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First Lieutenant
Mar 24, 2006
250
0
In the Shadow of Destruction: A 1936 Germany AAR

destruction4qs.jpg


NOTE: This AAR is text heavy. If you are not prepared to read, go no further.

This is going to be the first game that I have played past 1941. I am relatively new to HoI2 and so far I have been played every major power except USSR from 1936 to about 1941. Each time I think of something I need to do differently and start over. So this is going to be my first full game.

I have played a lot of German games and tried different development strategies. The one I am using here is what I think Germany would have done if they had been as innovative on the seas as they were on the land and in the air. I am going to set the following goals for this game and I hope to complete them all. However, I have never launched Operation Barbarossa OR Operation Sealion; only the invasion of France/Poland. However, I am an experienced war gamer in general so I am confident!

Primary Objective:
Axis conquest and occupation of all of Continental Europe from Gibraltar to the Urals, the British Isles, the islands of the Mediterranean, North Africa, Asia Minor, and the Middle East.

Secondary Objective:
Axis conquest of all Eurasia and Africa.


*** DISCLAIMER ***

History has been invariably written by the victors. In armed conflict from the dawn of civilization to today this has been undeniably true. This AAR is a story of the ahistorical success of fascism. As such, I will seriously portray the fascist world view from a philosophically neutral perspective.

This will be fundamentally different from the good/evil portrayal of fascism in popular media and other AARs. It is easy to fall into this popular theme. It will also be fundamentally different from the portrayal of evil as fun, humorous, and overly simplistic. Hahahaha, I am evil. That is not me.

Instead, I will discuss in a serious manner the hypothetical discussions of real people in history. These discussions will cover aspects of war modeled by the game. Such concepts include the justice of aggressive war (belligerence) and justice of comparative government philosophies (domestic sliders). These discussions will NOT include any of the subjects prohibited for discussion on the forum. Please do NOT bring such discussions into this thread as they are unwanted. And all that being said, it is fiction!

Now lets get down to business. Let the game begin!

Game Settings:
HoI2 v1.3b
Normal/Normal
 
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compiegne4tk.jpg


"Even the final decision of a whole war is not always to be regarded as absolute. The conquered state often sees in it only a passing evil, which may be repaired in after times by means of political combinations. How much this also must modify the degree of tension and the vigour of the efforts made is evident in itself."

--- Karl von Clausewitz, On War


Discussion between Adolf Hitler and principal members of the German Government
December 3rd, 1935
Berchtesgaden, Bavaria


Adolf Hitler:
Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. I do not wish to keep you from your families for too long. I know the days ahead will provide you with a change for deep introspection and I wish to discuss some ideas that have been swirling around in my head for some time.

The first thing I would like to discuss with you today is the Treaty of Versailles. Now I am of the opinion that it is an abomination. This treaty places limitations on the ability of Germany to assert her will in the world. In my opinion, it is our natural right to reject its provisions.

Werner von Fritsch:
I could not agree more, Führer. Unfortunately, I do not see a way to restore the treaty without the intervention of the British and French, not to mention the Soviet Union and the United States. How can the treaty be destroyed without provoking a response?

Adolf Hitler:
That is an excellent question, Fritsch. It is one which I have contemplated for some time. I believe that neither the British, French, nor the Soviets wish a war in Europe to occur. The Americans are quite frankly too busy amusing themselves across the Atlantic to be of any concern. I doubt they would even intervene to protect their own mother, Britain. However, that is not to say that they cannot be roused into action. If they percieve that war is inevitable, they will choose to fight it upon terms favorable to them. However, if our plans can be concealed through a slow procession of minor acts, I believe we can shrug off these chains of bondage.

Werner von Blomberg:
Is the rejection of the treaty truly necessary? The lands currently under our control contain vast resources and industry. More than enough to pull Germany out of the shadows and into the sunlight again. If we act aggressively, we will cast doubts on our ability to be responsible members of the international community.

Adolf Hitler:
Nonsense! You have been listening to your Danish friend far too much, Blomberg. You need to wake up to the reality of the world. What is this international community nonsense? You believe the Anglo-French lies? Unbelievable!

The British maintain dominion over half of Africa, half of the Caribbean, the whole of India, and various other scattered possessions around the world. They gleefully boast the Empire where the sun never sets. The French possess similar possessions, only slightly smaller. Are we going to allow these rogues to define the justice of war? Did the people of India come crying to the British to take them into their arms? No! They were subjugated by force. For these ridiculous impostors to declare war an immoral act is ludicrous!

Werner von Blomberg:
Führer, I did not mean to suggest that their concerns were valid. I merely was noting that the rejection of Versailles will not exactly earn us friends around the globe.

Adolf Hitler:
I do not seek "friends around the globe", Werner. Do you not know the old Prussian saying, "A country which cannot defend itself does not deserve to exist!" Enough of your nonsense, Werner. I want your resignation in my hands by sunset. Get out of my sight.

Werner von Blomberg:
Führer, I didn't.....

*Blomberg's arm is grabbed by a soldier. He immediately turns and storms out*

Adolf Hitler:
Ludwig?

Ludwig Beck:
Yes, Führer

Adolf Hitler:
Send a letter via courier to Hjalmar Schacht in Cologne. Tell him that his presence is requested in Berchtesgaden immediately. I want him here by Sunday. Tell him that I wish to make him my new Armaments Minister.

Ludwig Beck:
Yes, Führer

(Werner von Blomberg replaced by Hjalmar Schacht as Armaments Minister)

Adolf Hitler:
Now, let us keep our discussion moving now that Blomberg is gone. What would be the best way to begin the slow destruction of Versailles?

Wilhelm Canaris
Führer, I have an idea. Versailles prohibits us from placing troops in the Rhineland. However, the French have no capability to move against us were we to re-occupy it. It contains a plethora of valuable metals and industry vital to our nation. It is important that it be defended.

I believe my agents can arrange for an incident to occur in Luxembourg in early January. We can use this incident to justify not only the occupation of the Rhineland but the annexation of Luxembourg into the Reich. The city is a prize of sizeable proportions.

My agents assure me that the French are far from able to act inside of a year should we move against them. That will give us time to establish order in the region and in Luxembourg. We can also then dramatically curtail military buildup and diplomatically assure the French of our peaceful intentions towards our neighbors.

Adolf Hitler
I like your thinking, Wilhelm. But I worry that such an act would be viewed as too aggressive for the French and British to endure.

Wilhelm Canaris
Yes, but you said yourself not moments ago that you were assured of their cowardice. I share that vision, my Führer. I dont believe they will act.

Werner von Fritsch:
That is all well and good, but we will need to immediately divert our industry to increasing our military capabilities. While I would like to believe Wilhelm's assurances, I prefer to build my security based on cold steel, not the beliefs of some agent in Paris.

Adolf Hitler
I agree, Fritsch. What do you suggest?

Werner von Fritsch:
Well, currently our energies are directed at the construction of sea-going vessels. While I certainly understand the need for a battle fleet, I believe the army is a more pressing need. We have only three armored divisions. That is far from adequate. And we need more infantry. We are currently behind the Soviets and the French in terms of infantry divisions. This must change soon if we are going to be able to feel confident with continuing to violate Versailles.

Erich Raeder:
I must protest, Führer. It is of vital importance that we continue the reconstruction of our seagoing fleet. We are critically short on battleships, heavy cruisers, and submarines. Many of the ships that we do have are obsolete. We must divert more, not less resources to building a powerful fleet to combat the British!

Adolf Hitler
I disagree, Erich. Have you read the recent book by Alfred Saalwächter? He argues powerfully that the future of naval warfare lies with the aircraft carrier. Since you came into your office, you have done nothing to increase our naval aviation capacity. Saalwächter criticizes the philosophy of imitation that we have adopted. We cannot build a British style fleet to defeat the British. We must build a new fleet, with aircraft carriers as the centerpiece, to destroy the British Navy through innovation, rather than outproduction.

Erich Raeder:
I must disagree with Mr. Saalwächter. He lacks the naval experience to make such judgements.

Adolf Hitler
I regret your decision, Erich. Please place your resignation in my hand alongside Blombergs by the end of the evening.

*Raeder stands up slowly and deliberately. He firmly places his admiral's cap on his head and stands tall as he solemnly leaves the room*

Adolf Hitler:
Ludwig?

Ludwig Beck:
Yes, Führer

Adolf Hitler:
Send a letter via courier to Alfred Saalwächter in Stuttgart. Tell him that his presence is requested in Berchtesgaden immediately. I want him here by Sunday to be sworn in with Hjalmar Schacht. Tell him that I am going to make him my new Chief of the Navy. He will be authorized to scrap all of our obsolete and useless vessels and rebuild the navy as he sees fit.

Ludwig Beck:
Yes, Führer

(Erich Raeder replaced by Alfred Saalwächter as Chief of the Navy)
(1 CL2, All Battlecruisers, All Submarines, All Destroyers: Disbanded)
(Destroyer and Submarine Under Construction: Cancelled)
(Alfred Saalwächter given command over remaining fleet: 2 CA4s, 1 CL4 , 4 CL3s)
(Kriegsmarinewerft begins research on Early Air Carrier)


Adolf Hitler:
Where were we?

Ludwig Beck:
We were discussing reorganizing the Army. Currently, we are using a Brigade system to allocate specialized weapons to our various infantry divisions. Each brigade results in the slowing of the division significantly. It prevents rapid maneuver and could hinder us in offensive operations.

Werner von Fritsch:
What is the alternative? Our troops fighting unequipped for potential adversaries?

Ludwig Beck:
Of course not! Dont be preposterous. We can remove all these brigades and disband them. Invest our industry and supplies on providing alternatives. If we need our divisions to pack a more powerful punch, lets invest our resources in providing more tank divisions. If we create more solid tank corps, we can use these mobile forces to provide strength where it is needed at a rapid pace. If we need air defenses, build AA guns. If we need mobile air defenses, build interceptors!

Adolf Hitler:
I agree, Ludwig. That is a brilliant plan!

Hermann Göring:
I disagree. Any assets devoted to our aircraft divisions should be invested in bombers. If we can destroy the enemy from the air, the army can march through the remains unscathed. This is the future of war. Not this nonsense Ludwig is proposing!

Ludwig Beck:
You couldnt be more wrong, Hermann. That is precisely the thinking of our enemies. We must think better than them! Bombers are inaccurate and cumbersome. They are vulnerable to attack from the land and air. They deliver insignificant and ofter uneffective blows. They are severely hampered by weather. Bombers are a weapon of the coward!

Hermann Göring:
Do not call me a coward again, Ludwig! Or you will not live to regret it!

Adolf Hitler:
Hermann, sit down. I agree with Ludwig. If we are going to build aircraft, we must build interceptors and fighters. If the enemy can operate his bombers, we can shoot them from the sky. If neither of us can fly due to weather, we will be safe anyway. The arm of decision will be the armored division, supported by mobile infantry on the ground.

Hermann Göring:
Enough of this. I will not be a part of this foolhardy plan. You will have my resignation by the end of the day. No doubt you were planning to force this fate upon me anyway!

*Göring stands up and storms out furiously*

Adolf Hitler:
Ludwig, send a letter via courier to your friend Carl Friedrich von Siemens in Dusseldorf. Tell him that his presence is requested in Berchtesgaden immediately. I want him here by Sunday to be sworn in with Saalwächter and Schacht. Tell him that I am going to make him my new Chief of the Airforce. He will be authorized to scrap all of our bombers and build a comprehensive air defense corps.

Ludwig Beck:
Yes, Führer

(Hermann Göring replaced by Carl Friedrich von Siemens as Chief of the Air Force)
(All Bombers: Disbanded)
(3 remaining interceptors rebased and regrouped in Kassel under Lt. Gen Milch)
(Focke-Wulf begins research on Basic Interceptor)
(All non-Engineer brigades removed and disbanded)
(6 12-unit runs of 1936 infantry placed under construction)
(6 divisions move to each province along Maginot Line)
(6 divisions move to Cologne to attack Luxembourg)
(3 divisions move to Kiel to guard)
(3 divisions move to Elbing to guard)
(All remaining divisions amass in Berlin)


Adolf Hitler:
What remains to be discussed, gentlemen?

Wilhelm Frick:
Führer, we must discuss the domestic situation. The people do not fear us as much as they used to. It undermines our support amongst the middle class. I fear we have been too lenient lately. We must vigorously restore order and strengthen our power.

Adolf Hitler:
The problem is that they cant find enough food to feed their family, Frick. You have been too focused on law and order that you forgot the fundamental measure of the strength of a government is its ability to provide for its people. While I respect your opinion, I want you to resign as Minister of Security and take on an enforcement role in the party apparatus. Your skills will be much more useful there. Perhaps after we have acquired some non-German territory, you can return to prominence to bring the rebellious populations to heel.

Wilhelm Frick:
Understood, my Führer. I appreciate your willingness to part ways amicably.

Adolf Hitler:
I am not unreasonable, Frick. Ludwig, contact Franz Gürtner in Magdeburg. He has stood in Frick's shadow for far too long. He is an excellent administrator. He helped bring the party security forces up to speed. Tell him I want him to take over as Minister of Security so Frick can pursue other activities for the Reich.

Ludwig Beck:
Yes, Führer

(Wilhelm Frick replaced by Franz Gürtner as Minister of Security)

Adolf Hitler:
Gentlemen, before we part ways there is the matter of general industry to discuss. I would like to pursue three seperate paths to three different vital necessities. First, we must develop a stronger industrial base through improved machine tools. Second, we must increase crop production through chemical enhancement. Third, we must develop computational machines to solve complex problems. Alongside our military efforts, these paths will create a strong industrial base to fuel our future.

Return to your offices and carry out that which we have discussed today. We shall meet again in early January to discuss our progress and prepare for the invasion of Luxembourg.

(IG Farben begins research on Basic Machine Tools)
(MAN begins research on Agrichemistry)
(Konrad Zuse begins research on Basic Computing Machine)
(Hawk +1)


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Thanks!

My carrier strategy should result in at least 4 lv 4 carriers by late 1940 (Ive done it before, so I know it is possible research/build wise) along with a full light cruiser and destroyer escort shield. My experience is that the incredible range and positioning advantage is enough to sink essentially the entire British main battle fleet over several encounters (their old ships mixed in are a big weakness).

And my foresaking of bombers means much more IC for tanks and infantry.
 
Wait...you're forsaking bombers entirely? At least keep about 8 to help you through some rough patches. They may not have turned out to be the superweapon many feared in the 30s, but I think it would be unreasonable to assume they wouldn't be worth the resources, at least if you're following realism any.

Of course, I only mention this because your entry seems to be going for a realisitc, detailed tone, and largely succeeds in conveying a reasonable thought process (as un-Hitlerian as that may sound). Bombers may not be necessary in HoI, but then again, neither are tanks, or anything apart from vanilla infantry, I'm sure we've all seen the math somewhere around here.

By all means, keep Göring away from any position of power, but a small bomber wing, maybe 2 groups of 4, would be very realistic and could prove their worth at least as well as another 8 armored divisions.
 
Seigneur_Vauban: ...We shall meet again in early January to discuss our progress and prepare for the invasion of Luxembourg...

awesome stAARt! ! :cool:

also, very interesting. in my last game as Germany, i took Luxembourg in Jan '36... :D
 
You are off to a great start. Will be reading...
 
Great start. Super stuff.
 
Thistletooth said:
Wait...you're forsaking bombers entirely? At least keep about 8 to help you through some rough patches. They may not have turned out to be the superweapon many feared in the 30s, but I think it would be unreasonable to assume they wouldn't be worth the resources, at least if you're following realism any.

Of course, I only mention this because your entry seems to be going for a realisitc, detailed tone, and largely succeeds in conveying a reasonable thought process (as un-Hitlerian as that may sound). Bombers may not be necessary in HoI, but then again, neither are tanks, or anything apart from vanilla infantry, I'm sure we've all seen the math somewhere around here.

By all means, keep Göring away from any position of power, but a small bomber wing, maybe 2 groups of 4, would be very realistic and could prove their worth at least as well as another 8 armored divisions.

There is a huge cost to using bombers.

1. Weather can keep them grounded
2. Construction is costly in terms of IC
3. Replacements are costly in terms of IC
4. They are a pain to micromanage
5. They are costly to research fully
6. They cannot actually hold territory

By not using bombers:

1. I can push forward under any weather conditions.
2. I can use IC to build/replace units actually valuable to me.
3. I can research other technologies faster (naval/air doctrines, secret weapons).
4. I can keep my focus on the ground campaign and simply rotate the interceptor forces to shield my army.
5. I can have more forces available to take more territory more quickly.
6. I can keep my sanity.


I didnt foresake bombers lightly, dont get me wrong. You alluded to the numbers which I find very compelling.

Tactical Bombers (lv2): 12.3 IC for 171 days
Medium Tank (lv2): 17.5 IC for 176 days
Infantry 36: 6.3 IC for 95 days

I would rather have a medium tank division or four infantry.

And I would say it is realistic for my AAR personalities to know this math as well.
 
wow hitler sure made alot of changes...maybe we'll see those who "resigned" back for revenge? :p why you left the polish border unguarded except for those in berlin! why disband other bridages? some arty support might be crucial in a battle after all :p good start! :)
 
spookyroom8vq.jpg


"The fact that slaughter is a horrifying spectacle must make us take war more seriously, but not provide an excuse for gradually blunting our swords in the name of humanity. Sooner or later someone will come along with a sharp sword and hack off our arms."

--- Karl von Clausewitz, On War


Discussion between Adolf Hitler and Paul Van Zeeland, Belgian Foriegn Minister.
January 7th, 1936
Wilhelmshafen, Launching Ceremony of the Admiral Graf Spee


Paul Van Zeeland:
Your rash behavior has alarmed the French and British. It has positively terrified the people of Low Countries. What is it that you hope to accomplish? Is Luxembourg merely the first shot in a battle for control over the Low Countries?

Adolf Hitler:
Do not be ridiculous, Paul. I have no such intentions. Luxembourg is a German city state. They are ethnically different from the Dutch. You have less in common with the people of Luxembourg than you do with the Danes. The past three centuries have seen the slow consolidation of German states under the leadership of Prussia and later the German Empire. You know this as well as I. To portray the annexation of Luxembourg as a criminal act is to declare the very existence of Germany as legitimate.

Paul Van Zeeland:
Regardless, the unprovoked attack on a neutral country has sent shockwaves through Europe.

Adolf Hitler:
Unprovoked? Since when did that become a prerequisite for war? Did the Congo provoke you into occupying it? Did the East Indies provoke the Netherlands? Did Algeria provoke France?

Paul Van Zeeland:
Nonsense, those lands are populated by different races with different religions. We are civilizing them! We are bringing them the word of God.

Adolf Hitler:
Then what of the Scots? The Irish? The Bretons? The Sicilians? The Slovaks?

Paul Van Zeeland:
Those peoples were conquered long ago. Such matters are not relevant to this discussion!

Adolf Hitler:
In a decade, Luxembourg will be a distant memory. A page in a history book for school children to learn. They could even place them on a page with Bavaria, Hannover, and Saxony. Formerly independent German duchies.

Paul Van Zeeland:
The people of Luxembourg deserve their freedom. They have a natural right to self rule!

Adolf Hitler:
Yes, yes. And so do the Walloons. So do the Kongolese.

No nation has a natural right to self rule. That is only a ploy used by the powerful empires to keep the rest of us under their domination. The French and English condemn my violation of Versailles. Yet they rule over vast empires of subject peoples. What hypocrisy!

Paul Van Zeeland:
You have your own opinions, herr Hitler. I have mine.

Adolf Hitler:
Opinions are irrelevant. The only true question is what will France do about it? What will England do about it? Will they expend their blood to defend the "free people of Luxembourg"?

Paul Van Zeeland:
No. They are cowards. Their memories of your nation's previous crimes have left them hesitant to rashly thrust themselves back into the cauldron of war.

Adolf Hitler:
Crimes? What crimes? Certainly you do not buy into this preposterous notion that the Great War was the fault of the Germans.

Paul Van Zeeland:
Yes, I do. And it is precisely because of conversations like this.

Adolf Hitler:
Oh dont bore me with these lies again. It was the Austrians who marched into Serbia in 1914, not Germany. It was the Russians who declared protectorate over the Slavic peoples. You just told me that Germany was not justified in annexing Germanic peoples into its nation. Yet somehow Russia is justified to protect the Slavs? Germany honored its alliance with Austria. It was an act of HONOR which compelled it into war. The same honor which compelled the French and English; whose legitimacy in honoring their pacts with other nations is never questioned. Do not attempt to place the blame for the war in the arms of Germany simply because it was the most successful combatant. It is that kind of thinking that led us to Versailles.

Paul Van Zeeland:
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany. You speak so highly of honor, yet you are so willing to cast it aside to break your treaty obligations!

Adolf Hitler:
Nonsense! That treaty was signed by traitors to the German people. Traitors to the German nation. They conceded defeat while the German army was occupying enemy territory. We were not defeated on the battlefield, we were stabbed in the back!

Paul Van Zeeland:
I have had enough of this talk. I came here to try and talk some sense into you. To try and avert a larger war! If you continue down this path it will lead to a catastrophe beyond all measure!

*Van Zeeland storms from the observation deck. As he leaves he passes Carl Friedrich von Siemens*

(Luxembourg invaded and annexed)
(Allies do nothing)
(Admiral Graf Spee launched in Wilhelmshafen)


Adolf Hitler:
Carl, come sit with me. Let us talk of your plans for our air force.

Carl Friedrich von Siemens:
Certainly, Führer. The destruction of our bomber corps have freed up enough resources to support many additional interceptor squadrons. With your permission, I would like to order the construction of enough interceptors to bring our air force up to three full air wings of our new interceptors; the Messerschmitt Bf-109D.

Adolf Hitler:
That is an excellent plan, Carl. I will inform the war production board to provide you with the resources necessary.

Carl Friedrich von Siemens:
Thank you, my Führer. I am confident we can build an air force to clear the skies of French and British bombers should they ever be so bold as to cross into Germany.

Adolf Hitler:
Excellent. I knew you would prove a valuable asset to the Reich. Let us go down to the dock so I can christen this vessel.

(3 3-unit runs of lv2 Interceptors placed under construction)
(International trades made to ensure a healthy surplus of all resource types)


grafspee4yt.jpg
 
lifeless said:
wow hitler sure made alot of changes...maybe we'll see those who "resigned" back for revenge? :p why you left the polish border unguarded except for those in berlin! why disband other bridages? some arty support might be crucial in a battle after all :p good start! :)

Oh, a few of them will definitely be back.

I left the Polish border unguarded because I am going to re-organize in Berlin and deploy my armies in better order.

And just you watch. My brigadeless divisions will crush the opposition! Supported by the Panzer Corps, of course! :cool:
 
Seigneur_Vauban: ..--- Karl von Clausewitz, On War

awesome quotes! ! :)

(International trades made to ensure a healthy surplus of all resource types)

excellent! ! :D

Seigneur_Vauban: ..And just you watch. My brigadeless divisions will crush the opposition! Supported by the Panzer Corps, of course! :cool:

what, no air support? ? :confused:
 
Well, I am also forsaking bombers.

I am essentially adopting the following strategy:

Air Superiority:
Summer 1939 Goal: 12 improved interceptors & 12 improved fighters.

Armored Spearhead:
Summer 1939 Goal: 2 columns of 12 improved medium tanks supporting ~100 infantry divisions

Carrier Battle Group:
Summer 1939 Goal: 4 improved carriers, 12 improved destroyers, 12 transports, + existing navy.
 
GhostWriter said:
awesome quotes! ! :)

Thanks! I have a huge book of military quotes. Clausewitz's thoughts are particularly relevant here. But I will throw out some Jomini, Sun Tzu, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Machiavelli, and Mao Tse-tung in the future.
 
And I offer a prize to anyone who can guess what the image labeled "The Elimination of Luxembourg" is actually a picture of. Only one guess allowed per reader.
 
(1) Will you research tactical bombers even though not producing them at the moment? (And the air doctrines?)
(2) i like the font - fraktur i guess - do you have a link to it if is freeware?
(3) Excellent photos, quotations, storyline. Strategy without bombers makes sense, be interesting to see how it plays out.
(4) Keep up the good work. Impressive start!
:D

(5a) Rastenburg? Lighting looks like the Wolf's Lair after a bomb blast.
(My one guess)
 
Tskb18 said:
(1) Will you research tactical bombers even though not producing them at the moment? (And the air doctrines?)
(2) i like the font - fraktur i guess - do you have a link to it if is freeware?
(3) Excellent photos, quotations, storyline. Strategy without bombers makes sense, be interesting to see how it plays out.
(4) Keep up the good work. Impressive start!
:D

(5a) Rastenburg? Lighting looks like the Wolf's Lair after a bomb blast.
(My one guess)

1. Not unless I have nothing else left to research that I need which is not 2+ years ahead of current date. I have to go through the bomber doctrines to get to air superiority doctrines, so yes to that!

2. It is a gothic font that I only have at work. I dunno. My photoshop at home doesnt have it. And I am about to format my work PC this weekend, so I wont have access to it ever again. A shame, I know! I guess I will be reduced to hunting it on the net.

3. Thanks. I have taken special care to use moving images sparingly so they are even more powerful. Lots of google image searching during my free time at work. I even de-saturated the Graf Spee to make it match the others. :cool:

4. Thanks!

5. *GONG* Wrong answer!
 
tanksonroad6nc.jpg


"Even though future changes are difficult to foresee and the farther ahead one looks, the more blurred things seem, a general calculation is possible and an appraisal of distant prospects is necessary. In war as well as in politics, planning only one step at a time as one goes along is a harmful way of directing matters.... It is absolutely essential to have a long term plan which has been thought out in its general outline and which covers an entire strategic stage or even several."

--- Mao Tse-tung, Selected Military Writings


Discussion between Adolf Hitler and Werner Von Fritsch, Chief of the Army.
April 9th, 1936
Krupp Armored Construction Complex, Essen


Werner Von Fritsch:
Führer, this factory is only one of three major complexes manufacturing our new Panzer divisions. Over the course of the next 2 years, these factories will produce enough tanks to form two large armored corps capable of supporting our infantry.

Adolf Hitler:
Why should we develop these armored corps instead of equiping our infantry with additional brigade commands to supplement their weaknesses?

Werner Von Fritsch:
Think of the army as a scorpion. The Armored Corps are the claws. The Infantry column is the tail. The purpose of the Armored Corps is to maneuver the enemy into a position where the Infantry can deliver the final overwhelming blow. Scorpion claws do not kill. They hold the prey in place so that the tail can deliver the coup de grace.

Adolf Hitler:
Perfect... in theory. Are we certain these armored corps can perform as you expect them too? Will the tanks we produce today prove useful on the battlefield of the future?

Werner Von Fritsch:
Yes, they will. This basic chassis can be upgraded as new technologies enhance its capabilities. Compared to seagoing vessels, which are difficult and cumbersome to replace, these Armored Corps will prove to be extremely flexible over time.

Adolf Hitler:
Fritsch, you prove your worth many times over each day. How can I repay you?

Werner Von Fritsch:
When we stand together at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in triumph, that will be reward enough, my Führer.

Adolf Hitler:
Are you sure we have the industrial capacity to fulfill these ambitious goals?

Werner Von Fritsch:
Easily. The AA guns that Siemens ordered have been completed and deployed. Those resources can be redirected into this endeavor.

Adolf Hitler:
Ah, yes. I remember Siemens was telling me how the French press was all over the deployment of the new AA guns in Luxembourg.

Werner Von Fritsch:
Luxembourg may be forgetten even sooner than you think Führer. Italy's annexation of Ethiopia has captured the attention of Europe. It is quite a distraction from our Luxembourg annexation.

Adolf Hitler:
See! I told you they were cowards......

(Air Force & HQ fully upgraded)
(3 7-unit orders of PzKpfw.I placed under construction)
(8 fixed AA guns built and deployed to supplement existing guns to create a 2-gun battery in each province along the Maginot Line and the North Sea coast + Lubeck)
(6 Infantry Divisions deployed in Berlin)
(Italy annexes Ethiopia)


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