Sandstorm - Italian Challenge

[WarHomer]

Inspired by a recent thread I started an Italian Challenge of Sandstorm this weekend.

I use cheatcodes to add Italian RP´s and Air and Land unit points equal to the German points and then I field only Italian units. I also disband the German Units that you start with and add Land CP and RP´s for these to the Italians. The difficulty level is Field Marshal.

Mission 1 was quite fun and challenging.

The Italian air units, especially the lousy strategic bombers, made the air war quite challenging. I fielded 2 fighters and 2 tac bombers and 2 Italian AA units to compensate.

It actually went better than expected and I managed to sink the English destroyer and take Tobruk, but I had to give up on the other secondary town.

I´m sure I´m gonna miss the German Commanders, but thats part of the challenge.

[13obo]

Ha, atta boy! That's a properly dedicated Italian challenge. And level 5 difficulty too! Even the PzC one allowed to keep the starting German ones, but I guess here it's a bit more difficult as you have the CP breakdown by country.

So you gave the Italians all the German CP and RP per turn? And also the reward RPs as well?

Please share AARs (a few sentences are enough) to know of your adventures. I'm sure it won't be easy.

[WarHomer]

Yes, all german points to the Italians.

After mission 1 I´m a bit conflicted as to give the Italians all 4 german specialization points or just add 2 to the Italians. I guess all 4 would be most "fair", but I will definately not buy any specs after mission 1, as you didn´t have that option in the Vanilla campaign (because you only had 4 german and 2 Italian and everything cost 5 or more).

My army composition for mission 1 was something like 2 medium tanks, 2 light tanks, 4 inf (2 with trucks), 1 light antitank, 3 heavy artillery pieces, 2 heavy AA, 2 fighters and 2 tac bombers. I think I had around 9 land CP left over, buying me extra rounds on full supply.

2 inf and 1 light antitank went for the northern objective along with my air forces, and everything else rushed east. 3 tanks diverted north to cut off supply (with 1 light staying there) and the rest camped south of Tobruk till I had decimated the Tobruk arty defence and british air forces. Then I went in for Tobruk while simultaneously moving the last distance east for the last primary objective.

My airforce couldn´t even destroy the supply truck in the north, but the 2 inf arrived at the last moment and finished it off before it could drive away, buying me some extra rounds of full supply. The Italian tac bombers are horrible!!!

Finished around turn 29-30 with about 400 RP´s to spare.

[Andy2012]

@WarHomer: You are a bit of a masochist, right?

Anyways, good job on the reporting. Keep it up - why not include a few screenshots? If any of the youtube people read this, could also be a cool video walkthrough. Especially if you do nasty commentary ('here come the Italians. womp womp.' )

[WarHomer]

Mission 2 completed last night.

Fielded 3 medium tanks, 2 light tanks (one on each flank) and to heavy AA/AT (behind the tanks). On light tank rushed west and one south toward the first city (in preparation of a flanking manouver). The rest went west/southwest as a blocking force.

The aux forces dug in or hightailed it to the city by the coast that you´re not supposed to loose. I reinforced them with regular as much as possible.

As anticipated the British western forces went north in 2 Groups with one meeting my blocking force. Both forces where then outflanked and cut off from supply by the light tank I had sent south. That made easy work out of those forces, while my AA took nice chunks out of the British airforces and with the arrivel of my 2 Italian fighters they were finished or chased off. The British fighter ran off with 2 strength left and with the short range of my fighters I had to let it go.

After that it was a controlled advance south with the light tank again making outflanking and cut off manouvers which easily took care of the Matilda heavy tank. The aux forces held their own at the seaside town until the arrival of my forces.

I think I had around 300-350 RP left over at the end and minimal losses, except one fighter that couldn´t get off the map in time as there are only one exit point.

The Italian airforce still sucks, but in the next mission I get the MC 202 Folgore which is quite decent. Seriously considering disbanding my 2 tac bombers as they only got around 800-1000 xp and rebuying them with 1 star from the air specialization. Same could be the case for my fighters as they are also low on XP and one is pretty banged up (4 strength). Also seriously considering the specialisation that gives 2 extra airturns for fighters as the current 7 sucks badly.

I could post replays if anyone is interested and If I can figure out how to.

[Andy2012]

I could post replays if anyone is interested and If I can figure out how to.

I bet somebody would watch them, but I wouldnt count on high viewership figures in the thousands.
You need to zip the files before uploading. 7 zip is free. If you need more help, just ask.
You can also embed screenshots. Press F9, check in the screenshot folder. One version is high quality, the other is a small jpeg. The latter is better for uploading.

[13obo]

I'd watch a replay of the more interesting battles like El Alamein or Operation Crusader, which I believe was 3rd mission. So please post those if possible!

[GabeKnight]

I'd watch a replay of the more interesting battles like El Alamein or Operation Crusader, which I believe was 3rd mission. So please post those if possible!

Same here. It feels like it's been ages since I've watched one.
And maybe they've fixed the replay mechanic already...

[terminator]

This post inspired me for a new mod :http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... 74&t=86330

[13obo]

Thanks for that! I have started the Italian Challenge using your mod and finished Tobruk on 5th difficulty with all objectives on turn 28. Damn it was tough! Replay attached (wondering if people can watch it without the mod?).

Terminator, was also wondering how the specialisations for unlocking German units work? For example Baukommando Becker?

[cutydt02]

Did y guys add more italian spec points for this challenger?
German starts with damn good specs, even not count their superior units

[13obo]

The Italians are broken down into two cores with the same units (and flags so a bit confusing) but receiving the German/Italian CP and RP from Sandstorm. The Italians that take over the German CP/RP also have the German specialisation points.

[GabeKnight]

I have started the Italian Challenge using your mod and finished Tobruk on 5th difficulty with all objectives on turn 28. Damn it was tough! Replay attached (wondering if people can watch it without the mod?).

Yeah you can, it's just the flags that won't be switched. But the replay mechanic's broken as before.
Thanks for sharing.

[terminator]

The Italians are broken down into two cores with the same units (and flags so a bit confusing) but receiving the German/Italian CP and RP from Sandstorm. The Italians that take over the German CP/RP also have the German specialisation points.

version 1.02 :
- 2 Italian factions :
germany -> Italian flags without blazon
italy -> Italian flags with blazon

[WarHomer]

I have continued my original Italian Challenge (but think I will try Terminators mod in Blitzkrieg later).

Mission 3 AAR - Sea Mission

Not much of a challenge here despite the weaker Italian Air Force.

I fielded all fighters and made my way slowly and methodically south.

I agressively attacked and destroyed all enemy planes - practically swarming them - one at a time, and in the end I fielded 2 tac bombers that took out the southern middle cruiser.

I basically took the same approach with the Italian Navy, destroying all enemy ships one at a time.