Request for German help.

[whiterussian]

I've been playing HOI 1 and 2 + AoD for over a Decade.
I can't find Germany "Walkthroughs" online, and I've read some AARs here, but I'm not sure that they're really "walkthroughs" so much as Reviews of how a Game went for that Person.

So, I'll post my General Strategy for AoD Normal AI and hopefully get some advice from you all. Thanks for any help that you all offer.

I'll limit this to a very brief overview w/o listing each individual choice that I make. Just the Broad strokes.
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I begin by making every possible attempt to make good Trade Deals: Coal for Rare, Oil and a tiny bit of money or Metal if it's a good swap; or I offer money if I need to in order to help buy Rares.

I also change my Ministers to Diehls for Security, Resource Industrialist for Armaments, and will change Air Minister to Air Superiority just before the Anschluss. Otherwise, I retain Hoepner and Fritsch (Artillery and Armored Spearhead/Mobility Focus for Army,) Donitz for Navy and Canaris for Spies.

I focus mainly on Tech research and building IC during the 1st 2 yrs. Once the Construction Techs are researched, I begin building up Coastal Defenses on the NW 3 provinces. But mostly I build Radar Stations and AA in the western Provinces and Polish Border, plus some Land Forts (Levels 1-3 depending upon placement and importance) to block entry by Western Powers and Poland.

I also trade Tech w my Historic Allies so that they have strong Economies and Weapons with which to attack our shared Enemies. France, UK, Netherlands, Belgium Colonies, USSR and USA (when they choose to enter the Fray.) By insuring a strong Japanese Presence in SE Asia, China, and Pacific Islands; I weaken my Enemies from being able to gang up on me for a concerted Campaign. Instead, they must ferry supplies and Resources that can be sunk, and heavily defend their Colonial Holdings.

Once I've developed Advanced Fighters, Interceptors, Tactical Bombers and Transports; I begin Production Lines for each. Often I plan 2-4 Lines each for Interceptors/Fighters/Bombers, with only 1 Line for Transports.

Same w Advanced Medium Tanks/Field Artillery/Paratroops/Mountain and Marines, Improved SP Artillery, Semi-Modern Infantry.

I try to advance Research just before it would Historically be achieved so that I have a slight Build Advantage, w/o paying too high of a Time Modifier Penalty.

I also focus early Production of auto-upgrade Province Improvements like Radar and AA so that I don't need to spend time and IC upgrading like I must w Units. I wait until the Unit Techs are already high before I begin Production, and let about a year of Improved Units be built before retooling to the Advanced Models. That way I don't waste much Gearing Bonus by upgrading.
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I annex Denmark after the Anscluss and before taking Czechoslovakia. It's a quick Lightning Strike to walk across them and seize Iceland/Greenland before anyone declares War against me. Then, keep Arctic Forces (Specialist Leaders) there as a toehold against the USA/Canada by increasing Airbases, Radar, Coastal Defense, and Ports. That way I quickly repel anyone trying to push me off those Islands. But have them to launch Naval Bombers and Nukes from when needed.
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My Strategy is to wait fairly long before entering War. I try to maximize the West's willingness to cede me land until my Forces are ready, then I wipe Poland, and Netherlands/Belgium out simultaneously. Using Eindhoven, Antwerp and Brussels as my Main Westward Attack Points. Using as many directions of Attack as possible to gain extra Bonuses. Also using River Crossings and Land Forts to wear down any attacking Armies that go after me. Once I seize Ghant, I drive my main Armored Force down along the Channel Coast into France while leaving Infantry w Artillery Brigades to follow behind, securing Gains. Plus adding Garrison '43 troops to suppress Rebels.
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In Poland, I mainly use my Tactical Bombers to decrease Organization until the Enemies must withdraw under Ground Attack. I use any Mountain Troops to attack North from Czech lands. Armor w Artillery/Engineer Brigades drive East from my 3 Eastern Provinces and South from Elbing. And Infantry w Artillery Brigades help support the Armored Attacks.
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I don't worry about AT/AA Brigades. They just slow Offensive Movement. So I use Bombers to deal w Tank counter attacks. And Fighters to suppress Enemy Aircraft.


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In the Games that I've played so far, it comes down to a matter of Timing. IF I can build up enough Fighters/Bombers/Armor/Infantry/Artillery before UK and France attack me, I win. Often nuking USA and keeping USSR from attacking me. If USSR attacks, I usually just roll right across to the A-A Line, and Garrison everything west of the Urals.

This is my 1st AAR attempt. Hopefully you have some good criticisms and advice for me. (More geared toward Gameplay than my Lack of Narrative Style hopefully.) I'll add Narrative Report later, after I get some suggestions on my Strategy and any Timing Hints/Tips.

Thanks.

 

[Adolphin]

You can declare war on Luxemburg on the first day and annex it subsequently. That's 5 or so free IC and lots of metal for the so important next 3-4 years of building up.
If you're up for a gamble, you can do it with Denmark too but depending on the aggressiveness you have set for the AI you might find yourself being declared war upon.

AA are next to useless or at least not worth their resources in the early years of the war. Better spend it on interceptors and interceptors only. For the same reason that AA is useless I usually refrain from building TAC or CAS either simply because the early models barely do any damage.

Building coastal forts is a waste too. Since you should be invading Denmark asap there's only really one province you need to guard and that is the one German core bordering Denmark. The early invasion forces you may have to face barely exceed stacks of 3 units. Later on in the game when you might not have conquered the UK, the US has entered the war and you own a lot of coastal provinces, simply use the forces of your allies (namely the Hungarian ones) to guard them. Even when they lack behind in tech and manpower the bonus you get from defending coastal provinces with dug-in units is big enough for you to essentially seal off continental Europe.

If you want to conquer the UK, the easiest way to do it would probably to have 4 (or 8, if you're really feeling scared) units of paratroops to simultaneously land in Wales. It's pretty much a free province and if you have relocated your fleet of transports, which ideal should consist of >20 units, to Brest you can then with some luck set over undetected. Have your initial fleet sail along just so your fleet of transports doesn't lose any ships. Simply keep trying if you keep getting caught, it works out for the vast majority of times and this method doesn't require you to invest into your fleet or airforce other the transports and the interceptors you were gonna build anyway.

 

[Pang Bingxun]

I begin by making every possible attempt to make good Trade Deals: Coal for Rare, Oil and a tiny bit of money or Metal if it's a good swap; or I offer money if I need to in order to help buy Rares.

Chances are you can improve your trading strategy by dividing it into exporting energy vs. money and importing oil or rares vs. money.

Exporting energy will give you 1 money per 15 energy or 25 energy if the energy is not needed in the sense that the country is not running a daily deficit on energy.

At importing 1 money will give you 5 oil or 3.75 rares divided through the ratio shown in the trading tab. This ratio is better with good relations and low belligerence. Also some countries will give you special discounts due to a hidden diplomacy setting. Adding a few 0.1 of energy can help to deal with rounding issues.

I focus mainly on Tech research and building IC during the 1st 2 yrs.

I would build factories more gradually and also lots of infra. In february i had uploaded a savegame for purposes of illustration.

The key is to neglect everything not needed in 1936. I attached a savegame for illustration. You will see that it is an extremely tight ic squeeze prior to march 1936 when the new ministers come online. For it to possibly work out one needs to use logistics wizards, disband some or all navy, and run short on supplies in late february. In early march supply production then must be high to compensate. It might take till may 1936 till you can effort to use more than 1 tech team.

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/germany_1936_1_4-7z.157299/

I focus mainly on Tech research and building IC during the 1st 2 yrs. Once the Construction Techs are researched, I begin building up Coastal Defenses on the NW 3 provinces. But mostly I build Radar Stations and AA in the western Provinces and Polish Border, plus some Land Forts (Levels 1-3 depending upon placement and importance) to block entry by Western Powers and Poland.

Chances are that those forts, AA and radar stations are not really needed, at least not before 1942. Thus they are wasted. One is tempted to do those builds without attached costs for maintenance and upgrading early on, but that conclusion can easily be wrong. In 1942+ you will likely have lots of ic to spare, before 1942 however one needs to economize.

Once I've developed Advanced Fighters, Interceptors, Tactical Bombers and Transports; I begin Production Lines for each. Often I plan 2-4 Lines each for Interceptors/Fighters/Bombers, with only 1 Line for Transports.

Same w Advanced Medium Tanks/Field Artillery/Paratroops/Mountain and Marines, Improved SP Artillery, Semi-Modern Infantry.

This is very confusing to me. Are you really waiting for 1943 Planes, 1943 tanks and 1945 infantry? I usually take it as a given that the war starts on 1939/8/30 and that no war with open german participation starts before that. One might make an exception for Luxembourg, but that is it. The diplomatic risks are too high.

I try to advance Research just before it would Historically be achieved so that I have a slight Build Advantage, w/o paying too high of a Time Modifier Penalty.

That seem reasonable enough. I keep the option for some more severe techrushing open in those cases that justify the costs.

Plus adding Garrison '43 troops to suppress Rebels.

That model is rather strong, even in terms of fighting power. At static defence there is nothing better.

In Poland, I mainly use my Tactical Bombers to decrease Organization until the Enemies must withdraw under Ground Attack.

Are you aware that the "ground attack" mission focusses on reducing enemy strenght? For reducing enemy Org (and more subtle supply stockpiles of units) "interdiction" is the proper mission. In either case it is best to use those mission on enemy that are not dug in as 20 days of digging in reduce the effectivity of airial attacks by 60%.

Armor w Artillery/Engineer Brigades

Imo armoured divisions should always use the self propelled artillery brigade. This gives a total of +10% on attack from the armoured spearhead doctrine Chief of Army.

And Fighters to suppress Enemy Aircraft.

Interceptors are much better than fighters. The sole relevant advantage of fighters is their improved range. Most countries cannot afford to research both, but i suppose germany can. Still i would not and use the saving to have other techs a few months earlier. Tech rushing Int1940 and then building them in say 5 lines to get their numbers up to 40 divisions and later 80 divisions when the USA enter the war helps to ensure air superiority.

 

[Commander666]

I annex Denmark after the Anscluss and before taking Czechoslovakia. It's a quick Lightning Strike to walk across them and seize Iceland/Greenland before anyone declares War against me.

The ahistorical DOW on Denmark you are doing only to get Iceland and Greenland? IMO, both those places are useless to Germany until after a successful Sea Lion gets the British Isles first. And the USA therefore getting Iceland and Greenland instead (when Denmark folds) is of little worry to German player as the 2 islands are just as useless to the USA as long as they have the British Isles to base on instead.

Then, keep Arctic Forces (Specialist Leaders) there as a toehold against the USA/Canada by increasing Airbases, Radar, Coastal Defense, and Ports. That way I quickly repel anyone trying to push me off those Islands.

IMO, the OoB is wrong as it excludes the first toehold that matters - the British Isles. And Iceland is quite easy to amphib right after you take Scapa Flow; and will be only lightly defended. Usually my marines land before the USN can even respond. But Greenland is useless as you can reach Newfoundland instead.

Building all that in Iceland is extravagant because the USA invasion will be coming much closer to home. I put 2 GAR in Iceland once I do take it... and never had a problem. One set of NAVs based at Iceland can be useful - and can repel any attempt to amphib it. You would also have a fleet to respond with by then.

But have them to launch Naval Bombers and Nukes from when needed.

I assume you have no STR, so would use rockets to carry the nukes. But you can't place newly constructed rockets in Iceland, and need to do a very long strategic redeployment to get them there, with slow org regain once they arrive. Why bother when you can set newly constructed rocket in Brest and fire it a couple weeks later, and reach Los Alamos too?