Is the Afrika path harder?

[piemax]

After finishing the fantasy path going through Russia, I started a new campaign and went trhough Afrika. I quaified for the fantasy path but opted to try the historical one this time. And now arriving in Sicily is the first time Ihavent had the preestige to repair and upgrade my troops. Is this path really that much harder or have I messed this playthrough up?

[monkspider]

I did the Afrika Path the first time and I'm doing the Soviet path this time and so far I have found the Soviet path a lot harder. It is definitely a very challenging game in general though. The game does not pull any punches even on the lower difficulty levels.

[Warriordude]

I played the Africa path. I thought it was a challenge until I made it to Normandy, now I'm getting spanked lol. I'll try the Russia path next.

[Thorin]

There are a few key difference, Africa ha less random objectives that you don't need, so less extra money. Also less rivers, where you need only two retreat (to the river and then one more) for autosurrender, that generates lots of money too. Also the British airforce is way more powerful than the SU one, you will lose more to repair fighters and more to bombing. Probably equal in difficulty if you prepared, but very different stuff you need.

[seasider66]

I found the Africa Path a spammed
bloodbath for my highly decorated corps , playing the other way now

[Green Knight]

Afrika is the easier path. Small maps where you can really concentrate your forces.

[piemax]

then I did something wrong to be out of prestige by Sicily playing on general. sigh, I dont know if I'm up for restarting, maybe I'll wait for DLC

[mmtt]

Lack of prestige means you don't capture enough units, although you don't necessarily need it on General difficulty. It's true Africa has less prestige overall and lacks the big super artillery. But if I remember right, Sicily has a lot of close terrains.

You can hold in the center on the hills and slaughter enemy tanks with your infantry and use Catania in the east as a trap for tanks. Sit your own arty and 88s on the hills behind for extra range.

[Path]

The Eastern front is probably harder, but there's also more prestige available -- Kiev is the closest thing you'll get to a Cow Level in PzC2 -- and the main threat is the Soviet armour, whereas in Africa it's the Allied air force. Some players might find the former easier to handle.

[piemax]

I have AA veteran and 3 aa's as well as 3 fighters. I think I spent too much on between-mission elite reinforcements

[w.f.schepel]

Played Africa past Egypt and past Sicily. Soviet campaign past Moscow.

- Africa path: Better invest in AA and be very careful with your planes. Once you do get air superiority, bombing you way through the map is a joyful slaughter.

- Soviet Path: you need to cover a lot of ground and you can't rely on planes quite so much. Especially once winter hit, it is a choice between playing without or having your stukas grounded most of the time. Also, the Soviet ground forces are better and there are a lot of them, so you need to pick your fights and find ways to kill quickly. Once you get bogged down, you are in for a world of problems.

Based on my experience so far, I would call the Soviet campaign a bit more difficult, but this may be because my Soviet campaign is plagued by a lack of useful heroes. This seriously makes a difference. Either way, it is a game with something of a learning curve. Don't be afraid to start over and plan ahead: the further you get, the more the game wants you to have a combined arms approach.

[piemax]

Thanks. As per above I already "won" a campaign on general so I've gone through at least some of the learning curve.

[w.f.schepel]

Originally posted by piemax:

Thanks. As per above I already "won" a campaign on general so I've gone through at least some of the learning curve.

Sorry, you did say so, indeed. As soon as you are on the defensive in the historical campaign, you don't get quite as much prestige. Simple answer is: don't do elite reinforcements on units that lose a lot of points. Slightly more complicated answer: hoard prestige early on. Pick a few key units that you give elite reinforcements, everything else just doesn't.

[ScarScream]

The problem I have with the Africa Corp scenario is that it is so short until you have to make the decision of retreating or attacking compared to the Soviet scenario.
If you are playing in Generalissimus difficulty it feels almost impossible to get the 10000 prestige needed to get to Egypt since you only have played 4 missions until that choice comes up compared to 8 missions in Soviet Russia.
Getting the 10000+ prestige is quite easy the Russia way but seems a burden in Northern Africa in only 4 missions, I just don't like it.
There should have been at least 2 more missions before the choice comes up.. Why no siege of Tobruk and other major battles that came before El Alamein?

[sorenthewild]

If you don't have enough prestige, start in 1939.
Do Poland and France before going to Africa, that'll give you an extra 6 scenarios to farm.

[Accolon]

Best Advice to counter the lack of prestige is choose the Trait "Trophies of War" and make use of it.

If you don't have 4k prestige after the 2nd poland mission you do something wrong^^

If you start later still the same...choose Trophies to keep your units State of the Art.
PanzerCorps isn't and shouldn't be a Start-Pewpew - all Dead ty- Game.

Read-Understand-Decide. Take your time. No need to rush it. :-)

Cheers