Hi Trout,
The Combat Engineer units are extremely important on the game board. This is true especially for Germany.
During the heavy fighting on the Eastern Front, Germany can use the Combat Engineer units to transport Infantry, Mines etc. from Berlin (Germany) to Baltic States and Eastern Poland - back and forth for as long as needed.
This is important, since Germany only has a capacity of 2 Strategic Rail Movement in each round.
Also, as soon as German Combat Engineer units are represented on the game board, the Soviet player must think carefully how many Mines to produce - and where to place them.
One of my favorite German Strategic Plans includes the following:
-
Early 1940:
Germany purchases 2 Combat Engineer units and 6 Mines (plus other units) -
Late 1940:
Germany purchases 2 Waffen-SS Assault Pioneer units (plus other units).
During Non-Combat Movement these Waffen-SS Assault Pioneer units each transports 3 Mines to German controlled France. -
Early 1941:
The 2 Waffen-SS Assault Pioneer units transport the Industrial Complex in France to German controlled Yugoslavia.
The Mines are left in France and can be dug in to defend the coast line somewhere in Normandy/Bordeaux and/or Holland Belgium. -
Late 1941:
The 2 Waffen-SS Assault Pioneer units transport the Industrial Complex in Yugoslavia to German controlled Romania (or maybe even German controlled Bessarabia if the German units captured Bessarabia in Early 1941 - and are able to hold it against Soviet counter attacks.) -
Early 1942:
From Early 1942 Germany produces units at the Industrial Complex that was captured in France and transported to the Eastern Front.
The 2 Waffen-SS Assault Pioneer units have now fulfilled their first mission - and are now able to take on a new mission (attack, transport units, remove enemy Mines etc.).
We hope that this will inspire you to develope further strategies that includes Combat Engineer units and Waffen-SS Assault Pioneer units.