HOI3 TFH: How to set up Germany for beginners...

[21oliver]

Hopefully this AAR will assist new players in how to get started while playing Germany. While there is no right or wrong way to play this is neither the fastest nor likely the most efficient way but rather a simple easy way to play and be successful while introducing you to many of the games elements. You can take these ideas and later mold them to suit your specific needs and playstyle. I hope you find it helpful!

 

[21oliver]

I have used some variant of this start for a wide variety of games as Germany. Whether I launch early invasions or play peacefully, no matter what direction I launch first (N, E, S or W) or whether I build a navy or not. It can be modified to suit your needs. The question of whether or not to build IC has been long debated. As Germany I am a proponent of it and you will see why in this AAR.

My initial pre-game steps:

RE-ORGANIZING MY UNITS

1. I re-name my main HQ "Berlin HQ" (just my preference), I remove the 2 support brigades attached to it. I put all German territory under this one Theater (removing the need for the 2nd Theater).
2. I delete the above 2 support brigades and the 3 engineers attached to the LARM units in addition to all HQs (other then the Berlin HQ of course).
3. I move all units in East Prussia to Konigsberg and all units in mainland Germany to 3 stacks (Infantry divisions near Berlin, LARM & Motorized near Berlin and the Mountain Division on the Danish border. I move all my sea units to a single port and all my air units to a single airbase.
4. I will not be assigning Generals for this tutorial.

The exception is the following (which is important!);

You want to keep the 35th Division stationary and strategically redeploy the 25th Division to Baden Baden, this allows you to fire Re-occupation of the Rhineland on Jan 2nd 1936 and get all the benefits that go with it!

 

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DIPLOMACY, ESPIONAGE & POLITICS

This AAR takes into account a historical "normal" game. If you desire to delve into heavy Diplomacy or Espionage you will have to work that into the mix, its easily doable. But for the purposes of this AAR I'm basically playing it "straight".

1. I influence the USA from day 1. The longer they are out of the Allies and the War the better it is for the Axis.
2. I raise threat on both the UK & Soviet Union and use support our party in regards to Austria. These have many benefits. Raising threat on two Majors will cause nations to drift your way and stay out of the Allies in some cases. Supporting our party in Austria will allow you to fire Anschluss sometime between May-June of 1937 rather than in 1938. You will gain alot of benefits early this way. Also it will help drive Italy faster into the Axis (sometimes by as much as a year or more) and you get benefits from that as well.

One note, occasionally when you raise threat on majors it can cause some issues with the normal chain of events. If you want the game to unfold historically with each nation joining the Axis as they did then you need to monitor them. Occasionally Hungary or Romania, even with all the threat raised on the Soviets will drag their heels. What i do is simply influence them for short times to get them where I need them.

My Politicians are as follows;

 

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PRODUCTION

1. I raise all German air bases to level 5 and build a level 5 airbase in Dresden. This is done primarily to cook practicals (speed up IC production...), I build in Dresden as it needs the coverage.
2. I build 56 IC (start at the Polish border and work towards the center of Germany). This will give me a base IC of 200.
3. I start of with my slider on "Production" until my IC finishes and than I change it to upgrades.
4. All airbases go to the top of the queue, followed by IC, then a rocket site (for flavor!) and than the naval units that were in the queue already.

So it looks like this;

 

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RESEARCH

Now there is no right or wrong way to do this, it mostly comes down to preference. I don't get all worked up if my techs / doctrines aren't maxed out or feel that naval or some other investment is a waste because I know without question Im going to be successful anyway. It's sort of like winning a sporting event by 20 and have someone criticize you that you could have won by 25...so what? The point here is to relax and have fun!

Germany starts out in great shape with techs / doctrines and you have plenty of time to get your builds how you want. I initially spend alot on Naval research at least up until a certain point, thats just my preference. I also invest heavy in spies to get a surplus going and then cut back.

For this AAR my initial set-up was;

Here is the link to Jan 1 1936 set-up file from this AAR;

http://www.gamefront.com/files/24997787/Germany___Start_rar

 

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FIRST MOVES

My primary concern is to begin stockpiling resources to fuel my Industry and its expansion. I am not interested in making small deals and trying to get better prices or improve my relations. I want max deals to 1) begin stockpiling ASAP and 2) to avoid nations running out of resources or choosing not to sell them to me which could hinder my stockpiling. I will sell supplies to pay for my resources. I generally only deal with the US, UK & Soviet Union. Dealing with other nations can be a pain as they tend to be more volatile, constantly cancelling deals. Don't concern yourself with how much IC your spending to support you trades of supplies, we are using the IC Minister which right off the bat gives a 10% bump, also we will be building and acquiring so much IC that you will be fine.

The first moves were:

After firing Re-occupation of the Rhineland do not forget to change your laws;

After firing Events or Decisions all check and see how it effects your Leadership sliders (see below), adjust them as needed. I also moved the two Infantry Divisions that fired the Rhineland event up to my stack near Berlin.

 

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GET THE RESOURCES FLOWING

I will continue to trade supplies and buy Metal & Rares. I do not need to buy Energy, and I buy Oil or Fuel only with my "excess" $$$. As far as my builds go, I never research more than one year ahead and basically try to research oldest first and work my way up. In addition I tend to research in blocks (Naval techs, Infantry techs, air doctrines etc...) you can follow the builds I used in more detail in the saved game files.

As of March 1st 1937 I had my trades the way I wanted them;

I like to keep the excess cash. It allows me to buy oil or fuel and it provides me with a safety net when nations start cancelling my supply deals.

 

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CRANKIN UP PRACTICALS

Below you will see why we built those airbases. Compare the completion date of my initial IC in the two pictures as the first run of airbases complete;

 

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SPECIAL

In certain cases will I put things at the top of the Research or Production queues, for example when I unlock ARMOR;

Or the earlier Carrier techs;

Remember to constantly check two things....1) Your consumer goods so you don't have dissent (if your manually handling the production sliders) and 2) Your Research Leadership as many things causes it to change from whatever you have it locked in on.

 

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FIRST BATCH OF IC

The end of October 1936 our first batch of IC will roll off the production line!

A few days later this is what my queue looks like at the bottom;

 

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NON HISTORICAL EVENTS

As a rule of thumb I tend to try and react as my Ruler would, regardless if it has a negative effect on my game. Again this is just personal preference.

 

[21oliver]

FIRST UNITS

Below you will see I put my first BB into the queue and buy Production license's from Japan for 3 Landing craft. I like to have 6 to start the war and than another 6 before I consider Sea Lion or some similar venture. Why build TP's when Japan will sell you LC's?

 

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END OF 1936

Some key factors as the first year finishes;

 

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1937

Here is the January 1st, 1937 saved game file;

http://www.gamefront.com/files/24997867/Germany___Jan_1_1937_rar

Let's check on the USA;

Let's check on Austria;

I then take a bunch of key techs (Education, Agriculture, Mult-role, Light Armor etc...) and put them at the top of the research queue;

The Light armor techs are so I can unlock Spart ASAP...

 

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1937 Cont.

When the Graf Spree completes I put another CA in the queue;

Once my 3 LC's complete I use them to ferry my units in East Prussia back to the German mainland;

 

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THE FRUITS OF MY LABOR

My investments begin paying off. In May (instead of July) Japan joins the Axis (due to raising threat on the Soviet Union);

Next I upgrade my Light Armor to Armor and my Cavalry to Motorized Infantry;

In May (instead of 1938...) I fire the Anschluss and gain all the benefits that come with it (as a result of investing in "Support our Party" in Austria);

The Anschluss in addition to raising threat on the UK leads to Italy joining the Axis a year or more early, so we reap more benefits!

 

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RE-ORGANIZE AND RE-ASSESS

I delete the HQs and the AC from the Anschluss and send the other units off to my various stacks. Always remember to revisit your Research sliders and re-adjust them!

 

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IC FINALLY DONE

When the IC finishes I change my priority from production to Upgrades (via the slider) and keep it there for the rest of the game. I want my units to stay upgraded as best as possible.

 

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VARIOUS HAPPENINGS

1. The Spanish Civil War fired, I supported the Nationalists in keeping with my historical game.
2. Multi-role research completed.
3. I put artillery, militia, aircraft and convoys in the production queue.
4. Later that year the Nationalists won a relatively quick war.

 

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1938

On January 1st I unlocked Spart and put it at the top of the queue;

And fired the Treaty of Munich and received more goodies!

Let's check on the USA (and check out my stockpiles!)...

Here is the Jan 1 1938 saved game file;

http://www.gamefront.com/files/24997910/Germany___Jan_1_1938_rar