Spanish Civil War - so frustrating...

[mk53v3n]

Hi guys,

I would ask for your advice and some tips please.

I have played the original PC2 game a lot and enjoyed it very much. I played on the standard difficulty and thought it was just right. Finished the campaign a couple of times, some missions were more difficult than others, but the game was never frustrating and all missions were perfectly manageable with the right strategy. Overall, a great and very relaxing game.

Now - after some absence in which I extensively played Order of Battle (which I can also highly recommend) - I recently returned to PC2 to try out the DLCs.

I started with the Spanish Civil War DLC of course, but immediately noticed, that this DLC is MUCH harder than the base game.

Aside from the AI ally, that is tremendously stupid and always leaves my artillery (that is supposed to support him), exposed and vulnerable (it seems as if he intentionally wants the enemy to attack my units), some of the missions (and explicitly the bonus objectives) are really frustrating.

I think the difficulty between the missions varies significantly. Some missions (e.g. early Madrid) are very easy (including the bonus objectives), while some missions are just burning through my prestige like hell (mostly thanks to the stupid AI ally who wastes his units, and then uses our shared prestige pool to constantly reinforce his units). I am now in the 5th or 6th mission and almost running out of prestige because of this.

This makes the DLC so very frustrating... For example, I restarted the third scenario (Merida) for at least 6 or 8 times now. Read a couple of guides, tried different strategies - but I was simply never able to capture the northern point AND the army base to the west. Regardless of how hard I tried.

I consider myself a casual and average player, have some experience with turn based strategy games (e.g. > 450 hrs Order of Battle, > 150 hrs of original PC2), so I am no strategy noob. I just do not know what I am doing wrong in this DLC (or if the difficulty of this DLC is intentionally that hard).

As much as I enjoyed the original PC2 base game, I really dislike the Spanish Civil War DLC so far. I think about skipping it and continuing with the follow-up DLCs.

Therefore, I have two questions:

1. Is it true that this DLC is so much more difficult than the base game? Are most of the bonus objectives truly that hard, and is it sometimes really impossible (for an average player) to fulfil all of them? Or is it just me who is struggling with this DLC? Maybe I am doing something wrong here, but I just cannot figure out what...

2. Are the DLCs after the Spanish Civil War getting better? Would it make sense to skip the Spanish Civil War and directly jump into the second DLC? Or would I miss too much, because I cannot import my core army from the first DLC?

[Breca]

Spanish Civil War DLC is definitely more challenging than the base game, and will force you to rethink some assumptions learned from the base game.

Part of this is that the more complex objectives tend to fragment your army more than simply moving your blob across the map to the final objective.

Part is that many of your units are inferior at this stage. (German re-armament was still formative). Russian-supplied tanks and air units are very formidable.

Part is learning how to best anticipate "stupid" AI allied Infantry vacating your carefully laid support units.

I will add that I too experienced some level of frustration on my first go-around. "WHY!!! did you move away from my artillery support!!!??" But I'll also say that once you become more familiar with rhythm of this DLC, that frustration will turn to satisfaction as you take down their superior units and turn defeat to victory, It took me a second playthrough to appreciate the particular nuances that SCW offers.

1. If you plan to go after secondary objectives, you won't have time to blob across the map. Think instead about how you will need to set up different lines of attack, and how you will need to set up self-reliant mini-armies to accomplish those objectives.
   
2. Republican mechanized units are particularly tough. Use encirclements, bombardments, aerial attacks, and AT support as much as possible to grind them down before attacking.
   
3. Early on, Republican air units are superior. Use AD to soften them up before attempting to attack with your weaker fighters. Buy more AD early on.
   
4. AD and AT support is super helpful to blunt attacks from superior Republican units. They're also inexpensive in terms of Core Slots, which is great.
   
5. Italian Fighter units are good early on. Also consider adding a few Italian infantry or cavalry auxiliaries. In my first run-through, I all but ignored Italian infantry, thinking I had plenty of Spanish infantry already. However, the AI renders Spanish Infantry positioning unreliable. It's really good to have a few infantry that you can move into position reliably. Italian Infantry can also move with your AT and Artillery supported. Reliable infantry positioning will make for a much easier advance.
   
6. Italian Bombers can be expensive in terms of core slots. And you have quite a large Air Force already. I'd much prefer using those core slots on Italian infantry and Fighters.
   
7. Your Colonial Infantry is quite tough. Statistically, they tend to be tougher than Republican infantry. Let them keep moving forward with spot artillery bombardments as needed, but don't come under the illusion that your artillery and other support units should be directly behind them throughout the advance. Put the majority of your support directly behind your own units or Italian units. This will save you in lost prestige, and lost time repairing your damaged units.
   
8. Your Infantry AI can be challenging to work with. What gave me more success on my second playthrough was simply slowing down. In the base game, I was so used to racing across the map that I applied the same frantic mindset to SCW. Slow down. You know that your AI Infantry is going to vacate your carefully-placed artillery support, so move forward more conservatively with your artillery, and add secondary ZOC blocking units so that when your Infantry moves forward, your artillery is still protected.
   
9. AI Commands. In general, you will be moving forward, and will want to Order Your Allies to Attack. However, if you want to straighten your lines or create stronger supporting lines, don't be afraid to Order Allies to Hold Position now and then. They may attack adjacent enemy units, but they will hold position allowing your support units roll up in a more reliable position.
   
10. Commendation Points: I'd recommend prioritizing your CP on permanent solutions first. Prioritize first having enough CP in reserve to purchase Legendary Heroes (Galland), and then for prototype units such as the Breda and Verdeja. Galland will stay with you the rest of the game; that salvaged T-26 will be scrap in 39. The salvaged units can be gravy if you want them, but keep 3 reserve CP for prototypes, and definitely have 10 CP saved up before Ebro, where you can purchase Galland.

[Thorin]

Not really harder, just different, the missions are actual missions, not move over the map, and you will have counter attacks, that was somewhat rare in the original campaign. You must move expecting the other side actually would act in a war, if it would be a good place and time for a push from them, you usually will get that push.

Also almost every item you will have, will be inferior to the enemy, so you must capture and use their stuff (t-26 will be better than anything you get in the entire scw, so get a unit or two asap and than keep your stockpiles up by capturing them as much as possible, same for trubia, bt5, unl-35, aac, ba-6 and even for artillery - oh, and hope you did take the detour to the rock and the other "hidden" cache.)

The bonus objectives are just that, bonuses, you do not have to get them, just accept you will miss some stuff, not much, since you can fail 5 of them and still get everything, so losing a few of them is not a big deal, also you do not need all stuff you can buy with cp, yes, the free captured items are nice, but you can capture it yourself. The only really good catch is the verdeja gift unit,m and the special hero, and even that gift will be just good unit in the next campaign, and mostly average in the third, and probably obsolete from '41, so get if you can, but mostly just flavor lost, if you fail to get it, only the hero is what worth it over anything else.

[Accolon]

2 things to say here: First, be lucky you never face the former SCW which was MUCH more a challenge than this actual one. (Many Maps got hard nerfed).

Merida and Toledo (map after Merida) are the only challenge.

Second, there is an MOD out there called SCW No AI..there you can buy and use spanish infantry and the stupid AI is done. If you dl you have to activate the mod within the Game through Mod Manager.

This way you can bring experienced Infantry to the next DLCs.

[Black_Hole]

And get that Verdeja tank. It costs only 3 or maybe 4 CP when offered and is the best tank in the SCW. It still will be one of the best tanks 1939, if experienced through the SCW. Even 1940 it is reliable. And later on you can simply upgrade this highly experienced unit into a stronger tank.

[mk53v3n]

Thank you all very much guys for the many tips and the detailed explanations. Your advice is highly appreciated and I will give it another try.

I guess I will also have a look at the No-AI-Mod. Not sure if this will make the DLC too easy... However, since I am more looking for a relaxing game and really want to avoid any further frustration with PC2 (because it really ruined my experience with this game I liked so much before), it could be worth a try.

[Edmon]

I have an SCW campaign on going now on the hardest difficulty, which you can find here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrGILJcqTblXIf6XVlUzmmJYtMcgPjvka

I hope it might give you some insight on how to not only beat the SCW DLC but farm the life out of it :D.

[Boredflak]

The SCW mod no AI infantry makes this DLC a much more enjoyable. The problem I have is that you can only have 1 order for all your Spanish allies. There are many times you need them to hold one area and advance and attack somewhere else on the map. The way it is set up you cannot do this. (which is a royal PITA) With the mod you get more core slots and Spanish Infantry are added to your core force. Once you complete the SCW it carries over and you can then replace the Spanish with German but they keep experience medals etc. Much more enjoyable. If you are not using the mod Italian cavalry is your best friend. a few units to support your ART and AT units is a must.

[mk53v3n]

Thanks again guys for the many tips and helpful suggestions!

I also tried the No-AI-Mod, and this thing is indeed a game changer. It turns this previously frustrating DLC into a great and enjoyable experience. Finally feels like the original PC2 base game again. :)

[Kotoha单推人]

I suggest to fill all your auxiliary slots. The CVT infantry only costs 90 prestige, a Italian basic fighter only cost 40 prestige. I found the game becomes much easier with Italians.

[jman0war]

Where do you get the SCW No-AI-Mod?
Infact, where are mods found at all?

[sorenthewild]

the no-ai-mod is in the workshop.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2314075159&searchtext=

Try the mod forum at slitherine.com for mods.
https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=597

Edit: Added link.

[Accolon]

Hell, I was wondering who brings this old story up, but in the End its just a question for Mods.