SP3 was incredibly flawed in its execution.
What was a track hit in the other games translated to a kill in it, so the best anti-tank weaponry was artillery - even 60mm mortars slowly attrited M1 Abrams platoons over time. Large calibre artillery blew armoured formations to kingdom come, especially since the artillery model was the old SSI one where you adjusted in your turn, and the arty fell at the end of your turn so the adjustment was instantaneous.
In addition - what were in SP1 and 2 damaged results (e.g gun damaged) also were treated as a kill from the tank platoon.
The AI had only one deployment model - basically 1-2 hexes behind its start line. Since SP3 allowed pre-game bombardment in all battle types, if you wanted to hurt the AI then a turn 0 bombardment of that zone usually worked wonders.
Again, since track and damage hits translated into kills, then armoured cars working the flanks did a number on tigers, provided you popped in and out of cover.
SP3 infantry melted away like snow in Lucifer's kingdom as well, especially since your arty could be instantly adjusted on target. Because SP3 infantry were a large accumulation all in the same hex, it was impossible to spread out. In addition, the company command units were instantly recognisable as these were the little ones. I also hated those numbers attached to platoons.
Tank company HQs were also instantly identifiable from the small number beside them, so it was easy to target those first and kill the company command points.
The move amounts were incredible - so much so that armoured cars were a must-have if the map had roads. The AI hardly guarded its flanks, so you could traverse the map in one go and get into its artillery park. All arty was on-map and clumped into singleton units which died horribly to close range MG fire from little scout cars..
In order to properly play it then you
really had to use the simple objective system and the command points model - it seems that was not popular with casual end users, who would turn the orders option off in preferences.
All the messages and things in SP3 came up in dialogue or message boxes which were plonked right in the middle of the game map, thus obscuring any action that was going on.
As a beta tester for SP3 I got a free copy of the game. Otherwise, I probably would not have bought it knowing what I did. It wasn't very popular I think, compared to SP1 and 2.
The idea of a brigade level game is not a bad one however - but it probably would need orders to be compulsory so that it actually is a reflection of the higher level of command involved. And some sort of "fuzzy" reporting of platoon sizes depending on your intel level on the unit. Plus damaged tanks would have to be spawned off as singletons - which means an
awful number of spare free unit slots would be needed for cripples.
Its doable - but I am not really sure of the interest level for such a game. "Casual" end users would be put off by having orders required (the same effect was seen in tabletop clubs, rules that needed a plan (OMG - I have to think!!
) were less popular, only appealing to Grognards).
No love for a little brigade command? (SP3 scale)
Re: No love for a little brigade command? (SP3 scale)
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Re: No love for a little brigade command? (SP3 scale)
Linear Mode
