Hard Computer Russia WW2: the Ultimate Challenge

Only for talk specifically about the Art of Conquest expansion.
Post Reply
User avatar
Dr. StickleGruesler
Forum Noob
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:30 pm
Lobby Username: <Scen clan elites, ldr primary> [Dr. S ]

Hard Computer Russia WW2: the Ultimate Challenge

Post by Dr. StickleGruesler »

Resources: SH
5 cits to start each.
Epoch: WWII
Difficulty: Hard
Opposing Race: Russians
Map: Medium, Plains
Global Pop cap: 4000

Casualties

Enemy: 15,000

Allied: 7,000

Game length 7 hrs F11.


Game Summary:

It was an intense battle, I had to make my base a fortress as soon as possible to withstand the quick Russian onslaught, which once began, never ceased.

Fortunately I was able to funnel their forces into the teeth of my defenses through a small gap in the forest which caused maximum casualties to the enemy and did not allow them to infiltrate. Extremely dense fortifications were necessary on all sides, and had to be repaired constantly. Civilians working in the area of fire suffered gravely.

I had to very slowly grow my base to gain more space and more resources. The process was difficult because I was constantly being assailed from different angles by powerful troops the Russians seemed to spam with no regard for human life.

Artillery was my best friend, but had to be guarded at all costs as it can easily become vulnerable and is expensive to replace. Units tended to wander off out of the secure zone, being lured by enemy troops. Once outside and not under my attention it was only a matter of time until they were annihilated by various forms of enemy fire.

I learned you must keep a large amount of troops in reserve in order to quell areas where the enemy is breaking through. If you do react strongly and quickly enough the battle will bog down, attrition is not your friend as the Russians seem to have unlimited resources. Putting too many troops on the front lines leads to excessive losses that cannot be supported by my limited economy.

Adding to the tension of barely keeping my borders secured and protecting farming villagers against pillaging Russians, were the Nuke raids. The Russians seemed to have developed a terrifying new weapon which causes complete devastation. No matter how many bombers were shot down, the Russians were undeterred and kept attacking, even if their own men were incinerated in the blast.

I slowly expanded my borders, each time new outposts being tested for their survival and barely hanging on, by a feather on the scale, swinging the balance of battle as I poured all available troops to counter attack when Russian units overwhelmed my defenses.

This process proceeded surely but steadily, caution being the key word, I lost several times and had to restart, or load a saved game. One moment you can be overconfident in your vast army and push too far only to see your forces have some how evaporated and defenses are crumbling on different flanks.

Around this time Wood began to become a problem, and I later learned was the decisive resource in the game. Many civilians on both sides died gathering lumber in unsafe zones, though surely more Russians, who had depleted all of their forests and now sent an unending horde of citizens to cut wood on or beyond the front lines.

Several times I estimated seeing 50-100 Russian citizens gathered around 2-3 trees, all within the damage radius of artillery or conventional bombers. With no great zeal I had to dispatch these noncombatants; as they were competing for a vital resource.

When I had about 3/7 of the map I decided to stock pile for wonders... which also took a long time as I had to continually spend emergency resources to halt the tide. Withstanding the counter attacks, I was now ready to go on the offensive.

Unfortunately I was running so low on available wood I could no longer expand my base with AA guns, hospitals, houses and other buildings. I also had to halt my production of artillery, which severely weakened the fire power of my army.

The Russians were just as difficult on defense as they were at attacking. On open ground by concentrated troops easily destroyed the unorganized enemy, but in urban combat my army spread out and chaos ensued. Keeping discipline was an extremely difficult battle in its own right, exacerbated by the communication issues our technology was experiencing. Unpredictable lag freezes my computer underwent lasting 1-4 seconds every 5-30 seconds it seemed like.

Enough time for one single nuke to completely destroy and offensive or for valuable units to get lost or drawn off position.

In the end victory was achieved by saving up an absolutely huge army (takes time, with usually casualties on defense) and spamming them in an overwhelming attack. This was accompanied by huge numbers of dogs (rip) and citizens (rest their souls) who provided the sad but necessary role of cannon fodder, indeed without them victory might have been impossible.

All iron went into Flak and Panzer Tanks, thankfully upgraded in my civ. Gold went to all infantry types (AT costing wood is not an option) who mostly found themselves also as cannon fodder.

With no artillery I had to muster all the strength and pressure I could in order to break the defenses and make headway into the enemy, flamethrowers and mortars by only heavier weaponry. Biting and holding the area taken was also extremely important, armies of citizens were needed to throw up rapid stone towers. I even experimented with arson and biological warfare.

I spammed relentlessly, and madly to keep up the critical mass of the attack otherwise all forces would be simply ground up like meat, to no end. I was destroying Russian buildings and razing through the very thick and center of their base, but opposition was always fierce. Only the incredible stock pile of my troops and my auxiliary body shield units allowed me to persist through the heavy casualties.

At a certain crucial point the Russian defense began to crack and momentum swung into my favor. Finally, at the end of my rope, a rag tag army of citizens, dogs, bazookas, medics, tanks, flamethrowers, mortars, snipers, flak and machine gunners finally made it to the end of the map and the Russians were defeated.

My hand was severely cramped, and the whole process had taken me 5-6 hours real time probably.

I consider them an extremely worthy enemy, but the challenge has been met. Long live the Wehrmacht!
EE059.jpg
EE088.jpg
EE089.jpg
EE156.jpg
EE159.jpg
Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.

User avatar
Dr. StickleGruesler
Forum Noob
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:30 pm
Lobby Username: <Scen clan elites, ldr primary> [Dr. S ]

Re: Hard Computer Russia WW2: the Ultimate Challenge

Post by Dr. StickleGruesler »

scenes of chaos and carnage
Attachments
EE242.jpg
EE233.jpg
EE266.jpg
EE275.jpg
EE267.jpg
Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.

User avatar
Dr. StickleGruesler
Forum Noob
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:30 pm
Lobby Username: <Scen clan elites, ldr primary> [Dr. S ]

Re: Hard Computer Russia WW2: the Ultimate Challenge

Post by Dr. StickleGruesler »

and
Attachments
EE257.jpg
EE293.jpg
EE230.jpg
EE287.jpg
EE283.jpg
Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.

User avatar
lightnessking.
Nemesis
Posts: 2050
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:27 pm

Re: Hard Computer Russia WW2: the Ultimate Challenge

Post by lightnessking. »

It's actually enjoyable to read the story :P.
You cannot make another post so soon after your last.

User avatar
Dr. StickleGruesler
Forum Noob
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:30 pm
Lobby Username: <Scen clan elites, ldr primary> [Dr. S ]

Re: Hard Computer Russia WW2: the Ultimate Challenge

Post by Dr. StickleGruesler »

Oh thanks lightnessking! :)
Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.

Post Reply

Return to “EE: AoC Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests