+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ | I r o n S t o r m | +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" George Santayana GAME: IRON STORM PLATFORM: SEGA SATURN GENRE: STRATEGY/WAR CREATOR: WORKING DESIGNS Copyright 1996 AUTHOR OF THIS FAQ: Kevin Butler AKA War Doc E-MAIL: kevinb(at)technologist(dot)com FAQ VERSION: 1.19 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS UNIT I: INTRODUCTION 1. Legal Stuff 2. Version Information 3. Acknowledgements 4. Welcome 5. Overview UNIT II: GAME SETUP 6. The Campaigns UNIT III: PLAYING THE GAME 7. Starting a battle 7.1 Menu Items 8. The Battlefield 8.1 Terrain Information 8.2 Unit Information 8.3 General Information 8.4 System Commands and Specific Information 9. Taking Command 9.1 Setting Up 9.2 Giving Orders UNIT IV: STRATEGIES 10. General Strategies 11. Campaign Strategies 11.1 Overview 11.2 German Campaign 11.3 Japanese Campaign 11.4 United States Campaign UNIT V: CONCLUSION 12. Afterthoughts _______________________________________________________________________________ To find a particular chapter or subchapter do the following: 1. Highlight the chapter or subchapter name you wish to find. 2. Press CTRL-C 3. Press CTRL-F 4. Press CTRL-V 5. Press CTRL-F 5. You will arrive at the desired chapter or subchapter. _______________________________________________________________________________ ************** ********************************* U N I T I ********************************** ************** +=================+ | 1. LEGAL STUFF |============================================================ +=================+ This guide may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advanced permission from the author. Use of this guide on any other web sit or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. All content in this guide is Copyright 2003 by Kevin Butler. Only the sites listed below have permission to publish this work or to display it: www.gamefaqs.com www.cheats.de faqs.ign.com If you wish to put this guide on your site, e-mail me and ask. Save yourself the headache of putting up with lawsuits and whatnot because you failed to ask a simple "Can I post your guide on ?". If you wish to use info in this guide, please acknowledge that you have done so. If you see this guide on any other site then the one listed above, please e-mail me. If you wish to ask questions or give input to this guide, please e-mail me. Just have Iron Storm as the subject so I know it isn't another kooky vendor trying to sell me hair gel or another XXX site telling me I have new friends. +=========================+ | 2. VERSION INFORMATION |==================================================== +=========================+ Version 1.0 4/15/03: A guide is born. Version 1.02 4/15/03: Fixed a couple of format mistakes and typo's. Version 1.05 4/16/03: Added dates to version info. Fixed some mistakes. Version 1.06 4/26/03: Fixed some format errors and guide mistakes. Version 1.1 5/22/03: Fixed the Unit/Section problem. Version 1.15 5/24/03: Fixed headers in Campaign section. Version 1.17 6/11/03: Added http://www.cheats.de to approved sites who could host my FAQ's. Version 1.19 7/23/03: Added IGN to allowed users. +======================+ | 3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |======================================================= +======================+ The following are a list of people or organizations that have made this FAQ possible: My wonderful family (who has had to put up with the tapping on the keyboard) Working Designs for making a great war game GameFAQ's for putting up this FAQ +=============+ | 4. WELCOME |================================================================ +=============+ Welcome to my FAQ for Iron Storm. Since this is a war and strategy game, there is no walkthrough per say. Instead, this FAQ is broken up into parts. First the you will be given an explanation of choices you have for playing the game. These choices are either standard or campaign mode. Next, you will be given all the possible commands you can give with a brief description of what those commands are. The last part is dedicated to strategy. This strategy will give you an idea on how to win your campaigns. Input is appreciated along with constructive criticism. If you wish to e-mail me thoughts on this FAQ, better ways of doing things, other strategies, etc., feel free. Make sure you put Iron Storm FAQ in the subject. If you don't, I'm liable to discard the e-mail as spam. +==============+ | 5. OVERVIEW |=============================================================== +==============+ Iron Storm takes place in both European Theater of Operations (ETO) and Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). Campaign mode will allow you to be one of three countries; Germany, Japan, or the United States. You will then participate in key battles that were fought by that country. These battles range from Mongolia to the Pacific Islands. Your job then will be to achieve the victory conditions defined by the specific battle you are fighting. At your disposal are all the resources (equipment, commanders, etc.) available at that time to ensure victory. You also must not only be familiar with how to fight battles, but also all the planning, logistics, and pitfalls of how to properly plan and fight a battle to ensure maximum effect. This means, causing the enemy to commit more resources and to take more then you receive at the hands of the enemy. *************** ******************************** U N I T II ********************************** *************** +===================+ | 6. THE CAMPAIGNS |========================================================== +===================+ Iron Storm can be played in two modes: Standard and Campaign. In Campaign Mode, you will take part in a number of battles to ensure your road to victory or ruin. These battles are described in more detail in Chapter 11. In Standard Mode, you will fight in ten selected battles. Listed below is the name of the selected battle, what the actual battle is, and the country you will fight as: France Invasion of France: May 10 - Jun 18, 1940 Germany Balkan Ops Balkan Operations: Apr 5 - Apr 24, 1941 Germany Stalingrad Raid on Stalingrad: Sep 12 - Oct 1, 1942 Germany D-Day Battle of Normandy (D-Day): Jun 6 - Jun 30, 1944 Germany Haruha Firestorm at Haruha: Jun 26 - Jul 25, 1939 Japan Malay Lightening Raid of Malay: Dec 8, 1941 - Jan 26, 1942 Japan Indonesia Invasion of Java and Sumatra: Feb 3 - Mar 9, 1942 Japan Henderson Defense of Henderson: Sep 11 - Oct 5, 1942 U.S. Imphal Capture of Imphal: Mar 8 - Apr 17, 1944 Japan Coronet Ops Operation Coronet: Mar 1 - Mar 25, 1946 U.S. In Standard Mode, you will be given a force appropriate to the time period. It will then be your job to achieve victory. These battles are the exact same battles you would encounter if you were in campaign mode. Since these battles are the same, the strategies for these battles are the same as in campaign mode. The only differences are that you will already have a predrawn force and you will also have the ability to change the computer players over to user players. Good if you are playing against a friend (or enemy). In Campaign Mode, you will start out with the following battles: Invasion of France: May 10 - Jun 18, 1940 Germany Assault at Nomonhan: May 12 - May 31, 1939 Japan Coral Sea Battle: Apr 29 - May 18, 1942 United States It will be your job to successfully get through the battles that follow to achieve total victory and world domination. Make bad battle decisions or lose a key battle or battles and you will find that the world is more then willing to extinguish your ambitions. **************** ******************************* U N I T III ********************************* **************** +=======================+ | 7. STARTING A BATTLE |====================================================== +=======================+ Once you have chosen Campaign or Standard Mode the following screen will come up (you can also bring up this screen from the battlefield as described in Chapter 8): +=============================================================================+ | | | ========================================= | | +==========+ | | +==========+ | | | STATUS | | WINDOW SHOWING MAP | | BASES | | | +==========+ | | +==========+ | | | OF AREA THAT | | | +==========+ | | +==========+ | | | TROOPS | | THE BATTLE WILL BE | | MAP | | | +==========+ | | +==========+ | | | CONDUCTED IN | | | +==========+ | | +==========+ | | | TERMS | | | | TACTICAL | | | +==========+ | | +==========+ | | | | | | +==========+ | | +==========+ | | |DEBRIEFING| | | | EXIT | | | +==========+ |======================================== +==========+ | | | | ========================================= | | | | | | | | | | | DEBRIEFING WINDOW | | | | | | | | | | | ========================================= | | | +=============================================================================+ __________________ / 7.1 Menu Items /____________________________________________________________ ------------------ By pressing the "C" button on the controller, you can access the below menu items. +--------+ | STATUS | +--------+ This command will give you the following information: - Name of battle (i.e. Invasion of France, Bloody Ridge, etc.). - Start date of the battle. - End date of the battle. - Maximum number of your forces that can participate in the battle. - Climate of the battlefield. Climates are Frigid, Temperate, and Tropical followed by a 1 or 2 indicating severity of that climate. This information means more if you have Weather turned on (more about that in chapter 8). - Enemy strength is indicated by a number of stars out of five possible stars. The more stars an enemy has, the stronger they are. +--------+ | TROOPS | +--------+ These are the troops that are participating in the upcoming campaign. It only include those armies that are present on the battlefield at that moment. If reinforcements arrive, they will be included in this information. This information shows up on the right side of the screen. It will have the national flag of the unit, the unit designation (i.e. 2nd Pz Gp, West Ft A, etc.), and whether it is -Ok- or -Gone-. +-------+ | TERMS | +-------+ The conditions one must satisfy to achieve a complete victory. Victory is if you win within the allotted time of the battle. If your base gets destroyed, then the game is over for you. There is more detailed information about this in Chapter 11. +------------+ | DEBRIEFING | +------------+ This will either contain a description of the upcoming battle or the results of a battle already fought. This information will appear in the debriefing window. +-------+ | BASES | +-------+ This command will display all bases (both yours and the enemies) in the map window. These bases will be color coded with the same colors as the flag from the troop menu item. These bases will also have what units they are HQ to. +-----+ | MAP | +-----+ This displays all significant cities and other geographic features in the map window. +----------+ | TACTICAL | +----------+ This displays the best way (program recommended) to achieve a complete victory. This information is displayed in the map window. It will show arrows as to the best route to take. +------+ | EXIT | +------+ Exit this window to start or continue on with a battle. You can also exit by pressing the "B" button on the controller. +=====================+ | 8. THE BATTLEFIELD |======================================================== +=====================+ The following screen is where you will be making all of your battle decisions. This is the screen where you will create or allocate units, give commands to a unit to move or do battle (or both), repair a unit, etc. This chapter will describe how you can get to all information required and descriptions of that displayed information. The battlefield is a hex mapped field. Coordinates are in x,y where 0,0 represents the upper left corner of the field. There is no maximum x,y value since each battle takes place on different sized fields. Also located on this field is a rectangular box that either describes the terrain or the unit the cursor is over. You move the cursor around using the directional pad on the controller. Below is what the battlefield looks like: +=============================================================================+ |\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ +-----------------+__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__| TERRAIN OR UNIT | \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ | INFORMATION +__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__+-----------------+ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ | GENERAL INFO |__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| |\__+-----------------+ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ | |/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \_| +=============================================================================+ What this translates to is the fact that a single unit can get attacked by up to six enemy units. This also means that allied units can provide mutual and supporting firepower to each other. ___________________________ / 8.1 Terrain Information /___________________________________________________ --------------------------- If you move the cursor just over terrain and cities, the following information box will appear on the battlefield: +==========================+ | x y z x = | | y = | | | | Type of Who owns | | Terrain that area | +==========================+ +-----------------+ | Type of Terrain | +-----------------+ This is the terrain type the cursor is over. It will give you the x,y co- ordinates of that particular hex and what the terrain feature is (i.e. forest, swamp, hill, road, city, etc.). +--------------------+ | Who owns that area | +--------------------+ The countries flag and first two letters of its name will be displayed here if applicable. Usually only for cities, airports, fortresses, etc. +--------+ | x=, y= | +--------+ Coordinates of where the cursor is located. ________________________ / 8.2 Unit Information /______________________________________________________ ------------------------ If you move the cursor over a unit (yours, your allies, or the enemies), the following information box will appear on the battlefield: +=============================================================================+ | Nationality of unit (represented by flag) Name of unit Training | | | | Gas Number remaining in that unit Experience | | | | Move Type of Unit | +=============================================================================+ +---------------------+ | Nationality of unit | +---------------------+ What country the unit belongs to. +--------------+ | Name of unit | +--------------+ This name is what the unit was commonly called. Such as PzkwIVD, T34/76C, F4F Wildcat, etc. +----------+ | Training | +----------+ This is represented by a bar extending from the right side of the training label. The more the bar is filled in, the better trained the unit is. This is important as to how well a unit fights. +-----+ | Gas | +-----+ A generic term applied equally to both mechanized and non-mechanized (infantry) units. This is the amount of fuel left before the unit becomes immobile. +-------------------------------+ | Number remaining in that unit | +-------------------------------+ Through attrition in battle or through combining units, this is a number out of a maximum of 10 units. +------------+ | Experience | +------------+ As with training, this is also a bar extending from the right side of the experience unit. The more the bar is filled in, the more experience the unit has. This is important when you want to upgrade a unit. +------+ | Move | +------+ The maximum amount of hexes you can move in one turn. +--------------+ | Type of Unit | +--------------+ Is it armor, infantry, plane, ship, etc. You will also get the following menu when you put the cursor over a unit: +-------------------------+ | WEAPONS LOADS RANGE | | +---+ | | | | | | +---+ | +-------------------------+ +---------+ | Weapons | +---------+ What kind of armament the unit is carrying. Such as 75mm/L36 gun, 7.92mg, torpedoes, etc. +-------+ | Loads | +-------+ How much ammo for the specific weapon type. +-------+ | Range | +-------+ Range of weapon. If there is an "h" after the number, then the range is in hexes. Usually found with the bigger artillery pieces (105mm, 150mm, 155mm) or with ship's guns (360mm, 460mm, etc.). __________________________ /8.3 General Information /____________________________________________________ -------------------------- The below information is always at the bottom of the terrain or unit in- formation box. This information only applies to you. +==========================+ | National Flag Money | | | | Turn | | | | Date | +==========================+ +---------------+ | National Flag | +---------------+ Your countries flag +-------+ | Money | +-------+ Most everything in this game requires money. This is how much you have left to spend. +------+ | Turn | +------+ One game turn equals on day. This is important when trying to achieve a complete victory within a certain number of turns. +------+ | Date | +------+ The current date of battle. ________________________________________________ / 8.4 System Commands and Specific Information /______________________________ ------------------------------------------------ When you click on the "A" button, you get a picture of the battlefield with a big square cursor. Move this cursor around with the controller keypad. Once you are in the area you want to be, click on the "C" button to go back to the battlefield mode. Click on the "B" button to back out. By clicking on the "A" button twice you get a menu like the one below (SC means system commands and SI means specific information): +=====+=====+ | | | | 1SC | 2SC | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 3SC | 4SC | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 5SC | 6SC | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 7SI | 8SI | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 9SI | 10SI| | | | +-----+-----+ +-----+ | 1SC | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a "S" This saves a game either to the Saturn memory or to a save cartridge. Each save takes up 313 bytes. +-----+ | 2SC | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a "L" This will load a game from either the Saturn memory or a save cartridge. +-----+ | 3SC | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a "+" This will allow you to go through all your units to repair them. +-----+ | 4SC | +-----+ Icon: Right pointing arrow Go to the next unit that is allowed to move +-----+ | 5SC | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a base Allows you to put the cursor back on your base. Good for if you get get the cursor lost on the battlefield. +-----+ | 6SC | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a gaming system These are the system menu commands. The specific commands are below: System: With this command, you control how the battlefield looks and the degree of realism you want on the battlefield. The system commands are: Sight: When sight is turned on, you can only see ahead the number of hexes allowed by that unit. ON is for realistic. Weather: When weather is turned on, the climates mentioned in chapter 7.1 have an effect on what type of weather to expect. The weather has a direct bearing on what you can do on the battlefield. ON is for realistic. Hexes: When this is turned on, the hexes are displayed on the battle- field. Turning them off just turns off the hexes. It has no effect on the battlefield or units. Anime: When this is turned on, you can see a graphic of units fighting with each other. Such as a dogfight or a battery of guns leveling a fortress. After a couple of times, you probably will want to turn it off since it makes the battles that much longer. You can also turn Anime OFF and ON by pressing the "X" button on the controller. Supply: When this is turned on, all of your units (that can be) will be resupplied and repaired before you begin your turn. It is recommended to turn this off since you many not want all of your units to be repaired or supplied. Input: This is what keys on the controller control what action. The commands are: Sub A Main C: This reverses the actions of the "A" and "C" buttons on the controller. Curs Spd: This controls how fast the cursor goes across the battle- field. Sound: This is the menu for turning the BGM (Background Music) and SE (Sound Effects) on and off. In the middle is what countries have what BGM. At the bottom is BGM followed by a number and SE followed by a number. These play the different BGM's and SE's. There are 18 BGM's and 116 SE's to choose from. Options: Can only be used in Standard Mode. This allows you to turn a CPU player into a regular user allowing you to control your opponent. +-----+ | 7SI | +-----+ Icon: Picture of an "I" This is for accessing the information screen. You can also access this screen by pressing on the "Z" button. You will get the following display: +===============+=============================================================+ | /| | | / | DISPLAY OF WEAPONS 1 - 8 | | |P | | | \ +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | \| | | /| DISPLAY OF WEAPONS 9 - 16 | | / | | | |P +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | \ | | | \| | | /| | | / | MAP DISPLAYING WHERE THE ABOVE | | |A | | | \ | SELECTED FORCES ARE LOCATED | | \| | | /| | | / | | | |A | | | \ | | | \| | | /| | | / | | | |S | | | \ | | | \| | | __| | | ___/ | | | | | | | | F | | | |_____| | +===============+=============================================================+ Tabs: The tabs on the left side are used to show what units you have in the following categories: P=Planes, A=Army type Units, and S=Ships. You can click on the folder icon (F) to get an overview of all of your units. You can sort the data by using the left and right buttons on the controller. You can sort the unit data according to number, name & type, gas level, experience level, training level, x coordinates, y coordinates, transport type, and condition. +-----+ | 8SI | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a computer sheet You will get a screen that looks like this: +=============================================================================+ | +------------+ +---+----+-------+-----+----+----+----+-----+------+ | | | RESEARCH | | F | FA | DB&SC | ART | LT | MT | HT | INF | SHIP | | | +------------+ +---+----+-------+-----+----+----+----+-----+------+ | | +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+ | | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | | | | PIC | | | | | | | | PIC | | | | | | | | | +-------+ + | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | | | NAME OF | | NOT USED | | NAME OF | | NOT USED | | | | UNIT | | | | UNIT | | | | | +-----+-----+ +-----------+ +-----+-----+ +-----------+ | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----+-----+ +-----------+ | | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | | | | PIC | | | | PIC | | | | PIC | | | | | | | | | +-------+ +------+ +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | | | NAME OF | | NAME OF | | NAME OF | | NOT USED | | | | UNIT | | UNIT | | UNIT | | | | | +-----+-----+ +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+ | | | | | | | | +-----+-----+ +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+ | | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | | | | PIC | | | | PIC | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-------+ +------+ +-------+ | | +-------+ | | +-------+ | | | | NAME OF | | NAME OF | | NOT USED | | NOT USED | | | | UNIT | | UNIT | | | | | | | +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+ | | | +=============================================================================+ This screen indicates what units are currently available. It also indicates upgrade paths for units. The symbols on the upper right side indicate the upgrade paths for the following types of units: - F = Fighters - FA = Fighter Bombers - DB&SC = Dive Bombers and Scout Cars - ART = Artillery - LT = Light Tanks - MT = Medium Tanks - HT = Heavy Tanks - INF = Infantry - SHIP = Ships Each box will either contain a picture and the name of the unit, or it may indicate it is not used. By following the lines from each box, you can determine the upgrade path possible for each unit. For example, let us use an infantry unit. You will see the picture and name in the upper left box. As you gain experience for this unit, you will have a choice; if you get 50 experience points, you can create a Panzer Grenadier unit which will show up in the second box on the second row. If you hold out for 250 experience points, you can turn this infantry unit into an Elite Infantry unit. If boxes are not connected by a line, then you cannot upgrade to that type of unit. +-----+ | 9SI | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a graph This menu item allows you to see what your strength is relative to any allies or enemies still present. The information is presented both as color bar graphs and in text. Information you can get is troop strength broken down by army, navy, and air units and how much money you are getting in per turn. It also gives relative attack and defense strengths for all units combined as compared to enemy units combined. +------+ | 10SI | +------+ Icon: Picture of an up pointing arrow This takes you back to the opening screen. See Chapter 7 for details on this screen. +====================+ | 9. TAKING COMMAND |========================================================= +====================+ __________________ / 9.1 Setting Up /____________________________________________________________ ------------------ Except for the first battle of the campaign, or for any battle in Standard Mode, you will have to assemble your forces for battle. To assemble your forces, you can do one of two things. You can either buy forces or you can allot forces from a previous battle. Allotting forces is only available in Campaign Mode. When you start, you will have a base. You may also have one or two airfields and one or two cities within 2-3 hexes of your base. If the battle involves sea involvement, you will also have a harbor nearby. It is in these areas that you can build up at. You build up by putting the cursor on a hex next to the base or on one of the cities, airfields, or harbors. When you click on the "C" button, a menu will come up with the choice of MAKE or ALLOT. When you choose MAKE, a screen will come up with all the available units you can purchase. If the units are in red, then you cannot purchase that unit type. You can ALLOT units on any valid hex around the base. Keep in mind when you are assembling your force as to what your mission is. It's good to have a lot of air power and armor but neither of these can capture the cities and airfields you will need. Only infantry type units (infantry, grenadier, etc.) can capture cities, airfields, and harbors. You can only have a maximum amount of units. Look at Chapter for the maximum units for which battles. Once you have assembled all your forces, you are done with that turn. Just press the "START" button and allow the game to cycle through the other units. As each turn progresses, you will want to repeat these steps until you have the force needed to obtain your goal. You can only build units at your starting point. If the battle is going to take you far away from this starting point, then it is a good idea to assemble units that can keep a sustained drive going. _____________________ / 9.2 Giving Orders /_________________________________________________________ --------------------- To give commands, put the cursor over the desired unit. By pressing on the "C" button once, you will be shown the possible moves that the unit can make. To cycle through the units that still need orders, you can use the left and right trigger buttons or press the "Y" button on the controller. Pressing the "C" button twice brings up the following menu. This menu will also appear at the end of your move: +=====+=====+ | | | | 1C | 2C | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 3C | 4C | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 5C | 6C | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 7C | 8C | | | | +-----+-----+ | | | | 9C | 10C | | | | +-----+-----+ +----+ | 1C | +----+ Icon: Picture of two arrows pointing to each other (from left and right side) with two triangles pointing to each other (from top and bottom) This gives you the option of attacking an enemy unit. If you are using a weapon with a hex range, it will display that range in solid white and give you a choice of what target to engage. You are allowed to do this at the end of a move. +----+ | 2C | +----+ Icon: The word "END" When you are done with that unit. You may use this command when using a unit as a blocking unit next to an enemy unit. Instead of attacking, you just use this command. It is also used on transports when you have unloaded all the units you can unload. +----+ | 3C | +----+ Icon: Picture of a "+" This allows you to repair and/or supply a unit. To repair/supply a unit the following conditions must be met: - If it is a land unit, you can repair/supply it either in an allied city or if it is next to a supply vehicle. - If it is an air unit, you can only repair/supply on an allied airfield. - If it is a sea unit, you can only repair/supply in an allied harbor. +----+ | 4C | +----+ Icon: Picture of a black box in the upper right corner and a white box in the lower left corner. Both boxes are connected by a circle running through them. This allows you to convert a unit into something more transportable. When you execute this command, the unit converts into a transport. While in transport mode, the unit cannot attack and its defense is non-existent. In order to attack, the unit must again be converted back into the original unit. Artillery units must always be converted before they can be moved. Mechanized troops should be converted to allow them to get to objectives quicker. By converting mechanized infantry in a city, you can capture the city quicker then using regular non-mechanized infantry. Air mobile troops also fall under this command but you must be on an airfield to convert them. +----+ | 5C | +----+ Icon: Picture of a folder This allows you to bring up specific information about the selected unit. When you click on this, click on "C" once on a unit that has already moved, or on an allied or enemy unit, the following screen appears: +=============================================================================+ | NAME OF UNIT NATIONALITY | | SEARCH RADAR | | MOVE FUEL | | | | | | | | PLANE 3D PICTURE OF UNIT | | DF TANK | | SHIP | | | | | | | | | | | | ATT BASE PLANE TANK BUNKER SHIP SUB LOAD RNG ACC NO. BULLETS | | | | WEAPONS | | | +=============================================================================+ Name of unit: The name of the unit such as PzkwIVD, T34/76C, etc. Nationality: What country does the unit belong to. Search: Search range in hexes. The larger the number, the more hexes out that can be seen. Radar: Usually for ships and specialty planes. Attributes are the same as Search. Move: What's the maximum move (in hexes) of the unit. Fuel: What's the maximum fuel for the unit. DF: Represents the defensive values against planes, land units, and ships. The higher the number, the better the defense. ATT: Attack power of the unit with the chosen weapon. The higher the number, the better the attack against the selected type of target. - Load Rng refers to the range of that particular weapon. - Acc refers the accuracy of that particular weapon. - Bullets refers to the maximum number of rounds for that particular weapon. 3D Picture: This picture can be rotated 360 degrees by using the directional control It can be zoomed in using the "A" button and zoomed out using the "C" button. +----+ | 6C | +----+ Icon: Picture of a bullet This command allows you to rearm the unit or change the kind of arms the unit has. This usually involves air units where you may want to add a bomb, extra fuel tank, or extra ammo. +----+ | 7C | +----+ Icon: Picture of a rectangle with diagonal stripes in it in the lower half of the button. If you have the necessary experience required, you can upgrade a unit to the next advanced unit. Refer to Chapter 8.4 to see what units can be upgraded to. When you click on this, you will get a picture of the unit in the center of the present unit and the unit you are upgrading to. You will see a series of numbers on the right and left side. If the new number is in blue, that means improvement. If the new number is in red, that means a loss, and numbers in black mean no change. +----+ | 8C | +----+ Icon: Picture of of a square with diagonal stripes in it. Depending on the unit type, you will get a different command for this button. The units and commands are listed below: - If it is a supply unit, then a choice for rebuild comes up. You can rebuild cities, airports, harbors, and bridges that have been destroyed. - If it is a sea xport unit, then a choice for unloading units will become available. Units are unloaded on valid hexes after the sea xport lands at a beach or harbor. - If it is a carrier unit, then a choice for launching will become available. This allows carrier aircraft to take off. +----+ | 9C | +----+ Icon: Picture of two arrows coming from the left and right sides. This allows two understrength units of the same type to be joined. The training and experience is averaged for the new unit created. If the new unit created will be over ten, the remainder is left with the other unit. +-----+ | 10C | +-----+ Icon: Picture of a "X" This removes a unit permanently from your inventory. This may be required if you have too many of one type of unit and you need to make room for other types of units. The maximum you can have are 32 air, 32 land, and 16 sea units. Remember, once a unit is removed, you lose it permanently. *************** ******************************** U N I T IV ********************************* *************** +=========================+ | 10. GENERAL STRATEGIES |==================================================== +=========================+ These are a list of general strategies for all the battles that I have found to be effective. I know that there are many more different strategies out there. Your input on this would be greatly appreciated and your reward would be to see it added to this guide and credited appropriately. These are not in any particular order of importance but some or all may apply to whatever campaign you are engaged in. ______________________________________ / 10.1 Know what your objectives are / -------------------------------------- This is probably one of the most important things to remember when you are planning for your battles. In all of the battles, your primary objective is to destroy the enemy bases, units, or both. Be sure to note the victory conditions as noted in Chapter 7. Depending on what type of victory you attain depends on what battles you will have to fight. _____________________________ / 10.2 Know the big picture / ----------------------------- Too many times, one will get tunnel vision and only concentrate on one little aspect of the battlefield. This can result in significant problems since you may be winning one particular battle while the enemy is busy overrunning you on all other parts of the battlefield. Click on the "A" button to get the big map. Look for color concentrations of yourself and the enemy. See where the "hot spots" are and work to resolve them before they do become problems. You can also hover the cursor over the units involved to get an idea of strength and attack power. ________________________ / 10.3 Know your enemy / ------------------------ This goes hand-in-hand with knowing the big picture. It's not enough to know where you and the enemy is, you need to know what the enemy has. This also means anticipating what the enemies next move will be. There's nothing wrong with destroying a key bridge or city to force the enemy into a battle of your own choosing. Also, know your enemy's equipment and how it rates as compared to you own. _________________________________________ / 10.4 The right unit for the right job / ----------------------------------------- When you have the above three achieved, then it is time for you to plan how to obtain your objective. If an enemy unit or units are in your way, then you must prepare for battle. It would be foolhardy to send in infantry or armored personnel carriers against an enemy force composed of King Tigers or Panthers. Since the game allows you to be flexible in how you allocate or buy resources, take advantage of that. Mix up "unit groups" to include some armor, infantry, artillery, supply, aircover, and perhaps some anti-aircraft guns. You are doing this with the mindset of making a self-sufficient group capable of mastering the challenges that are before it. Artillery is the god of war; use it for that effect. It's better to meet an enemy softened up by artillery fire then encounter one that is at full strength that could hurt you more. Also, shuffle units around to achieve the most with the least since some scenarios only allow you to have a maximum of 18 units on the battlefield. Also, the enemy may also be planning an attack and they may get the jump on you. Always expect the unexpected. _____________________________________ / 10.5 Beans, bullets, and bandages / ------------------------------------- To remain combat effective, a unit must be constantly supplied. Without these supplies, a unit will become immobilized due to lack of fuel or unable to fight due to lack of ammo. This is why it is imperative to ensure that the supply lines stay open. This is accomplished by using supply vehicles that follow units into battle. Only land units can resupply from supply units. Air and sea units must resupply at airports or harbors. A supply unit start with 60 units of supply/repair parts. For every resupply or repair of a unit, it takes up 1 unit of parts. To rebuild takes 6 units of parts. For every 6 units of parts used, the supply unit degrades by 1 unit. When a supply unit degrades 10 units, it is no longer useable. This is why you only want to use supply units when there are no friendly cities around. It's wiser to capture cities as soon as possible so your units can repair at them and save your supply units for real emergencies. __________________________ / 10.6 Damage and repair / -------------------------- After you have fought a battle (whether you won or lost) you need to take stock of what damage you have taken. All units have a maximum 10 subunits. Battle damage degrades that number. When the number hits 0, that unit is destroyed. To keep the experience and most of the training for that unit, think of this as sending in replacements to that unit. New replacements will lower the training number. With combat, that number will go back up as these replacements "learn the ropes". Supply vehicles can also repair damaged units. It takes 1 unit of parts to add 1 subunit back onto a unit. Again, if you can get fixed in a city, it is much better. Cities can repair 2 or 3 subunits of damage per turn. A definite advantage when you need to get that unit back onto the frontline as quickly as possible. Sending damaged units into a battle is a good way to ensure their elimination without them inflicting any damage on the enemy. Another area for repair and rebuilding are cities, airports, harbors, and bridges. Supply vehicles will be able to rebuild these areas at the cost of 6 parts. Therefore, it is not really wise to repair every town and airport you come across. Plan on what your direction of attack will be and if these areas are destroyed, rebuild them so your units can re-supply without having to totally rely on the supply vehicles. __________________________________ / 10.7 To join or not to join... / ---------------------------------- Chapter 9.2 explains how to join units and what the result is. If both units combined equal 10 or less, it is better to bring both units to the rear to get them repaired. The reason for this is simple, if you combine two units into one, you get the average of their training and experience. This could be bad if you have a "green" unit with no training or experience combining with one that is maxed out. Plus, if you are far away from your base, getting a new unit into battle may take too long. If combined, both units are more then 10, then you can send the "leftover" units back to the rear for repair, while you still have a maxed out unit ready to do battle. This is more of a personal preference then a general strategy. _______________________________________________ / 10.8 Don't push, I'll charge when I'm ready / ----------------------------------------------- Make sure you have all the units assembled before you make that big offensive push. This goes along with Chapter 10.4 about having the right unit for the right job. If you get too anxious to take on the enemy, you will make a lot of mistakes and may lose a lot of units with nothing to show for your efforts except destroyed units. Patience is the key and when you do achieve breakouts, ensure you have other units to back up the ones that are moving forward. There's no nastier surprise then running up against an enemy formation you know you could overcome, but you don't have any more units left to take them on. Then, you get to watch that "weak" formation take apart your troops and ruin what could have been a great drive. ___________________________________________ / 10.9 The best offense is a good defense / ------------------------------------------- There are times where you may be very weak while the enemy is very strong. You can do a couple of things to prevent your premature elimination. One is to stay one step ahead of the enemy to keep from getting engaged in a decisive battle. The other way is to set up your artillery and army units in such a position as to force the enemy to come to you. By using your artillery and airpower, you can force the enemy to try to break through your lines. When they are sufficiently weakened, you can then exploit this advantage and go on the offensive. Also, when you are "digging in", use terrain to your advantage. Hills, woods, and swamps are great places to trap the enemy and cut them down. _________________ / 10.10 Airpower / ----------------- Airpower can make all the difference in the world. Consider airpower as another unit for both close ground combat support and also something that can achieve and maintain air superiority. When your units are bogged down in front of a bunker or in a massive firefight with several enemy units, airpower can definitely tip the scales. You can also launch your planes for deep strikes to disrupt enemy formations so when your ground units do finally make contact, they encounter a much weaker enemy. Airpower also allows you to make deep strikes by landing air assault troops behind enemy lines. This forces the enemy to divide their attacks and also enables you to get a better idea of what you have ahead of you. The right mix of fighters, fighter bombers, and bombers can make short work of an enemy. On the reverse side, you can also prevent these same kind of things from happening to you if you use your air- power wisely. Airpower is also useful for doing general bombing of cities, airports, harbors, and bridges. When you bomb these targets, the enemy will lose income since these areas will be destroyed. This loss of income translates into less units you have to fight and slower enemy response time. __________________ / 10.11 Seapower / ------------------ When you have scenarios that allow you to use ships, it adds a whole new dimension to what you can do. You can use your battleships and heavy cruisers to deal out punishment far inland while you use your light cruisers and destroyers to take out coastal targets. Also in your arsenal are aircraft carriers. These ships are capable of carrying anywhere from two to four planes. These can be a supplement to your shore attack, or they can be used to scout out and sink the enemy fleet. In addition to hitting targets, seapower is a good way to take out enemy bases near the coast so you don't have to waste your air and land power on them. Landing craft also are great for landing troops behind enemy lines or for reinforcing an attack quicker then trying to move those troops via overland routes. You can also use your light cruisers and destroyers for doing recon since they have large search radii (three and four hexes respectfully). ______________________________________________________ / 10.12 No good plan survives contact with the enemy / ------------------------------------------------------ This is the rule you should have in mind when making your plans to seize objectives and tangle with enemy units. If you go too much by the plan instead of improvising for when unexpected situations arise, you will have a good chance at losing the battle or that specific campaign. Always expect the unexpected and have ready another plan in case your first fails. ____________________________________ / 10.13 But the Jones' have one... / ------------------------------------ In order for you to win battles, you need to have the latest equipment. It can be a real headache to only have a medium tank that is two years out of date when you are battling an enemy who's armor is the latest state of the art. Upgrading is cheaper then buying an entire new unit. Plus, you get the bonus of being able to transfer all the training from the old unit to the new unit. See Chapter 9.2 about upgrading a unit. There are times you may not want to upgrade. This will usually mission dependent or the upgrade may create a weapon worse then what you have. You will need to be familiar with Chapter 8.4 about upgrade paths. You may have to get a worse weapon to achieve your ultimate goal of having a vastly superior weapon to you enemy. If your equipment is two or more upgrades out of date, the game will automatically upgrade you to the next level regardless of whether you want this to occur or not. This can be a real problem if you were waiting for a certain upgrade to show up since the game will just give you an upgrade to what you qualify for. Also, experience is what is required for upgrading equipment. Don't let one unit do all the work and gain all the experience. If a unit already has 250 experience, it doesn't make any sense to let it win more battles since you can't go over 250. Spread out the experience so you can upgrade more units at one time. _______________________________________________________________ / 10.14 He who turns and runs away lives to fight another day / --------------------------------------------------------------- With all the careful planning you have put into a battle, the last thing you want to do is actually lose. Sometimes even the best plan will be laid to waste due to heavy losses, poor recon, or just plain bad luck. If any of these seem to be the case, it's much wiser to pull out and consolidate then to keep slugging it out. If you are already in trouble, slugging it out will just cause your demise to occur that much quicker. _____________________________________________________ / 10.15 Weather...complaining about it doesn't help / ----------------------------------------------------- Weather can be your best friend or worst enemy depending on what plans you have going. Bad weather can ground planes. This may interfere with proposed air- strikes or the landing of air assault troops. It can also hamper bombing raids. There's no real way to predict the weather, just keep in mind how the campaigns run because some always seem to have the bad weather. Weather also effects movement and how fast your troops go into battle. Crappy weather means the troops will move slower or not at all putting a strain on your timetable. This only applies if you have the WEATHER setting ON. See Chapter 8.4 on how to set up the weather setting. ____________________________________ / 10.15 Adversity is my middle name / ------------------------------------- Depending on the campaign you are running, you may be in for an easy or rough time. Each battle brings about its own unique set of circumstances that must be dealt with. Circumstances such as weather, the enemy, or even your own forces can have a telling effect on how your campaign is going. Even when you think things are finally set right, something comes along to disrupt that plan. Live by Murphy's Law of "Whatever can go wrong, will" and you will be better able to deal with odd situations that arise. +==========================+ | 11. CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES |=================================================== +==========================+ _________________ / 11.1 Overview /_____________________________________________________________ ----------------- The strategies for the three campaigns are what I have used to achieve complete victories. These are not the only strategies, just the best that I have found. If you have others you would like to share, please send an e-mail and you will be fully credited with that strategy. In the next three subchapters, all of the campaign strategies will follow the same basic format. This format is as follows: Name of battle (i.e. Invasion of France, Bloody Ridge, etc.) will be the subsection heading. Start date of the battle End date of the battle Maximum number of your forces Battlefield Climate Enemy stars out of five indicated by an "*" Conditions one must meet to achieve complete victory Key points to winning the battle Since the Iron Storm campaign battles are dependent on what results one achieves in previous battles, there will be a section at the bottom of each battle reflecting what battle you go to next. Note that in this game, a turn and day are the same thing. When it gives conditions like 20 turns, that is the same as saying 20 days. The key for this section is: CV = Complete victory V = Victory D = Draw You also get bonuses in the form of training, experience, and extra money depending on the victory condition you achieve in a battle. This translates to being able to upgrade faster and having better trained units for battle. As an example, let's say you have four battles. Battle three is dependent on whether you have gotten a complete victory in battle one and a complete victory or victory in battle two. If neither of these conditions has been met, then you have to go to battle four, otherwise, you go to battle three. This is how I will indicate your path to follow: _________________ / 1. Battle One / ----------------- Strategy format. ---------------------------------- = GOTO 2 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ---------------------------------- _________________ / 2. Battle Two / ----------------- Strategy format. ------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO 3 IF BATTLE ONE WAS A CV AND BATTLE TWO WAS A CV OR V; = ------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- = OTHERWISE GOTO BATTLE 4 = ------------------------- ___________________ / 3. Battle Three / ------------------- Strategy format. ------------------------------------- = REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D GAME ENDS = ------------------------------------- __________________ / 4. Battle Four / ------------------ Strategy format. ------------------------------------- = REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D GAME ENDS = ------------------------------------- Each campaign section will have a path like this to follow. The shortest route to world domination is 9 battles. If you fulfill all requirements of previous battles, then it will only take 9 battles to make you overlord of the world. For naval campaigns, things run a bit differently. Sometimes you will be assigned unique named ships. Ships such as the Bismark, Yamamoto, Lexington, etc. If you happen to lose one of these unique named ships in battle, it is lost forever. Therefore, on following battles, you may find yourself severely understrength due to the loss of these ships. The bottom line, protect these ships. Now, on to the three campaigns. ________________________ / 11.2 German Campaign /______________________________________________________ ------------------------ +----------------------------+ | 11.2.1 Invasion of France | +----------------------------+ Start: 5-10-40 End: 6-18-40 Your forces: 24 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: * out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This is a good introductory battle so you get a feel for how the game runs. This is a pretty straightforward campaign. You should concentrate on getting experience for your units. - Reduce the fortress of Eben Emal using your Ju87B's - Eliminate the Belgian forces first since they only have infantry and 75mm guns. You should be able to take out the base quickly. - The British and French armor shouldn't be much of a problem for your PzkwIV D's. Your Pzkw III's may have a little bit of a problem. - Use your 150mm gun to reduce the French fortresses. - Make more artillery and use it to maximum effect so you can be on the road to upgrade those 105mm guns to 150mm guns. - Allied airpower is relatively weak, you should have no trouble with your Bf109's. - Continue to use airpower and armor to break through the allied forces and follow up with infantry attacks. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.2 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +---------------------------+ | 11.2.2 Battle of Britain | +---------------------------+ Start: 8-7-40 End: 9-5-40 Your forces: 24 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This is a good battle for using strictly airpower to reduce and enemy down and destroy their bases. You will be up against three British squadrons for domination of the British skies. - It might be a good idea to set up two or three 88mm anti-aircraft batteries on the coast. That way you can use your planes more effectively in other areas, plus, it makes allied aircraft easier to finish off. - Set up a 150mm gun on the coast to eliminate nearby British coastal defenses. Again, this saves your aircraft for other duties. - You have the support of the another German Air Group who can work over the southwestern part of Britain. - You will need to have more long-range bombers. I like the Ju88A's since they have a better move range. Rearm them with the 250kb bombs (they can carry 8) for deep penetrations. Just be sure you know where the British AA batteries are. - Make it your goal to eliminate the British bases quickly since you are on a tight timetable in this battle. - This is a good chance to give all of your planes enough experience to be ready for upgrade when that time comes. ---------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.3 IF CV; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.2.4 = ---------------------------------------------------------- +---------------------------+ | 11.2.3 Operation Sealion | +---------------------------+ Start: 9-15-40 End: 10-24-40 Your forces: 32 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This is where you get to combine lessons learned from the first two battles to knock Britain out of the war. - Again, set up 150mm guns and anti-aircraft guns on the coast to eliminate work for you aircraft and ships. - Use your destroyers to scout out ahead of your main fleet to determine where the British warships are. The guns of your battleships should make short work of the British Navy. - Before landing your troops, make sure all coastal guns and bunkers have been destroyed or you will have a very short landing. - Your armor should be more then enough to handle the British armor. A lot of British cities have been destroyed, don't attempt to repair them all, just the ones you need to keep your advance going. - This is where the artillery pays off. Get into position so you can shell the British bases. In addition, use your bombers and ships to make short work of the bases and it will make winning that much easier. - The Spitfires may give your Bf109's a little bit of trouble but it shouldn't be a lot. - You have plenty of time to achieve complete victory plus you have an allied German Army Group assisting. --------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.4 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.2.5 = --------------------------------------------------------------- +---------------------------+ | 11.2.4 Balkan Operations | +---------------------------+ Start: 4-5-41 End: 4-24-41 Your forces: 32 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: * out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This is another what I call a training mission. The Greek and Yugoslavian armies shouldn't be much of a problem. - Right now, you should be able to upgrade a lot of your equipment. I recommend doing it since the battles after this will get harder and make upgrading a harder thing to do. - The first thing should be the elimination of the Yugoslavian army. The base is within easy reach. Just take a couple of artillery pieces and some air- craft. - You have to fight through a few fortresses to get to the Greek Army but it shouldn't be much of a problem. Concentrate on getting your army trained up and getting new units for future battles. - The Italians won't be much of a help except keeping a few enemy units busy, you will be doing a bulk of the fighting. - You should have no trouble getting a complete victory in this battle. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.5 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +-------------------------------+ | 11.2.5 Beorussian Operations | +-------------------------------+ Start: 6-21-41 End: 7-10-41 Your forces: 36 Climate: Frigid 1 Enemy: * out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns This is your introduction into Russia. This shouldn't be a whole lot of trouble since you will be facing mostly obsolete troops and equipment. - By now, most of your equipment should be upgraded. If it isn't upgraded, do it now. - Use artillery liberally to eliminate frontier outposts, then let your armor run wild. - Use airpower to eliminate Russian armored units and aircraft. Don't use everything at once or you may see something you want to hit, but don't have the airpower for it. - Be wary of Russian artillery. Those 122mm and 152mm guns can do a lot of damage. Also be wary of their AA guns since the 76mm can do a lot of damage to your aircraft. - Use your scout cars to great effect so you can see what formations you will be up against and also to give targets to your aircraft. - You should be able to get a complete victory in this battle. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.6 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.2.6 Seizure of Smolensk | +-----------------------------+ Start: 7-10-41 End: 8-8-41 Your forces: 40 Climate: Frigid 1 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns This battle will put you against two Russian Armies. It also is the intro- duction of the T34/75A main battle tank. Even with PzkwIVE's, you will have trouble with the T34. You have the support of the German 3rd Armor Group. - Immediately set up to eliminate the 20th Russian Army base just NE of your position. - Use airpower to eliminate the artillery and armor in front of your positions. - Equip your long range bombers with 250kg bombs and start hitting the Russians deep in their territory. - The Russian IL-15 and LaG3 fighters shouldn't give you too much trouble. The Russian SB2 bombers can cause problems if not eliminated. - Ensure you scout since the Russians do like to throw a few surprises your way. --------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.7 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.2.8 = --------------------------------------------------------------- +--------------+ | 11.2.7 Kiev | +--------------+ Start: 8-27-41 End: 9-30-41 Your forces: 48 Climate: Frigid 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 25 turns This is another battle putting you against two Russian Armies. This time, the distances are a lot greater so it will take more time to get to the enemy bases. The T34's are upgraded to the B model while the KV-1's have also been upgraded to the B model. Your PzkwIVE's will have quite a bit of trouble, overall, with these tanks. - Break out from your base as soon as possible, the Russian's will be building up quickly at your front. - This scenario will involve you having to split your forces. One going south while the other goes southwest. This is to ensure you can eliminate both bases in the time allotted. - Use airpower as your primary weapon to soften up the enemy. - You should be making new units and get them trained up to ensure you have a steady pool of highly qualified replacements. - The German 2nd Armor Group will be assisting from the west. Later on, another German formation will assist from the south. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.8 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +---------------------------+ | 11.2.8 Operation Typhoon | +---------------------------+ Start: 10-27-41 End: 12-5-41 Your forces: 48 Climate: Frigid 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 30 turns This will be the biggest battle you have fought yet. You are going against three Russian Armies to gain control of Moscow. You will encounter the usual armor plus new weapons such as rocket launchers. Plus, the Russian's have a new fighter, the Mig3 which can give your fighters a run for their money. The timetable will be tight on this battle. - Depending on how you did on your previous battles will determine where you will start at. The best start location is in the SW corner. - Airpower will make all the difference. You can't afford to be bogged down in small battles. The longer you take, the more that will be in front of you. - You will be splitting your forces to take care of both the Bryansk and Western fronts. You should be able to eliminate the Bryansk Front Base with minimal forces. - Moscow will be a very intense battle. Liberal use of artillery and airpower is highly recommended. In addition, bring up 2 or 3 anti-aircraft batteries since the Russian's will attempt to swamp your defenses with aircraft. - Either the German 4th Panzer or 2nd Panzer Group will be assisting you. - You should be able to train and experience up your units to the max in this battle. Try to use all 48 slots by allotting or making units. --------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.12 IF CV OR V -AND- Battle of Britain -AND- = --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------- = Operation Sealion were both CV'S; OTHERWISE GOTO 11.2.9 = --------------------------------------------------------- +--------------------------+ | 11.2.9 Burau Operations | +--------------------------+ Start: 7-5-42 End: 9-2-42 Your forces: 64 Climate: Frigid 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 40 turns You have a lot of territory and three Russian Armies to contend with. New and upgraded Russian weapons include the Yak1 fighter and KV-1C medium tank. - You need to make a quick breakout. There is a lot of ground to cover and the Russian's have a lot of forces in place to slow down your advance. - You will be splitting your forces to ensure that you use more of a broad front strategy and to eliminate bases quickly. - Airpower, as always, will make a big difference. However, the Russian planes are getting better so hopefully all your planes are maxed out on training and experience. - Make sure you upgrade all of you equipment. From this point, things only will get worse if you don't. - The battles aren't as intense as they are drawn out. There are a lot of bunker complexes you must get through to get to the bases. ----------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.10 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.2.11 = ----------------------------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.2.10 Raid on Stalingrad | +-----------------------------+ Start: 9-12-42 End: 10-1-42 Your forces: 18 Climate: Frigid 2 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns This is a small battle area that compresses three Russian Armies and two German Armies into very close quarter fighting. - Artillery and airpower are the keys to success in this battle. - There is little to no armor to oppose you so use your armor liberally. - Ensure you have the strength to take parts of the city and hold them. The Russians will throw everything at you to dislodge you. - Because it is such a small area, the bases are almost on top of each other with the exception of the Stalingrad Front base. - You will be assisted by the 6th German Army. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.2.11 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +------------------------------+ | 11.2.11 Recovery of Kharkiv | +------------------------------+ Start: 3-4-43 End: 4-2-43 Your forces: 48 Climate: Frigid 2 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 25 turns The T34 has been upgraded to version C now and Russian AA guns are now of the 85mm type. You should be able to tangle with Russian armor since you now have the Tiger I and PzkwIVF2 available. You will have to deal with two Russian Armies in this battle. - Since Russian air control has gotten better, ensure that all your fighters have maximum training and experience. - Start making some Tiger I tanks, these will not become obsolete. If you don't have enough room, get rid of your PzkwIII's. - You will have the support of German Kemph Army (or Army Group Kemph) and 2nd Army. - Make sure you upgrade your Panzer Grenadiers to SS Panzer Grenadiers. SS Panzer Grenadiers are much more effective against armor. - This isn't a very big battle area and you shouldn't have to split your forces. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.2.13 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +-------------------------------+ | 11.2.12 Operation Firesquall | +-------------------------------+ Start: 6-7-43 End: 8-14-43 Your forces: 56 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 25 turns You get to go up against one British and two American armies. All of the bases are coastal bases so you should be able to use your fleet to maximum effectiveness in destroying those bases. - Allot fighters first to sweep the area. The Spitfire IX's and Mustangs will give you some healthy respect. - Before attempting any landings or fleet operations, ensure that you have cleared out both the American and British fleets. The Italian fleet will come along later but they aren't a great help. - Get anti-aircraft set up after you have landed your troops. The American XP79 Flying Wing can cause a lot of havoc with your aircraft. It takes about five Focke Wulf's to bring one of these down. - Start Making Focke Wulf fighters. They are superior in movement and armament to the Bf109G. - You have four battleships and a light carrier. Use these to your advantage. Just make sure to send the destroyer screen out first since they have superior radar to see the enemy fleet early. - Airpower won't play as much of a role in this battle and the German army is superior to the American and British armies. ----------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.18 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE, THE GAME ENDS = ----------------------------------------------------------- +------------------------------+ | 11.2.13 Operation Tuidadele | +------------------------------+ Start: 7-4-43 End: 8-2-43 Your forces: 52 Climate: Frigid 2 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 25 turns The massive tank battle around the city of Kursk. This will be a slugging match between two titans. New Russian equipment includes the SU-122 self- propelled gun and KV-85. The Germans have added the Panther D, Elephant, Nasholn, Wespe, and Hummel to their arsenal. You will have to contend with three Russian armies and all of them are heavily armored. - There are a lot of bunkers to go through. Use your airpower, self-propelled artillery, and regular artillery to get through. - The Tiger I and Elephant can take out most major armored threats. These tanks, however, are slow and major gas-guzzlers. - Airpower will be the key to whether you can get to the enemy bases or not. There will be a lot of battles your army will become bogged down in. - You have the support of the German 9th Army. - Make sure you do thorough recon and scouting missions since the Russians like to stack up equipment at the point of attack. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.2.14 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +--------------------------------------+ | 11.2.14. Battle of Normandy (D-Day) | +--------------------------------------+ Start: 6-6-44 End: 6-30-44 Your forces: 36 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns You will have a lot of things to deal with in this battle. First, there are two American and one British armies to deal with. Also, the allies have a lot of ships to back them up. Most of your units are not at the coast so you have to move them up under constant harassment from the allies. - The American Mustang and British Spitfire IX are more then a match for your fighters. Try to gain local air supremacy. - If you get too close the coast and try to assemble, warships will put a very big hurting on your forces. Make sure to be ready to attack when just outside the warships gun range. - The equipment fielded by the German Army is superior to that of the allies in terms of armor and troops. - You will have the German 84th Corps to assist you. - To offset the punishment your planes may take, set up anti-aircraft batteries around your staging areas. --------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.2.16 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO 11.2.15 = --------------------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.2.15 Battle for Falaise | +-----------------------------+ Start: 8-15-44 End: 9-13-44 Your forces: 40 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 25 turns Since you have lost the Battle of Normandy, your forces are now in full retreat. You have two British and one American army attempting to trap a bulk of your forces. The enemy bases will be hard to get to and the allies have a lot of artillery and planes. New German equipment includes the Panther G and FW190G - Attempt to establish air supremacy by using anti-aircraft to soften up enemy planes and finish them off with your own. - Your armor and troops should be able to hold the allies at bay since they don't have anything real threatening to hurt your armor with. - The biggest problem will be allied artillery and airpower. - You are being supported by the German 15th Army although they are very armor light. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.2.16 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +-----------------------------+ | 11.2.16 Battle of Ardennes | +-----------------------------+ Start: 12-15-44 End: 1-8-45 Your forces: 48 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 25 turns The last offense of the German Army. New and improved German equipment includes the Jagdpanther and the PzkwIVH. Airpower won't be very dominant in this battle. It will be more of a slugging match of the German's trying to punch a hole through the allied lines. Bases aren't too close so it will become a war of attrition. - You may have to split your forces to accomplish the destruction of the bases quicker. - Allied airpower won't play as major of a roll in this battle, use that to your advantage. - There will be a lot of bunkers to go through, plus the allies have a lot of artillery. Make sure to reduce these areas quickly. - You have the support of the German 5th Panzer Army. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.2.17 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +------------------------------------+ | 11.2.17 Defense of the Fatherland | +------------------------------------+ Start: 2-7-45 End: 5-7-45 Your forces: 32 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: ***** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 50 turns Well, here we have the big conflict to prevent Germany from being overrun. On your left sits one American and one British Army. On your right sits one Russian Army. The Russians have added to their arsenal with the JS-II and JS-IIm heavy tanks. In addition, they have the JSU-122, 152, and SU-100 self- propelled guns. They also have the Yak9 and Il-10 fighters. The Americans have added the Jumbo Sherman and M26 Pershing heavy tank to this new arsenal. For the German's, they now have the Tiger II, Jagdtiger, Me262 and Me163 fighter jets, and the FW190F. - Although the Russians are a bigger threat, you can take out the Americans and British to eliminate the two-front battle. - Only the American Pershing will be a challenge to your tanks. - Allied airpower is almost superior to German airpower. Use AA to offset this disadvantage. - Use your forces wisely, you don't have as many as you are used to having. - The German 15th Army will assist you. ------------------------------------- = GAME ENDS REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------- +-----------------------+ | 11.2.18 Ghandi-Kabob | +-----------------------+ Start: 11-1-46 End: 12-20-46 Your forces: 64 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all enemy bases This battle will pit the best the Japanese have to offer against the best of the Germans. You face off against three Japanese armies. You are on even par in the airpower area. The Japanese have an edge in the ship area but you have an advantage in the army area. Quite an even match. - Airpower is the key. It will be jet vs jet combat since the Japanese have planes on par with yours. - In the army arena, you have the edge in armor, artillery, and troop quality. Ensure you have air supremacy before going into an area. - Fleetwise, you will have to ensure that you fight on your own terms. The Japanese have carriers and will put them to good effect. Use your destroyers for recon and attempt to ambush the Japanese fleet. - You will have the support of German Army Group B. ------------------------------------- = GAME ENDS REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------- __________________________ / 11.3 Japanese Campaign /____________________________________________________ -------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.3.1 Assault at Nomonhan | +-----------------------------+ Start: 5-12-39 End: 5-31-39 Your forces: 16 Climate: Temperate 2 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns This is a good introductory battle so you get a feel for how the game runs. This is a pretty straight forward campaign. You should concentrate on getting experience for your units. - Your air forces shouldn't have any problem taking care of enemy formations. The only real threat are a couple of artillery pieces. - Allow all of your units to get into the battle for training and experience. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.2 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.3.2 Firestorm at Haruha | +-----------------------------+ Start: 6-26-39 End: 7-25-39 Your forces: 24 Climate: Temperate 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This battle will put you against one Russian and one Mongolian army. Although the Russians have superior tanks, their air force is inferior to yours. The troops are about equal caliber. - The Mongolian Army should be your first priority of elimination. The base isn't that far away and it will give you more training and experience opportunities. - The two big threats from the Russian Army are the tanks and artillery. Use your airpower liberally to eliminate these threats. Russian planes are no match for yours. - You have the support of the Manchurian Army. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.3 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +--------------------------------+ | 11.3.3 Ambush at Pearl Harbor | +--------------------------------+ Start: 12-1-41 End: 12-15-41 Your forces: 48 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: * out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 10 turns This is strictly a fleet type battle. Your objective is to simply take out the battleships at Pearl Harbor. - The best strategy is to go after the base. Once that is eliminated, you have accomplished your goal. - Although your carrier planes have some range, their range is still rather short. Keep this in mind and put your carriers in a place so your planes can land safely and keep out of the battleships gun range. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.4 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +----------------------------------+ | 11.3.4 Lightening Raid of Malay | +----------------------------------+ Start: 12-8-41 End: 1-26-42 Your forces: 40 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 40 turns This will be your first large battle. Large in both terms of land having to be covered and the number of armies involved. You will be facing two Indian and one Australian army. There isn't a whole lot that can stop you, it's just the number of troops and the distance to each of the bases that will slow you up. - You may have to split your force up to tackle a couple of the bases. Just assess which one seems to be the more dangerous. - By now, you should have upgraded your guns and made new ones that are also upgraded. This will save you a lot of time for this battle. - Your airpower is still superior to what the enemy can put up. The Hurricanes may cause you a moment of pain. - Be aware that a British Fleet sits guarding the approaches to Malay. This can cause considerable problems if not dealt with. - You have the support of the Japanese 18th Division. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.5 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +--------------------------------------+ | 11.3.5 Invasion of Java and Sumatra | +--------------------------------------+ Start: 2-3-42 End: 3-9-42 Your forces: 32 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns You are only against two armies this time, the Dutch and American. In sea- power, you have the advantage. In airpower, you may have a challenge with the American P-40's. As far as armies go, the allies do have superior armor and artillery while the armies are relatively even. - This battle will require patience and good decision making. Although some of the Japanese planes are superior to the enemies, the American fighters can cause a lot of trouble. - This will be a slugging match since allied armor and artillery can cause a lot of damage to your forces. - Use your airpower liberally to try to even the odds a bit. If you don't, you may be overwhelmed in short order. - You have the support of the Japanese 48th Division. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.6 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +----------------------+ | 11.3.6 Operation MO | +----------------------+ Start: 4-29-42 End: 5-23-42 Your forces: 32 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns The Battle of the Coral Sea. This will pit your carrier forces against the American carrier forces. - The objective is to locate the American Task Forces before they locate you. Once you have located the American's, do not send everything up at once in case you need to do other "cleaning". - Once you have swept the seas of the Americans, you can then take care of their bases. - Keep in mind that the British have a contingent on the island so you may have to deal with them also. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.7 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +------------------------+ | 11.3.7 Hawaiian Punch | +------------------------+ Start: 5-26-42 End: 6-19-42 Your forces: 64 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns This is the Battle of Midway. You have the biggest fleet and are ready to deal the knockout blow to the Americans. The Americans have three fleets for you to deal with. This will be for "all the marbles" in terms of who will be King of the Pacific. - As for the Coral Sea, you will need to locate the American Task Forces before they locate you. If you didn't have a draw in the Coral Sea, you will face two less carriers. - You are being supported by the MI Support invasion fleet. Their job is to secure Midway Island. - You will squaring off against F4F Wildcat fighters which will give you trouble if you're not careful. - This is primarily a carrier duel so there are not a lot of capital warships (battleships and heavy cruisers) involved. ---------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.11 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.3.8 = ---------------------------------------------------------------- +------------------------------------+ | 11.3.8 Second Guadalcanal Landing | +------------------------------------+ Start: 8-17-42 End: 9-10-42 Your forces: 32 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns It will be you against the combined strength of three American Fleets. Although they haven't gotten better equipment yet, they have a lot more then you do of the old. This will take patience and quick strikes to make it through. - You are outnumbered in ships and planes. Make sure you take this into account instead of rushing headlong into battle. - Although your planes can still take on the American planes, you don't have as many and a war of attrition could easily cost you the battle. - Attempt to get to the bases that seem closest before the American's can react to what you are doing. If you play it right, you can lure them into a trap to take them out with your fleet. ---------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.10 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.3.9 = ---------------------------------------------------------------- +----------------------+ | 11.3.9 Bloody Ridge | +----------------------+ Start: 9-11-42 End: 9-30-42 Your forces: 24 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns You are in for a bitter battle. Very little road systems, very little air cover, and very little artillery will make this a very challenging battle. Against you have two Marine divisions stacked with armor, infantry, and artillery. - You cannot fight the Marines toe-to-toe and expect to win, there are too many of them. The best way is to split them into smaller groups and deal with them that way. - Hopefully you have been making and upgrading your artillery because this is where it will pay off. Use your artillery liberally to keep the Marines at bay. If you can get close enough to a base, you can shell the base to eliminate that threat. - If you can manage to get air cover, definitely use that to you advantage. - You will be supported by the Japanese Maidzru Regiment ----------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.13 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.3.14 = ----------------------------------------------------------------- +--------------------------------------+ | 11.3.10 Mantanikau River Operations | +--------------------------------------+ Start: 9-11-42 End: 9-30-42 Your forces: 16 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 15 turns You are in for a hard battle. There is no road system and all you really have is infantry to support your drive. Against this, you have the two Marine divisions stacked with armor, infantry, and artillery who are determined to end your campaigning days. - You must use artillery to even the odds. Since there are no roads, it will be difficult trying to move artillery from point to the next. Find a good area and use it as a killing ground. - Use airpower if you can to help further even the odds. - You have some anti-tank weapons but not enough to really stem the tide of American armor. Use your artillery liberally. - You will be supported by the Japanese Aoba Regiment. ----------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.13 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.3.14 = ----------------------------------------------------------------- +----------------------------+ | 11.3.11 Invasion of India | +----------------------------+ Start: 11-10-42 End: 12-19-42 Your forces: 56 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 30 turns This will be a battle to test your skills. You are going against two Indian and one British army. In aircraft, both sides are pretty even. In terms of armor and artillery you will be at a disadvantage. The fleet scale will tip in your favor (especially if you didn't get a draw in the Malay Battle). - Use your air and sea power liberally. The Indian and British tanks can wreak havoc among your lines. - Use your artillery to soften up enemy concentrations before going in. Also, ensure you use your airpower for the same reason. - Make sure you gain air supremacy. The Spitfires will give you trouble, but you should be able to overcome it with persistence. - The enemy fleet is outclasses by your battleships and heavy cruisers. - You may have to split your army in order to eliminate two bases at the same time to achieve victory. There is a lot of ground to cover. ---------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.12 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.3.8 = ---------------------------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.3.12 Assault on America | +-----------------------------+ Start: 7-6-43 End: 8-4-43 Your forces: 64 Climate: Temperate 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 40 turns You are in for one big battle. You are up against three American armies. Two bases are coastal bases but the Americans have a large fleet waiting for you. In addition, the Americans have a lot of armor and artillery plus new planes such as the P-38 and P-51 to make your life miserable. - Attempt to establish local air supremacy since the American planes can easily go against yours. - Set up and use anti-aircraft to save your planes for other duties such as tank-busting. - Use artillery liberally and make sure you soften up resistance before going in. American tanks are superior to your tanks. - You will have to go through a few bunkers and navigate around some coastal guns to get your fleet into position. Be aware that the coastal guns could cause serious damage. - Take out the self-propelled guns the American's have since they can move and shoot. ----------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.21 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE, THE GAME ENDS = ----------------------------------------------------------- +----------------------------+ | 11.3.13 Capture of Imphal | +----------------------------+ Start: 3-8-44 End: 4-17-44 Your forces: 32 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 30 turns You will be going through a lot of fortresses and bunkers in this battle. In addition, enemy tanks and artillery will make this battle a nightmare if you don't play it right. You are facing one British and one Indian army. - Use airpower and artillery to make short work of the defensive works. You can't afford to get into long battles or you will definitely lose the initiative. - Your armor is inferior to that of the enemy, keep this in mind when planning assaults where enemy armor may be lurking around. - The bases are spread out so you may have to split your forces. Make sure they are able to support themselves. - You are being supported by the Japanese 15th Army. ----------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.14 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.3.15 = ----------------------------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.3.14 New Guinea Defense | +-----------------------------+ Start: 4-22-44 End: 5-31-44 Your forces: 32 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 30 turns You are on the defensive in this battle. You will be facing superior enemy formations in all aspects; air, ground, and sea. There are two American armies you must contend with in this battle. - Use your artillery to maximum advantage to reduce down enemy concentrations of tanks and infantry. - Although you don't have much in airpower, make what you do have count. Set up and liberally use anti-aircraft guns to allow your planes to accomplish other jobs. - Your fleet isn't much of a challenge to the Americans, so mostly use it for recon type missions. - You will be supported by the Japanese 18th District Army. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.3.15 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +--------------------------------+ | 11.3.15 Sea Battle of Mariana | +--------------------------------+ Start: 6-1-44 End: 6-25-44 Your forces: 32 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This battle is a major sea and land battle. The Americans have two task forces and one ground force to keep you occupied. The Americans also have the latest planes such as the F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, SB2C Helldiver, and the TBF Avenger. You are on equal par with your planes but your fleet is much weaker then the American fleet. - Send out recon missions early to see if you can catch the American fleet napping. If you find them, send your planes and fleet to take out their carriers. - Be wary of the American battleships, they pack quite a punch and can make quick work of your fleet in no time. - Be sure to also support your troops on the ground to prevent the American ground forces from taking your base. - You will be supported by the Japanese 31st Army. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.3.16 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +---------------------------+ | 11.3.16 Leyte Sea Battle | +---------------------------+ Start: 10-17-44 End: 11-11-44 Your forces: 48 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This is your chance to defeat the American fleet once and for all. You will be against one American fleet and one American army. They have superiority in all categories. Your best chance is to try to cut them up piecemeal. - Hopefully you have been using and upgrading your planes while making new ones. You have a lot of slots for weapons; use them. - Your best hope again is to locate the American fleet and hit them before they hit you. Be wary that American planes are superior to yours. - Use anti-aircraft batteries liberally. One good tactic is to place your fleet under the anti-aircraft umbrella and force the Americans to come to you. Then chew up their planes and finish them off with yours. - You are being supported by the Japanese 32nd Army ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.3.17 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +--------------------------------+ | 11.3.17 First Kiksui Strategy | +--------------------------------+ Start: 4-5-45 End: 4-29-45 Your forces: 16 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns You are up against some serious firepower in this battle. Two American fleets are bearing down on your positions. They have superiority in planes and ships. In this battle, you will be at it alone. - You will have to keep moving while at the same time sending out scouts to find the American fleet. They have a lot of planes so you will have to be very careful on the use of your planes. - Attempt to isolate parts of the American fleet and destroy them. If you can take out their destroyers and scout planes, you may have a chance at turning the tide in this battle. ----------------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.19 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.3.18 = ----------------------------------------------------------------- +-------------------------------------+ | 11.3.18 Decisive Battle of Okinawa | +-------------------------------------+ Start: 5-1-45 End: 6-24-45 Your forces: 32 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: ***** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 45 turns This will be a major land battle. You are up against one American Marine and one American Army formation. To add to your misery, they have a big fleet in the waters around the island to make your life even more miserable. Bases are spread out and you don't have much in the way of airpower or fleet to counter this threat. - Make up for your lack of airpower by using anti-aircraft guns liberally. This may help even the odds somewhat. - Don't go after the American fleet unless you have a clear shot at a carrier. These are the ships that can cause you the most problems. - Set up artillery on the other side of fortresses to bog down the American attacks and hopefully reduce their numbers. Use this in conjunction with AA guns to really make them pay. - You will have the support of a Japanese Navy Formation. ----------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.20 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE, THE GAME ENDS = ----------------------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.3.19 Defense of Okinawa | +-----------------------------+ Start: 5-1-45 End: 6-24-45 Your forces: 24 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 45 turns In this battle, you will be facing one American Marine and one American Army formation. You actually have quite a bit of artillery and anti-aircraft guns at your disposal. Your airpower is behind the Americans as is your armor. The American bases are spread out and you have to go over a lot of broken ground to get to them. - Use your anti-aircraft guns to supplement your weak standing in airpower. If you can knock down a lot of American planes, you may be able to gain local air superiority. - Use your artillery liberally. This can be the equalizer for your lack of armor. - Make sure you go after the American artillery since the 155mm gun can do a lot of damage to you. - You will have the support of the Japanese 32nd Army. ----------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.3.20 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE, THE GAME ENDS = ----------------------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------------+ | 11.3.20 Decisive Battle of Japan | +-----------------------------------+ Start: 3-1-46 End: 4-19-46 Your forces: 64 Climate: Temperate 2 Enemy: ***** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all enemy bases This is a fight for your home islands. You have two American and one Russian army pounding at your gates. Both have superiority in armor, fleet, and troops. You have a lot of airpower but it may not be enough. - There is no best way to win this one. Your best bet would be to knock the Russians out of the battle and concentrate on the Americans. - You have the airpower and some armor, use these to slow down the American advance. - The American fleet will harass you constantly. If you can get a chance, try to take out their carriers followed by their capital warships. This will help you greatly in getting to the American bases. - You have the support of the Japanese 36th Army. ------------------------------------- = GAME ENDS REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------- +---------------------------+ | 11.3.21 Assault on India | +---------------------------+ Start: 11-1-46 End: 12-20-46 Your forces: 64 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all enemy bases This battle will pit the best the Japanese have to offer against the best of the Germans. You face off against two German armies. You are on even par in the airpower area. You have an edge in the ship area but the Germans have an advantage in the army area. Quite an even match. - Airpower is the key. It will be jet vs jet combat since the Germans have planes on par with yours. - In the army arena, you are at the disadvantage in armor, artillery, and troop quality. Ensure you have air supremacy before going into areas of heavy German troops concentration area. - Fleetwise, you will have to ensure that you fight on your own terms. The Germans don't have as many carriers but they have a lot of capital warships. Use your destroyers for recon and attempt to ambush the German fleet. - You will have the support of the Indian South Army, Indian East Army, and the Indian First Corps. ------------------------------------- = GAME ENDS REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------- _______________________________ / 11.4 United States Campaign /_______________________________________________ ------------------------------- +--------------------------+ | 11.4.1 Coral Sea Battle | +--------------------------+ Start: 4-29-42 End: 5-18-42 Your forces: 40 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy Japanese 4th Fleet base Your first major battle and you are thrown into the thick of things. You have to contend with a superior Japanese fleet and superior Japanese airpower. Plus, you have to defeat the Japanese base with your limited resources. - Use your destroyers to recon the area around you. Since you don't have very many capital ships, you will have to use your carrier planes smartly. - Build up some anti-aircraft defenses around your base since the Japanese very well may head for it. Use it as an ambush site. - This is the time to make extra planes and put them through training also since this will benefit you in later battles. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.2 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +--------------------------+ | 11.4.2 Battle of Midway | +--------------------------+ Start: 5-26-42 End: 6-12-42 Your forces: 40 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: ***** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy Japanese 1st Fleet or MI base. Victory: Defend U.S. 17th Fleet base As long as you didn't lose any carriers in the Coral Sea Battle, you will be on par with the Japanese in carrier strength. Your planes are still outmatched by the Japanese but you have a little more fleet support now. The Japanese fleet is still much stronger then yours and they are bringing in their heavy battleship the Yamato. - As before, use your destroyers and planes to recon the area so you can get the first strike on the Japanese fleet. Go after the carriers first. - Set up anti-aircraft on Midway Island. Also set up some artillery to give the invaders a nice surprise. - Since you must protect the 17th Fleet base, set up some anti-aircraft around there also. - You will have to play smartly in order to give the Japanese a good drubbing. - You will be supported by American Task Force 17 and Task Group 86. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.3 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +---------------------------------+ | 11.4.3 East Solomon Sea Battle | +---------------------------------+ Start: 8-17-42 End: 9-7-42 Your forces: 40 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy Japanese 3rd Fleet base This will mostly be a surface ship contest. If you do use carrier power, it will be in a limited role. The fleets are about evenly matched so this will be anybody's game. You will be up against two Japanese fleets. - Use your destroyers to hunt out the Japanese fleet. Put either a heavy cruiser or other destroyers behind those scouting so you can make a quick strike. Be warned, the Japanese fleet has better training and experience then you do. Be prepared for some losses. - You can keep Japanese airpower at bay with your planes or with anti-aircraft batteries shielding your fleet. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.4 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +------------------------------+ | 11.4.4 Defense of Henderson | +------------------------------+ Start: 9-11-42 End: 10-5-42 Your forces: 30 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: ** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 18 turns This is where you get to test your mettle against Japanese ground forces. They have a lot more infantry then you, however, they are lacking in the long range artillery department. Their tanks are also inferior to yours. In the air department, you will be evenly matched. You are facing two Japanese Regiments. - To prevent Japanese air strikes, set up anti-aircraft guns around your perimeter. - Set up artillery in a way as to create a killing zone so that your troops won't have to do as much fighting. This is a good time to make tanks, artillery, and troops to train for the upcoming battles. - Use your airpower wisely. It may be better to use it for recon since there are no roads into the jungle and it would prove to be bad if your troops went the wrong way. - You will have the 5th Marine Division to assist you. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.5 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +----------------------------+ | 11.4.5 New Guinea Landing | +----------------------------+ Start: 4-18-44 End: 5-12-44 Your forces: 40 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 16 turns This will be a battle of the air forces. Since both are rather evenly matched, it will become a war of attrition. The balance tips in your favor regarding the fleet and ground troops. The Japanese have a little more artillery but it can be easily taken care of. You will be facing two Japanese armies. - Set up anti-aircraft guns to supplement your own planes. This will make achieving air superiority that much easier. - Get into the Japanese rear areas and destroy long range artillery and any troop concentrations. Also take out bunkers. - Use your own artillery to disrupt Japanese troop movements and to make your move easier since there aren't a lot of good roads to follow. - You may have to split up your forces to take out both bases. - You are being supported by the 1st Marine Division. ---------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.7 IF CV; OTHERWISE GOTO SECTION 11.4.6 = ---------------------------------------------------------- +-----------------------------+ | 11.4.6 Recapture of Saipan | +-----------------------------+ Start: 5-28-44 End: 6-21-44 Your forces: 48 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: * out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This will be a major battle for your army, navy, and air forces. You now possess the superior equipment in all these areas but the Japanese still have a lot of things you must contend with. Facing you will be one Japanese fleet and one Japanese army. - Seek out the Japanese carriers for destruction. Use your destroyers and planes to scout around for them. - Your ground forces shouldn't face a whole lot of opposition as long as you can give them air support. Beware of a lot of Japanese anti-aircraft emplacements. - Start seeking out the Japanese Air Force to establish air supremacy. - You are being supported by American Task Force 51 and the SW Pacific Army. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.9 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +-------------------------------------+ | 11.4.7 Landing at Normandy (D-Day) | +-------------------------------------+ Start: 6-6-44 End: 7-3-44 Your forces: 48 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns The first big obstacle you must contend with is getting through all the bunkers and fortresses along the coastline. You have the superiority in the air and in the water. The Germans have the superiority in tanks and infantry. You are facing two German Corps. - To eliminate the obstacles, you will need artillery, air, and ship bombardment to make a quick breakout. The slower you are, the harder it will be to get through the German lines. - Use airpower to establish air supremacy. Your planes are more then a match for the German Air Force. - Use airpower and artillery to wreck German formations before they can attack you. Additionally, use the ships to cause further destruction. This is a good time to train and upgrade your troops. - Since you really don't have anything to counter the heavy German tanks, use other resources to accomplish this goal. - You are being supported by the American 7th Corps and British 2nd Army. ----------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.8 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ----------------------------------------------- +---------------------------+ | 11.4.8 Operation Dragoon | +---------------------------+ Start: 8-12-44 End: 9-8-44 Your forces: 48 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: * out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 13 turns The second part of the D-Day landings where you are coming up through the south of France. You have the superiority in the air and sea but the Germans have it on the land. You will be faced with defeating one German Army Group and one German Army. - Ensure you establish air superiority early since this will greatly aid you later on in the battle. - Set up your artillery and some anti-aircraft and pound the German lines. This will soften them up for the coming assault. - Once you have control of the air, go deep into the German rear areas to wreak havoc. At the same time, use you ships to shell the German lines. - You will be supported by the British 21st Army Group and the American 7th Army. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.4.10 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +--------------------------+ | 11.4.9 Landing at Leyte | +--------------------------+ Start: 10-17-44 End: 11-10-44 Your forces: 52 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 22 turns This will be a massive air and land battle. The Japanese have superiority in planes and fleet while you have it in the army. Your planes are still superior to the Japanese planes but they will still give you a run for your money. You will be facing one Japanese army and one Japanese Imperial Army. - Set up your anti-aircraft to even out the score in terms of aircraft. - Use your destroyers and planes to recon for the Japanese fleet. Put your big warships behind these destroyers so you can react quickly and get in a few kills. - The going will be tough on the land unless you use artillery and airpower to reduce bunkers down. Plus you need to gain air superiority over the land. - You will be supported by the American 7th Fleet. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.4.12 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +------------------------------+ | 11.4.10 Battle of the Bulge | +------------------------------+ Start: 12-15-44 End: 1-18-45 Your forces: 56 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: **** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 26 turns You will be at a disadvantage in armor. You do have the advantage in airpower and artillery. You will be assaulted by two SS Panzer Armies. - Use your artillery to good advantage since your tanks are no match for what the Germans have. - Use airpower to achieve air superiority and then pound the German formations. Also set up anti-aircraft batteries to help relieve pressure on your air forces. - Only advance when you have sufficient superiority in equipment over that of the Germans. One Tiger can be a very dangerous adversary. - You will be supported by the British 21st Army Group and the American 1st Army. ------------------------------------------------ = GOTO SECTION 11.4.11 REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------------------ +-------------------------+ | 11.4.11 Road to Berlin | +-------------------------+ Start: 4-7-45 End: 5-4-45 Your forces: 64 Climate: Temperate 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 21 turns The final battle of Europe. You will be facing an enemy that won't go peacefully. Except for armor, you have the advantage. You will be facing two German Army Groups. - Establish air supremacy immediately and use anti-aircraft batteries to supplement your air forces. - Use artillery liberally to soften up the enemy since your tanks are no match for theirs. - Go after supply trucks and artillery pieces. The latter can cause a lot of damage if left unchecked. - You will be supported by the Russian army and the British 21st Army Group. ------------------------------------- = GAME ENDS REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------- +----------------------------+ | 11.4.12 Battle of Okinawa | +----------------------------+ Start: 5-21-45 End: 6-9-45 Your forces: 48 Climate: Tropical 2 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 14 turns The first incursion into an actual Japanese territory. You have the advantage in all areas. You will be facing one Japanese Navy formation and one Japanese army. - Establish air superiority so you can get into the rear areas of the Japanese. - Reduce the forts with artillery and airpower. - Use your fleet to pound interior Japanese formations and also their bases. - You are being supported by the American 24th Corps. ----------------------------------------------------------- = GOTO SECTION 11.4.13 IF CV OR V; OTHERWISE, THE GAME ENDS = ----------------------------------------------------------- +----------------------------+ | 11.4.13 Operation Coronet | +----------------------------+ Start: 3-1-46 End: 3-25-46 Your forces: 64 Climate: Tropical 1 Enemy: *** out of ***** Complete victory: Destroy all bases in 20 turns This will be a massive battle. You have the advantage in armor and navy but the Japanese have the advantage in their air force. This will be a long and grueling battle. You are facing two Japanese armies. - Set up your anti-aircraft to get the odds in your favor regarding aircraft. Just use your air force to mop up the remaining Japanese aircraft. - Once you get air supremacy, let loose on all the Japanese formations you come across. - Use your artillery to your advantage to get through the bunker complexes. Also to soften up enemy formations before heading into them. - You may have to split your forces to get to both bases. Ensure they are self-supporting. - You will be supported by the American 8th Army and the Russian army. ------------------------------------- = GAME ENDS REGARDLESS OF CV, V, OR D = ------------------------------------- ************** ********************************* U N I T V ********************************** ************** +====================+ | 12. AFTERTHOUGHTS |========================================================= +====================+ As you can see, Iron Storm is a very involved game. You will have to make a lot of decisions and figure out your priorities to ensure you achieve victory in your battles. I hope that this guide has helped you make some of these decisions. This guide was a lot of fun to write and it involved many hours of game play since I hadn't played the game in a while. I hope you get as much enjoyment from reading this guide as I did writing it. Good luck and may the world be yours for the taking. ~~~ No trees were harmed in the making of this FAQ ~~~