Doppelgänger: the Untold Story of the Third Reich

[Uriah]

after a long vacation of 6 weeks around Europe, finally could caught up with your AAR! the good part of leaving weeks of updates unreaden, is that I had more to read now hehe

Sorry to greet you back with bad news then. But all things come to an end.

Your very thorough reply to your correspondents was almost of update length anyway . If you felt like finishing the AAR at Moscow, then I think everyone will understand.

Also, if you just then wanted to play the game out (in non-AAR mode) and then just do a short postscript and final victory print screen (if that would make things easier time-wise) then again, honour would be more than satisfied: you have put a great deal of time and effort into this AAR, for which I am sure your readership thanks you .

See below re my decision - I really don't want to force myself to play and write something in which I have lost interest.

You are usually a good deal ahead of your updates. Do you think you could finish it without the lengthy descriptions? Summaries like others do would work too.

Actually I never got more than a few weeks ahead, and since Barbarossa I think I never got more than two weeks ahead. I was only three days ahead when I wrote the last post. I did play another for days and though Moscow was weakened, it was still holding. I don't feel like doing another few weeks just to see the inevitable collapse of the defences.

im legitimately a little sad now, this is the only AAR i've ever really followed
but you will definitely see me in that stellaris one you've started
somewhat related i was reading around on the mp forums for HOI4 and i was curious if any of you fellow commenters or even uriah would be interested in starting an MP group of sorts (ideally one that would involve me not having to get up at 4:30 in the morning because timezones xD)

Sorry to have disappointed you: at least you had 4 years of reading.

I am afraid I don't do MP. I have tried but my style of play is so slow and I like to have long pauses to think about things or to carry out the demands of RL. This both infuriates the other players and makes me feel guilty, neither of which are enjoyable to anyone.

I don't tend to comment much, if at all but after years of reading your updates I feel compelled to come out of hiding. Thank you for this great read, . This AAR inspired me to start my own (see Signature). The attention to details of the game, makes/made it that much more enjoyable to follow, almost as if the war was going on in real time (I know it was even slower than that), in a parallel universe.

4+ years is a very long time for a war to last, let alone for a HOI3-game, and time-consuming AAR-writing to continue. I am very glad you have taken it this far. Maybe one day you will come back to this game, and it's AAR, and capture Moscow, but that's up to you, you decide to write, you owe us nothing.

In the meanwhile you continue to write other stories with the same motivation and level of detail, and I will follow, whatever the game it is based on, I have already started reading your Stellaris AAR and am looking forward to a unified Roman Galaxy,

SPQR

Thanks rover33 - if this is all it takes to get you out in the open I'll try another 4 year saga. I fear my Stellaris AAR is going the same way as this: a lot of detail and a harrowing vision of endless warfare stretching into infinity.

I will absolutely follow a Stellaris AAR. I can very much understand all the headache with this playthrough and getting an update done. I am very surprised how long you have kept this up. I hope to see at least the fall of Moscow before you fully pack this in, just for the closure. However, given the time it takes, I understand when you determine enough is enough. Thanks for the update!

Sorry for no fall of Moscow. In the week that I played but did not write up, its defence went from about 250k to 150k (from memory). What is left is pretty rubbish, so it will fall. May hear from you later in another place.

Thanks for a great read. I will look up the Stellaris AAR.

Thanks mgun2010: are you another lurker flushed into the cruel lights? I know the feeling, having spent years only reading, too hesitant to express an opinion because everyone was so much better at the game. Then I just said bugger it, I'll show them how I play and they can laugh if they want. I may not win, but I get a lot of value for my money!

For you own sake just play it through fast to see if it succeed.
And thanks for an enjoyable adventure.

I am afraid I am psychologically unable to play fast. My finger is constantly tapping the pause key.

Hi Uriah, I'm sorry to hear that the end of all things, a.k.a. 12/31/48, will not be reached in your AAR. I would like to echo the calls from others to consider a quicker runthrough to the end of time with a much less burdensome reporting process ... but if you are certain that you have O.D'ed on Dopplegangerdom and never want to come back to it again, could you possibly let others have your save and your version of Black Ice so we can see how it finishes? If you give it to me I would be happy to promise not to attempt an AAR of it just in case you change your mind at some later date and want to make a detailed follow up. It is such an interesting scenario to consider how a bled-white, yet victorious Germany would proceed ... assuming of course that the bitter peace is secured with the Soviets.

Strangely I had been considering putting up my save game and letting people play through if they felt like it. I am not sure if it is allowed, but can't see why not. I ma pretty sure my computer is virus free, but if you do think of uploading it, make sure you have protection! (I sound like a mother)

This game is played on HOI3 TFH ver 4.02 and Black Ice MK VII ver 3.2, both of which I think are still available. (I am pretty sure it is TFH: that was the final expansion wasn't it?)

If anyone wants to post their results, feel free to do so. Start a new AAR or just add to this one - I am not concerned at all. In a way I feel all I did was describe what I saw, so don't think it will hurt my feelings. And legally of course, it all belongs to Paradox. (Read the small print).

 

[Uriah]

The save file at the end of 28th July 1944: the end of the last update. Make sure you check it for viruses - I think I am clean but would you trust me with your computer?

EDIT: One request. If anyone does play through, can you post what happens when a general gets the long service medal? After 5 years combat I think the best I have is about 50% of the way there. How many battles do you have to fight?

I am sure Russia can be defeated, and certain Moscow will fall before the end of August. (Unless there is some horrible BI nerf). I don't think the USA will intervene and the UK is only a nuisance.

But I do wonder when my commanders can expect a long service break.

 

[Bullfilter]

Well ended Uriah - a very nice story touch. All the best with your new endeavour on Stellaris.

 

[racebear75]

Although I feel sad about this Ending of THE AAR for me, I understand your reasons, so it's ok for me.

Thank you so much for this great, awesome, terrific work, Uriah! Your story was clearly one of the reasons to buy HOI3.

And of course I hope that there is somebody with some more free time to spend than me to continue the game, perhaps till the end.

 

[Davout]

Thank you for this AAR. It has been a great 4 1/2 years.

 

[mgun2010]

Yes Uriah I lurk mostly. I am okay player. Just don't have very good writing talent to do an AAR. But then again maybe some day. Thanks again for the good read.

 

[King Otter I]

Uh.... since the AAR ended... well, what happened to the nation in genreal? I would like to know, was this Germans who found these hidden rooms or Russians? or Americans? Or others?

 

[Desslok]

Thanks very much Uriah for posting your savegame. Also, nice touch with the Stauffenberg ending. As an IT pro/developer with shmummuh (quite a few, shall we say) years of experience, I will, as soon as I have time, scan your savefile and post the results here, particularly if i find anything. Since you have given permission, again, if my time allows, i might post a quick aar showing how it all played out in the end -- short form only . I also plan to check out your Stellaris AAR eventually. Thank you for a very entertaining 4+ years.

 

[VonMudra]

Thank you for all the years of amazing gameplay and writing Uriah. I wish you so much luck on your future endeavors <3

So now that a save file is posted, I wonder if anyone will restart the AAR and continue it from where it was left off?

 

[Desslok]

To circle back, I have found no threats in Uriah's file using Windows Defender and Malwarebytes.

 

[Uriah]

Well ended Uriah - a very nice story touch. All the best with your new endeavour on Stellaris.

Thanks Bullfilter: I thought it quite serendipitous that my AAR ended so close to that assassination attempt and it would have been rude to ignore it.

Although I feel sad about this Ending of THE AAR for me, I understand your reasons, so it's ok for me.

Thank you so much for this great, awesome, terrific work, Uriah! Your story was clearly one of the reasons to buy HOI3.

And of course I hope that there is somebody with some more free time to spend than me to continue the game, perhaps till the end.

Thanks racebear75 for the compliments. I do feel bad at leaving it at this point, but I think the war with Russia is won and, as my enthusiasm for continuing has been dropping for some time, it was best to end it rather than seeing updates drag out for months. As I said before - if anyone does want to continue, even if just to put up a final report, I would be more than happy.

Thank you for this AAR. It has been a great 4 1/2 years.

Don't remind me! Maybe in a few years I will return to WW2, but at the moment I think I have exhausted my desire to write on it. Having said that, in 6 months I might be seized with a compulsion to start an HOI4 AAR. I am currently sort of playing Vanilla, Vanilla+, BI, BI Total War and August Storm. Which leads to some confusion, but is quite restful as a change from the difficulties of conquering aliens in Stellaris.

Yes Uriah I lurk mostly. I am okay player. Just don't have very good writing talent to do an AAR. But then again maybe some day. Thanks again for the good read.

Thanks mgun2010. There is nothing wrong with lurking - some of my best friends have lurked for years. And while some talent might be needed for an AAR, I think enthusiasm and a willingness to do a lot of work is more important.

Uh.... since the AAR ended... well, what happened to the nation in genreal? I would like to know, was this Germans who found these hidden rooms or Russians? or Americans? Or others?

In my mind, it is a German. I envisage a truce with Russia, a stalemate with the UK and the USA returning to isolationism. But I have no idea how BI goes after July 1944, so if someone does continue my save game, they might have a very different ending.

Thanks very much Uriah for posting your savegame. Also, nice touch with the Stauffenberg ending. As an IT pro/developer with shmummuh (quite a few, shall we say) years of experience, I will, as soon as I have time, scan your savefile and post the results here, particularly if i find anything. Since you have given permission, again, if my time allows, i might post a quick aar showing how it all played out in the end -- short form only . I also plan to check out your Stellaris AAR eventually. Thank you for a very entertaining 4+ years.

I am pretty sure my save game is safe, but I always warn people. As a professional adviser to business for many years, I always cover my posterior. I bet I am older than you by far: when I first used a computer (an ICL 1902A from memory) we used data entry cards written in Fortran IV. Nobody had even thought that anyone would make a computer virus.

Thank you for all the years of amazing gameplay and writing Uriah. I wish you so much luck on your future endeavors <3

So now that a save file is posted, I wonder if anyone will restart the AAR and continue it from where it was left off?

I am not sure whether the "amazing gameplay" is praise or ridicule: I will take it as the former. Thank you for the kind comments.

To circle back, I have found no threats in Uriah's file using Windows Defender and Malwarebytes.

I knew I was uninfected! Pure in heart and mind, that's me.

 

[Forster]

I am pretty sure my save game is safe, but I always warn people. As a professional adviser to business for many years, I always cover my posterior. I bet I am older than you by far: when I first used a computer (an ICL 1902A from memory) we used data entry cards written in Fortran IV. Nobody had even thought that anyone would make a computer virus.

Ha! You didn't need them. One miscoded line and the computer went into a loop. Back in the day when vacuum tubes were used, you couldn't just reboot, you had to wait for the tubes to cool before they were turned back on. That got expensive when the time was shared with paying customers.

 

[Soggy Rodent]

Wow, Fortran, I remember having to go to my dad for a manual about that (Fortran 66 I think) so I could get an antiquated lump of silicon in the uni basement to do what I wanted . On the note of the AAR, there's no point forcing yourself when you've lost interest so thank you for the essays you have written :-D and it's good to know the possible return of old adolf to leadership was avoided! I've just bought Stellaris so I'll see you in your new AAR soon

 

[Nikolai II]

After about seven months of reading I have reached the end of the AAR, and I am quite happy with having slogged through this authorial epic. Well done that man.


And since the question about whether units shattered at zero soldiers left or before that wasn't handled in the intervening pages between this post and the quoted one below..

I was basing it on single unit battles where my unit shatters leading to the end of the battle. Usually the death toll in the battle report is well short of the original strength of the unit when the battle began. (I note the starting strengths of every battle so I can see what is happening). That is why I think they shatter with a few thousand men left.

Can't it be that wounded soldiers are removed from the unit but not from manpower?

So when the unit is empty, not all of the casualties are lost manpower since some trickle back?