a comprehensive guide to panzer general

8/22/2019 A Comprehensive Guide to Panzer General

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A Comprehensive Guide to Panzer General

This guide was put together by Wendy from all

available sources to be found on the net, to evaluate

the various scenarios of the SSI computer wargame Panzer General.

[Panzer General is a Trademark of Strategic

Simulations Inc. 1994] This manual is designed to be freely

distributed for entertainment purpose only. All rights to the

game and its contents are reserved to SSI.

Each scenario was evaluated as to its "fairness" in

regards to chances of winning with either the Allied side or the

Axis. This analysis is, of course, subjective in the fact that

one person's fairness may be another person's mismatch. But this

conclusion is up to individual players to decide. Thus the need

for a guide to assist those who don't have the time (Read...They

have a life) to go through each scenario. Each evaluation will

contain the assumption that the players on both sides are evenly

matched in skill and familiarity of the scenario. Criteria for

analysis will be based strictly on the variables provided by the

computer game such as forces, time, number of objectives, etc.

Some scenarios attempt to be a reflection of reality with little

regard for fairness. This guide is an attempt to allow new boots

not to be suckered into a scenario where the player who knows the

deal waits grinning ear to ear.

All evaluations will be formatted as follows and each is


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followed by a comment:

Name of Scenario:

(Obviously to Identify the Scenario)

Number of Turns:

(Is time a factor and for which side. If the scenario is

too long, it can favor the attacker.)

Battle Posture:

(Who is attacking and or who is on defense.)

Number of Objectives:

(Clues in on time. Some objectives are deceptively hard to

capture in the time allotted.

Prestige Axis: Allies:

(What are the prestige totals for both sides and which side

has the advantage)

New Unit Experience:

(When a new unit is purchased what is the exp. level)

Air Superiority:

(Who starts the game with the edge in air power. More often

than not I have toasted boots and pros when they immediately

go and purchase that brand spanking new fighter only to be

shot down in a hopeless battle.)

Ground Superiority:

(While the Germans almost always have better equipment, they

may not be able to use it all or it just may not matter.)

General Info:


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(Little quirks to the scenario -- Weather, terrain, unusual

reinforcements, etc.)

Final Evaluation:

(How should the handicaps be placed to even up the scenario)

Points to Remember:

Experience: High experienced units can be more advantageous

than many of the same. By lowering experience of a side you only

lower the experience of units gained by new purchases. The

starting units keep their regular experience. If one side

anticipates a fight for time rather than a battle of units then

that player may feel free to penalize themselves in experience to

reem the other side. For example, in the Moscow scenarios the

Soviets have little chance of wiping out the Tiger tanks. As the

German player he may opt to give himself a penalty in experience

to weaken the Soviets EVEN IF the Germans have a negative bid.

Anti-tanks: The German player will inevitably rely on anti-

tanks to supplement their forces. These cheap units are very

effective in taking out other Allied mainline tanks with little

worry about the damage they might sustain. A horde of Panzer Jager's

is the nightmare of any Allied general. A few things to remember

about Anti-tanks: Against entrenched infantry the low end anti-

tanks are virtually helpless. They are extremely vulnerable to


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air attacks even by fighters.

Air Power: Many a mistake has been made by boots and pros

in the air wars. The key for each player is to realize who is

going to win the air war early or if you can make a fight of it.

As the German player, if you and your FW190s are going to toast

the Soviet player early on, why go out and spend the 420+

prestige on a new fighter. Sure you might win the air war a few

turns earlier but you have wasted the prestige. Similarly, if

you are going to lose the air war no matter what you do (in many

of the Soviet scenarios) then again why purchase aircraft. Wars

are helped out in the air but it takes the infantry and the tanks

to win on the ground. While it may seem sacrilegious you can

lose the air war and win the scenario. You can also win the

air war and lose the scenario. So be careful.

* 1 * Chronology of Panzer General Scenarios

1 Sep. 39 Poland

10 Sep. 39 Warsaw

9 Apr. 40 Norway

10 May 40 Low Countries

5 Jun. 40 France

1 Sep. 40 Sealion 40

31 Mar 41 North Africa


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6 Apr. 41 Balkans

20 May 41 Crete

22 Jun. 41 Barbarossa

23 Aug. 41 Kiev

1 Sep. 41 Middle East

8 Sep. 41 Early Moscow

2 Oct. 41 Moscow 41

26 May 42 El Alamein

7 Jun. 42 Sevastopol

25 Jun. 42 Stalingrad

30 Jun. 42 Caucasus

1 Oct. 42 Moscow 42

8 Nov. 42 Torch

11 Feb. 43 Kharkov

15 Jun. 43 Sealion 43

5 Jul. 43 Kursk

10 Jul. 43 Husky

9 Oct. 43 Moscow 43

22 Jan. 44 Anzio

6 Jun. 44 D-Day

22 Jun. 44 Byellorussia

25 Jul. 44 Cobra

6 Aug 44 Anvil

17 Sep. 44 Market Garden

16 Dec. 44 Ardennes


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6 Mar 45 Budapest

1 Apr. 45 Berlin

1 Apr. 45 Berlin (West)

1 Apr. 45 Berlin (East)

1 Jun. 45 Washington

Poland

No. of Turns: 10

Axis:Must take and hold all objectives to win.

Battle Posture: Axis = Attack Allies = Defense

Per Turn Prestige Boosters:Axis= 0 Allies = 20

No.of Units Available for purchase:

Axis = 4 Allies = 0

Allies: Must hold at least 1 Objective to win, or take the beginning Axis held objective for automatic

victory.

- Blitzkrieg should definitely be used by the Axis here, as time is everything in this scenario.

Number of Objectives: 3


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- One is already in Axis hands. The other 2 Kutno and Lodz must be taken across the river, and can be

heavily defended.

Prestige: Axis = 228 Allies = 240

-Pretty even here, victory can depend on ,what each side chooses to buy.

New unit Experience: Axis = 0 Allies = 0

Air Superiority- No air power used in this scenario.

Ground Superiority - The Polish tanks are your strongest units.

The TK3 is good against soft targets such as infantry and artillery while the 7TP is strong against hard

targets and is formidable against the weaker German tank units.

The Germans should buy Artillery and newly purchased anti-tank weapons.

The Polish are advised to disband all infantry and use all opening turn prestige to buy 1 7TP tank and

TK3's for the rest.

Use these Allied Tanks to defend the River and counter attack at any point the Axis try to cross, slow

them down and win.

General Information - Weather is not a factor here, but time definitely is. Its simple, Axis plays all out

Blitzkrieg and the Allies text book defense.

With just the right amount of offense when the opportunity arrives.

With timely executed counterattacks to be most effective.


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Final Evaluation -

Prestige Experience

Axis 0 0

Allies +2 0

Depending on what rank your opponent is, give Allies +2 on Prestige. the axis has definite advantage.

If you consider yourself novice or inexperienced and your opponent,

is of a higher ranked General, then you should receive +2 or even +3 if you are playing a totally superior

opponent.

NORWAY

No. of Turns: 25

Axis = Take all objectives.


Per Turn Prestige Boosters:Axis= 0 Allies = 40

No.of Units Available for purchase: Axis = 2 Allies = 0

- Time is a slight favor to the allies. The terrain isprohibitive to fast advancement. The main body of

German forces will need to slog it up the Lagan River where they are vulnerable to artillery and

entrenched infantry attacks.

The Western landing is too weak to move on Trondheim initially and is vulnerable to air and sea attacks.


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Axis = Your southern landing group should concentrate on securing the Oslo region while a small

detachment takes Stavanger and then

springboards up the coast, city by city, with naval help.

These initial successes will gain you two important airfields. Press on up the Lagen River valley through

Lillehammer to Trondheim to link up with the northern landing group. Sending a force by the overland

route up the Glomma Valley is slow (they will need at least half-tracks)but,in combination with

paradrops further north, can divert Allied forces from the defense of Trondheim and perhaps gain a base

of attack from which you can attack Namsos from the east.

Number of Objectives Hexes: 7

- One is already in the hands of the Axis. Oslo and the Airfield are easy targets. But Lillehammer,

Trondheim and Namsos are very difficult and are German primary concerns.

Advantage Allies


- Allies are hampered by a small number of units available and purchasing capability of Norwegian

units only in all but the

Namsos objective. Advantage Axis.

New Unit Exp.:Axis = 1 Star Allies = 0 Stars

Air Superiority: Advantage to the Axis planes. Axis begins with 3 BF109e's while the Allies begin with

two Norwegian planes (one

is usually shot down immediately), a Hurricane and a Spit II.

The Spit II is about equal to the German BF109. But air superiority is contestable if the Allied player

decides to make a fight of it and buy fighters.

The Norwegian air force is easy prey, but the


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British fighters are as good as the Germans and will be serious trouble for the Axis if they let them gain

an edge on them in experience.

In particular, don't let them learn their trade by target practice on unescorted Axis bombers and air

transports.

You may consider requisitioning a level bomber with a good naval attack rating to help the German

Navy in the Norwegian Sea.

Allied Air power should be concentrated in the Trondheim-Namsos area and backed up by good air

defenses to keep the Axis bombers at bay.

This may mean that Axis paratroops can slip past you, so be sure to place at least a

Norwegian unit as a garrison in each important city to prevent a threat from springing up in your rear.

Keep your air units, especially the precious British fighters,alive and try to gain an experience edge on

the Luftwaffe.

Ground Superiority: Complete advantage to Axis. German Pz IVd's outclass all of the Allied tanks until

the Matilda II.

The 15 sFA 18 Artillery is superior due to its high soft attack rating and its three hex range compare to

the Nor. 75mm two range. German armor and Wehrmacht Infantry completely outclass Norwegian and

even British forces.

General Information: Terrain counters German ground superiority.

Mountains, forests and rivers impede the ground progress. Good chance of bad weather can ground

planes for a number of turns.

Sea power is advantaged to the allies on paper but German U-Boats make it even. I have found the

winner of the sea battle generally wins the game. With three turns left, reinforcements arrive to both

sides with the allies getting the better of it with Matilda II tanks, 6" Artillery and ATGs.

Allies - You can win this one if you can successfully block and delay the Axis advance at a few key

choke points.


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You may be able to stop the Axis on the beaches in the north, but in the Oslo region you need to sell

yourself dearly Entrenched troops in Hamar and Elverum that can hang on when driven out into the

nearby mountains can tie down a large number of Germans for some time.

The constricted Lagen River valley around Lillehammer is another good defensive position, particularly if

you can hold your own in the air and get your bombers through against enemy units floundering in theriver hexes.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis 0 0

Allies -2 0

This is a very even battle with an edge to the allies due to the extremely rough terrain and sea power.

Even against the computer, it is not easy to get a major victory. I believe this scenario pretty even but a

-1 penalty to Allied prestige may allow the Germans a better chance to reach the final objective.

LOW COUNTRIES

No. of Turns: 30

Axis = Take all objectives.


Per Turn Prestige Boosters: Axis = 0 Allies = 49



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- Time is favoring the Axis. Plenty of time to move across

the map and engage even the far city of Calais. But the Germans

must beware of defensive lines and slow crossings of the Meuse,

Escout and Leie Rivers.

No. of Objectives: 11

- Number of objectives favors the Allies. Axis begin with

two objectives already in possession and two more in LUX and

Liege easily captured. All others are contestable. Large area

and multiple attack groups needed shift advantage to the Allies

as well as the most distant objectives are Calais and Abbeville.


- Prestige numbers are a wash. Axis low prestige is

countered by quick seizures of weakly defended cities and

objectives at the beginning of the scenario.

New Unit Exp: Axis = 0 Stars Allies = 0 Stars

Air Superiority: Decided advantage to the axis side. Lack of

British airfields prohibit purchase of Spitfire IIs. French

fighters not a true threat unless backed up by ground AA guns but

eventually the German air power will overmatch French fighters.


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Axis = Seize air superiority and keep it. Your Stukas will need to

be free to support your ground troops against tough entrenchments

and enemy armor, while your fighters and level bombers should hone

their skills against soft targets once the Allied air force is

eliminated.

Axis must buy additional fighter support.

The Allies can make the most of an inferior air force by using your fighter

force cautiously to pick off exposed enemy bombers rather than facing the Axis head-on. Air defense

units will be valuable in making the Germans pay a price for bombing your cities, and in weakening the

enemy air units to facilitate your fighter attacks.

Keeping an air force as a threat in being will also encourage the

enemy to use fighters to escort bombers rather than allowing them to attack

separately or go after your bomber missions. Your bombers could also be

held back and sent out together with the fighters in a mass wave that will

stretch the German fighter force.

Ground Superiority: Even match. French armor in the CH B1-bis

are superior to German armor. French artillery and the small

amount of British forces equal Wehrmacht superiority. Use of

German Anti-tank PzJager IB in support roles makes this even

along with Stuka dive bombers.

Allies should buy at least 4 new heavy tanks, 4 AA guns and 6 or more

ATG, and 2-4 infantry and 2 or more artillery and defend all rear cities.

General Information: The weather in the Low Countries is

reliable with only a moderate chance of foul weather grounding


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Axis planes. Open terrain favors Axis movement but also Allied

defensive choices and sneak attacks. With nine turns left, the

Axis gets the vaunted 8.8 ATG but its high cost and low mobility

makes this a non-factor. Allied new units are insignificant.

AXIS: The heart of Blitzkrieg is punching through the enemy

line and striking deep beyond it, with second-echelon forces

following behind to mop up. Lead with recon and tank units

followed by half-track mounted infantry and artillery that are

better able to withstand enemy shooting than truck-mounted troops. An

important advantage of striking deep is that the enemy will have

to reinforce his rear areas rather than strengthen his forward

positions, and you won't give him time to entrench very strongly.

You may also get the chance to smash vulnerable support units and

surprise enemy antitank guns or other units while they are

mounted on trucks.

Allies: Garrison your rear area cities and airfields with infantry

against enemy paratroops or air-transportable forces, and don't waste

your armor forces in piecemeal and head-on resistance to the Germans.

Group them at least in pairs and keep them alive to divert the enemy

forces from attacks on your cities and to counterattack when the enemy

makes a mistake.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis 0 0


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Allies 0 0

This is another fairly even battle with an edge going to the Axis

only because of its overwhelming air power. Without the

air power, German's couldn't win this one because of the disperse

nature of the objectives. This is an even match.

Allies move as many forward units to the rear as possible and Defend

Calais and Dunkirk, Axis move at full Blitzkrieg speed.

Mainly withdraw troops and retreat to the ocean to defend and also only

Defend the city and airfield at the bottom of map.

you should disband all front line troops so you can buy new ones to dig in

and not allow the enemy to gain easy experience on troops they will kill

anyway, the weather will slow them down, while you dig in near the ocean.

Buy AA guns Artillery and French Tanks and dig in.

FRANCE

No. of Turns: 26





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- Advantage goes to the Axis. Roads and open country give

German forces access to deep objectives such as Vienne and

undefended non-objective villages deep in the south of France

for quick prestige.

No. of Objectives: 8 Axis take all objectives.

- A slight advantage goes to the Axis again. Germans begin

with one objective while all others are contestable by the

Allies. However, only the top half of the map contains objectives

for victory and all are part of a vast road network that favors

quick Axis movement.


- Big advantage allies. Relatively few open cities and

objectives in the first part of the game prohibits rapid prestige

gains by the Germans. If the Allied forces can hold the German

advance then the Wehrmacht will be running very low on prestige.

Later as the lower part of the map is exposed to the Germans more

prestige can be gained. The allies can afford a fighter or quite

a few tanks to blunt the German advance.

New Unit Exp: Axis = 1 Star Allies = 0 Stars

Air Superiority: Axis advantage. Once again no British

airfields prohibit the purchase of Spits. Experienced


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Bf109s are more than a match for Hurricanes and French aircraft.

But a patient Allied player can take advantage of the one

intercept attack rule and destroy one or two German dive bombers

that are too expensive to initially replace.

Ground Superiority: This is a fairly even match. Many Allied

units are exposed at the beginning of the game. Few Allied units

are entrenched near key objectives. Axis units begin

experienced and all reinforcements are experienced where few

Allied units are experienced. But German forces begin with very

few mainline tanks and will need to purchase them but with the

little prestige they may be facing the big French tanks with

PzIIs and PzIs. Allied hopes hinge on the turrets of the Ch

B1-Bis tanks. The Germans will find Tours a difficult objective

and will need to divide into separate battle groups to take the

two far western objectives.

Axis = AXIS: Let's do the "Blitzkrieg" again. Break through the French

defense line at

one or more points and keep moving. Using 3 battle groups is a natural

organization for this battle: one driving down the coast to Le Havre and

Caen,

then southeast to Le Mans, a large battle group fighting through to Paris

and then

splitting to attack Le Mans via Chartres and Tours via Orleans, and a third

battle group pushing to Montargis and taking Reims and Troyes en route. An


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alternate plan is to breakthrough in force on the Ham-Reims front through

Thierry while pinning along the rest of the front. After driving to Paris

behind

the French troops to the north, the force splits into 3 battle groups

heading to

Caen and Le Havre on the coast, to Le Mans and Tours via Chartres, and to

Orleans and Montargis.

Whatever route you take, speed is essential and you should apply

the

Blitzkrieg lessons learned in the Low Countries: keep pushing forward,

control

the air, and watch out for those French heavy tanks!

Allies = ALLIES: If you are lucky, the Germans will attack all along

the line and slowly

force you back. It is more likely, though, that some will get past you and

you

will have to retreat to get into action again. Paris is the key to your

defense--the

fortifications, woods and river all contribute to its defensive strength.

Tours and

Le Mans are not as good, but you should build up their defenses as your

final

chances to stop the Axis juggernaut. If the Axis forces break through the

front,

try to get your army on the Somme back to help defend Paris. Use your


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excellent

heavy tanks in groups to counterattack and disrupt the Axis

advance--concentrate

on soft targets rather than wasting effort on the German armor. Your air

force is

heavily outnumbered--try to take out the Axis bombers and consider spending

prestige on ground troops and air defenses for your key strongholds rather

than

on new aircraft.

General Info: Don't pray for too much rain. Weather is mild.

The terrain favors the quick Blitzkrieg action of Axis forces.

Open fields and extensive road networks can move tanks and trucks

fast. There are no new type of units.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis +2 0

Allies -1 0

This scenario favors the Axis forces in tactics. But the Allies

begin with massive prestige and will likely go toward picking up

tank support. If the Germans can get into the far southern areas

with troops the German player can pick up new German units and

quickly outpace French units in experience as the game progresses

and there are so many villages and cities to give Germans


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prestige bonuses for little cost. A +1 advantage in prestige may

allow the Axis to compete against the French in the ground

battle.

SEALION (40)

No. of Turns: 15




- The deep objectives of Norwich and Birmigham and London's

stubbornness to fall make the low turn number an advantage to the

Allies. It is the low turn count and the distance through stiff

opposition that sway this scenario deeply in the favor of the

Allied forces.

No. of Objectives: 10 Axis = Take all objectives.

- Three objectives are on the French coast an held by the

Germans. Canterbury will fall quickly so the main contestable

objectives are your two northern and western objectives and

London. Each is readily defendable because of the distance and


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time constraints and almost reckless need to advance by the

German forces. Major obstacles are the Thames River which the

Wehrmacht must cross and go around to strike into the heart of

Great Britain.

Prestige: Axis = 675 Allied = 1320

- Even Advantage. Both sides start with numerous units.

Allies have a large area to cover and no doubt will protect units

with AA guns therefore much of their 1320 is spent before the

game begins. Fortress London will eat up Axis prestige in

repairing units.

New Unit Exp: Axis = 1 Star Allies = 1 Star

Air Superiority: Slight Axis advantage due to the number of

planes available plus the intro of the FW190a which totally

outclasses anything the Allies can put into the air at this

time. However its high cost is prohibitive and the German

player can probably only afford one. Cheap AA guns for

the Allies in combo with fighters make this a contested

struggle

Ground Superiority: The advantage here is fairly even. The

Germans begin with mostly top of the line units all

experienced. They must land on the beaches which they are


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exposed until artillery cover and AA guns can come into play.

The allies also begin with a number of units 1 star experience

and spread out but effective. Those in cities and around London

are already entrenched heavily The British equivalent to the

Energizer Bunny, the Matilda II is available.

AXIS: In all the Sealion scenarios, naval action is relatively

peripheral

compared with air power, which is essential to ensure adequate close air

support

on the ground and ensure that your paratroops get through to and take their

objectives via the air. Your naval forces can help with some bombardment

early

on, after which their main task is to engage the Allied fleet and keep it

from

interfering with the land battles, particularly around London. Your

U-boats can

wreak havoc on the Allied capital ships if the Allied escorts can be

cleared away.

Your time is limited, so you should attempt to seize all your

objectives

concurrently rather than in sequence. The least diversion could be fatal.

Once

you have secured a beachhead, divide your forces into 4 battle groups. The

first

battle group, landing in the east, is to take Canterbury and then assist


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with

artillery in the attack on London from the east, but its main thrust

actually passes

by London across the Thames and heads toward Norwich, supported by the

nearby naval task force. A bridging unit can be quite useful. The second

battle group will assault London from the south, and is weighted towards

artillery

and infantry units but will include some tanks to help deal with Allied

armor.

The third and fourth battle groups are smaller and advance on

Birmingham

and Bristol respectively, although initially they advance jointly on

Winchester,

Newbury and Oxford before splitting. The third battle group can be aided by

advance airborne landings near Birmingham, or the parachute forces can be

used

to seize Peterborough or Harwich and then Norwich, in which case the first

battle group encircles London from the north rather than continuing north to

Norwich.

Sealion Plus is easier because the presence of the Italian fleet

speeds the

destruction of the Allied navy, while in Sealion 43 the Allies are much

better

prepared and the fight will be tougher.


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ALLIES: While it is best to catch the Axis ground troops in their

transports with

your air or naval forces or force them to surrender on the beaches, this is

a risky

strategy and it is likely that they will obtain secure footholds from Dover

to

Portsmouth regardless of your efforts. Concentrate any early attacks on

artillery,

pionieres and engineers--the most essential troops for the Axis attack on

London.

Your overall strategy will be to use the enormous fortress of London and

its

garrison to block their direct advance, while using additional forces to

keep them

from slipping around it. Holding onto London till turn 12 isn't worth much

if the

Germans are already in the Midlands. Your strongest defense line once the

Axis

have secured a lodgment on English soil will run from London along the

Thames

to Newby and Winchester. While you hold the enemy advance on this line for

several turns, you will be able to dig in blocking forces and garrisons to

defend

the approaches to Bristol and, especially, Birmingham. Don't forget the

air


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defenses!

Your air force is relatively good, and in 1943 the American air

force can

play a significant role if it survives long enough to catch up in

experience.

Contest Axis air superiority whenever feasible, but early on try to pick

off or

hunt down the troublesome Axis paratroops to keep your rear areas secure.

Since the key battles will be inland, the Axis navy will play a

small part.

Your navy can initially either try to win naval superiority or instead

concentrate

on supporting your defense line with shore bombardment. The choice

involves a

tradeoff and either option can pay off.

General Info: The weather is mild with only a slight chance of

bad weather grounding the airfleets. If it wasn't for the

Thames and fortress London the terrain would be ideal for

the Germans. But the afore mention obstacles tip this in

favor of the Allies. The fleet battle is in favor of the Axis

because the three subs available to them.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience


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Axis +2 0

Allies 0 -1

I have played this scenario against humans and computer and I

can't tell you how many times I have said "JUST A FEW MORE

TURNS!" The lack of time shifts this scenario in favor of the

Allies. A +1 to the Germans is not unreasonable.

NORTH AFRICA

No. of Turns: 23




- The advantage goes to the Axis. Open desert and a coastal

road gives ease of movement for vehicles. First half of the

game until Tobruk has little opportunity for the Allies

to slow German advances.

No. of Objectives: 7 Axis: take all objectives.

- One is already in Axis hands and Benghazi is quickly to


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fall. Berta immediately falls under the guns of Axis ships. All

others are contestable with the last three easily defendable due

to the limited amount of attack avenues allowed for attacking

forces. Advantage goes to the Allies.


- This is a fairly even distribution. And really the game

can hinge on who spends what where. The high Axis prestige gives

them the ability to really seize the air and drive the British

from the skies. Allied prestige is already spent on ground

defenses and AA guns.

New Unit Experience: Axis = 1 Star Allies = 1 Star

Air Superiority: Decidedly Axis. One British Hurricane is

immediately shot down by the German first turn advantage limiting

Allied air power even further. High prestige for the Axis allows

for replacements and reinforcements while Allied prestige is

slow to recover from being drained.

Ground Superiority: British Matilda IIs are the queens of the

Desert. Their high defensive ratings and reasonably descent

offensive ratings plus large ammo and fuel deposits against

German armor make them effective in fighting in the high

desert. They are vulnerable to dive bombing attacks however and


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this is where their main weakness lies. German armor is weaker

but in combo with the air power they can defeat the British

mainline tanks.

AXIS: Blitzkrieg is again the watchword--thrust forward not only along

the

coast but across the desert by the trails headed to Mechili and Bir

Hacheim.

Start softening up Tobruk as early as you can, but don't let it delay you

long

since you need to keep pushing your forward elements east and face the

choice of

slogging through the defended coastal area or marching across the desert.

It's a

long way to Mersa Matruh. You can use the Italians to scout ahead, but

they

lack the equipment to assault the strong British positions and work best

mopping

up bypassed enemy units.

Pay attention to logistics in the desert--once you run out of ammo

and fuel,

it will take a lot of time to come back up to par and you don't have much

time to

spare. Enemy air power can pound you as you struggle across the desert, so

use

your air force to help get your troops into attack positions but keep them


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busy

bombing and strafing while doing so. Your fleet, aided by air power, can

beat

the Brits and help with shore bombardment later in the battle when you will

need

it most as your struggle out of the desert to confront heavily entrenched

defenses.

ALLIES: A good combination of stiff defense and mobile defense will keep

the

Axis moving forward in very short steps along the coast. If you force the

Allies

to a crawl along the coast, they will have to risk the desert, where

skillful use of

your level bomber force can stop them by destroying the ammo and fuel of

key

units. Armored counterattacks from the coast into the desert will also

make it

hard for the Axis to press forward while their flanks are vulnerable.

Preserve your air force, building up as much experience as

possible, and

let the air defense units carry a lot of the weight.. The Axis will need

airpower

most late in the battle, and it is crucial that you still have at least

some fighter


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strength left at that time to counter theirs. Your naval forces should

defend

your land forces from interference by the Axis fleet. Again, saving some

reserves

for the late stages of the battle could prove useful.

General Info: Fair skies all the time. Terrain is difficult for

prolonged combat as the desert limits rearming and refueling

capabilities and seriously limits replacements. For the

defender this is the advantage. However large movement

possibilities along with the ability to concentrate forces

in a limited area give the Axis the advantage. So this

part is even.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis -1 0

Allies +1 +1

Air power once again saves the day for the Germans. While it can

be contested, more likely the Germans will take the air and start

pounding everything. The German naval force is formidable and

will usually win the sea engagement and once the sea engagement

is one, shore based AA guns become easy targets. Generally the

advantage goes to the Germans. +3 to the British.


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MIDDLE EAST

No. of Turns: 26




- Favors Axis. It does seem a long way to the Bahgdad on

the map but much of the area is open uncontested lands

quickly traversed by wheeled and tracked vehicles. Axis aircraft

will allow for good scouting reports to allow vehicles safe and

speedy passage.


- Two are already in German hands and easily protected.

All others are contested. The sequence is in the natural

invasion corridor for this scenario no significant detours

for the German armored columns. The advantage is to the

Axis


- While the Axis are low in prestige in the beginning, the


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two city hexes in Jerusalem and Beruit along with the

airfields add significantly to Axis prestige in time for

the assault on Baghdad. Allied prestige is slow in coming

and eaten up quickly. Advantage is to the Axis.

New Unit Exp: Axis = 1 Star Allies = 1 Star

Air Superiority: While the Axis has the single best plane in

the lone FW190a, it is expensive to buy another. The

BF109s are comparable to the British Spits. The British begin

with four Spitfire IIs and two of those are overstrengthed to 12.

So while the Germans may have dominance in the air, they can be

challenged by British fighters in good conjunction with AA guns.

Moderate advantage to the Axis.

Ground Superiority: Once again German tanks are equal to if

not slightly inferior to British armor at this time. The terrain

is not ideally suited for defense. Open desert can be used to

catch tanks out of fuel and wounded but it is more likely to

allow the more numerous tanks of the German player to encircle

defensive stands and lack of entrenchment possibilities makes

units even more vulnerable to bombing. Matilda IIs are the main

battle tank for the British and can serve as solid the roadblocks

to Baghdad. Still the numbers of the German tanks will

counteract British superiority.


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AXIS: This is a race--airpower plays a big role in reconnaissance,

softening up

obstacles and in ensuring your parachute and air-transportable forces can

get

deep into the enemy's rear area. The biggest risk is always running into

enemy

air defenses and then getting jumped by their fighters. You've been warned!

Furthermore, don't waste your SIGs' ammo, since they are slow to reload.

Keep

them near the forefront of the advance and use them when you really need a

strong artillery strike against a city.

Your initial organization should start with two battle groups. While

the

navy and air force win the battle in the Mediterranean, the smaller

battle group

will storm through Haifa up to Beirut. The stronger battle group strikes

through

Jerusalem and Damascus and then heads on to Baghdad for the final battle.

Since the desert routes are narrow and it is hard to fully deploy, quality

counts

for more than quantity in this spearhead. You may want to spare some

troops to

advance directly east across the desert to link up with your paratroops and

perhaps pick up a city on the way. Try to secure an airfield in Iraq as

early as


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you can so you can base your air force there.

ALLIES: The Baghdad position is your ultimate stronghold and

well-protected

by the Tigris River and flanking deserts--the rest of the Allied army is

only there

to make sure the Axis get to Baghdad without the 4 to 7 turns they will

need to

deploy and take it. So don't rush your entrenched troops forward towards

the

enemy--dig in and make them dig you out to get past, fortifying Damascus,

Anah

and Baghdad for multiple lines of defense once the Axis take Jerusalem.

Defense

in depth is a sound strategy in this scenario, coupled with counterattacks

if the

Axis overextend themselves. For example, if they bypass your cities

without

adequately screening them, surprise counterattacks to retake lost cities

could be

successful and divert a large number of Axis troops.

You may want to ensure at least part of your air force survives

until the

enemy is moving on Baghdad, when his planes will have to fly back a long

way


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to refuel and you may be able to gain local superiority. The disadvantage

is that

the Axis air force will have gained significantly more experience than

yours

while fighting its way across the Middle East. Because the Axis needs

airfields,

make sure yours are guarded against airborne attacks.

General Info: Clear skies will allow free rein to the

airfleets. The most significant reinforcement is on Allied turn

12 the GB Grant becomes available. This is a good offensive

tank. But its initiative of seven makes it more likely to shoot

second against the lower armored PzIIIjs. Terrain is mostly

desert with the Jordan River and the Tigris being the major

single obstacles on the road to Baghdad. This is the best area

for a solid defensive stand and the German player should be

prepared for a good fight in this area.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis -1 0

Allies +1 0

The scenario is decidedly in favor of the German side. Quick

gains of prestige and the ability to concentrate all forces on

one objective at a time gives the Germans the advantage.


36/155

Recommend a +2 to the Allied side.

El ALAMEIN

No. of Turns: 26




- It is a long way to Cairo and even twenty-six turns may

not be enough. Still, it is open ground with lots of desert to

move through and around in.

No. of Objectives - 15 Axis: take all objectives.

- Five are already in the hands of the Germans but all of

the others are contestable and each could prove a vicious

battle. All objectives are on a logical invasion route to Cairo

therefore the German player may concentrate his/her entire

attention on one objective at a time. But this also makes the

defense easier.



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- This is the biggest disparity of the scenario. The

Germans begin with an armor number disadvantage and the British

begin with a pretty sizable air force. Therefore British can

spend the bulk of their prestige on ground defenses and AA guns.

Germans will not get large bonus prestige as the cities are

heavily defended and far apart. Allied prestige advantage give

them a big boost in this scenario.

New Unit Exp: Axis = 1 Star Allied = 1 Star

Air Superiority: This is a very contestable. While the Germans

have the superior fighter in the FW190, the British have the

advantage of AA guns and adequate fighters in the Spit IIs, Vb

and the IX. Plus the fact the British begin with 4 Mosquito

Fighter/Bomber that can easily wax a wounded German fighter. The

Germans can win the air war but only through careful attacks and

planning. Still it is more likely that free reign through the

air will not be gained by either side for quite a few turns.

Ground Superiority: The British number of tanks are about equal

at the beginning of the game. Matilda IIs are still one of the

top tanks of the scenario and very difficult to kill in the

desert. GB Grants are also available and give good offensive

punch. I have found they are very vulnerable to dive bomber

attacks and can be taken out pretty easily in this manner. They


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are fairly cheap and with the high prestige the British begin

with, Matilda IIs and GB Grants may be a permanent sights in the

desert. Germans have the advantage on turn 2 as the gain the new

PzIVf2 tanks with their improved anti-armor gun. In a straight

on fight, they outmatch the Matilda II and GB Grants. But the

prestige cost may be prohibitive. Germans superiority lies in

their cheap Anti-tank units which may be effective in this

scenario. Expect the main fight to take place in and around

Tobruk and Bir Hacheim. This fight can go on awhile limiting the

German advance in a scenario where time is absolutely critical.

AXIS: It's a long, long way to Cairo. Press Tobruk while stretching

the front to

Bir Hacheim in order to force a breakthrough. Send tracked vehicles south

of the

escarpment across the desert as well as advancing along the coast. Drop

detachments off at enemy centers of resistance to keep them from being

reinforced but keep the spearheads moving. Once you break through the

defile at

El Alamein, send your main forces to Cairo down both main roads and a small

battle group east to take Alexandria.

Using your air force to protect your ground troops is vital in the

deserts-

especially when they are mounted in trucks. Taking airfields for your air

force

should be a high priority.


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ALLIES: Delay at Bir Hacheim and Tobruk as long as you can, then retreat

step

by step, making the Axis pay for each step. Make your stand between the

Qattara

Depression and El Alamein--make sure to have infantry and antitank units

start

digging in early on so they will be ready when the Axis spearheads arrive.

Use

your air force to pound the enemy in the desert, particularly if they try

to circle

around the El Alamein position to the south.

General Information: The desert fighting is the same. Clear

skies and hazardous desert for the wounded and out-of-fuel. The

coastal road allows access to all of the major objectives

including Cairo. The sea forces favor the allies with twin

battle cruisers and two subs. However, the Germans do get to fire

first and can damage many Allied ships not to mention the liberal

use of high Naval Attack rating level bombers to sink a few of

those Battle Cruisers. On turn 12 the Germans gain access

to the vaunted Tiger Tank and the British get the Church III

tanks. The Germans may not be able to take advantage of the

Tiger due to its high cost and German low prestige outlay.


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Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis +2 0

Allied 0 0

The tide has turned against the Germans in this scenario. Their

free reign of the skies in the earlier campaigns is now

challenged and the distance to the final objectives is extremely

prohibitive. Every objective is fought over and difficult to

maneuver around to out flank.

Recommendation: +2 to the German side.

CAUCUSAS

No. of Turns: 30




- Advantage here goes to the Axis. While the map is large

the objectives are centered in a small area and therefore should

give the German player plenty of time to reach the objectives.


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- One objectives is already held by the Germans and it is

not threatened. All other objectives must be reached through

Soviet forces and each one can be a battle.


- Everytime I see such a disparity in prestige I wonder

what's the deal. Here it is obvious that the famous Russian

defense is designed to be implemented in this scenario. Russians

will favor quantity over quality looking to flood the field with

units. The Germans begin with plenty of high quality and

experienced units to offset this advantage therefore this area is

even match.

New Unit Exp: Axis = 2 Stars Allied = 1 Star

Air Superiority - The best Soviet fighter at this time is not

equal to the weakest German aircraft the Bf109. The Germans

begin with three FW190s and therefore rule the skies. They are

more likely to run out of ammo shooting down Soviet fighters and

bombers than take damage. The Soviets begin with about an

equal number of aircraft but their quality is so outmatched as to

make them a virtual non-factor. Best way to offset German

airpower is from ground AA guns.


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Ground Superiority - At the beginning of the scenario, German and

Soviet forces are about equal in quality and number. But with

the immediate availability of PzIVf2s and, by turn eight, Tiger

tanks, the ground war shifts in favor of the Germans. But the

Soviets have massive amount of prestige to afford massive losses

and still maintain a respectable fighting force. The weakest

link in the German attack posture is the southern attack force

coming through the CAUCUSAS Mts. Two star experienced and

overstrengthed German units of average quality are going against

well entrenched-Arty covered positioned units with good AA

covering fire. The cities of Poti and Tiblisi are difficult

captures and are going to take time and probably a few units with

them if the German player is not careful. The terrain is ideal

for defensive stands by cheap partisans, ATGs, or even tanks.

The Germans must push beyond the Terek River to get into some

good open running country. German prestige will climb as the

scenario pushes on due to the large number of cheaply captured

cities and the high body count of Soviet units.

AXIS: Air power is key--use fighters to cut down the enemy air force

and

tactical bombers to weaken enemy armor in their defensive positions. The

battle

is divided into northern and southern theaters. Although the terrain is

more open

in the north, it is in the south that you must make the greatest advances,


43/155

and

taking too long to punch through the mountains can cost you the chance of

decisive victory.

In the south, send one battlegroup past Tbilisi directly on Grozny

and

another battlegroup up the road to Mozdok to take Grozny in the rear. After

linking up at Grozny, the Caucasus army group can strike through Blagdernoe

and Elista to link up with the northern army group at Stalingrad, taking

other

cities such as Ilinka, Kotelnikovo, and Jutovo en route.

The northern army group is divided into two battle groups by the

Donets

River. The battle group north of the Donets should drive on Stalingrad

between

the Donets and Don Rivers, while the southern battle group storms Rostov on

the

coast and then turns east to Stalingrad.

ALLIES: Air defense, artillery and tanks are your defensive mainstays in

this

scenario. Conserve your air force for the long haul--working with the

help of air

defense units, you may be able to pick off damaged Axis bombers. Overall

strategy differs between the north and the south. In the open plains of

the


44/155

northern theater, use your cities as defensive bastions that bleed the

enemy dry as

they advance. In the south, your best defensive position is in the

Caucasus

mountains, and you will need to devote enough reinforcements to the

southern

forces to ensure that the Germans don't force you back into open country.

General - The weather is reliable but you may encounter times

when the airfleets will be grounded. The terrain is easy with

few rivers, a number of roads and numerous non-objective cities

ripe for the picking by German forces. New available units in

the Tiger tanks are vital to the German player.

Final Evaluations -

Prestige Experience

Axis 0 -1

Allies 0 0

Time is too much on the side of the Axis. Thirty turns to travel

a relatively short distance to Stalingrad is easily traversed.

The Soviet number advantage is severely hampered by the large

turn count not to mention the lack of fun seeing ten to fifteen

units wiped out per turn. Recommendation: A +1 advantage to the

Soviets may be enough to balance this scenario. But not to add


45/155

anything to the Soviet forces but to subtract from the Germans.

TORCH

No. of Turns - 24

Battle Posture: Axis = Defense Allies = Attack



- The Allies have a very small map to contend with therefore

the advantage of time lies with the Allies.

No. of Objectives - 8 Axis: hold Tunis + 2 objectives.

- One objective is already in the hands of the allies and

all of the other objectives are along normal invasion routes and

two near the Medjerda river are easy targets. The Germans must

hold Tunis and two other objectives by the end of the scenario to

win the game.



46/155

New Unit Exp: Axis = 3 Stars Allied = 1 Star

Air Superiority: The Allies attack the Germans with 21 aircraft

while the Germans possess only six. While the three German

FW190s may cause some damage to slightly inferior Allied planes

it is only a matter of time before they are overwhelmed by Spit

IXs and P-38 Lightnings allowing American bombers to bomb the

blazes out of German forces.

Ground Superiority: The Germans have the best unit in the Tiger

I in this scenario. But they begin with only two while the

Allies begin with a variety of armor and large numbers of units.

The numerically superior Allies are close enough to German units

in quality to make the numbers a significant advantage. Germans

do possess the 8.8 AA gun but this may not prove enough to offset

Allied airpower because of its cost.

AXIS: The Vichy French in North Africa have surrendered to the Allies

and

both sides are racing to pick up the pieces. The Americans are mostly

inexperienced, but they have good equipment and outnumber you, especially

in

the air. Due to air inferiority, you must coordinate your air units

carefully and

use them selectively when it counts.

The obvious strategy is to use detachments to delay the Americans


47/155

while

you take up a defensive position on the east bank of the Medjerda River

with air

defense and artillery support. Your armored forces can concentrate further

south

around Gafsa to strike west and then north through the valleys east of

Biskra.

Time correctly, this force can hit the Allied support units in the flank,

cause

serious damage and derail the Allied offensive along the Medjerda.

ALLIES: With the advantages of air and naval superiority, you can afford

straightforward hammering against the Axis defenses to blood your troops

and

eventually drive the Axis into the sea. Note that the Afrika Korps units

are

veterans, however, and that the Tigers they field here are extremely tough.

General: The scenario is set in the desert so any reprieve

granted to the Germans by foul weather is non-existent. German

defenses will be centered around the Medjerda river and by

necessity near the coast within range of Allied ship guns from

two battleships and a couple of cruisers. This will be very

damaging to AA guns bought near objectives as these units are


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extremely vulnerable to shore bombardment.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis +3 +2

Allies -1 0

This scenario is heavily weighted in favor of the Allied forces

and probably should be avoided in head-to-head play. If the

Germans got a +2 or +3 bonus to prestige then they may be able to

afford two more FW190s and give the Allies a run for their money

in the skies. But then the ground defenses will suffer as many

units are overrun by superior numbers.

Recommendation: Give the Germans +2 or +3 in prestige and

experience to allow for the offset in Allied numerical

superiority and reduce the Allied prestige total.

HUSKY

No. of Turns: 21




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- The high number of objectives and their disperse nature

gives the time advantage to the Axis. While roads do assist the

Allies in movement, numerous cities breakup rapid advancement and

allow for stubborn defensive stands around unimportant cities.

No. of Objectives: 15 Axis: hold 2 objectives.

- The Allies only begin with two objectives and they may

require defending if the German player feels brave. Foggia may

be too far of an objective to fall because of its remoteness

in the north of Italy. The Germans are required to hold two

objectives at the end of the game.


- This disparity gives the Axis a large advantage. It

allows the German player to contest Allied airpower by purchasing

extra fighters. The beginning German ground units are of high

quality and experience and the availability of probably the best

cheap unit in the game in the L-47 Italian Anti-Tank at a cost of

12 gives the Axis a significant advantage. Allied only reprieve

is the large number of objectives and their corresponding

prestige bonuses along with many cities available for the taking.

But these bonuses will be offset by the damage Italian Anti-tanks

do to your infantry and tanks.


50/155

New Unit Exp: Axis = 2 Stars Allies = 1 Star

Air Superiority: The allies begin with air superiority by

numbers only. The Germans begin with three FW190s and a few

Stuka dive bombers. The Allies have two P-51B Mustangs which are

about an even match with the FWs. This coupled with British Spit

IXs and a single Mosquito Fighter/Bomber can wax the FWs in a

straight on fight. But the Germans player may opt to contest the

air and purchase more FWs because of the beginning high prestige

count which can make the fight in the air more difficult. One

thing that is vital to Allied success is air power and this is a

necessity to win the scenario.

Ground Superiority: The Germans begin the game with the best

high end units in the Tigers and Panthers especially in their

defensive rolls. Panthers do seem to be unusually vulnerable to

shore bombardment but the Tigers are pretty impervious. The

Germans also possess the best low end unit in the L-47 Anti-

Tanks. The Axis can flood the area with tough to kill Anti-tanks

with really the only limit being the maximum unit count. The

Allies have little recourse. Their best cheap unit is the US M10

Anti-tank but at the cost of 120. Instead the Allied player is

forced to bomb anti-tanks instead of the main-line stuff.

AXIS: The Allies are ashore in Sicily and Italy is next. Husky--the


51/155

invasion of

Sicily and Italy by the Allies--is the first of the Western fight or flight

battles: this

means that your main option is whether to fight to hold your initial

position or

fall back to a more defensible location. This series of battles is about

holding on

grimly against an enemy that, at least in quantity if not in quality, has

an

advantage on land, sea and air. In Husky, the flight option is to pull

back to Italy

and try to set up a tough defensive line, preferably based on the inland

cities out

of the reach of naval bombardment such as Foggia and Totenza with infantry

and

antitank units entrenched and heavily bolstered by air defense units and

artillery.

The fight option is to hold in both Sicily and Italy (hard to do)

or defend

one and give up the other--pulling out of Sicily is the usual choice.

Instead of

fleeing from enemy landings, you try to drive them into the sea and keep

hammering them with your limited but concentrated strength.

Either way, you need to counter the overwhelming Allied air threat

and


52/155

you need to get more heavy tanks to help pick off weak Allied units.

ALLIES: This scenario is an exercise in overwhelming the enemy by multiple

amphibious invasions. Although your troops are less experienced, in all

other

respects you have advantages that you can turn into victory objectives

taken.

You can land anywhere you please on the Sicilian and Italian coasts and

support

your forces with air and naval bombardment. But don't delay in Sicily

before

getting serious about conquering Italy, and don't ignore the Axis air

force.

General Information: The weather is generally good until near

the end of the scenario when rain tends to be in the forecast.

The terrain is open at most places except in the center and north

of Italy. Roads connect most of the cities. The most unusual

part of this scenario is the Sicily/Italy crossing. Allied ships

may position themselves on both sides of the crossing to inhibit

easy passage by German reinforcements. Allied naval guns are a

huge threat and historically allowed the Allies to win this one.

Numerous cruisers can destroy tanks with a constant barrage.

Their best effectiveness is to eliminate entrenchment values and


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decimate soft targets especially AA guns.

Final Evaluation:

Prestige Experience

Axis -2 0

Allies +2 +2

This is a tough one for the Allies. Air superiority is not a

given due to the high prestige of the Germans. Most players will

go for the anti-tank defense of Sicily so it is imperative that

air power be seized as soon as possible. A -2 to German

Prestige could help even things up. (Note: It has been

discussed recently that the Axis player may opt to voluntarilly

limit the amount of anti-tanks purchased. Twelve is a reasonable

count. If this is the case, Axis penalty should be -1.)

ANZIO

No. of Turns: 14




54/155


- Though there are few objectives and, on the map, they

don't seem very far, rough terrain and tough German units make

the going treacherous. Every turn is needed for the allies.

No. of Objectives: 7 Axis: Hold Rome plus 2 objectives.

Allies: Take and hold Rome or 2 objectives.

Three are already in the hands of the allies and the Germans

are required to hold Rome and two other objectives. So if the

Allies can capture Rome and lose all others, the game is still

won. The Allies must also hold and protect Naples.


Many Allied units will be destroyed or seriously damaged in

the first German turn especially around Anzio. Therefore the

majority of Allied prestige goes to replacing lost units.

New Unit Exp: Axis = 2 Stars Allied = 2 Stars

Air Superiority - The Germans possess the best fighter in the

skies over Italy in the FW190d plus two normal FW190a's.

The Axis, should buy at least 1-3 FW190ds.


55/155

The Allies are very much limited compared to Husky in their airforce with only one P-51d and 3 P-47d

Thunderbolts plus two Spitfire IX and 2 Mosquitoes.

The Allies should buy 2 B-17s on the 1st turn if enough prestige.

The P-51d is in immediate danger from attack from a brave German player, because of the move order.

However the FWs could move about the sky ,looking to pick off fighters and bombers .

Therefore air superiority is contested to either side.

Also it might be useful to send a Paratroop unit over the sea then south, then attack rear allied air

fields.

Ground Superiority - Axis: Not only do the Germans have better ground units in the Panthers, Tigers and

Elefants but Allied formations are very spread out along the center of Italy known as the Gustov Line.

This dispersion does not lend itself well for offensive action.

The Axis should use their Artillery to bomb Anzio then send 2 Artillery units to Cassino, and 2 to Rome

after there first bombardment.

Also send at least 1 88 AA gun to Rome immediately to avoid Naval gunfire.

Also move the Panther and Panzer near Formia out of the mountain and city area and back farther

toward Cassino to be ready for counterattack strikes when the Allies decide to cross the river.

The Axis should place either Recon or Anti-Tank units in at least

2 or 3 rear cities as soon as posssible, best choices are the Port City to the Northwest Civitavecchia and

The city Northeast of Rome, to prevent Paratroop takeovers and sea landings.

Never attempt to cross the river with big tanks, or leave them in the mountains or a city if possible, this

is an Axis defensive scenario except for around Anzio and counterattacks.

Anzio is probably ultimately doomed despite shore

bombardment from Allied battleships. Still only two objectives

or Rome are needed to win the game.

AXIS: Although still at an overall disadvantage, at Anzio, south of Rome, you can strike back at the Allies

by driving their landing forces back into the sea.


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Since the Allied battleships will soon open fire, attack immediately while you can.

Except perhaps at Lanciano, nowhere else on the Gustav Line, from

Formia to Lanciano, can you the Axis attack without risking too much.

Guard Rome and Pescara carefully--with Anzio taken, you may be able to hold off the Allied onslaught.

Use your air power sparingly so you will have it available as a threat to the Allied bombers.On turn 1

either attack Allied planes or pull back to the Airfield north of Rome until you buy 1 or 2

more Fighters to form a Formidable attack force.

ALLIES: Use your combination of strength and mobility to press the enemy and push through gaps.

Buy 1 British Cromwell tank, and place south of Formia,to use its superior movement after you take

formia to move on to Rome and

Anzio.

Wait for the Navy to help at Formia before making an all-out push.

As the Allies, I don't think there's any way to hold Anzio, so I don't waste any prestige placing units

there.

I just give it up as lost, with the intention of retaking it later with my spearhead from Formia. I

concentrate all my efforts on the Formia river crossing (B-17s, naval fire, artillery and armor).

Take that port city Northwest of Rome Civitavecchia and begin building M-10s there and maybe 1 cheap

artillery in a truck, and if possible get a mobile Artillery unit out of Anzio to this city.

If the Allies have B-17s, the German armor is dead once it crosses

to the south of the river (assuming that the Allied player built armor there).

Even if the German armor stays north of the river, the B-17s can


57/155

bomb it out of ammo and fuel in a couple turns due to suppression. Meanwhile, the Allied fighters must

immediately seek out and destroy the Luftwaffe in order to give the B-17s free rein. (Oh, yeah, I also

garrison the two Allied victory cities with a Daimler in order to prevent sneaky German infiltration).

Or you can send 1 Artillery and an Infantry south to Naples also.

Move 3-4 Artillery pieces near Cassino if possible and attempt to take out the 88 AA gun places there.

Use the southern attack force as a diversion, make the Axis General beleive this is your main thrust

north, and hope he diverts Tigers and Panthers south to stop you, as your B-17s render his Big tanks

helpless due to suppression.

Thats the key to crossing into Formia along with moving all Naval units south to bombard Formia also.

Save as much prestige as possible to buy new units at Civitavecchia Northwest of Rome after your sea

transport from Anzio lands there.

The 2 B-17s and the 1 British Cromwell Tank is all you spend early.

The U.S.M-10 Anti_Tank is cheap and effective in assaulting Rome backed by cheap Artillery.

Never forget to place some units in Naples to protect from attack.

Using naval power, you can unhinge the line at Formia and

roll it up to Cassino, then march on Rome. Meanwhile, your battleships keep the Axis at bay in the Anzio

area at least for 1 turn then head them south to Formia.

Allies attack far north with Paratroop units to gain prestige.

General Information - Weather can turn ugly in this scenario.

But will still leave the Allies enough time to take Rome

if they play the right strategy, also you may want to just take Anzio and Cassino and still win, it depends

on your opponents axis strategy, Axis just needs to slow down Allies enough to win, dig in and play good

defense with counterattacks.


58/155

Axis should spend wisely and place troops wisely to win.

Axis should totally ignore new troops in the far eastern objective.

Unlike Husky, Allied forces have the time but not the forces.

The Allies must again contend with the cheap ATG defense and it

is made even more difficult because of the terrain.

If Anzio appears doomed move as many units as you can to ship

transports to the North,and take the city Northwest of Rome.

Then move fleet to bomb Formia.

Final Evaluation -

Prestige Experience

Axis 0 0

Allies +2 +1

Another difficult one for the Allies .

German forces dominate the battlefield to a point where they may

even take the offensive in certain areas. More prestige to the

Allies may give them the advantage. +2 to their prestige.

If your Allied opponent is more Advanced than you, then either even or only +1 prestige is needed for

the more advanced player.

The above settings are for even opponents or If the Axis player is the more advanced by a wider margin.

D-DAY

No. of Turns: 15


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- The Allies only need three objectives to complete the

scenario and Caen is suspiciously close to the shoreline and is

capable of being shore bombarded by battleships. The most

difficult objective is Saint Lo in the south due to the rough

terrain in the box country and the difficulty in getting good

units to the position. Time is still on the side of the Allies

because of the low objective count.

No. of Objectives: 5 Axis: Hold 2 Objectives.

- Two objectives are in Great Britain and already guarded so

these are fairly secure. I suppose a German player can launch a

de facto Sealion but it is probably a waste. Caen is within

range of long range battleship guns and the hexes around it are

vulnerable to cruiser fire. Cherebourg is difficult only in its

remoteness. Saint Lo is the most difficult objective because of

the terrain surrounding it and the ease of its defense.



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- The Allies begin with numerical superiority and airborne

units already landed. The 2042 prestige points will no doubt go

to purchasing battle tanks to contend with the losses suffered

against superior German armor. Axis prestige is low and will be

used up quickly shoring up defensive lines around the objectives

and will not be enough to really contend with Allied airpower.


Air Superiority - Allied airpower outnumbers and in a three cases

outguns the Axis Luftwaffe. The American P-51h is more than a

match for the FW190a and about even with FW190d9. So with these

coupled with an assortment of weaker fighters make the five FWs

have a difficult time to manuever. They may be reserved for

specific attacks or even better, used in conjunction with AA guns

to protect the skies over the objectives. But in a straight on

fight, the Axis will lose the air war. Air supremacy goes to the

Allies.

Ground Superiority - German panzers are once again and really

always superior to Allied equipment. But one Panther does not an

army make. The power of these tanks can do little but slow down

the tide of Allied forces as the rush to Saint Lo. Beware also

the Panther tank is unusually vulnerable to shore bombardment.

Numbers and air power nullify German armor advantage unless they


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are adequately covered by decent AA fire.

AXIS: This is the second Western fight or flight scenario--you must

defend three

French cities for fifteen turns, while trying to keep your units alive.

Your good

quality reserves are well behind the line, subject to Allied air attack as

they move

up toward the coast. It is unlikely that you can stop the enemy on the

beaches or

drive him back into the sea--a better chance of winning may be to

concentrate

heavy combined arms defenses around the victory objectives you are supposed

to

defend, or at least 2 of the 3. Note that you can disband bypassed

fortifications

to allow you to build new units.

ALLIES: Air, land and sea, your overwhelming might has descended on the

Norman coast. Avoid any serious mistakes, and you should easily win the

battle.

General Information - The weather is fairly reliable but count on

about two turns of rain to ground Allied planes. The only real

difficult terrain is the box country around Saint Lo. There are


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numerous back French cities and areas that are undefended by

Germans forces. An allied parachute drop deep into France can

pick up some quick prestige so look for it.

Final Evaluation -

Prestige Experience

Axis +2 0

Allies 0 -1

I don't think even the Allies had it this easy historically.

Caen is too close to the shore to give the problems the real life

Caen defenders did in Normandy. Allied shore bombardment will

keep AA guns from setting up in the front of Caen. Saint Lo is

probably the best place to try to win the scenario for the

Germans. A +2 prestige bonus to the Germans and a -1 exp to the

Allies might even this up. But then again the Allies are

supposed to win.

ANVIL

No. of Turns: 23




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- While there is difficult terrain to traverse the

objectives are in a natural invasion route. The lack of good

Axis units nullifies any advantage the Axis player has in

terrain.

No. of Objectives: Axis: hold 2 objectives.

- The Axis must hold two objectives in order to the win the

game. Once again the horrible terrain cannot be taken advantage

of as the Allies push northward.


- The Allies win this match up hands down. The Allies begin

with 14 aircraft as opposed to the German's four. On the

ground, the Germans are outgunned in artillery and armor with

only two Panthers. The Axis must decide where to spend the

limited prestige amount while the Allies can use their store to

repair aircraft and wounded units without to much worry of

running out.


Air Superiority - The Allies rule the skies with three American


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Mustangs and four Thunderbolts The Axis have limited fighter

power nor are their prospects for adding to the airfleet is very

limited as the ground war is also outgunned. Numerous American

bombers will make it difficult for even the AA guns to make much

of a dent in the American airfleet.

Ground Superiority - Normally the Germans own the ground with

their armor. But in this scenario the Germans begin with an

assortment of infantry units and only two Panther tanks. The

allies have a variety of artillery and the versitle M4 tank

series to handle German armor. American and Free French forces

will have a difficult time with the terrain but with the mobile

artillery units the allies shouldn't have too much of a problem

with dug in infantry and their rugged defense.

AXIS: Heavy losses are to be expected as your forces are put to the

test, so save

prestige for replacements. Rugged terrain and experienced units are your

only

assets and hope of staying alive against the Franco-American onslaught, and

your safest strategic goal is a marginal victory based on holding Grenoble

and St.

Vallier at the end of the battle. Don't let your units stand and die on

the coast--

get them into successive defense lines based on the cities and rivers in

the hills


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and mountains. Holding on to airfields early on, however, will help you by

forcing the Allied air units to return to their distant bases to refuel.

ALLIES: A lot of tough terrain and a few tough Germans await you in

southern

France. Although the ground is ideal for defense, recon and ground

attacks by

your air force will help neutralize this defensive advantage. Securing an

airfield

on the mainland is a high priority to avoid having to fly south to refuel.

There are really only two main routes north: one east of the Rhone

and

another through Sisteron, where a number of routes from the coast converge.

The mountainous trails further east can be easily blocked and will support

an

advance on only a one-unit frontage. Move quickly, because Grenoble and

St.

Vallier are each tough defensive positions to be cracked.

General Information - The terrain and rivers make it seem like a

defenders paradise. But the Germans don't have the units to take

advantage of the terrain. The weather is generally good but

the weather can turn foul and ground the Allied airfleet for a

few turns.


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Final Evaluation -

Prestige Experience

Axis +2 0

Allied -1 -1

The Germans are outmatched in the air and on the ground. The

prestige count doesn't give enough ability to buy units except

anti-tanks in much quantity. Unfortunately the Anti-tanks are

extremely vulnerable to bombing attacks. Add +2 to german

prestige.

ARDENNES

No. of Turns: 32




- There are few objectives but this campaign is a slugfest

with hard fought battles fought for each objective. Americans

will be reinforced three times with a big 5000 prestige bonus. It

is because of this fact that the time favors the defender. The


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German units are slowly ground under by superior Allied numbers

and by turn 20 they could be completely overrun. It is

imperative that the Germans get out into the open roads early and

lay seige to Liege and Namur.

No. of Objectives: 8 Axis: take all objectives, but Brussels.

- Three are in the hands of the Germans and Brussels is not

a necessary objective to attain to win the game. Therefore

forces can be concentrated on taking only four objectives.

However it is necessary to capture as many cities as possible in

order to deny staging areas for Allied reinforcements. In

addition, the German player will find the prestige point boosts

vital to carrying on the campaign.


- The Allies receive big bonuses of prestige to the tune of

5000 prestige points on the 4th, 12th, and 20th turns. This will

serve as big defensive boosts to objective cities and the ability

to form counterattacks upon wounded German units. This will give

the advantage to the Allies.


Air Superiority - This scenario is not meant to be decided in the

air. The Allies start with four planes and the Germans begin


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with three and neither airfleet is sporting their best. While

the Allies can later spend more on air power, more likely it will

go to ground units to get some push on the Germans around

objectives. Still the German player shouldn't be surprised to

see a few extra planes around turn 20 or so. The advantage is

even with the allies getting the advantage as the scenario

progresses.

Ground Superiority - The Germans will have a decided advantage in

the beginning of the scenario. They completely outclass and

outnumber the Allies in every category but air power. Even this

may not be much of an advantaged when confronted by

entrenched American infantry. One good rugged defense and that

Tiger tank could be scrap metal. The primary duty of the Allied

player is to delay long enough to receive reinforcements from the

big prestige bonuses. So it is imperative that the Germans make

use of their advantage while they can. The Axis has little

prestige to waste on new units when many of the German's best

units will be damaged by entrenched infantry during the initial

assault. The defense for the Allies lies behind the Meuse River.

If the Allies can hold Liege against the forces crossing the

river and prevent a flanking manuever then the game

reinforcements will win the day.

AXIS: Bad weather is a key factor but a mixed blessing in this famous

battle. It


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freezes rivers and protects you from Allied airpower, but your key

spearhead

units will consume fuel at a disturbingly high rate. The terrain is rugged

but has

numerous roads, an interesting challenge for both sides. You need to

strike

quickly before Allied reinforcements can intervene, so force breakthroughs

and

let the rear-echelon units mop up isolated enemy left behind you as you

advance.

The easiest route in the north is through Malmedy and Spa, but this

leaves

a dangerously large Allied force on your northern flank. The main

battlegroup

must fight through and take Liege before it can be reinforced, then sweep

down

upon Namur from the north before linking up with the southern battlegroup

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