Nazi Germany Eastern Campaign Review

[Der Kuenstler]

I finished the Nazi Germany East campaign today and thought I would write a report on it. It took around 400 hours. I started it on normal difficulty but about 1/3 of the way through I switched to hard.

Here are the scenarios in order if you win each one:
1. Poland
2. Norway (Weserbung)
3. Low Countries
4. France
5. Sea Lion South
6. Sea Lion North

After winning Sea Lion North you get this message:

"You made it from the South to the North of England! You can now focus on the next operation coming up in June - Operation Barbarosa."

I was then presented with a choice of which direction I would take in the campaign. "Invasion of Yugoslavia" or "Operation Sonnenblume". I chose Sonnenblume (North Africa) as it looked more interesting, but I never saw Barbarossa with this choice. (I assume Barbarossa is only on the Yugoslavia path.)

With Sonnenblume you are taken to North Africa. The fact that you've taken all of England is totally ignored and you are fighting the Brits in force. Italy joins you here. For several battles you run both countries, and even get a core force for Italy.

7. Sonnenblume
8. Battleaxe
9. Crusader
10. Rommel's Offensive
11. El Alamein 2
12. Tripoli
13. Kasserine Pass
14. Sicily
15. Montecassino

After you win Montecassino, Italy disappears - I presume they surrendered as they did historically.

16. Grapeshot - 16 months later, you defend the last of Italy with no Italian help.

After Grapeshot you are taken to the final big battle of Berlin.

17. Defense of Berlin
Oddly, you actually go back in time, as this battle is dated 4/1/45, but Grapeshot took place on 4/6/45. You are basically fending off Russia, the USA, and Britain for 30 turns, keeping them out of Berlin. Britain and the USA are very strong despite them having no country left to launch D-day from. This is the only time you see Russia if you choose the North African branch.

Overall impressions:

First of all, was it fun? I would have to say yes, as I would have quit if I wasn't enjoying it. In addition, I'm interested in going back to Sea Lion North so I can try the Yugoslavia path. The main thing is: was it fun, since it's a game.

My only critcism of the campaign is that it gives you no hope to actually win. Although you can soundly win every battle, the campaign will take you to the next battle as if you lost. For example, in Sicily, I completely whipped the Allies, driving them out of Sicily, sinking all their transports, and even killing Patton. Despite this, I wasn't allowed to go back to Africa and drive the Allies out. Instead I was just moved further back to defend Italy as if I had lost.

Remember the old SSI Panzer General game where you could perform well enough to go invade America at the end? Yeah, that's not going to happen here.

After winning the Battle of Berlin, I was presented with a message "This was the last scenario of the campaign. Good job general, you did it. You won the war!" But it just didn't feel like I won while still surrounded on all sides by three invading countries.

[HeadHunter]

Interesting review.... and once again illustrating the potential value of using the Editing Tool features of the game to tweak, tune, and otherwise refine the basic scenarios to satisfy the tastes of the gaming community. Once the gamers become familiar with the Editing Tools, I have no doubt we will see an explosion of interesting scenarios in the workshop that will thrill the entertainment preferences of almost every wargamer.

[Der Kuenstler]

Agreed!

[A Corsican Frog]

Thank you very much @Kuenstler for that valuable feedback and summary for all players
Pinning that one for everyone :)

[DEMON RAGEUR]

Hello my poto ! Thank you for your very interesting report ! See you soon and have a good game the artist !

[A Corsican Frog]

Could make an invasion of US scenario when I find time
Otherwise, if anyone wants to make one I can always include it in the base game!

[jean.lapin]

Why isn’t the title of this campaign simply "Germany Eastern Campaign" ? Nazi refers to belonging to a political party.

[A Corsican Frog]

Originally posted by jean.lapin:

Why isn’t the title of this campaign simply "Germany Eastern Campaign" ? Nazi refers to belonging to a political party.

Already been discussed
I don’t remember why I chose “Nazi Germany” and not “Germany”
Truly have no idea
But since everything in the game is sorta based on the naming of countries I cannot change it anymore without breaking literally everything and everyone’s saves
So it is staying like that for convenience’s sake

[BigJohn]

Sorry for the basic question but where can I find a list on the scenarios in each campaign?

[A Corsican Frog]

Originally posted by BigJohn:

Sorry for the basic question but where can I find a list on the scenarios in each campaign?

No probs

Quick answer: You cannot
Long answer: By going through the game's files. Find the game's installation location, then find a folder named Campaigns

[BigJohn]

ok which one goes to russia? thanks

As Germany that is.

[BigJohn]

Sorry I see now Eastern '41 thanks

[Redmarkus4]

Originally posted by valentin56610:

Originally posted by jean.lapin:

Why isn’t the title of this campaign simply "Germany Eastern Campaign" ? Nazi refers to belonging to a political party.

Already been discussed
I don’t remember why I chose “Nazi Germany” and not “Germany”
Truly have no idea
But since everything in the game is sorta based on the naming of countries I cannot change it anymore without breaking literally everything and everyone’s saves
So it is staying like that for convenience’s sake

Germany's campaign in the east was designed to achieve specific Nazi geopolitical aims; 'living space', settlement and genocide. It would never have taken place in the absence of a Nazi party government, so I think the naming is 100% appropriate.

[sainz.felix]

Originally posted by Redmarkus4:

Originally posted by valentin56610:

Already been discussed
I don’t remember why I chose “Nazi Germany” and not “Germany”
Truly have no idea
But since everything in the game is sorta based on the naming of countries I cannot change it anymore without breaking literally everything and everyone’s saves
So it is staying like that for convenience’s sake

Germany's campaign in the east was designed to achieve specific Nazi geopolitical aims; 'living space', settlement and genocide. It would never have taken place in the absence of a Nazi party government, so I think the naming is 100% appropriate.

Perhaps because the URSS was the most criminal goverment in the history of mankind?? I think Germany and no Nazi Germany is better..... If pressure me....Germany and Millions of European voluntaries eastern campaigns sounds better

[ANDREWRANTA (vayasen)]

I was fine until Sea Lion South. Then shortly after landing I was assaulted by what seemed like endless Brits along with better naval forces from the flanks...and they were earning 5x what Germany was. I take it you have to take London very early somehow?

[Steevodeevo]

Hi Der Kuenstler ,

I've played this Campaign through to Sicily on normal difficulty and it was pretty straight forward. As you did, I was tempted to up the difficulty as the victories came pretty easily and in North Africa Instead of defending I went straight on the attack and cleared the map despite the victory conditions being to hang on to a couple of VP's.

Then came Sicily.

I have full Cores almost all with Heroes for both Italy and Germany. Basically I am pretty stacked, Cores are a mix of Infantry, aircraft, Arty and armour.

I have played Sicily about eight times and been defeated every turn. The last 2 turns I have lost Messina either 1 or 2 turns before the end (turn 30) with no chances of getting it back.

Regio Calabria is pretty secure but the Strait of Messina is stacked with US, UK and Canadian warships as well as choked with landing craft so I can't get across. Italy can spawn units on the Island but not the Germans who have to deploy north of Salerno and drive or ship down over several turns. Losing Milazzo and the airfield on Sicily right at the end means reinforcement and resupply for the Italian and/or German defenders is out late on.

You can spawn Italian warships but gold is tight in this scenario as is time, so spawning a few subs or ships makes little difference.

I've tried selling half my Core units and spawning heaps of Italian Infantry to no avail.
I use diplomacy to send Italy gold from Germany every turn as the Germans don't need most of it and using it to produce German units is a waste as they can have little impact.
I've tried digging in and sacrificing Italian units to delay the Allies and I have tried collapsing the pocket and forming a deep defensive line inland behind rivers. I've tried shipping the impressive German core to Italy and leaving the mainland to Italy, Ive tried buying stacks of maritime bombers with the German gold to deal with the blockade, so far nothing has worked.

This is the first HoS scenario I have been unable to complete (so far) and is about a factor of 3 or 4 times more challenging than anything prior and anything from the campaign to date.

I will plod on, but I do wonder why the difficulty has exponentially increased from all previous scenarios. I have one or two ideas to try to get a win again, but they're a bit lame.