[Sokol688]

I would like to know if people still play the campaign to completion or not to determine a winner? I recently played about half of a campaign with a friend, and to be honest neither one of us was really sure how to win. Or rather what moves to make to head toward endgame on the campaign screen (other than the basic, Germans attack, US defend stuff). I think I've played maybe 5 CCIV campaigns and never really gotten to the end, mostly due to time constraints. I've generally played as the Americans and IMHO the game, talking about standard game with patch, should be a walkover for the various Panther units, as the Americans and their lack of AT power become kind of a joke. An aggressive German player can just dominate with his armor.
Thus I am starting to believe that the standard game is probably flawed enough not to be a really challenging game unless the German player really sucks. (Maybe everyone here already came to this conclusion?) Moreover, the middle battles, before the US gets reinforcements all tend to be infantry vs Armor walkovers which I find become very un-enjoyable over time...panther's dominate, repeat...no fun or challenge for either player.
Beyond that both of us were really struggling to understand what our overall strategy should be. The game does a very poor job of explaining how you win, other than the historical comparison it throws up there. In my most recent game the German player stopped attacking because he was nearing Allied supply depots and felt any further moves would compromise his supply lines. What matters more? Progress or line integrity? I had the same issues as the US, do I let troops get run over to stall advancement, or is retreat a better option even if you only hold the early maps for half a day? Finally, even if the US gets killed by the never ending Panthers early in the game, are the US reinforcements enough to give that player a chance at all to recover and at least gain a draw, or is giving up more sensible if Bastogne falls and the Panthers push on the edge of the map?
In any event, I find the individual battles great (when there aren’t panthers), but the overall situation difficult to interpret or make strategic decision on, we sort of feel like we are just feeling along and at the whim of the computer. So, do people still play the campaign? How about the VetBOB campaign, is that playable and fair? Lastly, are there strategy resources that deal with the campaign and winning it? These forums seem to be focused mostly on modding, and not overall strategy, and I get the impression that the ladder games that the clans play are mostly one off battles, not full campaigns. Appreciate any thoughts or comments on any of these issues, excuse the long post.

-Sokol

[WH]

How about using Scenario Editor? You can make more even and challangeable modified GC scenario with the scenario editor.

One more, if you have not tried True green mod, just try it. It will make the game more even for American player. It make german Panther less pouwerful compared to the one in regular game.
good luck.

[dgfred]

I've played several GCs to completion , but always as the Germans
against the AI . I find if you are playing the AI, you just about have
to play as the Germans- as a German AI will not, I repeat, will not be aggressive enough to win the game. As far as head to head I agree with
you that the Germans will overpower the Americans with Tank power. I
think maybe the VetBob mod may be your best bet for h2h games. As far
as strategy as the Germans I try to secure my flanks, usually with non-mech
troops such as Paras and VG units and use my mech battle groups for the tips of the spear so to speak. Of course this is against the always predictable
AI, so I mostly go for line integrity instead of maximum penetration, probably
alot different h2h but I don't know. Hope this helps a little . Ask away with your strategy questions, some of the vets here I'm sure will try to
help.