I decided to play a game of HoI2 for old times sake. Normal difficuly, normal agressiveness.
I wasn't really planning on making an AAR, so up til now I only have 3 screenshots!
I took the historical route (I think) on every event that was presented to me.
Went to war with Finland, beat them into submission on got those two provinces. Proceeded to contiue building up my infrastructure.
My plans:
Air Force: Fighters/Tactical Bombers/Naval Bombers
Navy: Long Range Submarnes, with some basic light carriers to afford my rather meager fleets some air protection.
Army: Best Tanks I can get, with a hearty helping of Mountain Infantry quickly. Though all my effort were to be concnetrated on getting my core infantry level up, as well as some basic motorized infantry to support my armoured columns.
I got 2 12 divison armies of Mountain Infantry (II) ready for the opening stages of Barbarossa positioned on the Finnish front. They were supported by a 12 division army consiting of 8x Medium and Light tanks and 4x Motorized Infantry.
Along the German front I quickly stockpiled lots of 3 division armies.... 2-3 provinces deep.
I watched as Italy charged deep into UK terriotry, stripping away the african coastline, as the UK invaded Italy... WTH?
They actually gained 2 more provinces before (I assume) german divisions which actually knew what they were doing decided to finally show up and kicked them off the peninsula. The UK took the respite to regain control of the middle east. Italy would never again challenge the suez...
After awhile, the germans finally declared war on me... pushing back my massive lines. However, I had anticipated this, and let my northern lines collapse in the middle, to await reinforcements, while my 3 largest armies attacked the germans and pushed THEM back in the southern most positions.
My target: Eliminate the German vassals. Bulgaria was the first to join my side, and they tied up the german army long enough for me to finish of finland (ha, I am so punny), and send my armoured divion under Zhukov down to the front lines.
I quickly demanded Estonia, and the other two countries, territories, opening up a surprise front on the german lines that my tank army exploited, hitting into their flank.
I quickly pronged the german advanced, letting them attack into the swamps, giving me a higher chance of encircling them. Unfortuantely, a large 40 divison stack appeared just as the encirclement was closing, letting the germans breakthrough to relieve the 30 divisons at Bielsk.
From there, it stalemated. Although I was slowly pushing the germans back, it was slow work, and I had to double check every strategic move, as while my armies could fight fight toe to toe with the germans when they had at least 2 points to attack form and a numerical superiority of 3-1, any time a single province was on it's own and without the ability for other provinces to counter attack it's aggressors, it would fall quickly, with great casualties.
I lost several battles like this, forcing me to divert resources to reinforcing my lines.
Finally, I made a push to Koningsberg:
It was a great victory. Just under 40 german divisions were cutoff and surrounded. However, I was not happy, do to a misscommuniction between two of my generals, they were not in a province at the same time, letting them get knocked back, and what should have been the surrender of 90 german divisions, became a rallying point for the german counterattack.
I wasn't really planning on making an AAR, so up til now I only have 3 screenshots!
I took the historical route (I think) on every event that was presented to me.
Went to war with Finland, beat them into submission on got those two provinces. Proceeded to contiue building up my infrastructure.
My plans:
Air Force: Fighters/Tactical Bombers/Naval Bombers
Navy: Long Range Submarnes, with some basic light carriers to afford my rather meager fleets some air protection.
Army: Best Tanks I can get, with a hearty helping of Mountain Infantry quickly. Though all my effort were to be concnetrated on getting my core infantry level up, as well as some basic motorized infantry to support my armoured columns.
I got 2 12 divison armies of Mountain Infantry (II) ready for the opening stages of Barbarossa positioned on the Finnish front. They were supported by a 12 division army consiting of 8x Medium and Light tanks and 4x Motorized Infantry.
Along the German front I quickly stockpiled lots of 3 division armies.... 2-3 provinces deep.
I watched as Italy charged deep into UK terriotry, stripping away the african coastline, as the UK invaded Italy... WTH?
They actually gained 2 more provinces before (I assume) german divisions which actually knew what they were doing decided to finally show up and kicked them off the peninsula. The UK took the respite to regain control of the middle east. Italy would never again challenge the suez...
After awhile, the germans finally declared war on me... pushing back my massive lines. However, I had anticipated this, and let my northern lines collapse in the middle, to await reinforcements, while my 3 largest armies attacked the germans and pushed THEM back in the southern most positions.
My target: Eliminate the German vassals. Bulgaria was the first to join my side, and they tied up the german army long enough for me to finish of finland (ha, I am so punny), and send my armoured divion under Zhukov down to the front lines.
I quickly demanded Estonia, and the other two countries, territories, opening up a surprise front on the german lines that my tank army exploited, hitting into their flank.
I quickly pronged the german advanced, letting them attack into the swamps, giving me a higher chance of encircling them. Unfortuantely, a large 40 divison stack appeared just as the encirclement was closing, letting the germans breakthrough to relieve the 30 divisons at Bielsk.
From there, it stalemated. Although I was slowly pushing the germans back, it was slow work, and I had to double check every strategic move, as while my armies could fight fight toe to toe with the germans when they had at least 2 points to attack form and a numerical superiority of 3-1, any time a single province was on it's own and without the ability for other provinces to counter attack it's aggressors, it would fall quickly, with great casualties.
I lost several battles like this, forcing me to divert resources to reinforcing my lines.
Finally, I made a push to Koningsberg:
It was a great victory. Just under 40 german divisions were cutoff and surrounded. However, I was not happy, do to a misscommuniction between two of my generals, they were not in a province at the same time, letting them get knocked back, and what should have been the surrender of 90 german divisions, became a rallying point for the german counterattack.
