Comments:

• Posted by sourdust on June 13th, 2018 at 02:28

  Got modified files from hawkerace and you at more or less the same time, so had to choose one to work with...

• Posted by Pannoniae on June 12th, 2018 at 11:28

  I have no time now, but it should be trivial if you unzip the file BTW, why did you do this?

• Posted by sourdust on June 12th, 2018 at 05:10

  Wow, very generous Hawkerace and Pannoniae for getting your fingers into this one.

  I've altered the overall concept of the scenario a bit. I realised that Bratislava doesn't really work as an objective. It makes the end game too boring - by turn 6 or 7 most of the Axis units have been squashed, but often the Soviet tanks are still a long way from the final objective. So the last few turns are anticlimactic, plus it invites gamey behaviour by the player to try and grab Bratislava via a combination of air strikes and partisan attacks.

  I added two objectives in the East, to compensate for the deletion of the Bratislava objective, and it makes all the difference. The end game is now fun, featuring a free-wheeling battle on the plains of Eastern Slovakia.

  The other big change is that I lowered the strength of most Russian units substantially, but added lots of step reinforcements. This represents the relative unpreparedness of the Soviets for this offensive, and makes their attack more of a slow build. On the whole I think it works well.

  Hawker, your contributions on OOB and AI were invaluable, thanks! I've kept most of them. I kept both Tatra panzer division and Horst Wessel division divided into their constituent KGs, to increase the Axis unit count and make them better fit the nature of the battle against the uprising. Bigger more capable divisions tend to steamroller the insurgents too easily.

  I've also added a few other German units to keep things lively, most notably the 1st Ski-Jaeger division which actually did get thrown into the line in this area.

  Horst Wessel division was mostly Hungarian volunteers, but it was too weak as a "SS Freiwillige" units, so I've designated them as SS Motorised.

  Pannonniae, could I trouble you to shift the turns again to 7 days/turn, as you did previously? I can't work out how to do it, I think it involves some direct file editing of some kind.

  Enjoy & thanks again guys!
  Sourdust

• Posted by hawkerace on June 10th, 2018 at 09:16

  Sour,

  I believe the units recycling is because it is trying to reinforce Sturm Rgt AOK 1.

  Also I disagree that those units should be green. And by changing Sturm Rgt into a motorized unit (I looked extensively online and I see no mention of this unit being more than an ad-hoc clump).

  Also both kampfgruppes are apart of Pzd. Tatra, and other units. Tatra was based off of Panzer Division 1. http://www.axishistory.com/axis-nations/150-germany-heer/heer-divisionen/3995-panzer-division-tatra

  I also looked through my library and read the The German Defeat in the East, 1944-45
  By Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr. where they make mention of the Slovak uprising. KG Shill should be a SS kampfgruppe.

  I looked online and you can see some of the book here: https://books.google.ca/books?id=e__d6mE5ocsC&lpg=PA212&ots=ZRxOj9MpDF&dq=Kampfgruppe%20von.Ohlen&pg=PA213#v=onepage&q=Kampfgruppe%20Schill&f=false

  I played around with the steps and units and AI hints. Here's the edit - https://puu.sh/ACqXa/b9b536eddd.usc

  I would break up your attack and defence hints into a multiple, rather one just to attack a broad area. I feel the AI gets a little confused and doesn't perform as you'd want.

  Also Sturm-Rgt-AOK 1 performs just as well as a motorised unit as it does as a panzer unit. Killed a partisan unit. But it is usually more interested in going north-east unless you put work a hint into it.

  Your attack patterns should follow this map:

  https://puu.sh/ACr0O/e7b7a24acb.PNG

  All the best sour.

• Posted by sourdust on June 10th, 2018 at 03:24

  Thanks Hawkerace for your very constructive critique! I agree the scenario isn't yet quite right, for the reasons you say and a few others. I'm working on the next version. At the pass, it's a tricky balance between historical accuracy and making a fun scenario. In real life, the Russians had next to no chance for a breakthrough, given how poorly equipped and trained they were for mountain warfare. And the German divisions in this sector were in quite good shape.

  But I agree, success shouldn't be so dependent on airstrikes. The Russians should have to take heavy losses, but still have to be required to break through quickly. I'll also add in some German step replacement, as you suggest.

  As for the Slovak uprising, I'm having a devil of a time getting the AI to work properly. It keeps wanting to disband German units, which is part of the reason I made some of the Germans green in this area. The other reason is that they were genuinely green - a mix of training, reserve and security units at first, which were not up to the task of crushing the uprising quickly. I also find the Slovak forces can do unhistorical jaunts around the German rear areas too easily, so I have to find a way of containing them a bit more.

  I'll keep working it up, thanks again!

  I'll work up a more refined version

• Posted by hawkerace on June 9th, 2018 at 01:51

  It's just my opinion, but I think some of the strengths of the German divisions need to be dialed back a bit. 7/6 stepped late war German infantry combined with the terrain made me the player more reliant on good air strike dice rolls before I could really begin. I also find the kampfgruppes opposing the uprising pretty passive. I would rather see them reduced to motorized infantry, than be green units. (Green units are hilariously pathetic in Unity of Command, and an airstrike has such a high bonus against them). Coupled with my previous complaints, I think the entire scenario could be trimmed up a bit to make it less reliant on lucky Jchip damages. German reinforcements should trickle in with a few steps spread throughout the scenario as well. I also feel that the south-east really opens up due to the Hungarian divisions being little more than just eye candy. Just some food for thought, it's up to you. I still had fun.

• Posted by Pannoniae on June 7th, 2018 at 15:25

  Nice scenario! :)

• Posted by mcp1959 on June 6th, 2018 at 02:33

  Interesting little scenario. More please, with play as Soviets.