Getting a DV on the First GC '44 East Scenario

[jabutler42]

I escorted all my transport to the designated airfields, off loaded the bridging engineers, but only got a MV. What gives? Do I need to send one transport to each of the four airfields for a DV?

[robman]

The "bridge engineers" are not really bridge engineers. They represent supply dumps and they have to stay on the airfield hex onto which they were unloaded. The same thing happened to me when I played this scenario for the first time.

[jabutler42]

The "bridge engineers" are not really bridge engineers. They represent supply dumps and they have to stay on the airfield hex onto which they were unloaded. The same thing happened to me when I played this scenario for the first time.

Thanks for the clarification. This scenario is easy, but time-consuming. Looks like I'll need to do it again.

[wargovichr]

I believe, in this 'Korsun Pocket' battle, one only has to escort, land, and deplane the transport AND leave them there unmoved (it is tempting to move them aiding the defense). Even though there are juicy (well defended!) "major" objectives on the map their capture is NOT required to satisfy DV.
AND, the transports must have landed on "Sector A" ***(marked with circled letter A) airfields as there are OTHER non-A airfields in the close by area!
You might go back and see how long your last turn was, since if you had not fulfilled the DV requirements you would have had to continue playing till the last possible turn, when you would be awarded MV for something lesser.
Despite the uncaptured major objectives on the map, a DV would have been granted, I think, as soon as you landed the minimum required transports and deplaned them on sector A airfields, more turns remaining or not.
An exploit in this battle is to hover your (FOUR required though more than than four arrive) last transport near an airfield (not over or next to the airfield), well protected by AA/fighters, and go around beating up on the Red Army, taking some objectives, and gaining experience. Remember, you'll need that last turn to land and deplane transports that moved over the airfield on the last turn.

[jabutler42]

I believe, in this 'Korsun Pocket' battle, one only has to escort, land, and deplane the transport AND leave them there unmoved (it is tempting to move them aiding the defense). Even though there are juicy (well defended!) "major" objectives on the map their capture is NOT required to satisfy DV.
AND, the transports must have landed on "Sector A" ***(marked with circled letter A) airfields as there are OTHER non-A airfields in the close by area!
You might go back and see how long your last turn was, since if you had not fulfilled the DV requirements you would have had to continue playing till the last possible turn, when you would be awarded MV for something lesser.
Despite the uncaptured major objectives on the map, a DV would have been granted, I think, as soon as you landed the minimum required transports and deplaned them on sector A airfields, more turns remaining or not.
An exploit in this battle is to hover your (FOUR required though more than than four arrive) last transport near an airfield (not over or next to the airfield), well protected by AA/fighters, and go around beating up on the Red Army, taking some objectives, and gaining experience. Remember, you'll need that last turn to land and deplane transports that moved over the airfield on the last turn.

I was able to beat back the reds easily on this battle. Plus I took 2-3 of their objective cities while I was at it. Having to land the supply depot forces on a unique hex AND leave them there makes it only slightly harder (there are some attacks in the NE across the frozen river towards the eastern most airfield). It is just annoying having to do it over again since I spent a lot of time on this one trying to take out the maximum number of enemy forces. I wish the DV criteria was spelled out better and not as misleading.

[wargovichr]

SPOILER ALERT:
My successful strategy included splitting my forces at deployment and early turns, one to tightly defend the Sector A airfield area, the other to QUICLY and aggressively attack into the south west corridor utilizing the auxiliary anti-tank guns there and AA cover (move them as able towards the pocket). You can delay the first early transports. This opens a path clear of enemy AA for the follow-on transports from the SW. After annihilating the first attackers from the west quickly rejoin the central Sector A group and conduct a tight mobile defense supported by fighter cover, AA, artillery (!), infantry entrenched in cities and counterattacking armor. Dual purpose 88AA works well here for air defense and anti-tank duties. Scout well for unexpected attacks on sector A from just about everywhere.
Enjoy your cleared transport pathway and your tightly supported defense pocket, blunt attacks on sector A, then counterattack (If you have the prestige convert an auxiliary anti-tank gun or two into mobile self-propelled anti-tank by one-squaring them to an objective city; the auxiliary captured T-34 makes a nice converted Panther to help the Sector A defense or to counterattack).