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And yes, that is a division of American paratroopers in Brussels!

They're a little late this reality around! :p

And Japan continues to take islands of the US

I'm surprised by this. Usually the US manages to at least hold serve against Japan by sheer force of numbers, navally, especially since the European Axis navy is usually sunk by mid-1941 and the Japanese AI is incredibly fond of getting all of their own ships killed in ill-advised fleet actions. :eek:

Quite a shocker. Can we get a picture of Japan/US naval losses? Maybe the US got unlucky and lost all their BBs early on to Japanese carriers or some such.
 
They're a little late this reality around! :p

I'm surprised by this. Usually the US manages to at least hold serve against Japan by sheer force of numbers, navally, especially since the European Axis navy is usually sunk by mid-1941 and the Japanese AI is incredibly fond of getting all of their own ships killed in ill-advised fleet actions. :eek:

Quite a shocker. Can we get a picture of Japan/US naval losses? Maybe the US got unlucky and lost all their BBs early on to Japanese carriers or some such.
Will check, but last time I looked there were hardly any naval losses on either side. It’s a mystery!

What of the lone US division who's trying to liberate Bordeaux and Médoc vineyards? Has it finally found its way to the frontlines?
Will have a look for them :D. Missing in inaction, most likely!
 
It looks so tempting to divert a few units from the German frontier to Italy to take advantage of the stretched Axis forces there - and to hopefully catch everything in the trunk of Italy between two vices.
Hmmm, good thinking - hold that one and we’ll see what the former me decided! :D
Funnily enough, I can see and Anglo French Union happening with much greater odds than in OtL, despite neither nation being ruined. They've stood together for years now, fighting and dying over their countries. I can deffinteyl see a strong French and British alliance and union forming here, if not officially then in every other way.

The us however contue to suck at fighting in the Pacific. Maybe they will be the butt monkeys of history jokes for a change?
Yes, interesting to hypothesise on what would happen post war in that regard: the singular and decisive assistance provided by Britain and the completely different narrative for France, plus the fact it had been done with some US lend-lease (they have at least provided that) but not the same military reliance as in OTL would be transformative, n’est pas?
No, not the Christmas Islands! NOOOOOO!

Have they taken the Land-Down-Under yet? HEHEHe! :D
I wondered about that - I’ll need to get my maps out, but that’s not where I thought Christmas Island was! They have left Vietnam, Australia, New Guinea and NZ mercifully alone. It looks like they are focussing on the USSR and US.:)
That AAR really makes me want to try my hand at Hoi3 one more time. :D
A good tried and tested game for the WW2 enthusiast. Not perfect, but you can have some good fun with it.:) I haven’t been game to try HOI4 yet. I was after something more traditionally board-game looking, so will stick with 3 for now. And I haven’t even delved into the major mods yet (HPP or BICE), though I have played the WW1 mod a few times and enjoyed that.
 
What of the lone US division who's trying to liberate Bordeaux and Médoc vineyards? Has it finally found its way to the frontlines?
It has reached the frontline in the war on sobriety and is engaging in the battle with vigour. It is hoped they will return to the States and re-start the Californian wine industry early, perhaps saving Americans from their terrible lager.
 
Yes, interesting to hypothesise on what would happen post war in that regard: the singular and decisive assistance provided by Britain and the completely different narrative for France, plus the fact it had been done with some US lend-lease (they have at least provided that) but not the same military reliance as in OTL would be transformative, n’est pas?

Even just the fact that France and the UK don't suffer from the effects of occupation and heavy strategic bombing (respectively) I think puts them in a much stronger spot to compete with the USA as global powers. A lot depends on the Soviets, though; if they mostly just hold the front while the Allies take Berlin, the post-war world will be decidedly Allies-dominated with Stalin not getting any of that sweet, sweet territorial expansion he so greatly desires!

And I haven’t even delved into the major mods yet (HPP or BICE), though I have played the WW1 mod a few times and enjoyed that.

How does the WWI mod play? I've looked at it but been turned off by reports that the AI or event sequence apparently tends to break about halfway through.
 
Even just the fact that France and the UK don't suffer from the effects of occupation and heavy strategic bombing (respectively) I think puts them in a much stronger spot to compete with the USA as global powers. A lot depends on the Soviets, though; if they mostly just hold the front while the Allies take Berlin, the post-war world will be decidedly Allies-dominated with Stalin not getting any of that sweet, sweet territorial expansion he so greatly desires!
I think the finishing point of this one will help answer these hypothetical answers quite clearly, but, to the extent I recall it (I’m deliberately not flashing forward to be able to retain some of the mystery or discovery ;) ) - not wanting to spoil, like letting slip the dramatic Allied collapse and defeat by the rejuvenated Axis - ooops! :D
How does the WWI mod play? I've looked at it but been turned off by reports that the AI or event sequence apparently tends to break about halfway through.
I played it a few times and it went OK, though well over a year ago. The dearth of decent WW1 simulations around also meant I was grateful for it. I remember playing as Russia and Germany (winning, then going back to the point where the Allies were just about to collapse then winning that as well, so the AI is the same old one). I think as with the WW2 games, if you want something close or challenging, you need to build in your own (weak power, hard setting, difficult situation, etc). Unless you just like blitz the world conquests against a hapless computer opponent, or can find another human to play against.
 
It has reached the frontline in the war on sobriety and is engaging in the battle with vigour. It is hoped they will return to the States and re-start the Californian wine industry early, perhaps saving Americans from their terrible lager.

These dudes seem poised to have the greatest war ever.
 
I also wonder what models of tanks and airplanes are now fighting this war. In 1943, there could be lots of French prototypes which have now entered mass production. G-1 and B-1Ter tanks, faster Amiots and Dewoitines...
 
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I also wonder what models of tanks and airplanes are now fighting this war. In 1943, there could be lots of French prototypes which have now entered mass production. G-1 and B-1Ter tanks, faster Amiots and Dewoitines...
I will have a quick look when I get the chance, as you've asked, but I have deliberately not been delving into too many details for this AAR (the 'bare bones' approach), as it competes for time with my two main AARs that I both play and run simultaneously (which do go into lots of detail). So it is mainly just minimal gameplay and screenshots, though I do show the odd other piece of info. :)
 
Episode 23: 7 November 1943 ‘Technical Digest’
Episode 23: 7 November 1943 ‘Technical Digest’
I also wonder what models of tanks and airplanes are now fighting this war. In 1943, there could be lots of French prototypes which have now entered mass production. G-1 and B-1Ter tanks, faster Amiots and Dewoitines...
Here you go - perhaps not the dream list you were hoping for, but these are the levels I've reached and how the game lists them. :)

***

We start three days after the last report, with (at reader request) a short technical digest of Allied (mainly French) armour and aircraft on the Western Front. The AAR remains from the French perspective, so it only touches on unit, vehicle and aircraft types I can see from their screens. I don’t go into the non-armour unit types and specs in detail, but you can see from the screenshots what general levels they are at now.

NB: The pictures are game-supplied, so some of them are no doubt wrong or generic. Because this is a no-frills production, I haven't checked or chased nicer-looking pictures (as I would do on say my Talking Turkey AAR).

Armour

French light armour, MOT, MECH, SP ARTY and ENGR.

1enUrV.jpg

French medium armour and TD.

xuXa2v.jpg

British medium armour, MOT, AC SP ARTY and MOT AA.

nnqVxs.jpg

French heavy armour, INF and ARTY.

bV2gOK.jpg

Aircraft

French INT (L5).

QAm7z8.jpg

French Multi-role (MR) (L4).

xl67xK.jpg

French CAS (L3).

pxiE4V.jpg

French TAC (L3).

SS14bP.jpg

The next report will be out in a day or so and will cover progress on 7-8 and 16 November.
 
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One still has to admire how collegial the AI has been with its expeditionary forces.
 
The French have Churchills? That SHOULD be very helpful if they have enough numbers. Of course mass producing them is likely out of question. But if used in the right place at the right time they could be very effective.
 
French light armour, MOT, MECH, SP ARTY and ENGR.

1enUrV.jpg

Ah, yes, the world-famous "Light Armour VI" model. Absolutely strikes fear into the heart of the Germans, it does. :p

French heavy armour, INF and ARTY.

bV2gOK.jpg

"French". :rolleyes:

I'm a bit surprised by that last one in particular, I'd always thought Paradox would just shoehorn the post-war French tank models in and pretend that they could have existed at mid-WWII tech levels. I'm...honestly not sure if this is better, or lazier. :p
 
Ah, yes, the world-famous "Light Armour VI" model. Absolutely strikes fear into the heart of the Germans, it does. :p

"French". :rolleyes:

I'm a bit surprised by that last one in particular, I'd always thought Paradox would just shoehorn the post-war French tank models in and pretend that they could have existed at mid-WWII tech levels. I'm...honestly not sure if this is better, or lazier. :p
It seems Paradox has let French armoured tech follow my ‘no frills’ AAR approach - or vice versa. ;) Still, in this game where there is such close and warm Anglo-French cooperation, perhaps it makes sense! Better than Shermans - or ‘Ronsons’, as their crews used to call the petrol-engined models! :eek:
 
The French have Churchills? That SHOULD be very helpful if they have enough numbers. Of course mass producing them is likely out of question. But if used in the right place at the right time they could be very effective.
I will check how many HArm brigades there are next chance. Certainly good for that inf-coop heavy hitting piece, before the faster formations do the exploitation.
 
One still has to admire how collegial the AI has been with its expeditionary forces.
Yes, good to see an actual Allied army at work here. What I really needed at this point was more US troops to help keep the momentum up in Italy while not taking the foot off the pedal in Germany.
 
The French have Churchills? That SHOULD be very helpful if they have enough numbers. Of course mass producing them is likely out of question. But if used in the right place at the right time they could be very effective.
I will check how many HArm brigades there are next chance. Certainly good for that inf-coop heavy hitting piece, before the faster formations do the exploitation.
Here we go, we had six of them by 16 November 1943 - not too bad!

ALx5NX.jpg
 
And two 1st Armored (Heavy) Brigades! Call @El Pip!
 
And two 1st Armored (Heavy) Brigades! Call @El Pip!
I know, I had similar thoughts. :D Given this was just a game for fun at the time (no AAR seriousness to focus on these details), I just tend to ignore such random duplications. No so in Talking Turkey, or course! Unless in some obscure garrison brigade somewhere ... :oops: