A while ago I finished my 10th or attempt at this scenario and... had my best result yet.
I managed to achieve Decisive Victory with 99 points (sorta). I cheated a bit by removing 6 of the original Italian sub spawns as I always totally lost control of the shipping lanes, so that helped a lot. I also did some reloading to the test the waters on the feasibility of a major siege.
I'd say 2.0 is easier and much better than v1.
I was able to do this well because having played several times I knew when the Nationalist assaults were coming, it is absolutely critical to know what to prepare for and where to focus defenses and offenses.
First off it was crucial to send a couple of decent fighters to Bilbao to blunt the offensive, I'd stack em over trenches letting some aircraft impale themselves and confusing the bombers so they don't annihilate the defense in concert with the ground forces. Also in that sector I fully retreat to the Trench line and Guernika asap, holding Guernika is feasible as its got defensible terrain. Later some aircraft come from the West (could never hold Asturia) so gotta be ready for that but by then it's easy.
First fighters gotta go to Cordoba region which I found fairly easily to hold, rush a lot there to absorb the african infantry, make sure the fighters are positioned well to defend, when you got spares stack 2 or 3 on mountains to absorb or block some routes. Holding Guadix against Granda is pretty easy and it was my first counter offensive, after they run out of Italian troops there capturing cities there becomes quite feasible. Sevilla I found impossible because thats where troops spawn/moveto, but I managed to snag Cadiz.
Talavera, W of Toledo is on a river a better spot to hold up and will be subjected to some air attack so mass infantry and a couple of fighters is enough though.
Madrid was often tricky, in the earlier plays I thought it was fine and then bang massacre. Holding Guadalajara is vital, if it falls Madrid can be a real mess. Didnt counter there until late ingame. Also knowing the Barbarian uprisings was critical, like the Cartagena one caught me off guard couple of times and man its a disaster, you lose ships, a vital artillery production and port. Defending against barbs in Barcelona and Bilbao was easy as I always had lots of stuff in the area to spare for a couple of turns. I always took Teruel as early as possible, before the first major offensive from Zaragoza. Then after absorbing the two major offensive which are nuts and require the most prep in terms of fighters and tanks. After thats mopped up sieging the cities becomes feasible.
One thing that bugged the
out of me earlier plays was that after capturing a city there's a counerattack but if you lose the city and then retake it again, same counter-attack, I feel its unfair, can there be a JUSTONCE flag or something?
And yeah I played super meticulous this time, super micro managing everything. You gotta be at the top of your game to win this scenario. But generally I just built as much 155s as I could and its all about protecting and using your fighters. Taking out units on riverbeds with fighters is important but not if youre losing em to Nationalist fighters, so don't.
Countering from Bilbao was hella hard because of the Requetes that spawn there, but I was able to take Pampalona eventually but luring em all out so therd only be the 4 that spawn when I initiate the siege with superior numbers of 155s.
Anyways I have like no damn criticism, I've had 10 or so attempts, spend maybe 100 hours with this Scenario and loved it.
This is easily one of the best Civ2 scenarios ever! Thank you McMonkey.
