Rommels Memoires... a german AAR

[knuddelgerman]

Hi there,
I'm quite new to this Forum and will try to write an AAR of the HOI Game I'm currently playing on which already had a few funny turns rewriting History. Currently im in the early Days of 1940 and decided I might give AARing a try here. Since I'm a german I already apologize for any horrific things I might do to the english language.

I'll skip most of the "preparation" business since it was passed with game speed set to "fast" and concentrate on the happenings beginning from the end auf 1938.

Genre: As many others I will try to create something of a storyline narrating the happenings in the game (especially the funny quirks). What I'm not so good at is scientificaly accurate historical research, so many of the characters you might find in my AAR are fictious, or at least do not behave they did in reality. Hope you enjoy it, Feedback welcome.

Prelude:

January 1936, Berlin "Neue Reichskanzlei"

It was a bright early afternoon as Hjalmar Schacht walked into the Reichskanzlei. The Führer had summoned him on some urgent business and guessing on the mood Hitler was in, it was nothing that Schacht was really eager to find out. Ushered quickly to the Head of States Office, by a member of the Chancellors personal assistants he nervously paced the carpeted floor, peering out the large windows that openend a splendid view over snow covered Berlin. People strolling along in the parks, or Women hasting their parcel laden husbands along the Friedrichsstraße which featured many exclusive Fashionboutiques. Yes it was in deed a golden Time since the roaring twenties had given the world a push in wealth. Well not everywhere if you considered over 5 Million german citizens unemployed, but the new government had promised they would change that, and the people believed it.

The large double doors opened and in came the head of state himself which Schacht immediatly greeted properly. Adolfs mood had not improved in anyway and according to the sour looks on his face he expected nothing good to come.

"Be seated Schacht. Very convenient you could come in so fast."
"Of course mein Führer, always at your service."
The Head of state nodded sparingly and flopped a large folder containing dozens of papers on the desk. Schachts questioning look spurred his superior to explanation. "This is the abominable piece of treacherous construct forced upon us by the so called victors of the so called great war. Or lets more correctly put it, it is those pieces of this construct that I have decided will no longer affect our country."

Schacht blinked shortly. "That you have decided? Uh, forgive me mein Führer but since when can a treaty be changed by one side without the consent of the other?"
Hitlers fist hit the heavy oaken table and once more revealed the foul mood that he was in. "This is no treaty, these are slave chains, made of paper that our people will no longer wear."
Schacht raised his hands in defeat. "Very well, but what is it that you have in mind to shake these off?"

The question was answered by another ledger flopping onto the table, containing more papers which where covered with numbers and figures. The Führer pushed the ledger over to Schacht who anxiously took them and scanned the pages. "We are raising the Reichswehr?"
The man opposite of him shook his head. "No, there will be no such thing as a Reichswehr anymore. This time is past. Now we will have a Wehrmacht and its force will teach those overstuffed potentates at Paris, London and Washington that someone messing with us will be in some mess. I'm fed up with their so called diplomats pointing at this "treaty" whenever we decide to do something."
Schacht nodded slowly scanning more of the pages, that revealed that his Head of States plans where most certainly violating every paragraph of Versailles that there was. "Submarines... Battleships... an Aircraft Carrier? What do we need that for? All these ships arranged Bow to stern, and we can walk from Wilhelmshaven to Plymouth."

The Führer scoffed at Schachts remark. "So what? At least they will then know that they better give us the rightful place in global politics or we will just take it. Take this to your staff and start working. The list of german companies that are experienced in military technology in the back of this concept have already been informed that there is work heading their way. A very convenient way to get all those unemployed men of the streets. Oh yes and look at page 35. A very interesting project there too."

Schacht flipped through the papers. "Autobahns? Heck only every twentieth german has a car and we want to spend millions of Reichsmark on building multilane roads for automobiles?"

The Führer grinned. "Check page 36..."
"Ah Volkswagen... a car for every german... just 999 Marks? Good joke..."
"No joke... I phoned Ferdinand Porsche a few month ago and asked him if he thought that was possible he said yes so he'd better not dissapoint me."
Schacht raised an eyebrow in disbelief. But at second glance these projects where very suitable for getting a hold on germanies economical misery... and at least they wouldn't get the country into as much trouble as the "Bismarck" or this useless Aircraft Carrier. "Very well mein Führer, I'll be at it immediatly."

With this he got up, and relaxed as he noted that talking about the plans had raised the mood his superior was in considerably. But at the same time he did'nt want to know what would happen to the mood of Stanley Baldwin when he found out the germans where about to dump a war sized navy into the north sea.


October 1936, Downing Street, London

The English cabinet was meeting for one of the occasional meetings to discuss the general situation of the nation an the surrounding Europe. Certainly a fairly recent article of the London Telegraph, titled "The Huns dump Versailles in the rubbish bin" would be a highly discussed piece of writing at this meeting. "So as I suspect you've all read the papers the last few weeks and know that there is something brewing in central europe."

The Premiere tossed an issue of the Telegraph on the large table they were sitting at which had the headline written in fat old german style letters on the first page. "The sadest thing about this is, that we read about it in the newspaper instead of our intelligence reports so i wonder whos been sitting on the line." With this he shot a venomenous glance at Sir Hugh Sinclair, who shrinked back in his chair a little. Then he coughed shortly before raising his voice. "Well strangely we have not received confirmed reports from our agents yet that the germans are actually building up an army outsizing the personal defense forces granted by the Versailles treaty. These are nothing but rumors and that is why no reports where filed yet."

A short laugh from across the table, where Neville Chamberlain, curren Minister of Defense sat answered this excuse. "Oh not confirmed yet eh? So whats confirmed then? When we have a nice torpedo sticking in the hull of one of our battleships that says "Made in Germany" on it? I'm sorry Sir Hugh... but this is ridiculous. If you knew of these rumors you should have made every effort to confirm or disprove them, and that before some overpaid journalist over in Hamburg writes that he thinks theres a full sized aircraft carrier in one of the Blom und Voss shipyards. And these speculations about the Reichswehr playing war inside cardboard tanks with rubber cannons is another thing that shine a strange light on the whole matter. So what is this all about and how much do you know about this."

Sir Hugh coughed again and took his pipe out of his Jacket pocket. "Well first of all, there are confirmed reports that the german government has issued orders for two more of their well known pocket battleships and that there are at least three other much larger ships currently in the process of building and will be completed in approximatly 9 month."

This time it was Chamberlains time to cough. "Eh, say that again. The germans are building three large ships that are able to leave port in less than a year and you don't even know WHAT kind of ships those are? I suspect your agents have enough training to tell a tanker from a warship aye? And then there are these fuzzy reports of fishtrawlers spotting german U-Boats allthough they are not to have any. What are these? Apparitions that have not found out yet that the great war is over? Sir Sinclair by all means you better find out what this is all about or we could be in serious trouble. Maybe we should put the chief editor of the London Telegraph on your chair."

Baldwin raised his hands. "Easy my friends. Newspapers tend to exagerate to raise their sales so please lets not overdo this. Sinclair you better get your people at whitehall to find out what the germans are cooking, Mr. Chamberlain you'd be so kind and give us an assessment of the threat that might be arising if we find out that the germans are indeed leaving the road of Versailles. We can't base our politics on speculations and Newspapers. I need facts to decide. This be all for the evening, lets have a cup of tea and talk about more pleasant matters."


A few weeks later Sinclair was having an urgent meeting with the chief commanders of the armed forces. His agents had at least confirmed the shipbuilding activities and had also confirmed that the large ships constructed in the shipyards of Hamburg and Kiel where not civilian.

"Am I correct if I understand that the germans are planning to toss Hood class Battlecruisers at us?"
Sir Ernle Chatfield, Chief of the Navy seemed quite concerned about this fact, although the english navy was still the most powerfull in the world only outrun by the continously growing US Navy. "Seems like it Sir Chatfield. We also have found out the names of the would be battlecruisers. Bismarck and Tirpitz and they are supposed to be completed by the end of 1938 or early 1939."

A short unrest followed the revelation. "But this certainly poses no immediate threat to the english naval superiority in the european costal waters." continued Sinclair who seemed quite assured of this fact.
A decent "Hmm" sound came from the Navychief which let the eyes of the congregation center on him. "We should face the fact, that measured by the firepower that the germans are able to pack into one of their pocketships a ship of the hood class built with german technology might very well take our equivalents to pieces if it insists on it, but since they cannot muster the number of ships that we have at disposal Sir Sinclair is right... up to now that is."
Murmuring again started and even rose higher when Sinclair let the next piece of unsettling reconaissance slip from his never empty bag of apocalyptic spywork. "The next thing that we have to affirm is that the germans have at least eight U-Boat Wolfpacks secretly operating in the North Sea and the northern atlantic, but so far they stick close to the coast and seem to be testing their gear."

"U-Boats?! Thats against the Treaty how dare they!"
Owen Boyd, the Chief of the Airforce had risen from his chair a disgusted look on his face.
"Erm, Sir Boyd... I was just coming to you... it seems like the germans have struck up a large scale aviation research center in the "Bayrische Motorenwerke" automotive plants, and considering their affinity to warmachines they can hardly be convincing enough to tell us that the use will be a civillian one."

This roused the Airmarshal even further since it was his own field now challanged by those continental rebels. "So what is the administration planning to do in this matter? They cannot go unpunished for this clear violation."

Chamberlains answer was short and precise... and left quite a few mouths gaping open: "Nothing?!"


Thats it for now... more will follow

[Alexandru H.]

Excellent introduction! If you keep updating it, you have all the reasons in the world to be happy: a great AAR is born

And no, I did not notice you were German

[ladybug]

All these ships arranged Bow to stern, and we can walk from Wilhelmshaven to Coventry.

you can never do that
1. you will nerer build that many ships
2. look at a good map and see where Coventry is

make it lowestoft that was a big port at the time i think or great yarmouth.

PS. when you find kessingland just south of lowestoft put
<------ ladybu lives hear
oh good start

[elbasto]

niceee

[knuddelgerman]

i changed it to good old Plymouth... *G* got it mixed up somehow and of course I know you can never build that many ships but Schacht thinks his Führer is nuts, since in his oppinion a navy of large battleships is useless since germany does not have any colonies anymore and thus should focus on land warfare (I considered canceling the carrier)

well hang on... i will write another post this evening but now its supper time

[SykoNurse]

Great start! Looking forward to the next episode.

and welcome to the boards!

[vcarter707]

Great! You can never have to many german aars

[knuddelgerman]

Febuary 1937, Hammelburg Wehrmacht Traininggrounds Germany

Gefreiter Schmidt was sitting in the drivers seat of his brand new so called PzKW IV, next to his Comerade Fritz Haller who was operating as Gunner. Both had been on duty since the early morning hours, waiting for something to happen in this military exercise that had been going on the better part of two weeks by now. "So what do you think Heinrich... you look a little amused this morning."
Schmidt chuckeled tapping some rythm on the steering wheel, then flipping his finger against the tanks hull. It sounded hollow and definitly not of metal. "Well, I just imagine the Thommys* probably dying of suffocation when they see our new "Panzerwaffe" and laugh themselves to death."
"Yeah right... I feel quite stupid driving a Kübelwagen disguised as a tank, but so what. At least its a little warmer in here than outside. Turn up the heater a little more will you?"

Fritz put his hands on the handles that where used to turn the "tanks" turret, and rotated it by a few degrees so he could see some more of the battlefield. "Do you think they'll give us real tanks in a few month?"
Saying this he sviveled the cannon which was made of a piece of rain gutter pipe. "They better will... it would look quite ridiculous when we'd show up at the next parade on the Führers birthday in a card board tank now, wouldn't it?"

Both men shared a hearty laugh and then Schmidt turned on the engine of the kübelwagen. "Hold on Fritz, the cardboard fortress is on the run. I wonder if they have given our comerades from the Luftwaffe paper air planes to play with."

Historical note: Although quite funny to think of such a situation it was gruesome reality in the beginning of the Wehrmacht. Thats why I think such a conversation could really have taken place. :-D


2nd April 1937, Paris
The Parliament was in uproar when the news had been passed that the germans where holding large scale military exercises in central germany, including innovative weaponry such as fake tanks, and raingutter pipe heavy artillery. Although the military oberservers that had witnessed this display of creativity laughed about it. The french government did anything but laugh.
"Messieurs, I am quite sure that the germans playing a toy war in Hammelburg can only mean one thing. They plan to aquire these weapons and this is a clear violation of the treaty of Versailles which has been signed and accepted by germany almost 20 years ago. If their memory is so short, as to already violate the rules of this agreement, which was the key to there continued existence as a souvereign nation, then it might be time to call it back to their attention."

The harsh words uttered as conclusion of a half hour speech, by one of the national conservative members of the Parliament where met with quite some applause and others who openly showed there unwillingness to even consider such an option. Another speaker got up from his chair and walked to the podium adressing the national assembly. "Messieurs, although I share the concerns that have been so clearly and elaboratly been presented by Monsieur de Marin, I would like to call to everybodys attention, that beginning another war just so shortly after the great war, just because some Reichssoldiers are playing with toys is completly out of the question. First of all there is no need to fear another threat rising from our neighbors in the east. As all of you know the past years haven't gone unused and the completion of the Maginot Line has been an adamant statement to them that we will not be harrassed by their expansion plans anymore. This formidable result of military engineering efforts will most certainly protect us from any so called german threat. The experiences of the great war have shown that building up fortifications in peace time prepares us for any sort of oncoming war, if the germans ever dare to put their greedy eyes on our grande nation. Make a statement, man the walls of the line, but please do not even think about shedding french blood. Because no matter how weakened germany is. War always means loss of lives on both sides and just for the sake of the continued feeling of complete safety needed by some veterans of Verdun, like Monsigneur de Marin, this is to high a price."

The assembly murmured and discussed, then the speech went on, followed by another requesting to grant additional funds to the military and another that stated economic pressure would be the more apropriate way to douse the fire that apparently was again lighting in the east. But as so very often in democratic debates. Nothing was decided but the fact that one would have to meet again and discuss the topic a little more.

April 20th 1937, Berlin Germany
A strange spooky silence has befallen all military training grounds and installations. Apparently every german soldier seems to have been sent home for some holidays, save some of the guards at barracks and airbases. No Squads marching in excellent order of formal drill, no mud covered infantry crawling through the bushes. Quiet almost bordering on desolation. Not even the customary military parade in honor of the countrys leader's birthday has been celebrated. Just a small honor guard of about two dozen officers had been at the Reichskanzlei to congratulate him with a little display of military exercises. Agents of nearly every nation send reports home these days that something in germany is amiss. This nation without the always visible presence of the military that they take so much pride in? Weird, to say the least, and with just as much suspicion these reports are recieved in the capitals of the world.

Note: Everyone was sent home for "modernisation" to save the ICs for resupplys :-)

*Thommy - german used equivalent to "Hun". Nickname for english soldiers.

[cassa61]

great aar looks to be a promising one hope to read more soon
oh and isn't it "tommys" not "thommys"? probably just a spelling error anyway we want MORE!!!

[Lord British]

Originally posted by cassa61
great aar looks to be a promising one hope to read more soon
oh and isn't it "tommys" not "thommys"? probably just a spelling error anyway we want MORE!!!

Yes, you are quite right cassa61, it is "tommys".

A very interesting AAR indeed, good show knuddelgerman! Looking forward to more

[knuddelgerman]

Here we go, another update... late but late is better than never

October 15th 1937, The Reichskanzlei Berlin - Germany

It was late at night, and the first Shadows of closing winter were falling on the capital of the thousand Years Reich. Inside the comfortably heated big audience room sat the Führer with his closest advisors and the complete Commanding Staff of the newly created Wehrmacht. "Very well Gentlemen, the reason for this meeting is quite simple. Our nation has been made a slave. A slave breaking free of his bonds as all of you can see. Up to now our plannings have proceeded well but the question is where does our planning lead to?"

The Head of State was eying all his trusted assistants leaving the odd question hanging in the air that was slightly polluted with the smoke of the fat cigars that Grand Admiral Raeder used to smoke. Hoepner, Chief in Command raised both his eyebrows and shrugged. "Well if we are building an army we are showing the world that our strength has not faded. We will gain their respect and thats where our planning was headded wasn't it?"

The Führer chuckled and threw Hoepner an almost mocking glance. "Sure my old comerade... sure. But the problem is they won't give us any respect if we not use this army and SHOW that our strength has not faded."
The revelation struck the room like a five hundred pound bomb, dropped from the skies over the city. This was the first time that anyone ever uttered a thought, not about just building a new Army but actually using it. "Whats the use of an army if all it does is celebrating parades to my birthday, which I categorically forbade this year. No use of raising to much attention, since London and Paris are surly watching us. But nonetheless, a Sword needs to be used if it is to be of any meaning."
With this he pulled a map out of a drawer and spread it out on the table. "Now watch closely gentlemen and if I may bring it to your notice, you and I are the only persons knowing of this meeting so if anything surfaces, it is clear there is a traitor among us and the Gestapo will fall upon those with the glee of a starved vulture finding a dead elephant. There have been too few traitors lately you know?" If it was meant in humor or as a serious threat could only be guessed, but according to the strange nearly hushed tone the man was using and by the looks he gave each and everyone surrounding the grand table no one would dare to take chances to put the question to a practical test.

The Map on the table showed central Europe Germany in the middle. France to the Left, Poland and Techoslovakia to the right. "We have almost 65 million citizens. They need room, we need land to feed them and to give them work. But whereever you look there is someone who says thats mine. But the question is. Can he argue that claim at gunpoint? We couldn't a few month ago, but this has changed."
Several Areas where marked with thick red lines around them. Areas especialy near the polish border and the boundaries of Tchechoslovakia called the "Sudetenland".
"First of all gentlemen, a lot of the land that these people around us claim as theirs is actually ours, taken away in this great misjudgement and injustice that the Versailles treaty forced upon us. These areas are marked in red and this is the minimum that we are to get back within the next years."

There was a dead silence in the room as Hitler finished his sentence, everyone staring at him in disbelief. He actually planned setting the continent on fire again?
"With all due respect mein Führer, but are we talking about starting another great war here? Not to think of what the allies will do to us the next time we loose it."
Hitlers stern gaze locked upon Hjalmar Schacht, minister of defense and utterer of these heretic words. "The allies... this time it will rather be what we'll do to the allies once they have to admit their utter defeat. The lessons of the great war have been carefully learned and now its time to show our teachers to what end their lessons will serve them."
The tone war sickingly poisonous, white hot burning hatred flowing from the Chancellors lips. "Our army will not fail this time, and it is the duty of all of us to ensure that."

Slight nods met the Führers gaze as he put his hands on the map like an eagle tearing his talons into the body of his prey. "No more failures, have I made myself clear..." It was not more that a harsh icy whisper that sent shivers through the spines of all the assembled leaders.
Finally it was Hoepners full, steady voice that broke the silence, adressing Schacht once again. "How far have we come on our military researches? I hope we'll be seeing some results soon. Our soldiers are eager to lay hands on the new technologies that they have been promised."
He smiled a little dryly. "So to say, they're sick of running around the battlefield in tanks made of tin and cardboard."
A small wave of chuckling ran around the table, including the Führer himself and thus breaking more of the deadly atmosphere that had taken hold of the room just minutes ago. "Well our progress is going nicely. If not to much goes wrong we can introduce the new Panzer IV by the beginning of next year. And aside from that our artillery range in Peenemünde reports excellent progress. But this all has setbacks. Due to the high demand for new weapons for the ground forces we are lacking naval and airborne innovation that..."

The grand admiral cut him short and laughed. "No sweat Hjalmar, the navy can wait. The tonnage we have is all but sufficient to defend the coasts from those pesky tommys if they come within our reach, and once the Bismarck sets sail they better stay clear of our water or we'll drown them in it."
More laughing ensued and no trace of the sinister mood was left. A little more than fifteen minutes Schacht was reporting on the newest breakthroughs in arms technology and some of it sounded almost amazing. Late in the night the meeting broke up with only Hoepner and Schacht remaining in the Head of States presence. "I haven't told them yet, but you will tell them when I deem the time is right."
Both looked at their superior curiously. Hitler moved for his desk drawer again und pulled out a calendar that was starting in 1939. Slowly he flipped the pages that contained black and white prints of famous german city sites, like the Brandenburg Gate and the Holstentor of Lübeck to the Month of August. Then he dropped the calender face up on the table.

A single day had been marked with a red circle. Again the gloomy, icy air of just a few hours ago was returning and Schacht shivered visibly. He looked at Hoepner and no word had to be said. They both knew what this red circle almost two years away meant. It was the flame igniting. The flame they all feared but they would light themselves.
"A firestorm..." Hoepner muttered, more to himself looking quite unrested at the calendar, that so obviously showed germanys path into another war that could hardly be won.
"No Hoepner... an... Iron Storm..." The words left the two men scratching their head, but soon they would learn what this little playing with words meant.