Can't Beat Tutorial? Continue playing the game?

[WookieLou]

I have been playing the Turotial for several days now and started it over twice. Can't get past the race for Tunis. My question is should I continue playing the game or just give up? There seem to be no ZOC for units and out of supply effets seem way overpowered. If I can't beat the Tutorial I can't see how I will enjoy any of the more complicated Scenarios.

Am I missing something?

[Roland the Thompson Gunner]

Did you play basic tutorial missions or did you went for Tutorial campaign right away? What is the main difficulty you're experiencing, is it supply or maybe combat?

[whisper]

Couple details about ZOC that trip everyone up at least once when they start is you can only exert ZOC on hexes on your own side of the frontier, and "weak" units (fewer than 3 active steps or have retreated this turn) can't exert ZOC either. This applies to both the enemy and you.

[EvilShimbo]

It can take a while to wrap your head around how the supply system works, and the aggressive AI can be a bit of a shock too.

That you have to protect your own supplies while cutting the enemy off from theirs is the USP of the game, and the AI *loves* to capture supply hubs and Objectives.

Race for Tunis is not the kind of complete walkover that you might expect but it does teach you about managing your supplies and show how the AI will take advantage if you make a mistake.

Persevere and it'll all fall into place.

[Darkpaw]

I highly recommend Night Phoenix's videos on the game. Step through his Victory in the West campaign to understand what he is doing regarding supply routes, using the right specialists and using ZoC for breakouts. Here is a youtube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyGQYHC5Zko&list=PL7pXN3Gjr_ax3WJw0xV9FdyK91I3prBqF

My game improved 1000th fold watching him play and recreating his steps in the first three scenarios and had to return to his videos on occasion for some of the nastier scenarios. After finishing that campaign I bought the Blitzkrieg DLC and having even more fun. I was going it alone without any youtube help and was proud of my Feignt to Antwerp victory with all bonuses until Fall Braun where I was really struggling. Once I saw what Night Phoenix was doing to breakout I couldn't believe how much easier it was :)

This game has a lot of subtle layers of complexity. It is not an arcade style game like Panzer Corps. I absolutely love it.

[kaa303]

my humble 2 cents:

1. focus on taking the objectives, not on destroying the enemy. plan the order in which you are going to take objectives, keeping in mind that the deadliine for primary objectives is not compulsory to win - only to get prestige

2. look a the supply layer and plan along what route you can advance and where can the enemy be cut off - you can save much time and effort by encirlcling groups of enemy units instead of confronting them head on

3. relocate your hqs and supply hub during battle preparation. keep relocating them as you advance. I find it a good practice not to deploy all trucks but keep at least one in the pool ready for use if needed. also remeber to recall trucks that no longer serve any units.

4. project a concentrated force - combine multiple strong units to achieve breakthroughs, don't try to spread reinforcements and specialists evenly between units, instead create juggernaut units with elite experience, engineers, special forces, artillery etc.

5. use the fact that enemy ZOC works only on enemy territory - you can secure a path through enemy ZOC by placing your own units on subsequent hexes, one-by-one starting from your units placed furthest form the frontline, optimal result being that a strong unit close the frontline can breakthrough and penetrate behind enemy lines, preferably cutting off enemy units

6. I find AI quite passive so far (France) but when it sees an opportunity to cut off your supply with a swift if suicuidal move - it will, thus ruining your plan. so don't let it.

7. hqs can build / repair bridges - that can often be a game changer.

8. reinforcing your units decreases their experience points - if that results in lowering the experience level (i.e. from elite to veteran) it's probably a bad move

9. use mulitple units and special actions to limit your casualties i.e. feint attack, suppressive fire, set piece attacks, aircraft etc

10. often you can completely ignore deeply entrenched enemy units, just leave them be, they will eventually be cut off and harmless, unlike panzer general type games (panzer corps, order of battle): a) an entrenched unit cannot attack without giving up its entrenchment b) entrenchment require special hq action and not just being stationary. both a) and b) seems to make the AI keen to keep its' entrenchmened status.

[sphynx]

Originally posted by Darkpaw:

I highly recommend Night Phoenix's videos on the game. Step through his Victory in the West campaign to understand what he is doing regarding supply routes, using the right specialists and using ZoC for breakouts. Here is a youtube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyGQYHC5Zko&list=PL7pXN3Gjr_ax3WJw0xV9FdyK91I3prBqF

+1 for Night Phoenix, I was recently looking for videos when people play this game well, and his videos and style were the best, better than many others labeled as tutorials!