NATO 6 - The Final Base (Hard mode)

I just tackled this one and took a completely different approach. For starters, I only ever build technology center. The economic and industrial centers have low payouts. Financial center costs $180 plus 50 industry. The most it can output is 50 percent of the $60 per round you get in the two level 4 cities. That’s $30 per round. That means it is six rounds just to pay back what you spent on it in gold, not to mention the industry cost. For the industrial center, it’s $160 and 40 industry to get 7 industry per round of you use it on a city with level 3 factory or 10 per round for the city Konev holds with level 4 factory. I don’t know what turn you are building these, but I find it’s almost impossible just to get your investment back, and if it costs you a couple of turns when you might have had an extra heavy tank general out taking more cities, it’s a waste. Tech center is different though because you have a very limited amount my if tech generation. Doubling tech output, even from just 4-8 at level 2 tech center, means you can get they stacked heavy tanks and rocket artillery or missiles and nukes you need to get this mission done.

I agree with you that 100 percent assault and the defense and HP improvements for tanks in the tech tree are requirements. I suggest three tank generals, one naval general and two artillery generals. You can swap the second artillery general for a fourth tank general or just use that spot for an air general to boost missile and bombing attacks.

As for how to proceed with this one, Bradley and his forces have no idea what they are doing. Don’t follow them. Send your super tank general to the northern most island. Send heavy tank and rocket artillery generals to the northern end of Chuikov’s island. Use destroyers to block the northern channel and protect land units from Russian destroyer that starts near the carrier. Use naval general in cruiser and sub to attack ships in Chuikov’s port. You can take the northernmost island on turn 3 and Chuikov’s island on turn 4. I then hope to the last island and take it. I swing my naval general and sub around toward Zhukov, taking out the coastal artillery and then the cruiser. I land my super tank general and heavy tank general on the north end where the coastal artillery was. They will take a hit from Zhukov and maybe the cruiser, but they can withstand it. Naval general can help take out Zhukov’s fortifications and maybe land a Rumor hit or two. Also remember you have a level 2 satellite weapon available every five turns. Once you take out Zhukov, Konev and his forces will rush at you. Land your rocket artillery in the same turn and get him into position to hit those oncoming tanks and infantry. Build a stacked heavy tank or second stacked rocket artillery at first chance in Zhukov’s city and assign appropriate general. Use the combo of your four combined rocket artillery and tank generals to beat back the horde. Maximize attacks by your top tank general by trying to get as many of the supporting units as possible whittled down so he can rattle off a series of one-shots. I think I took out five units with him in one turn. You can also use your H-bomb, and very importantly this is why I take Zhukov’s city first... If has a level four airport so you can deliver nukes with a stealth strategic bombing and avoid any mitigation by Konev. Once the initial wave is beaten, take Konev’s city. Keep building nukes. You can nuke Timoshenko and Bagramyan with stealth bombers as well, but they won’t reach Novikov. After taking Konev’s city, I leave one tank general there to defend and send the rest of my generals towards Timoshenko. Take him out with help of stealth nukes. Bagramyan will come out to confront you after you kill Konev. Get another general out to help elimate him, or just nuke him and use tank general you left to defend Konev’s city to finish him off. Then you can nuke and missile Novikov and drop paratrooper. I think I finished in 20 turns. Maybe 22.

You don’t go straight to Zhukov. You take out the islands first, including Chuikov. Kuznetsov hits like a wet noodle, and you can actually take him out with your Rocket Artillery general and heavy tank general from the shore on Chuikov’s island very quickly. Even faster if you swing your sub around there. I take him out before claiming the last island and then landing on Zhukov. One of your tank generals will take a hit From Zhukov while on the beach, but it’s not a huge deal. You can absorb it with a red general in a super tank, particularly if properly upgraded to Marshal. I didn’t lose a single general with this strategy. You get more early resources from those island bases, so you can start building units faster. I also think it is a faster strategy. You don’t have to circle back to the islands. When you land on the main land mass, your first base gives you a level 3 factory where you can build an additional heavy tank or rocket artillery general immediately to assist with Konev and his horde of tanks and stacked infantry. Plus you get tech from both Chuikov’s base and Zhukov’s. You get industry from the northern island and Zhukov’s. If you go towards Vasilevsky first, you get a worthless base where you can’t build any reinforcements and don’t get any technology or industry until you get all the way down to Novikov. I think the islands first, then Zhukov strategy gives you a much better economy and quicker access to the units you need to fight off the huge Red Army. That stealth bomber dropping nukes will help you avoid a lot of damage you would otherwise be taking from Konev, Timoshenko and Bagramyan. You don’t even have to fight Novikov or any of the units on the western half of the island. Vasilevsky might come towards you at the very end. I actually used my naval general to distract him and wear him down. I don’t think I even killed him.

I wouldn’t call one strategy smarter than another. The nice thing about this game is that you can accomplish things multiple ways. Different strategies can be effective. If you got 3 stars, your strategy was effective.

As for how I came up with my plan of attack, I look at a few things. I look at what the objectives are, where the resources are and where I can build reinforcements. Then I look at what the most natural progression will be to get to each objective. The reason I decided to take the islands first was the tech institute and nuclear facility at Chuikov’s island and the level three factory on the northern island. From there, it seemed natural to take the last island, which has an airport, in case I wanted to drop a paratrooper. I’m also looking at where there is the least resistance to a troop landing. I did also look at where the missile facilities and airports were. I know from some of the tougher Dominatiom battles that stealth bombers are the best way to drop a nuke when you have missile defenses everywhere. Landing on Zhukov would give me a base to build reinforcement tanks and artillery and that airport. Also, there are enemies all over the beaches. Zhukov is obviously formidable, and I would normally try to avoid landing near a general. But he also a bit isolated. Other beaches were clogged with small units, coastal artillery and naval units that could block landing attempts. I could take out the one coastal artillery and then have an open place to land and quickly take Zhukov out. I was actually a bit surprised that Bradley made for the beach near Vasilevsky and thought I made a mistake. But it worked out.

THIS IS INSANE!!!! My strategy is to follow the kamikaze because I tried the smart and it took me 16 turns to take Zhukovs city. Also, my genius plan is to put donuts (haha) in the water closest to Konev so he also takes some dmg from the 4 square radius of the antimatter bomb. So Konev take splash dmg lol backfired of the soviets. I make sure my land gens are moved back to Novikovs city so donuts is closest and Konev take splash dmg. Then I all-out attack Konev and he dies.

Well, technically yes, but Konev does provide some neat resources. I found that not skipping him ended up making things a bit easier for me than skipping him (at least on easy).

Also, don't place your top tank general on the super tank. Put a waste general on there, cause he's definitely gonna get nuked.

Oh wait you meant Rommel. Sure I’ll try. But I’ll try to get donuts antimattered. Cause it’s not a nuke. I’ll sit next to Zhukov so he’ll take splash dmg get rekt! Backfired haha