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Reichstag Kessel [Mission]

*UPDATE:NEW PHASE INTO THE REICHSTAG BUILDING!! Updated Map* !HARDCORE MISSION! 'Reichstag Kessel' is another lovingly created work from the mind of Beren. Intended for Soviet play (AI changes behavior if player is on the German team because, sure what were all those hours in the mission editor really for?) Balanced as fair as war should be (not at all) and exceedingly deadly (Increase ticket % to hearts content, this mission is a total bloodbath). This mission offers a dynamic blend of being a Soviet infantrymen or tank-man during the morning of May 2nd. This is when the Reichstag was assaulted not the pre-bombardment a few days prior.

This mission is extremely brutal. Those who prefer a smaller experience will love the previous mission, but those who crave more from this map should soak this in! Play time can last up to 45+ minutes and longer if choke-points are hard to get through. This mission is slow and each phase is meant to be unique and offer differing challenges. This mission is more than just storming the Reichstag! It is about encircling Berlin's last. It may take several attempts to beat this mission as the Soviets, as resistance is tough and will be almost constant! I must admit that my first Soviet victory on this mission cost me 700 tickets, there is little room for error as tickets gained during captures may be thrown away on the next street.

Each phase has mutually supporting objectives to assault, except for the final push onto the plaza and up the stairs of the Reichstag which is split into singular objectives. I am purposefully leaving many of the objectives out of the preview shots, this is for the fear of the unknown! I apologize if the 'paint 3D' contemporary 1940's combat photography is cheesy though it is fun to make with your favorite screenshots!

Squads are all handcrafted by me;
Soviets consist of Rifle sections and Automatic sections as is historic. Added more SVT's as suggested by a comment from @helmet_man 头盔壬 on 'Fortress Reichstag'. PPSH ratio's should be heavy within Berlin as production was high and equipping front-line units with them was extremely common especially within Berlin. I have debated whether or not I should class a large amount of the automatic squad men with papashas as Rifleman instead of Sturmtrooper.

Germans consist of SS (No idea how accurate the uniforms are, if anyone is more knowledgeable please comment!) and Volkssturm bands (Updated slightly from previous missions, based on list of Volkssturm equipment from a detachment in January 1945 specifying large quantities of WW1 era rifles and also many french, Italian, Russian, etc. there is honestly not enough rifle variety yet for me to fill out the wackiness which is really historically accurate.) For the final defense of the plaza there is a Player only spawn of a priority STG squad in vein of World At War, or Ostfront 41-45. Flammenwerfer unit has been added to Phase 2 within the city.

This mission is intended to be a slog for a Soviet player. Tickets are high for a reason as carelessness can cost you dearly. The tanks with enough testing do seem to path themselves to their targets eventually. This is useful as long as you can keep your tankers alive. I have seen the AI single handedly take the first objectives within 2 minutes with most of their tanks remaining to continue into the river crossing. Though on the other hand I have seen the Soviets flounder all their tanks to one 8.8 and fail to push the high ground for serious time (which costs tickets!!!)

For immersive purposes I recommend using absolutely no HUD and relying on only the map for guidance and situational awareness. The scariest portion of the mission is Phase +1 where Soviet forces amass and attack in waves across the 3 bridges. The SS defenders within the forested side have a distinct camouflage advantage and become near invisible when they are not firing their weapons.

I will not add any air units as it is the morning so Soviets would be more hesitant to fly openly over Berlin and I believe at this time there is basically no Luftwaffe at all besides some very optimistic pilots so I don't see a purpose here unless some really want to bomb things. I will also probably not add any German tanks, very little fuel when your immediate perimeter is competing with the size of the Vatican. If anyone wants heavier firepower for the Germans I will gladly add more Volk 8.8 positions and feed more children into the slaughter!

There are roaring up to be 30+ machine gun nests to deal with and I will be updating and testing to ensure that it is beneficial for the player to deal with each nest. There are sneaky Pak 36s which were a favorite of German squads as they could be disassembled and then reassembled anywhere defensive, like for example the second story of an apartment building...

Tips for Soviets:
-Take charge and make use of Command; concentrate your forces on a strong-point to weaken the next objective. IF you prefer to be a grunt; make use of heavy firepower to wipe out German machine gun nests and anti tank positions. Soviet Automatic load-outs bring a lot of versatility within the dark streets of Berlin. Tanks are extremely helpful but can be lost quickly, be wary of anti tank positions surrounding the Reichstag Plaza.
(oh and if you get stuck at the bridge section, do not worry! Your comrade AI are just amassing themselves and will always eventually make a serious effort to attack in force across all 3 bridges)

Tips for the Germans:
- Taking out Soviet armor early on is crucial. They will have enough sight line to make semi accurate shots up until they are in your face. Make use of Panzerfausts spread throughout the map.

{Graphics Tips if encountering low fps}
-No need for maxed out render distance (set to around 120-150, this is a point before buildings start disappear from visible range)
- Lower grass density to taste
- to squeeze a few more fps out I set render scale to 85%

Map: Berlin - 4/30/1945
Gamemode: Operation (7 phases)
Invaders: Ussr (allies)
Defenders: Germany (axis)

Last update: 12/28/2024

Used map: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3357812352