[Panzer Elite] Best - Mission 5

[Akranadas]

Having successfully delayed 30th Corps, Kampfgruppe Lehr is redeploying to the town of Best, near the Wilhelmina Canal. The Kampfgruppe's orders are to secure the Bridge at Best.

[Susurrus]

I'm having trouble with this one: I can't wire the bridge. I have 3 charges in place (two furthest from my side, and one on my side).. And no matter how many times I try and get my pios to place the last charge, they just run to the middle of the bridge and then stop.. The demo charge thing is then grayed out.. :-(

Any suggestions?

Oh and I tried goliaths, just in case I could bodge the mission end, but that didnt work..

[Deionarra]

Check out this thread in the bug forum:

http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?p=2573132#post2573132

Try saving your game and reloading or playing the mission again before trying to skip the mission.

[Teh Humungus]

This level is HARD on expert. It just tells me to defend Best. Do I actually have to push forward and capture more area?

[Susurrus]

Well, after paratroopers have been dropping in for AGES (its like 15-20 minutes, or seems like that), you do get different objectives.

I blew up the two destroyable bridges near my base right at the beginning.. Is totally worth it because it means that the troopers only have one direction of attack.

[Teh Humungus]

I solved my problem by using goliaths to detonate the two bridges closest to my HQ, and then filling the buildings with MG42 and LMG squads, and turning them into medic centers. Whenever a squad actually lost a man, I"d move it outside for just long enough to get replacements, and then re-garrison them. most of the enemy will approach from the top left portion of your little control area, so I eventually put 3 machinegun squads in that building (the top left of a little group of 3)

[Count Fenring]

Just to add to the helpful advice so far.
After I handled the airborne drops, you will be given a wirbelwind flak tank which is real nice.

I captured the drop zone just left of your base on your side of the main bridge, then moved across the main bridge. captured the near left and near right drop zone, but this triggered the british advance on the northern bridge you have to blow. So I had to rush everything up the main road.

On the way there is an AT gun and some light forces in a road block so beware. I attacked this force hard and fast with a highly mobile force I had built. I ended up capturing the american 105mm howitzer to be used to great affect for the rest of the mission.

I blew (goliaths) a couple bridges to my right to stem the attack from the right most forces which allowed me to concentrate on the bridge defense. I had built a marder just in case and was really glad I did as they keep rolling tanks across the bridge. I also capture two AT guns. This really cramped the style of anything trying to get across and I quickly had all three of those units to triple veteran status.

I organized an attack group to secure every point around with the panzer IV in support. I kept the wirbelwind in the rear along the main road to kill any breakouts that try to take a critical point back.

I then sent an infantry assault group across the small footbridge to the right of me (east section of map). I had the howitzer, captured mortar to support with a mortar HT in support as well in the near side of the little creek that seperates the right side (east) side of the map from the center section.

This went off with no drama as it was all enemy infantry here. They had a couple HMG and mortar, so be ready for that. AT gun as well. They assaulted the little foot bridge (earlier before I began my assault) here a few times, but I had a HMG and a mortar and PG squad which easily killed all this off.

At this point I had everything on my side of the bridge secured and I had Luftwaffe Hs129b aircraft support. That with my captured artillery piece pounded the far side of the river to nothing. My pioneers then safely wired the bridge and it was done.

I think the medal objective was capturing all drop zones. Don't clearly recall.

I had two groups organized here: heavy assault (wirbelwind, armored cars, panzer IV, assault vet infantry) and heavy defense (AT, HMG, defense veteran infantry). My assault element forged the path to the bridge objective, then my defense element took over to cover the bridge while my assault element cleaned everything else up. My mortar HT went where needed. I kept the munitions HT near my stolen At gun to replenish its AP rounds quicker.

That is about it here. Good tip you folks gave to blow the two small foot bridges at missions beginning. Made life much easier!

[sigrun]

Just a heads up in case anyone else strikes this frustrating BEST mission 'bridge won't blow (up)' bug and what to do about it so it will. :banghead:

I can confirm the solution discovered by another poster provides the easist working kludge to resolve the problem.

After you've ordered the Pioneers to wire the bridge, they've moved there but no matter how long you wait, don't do it, save the game and exit to the menu. Now reload the saved game. Voila! The red "detonate me!" icon will present and you can complete the mission. :elephant:

[Devil2575]

Well I have completed this level on normaL on my second attempt although I did not manage to win the medal. Just keeping enemy forces away from my pioneers long enough for them to wire the bridge was hard enough. Never mind capturing the remaining drop zones.

I'll have to practice a bit ore to win the medal.

What I will say is that I hate night fightling. Sometimes it's hard enough to see where all your units are but at night I am constantly losing them.

[Stuka Pilot]

Another way to beat Best after the Paradrop beginning is to go up the right flank. Mortar the arty on the opposite side of the hedge. Cross the small bridge in the upper right corner. Take the town in the top before the column shows up. That way you can mine the shit out the area and have plenty of time setting the charges on the bridge without incident.

Be advised that the approaching column doesn't trigger until you hold two (or is it three? can't recall) drop points. So if you don't capture them, you can take your time with it.

[hanz gooblemien]

if you really enjoy watching allied tanks being blowed up "real good"..do the following:

1. deal with the 105...either launch a quick PzIV assault and kill it or infantry assault and capture it...up to you.

2. capture and clear area just across from your own left side bridge...

3. before capturing the second drop zone (triggering the arrival of the column) build one or two 88's by the left side bridge (on either side of river) where the Allied Arm. column is approaching from.

4. build some sand bags and wire (or whatever other def you wish) in front of bridge so that some PG's can spot for the 88's...

5. you can now freely capture the rest of the "zones".

6. keep a few inf. or whirbel to defend 88's from infantry.

7. grab a beer and watch as wave after wave of Allied tanks are "smacked" by 88's..dont forget to upgrade thier vet stats...by the time the 88's are vet3..they will practically be shooting across the whole map.

Very fun...and pointless.

[Dr Dave]

This level can be completed relatively easily and at a fairly leisurely pace getting the medal and the blowing the bridge.

The airborne drops just need to be managed upgrading buildings within your base area helps and protects your troops. The airborne troops can and will drop right on top of you as well as attacking from land so it is good to minimise where attacks will come from. Suggest using goliaths’ to take out the two small bridges (one to the right of HQ and one in centre). This gives you space to deal with main attacks from the left. I had an armoured car sat in the centre of the base taking out troops who tried to flank me. Upgrade vet stats as it becomes available and man any battery’s that have lost men. It is soon over and you can them relax and regroup.

You are now told to take the ‘drop-zones’. You are not on a timer here so you have time to get a small force together before you move out. There is one major irritation here that needs to be dealt with or it will be a thorn in your side. The Americans have a 105mm howitzer artillery piece that will start to pound you and your base. I used (as someone else suggested here) a quick PzIV assault and took out the gun crew (I later used this gun to great effect).

Please note: I used the Luftwaffe doctrine in this mission (so I could use Flak 88’s and Butterfly bombs)

Now I set out on a hunting mission! I used the wirbelwind, an infantry halftrack, a ‘vet’ squad (loaded in the halftrack), a mortar halftrack and a munitions support halftrack linked to the mortar (bit over the top but it was fun!). My aim was to take over the whole of my side of the map. I basically just set off into the woods wiping out the yanks (burning them out with mortars and mopping up with tank and HT)! I used my troops to make repairs as needed (you do get some resistance). There is an AT gun half way along the road, so be careful, you can either mortar it or I like to use a goliath. Whilst, I cleared the ‘drop-zones’ of commandos I only ‘capped’ the one on the left of the base at this stage as this gives you the time to get things done! I did cap all other points (munitions, fuel, strategic). Once the woods on the left of the road were clear and all points except ‘drop-zones were capped I moved my force over to the right. The earlier assault on the howitzer will have knocked out a few troops but as in the woods mortars and an assault force removes resistance! I now moved several squads over from base and repaired and manned the Howitzer (I upgraded the house and left a squad here to protect the gun but it was not required). I now pounded the right side of the map with the gun and softened up the troops trapped there. Again I assaulted these points with my small force and wiped them out. At the small bridge at the top right the buildings have some garrisoned troops so be aware! I wiped them out and used a goliath to take out the bridge in case it was used to rush your side. I finally moved to the point nearest the main bridge and wiped out the garrison there with artillery, goliath (which are great for spotting where troops are!) and my assault force. At 3 of the drop-zones (2 in the woods and one in centre) I sent a scout halftrack to wait for my orders to take the point. The last one on the top right I sent one of my squads that was standing around at base to cover.

Now getting the medal and blowing the bride!
I recruited 1 Luftwaffe squad (building and repairs), 3 tank buster squads (1 on each side of the bridge exit and 1 near house to take over whilst you repair injured troops) and started to build up a force near the bridge (building some defences like sandbags and wire can help but not really that effective). Taking and upgrading the building here is good to help troop survival. Several AT guns which have been taken from the yanks help when the 1st part of the assault starts but they are not great. I put the mortar between the bank and the house and had some MG squads ready (not really needed). I held my ‘vets’ that had cleared the map back out of reach to act as the assault force to cross the bridge. I wanted to build a Flak 88 on my side of the bridge but was at pop cap; so started assault without out it. With all forces ready I paused the game and ordered my troops at the drop-zones to take the zones (you now get the medal!). Now to get my Flak 88 I sacrificed the scout halftracks by sending them over the bridge (gives you a chance to see where the yanks are holed up and you can pound them with Arty!). Assault starts and you get a bit of a pounding but careful management of your squads will get you though and your squads will soon be vets! Now build the Flak 88 on the left-hand side of the road near the bridge and repair as needed; this alone will deal with all waves once it reaches 3 vet level!

Now bring up the sappers, pound the other side of the bridge with arty and prepare to cross (I sent across several goliaths to scope out enemy emplacements and then pounded them). Assault other side (just after you have killed a tank as you do not want to meet one in the middle) with tank, HT (and vets) and at least 1 tank-buster squad (I set up to defend on the left of the bridge once I crossed). Support this with arty as needed and your Flak 88 will now be so good it will target stuff that tries to take you out). You only need to hold for a few minutes. Get sappers onto bridge (1 squad just in case!) and wire bridge. I then retreated all troops and vehicles and blew the bridge!

Sorry this may be a bit long winded but I did enjoy this mission!

[GarethB]

This mission isn't too tough. Marders are your best friends in this mission.

Upgrade the base to allow 4 man inf squads and spam some inf. Pick up the MG42's and STG44's for them. Build a Panzer IV and send it near the flack gun that's near the rear-left of the map. Just keep defending until the first waves of paratroopers stop. Pick up some recoiless rifles from them when you have the chance.

When the paratroopers stop attacking, build 2 Marders and combine them with the Panzer IV and the Wirbelwind flack tank that joins a little while after the mission starts. Get your inf together as a group and use them to capture the drop zone on your side of the first canal. Send your tanks over the main bridge at the first canal, the Panz IV in the centre of the road, one Marder on each side and the Wirbelwind behind them. Stop them just after they've crossed the bridge and keep them there for a while. Use the inf to take the points nearest that bridge then you can either clear the areas on the left side of the map or go up the centre of the map to take out the 105 artillery gun. Be aggressive with the infantry, don't try to fight at long range, move your inf blob into the middle of paratrooper groups, they'll win the fights much faster that way. Once you've cleared most of the left/centre (don't get too close to the main bridge), pull the inf back to your main base or a building you've converted to an aid station and heal/rebuild the inf to full strength, then use them to clear the rest of the map in the same way. You can gradually move the tank group up the main road while you are going this. Those two Marders will kill anything coming down the road before it gets close enough to do any serious damage.

After you've cleared everything on your side of the main canal, there is a footbridge over the main canal on the far right, send the inf over and capture the areas on the other side of the canal, but don't get too close to the main bridge.

There's a Caliope Sherman in the town near the main bridge. Once you have almost the entire map under your control (except for one or two sectors near that town), wait for a break between Allied tanks crossing the bridge and send the Panzer IV across then move it to the left. It has a weak gun against tanks so position it behind the Caliope. It will take a while but the Panzer IV will eventually kill the Caliope (the caliope won't move or turn around). Then send the Marders over the bridge facing up the road to stop any new tanks, use the inf to capture the last few sectors near the bridge and use the engineers to wire the bridge for demolition. When you're ready to blow the bridge, bring all your units back over and blow the bridge.

For me the key is to be very aggressive with my infantry, don't try to fight at long range with them, get four or five of your inf squads and put them right into the middle of the paratroopers positions. You'll lose more inf trying to hang back and win long range shooting matches. Get right into the middle of the paratroopers and you'll wipe them out a lot faster.

[lion]

There's a Caliope Sherman in the town near the main bridge.


I never saw that and I capped the whole map...

[lion]

3rd run through I finally see it...odd.

[adamsun]

Normal level.

Played a few times, the best way for me is: after clearing the base, block the left and middle bridges to the base, attack from the right side, get 105 mm howitzer, cross the river from right bridge, take all points at north side of river, use anti-tank team to destroy Caliope Sherman. Take all points at south side of river, use Marder and AT to stop incoming tanks. Slowly move Marder and AT to north side of the bridge, convert near-by buildings to medic centers to get longer visible range, send engineers to set explosive on the bridge, withdraw all units to south side of bridge, then destroy the bridge.

Hope this is helpful.

[Chaqa2]

Just a heads up in case anyone else strikes this frustrating BEST mission 'bridge won't blow (up)' bug and what to do about it so it will.

I can confirm the solution discovered by another poster provides the easist working kludge to resolve the problem.

After you've ordered the Pioneers to wire the bridge, they've moved there but no matter how long you wait, don't do it, save the game and exit to the menu. Now reload the saved game. Voila! The red "detonate me!" icon will present and you can complete the mission.

I would do that, but the "SAVE GAME" button isn't clickable for me in single player.

[fender33458]

To get the medal, I cleared all of the drop zones but didn't capture the strategic points. After they were all clear, i captured them all at once, and I didnt have to worry about them when I blew the bridge.

[Rotlung]

I was pretty desperate when trying to kill the calliope, using the luftwaffe infiltrated troops to appear right next to the calliope and use panserfausts on it.