Difficulty Challenge

[Forefall]

So I played through DLC 39, 40 and 41 and I know it gets hard in 43, but this is just too easy. I really feel being able to upgrade strong units and being able to suppress everything kind of make the game a walkthrough.

So rather than go from field marshall to manstien (which i can't do on iPad anyway), I thought I'd address some other issues I had and I plan on playing as follows.

Field Marshall difficulty
Towed Artillery only
Only one of each unit type

I figure perhaps the biggest overpowered unit is the mobile artillery pieces, which are the true blitzkrieg style units in Panzer Corps. I think it would be best if units could only ever be half-suppressed instead of completely, but my expectation of ever actually seeing such a change in Panzer Corps is pretty low. So in lieu of that, limiting only to towed units significantly hampers your ability to advance, and aggressive playstyles with artillery will be put at risk while they are transporting.

Only one of each unit will also make a lot more units viable. Additionally, preventing me from having 6-10 copies of the best unit will hopefully make the gameplay more strategic and challenging.

I was just posting to share my thoughts and idea and see if anyone had any comments or critiques.

Thanks.

[shawkhan]

This is already what I do.
Mobile artillery is a completely made-up item in the German inventory anyway until the Wespe was introduced. No actual mobile ranged artillery was available in reality until then. It was all towed.
There was no such thing as the Sturmpanzer as it is portrayed in the game. I think the Sturmpanzer was made available just to make the game easier for the non-historians in the user group. I personally Never use the Sturmpanzer as it makes the game too easy in the early years.

[timek28]

Well do whatever suits you up. But from 42 on things surely won't be that easy. They will be kind of predictable though...

On the other hand I suggest playing mods. Nikkivd creates great mods - such as Legacy of Versailles, it is wast, it has some clever scripts and it is pretty demanding, time wise and effort wise.

On the general topic, I do agree that artillery and fighters are what makes difference in the game, but then again it all comes down to how good of player you are. It takes time to realize the balance needed for winning, and unit types that help that out. If you are very good as you say, you should then make custom difficulty, reduce your prestige, increase AI experience, to give AI good advantage. Not sure if this works on IPad though. This way you won't be able to create extra strong core or replace it easily. More realistic solution would be unit number cap, a la PG2 since if we want to simulate real war, then it shouldn't be allowed to create core of all Tigers or all planes. I'm not sure I think I saw in certain scenarios that you cannot buy more then certain amount of some units...

The bottom line is classic difficulties are for most of the players, and as you say having all self propelled artillery is not historic, but this is just a game. And to be honest I want to relax while playing this game, not stress out or micromanage too much, because game is really long and it takes a lot of effort to complete anyways.

[oasis22]

Hi Forefall,

You should try Deducter mod. Description;

This mod adjusts the unit stats for the released Panzer Corps Grand Campaigns 1939-1945. My intention is to make the units more balanced, historically accurate, and interesting, so that all units may have a role in the player’s core. This will increases the difficulty of the DLCs moderately from 1939-1942 and substantially from 1943 on.

Plus, instead of penalising yourself on your core, try a time limit for your turn as an handicap. Whatever your choice, keep us inform.

[Tarrak]

You are forgetting one very important thing. The early years of the war are meant to be easier and it gets a lot harder later on. Early on, especially 39 and 40, partially still in 41, you are meant to build up your core and stockpile some prestige reserves that you WILL need late in the war to stand a chance. When the Russians starts spamming KV and T-34 tanks with 3+ starts experience at you in a an ungodly amount and your troops will be massacred in the city combat in Stalingrad you will be happy about every bit of prestige you have. If you make the game to hard for yourself early on and you don't manage to get some prestige reserves build up for later you may find yourself having to restart your Grand Campaign as you find yourself in a position where you aren't able to sustain your core anymore later on.

[shawkhan]

There is a reason you will not find many(or any) AARs from people playing at Rommel difficulty for 1944 and 1945. You cannot hope to outfight Russian units that are both more powerful and more experienced than yours that also outnumber your forces by at least 3 to 1. You must have the prestige cushion.
If you have noticed, even Deducter doesn't post AARs much past 1943. There is a reason for this.
If you want to play through the entire war, you simply must have sufficient prestige to get through the hard times to come, replacing losses and upgrading to the best units in order to survive. Playing at Field Marshal, I have yet to see anyone even finish the game at that level with a posted AAR. We all have our limitations, I guess.
With the improved AI and other improvements to the game, finishing at any level of difficulty has become problematical.

[Forefall]

I'm confused Shawkan. What would you recommend to play at? You think I should remove the sturmpanzer and stick to field Marshall? I've heard complaints about the ease of an all Panther army. Is this not true?

[shawkhan]

You have described your game experience as a 'walkthrough'. If you are getting nothing but DVs at Field Marshal then I would suggest you go for it. You might be the first person to finish the entire game at Field Marshal with nothing but DVs. Be sure and post an AAR of that remarkable achievement. I personally, really enjoy the game in the early years but find plowing through 1944 and 1945 increasingly hard. Most people quit after 1943 and restart. I doubt it is even possible to honestly win at Rommel difficulty.

[sn0wball]

I have had much fun with a self-imposed Only One of Each Type limitation, although more than one were allowed when I wanted more units than types were available. At the moment I am trying an all-Italian Afrikan Korps.

[shawkhan]

All Italians would be very impressive! Doubt you could get much past Gazala with that, but anything for a challenge.
I have always wondered if there was anyone out there who has played w/o any air units. AK is the one place it might be a possibility. I have played with very few air units but never w/o any.

[sn0wball]

I have decided to keep SE units, as these are all Germans (I think of them as German vehicles awarded to Italtian crews) and to use Pioneers (and maybe Parachutists), since the Italians don´t have these, but should. I have just beaten Dash to the Wire on General with them and it was pretty easy (knowing the scenario helped a big deal). Captured units are going to matter much !

[Forefall]

Well, I don't reload and have had all DV so far, although on one map it was on the last turn, so it's been close a couple times. I feel my attitude has been a moderate effort but I'm not playing my A game. Most battles for me involve the following: fighters kill enemy airforce and bombers bomb and scout out AA. Artillery suppress and tank/pioneer mop up and advance. I have 15k prestige mid 1941 and have been a little luxurious with over strengthen and unit upgrades. I let my recon die which wastes prestige a bit regularly but I've only ever lost one infantry unit I left on the front in a truck (core unit, I commonly sacrifice scenario units).

I find being able to have as many of the best units as I want, and using mobile artillery, really make things like mass attack a minor concern and I can generally easily advance through all maps.

I'm also worried that one of each unit will make fighters too scarce and my core army too weak. Only one pioneer may make extra towns more difficult to capture (right now one sturmpanzer and a pioneer usually do a great job). And I really like playing through without knowing the map prior, so I don't want to have to restart and test difficulties if I can avoid it.

From what you guys have posted, perhaps the challenge will significantly increase. So some questions then:

Should I play with all artillery, no sturmpanzer, or no 2+ range mobile artillery?
Should I limit specific numbers of units, play with no copies excluding fighters, or no unit copies at all?

I know no one can tell me the best for me, but I'd like to garner some wisdom from those with experience to help me make the best guess I can.

[Molve]

I think it is fine for you to impose limits for your own enjoyment. You could always use the prestige cheat in later DLCs to compensate for "sub optimal" earlier play.

What I am saying is that I don't necessarily consider "the early war is designed to be boringly easy" a good argument... better then to provide yourself the level of challenge that gives you maximum enjoyment at every stage of the grand campaign...

[BiteNibbleChomp]

An interesting rule:
No transports for Artillery and Infantry. Suddenly you will find even '39 hard. But you get that in WW1 - no transports, and few tanks.

- BNC

[Anfield]

Play a historical list, thats what I do, find it hard enough. For the most part PC is set up where a unit is a regiment. So apply the following and see how you do.

Infantry Division
3 Reg infantry units - Walk or in truck only
1 Artillery, towed in truck only.
1 ATG or TD. Truck only
Reccon
AA Truck

Panzer Division
2 Infantry units. Trucks, Half tracks in 42.
1 Tank
1 ATG or TD.
Artillery trucked until 42.
1 reccon
AA Truck

FJ (paras)
3 Pare infantry
1 Artillery
1 ATG

It sort of comes out to for every tank/tank destroyer you field, you must field 2-3 infantry and 1 truck towed artillery. With the freedom to buy what you want, its up to the player to make the game as hard or easy as we like.



Panzer Brigade
1 Infantry
1 Tank
1 Artillery
1 Reccon
1 AA