Sorry to interrupt your happy blitzing BUT

there is a very, very, VERY nasty bug in

the Axis East Front Dynamic Campaign. Eventually

the save file becomes corrupted which means

the campaign can no longer be continued.

Many players only discover this sad fact

after they have invested a lot of time

in a campaign.  For me, it has happened

in three different Axis east front campaigns

before I finally became enraged with the bugginess

and quit playing. I was never able to

take a campaign to the end of the war because

of this bug.  This bug has been

around since the old Talonsoft versions and

has persisted into the new Matrix version

throughout the whole patching process. There

is currently a manual fix posted at the

relevant matrix subforum that "might" work if

you run into this awful bug. Glancing through

your AAR makes me feel ripped in two different

directions. I love the game and would like

to play an Axix Campaign but that desire

is offset by past bitter experience. Anyway, good luck

and I hope you can avoid that cursed bug somehow.

Thanks for the heads up!  I haven't run into the bug yet nor in my previous campaigns.

I can't believe I never got much into this series--although I think I only originally bought the first West Front game, at a time when patching games was difficult.

I do own the Matrix compiled edition, though. I'm thinking of deleting a game on my system I'm quite burned out on and installing this instead. (Even with the dreaded Axis Dynamic Campaign bug on EF.)

Otherwise (Mainly to subscribe to it.)

Cpt Hamm was huddled with his Co Cdr's going over maintenance and availability reports for their units. 

1st Plt, 2nd Pz Co was the worst off.  They had lost 3 of their 5 PzIIIH's and none had come out of the repair

shops as of yet.  Hamm was hoping for some of the upgraded PzIIIF's coming onto the front.  His Pz loses

were from 45mm AT guns and that weighed on his mind because he knew the Russain armor had larger

caliber cannons,  and he yet to see a Russian tank!.

Eric,  his trusted radioman, came running over offering a radio msg form.  "Sir, new orders from Regt!"

exclaimed the young NCO.  Hamm took it and his forehead wrinkled as he read the message.  "Gentleman, 

we have been ordered to attack as soon as possible to secure the ground north of that ridgeline."  Hamm

pointed over his shoulder as he unfolded his map and laid it on the ground. He saw the 2 streams that

bordered the ridgeline north and south and that the terrain near them was very soft.  He moved his hand

over the map outlining his rough plan.

We have a Co ofthe 22nd Pz to our right flank and they will move forward to the ridgeline then turn E/NE,

using it to cover their move to Bialowietz securing our flank.  The Infantry of Lt Immelmann will trail that unit

as they are currently returning from rear area security.  Our Objectives will be Obj 100, 150, and 40.  The

Hillocks at Obj 40 are the 1st Objective unless the Russians decide differently.

Hamm handed out the radio frequencies and his Cdr's departed for their units.

As his command vehicle crested the ridgeline, Cpt Hamm caught glimpses of his forces moving across the countyside.  Lead elements of the 3rd Pz Co had advanced to a position in the woods 2km's SW of Obj 100.  1st and 2nd Pz Co were closing on Obj 45 and the 22nd Pz had crossed the southern stream and was continuing on towards Bialowietz.

"Sir, contact reports coming in from 2nd and 3rd Pz.  3rd Pz reporting enemy infantry on Obj 100.  2nd Pz reports unidentified enemy in the vicinty of Obj 150."  Cpt Hamm could barely make out the activity at Obj 100 but he knew something was there. He needed more information....

Immelmann's unit had come together and began their movement on the south side of the ridge.

Cpt Hamm decided to attack.  "1st and 2nd Co's,  close and attack the emeny vicinity Obj 150, 3rd Pz support by fire and reduce the emeny presence at Obj 100."  A unit from the 17th Recce came on his radio and reported in as a flank screen.  "Sir 2nd Pz reports securing Obj 40 and engaging enemy to his rear."

He could hear the tempo of fire increase as his units began the assault.  Terse reports came over the radio but Hamm filtered out most because he waited for the casualties. 

Cpt Hamm located himself with one of the Pz Plt's.  He watched as the 2 Pz Co's were conducting a coordinated attack against the enemy.  They were hitting both the lead enemy units but their exposed rear as well causing the Russians to deploy early.

"Hamm, Immelmann here, I'm getting reports of enemy to my north.  Continue mission?  over"  "Immelmann, Continue mission,  out"

"Hamm, Jocheim here,  I'm in position,  any targets?"

Hamm's Pz's were continuing their methodical attack the disorganized Russians.  At the same time he recieved the report that the 22nd Pz had entered the hamlet NNE of Obj 65 unopposed.  He now had a force that could attack that Obj from the rear as Immelmann's unit attacks out of the woods from the east.

A tank exploded to his right,  not more than 100m's away.  Then the reports from 3rd Pz Co filled his ears.  "We just got hit hard from AT guns! 2 tanks destroyed!"  Hamm was still staring at the burning tank to his right when the next report came...."Enemy infantry attacking Obj 40!"  What he thought was going fairly easy just became serious...

3rd Pz Co repositioned its vehicles as the fight for Obj 100 and the surrounding area continued.  "Sir,  22nd Pz reports contact with an enemy Infantry Co at grid 37,0 and that they are under attack".  "Damn!"  thought Hamm.  Just as those forces were about to clear the woods and attack Obj 65,  this threat appears to their north.

At Hamm's location,  the Pz's continued to take their toll on the Russian's but reports from the Plt at Obj 150 indicate another enemy Infantry Co moving SE towards Obj 40. 

"22nd Pz reports 2 losses and is pulling back." reported Hamm's radioman who was monitoring that radio frequency.  3rd Pz Co had also just reported spotting enemy units at Obj 100. 

Cpt Hamm thought quickly...had his forces destroyed enough of the enemy at this location to allow him to release forces to assist those at Obj 40?  Should he use those forces to attack the exposed Russian rear area forces?

Cpt Hamm put done the microphone after giving instructions to his Cdr's.  The recce screen to his west reported no contact and the Pz's of 3rd Co. were now back on the attack so his left flank was secure for the moment. He kept a Plt from 2nd Pz and 2 Lt Pz Plt's in his sector.  He sent the rest of his forces N/NE to destroyed the enemy rear area.  Lead units were to engage the Russian infantry as they could.

"Hamm, Immelmann here.  I've started my advance to Obj 45.  Can the 22nd keep my right flank secure?" 

The units in Hamm's sector had engaged units across its entire front with little return fire.  The radio went off and the report he monitored was distrubiing.  The 22nd Pz was under heavy attack by enemy infantry and was struggling to hold its line.  Immelmann's lead Plt reported enemy units on Obj 65. 

Immelmann reported getting his lead Plt across the stream between Objs 45 and 60 and were preparing for the next Plt's to cross.  22nd Pz was able to hold their position controling the bridge in the Hamlet north of 65.  The fight for Obj 100 was not over though and he needed to get the 3rd Pz Co east because the Russians were using the heavy woods to infiltrate south.

76mm AT guns again!  No losses but Hamm was getting frustrated.  Some two Co's of enemy infantry were running around between Objs 40 and 45 and Immelmann's one Co of infantry was not going to able to dislodge them if they got organized.

The delay in 3rd Pz Co's advance was concerning Hamm.  His own forces were becoming too widely dispersed to support one another.  He took the depleted Pz Plt from 2nd Co and closed the distance between himself and the enemy wagons and Hq's.  "Cpt, reports from 1st and 2nd Pz indicate the enemy is taking positions in the woodline" yelled the radioman.

"Damn it!" screamed Hamm as he digested the report from the 22nd Pz Co.  They were being engaged by the better part of a Bn of Infantry and enemy plt's had crossed to the south bank of the stream.  All of their units were engaged and now Immelmann's question to him earlier stuck in his thoughts..."Can they secure my right flank?"   Those plt's that had crossed the stream were now a serious threat to Imelmann's rear areas.