Description[]
The Somme is the fourth scenario of the German Campaign of Empire Earth.
Briefing[]
The Somme: 1918
Following the withdrawal of Russia from the war, Germany's troops on the Eastern Front have been transferred to the west for a final, all-out assault. The main offensive, code-named "Michael", is the be centered on the Somme river Valley near Saint-Quentin. With luck, the Allies can be thrashed before fresh troops arrive from the United States, who has just entered the war.
Freiherr Richthofen, suffering constantly from a head wound that refuses to heal, has grown bitter and weary. Nonetheless, he cannot bear to abandon the courageous men on the ground. He and his squadron, Jasta 11, will help hide German preparations for the assault from enemy eyes.
Starting conditions[]
Your initial territory is a small town at the very north-eastern tip of the map. The territory is encircled by forest and barbed wire.
You have control over a Town Center, which can produce Citizens, German Officers and Observation Balloons. You have an Aerodrome, with five Fokker Fighter/Bombers garrisoned. You also have two Barracks, a Tank Factory, and a Siege Factory.
You have control over six Citizens. The Citizens can build all buildings typical to the era.
Your territory has two Forage Patches, lots of Trees, a Stone Mine, Gold Mine and Iron Mine.
You also have the following initial resources
Objectives[]
- Build the largest invasion force possible without being detected. Prepare quickly - once the battle has been joined, resources will become scarce. If anyone blunders across your troops, they must be caught and killed before they reach their superiors with the news.
- Destroy the enemy Town Centers at Peronne, Roye, and Montdidier. Build a Barracks on each site.
First stage[]
At the beginning of the scenario, you are required to train and improve your military force as quickly as possible before your location is discovered by the enemy.
Second stage[]
When your location is discovered, you will not be able to produce more units. At this point, you need to repel an invading British force. When the invasion has been repelled, you must take your forces southward and destroy town centers at Peronne, Roye and Montdidier. When each town center is destroyed, you must build a Barracks on the site.
History[]
Lenin, leader of the Russian Revolution in 1917, pulled Russia out of World War I. With the Eastern Front thus abandoned, it gave Germany one last chance at total victory. But timing was everything, for the United States had finally entered the war. The German High Command knew they had to achieve victory on the Western Front before the American troops arrived. They chose to attack at the Allies' weakest point: the Somme River Valley near Saint-Quentin. More than a half-million German troops were transferred from east to west for the offensive.
Although the German drive into the Somme seized more of the Western Front than any offensive since 1914, it was a case of too little too late. The American reinforcements arrived in Spring 1918 and the Allies were able to turn the Germans back before Amiens, stealing any hope of a German victory. The counterattack was pressed and, by the Fall of 1918, Germany was ready to agree to an Armistice, which was singed on November 11, 1918.
The subsequent Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, assigned to Germany both blame for the war and crippling reparations to be paid to the Allies. These terms were not part of the original Armistice. Additionally, Germany lost significant territory to the Allied nations. In large part, the Treaty of Versailles and the bitter feelings it aroused in Germany served to bring about an even more terrible war in Europe just 20 years later.
Hints[]
- Patrol the perimeter of your base on the ground and in the air to ensure that no one discovers your secret and lives to tell about it. But don't stray too far, because if the enemy sees your scouts, they will be harder to catch before they report the information.
- All buildings outside of your starting area must be guarded by ground troops or they will leave your control. This includes the Barracks that you must build at Peronne, Roye, and Montididier.
- You can use Transports to cross the river if you like, but the bridges to the west may be more practical.
- Engineers can be used to build Pillboxes and Barbed Wire.
- Cargo Trucks can be used to move foot soldiers quickly across the battlefield. Load and unload the trucks like any transport.
- The Albatros is much more effective against other aircraft than the Fokker.
Storyline[]
German Commander: With Russia out of the war, we have plenty of everything but time. We can requisition whatever troops and equipment we need, but we must hurry, before the English detect our base.
If the Population Capacity reaches it's maximum amount.
German Commander: A mighty sword hangs over the English and they are none the wiser. But our presence can be concealed no longer. On to Perone!
If anything gets constructed further out from the main base.
German Commander: This deep in enemy territory, our buildings must be guarded. We'll leave a man in sight of each one, or they'll be useless to us.
If the main base gets discovered by the British or French forces.
German Commander: We have been discovered! News of our presence must not reach the enemy commanders. Hunt down the intruder!
If a plane tries going through a line of trees.
German Pilot: The headwinds over this part of the valley are too strong. Our planes must turn back, rather than risk a crash in the woods.
A Barracks gets constructed in Peronne.
Manfred von Richthofen: Peronne is ours, Commander. The advance on Roye may proceed.
There is a delayed response from the commander.
Manfred von Richthofen: Commander? Peronne is under German control.
German Commander: We have received word from the Kaiser. In appreciation for his service and in recognition of his immense value to the Fatherland, the hero Manfred von Richthofen is being recalled from active duty.
Manfred von Richthofen: I see. I am being sent into retirement. Regrettably, the squadron and I have left for Amiens and this important news goes undelivered. They would have me fight stacks of paper, Commander. Good luck at Roye.
German Commander: High Command has delivered more resources to continue our push, but there are only so many healthy men left to recruit - an unwelcome truth.
A Barracks on Roye is constructed.
German Commander: We have Roye! But the reinforcements approved by Central Command are thin. May we find the strength to reach Montdidier.
The British launch a surprise attack.
German Commander: The English have launched an attack on our flanks. They are trying to split our force in two!
If control is lost over Perone.
German Commander: We have lost control of Peronne, Peronne, Roye, and Montdidier must all be secured if our mission is to succeed.
If control is lost over Roye.
German Commander: We have lost control of Roye, Peronne, Roye, and Montdidier must all be secured if our mission is to succeed.
If control is lost over Montdidier.
German Commander: We have lost control of Montdidier, Peronne, Roye, and Montdidier must all be secured if our mission is to succeed.
A Barracks on Montdidier is constructed.
German Commander: At the pinnacle of our victory comes the lowest of news. Freiherr von Richthofen was shot down over Amiens. He is dead - a single bullet through his heart. Jasta 11 has returned to cover our lines. Already, a new man flies at the head of the Richthofen Squadron. May he be as great as his predecessor.
Hermann Goering: My name is Hermann Goering. As of this moment, I am taking charge.
Walkthrough[]
Briefing[]
- Objectives: build up your army secretly, then conquer three French cities
- Difficulty: easy to medium
- Civ points: Artillery, Tanks, Buildings and Fighter Planes should have gotten their attack/range upgrades in the last scenarios. Now, you focus on Bombers: attack, area damage, speed, hitpoints = 23 civ points. If you have points left, flight time and hitpoints for Fighters are the next priority. Airplanes are the main attack force in this scenario and very important throughout the rest of the campaign. It is possible to win the scenario with zero casualties.
- Tactics: This walkthrough assumes that you are familiar with basic tactics
As usual, this scenario has two phases. At the start, pause with F3, give the first batch of orders and unpause. Use F3 often.
Phase 1: Preparations[]
The game introduces some new mechanics:
- The first phase ends when you reach pop cap -1, that is 114. If you achieve this, you get 10 civ points. It also ends when your base is discovered and the scouts get home to report this, but then you do not receive civ points. You want to intercept all scouts without exception.
- You begin this phase with 15k of each resource, but when it ends, you loose all but 1,000 food.
- If you construct buildings outside of your main base, you have to guard them with an unit in its vicinity, or you loose control over the building. The only exceptions are Towers and AA Guns.
You start with Richthofen, 5 Fokkers and some Citizens.
Economy[]
- Do not gather resources, because you do not need them now and you will loose all of them at the end of this phase, but prepare to do so in the next phase.
- Train 37 Citizens for future resource gathering: 8 for food, 6 for gold, iron, stone and wood each, and 5 as a construction team.
- Populate the main Town Center to a full Capitol (50/50) to later receive the full bonus of 100% when you start gathering resources.
- Build a Granary north of your Capitol and populate it (8/8).
- Populate the settlement at the woods south of your Capitol to 30/50.
- Build a Hospital and research the bonus for Citizen speed.
Defense[]
- Immediately set the rally point for your airport slightly southwest of your base. Group them to be able to react fast when enemy scouts (Infantry, Fighters, Bombers) are detected. Build Albatros fighters to complete the squadron.
- Build many Towers and Pillboxes at every entrance and generally at the perimeter of your base. Build many AA Guns behind them.
- Build a Dock at the river (near the eastern edge of the map). Secure it with lots of AA Guns.
- If you want, you can later secure the entire river with AA Guns.
Army[]
The enemy attacks with great numbers of airplanes. But his defenses against air attacks are weak: only Peronne has some AA Guns, the other to cities have none. So Aircraft will be your main attack force. Build and group the following units (here suggestion for the hotkeys):
- Group 1: 15 Fighters/Fokkers
- Group 2: 15 Bombers (build a second Airport near the first)
- Group 3: 10 Tanks
- Group 4: 5 Artillery
- Group 5: 5+ Partisans (later 20) and 2 German Officers
- Group 6: 2 Snipers
- Group 7: Fighter Airport
- Group 8: Bomber Airport
- Group 9: 5 Citizens (construction team)
- Group 0: Engineers (construction team)
- 1 Battleship
When you are done with the preparations, build until you reach the pop cap and receive the 10 civ points.
Phase 2: Attack[]
Pause with F3 and order your Citizens to work. When you have enough resources, let some of them populate the Capitol in the woods so you have pop space to build Partisans until you have 20 of them.
Notes on air attacks:
- Timing: Attack at moments when the enemy lost planes at your defenses. Use these windows of opportunity.
- Fighters: Give them a head start. Use the move & attack order (Ctrl+right-click) so that they are not defenseless targets on the way to the front.
- Bombers: After 10-20 seconds, send the bombers. Destroy the following priority targets: first the Airports, then Siege Workshops, Tank factories, Hospitals and Barracks.
Peronne[]
- River: let the Battleship destroy what AA Guns it can reach on the southern shore. Beware of the mines and shoot at them. When you are done, retreat the ship to the Docks. It now serves as a distraction for enemy planes. Make sure your AA Guns at the Docks reach enough into the west to take down all enemy fliers heading to our base on this eastern route.
- Western village: Advance with your Snipers until they spot the village after the first bridge. Destroy it with an air attack or with your ground forces. Station your army at the second bridge to intercept all enemy troops.
- Air attack: With the coastal AA Guns out of the way, launch an air attack (see notes above) directly at Peronne. Set the rally points at the town center (it is shown on the map). When you spot the Airports, target them with your bomber squadron.
- Mop up: destroy all red and blue structures, including barbed wire, to reduce the field of vision of the enemy.
- Forward Base: Move your ground forces to Peronne and use it as a forward base. Build defenses to the southwest, south and southeast where you will face attacks. Build some Towers, a few Pillboxes and 30-40 AA Guns, ideally in clusters of 6. Place a hospital so that defense troops are in its range. When Peronne is secured, build 2 Airports and move your fighter and bomber squadrons there.
- NO Barracks: do not build Barracks at Peronne, because then you will loose Richthofen and his Fokker companions. You want to use him until the end of the scenario.
Roye[]
Roye is simple. Save the game, send your Fighters there where the briefing map shows Roye, discover the position of the airports and reload. Launch an air attack (see notes above) on Roye. Repeat until you destroyed what your planes can reach. Let your ground forces mop up the rest.
Flank attack[]
Retreat with almost all units back to Peronne. Let the Partisans at Roye. Go with them in the direction of Montdidier. Save the game. When they reach a certain point, this will trigger an attack on Peronne from the southeast with Infantry, Tanks, AT Guns and Artillery. Reload, let your planes rally at the point of the attack and then trigger the attack again, send your Partisans back to a point south of Royes and manage the defense of Peronne.
Montdidier[]
Advance with all ground forces to the south of Montdidier. If you can, destroy the the airports with your artillery, using a Sniper or a Tank as spotter. Then let your airforce destroy the enemy ground forces and mop up in the city with your ground troops. If you can not reach the airport with your ground forces due to heavy resistance, do an coordinated ground and air attack.
To finish the scenario, build a Barracks at the marked area at Peronne, then one at Roye (5 civ poins) and finally one at Montdidier (10 points).
Alternative Walkthrough[]
First Stage[]
The first objective of the scenario is to build your forces before you are "discovered" by the enemy. The risk of discovery comes from single enemy units (Fighter Planes or Doughboys) who periodically walk into your territory LOS and then withdraw. The best option for catching and killing these units is to set a gather point for your Fokker Fighter/Bombers just outside your town limits. Increase these units' Speed, Range, and Flight Time, and create extra units to keep the area covered.
Your goal should be to reach at least 80 total units, consisting mostly of military. You have plenty of resources at this point, so assign Citizens to build 88mm AA Guns and Towers and on your vulnerable borders. Create a few more Citizens to speed up production. Another option is sending Citizens to build a Dock on the river bank directly south of your territory, and creating a few Transport Ships. These ships may save travel time later in the scenario, as crossing the river is much faster than having to walk all the way around. It is also a good idea to create a Battleship to guard the Dock, as this can be used to attack any stray enemy units that discover your Dock.
The most versatile Infantry unit is the Partisan, which can shoot at Aircraft. This ability is important later in the scenario, so create at least 20 of them, and improve their Range and Attack. Create a comparable number of German Infantry with improved Attack and Speed. Create at least four German Officers to accompany your Infantry, as they are good healers. Set all units to Stand Ground behavior.
The best Siege weapon is the Howitzer Cannon, which is strong and can move fast. Create at least six, and improve Speed, Attack and Range. Create a few Anti-Tank Guns and two Artillery as well, as these will be useful for defending the town after it has been discovered. Some Tanks with improved Speed may be good units to pursue and kill stray enemy units that walk past the town.
Second stage[]
When your territory is discovered, you will soon face a large force of British units, including Tanks and Artillery. To begin your defense, keep your Infantry behind your defense lines, but send out some AT Guns to the northern approach. Keep them moving fast, as you will soon encounter four Artillery units. Quickly destroy them and return to base.
Then, reset your Aerodrome gather point to a position along the southern approach. When planes begin moving into this position, send your German Infantry, German Officers and Howitzers in this direction to meet the oncoming British forces. There will be at least six Artillery units towards the back of the column. Direct your Aircraft onto these units, and destroy them before they come into the range of your Infantry. When they are destroyed, train all your forces on tanks. When the tanks have been overcome, withdraw your forces to base, and pick off the remaining Infantry forces as they approach.
Additionally, your resources, apart from Food, will vanish, so set your Citizens to gather Wood, Gold and Iron, as this will allow you to replace units lost in battle
Peronne[]
To attack Peronne, you may either direct your forces to the western part of the map to cross the Somme River on foot, and then head southeast to the target. Or, you can head directly south by using Transport Ships to cross the Somme. This second option is much quicker, but it is also more challenging. If you follow this option, you must have a Dock on the Somme and some Transport Ships.
Your first task is to assault the heavily defended beachhead on the south bank of the Somme River. Garrison your Aircraft in your Aerodrome. Then, send your Partisans, German Infantry, German Officers, Howitzers and at least five Citizens to the Dock. Load your Partisans and German Officers into two transports to send across the river. There are Sea Mines along the south bank, so if you have a Battleship, you can explode them before the Transports land there. When you have landed, use your Partisans to shoot down enemy aircraft, while also destroying enemy 88mm AA Guns. Send your Transports back to your Dock.
Next, set a gather point for your Aerodrome just above the Somme beachhead. Your aircraft will help to repel the enemy Aircraft that will rapidly converge above you. Then, send your Citizens across the Somme via Transport Ships to begin building at least six AA Guns on the beach head. When the air attack dwindles, move south until there is suitable building ground, and set your Citizens to build more AA Guns and Towers, as well as Barracks, Siege Factories, etc. Then bring your Infantry and Howitzers across the Somme for the push against Perrone.
Your Infantry and Howitzers should have no problem taking Perrone. Quickly move through the town and destroy all enemy buildings, while using your Partisans to defend against air attack. Bring your Citizens to Roye to build the Barracks on the site of the destroyed Town Center.
You will need to defend Peronne against almost constant air attack from this point on, so direct your Citizens to create a Settlement, and then populate it to create a Town Center. Quickly produce new Citizens to build at least ten AA Guns to defend the western and southern sides of the town. These Citizens may create more Barracks, Siege Factories, etc, when it is safe to do so.
Roye[]
Roye is situated at the very south of the map. It is only accessible by traversing a narrow pass between two mountain ranges, one west and one east. Both of these ranges have enemy Artillery units placed atop them, and these will attack any units that try to approach Roye.
Have your citizens at Peronne build an Aerodrome, and defend it with Towers and AA Guns. Produce some Gotha Bombers and improve their Flight Time and Area Damage. Send your Partisans and German Officers to occupy the plain that sits between your Aerodrome and the west mountain range. Let these units pick off enemy Aircraft that might jeopardize your Bombers. Take care not to bring these units too close to the mountains, as this will put them in the range of the enemy Artillery. Send your Bombers to bomb the enemy Artillery until they are all eliminated. For the eastern mountain range, you can repeat the same procedure, but this time you will not need to deploy your infantry to defend against enemy Aircraft.
When all enemy Artillery has been eliminated from the mountains flanking the entry to Roye, bring your Infantry and Howitzers into the valley. Heading south, you will encounter a British force consisting of Machine Gunners, Anti-tank Guns and other Infantry defending a barb-wire defense line. Eliminate these enemy units and push through the barb-wire. Roye will have considerable forces defending the town, including infantry and Tanks. Rather than attack them head-on, send your German Infantry units to engage them and then quickly withdraw, drawing pursuing enemy units into line of fire of your Howitzers. When you have done this two or three times, you should have eliminated the bulk of the forces. Advance into Roye and begin destroying buildings while attacking enemy units. Be sure to advance deeper, as there may be more military buildings hidden in the dark part of the map.
Montdidier[]
When you have eliminated all enemy buildings from Roye, transport at least five Citizens from Peronne. Use them to build a town containing a Town Center, at least two Aerodromes, three Barracks, two Siege Factories and Tank Factories. Also build some Hospitals and Towers to defend from ground attack, especially from the due north approach. This is because when you attack Montdidier, you will be counter-attacked by British forces in the north who will attempt to retake both Peronne and Montdidier.
To increase your military units, you should populate all your Citizens into Town Centers and Capitols. Produce additional Tanks and Aircraft, as well as any other units you have lost so far. Your first priority should be to defend Roye from the planned British counter attack. You can send a single unit westward and have it fire a shot at an enemy unit or building in Montdidier to trigger this counter attack. Allow the British to take Peronne, as it will be much easier to reclaim it later than to defend it at this point. Keep your forces poised to defend against the attack on Roye, which will consist of enemy Tanks, Howitzers Cannons and Artillery, among other units. When these forces have been eliminated, prepare for the assault on Montdidier.
Conquering Montdidier will be more challenging than Peronne and Roye, as it will be heavily defended by Tanks and Bombers. Any direct attack on the town by your current forces is likely to result in at least 70% fatalities. The best approach is to bring your forces about two-thirds of the distance to Montdidier, and establish a defensive position with Tanks in front, Partisans and other infantry in the middle, and Howitzers in the rear. As usual, use your Partisans to defend against air attack, concentrating primarily on Bombers.
When there is a lull in air attacks, send tanks to Montdidier to engage and draw out enemy units, leading them back to your defensive position, where you can attack them with superior numbers. There is an enemy Artillery unit stationed in the north of Montdidier, and you may need to sacrifice Tanks or Infantry to make sure it is destroyed before it gets within range of your forces. At a certain point, you may attract a large column of enemy Tanks, which may deplete your forces before they are defeated. In response, begin quickly producing replacement units at Roye, as your next advance should be more successful.
When you are ready to advance from your defensive position, send your Aircraft to gather over Montdidier and keep the enemy aircraft occupied while you concentrate your forces on quickly destroying the British Aerodromes. Once this is accomplished, you will no longer encounter meaningful resistance from Montdidier. Destroy all remaining buildings and bring a Citizen from Roye to construct a Barracks on the destroyed Town Center. Then, send your forces to retake Peronne. When you arrive there, the game will automatically declare you the winner.
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