Sick of whatching Germans overun Poland, ushering in an age of darkness and war that would forever cast the lands of the Slavs into the darkness of Nazism and Stalinism, I have decided to play a game where history is halted in its tracks, and a better way blazed forward.
Grand Campaign - Difficulty is Medium/Furious.
I started game with one objective, total annexation of Germany by Poland in short time as possible. Was keen to bring campaigne to succesful conclusion soon as possible, Poland has mediocre industrial capacity to begine with, with not much man-power or man-power growth. In addition, technology is behind, army is outdated. Every month Poland delay fighting Germany, or is still fighting un-broken German military, is another month in Germany's favour but Polands cost.
Will not bore you with details of Operation Struwko, surfice to say for awhile around Kustrin things looking very grim for Poland.
We had troops in Stettin, Byrdgoszcz, Poznan, Oppeln, Cracow. River seperates these five provinces (minus Kustrin) from heart of Germany, and Berlin itself. Cannot recall how many times Kustrin change hands between my Pols and hated enemy, but Poland army was in good position to punish Germans hard everytime they took Kustrin back, but they were in good position to punish us everytime Poland took Kustrin back.
By seventh exchange by bloody-battle, I was beginning to dispair, casualties were high on both sides but Germans, with their high manpower could replenish losses beyond ability of Poland to do same. Also, was worried that fresh new German divisions would appear, stuff whole enterprise right up. I decide let German have Kustrin, let them take Byrdgoszcz as well, which they do- allowing Poland army to close in encirclement.
Three German divisions become trapped in this encirclement, we destroy them from all sides, two German division holding door open for them in Kustrin we beat back across river. I left the door open hoping Germans make same mistake again, but this time no, Germans re-took Kustrin and just held there. But in attempting to capitalize on breakthrough into Byrdgoszcz Germans made mistake of leaving Breslau unguarded (Breslau lay across river in south, very important for take Cottbus, and then for take Berlin). I took chance immediately, not wait for germans to correct, managed move five divisions across river into Breslau where they encounter belated resistance trickling-in from Cottbus in north. Was too late for them though, by time I'd make over side of river, Germans lost another four divisions or so in encirclements in north.
After that, was steady downhill for Germany, they lose enough divisions to have difficulty steming tide of Polish progress westward, Berlin was use very succesfully to lure-and-destroy by encirclement even more divisions. Eventually Germans seem to abandon city of Berlin (by that time I taken it three or four times and then conceeded it, added mightily to Polish stockpiles).
Around this time that Spanish Civil War kicked off, madly, Germans sent manpower and materials they probably desperately needed at home off to fight with Franco. I put it down to Hitlers arrogance being good for Poland.
The Germans faught hard all way, but eventually they were defeated entirely, Germany annexed into Greater Poland. Hitler and his cronies was executed by dog. Me and the Generals laughed quietly among ourselves, exhausted, we sipped vodka, smoked cigars, watch bloodhounds ran off into forest after former leaders of German Reich. We give them good twenty-minute headstart(afterall, only fair). Bodies collected later and disposed-off (again, by dog).
Troops of Poland have earned well-earned rest, plenty vodka for everyone.
However with beligerence of 65 I nervously looking around me, fully expected rest of world to not tolerate Polands pre-emptive justice and invade us. Happily, UK seemed to approve of what we done, (a nessecary grimness but one for which all mankind should be grateful they agree) they even give us blessing by gauranteing Polands independance. France seemed a little bothered by willingness of Poland to do what needed to be done but, still they felt compelled to befriend us. The Sovjets didn't really approve either, but considering what we had destroyed, they willing to forgive us (a few tonnes per day of free energy from coal-mines of new Greater Poland might have help sweeten attitude of Sovjets as well).
Of course, player to player, I have to admit that the pre-ordained instructions to the Allied nations to befriend Poland worked very well indeed in Polands favour after the aqcuisition of Germany, very well indeed.
Grand Campaign - Difficulty is Medium/Furious.
I started game with one objective, total annexation of Germany by Poland in short time as possible. Was keen to bring campaigne to succesful conclusion soon as possible, Poland has mediocre industrial capacity to begine with, with not much man-power or man-power growth. In addition, technology is behind, army is outdated. Every month Poland delay fighting Germany, or is still fighting un-broken German military, is another month in Germany's favour but Polands cost.
Will not bore you with details of Operation Struwko, surfice to say for awhile around Kustrin things looking very grim for Poland.
We had troops in Stettin, Byrdgoszcz, Poznan, Oppeln, Cracow. River seperates these five provinces (minus Kustrin) from heart of Germany, and Berlin itself. Cannot recall how many times Kustrin change hands between my Pols and hated enemy, but Poland army was in good position to punish Germans hard everytime they took Kustrin back, but they were in good position to punish us everytime Poland took Kustrin back.
By seventh exchange by bloody-battle, I was beginning to dispair, casualties were high on both sides but Germans, with their high manpower could replenish losses beyond ability of Poland to do same. Also, was worried that fresh new German divisions would appear, stuff whole enterprise right up. I decide let German have Kustrin, let them take Byrdgoszcz as well, which they do- allowing Poland army to close in encirclement.
Three German divisions become trapped in this encirclement, we destroy them from all sides, two German division holding door open for them in Kustrin we beat back across river. I left the door open hoping Germans make same mistake again, but this time no, Germans re-took Kustrin and just held there. But in attempting to capitalize on breakthrough into Byrdgoszcz Germans made mistake of leaving Breslau unguarded (Breslau lay across river in south, very important for take Cottbus, and then for take Berlin). I took chance immediately, not wait for germans to correct, managed move five divisions across river into Breslau where they encounter belated resistance trickling-in from Cottbus in north. Was too late for them though, by time I'd make over side of river, Germans lost another four divisions or so in encirclements in north.
After that, was steady downhill for Germany, they lose enough divisions to have difficulty steming tide of Polish progress westward, Berlin was use very succesfully to lure-and-destroy by encirclement even more divisions. Eventually Germans seem to abandon city of Berlin (by that time I taken it three or four times and then conceeded it, added mightily to Polish stockpiles).
Around this time that Spanish Civil War kicked off, madly, Germans sent manpower and materials they probably desperately needed at home off to fight with Franco. I put it down to Hitlers arrogance being good for Poland.
The Germans faught hard all way, but eventually they were defeated entirely, Germany annexed into Greater Poland. Hitler and his cronies was executed by dog. Me and the Generals laughed quietly among ourselves, exhausted, we sipped vodka, smoked cigars, watch bloodhounds ran off into forest after former leaders of German Reich. We give them good twenty-minute headstart(afterall, only fair). Bodies collected later and disposed-off (again, by dog).
Troops of Poland have earned well-earned rest, plenty vodka for everyone.
However with beligerence of 65 I nervously looking around me, fully expected rest of world to not tolerate Polands pre-emptive justice and invade us. Happily, UK seemed to approve of what we done, (a nessecary grimness but one for which all mankind should be grateful they agree) they even give us blessing by gauranteing Polands independance. France seemed a little bothered by willingness of Poland to do what needed to be done but, still they felt compelled to befriend us. The Sovjets didn't really approve either, but considering what we had destroyed, they willing to forgive us (a few tonnes per day of free energy from coal-mines of new Greater Poland might have help sweeten attitude of Sovjets as well).
Of course, player to player, I have to admit that the pre-ordained instructions to the Allied nations to befriend Poland worked very well indeed in Polands favour after the aqcuisition of Germany, very well indeed.
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