Steel Division 1944 (by wargame red dragon devs) in game trailer and unit stream

[jomni]

For the conquest mode,  is picking the cheapest units the most effective?  It looks like the AI can churn out a lot of troops and swarm me.  Cheap troops cover a lot of area too and can probe for holes. 
I think that's the way to go.

[Rayfer]

Just got this today and only a couple of hours into it, but I must say it is a remarkable achievement, quite engrossing and well thought out.  And it's still in early access! With more maps and divisions this could fast become a classic. The creation of your battlegroups and how they connect with the A-B-C phases of the unfolding battle makes for a enjoyable gaming experience.

[DennisS]

Just got this today and only a couple of hours into it, but I must say it is a remarkable achievement, quite engrossing and well thought out.  And it's still in early access! With more maps and divisions this could fast become a classic. The creation of your battlegroups and how they connect with the A-B-C phases of the unfolding battle makes for a enjoyable gaming experience.

I read 17 maps, and 15 different divisions..including the 101st Airborne.

[fabius]

I was sceptical about 2v2 AI partner.

Just playing my first now. Have to say wow, another significantly new experience.

Pont de Hoc Map larger and turned 90 degrees from 1v1 version. Some very dense terrain areas deadly for vehicles.

AI partner was doing ok, but now I worry about my flank  :hide:

I gave the both AI enemy Scots Infantry. They seem to use the extra point better than 1v1 by getting more combined arms out early. This is first time I have seen them use Arty in phase B.

Overall, there's elements of my old love of CM, with intense memorable firefights. Like several memories of having to retreat from platoon+ attack, to retake by counter attack, to then hold off another attack. The double enclosed orchards middle left of Point de Hoc (facing the sea) if anybody else has spilled blood there...

My first 2 vs. 2 game, with an AI partner? My AI buddy sent over some ammo for my guys! Ummm...thanks? Heh heh...I had completely neglected that part of the game, and my buddy hooooked me up. ..

Yes 2 AI with Scots vs Me and an AI.

I think the friendly AI in these multi AI games tends to pick boundaries and 'corridor' its area of responsibility, a bit like MP. Not sure about enemy AI though, they could be sharing more.

[fabius]

For the conquest mode,  is picking the cheapest units the most effective?  It looks like the AI can churn out a lot of troops and swarm me.  Cheap troops cover a lot of area too and can probe for holes. 
I think that's the way to go.

I don't think there is one single win strategy. All units seem to have their place, if anything a string dictum would be Combined Arms, Combined Arms, Combined Arms ! Early I mix support, AT, recon, command, the odd halftrack quality infantry with lots of cheaper motorised squads.

I'm no expert but.

If you pick cheap units, it's even more important to supplement them with command units.

When I can't cover the whole front, prioritise areas, go on defence in others, be prepared to give ground for more favourable terrain and ambush or stand off fire possibilities. Pure infantry fight, German squads with MG34 win in longer ranges, 400m to 600m. Back off out the forest if outnumbered and you can't get fire support there in time. Then hit them crossing and open space.

Also, I've held off significant AI mass infantry attacks with German Support halftrack, and a scout, while rushing some infantry there.

[Rayfer]

For the conquest mode,  is picking the cheapest units the most effective?  It looks like the AI can churn out a lot of troops and swarm me.  Cheap troops cover a lot of area too and can probe for holes. 
I think that's the way to go.

I don't think there is one single win strategy. All units seem to have their place, if anything a string dictum would be Combined Arms, Combined Arms, Combined Arms ! Early I mix support, AT, recon, command, the odd halftrack quality infantry with lots of cheaper motorised squads.

I'm no expert but.

If you pick cheap units, it's even more important to supplement them with command units.

When I can't cover the whole front, prioritise areas, go on defence in others, be prepared to give ground for more favourable terrain and ambush or stand off fire possibilities. Pure infantry fight, German squads with MG34 win in longer ranges, 400m to 600m. Back off out the forest if outnumbered and you can't get fire support there in time. Then hit them crossing and open space.

Also, I've held off significant AI mass infantry attacks with German Support halftrack, and a scout, while rushing some infantry there.

And I would add,  Conquest mode plays out differently than Destruction mode.  Played my first Destruction mode 1X1 against the AI, it's no longer about controlling more territory, it's about destroying enemy units.  Quite a lot of fun. Had a minor victory with 3 minutes to go only to have two Panthers come in on my flank (poor recon on my part) and tear my Sherman's to shreds.   :-\

[JasonPratt]

Won my first skirmish a minute ago, 1v1 on the Normandy coast map (coast on my left), Luftlander division against... I'm not sure what exactly. Wasn't paying attention. Allies. 5000 point conquest, no time limit, 250 starting budget.

Went in with two teams of elite paratroops first, which necessarily ceded the center of the map for a while, but I pulled in a third team quickly. Didn't bother with flametruppen or panzerschrecks per se. Stiffened the three blocs with some heavy guns asap, although I suspect my light tanks early didn't amount to much -- hard to tell. Spread to four, then five teams, set up a firebase for my arty and an 88 flak (my other one didn't survive the inbound trip). Enemy tanks were pretty dire -- I never had better than a couple of PzIII, but a decent number of StuGs (and a few StuHs for infantry work) all day long. Eventually got air superiority, although the AI was pulling Mustangs down to the end. The AI earned around a half win before I turned the beat around.

I could have spent my limited spring-cold energy working on invading Poland this weeken, but I regret nothing. 

[DennisS]

Won my first skirmish a minute ago, 1v1 on the Normandy coast map (coast on my left), Luftlander division against... I'm not sure what exactly. Wasn't paying attention. Allies. 5000 point conquest, no time limit, 250 starting budget.

Went in with two teams of elite paratroops first, which necessarily ceded the center of the map for a while, but I pulled in a third team quickly. Didn't bother with flametruppen or panzerschrecks per se. Stiffened the three blocs with some heavy guns asap, although I suspect my light tanks early didn't amount to much -- hard to tell. Spread to four, then five teams, set up a firebase for my arty and an 88 flak (my other one didn't survive the inbound trip). Enemy tanks were pretty dire -- I never had better than a couple of PzIII, but a decent number of StuGs (and a few StuHs for infantry work) all day long. Eventually got air superiority, although the AI was pulling Mustangs down to the end. The AI earned around a half win before I turned the beat around.

I could have spent my limited spring-cold energy working on invading Poland this weeken, but I regret nothing. 

Nice job! I just completed a 2 vs. 2, with three easy AI, one for me, two for the other team. I am TERRIBLE at these types of games...but I won a 2000 point territory victory in 19 minutes. I may step up to medium AI, if I continue to do this well.

I now have five decks built...all variants to the 15th Scottish Infantry. This suits my style of play, infantry, artillery, and supporting halftrack-based machine guns..

[jomni]

For the conquest mode,  is picking the cheapest units the most effective?  It looks like the AI can churn out a lot of troops and swarm me.  Cheap troops cover a lot of area too and can probe for holes. 
I think that's the way to go.

I don't think there is one single win strategy. All units seem to have their place, if anything a string dictum would be Combined Arms, Combined Arms, Combined Arms ! Early I mix support, AT, recon, command, the odd halftrack quality infantry with lots of cheaper motorised squads.

I'm no expert but.

If you pick cheap units, it's even more important to supplement them with command units.

When I can't cover the whole front, prioritise areas, go on defence in others, be prepared to give ground for more favourable terrain and ambush or stand off fire possibilities. Pure infantry fight, German squads with MG34 win in longer ranges, 400m to 600m. Back off out the forest if outnumbered and you can't get fire support there in time. Then hit them crossing and open space.

Also, I've held off significant AI mass infantry attacks with German Support halftrack, and a scout, while rushing some infantry there.

This sounds more like a destruction mode strategy which I don't have any problems with. 
I'm more concerned about conquest mode as the AI seems to always have more troops than me.

[Destraex]

A few shots of me playing coop with a mate. Very hard to get even a squad of 4 panthers together.

[sandman2575]

Yeah, as with Wargame, Conquest mode vs AI feels considerably harder than Destruction. I find it very difficult to win against Medium AI in Conquest playing with the German decks -- def. have an easier time playing as Allies.

Re. Destraex's nice screenshots - one small thing that does bother me about SD44 is the constantly exposed tank commanders manning MGs. A little too Company of Heroes arcade-y for me. (Probably also conditioned by so many hours playing Combat Mission, where those TCs would be killed in seconds being exposed in combat like that.)

[Destraex]

sandman I thought it was german doctrine for tank commanders to have their heads out and looking around. But not sitting up like in the screenshots? So they should be out but crouching a little.

[DennisS]

Dennis I take it you did not play against humans in the "other game type".

No humans...yet. But, the beating I just gave the AI gives me some level of confidence that human opponents won't crush the life out of me.

[sandman2575]

sandman I thought it was german doctrine for tank commanders to have their heads out and looking around. But not sitting up like in the screenshots? So they should be out but crouching a little.

Right - I didn't mean the TCs should never unbutton (though that's a good rule of thumb when playing Combat Mission!) -- just that it bugs me that every panzer in SD44 seems to have a 3rd, cupola-mounted MG (hardly a standard feature in reality!) and that TCs will happily blaze away on their MGs seemingly in all circumstances. I suppose it's a way to give them some more firepower for 'balancing' purposes -- but it just feels very video-games to me. 

Small thing... but then, I suppose those of us who frequent these forums are predisposed to notice the small things ... 8)

[RyanE]

That is the stuff I was talking about a few pages ago.  Based on my experience with Red Dragon.  If those small things stand out, probably not the game for you.