Huge Op or Battle Tip

Easymeat · 06-05-2007, 05:56 AM,

Here's a tip: When playing a huge scenario for the first time save it before clicking go. You will have probably grouped the units into fighting formations. This will save grouping the units later if you play the scenario again. You can change any units position in a future game to try something different. Same applies to TRP and minefields and fortifications.

Another tip: When defending in an op always have units for the last battle (obvious isn't it). If things go pear-shaped don't always try to rectify the position but save the units for the next battle. If I had done so in NP 2. Blut Und Ehre I would have had more units and the op may not have ended.The cumulative loss from battle to battle took it's toll. Don't go to the enemy let the enemy come to you. Sometime this is so true, particulary in NP2 Blut.

herroberst · 06-06-2007, 12:48 AM,

Sound advice. It was a challenging and long game but in the end my Jugend were bathing in the channel despite your gallant stand. I think now you can see the efficacy of a dispersed Eisenhower broad front advance versus a Montgomery-style rapier-like thrust. I think your major mistake was trying to engage my armor at long range and massed together: allowed me to flank you and destroy the shermans at long range. When you adopted the villages and woods as "hedge-hogs" and sniped with your VC's things went better for you albeit too late in the game.

I think the op advances the following phases start lines based on how much the Axis has advanced but isolated pushes further on get stuck without a set up zone (i.e. either have to be returned to a set up zone further in the rear or stay as the computer left them at end phase, i.e. potentially very vulnerable). Therefore, in this op, it seems like a slow advance based on infantry, with armor back to take out identified targets works best.

If Allies can keep from being appreciably attrited, Allied strength grows from phase to phase, making the "hedge-hogs" a hard nut to crack.

It might be interesting to hear or see how a "rapier-like thrust" strategy worked in past or future NP Blut & Ehre games.

Ratzki · 06-06-2007, 04:47 AM,

I played this OP as the Allies a while back. The first few battles went with the Axis side as my opponent advanced quicky through my thin lines of armour and infantry. He chose tight formations, would punch a hole then rapidly advance through it. About battle #4, I created a rapid response team positioned to take advantage of roads and placed them near the rear/centre of the map. The rest of my forces where spread out to mostly hassle and slow up his advance until this team could arrive. When it did, it was in good flanking position. A couple battles like this and then I started back towards the Allied objectives, with the Germans on their heels.

Smashing(FGM) · 06-06-2007, 06:18 AM,

i would highly recommend the Blut Und Ehre operation (spoilers below) strategy and tactics both need to be employed very wisely. Im still playing this against Geordie. Im playing as Allies. In the first battle i pushed too far forward straight down the middle and reached the far edge of the map without much resistance, to my suprise i was flanked, i expected the germans to sit and wait and hit us at long range but i was not engaged significantly.The next couple of battles were a cat and mouse affair where we both tried to out manoeuvre each other which resulted in some spectacular tank engagements with smaller infantry fire fights which were evenly attritional i suspect.(heh).. I didnt make any ground at all, so i decided to start the next couple of battles setting up a broad front advance. I have gradually advanced with success moving and fighting from cover to cover across the whole front with infantry and tank groups behind heavy barrages of artillery where suspected enemy positions are. As soon as i started the broad front stategy i have had a much easier time advancing and have pushed the jerries gradually backwards dispite numerous large tank breakthrough attempts and without being flanked agin.
Its a monster of an op which i have been playing for nearly a year but its brilliantly designed and very enjoyable...get a good solid opponent and give it a try its awesome stuff.

Fullhouse · 06-06-2007, 08:07 AM,

Eh Smashing?

In Blut Und Ehre it is the Axis who must advance.

Smashing(FGM) · 06-08-2007, 05:33 PM,

This is a classic example of read the breifing properly(i skipped through it)All i saw was get to Carpiquet airfield...lol...however i have been playing this for over a year. I just had a look at the scenario start and i didnt realise how far off the briefing that the battle has developed. I didn't realise how far George pushed me back, i'm making good ground with the broad front strategy...sorry for any confusion..and again its a cracking campaign

bluehand · 06-08-2007, 07:01 PM,

I was thrown off by the allied objective too, but quickly realised the number of pzs were overwhelming initially... I did the same thing Ratzki did. Broad front with rapid response team and timed artillery barrages to attrit the germs... eventually I got his tight pz formations in concentrated kill zones and wiped most of them out. now is the boring hunt for german pockets as my nearly overwhelming forces crawl back to the start lines. (battle 12 currently)
I do have some gripes with the computer's moving the map to the germans advantage when he only punched one small hole in my lines, all be it with a very strong force. in a real battle he would have been easily cut off and had to walk if he moved that force again.
also I kept some forces behind his lines to hunt for his AA guns. the planes are much more effective if you can get the AA out of the way...

Hedgehog · 06-08-2007, 07:44 PM,

Must agree with Bluehand with the moving the map, and throwing you back after the effort of breaking through...Which I feel does give the Axis a advantage in every battle.....You then have to start again.

Apart from that it is a very challenging battle, and enjoyable.

Cheers Ted

Age is Wisdom

Ratzki · 06-09-2007, 01:26 AM,

I did the same when i read the briefing and started off for the airfield, Did not take long to realize that this was not the thing to do as I was beaten pretty badly in the 1st battle. I think it would be very tough to lose as the Allies, they just seem to get too much stuff for the Germans to compete with. I hated the moving map as well. Am playing Epsom OP now and the map is huge but fixed, am finding this gives a much better flow to the game, plus not all the setup time if "play where they lay" is used.The worst with these huge OP's is the volume of troops and the way the program sorts the troops out making for some time consuming orders phases.