Panzerkrieg-Onto the Plains of Russia! (Review and Discuss)

[Andy2012]

Gentlemen (and gentlewomen, of course... ),

the Russian plains and large tank columns of the Red Army await us. Grease your tracks, adjust your sights and warm up your Maybachs for the clash of titans!

Please post any thoughts, gameplay issues, problems and observations you have in this thread. Mods and devs will read carefully and hopefully have a helping hand for everybody. (Even with the new autopatch system, fixes may take a few hours. So please be patient and polite.)

I will post my own thoughts and observations, too. Having played a lot of the campaign over various versions again and again, I am however somewhat keen on what you guys think.

The DLC will be on Steam in an hour or two. If you cant wait or feel like needing a history refresher, here is a very good (and flashy) documentary about this DLC's first battle: The Rhzev Meat Grinder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_UHNcqIYEg
Enjoy!

[Andy2012]

Okay, download and activation (Slitherine and Steam) went well here. How is everybody else doing?

[WarHomer]

Cant install. It tells me I need 5.1.6, but I´ve already upgraded to 5.2.0...

[Andy2012]

Cant install. It tells me I need 5.1.6, but I´ve already upgraded to 5.2.0...

Tech support thread:
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... 72&t=80795

Will be fixed ASAP.

[kondi754]

After installing version 5.2.0. (64 bit) Zundapp becomes inactive.
I reinstalled the OoB main game and all the DLCs again, I installed the Heroes of Normandie again - no effects.
I have everything installed correctly but no motorcycle.

[NightPhoenix]

Just went for the first mission: Rzhev. Tried to get the old crew from Blitzkrieg back together, but didn't have enough requisition points yet. Soviets pressured me from several sides. Decided from the start to drop one of the main objectives and focus on defending three. I was still afraid of losing another one due to early Soviet pressure. ( there is an error in the wording, saying you need to defend 3/4 main victory hexes, but it's actually 2 ) Was able to turn the tables by around turn 10 and grabbed the victory by 15/20. Not sure what triggered it though as i already controlled all victory hexes for some time. Anyways had a blast during the first mission of Panzerkrieg already. Can't wait to delve further into Soviet territory and wait what scenarios lay behind.

[Andy2012]

Just went for the first mission: Rzhev. Tried to get the old crew from Blitzkrieg back together, but didn't have enough requisition points yet. Soviets pressured me from several sides. Decided from the start to drop one of the main objectives and focus on defending three. I was still afraid of losing another one due to early Soviet pressure. ( there is an error in the wording, saying you need to defend 3/4 main victory hexes, but it's actually 2 ) Was able to turn the tables by around turn 10 and grabbed the victory by 15/20. Not sure what triggered it though as i already controlled all victory hexes for some time. Anyways had a blast during the first mission of Panzerkrieg already. Can't wait to delve further into Soviet territory and wait what scenarios lay behind.

Thats good to hear. Keep in mind - the Russian T34s are a big concern, but if you hide your AT guns in towns and villages behind your infantry, their attacks will bounce off with high losses. And your veteran tanks should do the rest. I feel like in this mission, more and lighter units do best to save money and cover more objectives. I might post more after I actually have played the release version. (Have done various cycles in beta. So often...againandagainandagain...)

[bebro]

2 ) Was able to turn the tables by around turn 10 and grabbed the victory by 15/20. Not sure what triggered it though as i already controlled all victory hexes for some time. Anyways had a blast during the first mission of Panzerkrieg already.

The full length of this scn is longer, but it can trigger the end/victory from turn 15 if everything is achieved. That's WAD so you do not have to play to the very last turn. But as the Sov side is on the offensive you need to hold out for a minimum of turns as well, and we felt *at least* 15 is fine.

[kverdon]

Something to think about when you import your old Corps is to ditch any transports as you have to pay for them again and will not need them. Ditching my transports allowed me to bring on an additional Armor and inf unit. You can't ditch the transports before deployment but after you deploy you can select the unit, hit the upgrade button, deselect the transport and it will refund the resource points.

[Andy2012]

Something to think about when you import your old Corps is to ditch any transports as you have to pay for them again and will not need them. Ditching my transports allowed me to bring on an additional Armor and inf unit. You can't ditch the transports before deployment but after you deploy you can select the unit, hit the upgrade button, deselect the transport and it will refund the resource points.

Well, transport is useful for engineers and (theoretically) heavy infantry. Also, of course, artillery.

But I admit that the feeling that you dont need to mechanize your infantry is definitely there, especially light infantry is very fast on roads.
This might be changed in a future DLC.

[Andy2012]

Alright, done with Rhzev. It sure was a Meat Grinder - but for the Red Army, mostly.

Deployed my core from Blitzkrieg, but since this is a tight resource mission during which you must cling on to various objectives at the same time, I went for cheap units mostly.
My core:
1xWaffen SS Viking, 1x WaffenSS lightinf42, 8x lightinf 42, 1x PzIVF2 with Guderian, 2x PzIIIJ/1, 5x 5cm Pak, 1xLightarty (+1 after turn 3).
This way, I can cover all objectives and deploy my infantry in a star-shaped pattern around my AT. If you hide the 5cm Pak behind your infantry in villages and towns, the mighty T34s are in for a nasty surprise.
Anyways, got my tank Commander Boelter after 3 turns, put him in my PzIIIJ/1 and off he went hunting tanks. Key here is to give ground in the east and consolidate around strong defensive positions along rivers with AT support.
The encircled units in the north were facing down a wave of attacks, but behind their trusty Nebelwerfers this bastion had the Soviet conscripts stumbling back with ears ringing.
With turn 8, the Luftwaffe returned and Barkhorn and Batcher were having a field day.
All over by turn 15, veterans saved and no losses.
If you need more help and advice, just ask. I can post a replay, but I dont want to spoil too much.
How is everyone else doing?

[Andy2012]

Aaand Demyansk is done. Yeah. This was a dramatic one. All my mateys surrounded by huge scores of Red Army conscripts
while I struggle to punch through to them and supply them by air.
Yuge, yuge drama, big tears, nail biter - should sell well with 'murican crowd. (Sorry, bru... )
Anyway, I bought a second Stuka and reactivated one of my veteran engineers from the previous DLC. Blitzkrieg core still going strong.
Most important thing in this setting seems to me to keep a tight formation of infantry backed up by AT and use
your tanks and commanders to blast a corridor into the pocket, Blitzkrieg style - all about the concentration.
Keep in mind, the Red Army will try to cut you off from the south and north and their tanks are better.
So keep your wits and AT guns close - they have the numbers, you have the firepower.
No losses here.
How is everybody else doing?

[kondi754]

Alright, done with Rhzev. It sure was a Meat Grinder - but for the Red Army, mostly.

Deployed my core from Blitzkrieg, but since this is a tight resource mission during which you must cling on to various objectives at the same time, I went for cheap units mostly.
My core:
1xWaffen SS Viking, 1x WaffenSS lightinf42, 8x lightinf 42, 1x PzIVF2 with Guderian, 2x PzIIIJ/1, 5x 5cm Pak, 1xLightarty (+1 after turn 3).
This way, I can cover all objectives and deploy my infantry in a star-shaped pattern around my AT. If you hide the 5cm Pak behind your infantry in villages and towns, the mighty T34s are in for a nasty surprise.
Anyways, got my tank Commander Boelter after 3 turns, put him in my PzIIIJ/1 and off he went hunting tanks. Key here is to give ground in the east and consolidate around strong defensive positions along rivers with AT support.
The encircled units in the north were facing down a wave of attacks, but behind their trusty Nebelwerfers this bastion had the Soviet conscripts stumbling back with ears ringing.
With turn 8, the Luftwaffe returned and Barkhorn and Batcher were having a field day.
All over by turn 15, veterans saved and no losses.
If you need more help and advice, just ask. I can post a replay, but I dont want to spoil too much.
How is everyone else doing?

Win after 16th turn. Field marshall difficulty.
Dramatic defense, dramatic level of supply.
I noticed German Mountain Inf unit changed their name to Gebirgsjager 41 and costs 60RP now.
It is my favourite DLC after the first battle.

[Andy2012]

Aaand Kharkov and Krasnograd stay in Wehrmacht hands. Major victory.
Medium difficulty, win in 20 turns - but was basically done in 15. Devs, you can sure make this end trigger marker tighter.

Anyway: Upgraded my PzIV to a long-barreled F2 version. This will be the thin end of my armoured wedge.
Also, I made a very crucial acquisition: I upgraded my two most experienced AT guns into Stugs. This way, my infantry can advance
without fear of KVs or T-34s running them over. #stuglife

I formed two pincers, a very powerful one in the south and a smaller one in the north. Concentrated my Stukas in the south, but most
of my fighters in the north. They raided the Russian airfield in the first turn, no mercy.
The northern pincer stopped after acquiring the first objective and held off vicious and increasingly desperate counterattacks.
The second pincer from the south drove on and linked up in turn 8 with the northern force.
By then, the Red Army was desperately trying to get out of my trap and trying to break my stranglehold from the east with heavy tank attacks.
No chance. Without supplies, their mighty tanks and scores of heavy infantry were useless and my Wehrmacht and allies crushed them from all sides.
To Sevastopol!
How are you guys getting ahead?

[CoolDTA]

To Sevastopol!
How are you guys getting ahead?

I finished Sevastopol yesterday. The DLC is very good , but has surprisingly many bugs. I use the Steam version (5.2.2), so have not had problems running the game itself. But there has been two bugs I have been unable to avoid:

1) In Demyansk scenario, if you lose less than five inf units in the pocket, you should get +2 spec pts for a total of 7, but you only get 5 (I lost no inf units).

2) You don't get an air commander in Sevastopol scenario even if you fulfil the requirements and have the green checkmark. I have used the editor very, very little, but from what I understand, there is not a commander to get, because there is no "unlock commander". The ground commander has it and you get one if you destroy the fort quickly enough.

[Andy2012]

I finished Sevastopol yesterday. The DLC is very good , but has surprisingly many bugs. I use the Steam version (5.2.2), so have not had problems running the game itself. But there has been two bugs I have been unable to avoid:

1) In Demyansk scenario, if you lose less than five inf units in the pocket, you should get +2 spec pts for a total of 7, but you only get 5 (I lost no inf units).

2) You don't get an air commander in Sevastopol scenario even if you fulfil the requirements and have the green checkmark. I have used the editor very, very little, but from what I understand, there is not a commander to get, because there is no "unlock commander". The ground commander has it and you get one if you destroy the fort quickly enough.

Good finds, will be fixed. I guess bru as the master editor can say more about the triggers.

[CoolDTA]

That would be great - thanks!

[bebro]

2) You don't get an air commander in Sevastopol scenario even if you fulfil the requirements and have the green checkmark. I have used the editor very, very little, but from what I understand, there is not a commander to get, because there is no "unlock commander". The ground commander has it and you get one if you destroy the fort quickly enough.

This is fixed for the next patch already, but I don't know yet when it will be available.

I check/fix the spec thing. Thx for reporting.

[ParadogsGamer]

In the first scenario i get over 1000 req points and 50+ command points, although i had already units on the map.
Seemed a bit too easy that way. Is it a bug?

You can see it from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i2saPp ... m-comments at the 21 minute mark.

[Andy2012]

In the first scenario i get over 1000 req points and 50+ command points, although i had already units on the map.
Seemed a bit too easy that way. Is it a bug?

You can see it from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i2saPp ... m-comments at the 21 minute mark.

Will watch later, promise.
But this is not a bug, you get to buy your Blitzkrieg core back and in Rhzev, you face a full on onslaught of the Red Army on various objectives at the same time.
You will need that money, believe me.