Attacking Poland Early

[TheMoe]

I've not played since the Tiger release, though I've purchased the last three DLC's and I'm ready to give it another go, playing as Germany in 1936. I've been watching tutorials and playthroughs of the latest DLC and I see players waiting until 1939 to attack Poland, preferring to build up factories and research before attempting the take over of Poland. It got me thinking about whether there was benefit in simply going down the focus tree towards Poland as quickly as possible, while building up a large number of fair troops with some light tanks. Then, it seems you'd have a ton a factories (civ and military) from Poland and you could use your focus research for other things. Yes, I would imagine that as soon as you attack Poland, you'd be at war with England and France, but I'm thinking it wouldn't be more than a few naval invasions and holding the Maginot LIne on France's side and some air attacks. Am I correct? Is it worth the rush to maybe attack in 1937 instead of 1939?

 

[seattle]

You can annex all of Poland without starting WW2 at any time before the Allies guarantee her independence.

However, losing the MEFO bills is a tough tradeoff.
I sometimes annex Denmark in 1937 to build up Bond villain lairs in Iceland and Greenland with lvl 10 naval bases, radar and such.
Those are wonderful U-Boot bases and stepping stones to North America invasions.

 

[TheMoe]

You can annex all of Poland without starting WW2 at any time before the Allies guarantee her independence.

However, losing the MEFO bills is a tough tradeoff.
I sometimes annex Denmark in 1937 to build up Bond villain lairs in Iceland and Greenland with lvl 10 naval bases, radar and such.
Those are wonderful U-Boot bases and stepping stones to North America invasions.

Very interesting. Thank you. Would you mind telling me more about the MEFO bills? It's the first time I'm seeing them. I guess it's Germany's version of war bonds. Also you say "annex" and I'm guessing you mean to take militarily? Also, what exactly causes you to lose the MEFO bills?

 

[Bunnytob]

MEFO bills are lost upon going to war - they have to be repaid once a war ends.
It's also worth noting that, if you ever go to war beforehand, the Allies won't let you have the Sudetenland peacefully.

As far as I'm aware, the strategy if you're going to justify war goals is to go for the Netherlands first to get the Dutch East Indies (as well as the Netherlands) and then to go for Poland. It works even better if Poland forms its own faction and with DoD) gets guaranteed by Romania.

 

[kettyo]

Probably it's better to use MEFO to build your own industry and raise compliance in Poland by spies before you attack. So doing by the focus tree without a rush is probably the better choice.

 

[TheMoe]

MEFO bills are lost upon going to war - they have to be repaid once a war ends.
It's also worth noting that, if you ever go to war beforehand, the Allies won't let you have the Sudetenland peacefully.

As far as I'm aware, the strategy if you're going to justify war goals is to go for the Netherlands first to get the Dutch East Indies (as well as the Netherlands) and then to go for Poland. It works even better if Poland forms its own faction and with DoD) gets guaranteed by Romania.

Wow! Thanks for the tips. I'll give it a try today.

 

[TheMoe]

Probably it's better to use MEFO to build your own industry and raise compliance in Poland by spies before you attack. So doing by the focus tree without a rush is probably the better choice.

Thank you. Good to hear!

 

[TheMoe]

So, If it's better to build up industry and tech and wait a bit to attack Poland, is there anything I can do with my navy besides exercise them and gain some exp that way? If I send volunteers to Ethiopia and to Spain, is there any convoy interdiction they can do? Can I help Japan by convoy interdiction around China?

I came back to the game lured by the naval combat and I'd like to see some as soon as I can, assuming it's possible. Thanks!

 

[seattle]

@TheMoe
MEFO bills are a national spirit that grants bonuses to building military facilities before going to war.

About the Dutch East Indies exploit, I don't believe that works any longer since they made that territory a puppet of the Netherlands.

Gaining army XP and leveling up generals: send expeditionary forces to Spain and also planes. You can also do likewise in China, but I would advise against it until you're an advanced player.

 

[TheMoe]

@TheMoe
MEFO bills are a national spirit that grants bonuses to building military facilities before going to war.

About the Dutch East Indies exploit, I don't believe that works any longer since they made that territory a puppet of the Netherlands.

Gaining army XP and leveling up generals: send expeditionary forces to Spain and also planes. You can also do likewise in China, but I would advise against it until you're an advanced player.

Thank you. All that info is very helpful. Sounds like there's nothing I can do with the navy until I go to war with Denmark or Norway, which will be a bit later in the game. I'll use the airforce and the tanks to help out Spain, though.

 

[ladner]

Thank you. All that info is very helpful. Sounds like there's nothing I can do with the navy until I go to war with Denmark or Norway, which will be a bit later in the game. I'll use the airforce and the tanks to help out Spain, though.

There are very helpful threads related to economy 1.9.3 and build up for Barbarossa that I would encourage you to look at. Porta80 put together an outstanding video on how to start. There is subtlety in particular switching to free trade that is easy to overlook or not understand. The obvious is the +10% construction modifier, that not so obvious is the increase or improved efficiency on output. I had not done so before but it made a big difference.

The other subtle tricks are research swapping, I think ultimately this tactic was by wuffer, but porta80 explains it in his video. It is a method to maximize the research bonus to the fullest extent possible, such as 1939 construction researched before 1937.

Others are combining your airforce having a group of 240 aircraft, but all single aircraft wings. Under current game mechanics this allows you to spam aces. I have heard of this, but it wasn't until seeing porta80's video and then applying the tactic on my own that I understood. Ended up with every TAC and CAS wing having an ace, and a pool of reserve aces for when the war starts. If I had to do this again, and this is using the tactic with air volunteers and the Spanish Civil war I'd create 40 single aircraft fighter wings to build up a pool of fighter aces.

 

[TheMoe]

There are very helpful threads related to economy 1.9.3 and build up for Barbarossa that I would encourage you to look at. Porta80 put together an outstanding video on how to start. There is subtlety in particular switching to free trade that is easy to overlook or not understand. The obvious is the +10% construction modifier, that not so obvious is the increase or improved efficiency on output. I had not done so before but it made a big difference.

The other subtle tricks are research swapping, I think ultimately this tactic was by wuffer, but porta80 explains it in his video. It is a method to maximize the research bonus to the fullest extent possible, such as 1939 construction researched before 1937.

Others are combining your airforce having a group of 240 aircraft, but all single aircraft wings. Under current game mechanics this allows you to spam aces. I have heard of this, but it wasn't until seeing porta80's video and then applying the tactic on my own that I understood. Ended up with every TAC and CAS wing having an ace, and a pool of reserve aces for when the war starts. If I had to do this again, and this is using the tactic with air volunteers and the Spanish Civil war I'd create 40 single aircraft fighter wings to build up a pool of fighter aces.

Thank you. I'll search for his videos. A few of those tricks sound a little ahistoric, but I understand there are those who like to play on extreme difficulty settings and they want every advantage they can get.

 

[Simon_9732495]

There are very helpful threads related to economy 1.9.3 and build up for Barbarossa that I would encourage you to look at. Porta80 put together an outstanding video on how to start. There is subtlety in particular switching to free trade that is easy to overlook or not understand. The obvious is the +10% construction modifier, that not so obvious is the increase or improved efficiency on output. I had not done so before but it made a big difference.

The other subtle tricks are research swapping, I think ultimately this tactic was by wuffer, but porta80 explains it in his video. It is a method to maximize the research bonus to the fullest extent possible, such as 1939 construction researched before 1937.

Others are combining your airforce having a group of 240 aircraft, but all single aircraft wings. Under current game mechanics this allows you to spam aces. I have heard of this, but it wasn't until seeing porta80's video and then applying the tactic on my own that I understood. Ended up with every TAC and CAS wing having an ace, and a pool of reserve aces for when the war starts. If I had to do this again, and this is using the tactic with air volunteers and the Spanish Civil war I'd create 40 single aircraft fighter wings to build up a pool of fighter aces.

This is the thread -> https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/1-9-german-economy-benchmark-thread.1387471/ (Video on page 9)

I would try to do it without the trick with aces. It's cheesy and not that important. And you get less air XP that you can use to upgrade your planes and research air doctrine.

 

[TheMoe]

This is the thread -> https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/1-9-german-economy-benchmark-thread.1387471/ (Video on page 9)

I would try to do it without the trick with aces. It's cheesy and not that important. And you get less air XP that you can use to upgrade your planes and research air doctrine.

Thank you. I was looking for it! Appreciate the assistance!

 

[MR2]

And you get less air XP that you can use to upgrade your planes and research air doctrine.

I'll confirm that fact.

 

[him_15]

Seems like a decent strategy, will give it a try next time.

 

[Bunnytob]

About the Dutch East Indies exploit, I don't believe that works any longer since they made that territory a puppet of the Netherlands.

It does still work, you just need to wait for them to be called into the war.

 

[seattle]

It does still work, you just need to wait for them to be called into the war.

Learning history via HoI4:
Germany could have reached Autarchy with infinite rubber and oil by conquering the Dutch East Indies in 1937 and trading for oil with Iraq and Iran throughout the war. Also there were no issues with logistics and weather in Russia...
I wonder why Hitler didn't know that.

 

[kettyo]

Are you really able to sail all that oil and rubber from Indonesia to Hamburg during wartime without serious interdiction by the Allied navies?

 

[Bunnytob]

No, not really. It's more for the time before you go to war with the Allies.