What technologies do you have by 1939? (1936 scenario)

[Lord Raffles]

What technologies (with what country) do you have by 1939 on the 1936 scenario?

As Germany, I personally try and get Panzer III (70mm) by 1939 in time for the Invasion of Poland - but is it possible to research a lower tech level tank and still be able to acheive great victories? What about Planes and Infantry? Do share your thoughts.

 

[unmerged(1047)]

As Germany, I can usually get the Improved Medium-70 tank model by late 1937, in time to build about three batches of them before invading Poland... also I tend to pick up the computer and industry conversion techs as fast as possible, and am fairly far along on those chains by the beginning of war. I also go for Improved Destroyers, sending all my older ones to convoy duty, and the fast TP production tech, so I can build a lot of transports and send them on convoys to bring stuff in from the Vichy Frace territories.

 

[unmerged(35857)]

Well as Germany I always get up to Improved Interceptors and Improved Medium Tanks (70mm). I am usually a tech or three away from Improved tactical bombers as well. Other than that, I try to squeeze in as many theoretical techs as possible, mainly in industrial, electronics and doctrines. It isn't easy to cram everything in, but if you are meticulous in your planning you can steamroll the allies with far superior units until 1941 or 42. However by rushing these techs I am usually sacrifricing unit builds so when the war starts, I tend to scale back my research to below 100 ICs and build build build to make up for lost time.

 

[unmerged(3221)]

Playing on very hard I conquer Western Europe and the Soviet Union (Bitter Peace) with my best tank being an Improved Medium 50 (which is all that the Germans had in 1941). I start out with six each MG IL20 AL30 BM40 and IM50 Armor Div. I only use motor inf until 1943 or later when I perhaps will build mech inf. I have only basic interceptors and tactical bombers (I don't use dive bombers).

My inf has advanced level before France invasion which I don't do until spring 1940 and they have semi modern level before Barbarossa May 1941 (90 org). Industrial is basically done by then while computer electronics is steadily researched along with land intelligence. I don't do early Sealion so I don't focus on naval/sub. I build lots of plain inf to fight in Russia. When manpower runs low I build some more Panzer divisions and specialized divisions and focus more on researching everything else I neglected. After Bitter Peace it's research full out because I'm low on manpower by then.

 

[Der Kunstler]

You don't even need tanks to take Poland - they are pushovers. You can do it with mech and motorized units and bombers.

 

[Thistletooth]

What technologies (with what country) do you have by 1939 on the 1936 scenario?

As Germany, I personally try and get Panzer III (70mm) by 1939 in time for the Invasion of Poland - but is it possible to research a lower tech level tank and still be able to acheive great victories? What about Planes and Infantry? Do share your thoughts.

I know only that a lot of people swear by the fastest model tanks available, even if they are only PzIIs. Given the power of infantry and bombers, I don't disagree with them.

But you'll have to pry my Panthers out from my cold, dead hands!

Playing on very hard I conquer Western Europe and the Soviet Union (Bitter Peace) with my best tank being an Improved Medium 50 (which is all that the Germans had in 1941). I start out with six each MG IL20 AL30 BM40 and IM50 Armor Div. I only use motor inf until 1943 or later when I perhaps will build mech inf. I have only basic interceptors and tactical bombers (I don't use dive bombers).

BM40? What kind of tank is that supposed to represent? Are you buying M/14/40s, A13s, or BT-5s or something?

My inf has advanced level before France invasion which I don't do until spring 1940 and they have semi modern level before Barbarossa May 1941 (90 org). Industrial is basically done by then while computer electronics is steadily researched along with land intelligence. I don't do early Sealion so I don't focus on naval/sub. I build lots of plain inf to fight in Russia. When manpower runs low I build some more Panzer divisions and specialized divisions and focus more on researching everything else I neglected. After Bitter Peace it's research full out because I'm low on manpower by then.

Geez, it blows my mind hearing stuff like this, seeing as I've been playing CORE for...like...years or something. Theory research times are doubled over there. There's no way you'd be able to get Semi-Modern anything (except for ships) until '45 at the earliest. We even have techs that you can't research by the end of the game, no matter how hard you try!

You people are spoiled.

 

[unmerged(5205)]

As Germany in CORE I think I usually have improved 75 short tanks by the time war with Poland starts but I don't even bother upgrading my old tanks because Poland is very easy and France isn't very hard either. I always have basic interceptors and basic dive bombers and really don't advance much further in aircraft until alot later. I always concentrat heavily on infantry, electronics, armor and artillery and of course doctrines after 1938

 

[unmerged(31947)]

I must be the stupid one. I push for "basic" everything, and then cram the rest of my IC's in doctrines and unit builds. Before I start my Russian vacation I rely on Mot-A divisions for maneuver, using basic tanks for breakthroughs as needed.

 

[unmerged(3221)]

BM40? What kind of tank is that supposed to represent? Are you buying M/14/40s, A13s, or BT-5s or something?

I'm using the generic names listed in the tech chart. Basic Medium 40 which might not be in CORE due to the way that heavy tank and light recon tanks are handled as bn.

 

[danoh]

Justin Oldham wrote: "I must be the stupid one. I push for "basic" everything, and then cram the rest of my IC's in doctrines and unit builds."

Yeah, about like that. If you want to play a historical game with a few reasonable house rules, John Heidle's guidelines are fine.

Presently I'm refining the Attack-As-Soon-As-Munich-Fires-Sept. 30, 1938, so there's little time to run to improved models. The difference between basic 70mm and improved or even advanced is slight, and not worth the I.C.s. This is especally true since I arty brigade all new tanks.

I used to view the tech tree as something to complete a.s.a.p., but it seems better to reach a basic level of tech (when Germany has the greatest relative superiority anyway) and then build through the manpower. Once you're outta manpower you'll have plenty of tech I.C.s.

I never stop researching industry, and only shut down electronics for the shortest time possible during the big troop build in 1938-39.

Oh yes, with the current air stacking penalty, rockets have become a new priority, and I try to reach the air-to-air missle a.s.a.p., something like late 1940.

 

[unmerged(35857)]

Well if you like burning through your manpower before the fighting starts, who am I to stop you? Personally I find that in the early war quality works better than quantity, and leaves you plenty of manpower for later when you need to start considering a more sweeping strategy. 4 x IM/70s in 1939 along with 20+ motorised divisions for creating pockets lets me roll Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, Greece and Hungary before the next 12 armored divisions are completed at which point France's sadly outclassed but numerically superior divisions are sliced up like a loaf of bread. Bloody bread.

 

[danoh]

Well if you like burning through your manpower before the fighting starts, who am I to stop you? Personally I find that in the early war quality works better than quantity, and leaves you plenty of manpower for later when you need to start considering a more sweeping strategy.

The point is, the basic 70 mm tank is plenty of quality in the early war years. Indeed the 40 mm tank is plenty of "quality" as other players note.

Germany's fundamental strategic problem is eliminating the Soviets as a threat. If you can strategize a plan to eliminate Russia in 1940, instead of 1941 or 1942, that means not only lots more I.C.s earlier but more freedom of action once the Bitter Peace has fired.

The most common mistake I see on these boards are players who've invested I.C.s in subs or better tanks or planes and wind up short of vanilla infantry against the Russians. By spring 1940 you can have 48 arty-brigaded tanks and mechs and over 200 vanilla infantry. These make the Russian Campaign a 9-month walk instead of a long struggle, and you'll save lots of manpower attacking with overwhelming superiority.

Certainly you'll find a greater challenge sticking to historical limits, committing I.C.s to building up a U-Boat force, etc. but first you need to know the sure route before you learn what you can sacrifice to make the game more challenging.

 

[unmerged(26982)]

Depends on what country Im playing. And I get as far as I can with them:

Russia: Infantry techs and industry techs.
Germany: Mix of everything, emphasis on tactical bombers, tanks and subs.
Italy: Infantry, naval bombers, and industry.
I dont play the other countries, but usually with countries such as Romania that I play, I use the Russian or Italian tech goals. o

 

[unmerged(31947)]

With basic techs on line by late 1937, I find that I can run up my doctrines. Those give the me Quality that my basic weapons might lack. Also, as I start blowing through the Infantry and artillery tech tree, the balance of pwoer changes as we get to Vichy.

I suaully end up with a six month operational pause to upgrade units before heading off to Russia. As others in this thread have said, getting to Russia SOONER rather than LATER does matter in the long run.

I have leanred to invest in everytying except naval techs when playing as Germany. Germany is a land-dominant power. If all goes wel, by later in the game, I can dabble with the floaty toys. Trouble is, for me, by the time I get it all nailed down, there's not enough time left on the game clock to really exploit the joy of having that navy.

 

[unmerged(5205)]

Not really on topic but when do you CORE guys usually have jet fighters as Germany?