AK: Palestine

[billmv44]

General level. Starting prestige 6798, ending 4217. Elite replacements for all core units.

A couple of nits: I'd prefer a better looking pumping station than the hanger (also, could they be named?). Something with pipes perhaps. The scenario doesn't end after all objectives are taken. Is this because the Arab volunteers must survive to the end? If so, maybe a check to see if there aren't any allied units left, then the scenario could end early.

Like others, I had a lot of difficulty in defending the pumping stations. I too lost the one closest to Haifa. Maybe the air mobile reinforcements could start closer to the pumping stations. Or the allied units could start further away. Seems like some change is needed in this regard. That said, I like these additional missions within the overall scheme of the scenario. They add richness to the game.

Otherwise it was pretty standard. The expected flank attack was repelled fairly easily. I finally found a good use for my motorcycle unit. Guarding the flank. Their spotting of 3 gave me early warning of the attack. That was the difference in stopping it without losing any units vs Suez.

My first MV

[Kamerer]

Palestine beta 2
FM level, map cleared 17/20, MV
Prestige start, 5570. End: 4900. Net: -670
(Elite replacements to “10” during scenario for core units, unless very badly damaged – those retired and repaired w/Elite in next deployment).

I could see no way to defend all three hangers/stations. Far too many good opponent infantry units adjacent to westernmost one near Haifa. Despite clearing the map several turns early, still a MV. I thought a really fun map and scenario. Great fun blitzing both sides of the Jordan, bypassing strong points. But a better method of giving the player a chance to hold all stations is needed.

[Razz1]

BETA 3
Colonel
start
End 6175
Map cleared except one sub on turn 16
Got MV
Victory conditions not correct.

I had more than 6 Arabs and captured all flags

Used allot of Elite reinforcements

[uran21]

Did all hangars stayed alive? All 3 of them.

[Razz1]

Sorry, no.
Only one and that was easy to protect.

No way I could save the other two.

[grabbysnatch]

I have a clean download of beta 3 and still have the problem of a loss after turn 1 on this and therefore cannot proceed with campaign

[uran21]

From what point are you starting campaign? From first scenario, from Palestine save or somewhere else?

[grabbysnatch]

i just restarted palestione as I thought this problem had been fixed. I have now gone back to an earlier save and will redo the last couple of scenarios to try it

[uran21]

Save games store data at that current point so fixes do not apply to save games. It requires save from some of the previous scenarios to reach deployment phase in Palestine in order to work.

[grabbysnatch]

cheers will give it a try

[monkspider]

Palestine
Marginal victory
Losses 1x Mobile Flak that I have had since the beginning
Ending prestige 950

This was an excellent scenario with some interesting victory conditions. I was unable to play it last time due to the bug so it was great to have some new content on this playthrough.I enjoyed using the Arab volunteers though protecting the hangars was difficult, I was unable to hold the one nearest to Haifa. I would recommend starting the player off with an artillery unit right at the beginning and not have to wait for the paratroops and also rename the hangars "pumping station X" for greater clarity.

Hangars aside, it was a difficult scenario, and I only captured the final victory hex on the next to last turn. I sent the 9th Panzer division north along the coast, my Italian 2nd Armored division through the center toward Jerusalem and my SS Panzer division that I have nicknamed "Heimdall" was responsible driving east and taking the northeastern victory hexes.I took a lot of casualties due to the strength of the enemy's ground forces and RAF units. On the naval front, I managed to sink all of the enemy ships, but my own navy was down to one 8 strength cruiser and a 1 strength cruiser at the end.

Yet another great scenario, well done!

[uran21]

BDW guys, don't remember from previous posts, but did you captured some new equipment in this one?

[Resolute]

I got a Churchill from Sofi (26,41) and was pleased with that. Regarding the hangars, like many others, I don't think you can keep the one near Haifa alive.

[ThvN]

About the Churchill tank you can capture, I missed it the first time because the spot it spawns (27,40) was occupied, I moved out of Sofi before the spot was free. So it only spawns if you have a unit in Sofi and hex (27,40) is unoccupied?

Keeping the pumping stations alive is quite a challenge, it matters alot were you drop the Nebelwerfer, and you need a little luck. The middle pump has the artillery, which helps alot. The western one is very difficult, and the Flakvierling is a bit of a joke I think... It didn't fire a shot in three games and could only helplessy watch as the Arab volunteers got shot to pieces. Although hunting that Dingo recon car with the 37mm PaK is interesting, a sort of Safari hunting-minigame almost.

About the appearance of the map, the roads in (9,36) (12,36) (14,31+32) look odd because it goes from sand to normal and back again too many times, but you have already fixed such roads on the earlier maps, so I guess they are all gonna get fixed and I don't need to comment on these any more for the maps after Alam Halfa?

You get a big prestige hit when you lose those pumps! Once I lost two in one turn, well over 1000 prestige gone... So 500 lost per pump, plus the cost of a lost victory hex, I assume? Maybe a bit less prestige loss would be better, or keep the prestige hit but provide slightly better defenses?

Overall a good, very challenging scenario. It can be hard to get a DV, as it should. The DV conditions really had me pushing hard and taking risks irrelevant of the turn limit, because the volunteers would never last that long. MV is easy, if you have a fast and hard-hitting core. The allied airforce (spitfires) arriving late in the game usually gang up on a single airplane and wipe it out, their strategic bombers don't do a lot. Maybe exchange a spitfire or strategic bomber for an allied fighter-bomber, to discourage letting your tanks outrun their support.

This is all just my opinion as a novice, for experienced players the difficulty may be just right.

[zappel]

I got a Churchill from Sofi (26,41) and was pleased with that.

Beta3: I placed a core unit on Sofi but got no unit, is there still a unit to capture? I noticed the flag of the city of Sofi (26, 41) is missing (like Nazareth (23, 13), Rafid (31, 9) or Sofid (26, 9)), efore and after my core unit stayed in Sofi for a turn.

[Razz1]

The Hanger on the left needs to have an entrenchment of 2.

I don't think 1 will work.

Try that and I bet players will be able to hold that hanger, er... Oil Pump Station

[Chris10]

The Hanger on the left needs to have an entrenchment of 2.
I don't think 1 will work.

+1

maybe 3...there seems no way to hold the Hangar right now..I tried everything...send all my airforce up there from turn 1 but until it arrived the Hangar was already done

.................players will be able to hold that hanger, er... Oil Pump Station

First I was scanning whole map for those Pump Stations..err Hangars...and I thought Iam stupid as I was unable to find them

At least they could be named Pump Station 1, Pump Station 2 and not H2, Hangar whatsoever...

[ThvN]

About the graphics for the hangars/pumping stations, I thought they were placeholders for the beta. I think the building for the radar station (minus the antenna) would be just about perfect.

Small observation: in the briefing, they are called ‘pumping stations’, but ‘pipeline stations’ in the turn splash screen.

Rename the glider units into 'Sonderverband 288'.

Maybe rename the 'Arab Volunteers' into ' Free Arab Legion'.

Some extra historical trivia:

The ‘Arab Volunteers’ unit was called the ‘Deutsch-Arabische Lehrabteilung (DAL)’rougly translated as ’German-Arabian Instruction Batallion’. The volunteers themselves were called the ‘Legion Freie Arabien’=’ Free Arabian Legion’.





The special German unit (in the gliders) for such operations was called ‘Sonderverband 288’. They were formed from mostly Gebirgsjager, but had their own support weapons (a bit like Panzergrenadiere I guess). They were supposed to assist in operations past the Suez Canal and go for the oilfields in Iraq/Iran. The German high command’s stupid optimism keeps amazing me… But, they have a nice name to use as auxiliaries in scenarios.

In the end they were used to provide rear security, guard supply lines etc. They fought in the Kasserine pass. http://afrikaaxisallied.blogspot.nl/200 ... d-288.html

There was also Sonderverband 287, same role but they operated in Ukraine and the Caucasus and twere supposed to link up with the Afrikakorps in Iraq/Iran. And there was also a Free India Legion.

[zappel]

The same like many wrote before: H3 and H4 survived, H2 destroyed.
Although I occupied all capturable cities (those with flags) I got no unit. Is there still a unit to capture in beta3?

[uran21]

At least they could be named Pump Station 1, Pump Station 2 and not H2, Hangar whatsoever...

Pipeline going from Kirkuk to Haditha had stations called K1, K2, K3 etc., at Haditha it branched with one line going to Tripoli, other to Haifa. Stations on line to Tripoli were called T1, T2, T3 etc. and those going to Haifa H1, H2, H3, etc. Similarity in naming stations with Hsomenumber and Hangar is pure coincidence. But pop-up messages could do their work in explaining their position better.

About the Churchill tank you can capture, I missed it the first time because the spot it spawns (27,40) was occupied, I moved out of Sofi before the spot was free. So it only spawns if you have a unit in Sofi and hex (27,40) is unoccupied?

Should be fixed now. If you have unit on top of Churchill it will appear when you move it regardless do you still have unit in town or not.

Maybe rename the 'Arab Volunteers' into ' Free Arab Legion'.

Briefings mention Arab Volunteers and they are locked so no change in here, but beside this, talking by recollection, wasn't there an Arab Legion as a British unit?

The Hanger on the left needs to have an entrenchment of 2.

I don't think 1 will work.

Will look to make some changes in here.