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unmerged(158433)

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Aug 25, 2009
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34oauzo.png

PARIS, 1936​
NINE-POINT REPORT ON GERMAN REARMAMENT​

In light of the German rearmament program, it is the belief of the CCGG that we should prepare to re-fight the Great War.

Point the first, above all, we must recognize that the modern war is a trench war, fought from cover due to the nature of rifles, machine guns, grenades, and artillery. Therefore all engagements should be undertaken by forces which are fortified or dug in, and well-supported with artillery. Further, care should be taken to include snipers, grenades, anti-tank rifles, and machine-gun emplacements. After the horrors of the Great War, we must do our all to avoid squandering the lives of our soldiers.

Point the second, where defense from fortification is impossible (i.e., on the advance), we must employ rolling fortresses, which is to say, tanks. Any unit expected to advance should include infantry tank support. There may be room for a small number of specialist anti-tank tanks. It is also possible to speculate on the feasibility of detachments mostly or entirely made up of tanks in a dedicated advance role. The most critical aspect of the tank is of course the thickness of armor, for a slow and steady advance that pushes the enemy back while minimizing our losses.

Point the third, having a considerable mountain front and a tradition of mountaineers in the soldiery, a substantial number of mountaineers should be maintained.

Point the fourth, though reserves may fill out an army in times of war, they should be deployed in conjunction with professional army units, not as independent formations, in order to best benefit from new scientific approaches to war.

Point the fifth, we do not expect the Germans to significantly revise the Schlieffen Plan, and therefore provision should be made for the situation which eventuated in the Great War, a defense of Paris from attack through the Low Countries. At the same time, of course the direct front cannot be neglected.

Point the sixth, the war shall be a matter of alliances. A restored Entente of Britain, France, Japan, Spain, Portugal, the United States, Brazil, etc., will have little to fear.

Point the seventh, due to the combined power of the Entente, it is unlikely that our shipments of war materiel from the colonies will be seriously threatened. Britain's Royal Navy will do nearly all of our convoy protection. It is possible that there will be a use for a small naval taskforce intended for precision coordination with ground forces and/or U-boat hunting.

Point the eighth, having seen the "aeroplane fever" in modern planning staff meetings, we must denounce it. The aeroplane is a marvellous invention at fairs and parade grounds, but in war its precise utility is reconnaissance, particularly by photography from the air. The very idea that an aircraft could carry the armor and guns necessary to be as effective as a tank or artillery piece is absurd. Any powers wasting their money on combat aeroplanes will run up against a shortage of dare-devil personalities willing to fly them, and then come to ruin as the flimsy things are shot down by anti-aircraft fire from ground batteries. Combat dirigibles are an even poorer idea, being larger targets and predisposed to catch fire.

Point the ninth, the most demanding area of the war will surely be the tanks, in construction, operation, innovation, maintenance, and so on. All other aspects are long-proven technologies and procedures, such as fortification, but tanks remain inadequately developed for our purposes. Wherever research can be done, tanks should be the first priority, and classes for officers should focus first (after the basics of trench warfare) on the tactics and strategy of tanks, and production should privilege tanks and their fuel, and the support system their fuel and their parts. The journey to the point of invincible armor will be considerable.

With confidence,
Staff
CCGG

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if this is the staart of a french aar. I'll be watching :)

Also I hope your staff changes their collective minds on aircraft ;)
 
I think the report only denounce bombers, not interceptors, and that is not that bad an idea if you don't have enough IC and leadership.

It will be interesting to see how the plan will be realised with rolling fortresses, saving leadership by not researching speed is a possibility, but not one I have tried yet.
 
It'll be interesting to see how you fare without a proper air force.

The drain of manpower due to ground attack can be really painful. Even with an airforce and defensive strategy my MP always get drained by mid-1943.
 
Could you choose a text color other than black? With the normal blue forums look I find it hard to read :)

Sounds like a great idea, and I look forward to seeing how you do!
 
NERFGEN, yes, this is the start of a French AAR. The CCGG opinion on aircraft has been shaped, like all of their opinions, by the idea that WWII is going to be almost exactly like WWI. If war comes to Spain it might shake them up a little, but I think they'll probably hang on until the only choice is to lease runs of Spitfires and Lancasters from the British.

Surt, France has an existing force of Interceptors and Tac Bombers. It's only a couple hundred planes, but how they perform could hugely influence whether more planes get built.

PEP, glad to have you on board.

banania, I share your concerns. I think manpower is a very appropriate thing for interwar France to worry about, though. In a lot of ways, these strategies are a direct attempt to address France's appalling losses in WWI, but because they're so myopic about the experiences of WWI, they're probably misguided. It would be easy to come up with a "counter-Germany" France that simply does as much of what made the Germans militarily successful as it can, but I wanted to do things that could plausibly be suggested to military planners by the recent past. Tanks, yes, but don't expect Blitzkrieg. (Although this means sacrificing the tank-benefiting theory techs. I don't see why there can't be an Armored Strongpoint theory or similar that gives tank bonuses without being a bypassing strategy, but so be it.)

Baltasar, correct, this game is taking place in HoI3 SF FtM 3.05 UBBY (Steam). (Since HoI3, I have preferred to buy Paradox games through Gamersgate due to Steam's patching delays, alterations to executables, and general interference with updates.)

Avindian, I've removed the font color tag. It should now be in the default font color for whichever board template applies. Does this fix the problem? (For me, this section of the boards displays with a light grey background, so I didn't realize black text would be an issue. I only tagged it black because the post preview had the text in dull blue, which wasn't very readable.)
 
34oauzo.png

PARIS, 1936​
PRACTICAL MEASURES FOR WAR IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS​

We divide necessary labor and production for the war effort into the following areas:

I. Fortification. Fortification along the Maginot Line is satisfactory. Fortification along the Low Countries line is nonexistent. Fortification along the Italian border is probably adequate, although we can still hope that Italy has the sense this time to stay out of Germany's orbit. Fortification along the Swiss and Spanish borders we deem unnecessary.

Priority 1 fortifications to be built along the Dunkerque-Hazebrouck-Lille line, an otherwise undefended plains area, and Longuyon, also dominated by clear, flat terrain, as well as lying in a gap between the Moselle and the Meuse.

Priority 2 fortifications to be built along the Cambrai-Hirson line, which has tree cover but no defensive river.

Priority 3 fortifications to be built along the Charleville-Sedan line, which has tree cover and is protected by the Oise and the Meuse.

Priority 4 improvement of the fortifications on the Italian border, Albertville to Nice. This is a mountainous region and we are certain of our superiority to the Italians in the mountains.

II. Research and development. Every talented scientific mind in the country should be bent to these problems.

Priority 1 improvements in standard infantry equipment, artillery pieces, Grand Battle Plan concepts, and of course tanks. The light tank is developed to our satisfaction for its limited role; research must pursue heavier tanks with thicker protective cladding.

Priority 2 improvements in anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns.

Priority 3 improvements in agriculture and education, etc.

III. Modernization. We will have trouble sparing the resources for the massive task of modernizing the army at the same time as we are building an army of the future, but it must be done.

Priority 2 rollouts of new equipment as manufacturing capacity permits.

IV. Ground forces. This is not just a matter of production and new men under arms, but also the best use of the existing army.

Priority 1 reorganization of any fast regiments (cavalry, light armor, armored cars, and motorized infantry) into separate formations in the fast reserves. Redeployment of the Expeditionary Force from Africa to rough terrain on the Maginot Line (as they are mountaineers).

Priority 2 reorganization of the army in general into well-supported defensive units. This includes the assignment of attached artillery regiments wherever possible. At present we do not have remotely the armored presence to sustain a policy of infantry tank support, but we will.

Priority 3 manning of the prospective Low Countries defensive line. At present, there are gaps in the line through which an invader could pass without opposition.

Priority 4 production of armor and artillery to round out the army as necessary.

Priority 5 development of dedicated front-advancing units which can push forward with the heaviest armor against the harshest opposition.

V. Ships. The Dunkerque, a battlecruiser, is currently in production and we do not see adequate reason to cancel the project. It is likely that the Dunkerque will have some value as a commerce raider. However, we have no plans for further development of the fleets. Convoys should be adequately stocked with transports and we have a reserve of escorts should U-boats become an issue.

VI. Aircraft. France's present stock of aeroplanes should be more than sufficient.

As an aside, we have a few political considerations. It is completely and utterly outrageous that there is no ideologically acceptable replacement for General Victor Denain, a stubborn fantasist whose "carpet bombing" has no contribution to make to the nation's military readiness. Evidently Gen. Denain is unfamiliar with the artillery branch.

We advise the replacement of Joseph Paganon with Pierre Etienne Flandin. Paganon's attention to diplomatic communiques is appreciated, but Flandin's discussions of intercepting and interpreting foreign military orders have absolutely electrified us, and his techniques deserve to be put into practice.

Furthermore, we strongly encourage the replacement of Marx Dormoy, a demonstrative but unhelpful functionary, with the expediently-minded Col. Pierre Chardigny.

Congratulations to all of France on the formation of the Popular Front.

With confidence,
Staff
CCGG

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just one thing.

the laast 'logo' states 'rememberance (ing?) the learnings'.

Is this intended? :)
 
34oauzo.png

PARIS, 1939​
WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THE PRESENT SITUATION OF FRANCE​

The CCGG has provided accurate and helpful advice for the peril ahead since 1936. What has been our thanks? A parade of blindness and incompetence that leaves the nation's future uncertain in its gravest hour, though we knew the path to follow.

JAPAN is to blame for defecting to the Axis and putting Indochina at risk. We are at a loss to explain the irrationality of departing from the previous war's winning side.

FOOT-DRAGGERS IN THE MILITARY are to blame for the glacial pace of modernization. It took years to roll out simple changes to the infantry, such as new boots, rifles, mortars, maps, marching drills, helmets, anti-tank devices, binoculars and trench periscopes, folding shovels, cooking pots, mosquito nets, paints and enamels, drinking flasks, pressure tourniquets and sterile gauze, dromedaries, barometers, towels, sextants and astrolabes, etc. etc. and so on. We had allocated six months and no more than 20% of available manufacturing capacity to this project, but these persons of questionable patriotism and competence were determined to disappoint us.

A NO-CAN-DO ATTITUDE AMONG BUILDERS AND MANUFACTURERS is to blame for dramatically inflating the time and money necessary to extend the Maginot Line and emplace new anti-aircraft batteries, while at the same time yielding results of such poor quality that the new fortifications are not half as good as existing preparations in the Maginot Line itself.

ITALY is to blame for the inevitability of its future declaration of war. We are well aware that Italy's place in the Axis will draw it into the war and only perfidy can be keeping the Mediterranean scoundrels from a prompt announcement of such.

RUTHLESS ASSASSINS AND BOMB-THROWING ANARCHISTS are to blame for constantly disrupting people's confidence in the Popular Front government.

POLAND is to blame for provoking Germany.

FORMER GENERAL VICTOR DENAIN is to blame for his horrifying personal life, careless lack of secrecy, and mismanagement of the air arm. The Denain scandal has done more to undermine the French government than every bomb thrown by every anarchist. On top of this, when Denain was dismissed, no replacement could be found. There is no leading official to coordinate the effort to map routes of retreat from the front by aerial photography. We are further shocked by allegations that Denain's profits from his underground child vs. child deathmatch circuit may have been used to fund the opening of an aesthetically unsatisfying Italian restaurant in Amiens. If this is true, Denain has told lies about the truth in not one but two candid private conversations in the Fancy Doll Gentlemen's Club.

THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE is to blame for not making do with what was left over after budgets and personnel were allocated to research projects and officer training. Often this was literally nothing, but spies are supposed to be clever and resourceful.

THE SOVIET UNION is to blame for its treaty with Germany and its failure to spread the world revolution to Germany.

THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE are to blame for refusing to rally around the army and the national leadership in times of crisis, preventing us from providing assistance to to Spain in its Civil War and resulting in the rise of Fascist Spain. The people of France are also to blame for any objection they may have to the new press censorship laws and/or the draft. All the belly-aching about bribes, rigged elections, unsafe working conditions, political assassinations, indefinitely withheld pay, and child gladiators imprisoned in concrete dungeons concealed in the Paris sewers is completely un-French.

FASCIST SPAIN is to blame for requiring considerable diplomatic effort to be expended on a campaign of maintaining its neutrality. Our war plan has no contingency for an attack across the Pyrenees. The scurrilous editorial cartoon depicting Spain performing an act of sodomy upon France was not the least bit humorous.

RESERVISTS are to blame for mobilizing too slowly.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is to blame for the financial crisis that shook the world's faith in the international markets and created the dismal economic situation that has so complicated politics, as well as for failing to join the Allies.

DRAFTERS AND DESIGNERS are to blame for failing to present us with easy-to-manufacture heavy tank prototypes. All the so-called experts continue to assure us that thick armor is a design and manufacturing challenge, and to beg for the industrial power that we gravely need to expand our fortifications.

GREAT BRITAIN is to blame for not exploiting its historic friendliness with the United States to bring that country into the Allies, and for granting Germany such sweeping concessions in Czechoslovakia.

On the bright side, the artillery initiative has worked out nicely. Nearly every army division now has an attached artillery regiment and we expect this to slow the German advance by several days.

Also, it was our recommendation to designate the Dunkerque as the pride of the fleet, and certain persons in the navy remain justly proud of the Dunkerque.

With confidence,
Staff
CCGG

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34oauzo.png

PARIS, 1939​
SO FAR THE MAGINOT LINE HAS NOT BEEN OVERRUN YET​

Thanks to our successful initiatives the German army has been decisively repulsed. Poland, not having the benefit of the CCGG, is not so lucky. Let us all remember that.

The reserves have mobilized and our units are at full strength. We are generally outnumbered but have many defensive advantages. The Germans may not be willing to execute the Schlieffen Plan again, and they have not attacked the Low Countries. Possibly they were intimidated by the early mobilization of Luxembourg's reserves.

Wartime production will allow us to finally assemble the heavy armor we need. Presently seven brigades of it are in production. Burning down our industrial stockpiles to put new divisions together, not just armor but also infantry and artillery, will help rebalance our numerical disadvantages.

We are losing convoys and our resource situation is in jeopardy. Britain cannot make the seas safe after all. We demand the fleets take ASW action. Although we doubt Germany relies significantly on convoys, when Italy enters the war, our 50 submarines in Marseille can cut their shipping through the Mediterranean.

It is difficult to get comprehensive reports on how effective our anti-aircraft emplacements are against German aeroplanes, but they are probably excellent.

When the Polish rally, German forces along the Maginot Line will thin out as they are redeployed to Poland, and we may be able to advance into the German fortifications.

With confidence,
Staff
CCGG

2pr7le8.png
 
and if there was the space for a couple of screenshots also :)
 
Not enough French AARs. Subscribed.
 
I second the motion for an odd screenshot or two.
 
The timeline is dead historical so far. It's September 10th of 1939 and Poland is crumbling. Depending on Polish diplomacy's relationship with inevitability, Germany could well win before October.

I'll probably get back to this AAR after I wind up The Bard's Kings, but in the meantime, here's a screenshot enhanced to indicate my current levels of fortification.

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