Historically, the Dutch were in the midst of a massive naval construction program when the Germans invaded in 1940. Holland's well-trained Navy escaped to England with every ship that could float, even half-built hulls. Those that could not be towed were scuttled. The Germans salvaged some small craft and completed a flotilla of Tjerk Hiddes-class destroyers and another of O21-class submarines, but Dutch shipbuilders sabotaged every German effort to complete two De Zeven Provinciën-class cruisers.
Note that these partially-built Dutch cruisers represented a considerable prize for the Germans. Modern in every respect, the De Zeven Provinciën-class "light" cruisers weighed in at 12,040 metric tons each, halfway between the 8,000 metric tons of the German Leipzig-class light cruisers and the 16,170 metric tons of the German Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers. Whereas British shipyards needed only months to complete the construction of the half-built Dutch ships towed to their docks, the Dutch Resistance kept the Germans from finishing either cruiser for five years.
I find that the mods I've researched and coded reinforce the historic reality of the game. The democracies rested their strength on their massive reserves. The Axis countered this with blitzkrieg, taking out opponents before they could mobilize. The Axis could not match Allied industrial output, and thus relied heavily on captured equipment. While Germany filled its artillery needs with captured French guns, and with older Skoda models seized during the Balkans campaign, the Resistance constantly thwarted Hitler's desire to obtain a surface fleet powerful enough to challenge the UK. Every German effort to complete the construction of major warships captured half-built - Aurora-class submarines in France, Aaland-class destroyers in Norway, and De Zeven Provinciën-class cruisers in Holland - met with failure, as did the German attempt to seize the Vichy fleet in 1942. And without this fleet, Germany had little chance to invade the British Home Isles.
Thus, the evacuation of the Dutch fleet to English ports takes on special significance, as the Dutch were mariners of quality, and their fleet fought hard against the Axis in two hemispheres.
As always, comments and feedback are welcome
Have fun, and game on!
#########################################################################
# Captured Dutch Warships
#########################################################################
event = {
id = 37960
random = no
country = GER
name = "Captured Dutch Warships"
desc = "Historically, the Dutch were in the midst of a massive naval construction program when the Germans invaded in 1940. Holland's well-trained Navy escaped to England with every ship that could float, even half-built hulls. Those that could not be towed were scuttled. The Germans salvaged some small craft and completed a flotilla of Tjerk Hiddes-class destroyers and another of O21-class submarines, but Dutch shipbuilders sabotaged every German effort to complete two De Zeven Provinciën-class cruisers."
style = 0
picture = "dd_transfer"
trigger = {
event = 25036 # Dutch Capitulation
control = { province = 46 data = GER }
control = { province = 47 data = GER }
control = { province = 48 data = GER }
control = { province = 49 data = GER }
control = { province = 77 data = GER }
control = { province = 78 data = GER }
control = { province = 79 data = GER }
}
date = { day = 1 month = january year = 1936 }
offset = 3
deathdate = { day = 1 month = december year = 1946 }
action_a = {
name = "OK"
command = { type = add_division which = "Zerstörer, Holland" value = destroyer when = 2 }
command = { type = add_division which = "UD-3/UD-4/UD-5" value = submarine when = 3 }
command = { type = escort_pool which = GER value = 5 }
command = { type = transport_pool which = GER value = 15 }
command = { type = manpowerpool value = -3 } # Captured ships are free, crews are not
}
}
Note that these partially-built Dutch cruisers represented a considerable prize for the Germans. Modern in every respect, the De Zeven Provinciën-class "light" cruisers weighed in at 12,040 metric tons each, halfway between the 8,000 metric tons of the German Leipzig-class light cruisers and the 16,170 metric tons of the German Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers. Whereas British shipyards needed only months to complete the construction of the half-built Dutch ships towed to their docks, the Dutch Resistance kept the Germans from finishing either cruiser for five years.
I find that the mods I've researched and coded reinforce the historic reality of the game. The democracies rested their strength on their massive reserves. The Axis countered this with blitzkrieg, taking out opponents before they could mobilize. The Axis could not match Allied industrial output, and thus relied heavily on captured equipment. While Germany filled its artillery needs with captured French guns, and with older Skoda models seized during the Balkans campaign, the Resistance constantly thwarted Hitler's desire to obtain a surface fleet powerful enough to challenge the UK. Every German effort to complete the construction of major warships captured half-built - Aurora-class submarines in France, Aaland-class destroyers in Norway, and De Zeven Provinciën-class cruisers in Holland - met with failure, as did the German attempt to seize the Vichy fleet in 1942. And without this fleet, Germany had little chance to invade the British Home Isles.
Thus, the evacuation of the Dutch fleet to English ports takes on special significance, as the Dutch were mariners of quality, and their fleet fought hard against the Axis in two hemispheres.
As always, comments and feedback are welcome
Have fun, and game on!
#########################################################################
# Captured Dutch Warships
#########################################################################
event = {
id = 37960
random = no
country = GER
name = "Captured Dutch Warships"
desc = "Historically, the Dutch were in the midst of a massive naval construction program when the Germans invaded in 1940. Holland's well-trained Navy escaped to England with every ship that could float, even half-built hulls. Those that could not be towed were scuttled. The Germans salvaged some small craft and completed a flotilla of Tjerk Hiddes-class destroyers and another of O21-class submarines, but Dutch shipbuilders sabotaged every German effort to complete two De Zeven Provinciën-class cruisers."
style = 0
picture = "dd_transfer"
trigger = {
event = 25036 # Dutch Capitulation
control = { province = 46 data = GER }
control = { province = 47 data = GER }
control = { province = 48 data = GER }
control = { province = 49 data = GER }
control = { province = 77 data = GER }
control = { province = 78 data = GER }
control = { province = 79 data = GER }
}
date = { day = 1 month = january year = 1936 }
offset = 3
deathdate = { day = 1 month = december year = 1946 }
action_a = {
name = "OK"
command = { type = add_division which = "Zerstörer, Holland" value = destroyer when = 2 }
command = { type = add_division which = "UD-3/UD-4/UD-5" value = submarine when = 3 }
command = { type = escort_pool which = GER value = 5 }
command = { type = transport_pool which = GER value = 15 }
command = { type = manpowerpool value = -3 } # Captured ships are free, crews are not
}
}