Panzer General - Strategy Guide (Page 01)
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| | Foch | Panzer General FAQ V 1.5
| | Adi! |
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V 1.5 compiled by Guru_ , 1. 6.1995
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|Disclaimer|
+==========+
This is the (F)requently (A)sked (Q)uestions file for PANZER GENERAL, and
not for Rise of the Triad - RotT, the upcoming 3D action game by
Apogee Software. So if you read any of this, and something bad happens to
you that's related to this FAQ, I didn't do it(except if I really DID do it,
then I'll tell you personally). If anybody is offended, go talk with Mummy.
Remember, International Bullsh*t Manufacturers produce LAME computers,
so, better buy sthing that contains a Motorolla CPU !.
+=============+
| ! Credits ! |
+=============+
The majority of this FAQ was not written, but collected, and put in
Categories by me.
All credit belongs to the original authors, to whom I have made a good
faith effort, within the limits of cut 'n' paste, to give proper credit
where due.
Quite a BIG part of this FAQ was taken from a Help-file by Scott A. Jenkins,
This FAQ also contains the readme.txt file from the cd-rom release.
Hope this will be some help for u Panzer Generals!
-Werner Archan
+==============+
|Copyright Info|
+==============+
This article is Copyright 1995 by Werner Archan. All rights reserved.
You are granted the following rights:
I. To make copies of this work in any form, as long as
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(b) the copies include some text and sum numbers
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(d) the copies are in electronic form, except for infinite (n+1)
allowed paper-based copies for personal reference.
II. To distribute this work, or copies made under the provisions
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but only for the growing of your wealth;
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their entirety and credit to the authors;
(d) the distributed form is not in an electronic magazine or
within computer software (prior explicit permission may be
obtained from my girlfriend Claudia Schiffer, or me);
(e) the distributed form is the NEWEST version of the article to
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You may distribute this work by any non-electronic media,
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+========================+
|How to use this FAQ best|
+========================+
As this FAQ is extremely long (170KB, 3600 Lines), i would advise u to read
it, using a program like list.com. Tip: Just read the Contents, and go to
the appropriate section using the FIND-option (where u enter eg. "4.3" ).
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|Table of Contents|
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* 0 * General Game & Scenario Notes
* 1 * Chronology of PzG Scenarios
* 1.1 * Campaign Info
* 1.2 * Detailed Scenario Information
* 1.3 * Help on specific Scenarios: NORWAY, FRANCE
* 2 * Designers' Notes - WWII Arms & Strategy Info
* 3 * General Strategic and Tactical Notes.
* 3.1 * Requisitioning Units from HQ
* 3.2 * Terrain
* 3.3 * Weather
* 3.4 * Dont let your Units die
* 3.5 * Combined Attack
* 3.6 * The Offensive
* 3.7 * The Defensive
* 3.8 * Airwar
* 3.9 * Naval War
* 3.A * Quality : Experience
* 3.B * Composition of Core
* 3.C * How the Allies gain Prestige
* 3.D * Blitzkrieg Strategy
* 4 * Additional Tactical Information
* 4.1 * Force Ballance
* 4.2 * Auxiliaries vs. Core Units
* 4.3 * Upgrading & Elite Replacement
* 4.4 * Aircraft Tactics
* 4.5 * Artillery Tactics
* 4.6 * Seek and Destroy - How to kill Enemies best
* 4.7 * Replacements
* 5 * Tables with collected Info
* 5.1 * Combat Specifics - info about attack + defend losses...
* 5.2 * Movement Tables...
* 5.3 * Ships Info
* 5.4 * Unit Info
* 5.5 * Campaign Paths from SSI Programmers
* 5.6 * Info for the DESIGNATED TURNS FOR MAJOR/MINOR VICTORIES.
* 5.7 * Info for PRESTIGE POINTS OF EACH SCENARIOS
* 5.8 * Campaign Win/Lose Tree-Diagram
* 6 * Cheating
* 7 * A Note from the "author" of this FAQ
* 8 * This Section is left blank 4 your Fantasies & own Ideas &
upcoming improvements (by whom? - who carez)
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* 0 * General Game & Scenario Notes
=============================
The discussion of scenarios appears in the order they appear in
the scenario screen. After the name of each scenario is the
number of turns in the scenario, the minimum objectives required
for an Axis victory, and some playing tips from playtesters (use
them at your own risk!). For each scenario, the Allied victory
conditions are simply to prevent the Axis from achieving theirs.
There are scenarios to suit a variety of historical interests
or tactical tastes. We suggest you try the tutorial first to
gain familiarity with the game system, then try other scenarios.
If you want a stiff siege, try Sevastopol. For the classic
encirclement battle, refight Kiev. If mobile steppe tank
warfare is your interest, play Kharkov. Play Kursk for a mass
armor assault, Budapest for a head-on slugging match, Crete for
heavy airborne action, Crete, Norway, Sealion or North Africa
for a naval battle, El Alamein or Torch for a duel in the
desert, Anvil, Anzio or Norway for mountain warfare, D-Day for a
major amphibious operation, Cobra for a fight against hopeless
odds, and the Low Countries or Barbarossa for the classic
blitzkriegs of the war.
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* 1 * Chronology of Panzer General Scenarios
======================================
Poland
Warsaw
Norway
Low_Countries
France
Sealion_40
North_Africa
Balkans
Crete
Barbarossa
Kiev
Middle_East
Early_Moscow
Moscow_41
El_Alamein
Sevastopol
Stalingrad
Caucasus
Moscow_42
Torch
Kharkov
Sealion_43
Kursk
Husky
Moscow_43
Anzio
D-Day
Byellorussia
Cobra
Anvil
Market_Garden
Ardennes
Budapest
Berlin (all three)
Washington
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* 1.1 * Campaign Info
=============
1939 CAMPAIGN
Your two goals from the start are, first, to win, second, to
win quickly, and, third, to minimize your losses, particularly
avoiding destruction of core units, and maximize the experience
gained by your core units. Your army starts as an infantry
force with mostly weak tanks. Priorities in the Polish
scenarios are (1) gaining as much experience as possible for
your units, (2) upgrading and adding tanks, and (3) building a
small air force that can gain experience in air combat and
ground attacks in the Battle of Warsaw before proceeding to the
more deadly aerial combat awaiting it over Norway and western
Europe.
You must try to score major successes quickly early on to have
a chance of invading England in 1940 and ending the war on the
western front. If you fail to do so, you will have further
chances to win the war against England if you triumph in the
deserts of Africa, or you may choose to fight on the very
different eastern front against the Soviets. When choosing
which front to fight on, bear in mind that the Soviets have
numerous but less powerful aircraft and infantry but tougher
armor, meaning, in particular, that the challenge in the air
will be somewhat less serious in the east than in the west. The
difference between these two fronts may affect how you choose to
structure and develop your core army group of units.
1941 WEST
Careful planning and large fuel and ammo capacity are helpful
in the desert, where supply is seriously reduced except along
the coast, roads, trails and in cities. Since the best routes
to your objectives tend to be narrow ones, lead off with strong,
experienced armor. Due to the open nature of desert warfare and
the difficulty of obtaining supplies for ground units, air power
becomes more important.
1943 WEST
You start on the defensive in excellent defensive
terrain--Italy. Throwing the enemy back into the sea is great
if it works--otherwise, sound defensive tactics and trading
space for time will be necessary. Air defense units and
anti-tank guns will be of more value than in other campaigns, a
small, crack fighter force will help your air defenses punish
the allied air units, and detachments of Tigers or Panthers will
be able to launch sharp counter-attacks against exposed enemy
units. Artillery is useful on defense, but needs protection.
1941 & 1943 EAST
If you are good and fast, your blitzkrieg can knock out the
Soviets in two scenarios (Smolensk and Moscow in '41; Kharkov
and Moscow in '43). If not, it could be a long war against
increasingly experienced and powerful Red Army forces. To deal
with the formidable enemy armor, use only elite replacements for
your armor units and use tactical bombing to weaken the enemy
armor to help your attacks. This makes air superiority
important; fortunately, the Russians, at least in 1941, are not
that good and you can keep an edge. If you are ultimately
forced onto the defensive, the dreaded 88 ATG, heavy weapons
infantry, and supporting artillery will make the Russians pay
for every city they capture.
Rulebook Errata - In some cases unit values may be different than stated
in the rulebook. We went to print before these numbers could be adjusted.
Global change - Ground units' (with the exception of some heavy artillery)
Naval attack factors have been in most cases reduced to 1.
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* 1.1 * Detailed Scenario Info
======================
1. POLAND--10 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: See the Tutorial.
ALLIES: The Polish tanks are your strongest units. The TK3 is
good against soft targets such as infantry and artillery while
the 7TP is strong against hard targets and is formidable against
the weaker German tank units. Use your tanks to stall the Axis
advance at the Warta River as long as possible, and note that
flank attacks on the Germans from Posen south can often divert
enemy strength. Sometimes you can even hold Kalisz, but it is
likely to be costly and risky.
2. WARSAW--20 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: First, seize control of the air with a fighter. Once
you control the skies, your air force can bomb and strafe the
Allies with impunity. Second, you have air transport
available--use it. Third, consider raising a pioniere or
bridging engineer unit, if you can afford it, to let you cross
the Vistula at will and help storming fortifications. Finally,
keep pressing forward at all of your objectives--don't wait
until Warsaw falls to go after the other objectives.
ALLIES: You have the advantage of being on the defense with
powerful fortifications to protect you. Unfortunately, your air
force is outclassed and your artillery is outranged. Keep your
artillery behind the lines where it is protected from direct
attack and can offer defensive fire support for defensive
positions held by infantry or antitank guns or spoil an attack
by bombarding the enemy moving adjacent to your units.
Garrison the objectives strongly. Keep armored reserves for
counterattacks, bearing in mind the discussion about Polish
armor for the Poland scenario. Use your air force
defensively--you can shoot up the enemy bombers but are
outmatched by their fighters. Your bombers are as good as the
German bombers, but you will need to escort a bomber with a
fighter.
3. NORWAY--25 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: This is a big jump up in difficulty from Warsaw since it
includes a lot of rugged terrain land, air and naval elements,
each important to victory. Your southern landing group should
concentrate on securing the Oslo region while a small detachment
takes Stavanger and then springboards up the coast, city by
city, with naval help. These initial successes will gain you
two important airfields. Press on up the Lagen River valley
through Lillehammer to Trondheim to link up with the northern
landing group. Sending a force by the overland route up the
Glomma Valley is slow (they will need at least half-tracks)
but, in combination with paradrops further north, can divert
Allied forces from the defense of Trondheim and perhaps gain a
base of attack from which you can attack Namsos from the east.
The fate of the northern group depends a great deal on the
outcome of the naval battle. Infantry and unarmored artillery
cannot long survive heavy shore bombardment, so an attack on
Trondheim will be limited until the Axis fleet can consolidate
off Bergen and then draw off Allied seapower. Sometimes the
Axis can even win the naval war and provide shore bombardment
support along the coast, but while the issue is in doubt the
northern force can capture Molde and nearby cities while waiting
for reinforcements from the southern landing group.
The air war is extremely important--you start with a slight
edge which you have to turn into air superiority. The Norwegian
air force is easy prey, but the British fighters are as good as
yours and will be serious trouble for you if you let them gain
an edge on you in experience. In particular, don't let them
learn their trade by target practice on unescorted Axis bombers
and air transports. You may consider requisitioning a level
bomber with a good naval attack rating to help the German Navy
in the Norwegian Sea. The navy has a tough job, especially
until the northern and southern task forces can unite to face
the Allied fleet that steams to the defense of Trondheim. The
first thing to remember, however, is to screen your troop
transports from Allied naval attack if you want them to survive
to fight on Norwegian soil. Your U-boats, particularly if
supported by destroyers, can pose a serious threat to the rear
of the Allied fleet.
ALLIES: You can win this one if you can successfully block and
delay the Axis advance at a few key chokepoints. You may be
able to stop the Axis on the beaches in the north, but in the
Oslo region you need to sell yourself dearly Entrenched
troops in Hamar and Elverum that can hang on when driven out
into the nearby mountains can tie down a large number of Germans
for some time. The constricted Lagen River valley around
Lillehammer is another good defensive position, particularly if
you can hold your own in the air and get your bombers through
against enemy units floundering in the river hexes. The next
defensive position you can fall back to is Trondheim itself, and
this is the strongest--your likeliest chance of winning is by
holding it permanently. If Trondheim falls, you can still force
the Axis to a slow pace as they move up on Namsos. Steinkjer
can prove to be a thorn in the enemy's side.
Air power should be concentrated in the Trondheim-Namsos area
and backed up by good air defenses to keep the Axis bombers at
bay. This may mean that Axis paratroops can slip past you, so
be sure to place at least a Norwegian unit as a garrison in each
important city to prevent a threat from springing up in your
rear. Keep your air units, especially the precious British
fighters, alive and try to gain an experience edge on the
Luftwaffe.
Your fleet is initially superior in the Norwegian Sea until the
rest of the German Navy arrives from the southern coast. You
should always try to catch unwary Axis transports at sea and
sink them, but you will probably wind up fighting their escorts.
Then you face the choice of trying to defeat and pursue the
Axis fleet or staying close inshore and supporting your ground
forces in the Trondheim area. Make sure to screen your capital
ships with your escorts, since a U-boat can cause a lot of
damage if it penetrates your defenses.
4. LOW COUNTRIES--30 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: The heart of blitzkrieg is punching through the enemy
line and striking deep beyond it, with second-echelon forces
following behind to mop up. Lead with recon and tank units
followed by half-track mounted infantry and artillery that are
better able to withstand enemy shooting than truck-mounted
troops. An important advantage of striking deep is that the
enemy will have to reinforce his rear areas rather than
strengthen his forward positions, and you won't give him time to
entrench very strongly. You may also get the chance to smash
vulnerable support units and surprise enemy antitank guns or
other units while they are mounted on trucks.
You have a number of lines of advance to choose from. At least
a small battlegroup should advance through Luxembourg to Sedan
and ultimately past Maubeuge towards Abbeville, while a large
one must advance from south of Liege to Namur. Then you may
thrust toward Maubeuge or Brussels, divide and attack both, or
strike in between them directly on Lille and rely on mop-up
forces to secure these two objective cities. A third line of
advance is from Maastricht towards Brussels, sometimes
continuing towards Lille and merging with the central thrust and
sometimes striking a northerly course to Ostend. Combined arms
tactics will be necessary to counter the strongly entrenched
Allies and their strong heavy tanks. Bypass enemy pillboxes and
forts if possible--they can't move so can't do any harm once you
move on.
Seize air superiority and keep it. Your Stukas will need to be
free to support your ground troops against tough entrenchments
and enemy armor, while your fighters and level bombers should
hone their skills against soft targets once the Allied air force
is eliminated.
ALLIES: The first goal is to slow the enemy down.
Unfortunately, there is little you can do to stop the German
onslaught in the defensively favorable Ardennes. Liege is also
ultimately doomed, but at Sedan , Namur, and generally along the
line of the Meuse you can at least delay the crossing for a few
turns while building your defenses. Meanwhile, your
combined-arms garrisons can dig in at Maubeuge, Brussels and
Lille, with a final defensive position using the favorable
terrain around Calais. Garrison your rear area cities and
airfields with infantry against enemy paratroops or
air-transportable forces, and don't waste your armor forces in
piecemeal and head-on resistance to the Germans. Group them at
least in pairs and keep them alive to divert the enemy forces
from attacks on your cities and to counterattack when the enemy
makes a mistake. Your heavy tanks are better than the Axis
armor.
You can make the most of an inferior air force by using your
fighter force cautiously to pick off exposed enemy bombers
rather than facing the Axis head-on. Air defense units will be
valuable in making the Germans pay a price for bombing your
cities, and in weakening the enemy air units to facilitate your
fighter attacks. Keeping an air force as a threat in being will
also encourage the enemy to use fighters to escort bombers
rather than allowing them to attack separately or go after your
bomber missions. Your bombers could also be held back and sent
out together with the fighters in a mass wave that will stretch
the German fighter force.
5. FRANCE--26 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: Let's do the "blitzkrieg" again. Break through the
French defense line at one or more points and keep moving.
Using 3 battlegroups is a natural organization for this battle:
one driving down the coast to Le Havre and Caen, then southeast
to Le Mans, a large battlegroup fighting through to Paris and
then splitting to attack Le Mans via Chartres and Tours via
Orleans, and a third battlegroup pushing to Montargis and taking
Reims and Troyes en route. An alternate plan is to breakthrough
in force on the Ham-Reims front through Thierry while pinning
along the rest of the front. After driving to Paris behind the
French troops to the north, the force splits into 3 battlegroups
heading to Caen and Le Havre on the coast, to Le Mans and Tours
via Chartres, and to Orleans and Montargis.
Whatever route you take, speed is essential and you should
apply the blitzkrieg lessons learned in the Low Countries: keep
pushing forward, control the air, and watch out for those French
heavy tanks!
ALLIES: If you are lucky, the Germans will attack all along
the line and slowly force you back. It is more likely, though,
that some will get past you and you will have to retreat to get
into action again. Paris is the key to your defense--the
fortifications, woods and river all contribute to its defensive
strength. Tours and Le Mans are not as good, but you should
build up their defenses as your final chances to stop the Axis
juggernaut. If the Axis forces break through the front, try to
get your army on the Somme back to help defend Paris. Use your
excellent heavy tanks in groups to counterattack and disrupt the
Axis advance--concentrate on soft targets rather than wasting
effort on the German armor. Your air force is heavily
outnumbered--try to take out the Axis bombers and consider
spending prestige on ground troops and air defenses for your key
strongholds rather than on new aircraft.
6, 38 & 11.. SEALION 40, PLUS & 43--15 turns; Axis: take all
objectives.
AXIS: In all the Sealion scenarios, naval action is relatively
peripheral compared with airpower, which is essential to ensure
adequate close air support on the ground and ensure that your
paratroops get through to and take their objectives via the air.
Your naval forces can help with some bombardment early on,
after which their main task is to engage the Allied fleet and
keep it from interfering with the land battles, particularly
around London. Your U-boats can wreak havoc on the Allied
capital ships if the Allied escorts can be cleared away.
Your time is limited, so you should attempt to seize all your
objectives concurrently rather than in sequence. The least
diversion could be fatal. Once you have secured a beachhead,
divide your forces into 4 battlegroups. The first battlegroup,
landing in the east, is to take Canterbury and then assist with
artillery in the attack on London from the east, but its main
thrust actually passes by London across the Thames and heads
toward Norwich, supported by the nearby naval task force. A
bridging unit can be quite useful. The second battlegroup will
assault London from the south, and is weighted towards artillery
and infantry units but will include some tanks to help deal with
Allied armor.
The third and fourth battlegroups are smaller and advance on
Birmingham and Bristol respectively, although initially they
advance jointly on Winchester, Newbury and Oxford before
splitting. The third battlegroup can be aided by advance
airborne landings near Birmingham, or the parachute forces can
be used to seize Peterborough or Harwich and then Norwich, in
which case the first battlegroup encircles London from the north
rather than continuing north to Norwich.
Sealion Plus is easier because the presence of the Italian
fleet speeds the destruction of the Allied navy, while in
Sealion 43 the Allies are much better prepared and the fight
will be tougher.
ALLIES: While it is best to catch the Axis ground troops in
their transports with your air or naval forces or force them to
surrender on the beaches, this is a risky strategy and it is
likely that they will obtain secure footholds from Dover to
Portsmouth regardless of your efforts. Concentrate any early
attacks on artillery, pionieres and engineers--the most
essential troops for the Axis attack on London. Your overall
strategy will be to use the enormous fortress of London and its
garrison to block their direct advance, while using additional
forces to keep them from slipping around it. Holding onto
London till turn 12 isn't worth much if the Germans are already
in the Midlands. Your strongest defense line once the Axis have
secured a lodgment on English soil will run from London along
the Thames to Newby and Winchester. While you hold the enemy
advance on this line for several turns, you will be able to dig
in blocking forces and garrisons to defend the approaches to
Bristol and, especially, Birmingham. Don't forget the air
defenses!
Your air force is relatively good, and in 1943 the American air
force can play a significant role if it survives long enough to
catch up in experience. Contest Axis air superiority whenever
feasible, but early on try to pick off or hunt down the
troublesome Axis paratroops to keep your rear areas secure..
Since the key battles will be inland, the Axis navy will play a
small part. Your navy can initially either try to win naval
superiority or instead concentrate on supporting your defense
line with shore bombardment. The choice involves a tradeoff and
either option can pay off.
7. NORTH AFRICA--23 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: Blitzkrieg is again the watchword--thrust forward not
only along the coast but across the desert by the trails headed
to Mechili and Bir Hacheim. Start softening up Tobruk as early
as you can, but don't let it delay you long since you need to
keep pushing your forward elements east and face the choice of
slogging through the defended coastal area or marching across
the desert. It's a long way to Mersa Matruh. You can use the
Italians to scout ahead, but they lack the equipment to assault
the strong British positions and work best mopping up bypassed
enemy units.
Pay attention to logistics in the desert--once you run out of
ammo and fuel, it will take a lot of time to come back up to par
and you don't have much time to spare. Enemy airpower can pound
you as you struggle across the desert, so use your air force to
help get your troops into attack positions but keep them busy
bombing and strafing while doing so. Your fleet, aided by air
power, can beat the Brits and help with shore bombardment later
in the battle when you will need it most as your struggle out of
the desert to confront heavily entrenched defenses.
ALLIES: A good combination of stiff defense and mobile
defense will keep the Axis moving forward in very short steps
along the coast. If you force the Allies to a crawl along the
coast, they will have to risk the desert, where skillful use of
your level bomber force can stop them by destroying the ammo and
fuel of key units. Armored counterattacks from the coast into
the desert will also make it hard for the Axis to press forward
while their flanks are vulnerable.
Preserve your air force, building up as much experience as
possible, and let the air defense units carry a lot of the
weight.. The Axis will need airpower most late in the battle,
and it is crucial that you still have at least some fighter
strength left at that time to counter theirs. Your naval
forces should defend your land forces from interference by the
Axis fleet. Again, saving some reserves for the late stages of
the battle could prove useful.
8. MIDDLE EAST--26 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: This is a race--airpower plays a big role in
reconnaissance, softening up obstacles and in ensuring your
parachute and air-transportable forces can get deep into the
enemy's rear area. The biggest risk is always running into
enemy air defenses and then getting jumped by their fighters.
You've been warned! Furthermore, don't waste your SIGs' ammo,
since they are slow to reload. Keep them near the forefront of
the advance and use them when you really need a strong artillery
strike against a city.
Your initial organization should start with two battlegroups.
While the navy and air force win the battle in the
Mediterranean, the smaller battlegroup will storm through Haifa
up to Beirut. The stronger battlegroup strikes through
Jerusalem and Damascus and then heads on to Baghdad for the
final battle. Since the desert routes are narrow and it is hard
to fully deploy, quality counts for more than quantity in this
spearhead. You may want to spare some troops to advance
directly east across the desert to link up with your paratroops
and perhaps pick up a city on the way. Try to secure an
airfield in Iraq as early as you can so you can base your air
force there.
ALLIES: The Baghdad position is your ultimate stronghold and
well-protected by the Tigris River and flanking deserts--the
rest of the Allied army is only there to make sure the Axis get
to Baghdad without the 4 to 7 turns they will need to deploy and
take it. So don't rush your entrenched troops forward towards
the enemy--dig in and make them dig you out to get past,
fortifying Damascus, Anah and Baghdad for multiple lines of
defense once the Axis take Jerusalem. Defense in depth is a
sound strategy in this scenario, coupled with counterattacks if
the Axis overextend themselves. For example, if they bypass
your cities without adequately screening them, surprise
counterattacks to retake lost cities could be successful and
divert a large number of Axis troops.
You may want to ensure at least part of your air force survives
until the enemy is moving on Baghdad, when his planes will have
to fly back a long way to refuel and you may be able to gain
local superiority. The disadvantage is that the Axis air force
will have gained significantly more experience than yours while
fighting its way across the Middle East. Because the Axis needs
airfields, make sure yours are guarded against airborne attacks.
9. EL ALAMEIN--26 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: It's a long, long way to Cairo. Press Tobruk while
stretching the front to Bir Hacheim in order to force a
breakthrough. Send tracked vehicles south of the escarpment
across the desert as well as advancing along the coast. Drop
detachments off at enemy centers of resistance to keep them from
being reinforced but keep the spearheads moving. Once you break
through the defile at El Alamein, send your main forces to Cairo
down both main roads and a small battlegroup east to take
Alexandria.
Using your air force to protect your ground troops is vital in
the desert--especially when they are mounted in trucks. Taking
airfields for your air force should be a high priority.
ALLIES: Delay at Bir Hacheim and Tobruk as long as you can,
then retreat step by step, making the Axis pay for each step.
Make your stand between the Qattara Depression and El
Alamein--make sure to have infantry and antitank units start
digging in early on so they will be ready when the Axis
spearheads arrive. Use your air force to pound the enemy in the
desert, particularly if they try to circle around the El Alamein
position to the south.
10. CAUCASUS--30 turns; Axis: take all objectives.
AXIS: Air power is key--use fighters to cut down the enemy air
force and tactical bombers to weaken enemy armor in their
defensive positions. The battle is divided into northern and
southern theaters. Although the terrain is more open in the
north, it is in the south that you must make the greatest
advances, and taking too long to punch through the mountains can
cost you the chance of decisive victory.
In the south, send one battlegroup past Tbilisi directly on
Grozny and another battlegroup up the road to Mozdok to take
Grozny in the rear. After linking up at Grozny, the Caucasus
army group can strike through Blagdernoe and Elista to link up
with the northern army group at Stalingrad, taking other cities
such as Ilinka, Kotelnikovo, and Jutovo en route.
The northern army group is divided into two battlegroups by the
Donets River. The battlegroup north of the Donets should drive
on Stalingrad between the Donets and Don Rivers, while the
southern battlegroup storms Rostov on the coast and then turns
east to Stalingrad.
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