AAA/SPAAGs are utterly ineffective.

[spittle8]

I just started playing the German campaign, and on the first mission, I am unable to counter the squadron of IL-2's that mercilessly sodomize my forces. I've brought in two SPAAG's (the 37mm) and their reaction time is abhorrent, their accuracy seems to be awful (I haven't witnessed one solid hit), and they don't seem to engage anything unless I specifically order them to attack an individual aircraft. Should there not be some autonomous initiative? I should think that they'd automatically turn to engage any enemy aircraft that they can see, but this does not appear to be the case. Additionally, I should expect a 37mm AAA gun team to be able to wreck some IL-2's that are literally flying in a straight line right at them.

What I've noticed is that the teams take a VERY long time to face their guns towards the approach of an enemy aircraft, and when they do, they're slow to fire and woefully inaccurate. Once the enemy has passed over, my guns again need to swivel on their mounts to face and engage, but the enemy aircraft will execute a wide turn, turning at a MUCH faster rate than my guns can manage.

It is sickening, and I'm about to drop a mortar truck to bring a third SPAAG. If it isn't effective, then I will be convinced that SPAAG's are worthless and to never use any sort of AAA but rather use those slots for more mortars or armored cars.

[Costarring]

It could be down to playing "easy" mode, but I never had problems with Soviet AA.

Have you tried the 2cm Flakvierling 38 with the same results?

[spittle8]

I used one 20mm and two 30's and shot down virtually everything the game after this. I don't know what to think now. The game looks great, but I'm finding the first German campaign mission incredibly difficult, and storming trenches results in some really absurd AI decisions such as running up face-to-face with a Soviet, turning around, running ~5m away, turning back around, and promptly getting brained by a buttstock. What the ♥♥♥♥?

A quarter of my infantry and half of my tanks are killed/detracked before I reach the first major entrenchment line, and I simply don't have enough ass to tank the lines. Mortars are pretty effective, but I can only bring one mortar truck if I'm using three SPAAG's to defend against the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ juggernaut that is the squadron of IL-2's.

Super frustrating, I'd overlook ALL of this if not for the ridiculous load times and slow frame-rate, which are both inexcusable and due to poor coding rather than system limitations.

[Costarring]

Originally posted by spittle8:

I used one 20mm and two 30's and shot down virtually everything the game after this. I don't know what to think now. The game looks great, but I'm finding the first German campaign mission incredibly difficult, and storming trenches results in some really absurd AI decisions such as running up face-to-face with a Soviet, turning around, running ~5m away, turning back around, and promptly getting brained by a buttstock. What the ♥♥♥♥?

A quarter of my infantry and half of my tanks are killed/detracked before I reach the first major entrenchment line, and I simply don't have enough ass to tank the lines. Mortars are pretty effective, but I can only bring one mortar truck if I'm using three SPAAG's to defend against the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ juggernaut that is the squadron of IL-2's.

Super frustrating, I'd overlook ALL of this if not for the ridiculous load times and slow frame-rate, which are both inexcusable and due to poor coding rather than system limitations.

I used 3 snipers to spot most of my targets (2 in a command unit and 1 separate sniper).
Used the right flank for the main attack.

ToW is not a game in which you want to rush. I don't think of it as an action game.
Real battles take lots of consideration as well, and lot's of concentrated firepower. (so don't use just 1 mortar unit, use 2 or 3 etc. untill you know the enemy is thined out enough).

B.t.w. tanks are bad "scouts" in ToW. Unless we are talking about Tigers etc...

[shogomad]

All the ToW games seem to have wtf bugs. For me, the Devs just need to patch in "Direct Control". If I could roam these battle fields with these beautiful vehicles in complete control, oh man. Being able to repair the Tanks(in battle) would be cool too.
There is a way to give yourself more units,

http://youtu.be/L8Sxbq55ChI

[Bycheokk]

That's work Russian 37mm 61-K.
Screenshot

[Neron]

Not all, in first mission-the soviets used air support and artilerry barrage! a do it twice! wtf& the have no poits to use artbarrage (500) and IL-2 aircraft unit (1300) i have captured first trench line without any losses! one tank was stopped in mud, two soldiers wonded, and no losses! so where the soviets take any points to call any support?

[Brother PaciFist]

Your own AI is completely imbecile in all the theatre of war games. Accuracy is zero. Enemy ai has complete map awareness. Enemy anti tank guns decimate you in seconds, while your tanks can not hit anything. If you play the same scenario as the defender your anti tank guns will get decimated in seconds. I dont know how people are actually winning scenarios or winning without losses. It seems impossible to me without modding the whole game. placing of your units, different approaches, tactics do not matter at all, if your guys can not hit anything reliable. Or turn the tank around while fighting enemy tanks. Or infantry that wants to do bayonette charges instead of shooting enemies. Or bazooka teams that are in perfect ambush position but dont shoot their bazooka but use the small arms to fire at tanks. 3 m3 lee that use their entire supply of ap grenades for 1 immobilized panzer iv without managing to kill it. That was the crown jewel of my experience with this game series.

About the support. The enemy air attacks or artillery support are skripted in the campaign missions. They dont need to take any points.