Back to AAR-writing I see! Only this time in HOI. Not exactly my favorite Pdox game. 
o I wish you lots of fun and lots of victories anyway!
o I wish you lots of fun and lots of victories anyway!-
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Hey everyone, sorry for the delay in the next installment. I should have it up for you tonight. It was a busy weekend of activities and consumption of mass quantities of beer. :rofl:
Anyway, some comment responses:
JDMS: Maybe the German AI determined that they couldn't win and decided to cut their losses.
Murmurandus: I'm sure it will have something to do with launching rotten turnips from their Big Bertha guns.
The_Shepherd: Thanks! I wish I could give an overall map but I didn't take too many screenies. F11 doesn't work for some reason so I have to save, printscreen, and load into paint. The front line looks similar to the screenshot in Part IV.
Qorten: Thank you for stopping by! I know HOI isn't my favorite either, but I'm giving this the old college try. Hope you enjoy reading what will probably be a short AAR.
Jemisi: I think it became a situation of overwhelming numbers. But I was pretty lucky to get there in time.
Anyway, some comment responses:
JDMS: Maybe the German AI determined that they couldn't win and decided to cut their losses.
Murmurandus: I'm sure it will have something to do with launching rotten turnips from their Big Bertha guns.
The_Shepherd: Thanks! I wish I could give an overall map but I didn't take too many screenies. F11 doesn't work for some reason so I have to save, printscreen, and load into paint. The front line looks similar to the screenshot in Part IV.
Qorten: Thank you for stopping by! I know HOI isn't my favorite either, but I'm giving this the old college try. Hope you enjoy reading what will probably be a short AAR.
Jemisi: I think it became a situation of overwhelming numbers. But I was pretty lucky to get there in time.
Nice holding the line, hopefully you will survive (probably not). I am sad to hear about sweden though...
Lovely
Hi,
lovely to see a detailled AAR of france, many thanks for this AAR!
I really enjoy playing France as it is one of the few countries where defense is a challenge but still doable with my limited skills.
You may not have the same problems, but I ve had really two bad surprises as a new player:
*due to the allied supply situation you are in Netherlands.
*due to the theater interface between maginot line and paris theather, using AI i had troubles getting the AI attack correctly once I had worn the germans and barbarossa was on. (may not be the case anymore with SemperFi)
Any insight on those points would be great!
Hi,
lovely to see a detailled AAR of france, many thanks for this AAR!
I really enjoy playing France as it is one of the few countries where defense is a challenge but still doable with my limited skills.
You may not have the same problems, but I ve had really two bad surprises as a new player:
*due to the allied supply situation you are in Netherlands.
*due to the theater interface between maginot line and paris theather, using AI i had troubles getting the AI attack correctly once I had worn the germans and barbarossa was on. (may not be the case anymore with SemperFi)
Any insight on those points would be great!
w00t more replies!
Saintis: Indeed, I'm surviving. And I hope the Swedish resistance will do well against the Germans!
ve3609: The RAF is really doing a number on the German CAS bombers. Plus they seem to be everywhere!
CharleyFox: Welcome! I'm honored you gave my AAR your first post! To answer your first question, I haven't had supply problems yet. I try to keep my supplies out of the "red" at all times. It does get harder to do as I put in more divisions as the artillery need a good amount extra. Perhaps in your game you entered the Netherlands when they gave you military access, but before they were part of the Allies? If that's the case, you don't get any supplies to the troops and your armies will suffer some horrible attrition.
I really can't answer the second question as I never use the AI for any of the military strategy. But maybe some of the other HOI players could help you out with that. A post in the HOI 3 game thread might help.
Saintis: Indeed, I'm surviving. And I hope the Swedish resistance will do well against the Germans!
ve3609: The RAF is really doing a number on the German CAS bombers. Plus they seem to be everywhere!
CharleyFox: Welcome! I'm honored you gave my AAR your first post!
To answer your first question, I haven't had supply problems yet. I try to keep my supplies out of the "red" at all times. It does get harder to do as I put in more divisions as the artillery need a good amount extra. Perhaps in your game you entered the Netherlands when they gave you military access, but before they were part of the Allies? If that's the case, you don't get any supplies to the troops and your armies will suffer some horrible attrition. I really can't answer the second question as I never use the AI for any of the military strategy. But maybe some of the other HOI players could help you out with that. A post in the HOI 3 game thread might help.
Part VI: War of Attrition (October 1939 – January 1940)
Ypres, Verdun, the Somme. Battles from the Great War that were designed to bleed the enemy dry. For this war add Turnhout and Den Hagen to that list. These two provinces would see the heaviest fighting to date over the next three months.
The lull of fighting towards the end of September and early October gave me time to modernize many of the brigades on the front lines. Priority was given to all armored brigades, and the Corps directly facing the largest concentration of German forces. In early October, the Germans decided to make a frontal attack at Breda where only three divisions of French and Belgian troops were stationed. Significantly outnumbered, I decided that a strategic withdrawal was in order and split the French division’s retreat between Rotterdam and Turnhout.
Now Turnhout faced three German armies directly. The Germans wasted no time in beginning the assault on October 9th. 60.000 Axis troops faced 65,000 combined French and Belgian defenders. The French line held but the Belgians started to retreat. The lull had been long enough to allow the best equipped French troops to dig in properly to resist some of the attack. Most French infantry brigades also included artillery, so the French were pounding back nearly as well as the Germans. After three weeks of constant bombing, the Germans gave up their first wave.
Casualties from this were high, nearly 10,000 on both sides. The Germans were able to recover much faster than the French and began a second attack less than four days later. This was a smaller force, mostly attacking from the Maastricht flank made up of fresher, experienced troops from the Scandinavian campaign. After nearly one solid month under fire, the morale of the French troops started to falter. A plan was needed to counter the Germans.
Lucky for me two divisions of troops and an armor division were ready in mid October. I organized them as the 10th Corps under the Army of Belgium Command and sent them to Antwerp. As one division of French infantry faltered, I sent one of the 10th Corps into the breach. The tanks would follow once they achieved an acceptable level of morale and organization. Still this was not enough. I was forced to move three divisions of troops from Rotterdam and Hasslet against the flanks of Germans in Breda and Maastricht. With some initial success, the German command panicked, the flanks collapsed to face the attack, and the central line from Eindhoven could not support the main battle. Victory for the defenders!
While Turnhout occupied most of my attention, a large battle was forming north at Den Hagen. There the Germans continued to pound salt on an amphibious landing. Only one division of French and Dutch infantry was defending, but they were holding their own against a much more formidable German army. As in Turnhout, the weeks of constant bombardment, though mostly ineffective, had nearly reduced their morale to what Saintis would call, “cheese eating surrender monkeys.” I could not let that happen as should Den Hagen be captured, the Germans would pour troops south with little opposition. Amsterdam would need to be evacuated and most of the remaining territory of the Netherlands would be lost.
The Germans Concentrating on Den Hagen
So one division of fully upgraded infantry was pulled from Gouda and sent to Den Hagen. I also sortie the CAG groups to bomb the crap out of the Germans while the attempted to cross. The combination of the two and the German army’s lack of will to continue the attack. Losses in this battle were staggering for the Germans compared to the French and Dutch. France lost 1,200 men total, and about 50% strength in their Carrier based airpower. Germans conversely lost nearly 9,000 men in this attack, over 10% of their invasion force.
Throughout November and December 1939, the Germans continue with their harassment attacks on both Turnhout and Den Hagen. The rotation of infantry divisions was keeping the probability of a German victory low, and the attacker casualty count high. At Turnhout the Germans were losing approximately 50% more than the French; at Den Hagen the German losses are still in the 8:1 ratio. I still had to move IC production away from new divisions and into reinforcements and resuppy inbetween attacks.
Really this was an attempt to lull me into boredom and quit the game. The AI was trying to psych me out, or play a mind game. A cunning plan indeed! And it sort of worked…. I didn’t expect an all out 75K man army assault to occur simultaneously just after the 1940 began.
Oh noes!Again the concentration of troops nearly won the day for the Germans. I threw all of the second line troops into the battle at Turnhout and sent the newest division of heavy tanks to meet them. At Den Hagen I did the same and was joined by a small division of Belgian troops coming to help the cause. They may be weak, but the Belgians are fighters! In the end I needed to use the flanking move again to stop the Turnhout attack, but still the line held. Total losses 12,000 Frenchmen. Den Hagen was a little easier but still inflicted over 10,000 casualties on the Germans.
Vive la France!
Ypres, Verdun, the Somme. Battles from the Great War that were designed to bleed the enemy dry. For this war add Turnhout and Den Hagen to that list. These two provinces would see the heaviest fighting to date over the next three months.
The lull of fighting towards the end of September and early October gave me time to modernize many of the brigades on the front lines. Priority was given to all armored brigades, and the Corps directly facing the largest concentration of German forces. In early October, the Germans decided to make a frontal attack at Breda where only three divisions of French and Belgian troops were stationed. Significantly outnumbered, I decided that a strategic withdrawal was in order and split the French division’s retreat between Rotterdam and Turnhout.
Now Turnhout faced three German armies directly. The Germans wasted no time in beginning the assault on October 9th. 60.000 Axis troops faced 65,000 combined French and Belgian defenders. The French line held but the Belgians started to retreat. The lull had been long enough to allow the best equipped French troops to dig in properly to resist some of the attack. Most French infantry brigades also included artillery, so the French were pounding back nearly as well as the Germans. After three weeks of constant bombing, the Germans gave up their first wave.
Casualties from this were high, nearly 10,000 on both sides. The Germans were able to recover much faster than the French and began a second attack less than four days later. This was a smaller force, mostly attacking from the Maastricht flank made up of fresher, experienced troops from the Scandinavian campaign. After nearly one solid month under fire, the morale of the French troops started to falter. A plan was needed to counter the Germans.
Lucky for me two divisions of troops and an armor division were ready in mid October. I organized them as the 10th Corps under the Army of Belgium Command and sent them to Antwerp. As one division of French infantry faltered, I sent one of the 10th Corps into the breach. The tanks would follow once they achieved an acceptable level of morale and organization. Still this was not enough. I was forced to move three divisions of troops from Rotterdam and Hasslet against the flanks of Germans in Breda and Maastricht. With some initial success, the German command panicked, the flanks collapsed to face the attack, and the central line from Eindhoven could not support the main battle. Victory for the defenders!
While Turnhout occupied most of my attention, a large battle was forming north at Den Hagen. There the Germans continued to pound salt on an amphibious landing. Only one division of French and Dutch infantry was defending, but they were holding their own against a much more formidable German army. As in Turnhout, the weeks of constant bombardment, though mostly ineffective, had nearly reduced their morale to what Saintis would call, “cheese eating surrender monkeys.” I could not let that happen as should Den Hagen be captured, the Germans would pour troops south with little opposition. Amsterdam would need to be evacuated and most of the remaining territory of the Netherlands would be lost.
The Germans Concentrating on Den Hagen
So one division of fully upgraded infantry was pulled from Gouda and sent to Den Hagen. I also sortie the CAG groups to bomb the crap out of the Germans while the attempted to cross. The combination of the two and the German army’s lack of will to continue the attack. Losses in this battle were staggering for the Germans compared to the French and Dutch. France lost 1,200 men total, and about 50% strength in their Carrier based airpower. Germans conversely lost nearly 9,000 men in this attack, over 10% of their invasion force.
Throughout November and December 1939, the Germans continue with their harassment attacks on both Turnhout and Den Hagen. The rotation of infantry divisions was keeping the probability of a German victory low, and the attacker casualty count high. At Turnhout the Germans were losing approximately 50% more than the French; at Den Hagen the German losses are still in the 8:1 ratio. I still had to move IC production away from new divisions and into reinforcements and resuppy inbetween attacks.
Really this was an attempt to lull me into boredom and quit the game. The AI was trying to psych me out, or play a mind game. A cunning plan indeed! And it sort of worked…. I didn’t expect an all out 75K man army assault to occur simultaneously just after the 1940 began.
Oh noes!
Vive la France!
Nice work. Though the question is, can Germany take those kinds of casualties and still wear you down?
JDMS: I think so. Back in Part IV I put up a statistical screenshot of the German army in 9/39. At that point they had much more of a reserve pool than the French (296/656) They probably have better Agriculture Tech as well.
Also, it makes sense to me why the German AI is concentrating so much trying to take Turnhout. There is no defensive bonus, no river cross penalty and taking that province forces me to thin out the defensive line. Then the Germans can concentrate for the next attack.
Murmurandus: Dude, I think more fiber is in order! :rofl:
Colonel Bran: Well this was a strategy from the HOI 3 wiki to keep the Germans bogged down on the Dutch islands. And it's working!
Also, it makes sense to me why the German AI is concentrating so much trying to take Turnhout. There is no defensive bonus, no river cross penalty and taking that province forces me to thin out the defensive line. Then the Germans can concentrate for the next attack.
Murmurandus: Dude, I think more fiber is in order! :rofl:
Colonel Bran: Well this was a strategy from the HOI 3 wiki to keep the Germans bogged down on the Dutch islands. And it's working!
Another good effort, looking a little stretched though, having to throw new formations in to hold the line. Hopefully you can hold long enough to start forming a reserve.
Great
congratulations, you are holding and your manpower seems to have increased between december and January!
Are you still producing new units at this stage ? are you concentrating on armor and airpower at this stage ?
congratulations, you are holding and your manpower seems to have increased between december and January!
Are you still producing new units at this stage ? are you concentrating on armor and airpower at this stage ?
Bingo Brett: Sorry it is a Dutch thing. Texel the biggest of the Dutch isles the one just above Den Helder has always been extreemly popular with the Germans. And they come and wreck our beaches with their foxholes......
It would be easier if you would force the Dutch to build fortifications...
You need more troops in your reserve. Nothing new on the westfront.
You need more troops in your reserve. Nothing new on the westfront.
Why three divisions per province behind the Maginot Line? Its the Maginot Line, staff it with Great War reservists and invalids, let the proper infantry get to the fighting!
Sorry for the disappearing act. I thought I would get one more update before going off to Florida for a family vacation. And now that I'm back (and less sweaty and cranky from the heat) an update will follow shortly! Onto some comment replies!
Saintis: Yes still alive and kicking (for now)
Jemisi: I don't think that is going to happen right away as you will soon see.
CharlyFox: Yes, I'm still producing new divisions as fast as I can. 3x infantry divisions, one division of medium/light armor, 1 heavy/medium armor and fighters.
Colonel Bran: Well I learned something new today!
Enewald: I'd love to take over production in the Netherlands, but I'll just stick to what I've got for now.
vitcash: You bring up a good point. This really can't be considered a "World War" yet since all the action is in Europe. Nothing with the Italians in Africa or Japanese in Asia... yet.
Charles Louis: Well yes I know I should put in old women and children on that line, but I still like keeping an equal number of German troops bottled up there as well. It's best to keep the AI guessing.
Saintis: Yes still alive and kicking (for now)
Jemisi: I don't think that is going to happen right away as you will soon see.
CharlyFox: Yes, I'm still producing new divisions as fast as I can. 3x infantry divisions, one division of medium/light armor, 1 heavy/medium armor and fighters.
Colonel Bran: Well I learned something new today!
Enewald: I'd love to take over production in the Netherlands, but I'll just stick to what I've got for now.
vitcash: You bring up a good point. This really can't be considered a "World War" yet since all the action is in Europe. Nothing with the Italians in Africa or Japanese in Asia... yet.
Charles Louis: Well yes I know I should put in old women and children on that line, but I still like keeping an equal number of German troops bottled up there as well. It's best to keep the AI guessing.