Erik's custom campaigns

[jerryt52]

I can't seem to get past the first battle of poland in Erik's campaign. What's the "secret" strategy?

[GabeKnight]

Contrary to the vanilla campaigns, Erik's scens have considerable income for the AI/enemy faction. You have to do as the AI usually does and concentrate your forces on one or few units and go for the kill in the same turn. The AI can repair, but not reform destroyed units.
(And yes, this can be super annoying, I know... )

[rafdobrowolski]

I can't seem to get past the first battle of poland in Erik's campaign. What's the "secret" strategy?

Use artillery and engineers (or a strategic bomber) to weaken units, and then kill them with infantry/tanks, and mop up with recon and/or tactical bombers. Concentrate on one unit at a time and eliminate them first. Also, use anti-tank units placed behind your infantry to defend them from enemy tank attacks, preferably hidden in forests if possible. Use multiple fighters to target one plane at a time as well. I find that early on, the Bf 110 series is useful, since they have good ground attack capabilities, but are also great in the air, so they double as a fighter and a tactical bomber. In later scenarios, the Me 410 is a good replacement for the Bf 110's.

[prattaa]

Attached is a replay of a major victory on Poznan. Unfortunately, replays always go out of sync so by turn 3 it's not following what actually happened in the scenario but you can get an idea of forces and strategy. Hope that helps.

Poznan.zip

Poznan replay

(7.37 KiB) Downloaded 123 times

[KarisFraMauro]

I'm impressed people manage to beat those campaigns. Maybe I ought to check out the replay... Have a feeling the real key is familiarity, losing over and over again until you've memorized exactly where and when and how much you'll be facing. Not sure how useful raf's advice is. There aren't enough command points to finish off units, at least within the turn limit. If I concentrate enough of my forces in one theatre I'm hopelessly outmatched in the others. So many enemy anti-air and fighters all over the place that one bomber is about your limit. And if you have ground attack fighters they'll just get chewed up by the aforementioned forces so that's a non-starter. I eventually beat it by lowering the difficulty and abandoning a major victory. It doesn't exactly get any easier. But to each their own, and I applaud the effort!

[gunny]

I'm impressed people manage to beat those campaigns. Maybe I ought to check out the replay... Have a feeling the real key is familiarity, losing over and over again until you've memorized exactly where and when and how much you'll be facing. Not sure how useful raf's advice is. There aren't enough command points to finish off units, at least within the turn limit. If I concentrate enough of my forces in one theatre I'm hopelessly outmatched in the others. So many enemy anti-air and fighters all over the place that one bomber is about your limit. And if you have ground attack fighters they'll just get chewed up by the aforementioned forces so that's a non-starter. I eventually beat it by lowering the difficulty and abandoning a major victory. It doesn't exactly get any easier. But to each their own, and I applaud the effort!

A lot of times you have to use cheat codes to enjoy it - the main goal should be enjoyment not figuring out exactly what you have to do to win it according to how specifically it was made.

[KarisFraMauro]

It's weird, if you'll forgive the boasting I've been having quite a nice little run in multiplayer. Even on custom scenarios, which means my opponent knows enough to download them from the forums. Heck I can routinely beat the people who design the maps! But I don't think I've ever felt more than incompetent on a custom campaign... I can see how cheat codes would change the equation though.

[GabeKnight]

Some of the more recent campaigns are simply too untested and a bit unbalanced, I give you that. But usually all you need to win those are either a few more turns with #overtime or some more cash with #warbonds.

And (detailed) player's feedback on the scens/campaigns is always welcome!

[brucemcl777]

I've been away from OOB for close to 2 years - things certainly have advanced since then. I am trying Erik's US Navy campaign and I have a couple of questions.
In the first scenario Pearl Harbour one of the conditions is do not lose any US Carriers - but as no US carriers actually appear what is the point?
In the second scenario Wake Island this also seems to apply - I am at end of turn 15 and have beat back the japanese invasion force but have never seen a US Carrier - I have been using the 3 carriers planes from wake.
Again a condition is don't lose any carriers but since they don't appear it seems irrelevant.
Also there are 4 Japanese squadrons that go back and forth endlessly feinting at attacking Midway but never do - and after 14 turns in the air they appear to never need refueling. What gives with that?

Also as others have mentioned it was all over before turn 30 - why drag it on to turn 48?

[brucemcl777]

Next came the Rainbow 5 scenario
I don't see the point at all of this - giant slugfest over wake island
I don't think it is possible to even reach wake island with the supply ships and transports in the time allotted with the ship speeds.
Even if you could reach wake I can't see how you get there with 8 AI transports and the supply ships given the size of the Japanese fleet (and the AI ships sailing right into them)
I never saw any Japanese oilers - 2 transports not identified as oilers
Also did not see any Japanese Carriers though they may have been there in the southwest part of map.

I question whether this scenario has been playtested or completed successfully without using cheats even at the easiest level.
None of the US ships should be AI controlled.

I think Gabeknights opinion in post 2988 above is accurate.
To have to use cheats to win is too defeat the whole purpose. If you can't win without that it's a very poor design.

Additional edit - it has just occurred to me there may be a mixup - in the first wake Island scenario ( US held island) it is way too long -48 turns when over well before 30 turns
- in this scenario ( Japanese hold Wake ) it is way too short - 24 turns -when you can't even reach wake
Possible that the two wake scenarios got reversed and first should be 24 turns and this one 48 turns - that would make a lot more sense than at present

[impossible]

I can't seem to get past the first battle of poland in Erik's campaign. What's the "secret" strategy?

thats the most difficult battle BY FAR in that campaign if you dont know the best starting units. buy more cheaper units instead of less more expensive, panzer 1-s are key in that scenario.

[Erik2]

Re US Naval campaign.
This one needs a solid rework, but it is not on the top of my list...

[Celtics]

I've been away from OOB for close to 2 years - things certainly have advanced since then. I am trying Erik's US Navy campaign and I have a couple of questions.
In the first scenario Pearl Harbour one of the conditions is do not lose any US Carriers - but as no US carriers actually appear what is the point?
In the second scenario Wake Island this also seems to apply - I am at end of turn 15 and have beat back the japanese invasion force but have never seen a US Carrier - I have been using the 3 carriers planes from wake.
Again a condition is don't lose any carriers but since they don't appear it seems irrelevant.
Also there are 4 Japanese squadrons that go back and forth endlessly feinting at attacking Midway but never do - and after 14 turns in the air they appear to never need refueling. What gives with that?

Also as others have mentioned it was all over before turn 30 - why drag it on to turn 48?

You have to add the carriers at the beginning of each scenario. For instance, with the Peal Harbor scenario, you place the carriers before you start in the northwest area of the map so you can then try and seek out the Japanese fleet. Took me a while to find that, too.

[ADMIRAL3]

TYVM Eric for your superb work and contnuous updating/reworking. You made OOB the most attractive and enjoyable wargame as far as I know.I tried to play us naval campaign many times in the past and now tried it with your new mod but the AI process is too longlasting and the game often do not proceed ahead. Understand that pearl scenario requires a lot of AI but I cannot go ahead
turn 3. US naval campaign is a top naval simulation and merits any possible improvement. My best regards and Merry Xmas! LBM