Post by Adrian Taylor on Oct 24, 2005 22:58:43 GMT
This guide is taken from the pdf manual on the Mission Kursk CD:
Strategy Guide
Before playing the campaign missions it is advisable to run through the Tutorial Mission accessible through the Select Campaign Chapter. This mission will guide you through some of the new features and get players used to the game play changes without committing to the full campaign.
Generally speaking the Kursk offensive was made on well prepared defensive positions. Extensive minefields and camouflaged bunkers were common place supported by accurate artillery. These defensive measures are represented repeatedly thus players will need to develop effective strategies to overcome the Russian defence systems.
Here are some basic guidance notes to help players adjust to the game mechanics of Mission:Kursk.
AI Aggressive Behaviour:
With the increased sight ranges the player units will react sooner to approaching enemy. Each unit will generally react differently in this respect. Mobile units such as tanks if they have a good chance to destroy enemy units will remain stationery and fire at will until told otherwise. However, tanks and other self propelled units who guns will not pierce the front armour of attacking units will attempt to manoeuvre around the flanks. This they will do usually with no problem, however to prevent this select the stop command (hotkey “e”).
If you entrench mobile units (not advisable with SP units due to limited field of fire), they will not engage targets until they are within a third of their effective range. If you order them to engage, this will negate the en-trench command.
Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft vehicles (SPAA) will in most cases move to engage enemy aircraft that are within their weapon ceiling range. This may mean a move straight across the map with often disastrous results. To prevent this either en-trench them or use the Stop Command.
AI Artillery Detection:
Artillery detected depending on the size of the artillery piece. The smaller the weapon, such as mortars the closer you need to be to detect them. While large guns can be detected across most to the mission maps, especially rocket launchers. The frequency of the artillery detection rings also will give you a clue what artillery is firing. The bigger the gun the less random the circles are and the slower they expand, thus making it easier for the player to pin-point enemy artillery.
Thus in consequence, the closer your artillery is to the front line the easier it will be for the enemy to attack them with counter-battery fire or ground attack planes. Better use your mortars and light guns until you know it is save to deploy and use your bigger howitzers.
Mortars & Smoke Screens:
Mortars played a vital role in World War 2 causing the majority of the overall battlefield casualties. In Mission:Kursk they are extremely effective with a high rate of fire they can lay down a quick barrage and pin advancing infantry. They can also be used to create a quick smoke screen if enough mortars are available. This can effectively mask an attack or hide an activity such as setting up an anti-gun gun or clearing mines.
When laying a smoke screen the enemy units share fields of sight, so if you think you are obscuring the infantry in a trench you plan to attack but your line of attack is still visible via another enemy unit you will still be engaged by the troops in the trench. Thus you need to choose wisely where to place smoke screens.
The enemy will also deploy a number of mortars. These will commence firing as soon as your forces are in range and are visible. It may appear that they are very accurate and have a high rate of fire. It is advisable to order your infantry to “hit the dirt” which will cause a lot less casualties and to move any lightly armed vehicles and guns out of the way. Mortar high is generally in-effective against tanks so you can advance them to provide fire support to your infantry.
Minefields:
In most missions your first objectives will be to find paths through the minefields. Once you locate these it is advisable to widen them as much as possible as your tanks and especially supply trucks will carelessly run over mines even if they know they are there.
When using infantry to find the mine paths or engineers to clear mines it is better to do so with a smoke screen covering there activity. Most missions will provide at least two mortars to do this.
Spotting For Ground Attack Planes:
If you call bombers or ground attack planes to attack a position out of your ground units line of sight there is a good chance your planes will not spot anything and just flying about in circles. If possible send a Spotter plane to the area in question then followed by your ground attack planes. Alternatively, if attacking close to the front line and you want a specific target attacked make sure it is view of a ground unit. This is where Forward Observer team come in handy.
Escorting Attack Aircraft:
In most missions you will be able to call fighters and have them patrolling the mission map when you call a reconnaissance sortie or an attack sortie. Fighters are more effective at intercepting if players use waypoints close together. Ideally with only one waypoint.
Although fighters will generally be available throughout mission, it takes time for other plane sorties to arrive from their air bases. Thus, there will be long gaps between sorties, but when air cover does appear the player will have their use for several quick strikes at a time.
Engaging Ridge Lines:
In most missions the player is likely to come across ridge lines or hill crests will the dead ground behind “shadowed”. This is a good chance that the enemy will have a trench line, and guns hidden behind here to attack you as you approach.
It is best either to bombard suspected ridge lines with artillery or aircraft before trying to flank them. If you have to frontally assault, use a smoke screen.
Strategy Guide
Before playing the campaign missions it is advisable to run through the Tutorial Mission accessible through the Select Campaign Chapter. This mission will guide you through some of the new features and get players used to the game play changes without committing to the full campaign.
Generally speaking the Kursk offensive was made on well prepared defensive positions. Extensive minefields and camouflaged bunkers were common place supported by accurate artillery. These defensive measures are represented repeatedly thus players will need to develop effective strategies to overcome the Russian defence systems.
Here are some basic guidance notes to help players adjust to the game mechanics of Mission:Kursk.
AI Aggressive Behaviour:
With the increased sight ranges the player units will react sooner to approaching enemy. Each unit will generally react differently in this respect. Mobile units such as tanks if they have a good chance to destroy enemy units will remain stationery and fire at will until told otherwise. However, tanks and other self propelled units who guns will not pierce the front armour of attacking units will attempt to manoeuvre around the flanks. This they will do usually with no problem, however to prevent this select the stop command (hotkey “e”).
If you entrench mobile units (not advisable with SP units due to limited field of fire), they will not engage targets until they are within a third of their effective range. If you order them to engage, this will negate the en-trench command.
Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft vehicles (SPAA) will in most cases move to engage enemy aircraft that are within their weapon ceiling range. This may mean a move straight across the map with often disastrous results. To prevent this either en-trench them or use the Stop Command.
AI Artillery Detection:
Artillery detected depending on the size of the artillery piece. The smaller the weapon, such as mortars the closer you need to be to detect them. While large guns can be detected across most to the mission maps, especially rocket launchers. The frequency of the artillery detection rings also will give you a clue what artillery is firing. The bigger the gun the less random the circles are and the slower they expand, thus making it easier for the player to pin-point enemy artillery.
Thus in consequence, the closer your artillery is to the front line the easier it will be for the enemy to attack them with counter-battery fire or ground attack planes. Better use your mortars and light guns until you know it is save to deploy and use your bigger howitzers.
Mortars & Smoke Screens:
Mortars played a vital role in World War 2 causing the majority of the overall battlefield casualties. In Mission:Kursk they are extremely effective with a high rate of fire they can lay down a quick barrage and pin advancing infantry. They can also be used to create a quick smoke screen if enough mortars are available. This can effectively mask an attack or hide an activity such as setting up an anti-gun gun or clearing mines.
When laying a smoke screen the enemy units share fields of sight, so if you think you are obscuring the infantry in a trench you plan to attack but your line of attack is still visible via another enemy unit you will still be engaged by the troops in the trench. Thus you need to choose wisely where to place smoke screens.
The enemy will also deploy a number of mortars. These will commence firing as soon as your forces are in range and are visible. It may appear that they are very accurate and have a high rate of fire. It is advisable to order your infantry to “hit the dirt” which will cause a lot less casualties and to move any lightly armed vehicles and guns out of the way. Mortar high is generally in-effective against tanks so you can advance them to provide fire support to your infantry.
Minefields:
In most missions your first objectives will be to find paths through the minefields. Once you locate these it is advisable to widen them as much as possible as your tanks and especially supply trucks will carelessly run over mines even if they know they are there.
When using infantry to find the mine paths or engineers to clear mines it is better to do so with a smoke screen covering there activity. Most missions will provide at least two mortars to do this.
Spotting For Ground Attack Planes:
If you call bombers or ground attack planes to attack a position out of your ground units line of sight there is a good chance your planes will not spot anything and just flying about in circles. If possible send a Spotter plane to the area in question then followed by your ground attack planes. Alternatively, if attacking close to the front line and you want a specific target attacked make sure it is view of a ground unit. This is where Forward Observer team come in handy.
Escorting Attack Aircraft:
In most missions you will be able to call fighters and have them patrolling the mission map when you call a reconnaissance sortie or an attack sortie. Fighters are more effective at intercepting if players use waypoints close together. Ideally with only one waypoint.
Although fighters will generally be available throughout mission, it takes time for other plane sorties to arrive from their air bases. Thus, there will be long gaps between sorties, but when air cover does appear the player will have their use for several quick strikes at a time.
Engaging Ridge Lines:
In most missions the player is likely to come across ridge lines or hill crests will the dead ground behind “shadowed”. This is a good chance that the enemy will have a trench line, and guns hidden behind here to attack you as you approach.
It is best either to bombard suspected ridge lines with artillery or aircraft before trying to flank them. If you have to frontally assault, use a smoke screen.