Help me enjoy this game

[Yuri_Kenobi]

Hey everyone!

Now I've had HoI2 for quite some time, but I've never really got around to learning how to play it. There's just so much new to get into, that I just go back to EU3 instead (which I dear say I'm getting rather seasoned at).
There are aspects about HoI2 that really, really make me want to play it; first of all I love the more modern setting. I'm also simply stunned by the amount of information and detail this game has! Seriously, they added propaganda-posters for every darn country in the game, it's not at all neccessary, but it's totally awesome! They even added photos of politicians from all countries, and analyzed their political ideology at the time! It's just too much of a beauty to let it pass.
Earlier this week I tried to get into Victoria.. but much of its interface just reminded me of a much less polished and outdated version of HoI2's interface, so I figured it might be easier to give HoI2 another try. I'll probably try Victoria again if I get any good at HoI2, I especially find the control over the entire society that you get in Victoria rather fascinating.

Now to the point: When I play HoI2, I get easily demoralized by the immense complexity of the combat system, production, supplies, technology and so on.. I just don't know where to begin when I start a game: what do I need to control? how should I balance the resources? how can I win a battle against the enemy?

As an example, I just tried to play the Spanish civil war scenario. With my simpleton EU3-thinking, I just attacked one republican regiment with three of my regiments.. of course the defender wiped me out, and I have no idea why!

I've tried reading some at the wiki, but once it starts getting into formulas, it's just too much. So can some kind person please try to explain the basics to me?

 

[AOW]

I didn't see the word 'tutorial' in your post.

I would recommend going through the tutorials, otherwise, without experience in HOI1 you are going to flounder. You might consider reading the manual as well. HOI2's manual is pretty good.
3-1 odds are no guarantee of success in HOI2. Weather, Leadership, Terrain, tech levels, brigades, multiple directions of attack and supply levels have important roles in attaining tactical success.
HOI2 is a great game, borderline simulation, WW2 buff's dream.
You have some homework to do.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[unmerged(105741)]

I would recommend going through the tutorials, otherwise, without experience in HOI1 you are going to flounder. You might consider reading the manual as well. HOI2's manual is pretty good.
3-1 odds are no guarantee of success in HOI2. Weather, Leadership, Terrain, tech levels, brigades, multiple directions of attack and supply levels have important roles in attaining tactical success.
HOI2 is a great game, borderline simulation, WW2 buff's dream.
You have some homework to do.
Cheers,
Mike

Here's two tips if you do not already use it.
1. I like to encircle the enemy's provinces cutting one area off from it's supply capital otherwise any provinces you attack will simply retreat keeping their numbers intact. If I totally cutoff three provinces from any of their other provinces and they have 15 divisions when I defeat them those divisions are gone for good. This requires me too buildup most of my force in one provinces to lead the invasion.

2. Maybe not the best strategy but it works for me: I try to not be in too big of a hurry to attack instead I build up my forces before attacking. I can normally outbuild my enemy as far as accumulating divisions.(kind of like most other strategy games unless your difficulty setting is real high)

If these help let me know. I'll be in an hour if you want to add more questions to this post.

 

[Yuri_Kenobi]

Just some quick questions. I'm sure I'll have plenty more tomorrow.
How does supplies work when on islands? The battle I mentioned was between my forces on Minorca, and hostile forces on Mallorca. I was also bombarding Mallorca with my ships, did that have any effect? Would I have greater chances if I landed troops and attacked from Ibiza at the same time? What weather and time of day is beneficial, and how much so?

 

[unmerged(105741)]

Just some quick questions. I'm sure I'll have plenty more tomorrow.
How does supplies work when on islands? The battle I mentioned was between my forces on Minorca, and hostile forces on Mallorca. I was also bombarding Mallorca with my ships, did that have any effect? Would I have greater chances if I landed troops and attacked from Ibiza at the same time? What weather and time of day is beneficial, and how much so?

Those are some good questions unfortunately I haven't played any scenarios where I invade islands. I've played as Germany and am now playing as the USSR. My invasions have only been done over land. I always begin my attack at the crack of dawn so I do not incur a night time attack penalty. There are penalties for fighting during bad weather conditions as well as during the winter in winter climates.

 

[Yuri_Kenobi]

Thanks for your answers!
I guess I should just get playing and I'll figure out a lot as I play.
Do you have any suggestion of an easily managable (small?), yet resourceful country that I could start as? (hmm, sounds like Switzerland to me.. )

EDIT: Actually, Germany seems like a solid choice. Very resourceful and powerful. What happens if I never start the war?

 

[blue emu]

Actually, Germany seems like a solid choice. Very resourceful and powerful. What happens if I never start the war?

If you never start the war as Germany, then either you're in for a boring game, or the USSR will build up to 600-odd Divisions and eventually attack and steamroll you. Germany has an advantage in Doctrines at the start of the game, but that advantage tends to erode and more-or-less disappear by 1942-43.

Both Germany and the USSR are excellent starter nations. The USSR offers great Manpower reserves and natural Resources, good Industry and Tech teams, a single clear enemy (Germany) and therefore only one major (but wide) combat front, plenty of time to build up before the big war starts (for you) in 1941, and even a smaller "warm-up" war against the Finns in late 1939. Navy is optional, since all of the Victory Points needed to win the game are within walking distance.

 

[coreymas]

The Wiki has all kinds of game play tips etc

http://www.paradoxian.org/hoi2wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Look here...

 

[AOW]

Just some quick questions. I'm sure I'll have plenty more tomorrow.
How does supplies work when on islands? The battle I mentioned was between my forces on Minorca, and hostile forces on Mallorca. I was also bombarding Mallorca with my ships, did that have any effect? Would I have greater chances if I landed troops and attacked from Ibiza at the same time? What weather and time of day is beneficial, and how much so?

The game will automaticall set up convoys for you. That assumes that you have transports available. Production screen shows convoy info. You can do convoys yourself, but I have found that in almost all cases the game does a good enough job.
Your ships should have been able to help your assault via Shore Bombardment. Attackng island to island involves crossing a water barrier and so the attacker incurs a rather large negative to the chances for success.

I would recommend pausing just after initiating an attack and then clicking on the attack itself to get the "details", the unit vs. unit screen. Then hover your mouse cursor over your units and you will get a rundown of just exactly what the +'s and -'s are that are affecting your units. You can do the same for the enemy units as well.

You can dive right into the bigtime with Ger or USSR, or you can try a minor country like Romania or Hungary. I would advise USSR for a major.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Yuri_Kenobi]

I haven't played much more, but what annoys me most is really the resource system. Does it really have to be micromanaged so much? Seems I have to move the sliders constantly to make sure I'm not wasting any IC. Am I missing something here?

 

[ShadowWarrior]

I haven't played much more, but what annoys me most is really the resource system. Does it really have to be micromanaged so much? Seems I have to move the sliders constantly to make sure I'm not wasting any IC. Am I missing something here?

Just don't give up on this game. Only when you've learned to manage will you find this is really a great game.
I've installed it the first time, couldn't manage and uninstalled it. Only when I installed it for the second time, I took time and liberty to learn the game and haven't stop playing it ever since, in fact it is the one of my games I play most.

You have to have patience. Take a country like Yugoslavia or Romania and learn to manage your Politics (easy) Production and Technology.
When you have mange that you can try Italy. They start of with a war with Ethiopia. Here you can learn about resource convoys, naval management and army formations.
Then you can try USSR and then Germany/England/France or USA.

Again, this is a great game, keep at it and you will find joy in it.

 

[unmerged(85800)]

i cant believe you find the game more complicated than EU. i admit it has certain things which must be micromanaged, but really if you play as a major power then things like resources will manage themselves, even when the ai decides to implement some very strange and crappy trade deals.

when i first got it i read the manual and played the tutorials, and then launched in as britain and fought the war historically. i made many mistakes but following the historical path (as long as you know roughly what the country did) makes it easy to learn ways of fighting. i personally wouldnt recommend the USSR as i find they have too many units to manage if you're still a bit overwhelmed by the game, and if you dont do a certain amount right then germany will take you out. this of course applies to germany too in reverse, but they would be my second recommendation as you can fight the historical war which you should find easy up to barbarossa, which is a bit harder but doesnt take too much tactical skill as long as you have enough divisions, and you start in 1941.

basically to summarise, if you read the manual and do the tutorials, they should give you enough knowledge to know roughly what everything like convoys and sliders do. they are slightly boring but its a lot better than stumbling around in the dark trying to work it all out yourself. then play a historical game as britain or germany, and dont worry if you make mistakes. then you will be hooked as i was, and will gradually learn the more complex tactics and factors. at the end of the day you can forget about terrain and stuff to begin with and just overwhelm the enemy with sheer power. (that was a long summary )

and finally, begin all attacks at first light

 

[ShadowWarrior]

and finally, begin all attacks at first light

Yep, good hint.
You take a great penalty during night attack, so start as early as possible in the morning to make good progress before nightfall.