A Kinder, Gentler Germany: Avoiding War for Fun and Profit.

[mnplastic]

Without the TDs, I would lose the CA bonus. It's really as simple as that. Even with 1946 technologies, 2xMECH/3xSPARTY just doesn't have enough softness to get there.

But does it really matter if enemy is routed and you can not move?

[Secret Master]

But does it really matter if enemy is routed and you can not move?

So you're saying detach the TDs and run 2xMECH/2xSPART to save fuel?

[Baltasar]

So you're saying detach the TDs and run 2xMECH/2xSPART to save fuel?

Rather delete them once you're not in need of that CA bonuns any more.

[Secret Master]

Rather delete them once you're not in need of that CA bonuns any more.

Aha, I get it now. Well, when you've got 4 extra years of IC to work with, I guess deleting them would just mean I could make new divisions that don't use fuel. It's not like I need to worry about threat after the UK attacks.

[Baltasar]

I rather meant that you could remove the TD brigades from the divisions and delete them. No need to rebuild all of these units.

[mnplastic]

By the time you rebuild them the USSR is defeated BTW, capturing VP points which are very often urban provinces is much more difficult with TD due to high penalties.

[Lord Curlyton]

AFAIK, usable IC and dissent have no bearing on neutrality,which is a sign of how threatened a nation feels by its NEIGHBOURS, not by its own malcontent citizens.
unless I missed a whole section of game rules somewhere?

No, the "Prepare for War" decision which was added in Ftm I believe (I know it exists since I've used it and I play vanilla), a decision which IS tied to usable IC, and then lowers neutrality by some ridiculous amount per day (0.10 or so I believe) for 6 or so months. Can take US down to the 30's in neutrality by the end of '36 and then its just a matter of either raising threat if you want an early war or enjoy 4+ years of War Economy while being immune to any real threat.
EDIT: Quickly ran through a USA to get the effect. Here is screenie.


DOUBLE EDIT: And to show that it requires dissent (yet another quickie runthrough)


And a quick upload too. Not feeling like removing the white :-P
LAST EDIT: And to show how long it takes to bleed the dissent. Around 2, 2.5 months. Hasn't even been enough time for my neutrality to drop enough for new laws (needless to say CPO helped speed the process along plus selecting a L-F Capitalist as a minister)

[Secret Master]

By the time you rebuild them the USSR is defeated BTW, capturing VP points which are very often urban provinces is much more difficult with TD due to high penalties.

If I were worried about terrain penalties, I wouldn't be using MECH, SPARTY, or TDs anyway. Seriously, sending mechanized units through the Pripet Marshes? Through the Caucuses? The terrain near Leningrad? Imagine all that crappy terrain they drove through.

Actually, now that I think about it, if you are going to use vehicular units in bad terrain, you might as well have the CA bonus to offset the terrain penalties. But I'd have to run the numbers to see what CA unit would be best in certain terrain. The obvious choice is ARM/ENG, but ENG has such wimpy stats compared to SPART that maybe ARM/SPARTY ends up with more overall SA in places that aren't rivers or mountains.

No, the "Prepare for War" decision which was added in Ftm I believe (I know it exists since I've used it and I play vanilla), a decision which IS tied to usable IC, and then lowers neutrality by some ridiculous amount per day (0.10 or so I believe) for 6 or so months. Can take US down to the 30's in neutrality by the end of '36 and then its just a matter of either raising threat if you want an early war or enjoy 4+ years of War Economy while being immune to any real threat.
EDIT: Quickly ran through a USA to get the effect. Here is screenie.


DOUBLE EDIT: And to show that it requires dissent (yet another quickie runthrough)


And a quick upload too. Not feeling like removing the white :-P
LAST EDIT: And to show how long it takes to bleed the dissent. Around 2, 2.5 months. Hasn't even been enough time for my neutrality to drop enough for new laws (needless to say CPO helped speed the process along plus selecting a L-F Capitalist as a minister)

This is the "Raise dissent to kill IC" exploit.

Personally, I wish that decision would be redone so that this sort of thing isn't possible.

[Lord Curlyton]

Personally, i agree wholeheartedly with you. I understand its intent, which was to try and encourage players to take on the task of playing a minor or regional while still feeling like you can accomplish something (unite the Iberian Peninsula and start the Spanish Empire anew! Conquer the Balkans! Reform the Ottoman Empire! Break free of the Monroe Doctrine and unite South America under your benevolent gaze! Hail Zog! And so on), but the way it was implemented was, in hindsight, not the best choice. It really should just be a decision tied to either base IC (so no more dissent gaming) or just flat out country tags (if Country = XYZ, then "Prepare for War" = True [or however it would be in exactness]).

[misterbean]

ok, I get it now. you can't get the decision if you have a major's IC levels, so you lower them by raising dissent so you CAN activate the decision.

[robw963]

This was a really great read Secret Master. I've long been aware of your mastery of the game in the main forum but it's really a pleasure to see your thinking in detail. Thank you for sharing! (although to be brutally honest I can't imagine playing Germany this way myself...my inner übermensch would never allow it!).

[Secret Master]

Thanks for stopping by. I'm not sure I have mastery of game mechanics since I am not as good at math as some other folks around here.

[Stuyvesant]

Was an interesting approach to the game enlivened by some nice vignettes. The Alien/T-54 thing and Goebbels' demise were particularly inspired.

[Secret Master]

Was an interesting approach to the game enlivened by some nice vignettes. The Alien/T-54 thing and Goebbels' demise were particularly inspired.

Thanks, and I only steal from the best.

Those with Netflix can look up the real Kenneth Brannagh and his reading/performance of Goebbel's diaries. For WWII buffs, it's a really creepy exploration of the man. It's almost as good as his performance in Conspiracy with Stanley Tucci.

[Phavahg]

I just got a chance to read through this AAR (in one sitting, btw!). This is one of most enjoyable AARs I've ever read on any forum. Nice mix of styles, but not overdone. Lots of great insights into the game and its potential.

One question: how many PARA corps did you end up building ... I seem to recall you said three of 3XPARA each but I couldn't find it in a re-read. Did you consider building a few more, and laying down a "row" of captured regions to VP cities (like Stalingrad) in order to facilitate MECH capture and link-up?

[Secret Master]

Glad you enjoyed it.

I built 3 PARA divisions composed of 5xPARA each. I didn't build more, mainly because of threat and officer limitations. (After the war started, I could have made more I suppose, but it didn't seem necessary.)

I get what you're saying, though. With more PARA, I could have created more "corridors" for linking up MECH forces with objectives. That is something to consider for the future. I know now that if I had dropped on Moscow with the MECH right next door to the city, I'd have taken it much sooner.

I wouldn't have to build more PARA to use them in the way you suggest either. I could just swap brigades around and create more divisions with fewer total brigades. 3 5xPARA divisions easily turn into 5 3xPARA divisions.

[AmokAchim]

Very good AAR.

[Tian]

Reading this inspiring AAR kept me from work for the last 3 hours. You should feel guilty, because I have to look up now, if you did some other AARs.

Tian

[Secret Master]

Not for HOI3.

But be careful how far back you search. I've got AARs as far back as EU1. And I had an EU2 AAR that spanned hordes of pages that didn't get past 100 years of gameplay.

Thanks for reading, though. This was primarily a gameplay AAR outlining a strategy, with just story elements thrown in just for fun.

[jju_57]

SM, great AAR really enjoyed reading it. One question. You mentioned that if this was on VH mode you never would have gotten out of Poland. Would the combat malus really have that much impact on your units? I was thinking of trying something like this except on VH mode.