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| Blitzkrieg - Burning Horizons Strategy Guide |
| by SSVicious |
| Version 0.4 |
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Table of Contents
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1I. Introduction
2BS. Basic Strategy
3U. Units
4CW. Campaign Walkthrough
5C. Conclusion
1I. Introduction
----------------
Welcome! I suppose you are here because you are either thinking about getting
Blitzkrieg: Burning Horizons, or you are having difficulty in-game. Either way,
I am here to help you! B:BH can be difficult for newbies to the strategy genre,
and because of that I have includeda section entitled "Basic Strategy". It will
guide newbs through the basics needed to succeed in reallife combat as well B:BH
combat (they are essentially the same, due to the realism of the game). Next, I
will break down the units that are in Burning Horizons. There are over 50 new
units from the original Blitzkrieg game. Then, I will guide you through the
campaign mode. Well, have fun, and I hope I can help!
2BS. Basic Strategy
-------------------
1 - Move Slowly, and Save Often - This is a biggy! Don't rush through the game,
it gets your soldiers killed. Progress slowly but surely, planning all of
your next steps. If you need to, pause the game and give orders, the
tutorial mode in-game will show you how to do this.
2 - Plan Ahead and Read Objectives - Before the mission ever begins you need to
know what to do. You can't wander around blindly in this game! Read all of
the background information for every mission, and always interpret the maps
they give you. The maps are simple enough to understand, but you must plan
a little bit ahead. However, you don't know the enemy's forces, nor do you
know where they are located. That is okay! The plan you created before the
mission will go out the window as soon as the action starts. The point of
making the plan beforehand is so that you have a guideline to go by.
Situations change once the battle starts, so don't be afraid to adapt.
3 - Secure the Air - The most important aspect of the Blitzkrieg is to have air
superiority. It is as true in real life as in this game. The game allows
you Dive Bombers, Bombers, and Fighter planes. Use these to great effect!
Your ground forces need to progress, but usually you will be confronted
with a greater force than your own. Sometimes you won't even get any tanks
to use, but there will be tanks fighting you. When the enemy is in a good
defensive position, it is always a good idea to call in Dive Bombers. This
is good against entrenchments or a lot infantry and/or tanks. Bombers are
good for larger enemies such as tanks. And the Fighter planes will help you
against the enemy's bombers. But there are certain things you must do
before you call in your Luftwaffe! You must secure the way. They will be
ineffective if they are shot down! Take out any anti-aircraft guns that you
can, and call in fighter planes when necessary to take out enemy fighters
that might destroy your recon planes or dive bombers. Remember: air
superiority is the most important aspect of the Blitzkrieg. Don't hesitate
to use your Luftwaffe!
4 - Use Entrenchments - Infantry can use trenches that are in the ground. This
provides them with good cover. If you can get an entrenchment, you can
hold off against a great deal of enemies. Also, certain vehicles can
entrench themselves with sandbags and such. This is very effective,
especially if the vehicle does not have very much armor in the front. A
good tactic is to progress until you meet the enemy and then entrench
your vehicles. This is very good against waves of infantry that would
otherwise destroy such things as armored cars.
5 - Don't Use Front Attacks! - Frontal attacks are very deadly when used again
a heavily-fortified enemy. There are very few instances where a frontal
attack is necessary or advisable. Sound tactics will get less men killed
than an idiotic frontal assault. It may look cool to have hundreds of men
on-screen at once with one goal in mind... but it will look very stupid
when they get slaughtered. Don't try any D-Day assaults!
3U. Units
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Coming Soon!
4CW. Campaign Walkthrough
-------------------------
You are Field Marshall Rommel and you will command forces through 18 of
Rommel's most famous missions!
***Mission 1***
Mission: Capture the Crossroads
Occupy the Town
You are told to not hesitate to grab the crossroads as they are very
defensible. This is not quite correct. The crossroads are not that
important. That means you can take some time getting there.
Move your trucks containing infantry near the north-east corner of
the map. Leave them there. Take your armored vehicles (including your
repair truck) and head along the road leading south-west. Keep your
repair truck farther away so that it can't be damaged, but keep it near
enough so that it can repair when necessary. A path leading to the south
will have about 10 infantry waiting to kill you. Entrench your armor and
kill them. Move further up near the crossroads. Entrench your armor.
Destroy the enemy as they come, and specifically target their anti-tank
weapons and machine guns. After they have been destroyed, you have captured
the crossroads. Repair your armor. Phase 1 of the mission is complete!
Deploy your infantry and move your trucks out of the vicinity. Use a
recon plane to fly over the middle of the town. The town is quite heavily
defended, and you can't just walk in there! Have all of your infantry attack
the town from it's east side. They will encounter machine gun fire. Drive
your armor fairly close and entrench. Then, order your dive bombers
to bomb the middle of the city. Drop a sniper off (using air power) behind
enemy lines near the northern entrance of the town. Only do that once you
have cleared the middle of the town of the enemies. Use the sniper for
recon and make sure no one is hiding anywhere. Phase 2 of the mission is
over! You will then receive 4 tanks! Good job!
***Mission 2***
Mission: Capture the Southern Bridge
Capture the Middle Bridge
Capture the Northern Bridge
You are told to capture guns from the southern bridge. This is not
necessary. Those guns need to be knocked out quickly before they can
mutilate your infantry.
Use your sniper to check out the southern bridge. Don't get too close,
or he will be shot. Take your morters and anti-tank guns and position them
near the bridge. They will shoot from a distance. Call in a bomber and have
him bomb the positions with the armored guns. Make sure you take out the
anti-tank gun hiding behind the tree. Use your infantry from behind to take
the bridge. It will take heavy casualties. Whent he bridge is secure, move
all of your infantry from the other side, to the enemy's side of the bridge.
Many people have asked me why you shouldn't do pincer attacks on the rest
of the bridges, pounding the bridges from both sides. My response is that
bridges are some of the most tactically defensible structures in the world.
You can hold off an enemy for a very long time if you control the side of the
bridge that they want. So, throwing infantry into the bridge will just get
your troops butchered. Now, phase 1 is complete!
Move your morters and anti-tank guns behind a natural cliffside near the
river. The cliff is really small, but your troops can shoot right over it.
Have your infantry move a little to the north, but make sure they are
concealed by the trees. Use your dive bombers to pound the troops behind the
middle bridge to pieces. Call in fighter planes to keep your infantry from
being bombed all at once. The enemy could bring in bombers, and since your
infantry is all bundled together, there would be heavy casualties. If you
placed your infantry in the right spot, most of the enemy's troopers will
come and attack you. You are a very defensible position, however, so they
will be butchered. Your dive bombers should meanwhile be knocking out the
enemy tanks and anti-aircraft guns, as well as infantry. When the enemy has
been mostly destroyed, come in the town and clear out the rest. The middle
bridge should be secured, and the hardest part of the mission is over. Phase
2 complete!
By now, most of your troops are probably dead. You will have about 20
infantry-men as well as your morters and anti-tank guns. Most of your ammo
will be depleted. That is alright. There are still about 70-90 men that you
have to kill, including machine guns, but you will be okay! Suddenly it will
start to rain and you can't fly your aircraft anymore! That is alright, this
will give you time to place your troops before you launch the final assault.
Bring your men to the rear of the town and have them sit there. Some enemies
will come to investigate. Destroy them. By this time, the enemy will know you
are there. But then the storm clears, and it is time to bring out your dive
bombers. Then you will see a ton of men enter from the eastern side of the
bridge. AND.... they have entrenchments. They are heavily defended, including
machine guns. Use your dive bombers to great effect in the town. Your main
mission is the capture of the bridge, not the destruction of the enemy. Now,
call up air support, but drop paratroopers this time. Over the course of about
two minutes, 50-60 paratroopers will drop. Make sure you put the drop placement
behind the bridge on the other side, and behind the entrenchments. By the time
you have captured the bridge, your paratroopers will be ready. Cross the bridge
with what remains of your original force and use your paratroopers to pound the
entrenchments from both sides. Finally, it will be over. Then, from the eastern
road you will receive some panzer battalions. Wow, you could have used those!
Anyway, take them to the other side of the bridge and phase 3, as well as the
mission, will be over!
***Mission 3***
Mission: Rout the Opposing Army on the East Bank
Occupy the West Bank
This mission is rather easy and does not require the use of your tanks
except for the very beginning. The mission is quite easy, so we are going to
use our infantry rather than use our tanks - they may get destroyed... and
we need all the tanks we can get for future missions!
First, move half of your tanks to the west side of the road, and half to
the east. These will be your pincers! Move your infantry a little bit forward.
Now, move all of your other units to the little bridge on the other side of
the river. Now, everything is in place.
Move your pincers forward, and hit the enemy from the sides. Bring your
infantry forward and have them engage the enemies in the trenches. Blitz
through the town using your tanks and destroy all enemy tanks. Eventually,
the enemy will be routed. When you near the bridge, you will find it
destroyed. Leave your tanks here, because you want them to be kept in good
shape. Take all of your infantry to the wooden bridge. Phase 1 is complete!
Move all of your infantry across the wooden bridge. Bring them in a mass
sweeping motion to the southwest. Engage all enemies and stay away from the
coastline for now. Eventually you will engage some enemy tanks. Now, call
in your bombers and fighters. Once the tanks have been destroyed move towards
the coastline. Go up the small hill/cliff and engage the artillery. When
they are defeated, move down and fight the men in the trenches. Once
completed, move north and fight the last remnants of the enemy.
Now, it is time to finish the mission! Have your repair trucks repair
the destroyed bridge. Then, cross it with your tanks, and all of your other
troops. Mission complete!
Some of you may be wondering why I waited to repair the bridge. Well, if
you have been following this guide, you will know what I think about bridges
and their strategic defenses... now would not be the best time to get your
panzers destroyed. Anyway, good job!
***Mission 4***
Mission: Break Through the Maginot Line
This is the hardest mission you have encountered so far, but you can make
it much easier on yourself by planning a bit ahead. Recon airplanes are
essential to this mission, as is air superiority.
The first thing that you will want to do is send out a recon plane to the
middle of the right side of the map. Make sure you know what you will be
facing. Now, move all of your troops to the southern most corner on the map.
Deploy all of your infantry and move them a little bit ahead. Make sure you
aren't seen until the last moment! Move your tanks behind your infantry.
Move in dive bombers and fighter planes, and while they deal with the ground
forces, move your engineers in to clear the mine fields ahead, as they can
wreak MAJOR havoc on your infantry. Once the air is secure and the enemy
infantry has been softened up, move in with your infantry. Keep it a little
bit away from the side of the map, and move your tanks in a straight line
along the side of the map. Now you have basically broken through the line.
All that is left is to move as quickly as possible to the other side of the
map, and the objective point.
You need to get out of this area rather quickly because enemy artillery
is bombarding you. Move all of your troops towards the town. Make sure
you send out your recon planes, and have your fighters and bombers near the
middle of the map so your flanks won't be attacked. Now, you have two
choices... you can send in your infantry to the town to shoot the enemy that
hides in the houses... or you can bust right through with your tanks! I
chose to break right through, and with the air superiority you should have
no problem. If ever you forget to send out planes, however, you will be
in trouble.
The mission was quite easy, as you have just seen. Now, perhaps we should
analyze this. If you had taken your forces to the left side of the map
and attempted to take the fortress from behind (though it wasn't part of
the mission, you may be feeling gung-ho enough to try it), you would have
met impenetrable defenses. I've only been able to take the fortress by
bombing it to pieces (which loses a lot of air power), and with a heavy
loss of life. It CAN be done, but it isn't necessary.
Anyway, the enemy has a large mine field that will butcher your
infantry. Because the enemy is so numerous in this area, it is impossible
to send out your engineers to clear the field. So you basically have to
bust through mine fields while encountering artillery and infantry. But
like I said, if you are feeling gung-ho, try it... but be prepared to lose
most of your men, if you even succeed.
Let's now take a look at the only other option available... storming
through the north road. This is the worst plan that there is. First,
the mine fields will destroy you. Then, there are tons of enemy infantry
in numerous trenches, not to mention loads of artillery. If you managed
to get through that (which is possible, but you will be left with only
tanks afterwards, no infantry), you must walk right by the fortress. This
would be devastating, unless you took a breather after fighting through
the first defenses and sent in your aircraft. Many of your aircraft would
be lost, and then you would be harassed by enemy aircraft as you walked
by the fortress, to your destination. Now, I have been able to beat it
in this manner, but I lost a whole lot of my men. It is senseless to go
this way. At least if you go the other way you will capture the fortress
which is of strategic value. If you go this way... you have no heart for
your soldiers!
***Mission 5***
Mission: Knock Out AA Guns
Destroy 3 Tanks in the Base
Repel Enemy Tank Reinforcements
Be prepared for a rather fun battle that has various missions. It is
not very hard, but it has some snags for those who don't recon.
The first part of the mission revolves around getting air superiority.
You start off with your units separated, your tanks and AA guns on the
bottom. Move them diagonally across the field until you get to the middle.
Scout around with your motorcycle men for a little and find out the weak
points. You will find that a frontal assault is in your best interests.
Bring your tanks forward enough to engage the enemy. Concentrate all
firepower upon the AA guns and when they are destroyed, fight the
infantry. While your tanks are going towards the AA guns, have your
basic infantry move to the side to take the trenches from the right side.
This would be a good time to bring in your repair truck and repair any
tanks that have been damaged. You will need your tanks in tip-top shape!
With the AA guns gone, you are now told that you must destroy 3
French tanks to make them go into full flight. Recon the town a little
and then you will find their main base. When the recon plane comes
back send in your bomber (not your dive bombers). Have them hit the
tanks. It should destroy a few. When you get air support back, bring in
the dive bombers. Have them pick off the infantry. As they attack, bring
your tanks in for a final fight against the French. Target each tank
and then once 3 have been destroyed the French will be in full flight.
But now you get word that Rommel has found some British tanks coming
towards the main road. This can not be allowed to happen! You must repel
the enemy tanks. Go back to the area where the tanks will be arriving.
Entrench your tanks, and bring up any reserves that you may have left.
When the tanks come, target each one individually, and eventually they
will all be destroyed!
****MORE MISSIONS COMING SOON!****
5C. Conclusion
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Well, hopefully this guide has helped you somewhat. It isn't quite complete
yet, but as far as I know, it is the only guide available on the internet!
