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A late sub. But It's worth it. Good luck comrade. Some nice movements here, beating the enemy with its own weapon, the Blitz. There's nothing to stop you from being one of the worlds most frightening leaders except you are missing a fancy moustache...
Ikar - I knew I could count on you to wish me well... 
kelestra - Thanks, glad you like it. Fancy moustache, you say? Hmmm. I could always grow one...
vareniba - Yeah. Tannenberg, bitches!
kelestra - Thanks, glad you like it. Fancy moustache, you say? Hmmm. I could always grow one...
vareniba - Yeah. Tannenberg, bitches!
Congrats on making it this far into Germany. I sure hope the Soviets don't decide to get hungry soon. Also, it might help if you posted some pictures in the Political mode. It can be difficult for me to follow some of the battles when the pictures are strung one after another in blocks, with only the different colored counters and a red line indicating the border to show current progress. From a strictly tactical analysis of the game, the terrain modes are nice to show off where important considerations are made (do you bother checking the weather map too when planning?) but from a reading standpoint it can be a bit of an eyestrain.
Ideally, there would be an ability to have a semi-transparent political overlay so that you could show terrain on borders real easily, but that is likely something for HoI4.
Ideally, there would be an ability to have a semi-transparent political overlay so that you could show terrain on borders real easily, but that is likely something for HoI4.
You have a point there. I'll keep that in mind when taking screenshots next time. I've noticed myself that I get a little disoriented when looking at those multiple pictures.
It's just that I tend to keep away from the political map now, as I used to use it all the time in the past and forget about terrain. Obviously, bad things happened ("why did my tanks suddenly slow down to a crawl... oooh, mountains!"). Yes, I try to pay attention to the weather map this time (again, I used to overlook it). Though I find that weather isn't nearly as important as terrain. Or rather it is, but you can't really choose it or plan ahead for it, except in a very broad timeframe; November - February you're gonna be slowed down, so you have to take it into consideration, though in late December-January it may be frosty, so you'll be able to move as normal. The farther East in Europe, the worse, while the South and the far West don't know what a winter is. That's all there really is to it. And at any rate, once an advance starts, you just have to keep rolling and close the pocket; it doesn't matter if it has suddenly started raining.
I hope the Soviets don't decide to play spoilsport, too. I just checked and they are at 0 neutrality, so they could come after me at any time, if they wanted. I'd be boned. Though maybe I could peace out, given that I'm not in a faction? Still, it'd be surprisingly close to Stalin's original plan - sic Hitler on western Europe, let them exhaust each other, and roll over anyone who's left. In this case he'd have to deal with a rather fresh and undamaged France, but I don't think it'd be a terrible obstacle for the Red Army.
It's just that I tend to keep away from the political map now, as I used to use it all the time in the past and forget about terrain. Obviously, bad things happened ("why did my tanks suddenly slow down to a crawl... oooh, mountains!"). Yes, I try to pay attention to the weather map this time (again, I used to overlook it). Though I find that weather isn't nearly as important as terrain. Or rather it is, but you can't really choose it or plan ahead for it, except in a very broad timeframe; November - February you're gonna be slowed down, so you have to take it into consideration, though in late December-January it may be frosty, so you'll be able to move as normal. The farther East in Europe, the worse, while the South and the far West don't know what a winter is. That's all there really is to it. And at any rate, once an advance starts, you just have to keep rolling and close the pocket; it doesn't matter if it has suddenly started raining.
I hope the Soviets don't decide to play spoilsport, too. I just checked and they are at 0 neutrality, so they could come after me at any time, if they wanted. I'd be boned.
Though maybe I could peace out, given that I'm not in a faction? Still, it'd be surprisingly close to Stalin's original plan - sic Hitler on western Europe, let them exhaust each other, and roll over anyone who's left. In this case he'd have to deal with a rather fresh and undamaged France, but I don't think it'd be a terrible obstacle for the Red Army.
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You MIGHT be able to peace out since you aren't in a faction, but unless you inflict some losses on them or another big threat emerges they aren't likely to accept. Since Poland actually has some cores on Soviet territory you could try to push beyond those areas and peace out. Generally, if you're doing well or advancing into the AI's territory, it will be amenable to peace.
And here's the full update.
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There are a few things to take care of after the game loads, but before it is unpaused.
First off, I change the training laws to minimal training. The experience of aircraft carriers themselves doesn't really matter, so I can just as well have them a few months earlier. Half a year earlier, as a matter of fact. I also enact total economic mobilization. I was running on war economy before, to save on resources a bit, but quite a lot of factories have gone outside my reach in the course of the war, so I need to squeeze out every last man-hour of these that I have left. Now that my officer ratio has reached 140%, I can pour all my leadership into spy training. Time to reactivate my corporate espionage program... all them navy techs won't research themselves, after all. And, just to check, my manpower flow has returned to acceptable levels after the recent retaking of several important cities. Good.
I've decided to proceed with the plan mentioned last time, i.e. double envelop Dresden and Leipzig, then move north. I usually avoid using infantry for encirclements, but the choice is out of my hands this time; no tank formation is close enough. The Germans are either reading this AAR or my mind, however, since they're pulling all their units out from the area. Huh. Wonder what the AI is up to... As for the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Corps, I have no real plan for them. Once they've dealt with the remaining opposition, they'll just move in the "norse by norse west" general direction and I'll see what I can use them for as the situation develops.
On 21st February, as I've saved enough manpower, I start building four destroyer squadrons. These are outdated and will be of little worth, due to minimal training, but I need the practicals. At least I'll have some disposable cannon fodder. Two days later, I add another bomber squadron. I just can't resist (and it'd be a shame to waste the practical).
As the advance progresses I also move closer to Berlin. There, however, the Germans mount an unpleasantly strong counterattack and I elect to withdraw, in order to spare the lives of my soldiers. There's no rush, we'll get there in time...
The 3rd Armoured Cavalry Corps, having finished with the lone MOT division, move along the Main, engulfing a garrison unit as they go. The road to Frankfurt is open.
At the beginning of March, the Japanese are finally rolling. The British and French start losing their Asian colonies.
Suddenly, some random group rises up in revolt in Bohemia! Damn Jacobins... wait. Wrong era.
The offensive in Saxony amounted to very little; most German units managed to escape. All I really gained was ground. But the Wehrmacht is completely spent. Enough beating around the bush, time to get things done. Move north, reach the coast and cut Berlin off from the rest of the country. Meanwhile, capturing Frankfurt has taken the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Corps extremely close to the Ruhr. Once they've eliminated local opposition, that will be their next objective.
On 12th March, the French have finally managed to take Stuttgart. But it doesn't matter, it is too late now. Ruhr, and the rest of Germany, will be mine.
Three days later, tanks from the 2nd Armoured Cavalry Corps reach the Baltic coast. Berlin has been isolated from the rest of the country.
On the 22nd, the defence around Berlin is pierced clean. German units are mercilessly herded into the pocket, and when all divisions of the 5th Corps are in place, the assault on the city itself begins.
Two days later, the capital of the Third Reich falls.
On that same day, the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Corps take all of Ruhr.
Here I made a stupid mistake. When my armoured division was attacked by the German infantry, I though "bah, I don't care about your stupid, puny attack. I can move to Bitburg at the same time!" Somehow, my brain didn't register that this equals retreat... Good thing the AI wasn't able to capitalise on that.
At the end of March, as the Podhale mountaineers move for Munich, they see strange airplanes high in the sky, neither friendly nor hostile. For the first time, Polish troops come into contact with soldiers of the third side of this conflict.
On 5th April, Belgium offers transit rights to Poland. Nope, sorry, Belgium. Accepting would be most inconvenient. In the future, I may need more... forceful access to your territory.
The espionage program quickly bears fruit. At the end of March and beginning of April, the spies acquire three pretty valuable techs. I particularly like the mountain equipment stolen from the UK. Will be very useful in Scotland.
By the end of the first week of April, most Germans realise the war is lost. They just need a small nudge... When Polish infantry take Nürnberg and tanks of the 2nd Armoured Cavalry Corps roll into Kiel, the highest ranking officers who have not yet fled to Italy, issue an army-wide order to surrender.
9th April 1940... Victory. At last.
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Chapter 1: Germany
Part 3: A very short thousand years
Part 3: A very short thousand years
There are a few things to take care of after the game loads, but before it is unpaused.
The 3rd Armoured Cavalry Corps, having finished with the lone MOT division, move along the Main, engulfing a garrison unit as they go. The road to Frankfurt is open.
At the beginning of March, the Japanese are finally rolling. The British and French start losing their Asian colonies.
Suddenly, some random group rises up in revolt in Bohemia! Damn Jacobins... wait. Wrong era.
On 12th March, the French have finally managed to take Stuttgart. But it doesn't matter, it is too late now. Ruhr, and the rest of Germany, will be mine.
Three days later, tanks from the 2nd Armoured Cavalry Corps reach the Baltic coast. Berlin has been isolated from the rest of the country.
Two days later, the capital of the Third Reich falls.
On that same day, the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Corps take all of Ruhr.
On 5th April, Belgium offers transit rights to Poland. Nope, sorry, Belgium. Accepting would be most inconvenient. In the future, I may need more... forceful access to your territory.
9th April 1940... Victory. At last.
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Very impressive, but oh boy do I wish the Soviets would play spoilsport and DoW right now.
Very nice! The only thing I would have liked to see was a political map showing the might of Poland. And yes, it would be bad for you if the Soviets DoW on you right now. But it would be awesome for the viewers!
Also, thanks for splitting the images up. Its SO much easier to read when there's even just a little text between images.
I wonder what Poland will do next. Manpower is next to zero and the Russian bear lures in the east. Surely there must be something Poland can do, but what? Basically every European country will be a tough nut to crack at this point.
There is one in this update.
No problem. It was tedious for me as well...
As you said yourself - the Bear looms in the east, and will make a move in January 1942. I don't have much choice, I have to prepare for that.
You mean, like:
this? Cause I don't see any other option right now.
Thanks.
I'm not sure if it's such a good thing... Last time I tried to run my soldiers on German beer, a tank division went OOS for two days in the middle of an encirclement.
Anyway, here's the update.
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Interlude
Well... Let us assess the situation after the war.
Technically, the war is still going on. This has its pros and cons; the main drawback being the laughable amount of factories I've gained - around 15 base IC, while Germany has around 150 at this point, and I control almost all of it. But that's occupation for you, and full annexation isn't happening until all Axis majors are defeated, so I guess I'll have to live with it.
On the bright side, the war means I get to keep Service by Requirement. As a result of losses, I'm deep in the red in terms of manpower, so a boost of about +50% MP flow is highly appreciated, basically rectifying my short-term problems in this department. Replacing lost soldiers will take about 8 months, and everything I gain after that can be used for creating new units and building a manpower reserve for the next conflict.
Occupation also means a nice increase of Leadership. The current value is a little over 20, while the previous was less than 15 (accounting for all pre-war conquests). This gives some 6 Ld points of difference, a roughly +40% boost.
The war itself ended in early April 1940, which is at least two months ahead of schedule; at best I anticipated it would last until June, and more realistically - August, maybe even September. No divisions were lost, none of them even had to be sent away from the front for fear of shattering. Almost the entire territory of the Reich has been captured, including the Ruhr, which I was never able to do before. This is a highly satisfactory outcome. Things went way better than expected.
Now, there is only one task ahead of me: to prepare for the Soviet onslaught.
Deadline: 1st January 1942.
Having saved some MP, I also started building an additional infantry corps.
In June, the Japanese are in control of French Indochina and Malay Peninsula, and have also landed in India. I don't mind, I don't mind at all...
It's end of August 1940... and it appears the Mannerheim line is holding fast. Guess the Winter War turned into a Summer War.
Now that I have some transport ships, I can finally do something about rebels on Crete.
Huh, it appears I can't build ports here after all, except in the province that already has one. Now this is a disappointment.
In June 1941 the election is held, and OZN returns to power. Considering that Poland has truly imperial ambitions now, it is only fitting that it be led by a Stern Imperialist.
By this point, I was 99% sure the Soviet's won't attack. How I knew that?
Finland.
Also, it's 1942 already and the Soviets indeed haven't attacked. Jackpot. But I can't really wait much longer myself. I wanted to attack on April 1st, but the light tank divisions wouldn't be quite finished by then, so the war will start in May, when they've left the factories and gained ORG.
In May, with the previous projects finished, work begins on 4 more destroyer squadrons, 4 new fleet carriers, and a large number of CAGs.
And, to wrap up the inter-war period...
Dedicated to scientists around the world. Most heartfelt thanks for your hard work! Neutrality: -5% research efficiency? I don't think so... :laugh:
Yep, it's up to date. Probably the only thing that gives me a fighting chance against SOV... I realise this update is somewhat chaotic. Hard to fit two years in 20 screenshots. Guess I'll do a separate summary with techs and OOB, so you can see in detail what the situation looks like.
Hard to fit two years in 20 screenshots. Guess I'll do a separate summary with techs and OOB, so you can see in detail what the situation looks like.