In vanilla, here is how the game works as Germany:
1) France. Puts units in Maginot line, you attack Belgium and Holland, and except for a few scattered units nothing even slows you down as you capture Paris and everything else.
2) Norway. There are only a few units. You just blast Oslo and walk unopposed to Narvik.
3) England. It is a challenge to avoid the navy, but once you get across the channel after beating France there isn't much challenge.
In HSR 1.02 playing normal/furious:
1) France. The AI tried to pull units off the Maginot line, but the Germans are fast enough that they can still win via a quick blast through the low countries. Even though it wasn't too hard, it was still immeasurably better than vanilla.
2) Norway. Norway garrisoned every beach province, which is nasty since a lot of those are mountains. I didn't feel confident using my navy to go after Narvik, so I had to go overland, which was a disaster. This is a 1000% improvement over vanilla.
3) England. England garrisoned its beaches better. I don't know if it is an HSR thing, but there are brutal stacking limits on seaborne invasions. I reloaded several times before I figured out that your best chance is to attack with just a few small stack of very elite marine units.
Even after Sealion, England is fighting very hard, and the battle in North Aftrica has gone back and forth. The Italians went to the Suez Canal, then were pushed back almost to Benghazi (but the Afrika Korps event didn't fire because they didn't get Tobruk), and now they are back almost to the canal again.
Very good job in my opinion. HSR rescues HOI2 the same way it rescued HOI1. HOI1 was fun until you figured out that it was impossible to challenge yourself -- it's yet another good-looking game with great mechanics and an AI that tries very hard, but in final analysis is dumber than a box of mud. The HSR mod is a vast improvement.
bruce
1) France. Puts units in Maginot line, you attack Belgium and Holland, and except for a few scattered units nothing even slows you down as you capture Paris and everything else.
2) Norway. There are only a few units. You just blast Oslo and walk unopposed to Narvik.
3) England. It is a challenge to avoid the navy, but once you get across the channel after beating France there isn't much challenge.
In HSR 1.02 playing normal/furious:
1) France. The AI tried to pull units off the Maginot line, but the Germans are fast enough that they can still win via a quick blast through the low countries. Even though it wasn't too hard, it was still immeasurably better than vanilla.
2) Norway. Norway garrisoned every beach province, which is nasty since a lot of those are mountains. I didn't feel confident using my navy to go after Narvik, so I had to go overland, which was a disaster. This is a 1000% improvement over vanilla.
3) England. England garrisoned its beaches better. I don't know if it is an HSR thing, but there are brutal stacking limits on seaborne invasions. I reloaded several times before I figured out that your best chance is to attack with just a few small stack of very elite marine units.
Even after Sealion, England is fighting very hard, and the battle in North Aftrica has gone back and forth. The Italians went to the Suez Canal, then were pushed back almost to Benghazi (but the Afrika Korps event didn't fire because they didn't get Tobruk), and now they are back almost to the canal again.
Very good job in my opinion. HSR rescues HOI2 the same way it rescued HOI1. HOI1 was fun until you figured out that it was impossible to challenge yourself -- it's yet another good-looking game with great mechanics and an AI that tries very hard, but in final analysis is dumber than a box of mud. The HSR mod is a vast improvement.
bruce
(that said my first few trys at the Ardennes offensive in HoI2 ended in the rerun of the Great War.)
