a little, and build up a story that I have received an artillery unit from another front as reinforcement, if I have none in my army. Or if I capture a city, I get 50-100 extra resource points to reinforce my troops, if I can see they are SO badly wounded that I cannot continue. Cause I don't wanna sit and get angry at the game and frustrated that I cannot defend myself, at least to a point where it could make sense. I don't give myself unlimited resources or anything like that - just enough, to maintain a challenge.

So, for me, I don't want a walk in the park, but I also don't wanna waste time on something I can see is doomed to fail. So, unless I really have messed something up, I don't let myself lose and restart everything. But I try to complete everything without cheating, and level 3 is perfect, at least for me!

I think I will stick to level 3 the rest of my time with the game, and then perhaps if I am revisiting the campaigns raise to level 4.

vindahl wrote:...I think I will stick to level 3 the rest of my time with the game, and then perhaps if I am revisiting the campaigns raise to level 4.

I ALWAYS play vanilla level 3 all the time because the enemy gets 10-strength units just like the human player, so it's a level playing field.

As for cheat codes and tweaks, I'd never use them in a million years, because if I lose a scen I prefer to try again with different tactics, different unit purchases, and also ask in the forum how members are getting on with a particular scen.
(and sometimes the designer hasn't made the victory requirements clear enough grrr..)

I've got all the DLC's and at level 3 most players will win nearly every vanilla scen if they just go for the Primary objectives, it's too easy.
So for a tougher challenge go for all the Secondaries too and you'll win about half the scens.
if you still find it too easy, do what I do and use some "house rules" of your own to make it harder for yourself, my house rules are-
I only use standard replacement points, never elite points.
No manual sonar pinging.
No manual firing of AA units (except ships).

PS- If players are having trouble winning some vanilla scens, which ones are they?
For example in Winter War>Tali-Ihantala the AI Russians have a massive numerical superiority and look terrifying, but the human player can win by slowly giving up ground to avoid a confrontation and meanwhile picking off their armour with Fokker C-X tac bombers.
Also Russian aggression is only average and their units will tend to run to the rear at the drop of a hat when they start taking losses, rather than stand their ground.

It really depends on which campaign I am playing. The newer offerings seem to be harder in their "organic" form, than the older DLC.

I have fun on level 2, lvl 3-4 is fair enough except some scens or for some 2nd missions. I dont have too much time to play all dlcs and still have many games to play so most time i enjoy level 2. But if you see oob is the best and never be boring so play some scens on level 4 and hard one on level 3. Challenging but still interesting. I just can play this style on blitzkrieg

Thanks for the replies.
I think OOB is more difficult than Panzer Corps - though I like both for different reasons
I can usually get wins in P.C. playing at General level (#5),
but I find captain level (#3) challenging enough in OOB

I've tried level 4 in OOB - Winter War a couple of times
But I just can't beat attrition levels. Even when you get 4-2 victories, you can't make up losses
Mannerheim probably felt the same way

What's ur core? If u play similar style to PzC, which many people do and r focusing mostly on armoured units, then ull be struggling indeed.

This is my second run through. The 1st time was at level 2. I initially tried level 4 - but have reduced to level three now for my 2nd go around.
Currently on Karelian Isthmus(scenario #3) - I started with my core as:
3 x Heavy Infantry (just upgraded for this scenario because it is defensive)
3 x ski troops
1 x '39 Engineers
2 x Anti-tank guns (I find I need one on each flank)
1 x 76mm field gun
1 x 105mm field gun
2 x Fokker dive bombers
1 x M-S fighters
As scenario progressed, when I could afford them, I added another M-S fighter and a ski-troop
I have the T-26 from previous scenario - but opted for the 2nd ATG & 4th ski troop instead

I personally played winter war with 4 artillery units. Also, I'd play with 2 fighters, and as far as I remember, the Finns had a nice and cheap strategic bomber that I'd switch for the dive bomber, which was kind of crap.

I work my way up to 4 arty units also.
The Fokker dive bomber packs a punch and does more physical damage than the other options