Training Mission - Scenario # 4 - Denmark (a tutorial of sorts)

[Zovs]

Greetings I thought I would write this up for any potential new folks getting into this game. Ron has done a spectacular job of creating this game, one could say this is a diamond in the rough. One of the first striking things assailing the user is how different the UI is from other types of games like this. The approach I took to actually learning (and enjoying) this game is from my old board wargaming days. That is I had to actually read the manual. Most of the manual is what I would say technical in nature (select this, click that, to achieve this). That is good info to know on how to do something but not very helpful with the why of something. To better understand this game I also found a fellow here that goes by the moniker jcrohio (Jack). He did a supreme job of creating a PDF manual which is also updated to version 1.0.12. On page 99-103 of that PDF is a tutorial as well. Jack stated that he used the help files, plus all the content on this forum and lastly clarifications from Ron himself to create this PDF.

So the key ingredients are (in my estimation) are the 1.0.12 PDF Manual, and within that the tutorial on pages 99-103 and the game phases ono pages 39-42. The reference cards (there is the one that came with the game and I found here someplace one that someone made that basically contains the same info just presented a bit differently). The PDF Tips on Improving your Play, and Playability Suggestions (Francisco also sent a copy of this) and lastly the tidbits I am getting from pzgrd (Bill) on reserves.

So lets put that in order. Read the following:

WWII-E-Manual (1.12).pdf
wwiierefc.pdf or WWII Player Reference Card.pdf
WWIIE Tips.pdf
WWII-Release-Notes.pdf (optional I created this based off all the readme/change logs)

As all things considered you don't need to read all of these from cover to cover, for the big WWII-E-Manual (1.12) I read the subjects like so:

For basic introductions and general interface flows pages 7-32
For basic unit, terrain, Acronyms pages 34-36 (section 1.8, 1.9, and 1.10)
General Rules pages 37-38
Game Turn Phases (key points) pages 39-42
Supply (pages 42-44)
Turn Deploy rules when needed (pages 46-57, you only need to look these up if your going to use one until you get the hang of it).
Ground Operations Rules (pages 58-64, as above you only need to look these up if you need to).
Ground Combat Rules (pages 65-71, here I found 65-67 the most useful and other sections can be referenced when needed).
I have not read all of 6.0 yet (and so far have not been successful in changing the stack order, maybe I need to go back and read this section, lol) but only look up what I need to when I need it.
Chapter 7 (pages 78-84, only referenced a few)
The tutorial (a must read!) pages 99-103

That may seem like a lot to read but it goes pretty quickly actually.

So that is how I basically started and once I figured out the game turn phases and approached this like a board game (only read what I need to for that phase for right now) and just accepted that the UI is a bit different and just embraced it, I started to flow and get into this game.

NOTE any screenshots that follow may not look like your game graphics since I spent an inordinate amount of time modifying the 1,394 low level images (plus the other map images) to make the graphics a bit more pleasing to my old eyesight.

Next up turn 1 of the scenario/tutorial (wait this is the blind leading the blind ...) lol ha ha ha

[Zovs]

Launch WWIIE, click on the next two screens to get to the scenario selection screen.

For this tutorial/scenario pick Scenario #4 Denmark.

In the Methods of Play and Optional Rules dialog select:

Allies Computer Opponent and select the check box for Fog of War (FOW).

Select OK.

These selections will allow you to play as the Germans and the Computer Opponent as the Allies (aka the Danes).

After you have clicked OK your presented with the grand strategic overview or the Europe view level.



In this view you'll see the overall strategic view of the game map and a red outline of the playing area. Also (not shown in the screenshot above) to the right you'll see the Command Panel (CP from here on). The CP is basically the heart and soul of the game.

Here is a close up of that CP.



The top part is the hex and unit display area, it shows the hex coordinates, and either the units you place your mouse cursor over or the various operations depending on game turn phase that a selected unit can perform.

The middle section shows which side is the active side (Axis in this case), what game turn phase it is (Deploy) and the current turn and the ending turn (here Game-Turn 1 of a total of 10 Game-Turns). Lastly, is the weather (clear). Right underneath this on either side of the text LEVEL is a map level zoom control, to either zoom in or out (left or right).

The bottom section has two key parts, the first and primary is the "jump map" window, you can click anywhere in this box and you'll automatically be redirected to that clicked location but at the lowest display level (more on that later). Lastly the bottom of this box or area is showing the date, month, year, if any operations are locked and if so what those locked operations are (more on this later) and lastly the bottom line shows the scenario selected.

The game always (at least to my knowledge) starts off on the Deploy phase. In this phase you plan (or request) your Air and Naval Operations (if any) prior to ground movement and combat.

At start positions and what we see in the deploy phase.



Depending on what game turn phase your in, determines the type of things you can or can not see or do in the UI. For example if you notice your cursor being in the shape of an air unit, the only UI elements you'll generally see (in the hoverovers) and operations you can perform are with regards to Air Units. Same if you switch to Naval Units or Ground Units. Ron built in a nice hotkey 'n', which will cycle through the air, naval, and ground views respectfully.

For Air Operations there are several and it depends on your air unit type (fighter, fighter-bomber, bomber, transport, etc.) and one thing to note here is that each hex is 7.5 miles across so sometimes you'll have to zoom out a level or two to either see things more clearly or to find out a range for an aircraft to perform a mission for example. Unlike other games where you can use your mouse wheel or click on a magnifying glass you have to either use the menu or the Command Panel (CP) to zoom in/out (I tired the hotkey but its not working for me for some reason).

Now here is where you need to put your thinking cap on, in this game bombers and fighter-bombers are to be used just as you'd expect them to be, in either ground support or ground attack mode (Ron calls this tactical bombing). The difference between the two (I am no expert and either read this in part or via experimentation) that in Tactical Bombing your attacking a hex hoping to inflict one more points of damage and in Ground Support the bomber in question will be adding its attack or defense values to a potential upcoming attack (or defense). At least that is my understanding (note to self I forgot to take a screenshot of the air units ranges, see the next section).

In this scenario we have one Bomber a He111h (in 171,157), go ahead and select that unit. You just click on that hex (with the bomber and then on the right in the CP select it again), now for this mini-aar/tutorial select Ground Support button (because I am not sure exactly how I am going to attack those Danish units yet) and you may select whatever hex you'd like but I am going to select hex (169,144), the reason being is that anything that attacks (again my understand thus far) that is adjacent to this ZOC of the air unit performing Ground Support (GS from now on) will benefit from the Air Unit.

Here is what my screen looks like after planning that GS mission.



Now, because I am paranoid, I want to protect my bomber from any Danish air, so i'll now select my fighter (Me110) in the same hex that the He111h was in, and then in the CP I'll select S&D Planes, this is supposed to order the air unit to Search and Destroy any enemy aircraft that enters its zoc (my guess based on the white circled ring around the air unit).

If your following along at home your screen should look like so:



Now hit the hotkey 'n' to switch from Air Deploy to Naval Deploy. We have several Naval units in port.

In Kiel (173,150) we have the BB Schleswig-Holstein and two LC (Landing Craft, if you hover over this unit it will display Transports, minesweepers) Naval Forces (NF). In Lubeck we have another similar LC NF.

In Cuxhaven (165,153) we have two LC's (M10 and M11) but this time the hover over shows these are Minesweepers.

We also have one One Naval Ground unit (hit that hotkey 'n' again) in Wilhelmshaven, this is the Kriegsmarine Fleet commanded by Admiral Wilhelm Marschall. I have not yet done an amph or naval transporting yet so this is a great game to try it in (before we hit the beaches of Sicily, Salerno, or Normandy).

But for now I want to save that for a latter point, but to be complete and since I forgot to show how awesome this game is, lets take a look at the BB Schleswig-Holstein, but before you selected either from the CP or from the Menu select and zoom out to view the Mid Level. Once that is done click on Kiel and in the CP select the BB Schleswig-Holstein, in the Naval Ops select Fire Support.

Your screen should look like so:



Is that awesome or what? That one BB can go anywhere on the map playing area. While this particular scenario is small in size there are times when you'll be in a scenario that is quite large and its very useful to zoom and see what a range might be for a tactical bombing mission in the depths of Russia.

For now in the CP click cancel to cancel this mission.

One thing to try for now is to select Cuxhaven and select one of the LC and select Transport, the map will light up with Ports that are available. I am not 100% sure but what I did was to move M10 (M = Merchant I believe) to Wilhelmshaven so that next turn (after I read the rules) I can attempt a seaborn invasion on the Danes.

But my time is up for today and I have to run to band practice. So stay tuned for episode two, the Move Phase.

[Zovs]

Continuing on with this mini-tutorial.

One of the first things I should have done was to check the weather.



As you can see Weather Zone 2 is Rain. Per the TEC chart Rain increases the MP costs for ground units (see the table in 4.1.9). Further Major Rivers and Wadis are only passible via a road during mud/rain. Air Ops are allowed in Rain (patch 1.01 and 1.02 notes).

One thing I missed before is that there is also some airborne units that can be dropped. However, since I have FOW on, I am not sure if now is the right time to do this operation. Therefore I'll save those for upcoming turns and just do a review.

There are two Parachute regiments (the Fallschirmjager and General Goering Regiments) located in Harburg (171,157). Lets setup a Airborne Drop.



While reviewing things we can see there are several units in port such as Kiel.



Again, let save these for a turn or to.

Next up the Movement Ops phase.

[Zovs]

Checking the Combat Report Status we can find a a slew of information, mainly the highlighted areas concerns us the most right now



You can see we are only allowed 5 combat attacks per turn so we need to make these count.

Next up Movement Ops (have to run to the gym to work out)...

[Zovs]

When you advance to the next phase you will be presented with two dialog boxes:

The first one lets you know what the AI opponent is planning and executing:


The second one is letting you know that the Allied turn deploy has been executed any you should read the reports to see what may have transpired:


The first report Air to Air Combat (I tend to like to cycle through these reports one by one) shows that I have inflicted 2 points of damage on the defenders.


The rest of the reports for now are empty, however I can view what the Allies did via the Computer Opponent Plan Ops:


Now off to the gym.

[Zovs]

Lets start with the mass of my infantry. In this scenario the maneuver units are regiments so in this hex I have the 170 Infantry Division HQ, the 391 Infantry Regiment, 399 Infantry Regiment, 401 Infantry Regiment and the 240 Artillery Regiment all belonging to the 170 Infantry Division:


In this case I am selecting the 401 IR, and then selecting the Operation Move to Attack. The screen lights up as follows:


There is not a lot of ground units, here is how setup my moves to attack as well as move no attack and one RR strategic move.


I am done on to Combat Ops.

[Zovs]

Here is the end of my combat attacks, one was successful and one was not. I completely for to allocate reserves and paid for my mistake.



Turn 2, turns to Mud, I did some airborne drops and a amph landing but hey were not that great. I need to learn how to do this part better. So for now will close out this scenario since I got some learning to do.