[13 August 2023]
“Preservation” can be one of the more challenging missions in Ardennes Assault, because you don’t get the usual flow of MP for reinforcements—you get 750 MP at five-minute intervals, though you can cut those intervals short by killing enemy officers. If you are trying to maximize your campaign score by abstaining from company weapon/ability upgrades, then Preservation is especially challenging, and even Rangers will struggle. Still, on difficulty level 1 or 2, you can usually win gold (>200 points ending score) with any company.
Much will depend on the map you’re assigned. Smaller ones, such as Marche, with many buildings to provide cover are easiest, obviously. In general, though, it’s always a good idea to make the most of your starting units (ambulance, RE squad) by capping VPs right away to start moving down the German score.
Then try to control at least two VPs most of the time. Consider letting the Germans have one VP, with another uncapped, from time to time, to freeze their point decline and prolong your veterancy farming. But keep an eye on your points so they don’t come close to falling below 200. Putting strong troops in key buildings early, and increasing anti-infantry and then anti-vehicle power, is always a good idea. Even on level 1 difficulty, Panzer IVs, Pumas and flak halftracks will arrive before long. At level 3, there will be swarms of them.
Don’t forget to kill the officers whenever you can!
Rangers, even when they are not upgraded with bazookas or schrecks, have some advantages. They can lay demo charges for free, from the start of the mission, which can thwart many a German re-capping attempt and also nail an officer unit remotely (see above image). After 2 command points, they also can trade 100 munitions points for 800 extra manpower, which allows them to partly side-step the manpower blockage on this mission.
Able Co. with their munitions-based upgrade to Thompsons or LMGs, and reliable air support (Rangers’s un-upgraded artillery has little value) can work almost as well for this mission.
That said, you don’t want to attempt this mission at high levels of difficulty with weak, non-veteran companies—you’ll quickly face extremely lethal units such as King Tigers and Walking Stukas. Try to get it done at a low difficulty level, either by doing it early or by blocking German retreats into that mission area.
Although the cutoff for gold is 200 points, ending with the full 250 is very doable with a veteran company on a level 1 to 3 difficulty map.
♠♠♠
