AO beg steal and steal again

[scott_mathieson]

So decided to give this a try, based I have issues with the the game at the minute where id like a bigger challenge prestige wise, would like the supply of units to be restricted so you cant fill your core with all the best gear. probably too complicated to implement so we have all or nothing type of changes we can make.
I also want to try no artillery no air force not as one offs for cheap points then turn to stock up but for the long haul.

so basic set up with 10%random, unlimited undos for movement to allow for my shaky click finger, collector so only allowed one unit of any type (equipment limiting option) and shoestring (prestige limiting)

difficulty generallisimus


negative traits

no artillery (as above)
no aircraft (as above)
retrograde (limit to unit types SCW fairly spread out time wise)
inefficient supply (find this only really effects recon) and scow maps mainly small)
slow modernization (wont need a lot of unnecessary upgrading)
trench slog (not much city busting going on in SCW)
fear of unknown (shouldn't be as much of an issue with limited air force)

positives

panzer general (because I'm a panzer general)
master of blitzkrieg (because I'm a blitzkrieg general)
deadly grasp (help with captures)
perimeter control (help with captures)
auxiliary force (to help with lack of units)
trophies ( to help with supply of captured vehicles)
ant-air vet ( to help with no aircraft)
killer team ( will need some strong units to compensate for fielding weaker back ups)
operational initiative (boost to help deal with generalisimus)
terrain expert (as above)

[scott_mathieson]

first map - Seville

killer team gave zero slots which i was happy with and 2 fearsome reputations never thought much of this one but having it on both recons could help with quick equipment steals.

line up

Panzer 1a (zero slots, OS 15)
Panzer 1a
Panzer 1a
Sdkfz 221 (Fearsome rep)
Sdkfz 221 (Fearsome rep)
3.7 pak 36
3.7 pak 37
10.5 cm leFH 18
10.5 cm leFH 18
10.5 cm leFH 18
cm Flak 30
He 51
He 51
He 51
Hs 123a
Hs 123a
Hs 123a
He 70 Rayo

straight up collector stopping me using the slots freed up by zero slots hero there is nothing available I don't have. Scenario played out without any hitches and gained plenty of prestige and smattering of units. early doors thinking trophies is going to give too much prestige but not sure the lower equipment gains would be too much to deal with.

[scott_mathieson]

going into Aintiquera I get field repair hero which is pretty awesome, early on can go on 203 cannons with zero slots until I get hold of the flame tank.

new units:

upgrade pak 37 to 20mm m33 anti air no brainer as i need anti air
203 os to 15 with field repairs (totally unoriginal but its what zero slots was made for)

set up

Panzer 1a
Panzer 1a
Panzer 1a (OS 15)
Sdkfz 221 (Fearsome rep)
Sdkfz 221 (Fearsome rep)
3.7 pak 36
203mm M1931 (zero slots, field repairs OS 15)
10.5 cm leFH 18
10.5 cm leFH 18
10.5 cm leFH 18
2 cm Flak 30
20 mm m1931
He 51
He 51
He 51
Hs 123a
Hs 123a
Hs 123a
He 70 Rayo

[Stormchaser]

straight up collector stopping me using the slots freed up by zero slots hero there is nothing available I don't have. Scenario played out without any hitches and gained plenty of prestige and smattering of units. early doors thinking trophies is going to give too much prestige but not sure the lower equipment gains would be too much to deal with.

Yeah, I love Trophies of War and using captured equipment, but the extra Prestige gets kinda ridiculous at times.

[scott_mathieson]

Aintiquera went off without a hitch, no issues at all, captured enough bt5s to field that and also 76mm AA, 12 and 15 cm guns and the strat bombers which are probably not worth it with trench slog.

think trophies will prove to be a mistake as prestige rolling in. once i have enough units ill probably switch to less capturing.

[Tassadar]

Good luck! I'm especially curious about Fear of the Unknown trait and how it will impact some missions.

[scott_mathieson]

Meridia hero gained - camouflage perfect for aa gun until i start playing with AT, prototype pz1b.

upgraded units

3.7 pak to 75mm anti air
pz1a to trubia
pz1a to bt5

line up

BT5
Trubia
Panzer 1a (OS 15)
Sdkfz 221* (Fearsome rep)
Sdkfz 221 (Fearsome rep)
203mm M1931 (zero slots, field repairs OS 15)
10.5 cm leFH 18
10.5 cm leFH 18
10.5 cm leFH 18
2 cm Flak 30
75mm vickers (camouflage)
20 mm m1931
He 51
He 51
He 51
Hs 123a
Hs 123a
He 70 Rayo
Ju 52
Ju 52
Ju 52


reserves
IT cavalry
bridge unit
L3/33
L3/35
m11/39

[scott_mathieson]

Good luck! I'm especially curious about Fear of the Unknown trait and how it will impact some missions.

few big maps later could be annoying, needed to use glider tas spy plane to get landing craft over to gibralter

[WalterTFD]

I feel like, despite having no artillery/no air force, you have large amounts of both. 4 slots of artillery and 10 planes should see you through.

Collector is super annoying, though. Be super careful with your paratrooper(s)!

[scott_mathieson]

I feel like, despite having no artillery/no air force, you have large amounts of both. 4 slots of artillery and 10 planes should see you through.

Collector is super annoying, though. Be super careful with your paratrooper(s)!

im not too worried about artillery even with trench slog, im used to running 3 or 4 15 cm so it will be adjustment. air force might have plenty units but hard to get decent planes any time soon. infantry for sure will be weakness with collector.

[scott_mathieson]

so meridia was a bit of a disaster. maybe the 203 gun made me complacent but over estimated how much the trench slog can slow you down, didnt get any bonus objectives so might be tight getting the verdja now.

[scott_mathieson]

Toledo, bit of an annoying map really with the Ai at times but really its all about getting enough cp for the verdja and a decent core as madrid is really abit of a supermarket for russian equioment.

hero gained 3xentrenchment which will be handy and prototypes more pz 1bs

new units

pz1a to pz1b
skzf 221 to unl37
10cm to 122 mm

line up

BT5
Trubia (OS 15)
Panzer 1b (OS 15)
Sdkfz 221* (Fearsome rep)
unl 37 *(Fearsome rep)
203mm M1931 (zero slots, field repairs OS 15)
122mm 10/30
10.5 cm leFH 18
10.5 cm leFH 18
2 cm Flak 30
75mm vickers (camouflage)
20 mm m1931
He 51
He 51
He 51
Hs 123a
Hs 123a
Ju 52
Ju 52
Ju 52


reserves
IT cavalry
bridge unit
L3/33
L3/35
m11/39

[WalterTFD]

Merida is, low key, the hardest mission in SCW. I don't think I've ever got the NE objective.

[scott_mathieson]

Toledo was ok until a vh was lost by the spanish on the last round also bled a bit of prestige on this one, no major issues with the setup and got enough cp in the end.

[scott_mathieson]

on to madrid which is good place to gather supplies of enemy gear, have the cp for verdja so that was taken, prototype was again pz1b, hero is never surrenders so will that will just be sold.seem to be leaking prestige but this could be down to using OS italian reserves. this is bigger map and i usually send reserves with bit of support up western side so may have fog between the two lots of units we shall see if this is an issue.

new units;

bought T26
10cm gun to 15cm

line up

T26
BT5*
Trubia (OS 15)
Panzer* 1b (OS 15)
Sdkfz 221* (Fearsome rep)
unl 37 *(Fearsome rep)
203mm M1931 (zero slots, field repairs OS 15)
122mm 10/30
10.5 cm leFH 18
152mm m 10/30
2 cm Flak 30
75mm vickers (camouflage)
20 mm m1931
He 51
He 51
He 51
Hs 123a
Hs 123a
Ju 52
Ju 52
Ju 52


reserves
IT cavalry
ctv infantry
L3/33
L3/35
m11/39

[WalterTFD]

Time to gather a bunch of stuff in Madrid. Should serve you well in 1939.

[Tassadar]

Camouflage on that big AA gun will be great considering Denied Airforce.

[scott_mathieson]

so early Madrid was fun got good prestige boost and stocked up on russian equipment. fear of the unkown cropped up at one stag when planes ere seperatedfrom targets by thin line of fog but you can rebase through the fog so not that much of an issue, not really issue as yet, enough choice of tanks/recon/arty and AA lacking inn aircraft choice but not allowed it so a moot point.

[scott_mathieson]

So on to Corunna road a map i don't really like for some reason, hoping for more out of my camouflage hero but that aside heroes working out well especially having 2 fearsome reputation recon cars.

got 88mm for prototype and reduced slots hero which is always welcome and can just go on whatever is most expensive

new units:

2omm to 88mm , i did this to get exp on the 88 but wasn't able to then buy 20mm
bought acc 1937 recon do well on exp so need to start to utilize this

set up
T26
BT5*
Trubia* (OS 15)
Panzer* 1b (OS 15)
Sdkfz 221* *(Fearsome rep)
unl 37 **(Fearsome rep)
aac 1937
203mm M1931 (zero slots, field repairs OS 15)
122mm 10/30
10.5 cm leFH 18
152mm m 10/30 (reduced slots)
88 mm Flak 18 (camouflage)
75mm vickers
20 mm m1931
He 51
He 51
He 51
Hs 123a (x3 entrenchment)
Ju 52
Ju 52


reserves
IT cavalry
ctv infantry
L3/33
L3/35
m11/39

[scott_mathieson]

another mission that went to plan small prestige boost but not out of hand, had a slight worry ant the end when i looked at the fog in the middle of the map with the rescue plane but combination of rebasing planes to as many different airfield as possible helped lift most of it then using planes as spy planes to remove the rest. Close to getting first steam roller and maxing out exp on recons so getting close to time for cross upgrades to get exp on tanks and steamroller on recons.