Silver Lions II - Preview - Page 4

junk2drive · #1 March 24th, 2009, 12:59 AM

Played 12 turns option 1. My tanks have had an easy time with the enemy APCs and T72s. What I don't like is being pounded turn after turn by enemy arty. Seem you make up for the AI with dice roll destruction. I lost an M113 that way. At least give me some counter battery fire.

I would like to see the setup zone further east of the VLs. Give me a chance for a fighting withdrawal. Instead I sit and wait and get pounded by arty.

Double_Deuce · #2 March 24th, 2009, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junk2drive

Played 12 turns option 1. My tanks have had an easy time with the enemy APCs and T72s. What I don't like is being pounded turn after turn by enemy arty. Seem you make up for the AI with dice roll destruction. I lost an M113 that way. At least give me some counter battery fire.

The enemy arty is set to 18 tubes of 122mm which is the standard compliment for an MRR. They should actually have some 152mm as well if they are the center of the Division's attack. Also, the OT-64's are really outclassed by the US tanks but once the changes to the 4.5 engine go into effect it should allow some ATGM vehicles the ability to move a few hexes and still fire some ATGM's. With that version the battles should be a different story, at least when the soviets become involved in the campaign (Scenario 7+) and they have BMP's and T64b's.

Quote:

I would like to see the setup zone further east of the VLs. Give me a chance for a fighting withdrawal. Instead I sit and wait and get pounded by arty.

If you only lost a single PC you shouldn't need to withdraw.

How far forward, the the slope forward of Cachrov?

junk2drive · #3 March 26th, 2009, 09:56 PM

Zoomed out, I see the approaches, the ridges, the woods to my back. Most of the VLs are in Cachrov. Brodne is farther back. I placed my A, B, mechanics and support AFVs in Brodne. Main force in Cachrov behind the line. Start battle. Advance some of main force in Cachrov. Start picking off oncoming tanks and AFVs. Soon Brodne is overwelmed by more forces than I expected. Meanwhile Cachrov is getting hammered by arty. Suppressed units won't recover or move.

So, my previous comments are based on this. Bad tactics on my part? If the setup line is farther forward, I could spead out a little in Cachrov. Might not get caught as bad by arty or be able to keep moving away from the blast zone. Or should I let the enemy have Cachrov and retreat to Brodne?

Double_Deuce · #4 March 26th, 2009, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junk2drive

So, my previous comments are based on this. Bad tactics on my part? If the setup line is farther forward, I could spead out a little in Cachrov. Might not get caught as bad by arty or be able to keep moving away from the blast zone. Or should I let the enemy have Cachrov and retreat to Brodne?

You should try to hold both (keep a defensive line between the two with the L and R flanks anchored on the towns). Pact arty tactic is designed to prep any objectives or suspected enemy defensive positions. With 18 tubes of 122mm, besides the pre-targeted locations, anything that gets seen is going to stat to draw fire. This forces the US to keep on the move in a mobile defense to avoid the artillery BUT mobile defense is the Achilles heal of the M60/M113 task forces. In the earlier scenarios you are fighting the Czech which use the OT-64 and they are not a real threat (same as the BTR MRR in the Soviet Divisions) since they only have 12.7mm HMG's or so.

Once you get into the middle and later scenarios you will mostly be on the offense and will start to see the weakness of the M60's as being slow and weekly armored. Only the ability fire on the move and TTS (in limited visibility situations) gives them a chance, except by then you'll be facing Soviet BMP's with ATGM's.

Marek_Tucan · #5 March 27th, 2009, 01:03 AM

In my game, I managed to dodge the arty pretty much, but then it meant I retreated from Cachrov and picked off tanks as they came. Then I didn't retake the VPs in time.

DRG · #6 March 28th, 2009, 09:17 AM

It's possible the experience level tweaked upwards for that unit. It's always "fun" to toss in a ringer now and then

Don

junk2drive · #7 March 29th, 2009, 07:13 PM

I tried staying out of town and picking off the AI as it went in. Worked well until turn 15 when the onslaught started. Then the AFV with the ATGM and so on.

Double_Deuce · #8 April 15th, 2009, 02:54 PM

There has been a little delay in the design progress on this campiagn. I have gone back through all the current scenarios one at a time and done some tweaking to make it a little more challenging for the US player. Even so, the early scenarios should be "easy" especially for any decent players. Being NATO on the defensive with TI technology gives you a decided advantage. Once the campaign swing back to NATO being on the offense it will get a lot more difficult as M60's are not the best as offensive weapons.

Imp · #9 April 16th, 2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double_Deuce

M60's are not the best as offensive weapons.

Now theres an understatment especially the early versions with no giro accurate fixed gun emplacements for the period but thats about it.

iCaMpWiThAWP · #10 April 19th, 2009, 08:18 PM

How is the campaign going? the 1st scenario was too easy, lost 3 man a truck and a tank trnsport to 122 artillery, a suggestion, make the mechanics engineer type, you might need more than just mineclear/engineer tanks sometimes(mostly because of size, its a lot easyer to clear obstacles without bullets flying past your head)