Hello there.
I just want to share some thoughts about the latest information about the Stalingrad campaign.
Lets come the point.
Soviet Army:
- M1938: Is basically the same starter gun in Berlin. This also means that we cant transfer M1938 from Moscow to Stalingrad and vice versa. The Mosin M1907 Carbine would be enough and we could still transfer the M1939.
- PPD34/38 Box: Just why? Just give us the PPD40 box (and later add the Drum version).
- Winchester M1895: Is the best Soviet BA rifle. Dont see much of the point here. Just replace it with the Dragoon and put the Winchester on a later level. By that, we would also get a Romanian or Hungarian BA rifle.
- Breda: Also… just why? Did they even used it? Madsen, Bren or Chauchat could have worked again. The Breda would be way more logical as Axis weapon since it was actually used by Axis forces.
- KV: Im my opinion a bit too early. Should be considered later, at least after level 18 consider the Panzer III.
- AVT: Just no.
- AVS Sniper: Just no. Just give us the Sniper SVT-40 again/ earlier than the AVS.
Axis:
- Mannlicher/ Kar: I dont want to confront Conscript Joes love gun but I actually expected to have a Romanian or Hungarian rifle as starter rifle/ early gun. Wasted potential. Need MORE rifles! Also, cant transfers Kars.
- MP28: Just no. Gun wasn’t used by Germany. Was used by Romania, but come on. There are more guns the Romanians and Hungarians used beside the MP28. At the end, the MP38 could be better and is basically an early MP40.
- MG13: Meh. ZB-30 which was used by Romania and partly Hungary would be cooler.
- Panzer III N: Why giving the Axis forces a mobile howitzer while Soviets dont get one like it is the case in France?
- Granatwerfer: Again, the other nations had mortars too.
- Grenade launcher Kar: Why a Kar? Wh not just giving us a other grenade launcher from a other nation/ rifle?
- Pre-War Kar Scoped: Wow… just look at my point of the launcher.
- PPSh Trophy: Now thats creative… wasnt gold order weapon enough?
- Mkb: Yeah… lets give everyone a assault rifle. What could go wrong?
- Sniper Mkb: Same as Sniper AVS.
Weapons I miss:
I do not see the point of the early PPD34. We could have got more SMGs, namely the PPD34 Drum and PPDs, but also the Box PPSh (which I also miss in Moscow). This would not only increase the grind with logical weapons, but we could also give Axis forces more SMGs (and especially SMGs from minor nations) or at least any smg aside the stupid MP28. I also miss the bolt-action rifles of Romania and Hungary, including their grenade launcher and sniper variants. The Mannlichers we get here are not the standard issued ones which saw extensive usage by them (e.g. like the 35M of Hungary). The MG30, which was in usage by Hungary iirc, isn’t there too and could have been a good replace for the MG13. ZBs, which saw massive usage by both nations, are missing too while we have it in Tunisia for no reason. Heck, even the Breda would fit in here. Stalingrad also miss bikes (or are bikes no part of the game outside of Tunisia?)
Plus:
I like that we have at least two minor nation gear for the Axis. The American gear for the Soviets is a bit weird but okay too. Otherwise T-34s and KV… yay.
Conclusion:
The current design reminds me of the other campaigns. They again give us the good stuff way too early, looking at the KV, Panzer IV, and the Drum PPSh. Again, I dislike the refusal of DF to release the box PPSH outside of Berlin for some reason, and the PPD34 and MP28 are bad choices. The lack of actual minor nation guns for the Axis is also alarming, especially since their gear could have been very good fillers for the first levels/ phases. I do not get it either that we don’t have bikes here. Its not bad… but I expected more.
Just my two cents of the latest leak.
!