Operation Herkules_Alt scenario - Please remove from game database

[Green]

Yes, it can be very confusing indeed.

But the summary of the important aspect here is this (the PC I am on doesn't have any of the games installed, so please forgive the general description):

The bunker changes the defenders/occupants to a hard target. Since they are a hard target, assaults work a bit differently, and the early war units have a range 0 hard attack value.  Range 0 values are special in that they only come into play in assaults, in which case they are used when assaulting hard targets.  Without that rule, it would be very difficult to assault bunkers (and you are likely always overrun by tanks with few losses inflicted).

A person with an eye for detail would say that the attackers here have lower values in the Alt scenarios than the stock scenarios, but also the defenders have a similar reduction to their values too, so its about even.

Now I am not saying that with that AAR rule the scenario will be magically balanced - just saying that the AAR rule is necessary or else it will be impossible, which is in line with the original post here (so I suspect that is the issue). As I said, I do recall that that scenario was exceptionally difficult in the stock version, and the Alt doesn't fundamentally change much (its more of a detail and consistency thing, rather than a total overhaul), unlike the Alt scenarios for Kursk, and Normandy (where I recall I did make quite a few changes).

But maybe someone else can explain it better...

Thanks for that but I am still just as confused. I suspect I am missing something so obvious that it is only me that does not get it.

I do understand that bunkers change occupants to Hard targets but I thought that unless AAR is used that this does not affect assaults in any way. If AAR is used then in most cases Hard targets are much more difficult to assault as generally units have Assault vales much higher than their Hard attack values. As mentioned in my previous post the Italian Para have an assault value of 14 and a Hard attack of 1, so using the AAR rule reduces there effectiveness by 14 times since the defense value of the unit they are assaulting is the same whether AAR is used or not.  

The issue as I see it is not about Alt versus Stock but simply AAR versus no AAR. In the case of this scenario the Alt versions have AAR as the default and the Stock versions does not. Hence the difference. I am a long-time supporter of the Alt scenarios and the use of the AAR rule in particular as I believe this is far more realistic. It is just that in this scenario, the use of this rule drastically changes the game.

At least, that is how I see it but I would really would like to know if my understanding of the assault process is fundamentally flawed. As you say, hopefully someone will be able to explain exactly how it all works.