This is my first ever game of HOI and I thought that I would write an AAR about my progress, partly in the hope of getting some advice from more experienced players, and also that someone can learn what not to do from me.
The game is Vanilla HOI 1.05c Normal/Normal, Fog of War on.
January 1936
First impressions: The British Empire is big. Rather worryingly big. And very undermanned. I was expecting this to be more like EU2 where I'd only have about 10 provinces to manage. Maybe I should have played Latvia instead?
The first task is to begin upgrading industry across 30 of the father flung provinces. And Cardiff (which is pretty far flung in its own way). From a hazy grasp of the game mechanics I understand not to upgrade anywhere with an IC higher than 5, though we also start building AA batteries across the south of England and coastal fortifications in Hong Kong.
The second task is to look at the economy. From the convoys screen I can see that we have an awful lot of convoys and very few escorts. After probably a couple of months of game time of scrolling round the map I gently poke the economy with a stick, by increasing the convoy size running from Singapore to Portsmouth. Nothing catastrophic happens so I leave it alone. Apparently all the numbers are going up, which seems like a good thing. A couple of trades are created which coincide nicely with the entire world market running out of oil, so I cancel those and trust the merchant navy to keep ticking along nicely.
Almost all of our Industrial Capacity is directed towards research and spread evenly across the different fields with the exception of rocketry and nuclear research. A hazy goal is to reach techs which reduce our research time, upgrade our fighter and bomber fleets, improve convoy efficiency and build a good solid medium tank.
March 1936
Attention is now turned to the military, or apparent lack of it. The various infantry divisions scattered around are upgraded to full strength and the Indian army is collected and stacked near Calcutta in the hope of scaring away anyone thinking of coming across the border from Bhutan. Field Marshall Gort is put in command of the forces stationed in the Middle East and some chap wearing a pith helmet gets charge of Singapore since he seems to have the right headgear for the climate.
At least the fleet is a source of comfort. The Home Fleet is warding off any invasion from the North Pole at Scapa Flow, and is split in two with a more manageable sized 2nd Fleet being harboured at Portsmouth under Grand Admiral Ramsey. The Meditteranan fleet receives the same treatment, and half of it is despatched, as 1st Fleet to Singapore. Finally a flotilla of transport ships is stationed near India to be able to ferry the only decent size army we have around the world at a moment's notice.
April 1936
We remember we have a diplomatic corps and after finding them in the bar at Claridges we send them off to hardly influence a string of small European countries. Nothing much seems to happen as a result except that Italy annex Ethiopia.
Despite the confidence gained by safely ignoring the economy for now there is a slight sense of unease at the lack of escorts so work begins on the first newly commissioned units of the UK. Three Destroyer flotillas.
June 1936
Nothing much has happened except watching our supply of rubber go up, and the final arrival of the three destroyer flotillas. They are attached to the 11th Flotilla in Plymouth and promptly disappear without trace. Plymouth shows no 11th Flotilla. The ledger shows that an 11th Flotilla most definately exists. The game is reloaded, with much cursing and gnashing of teeth and the flotillas are written off as lost.
July 1936
July is an excellent month apart from some messy business in Iberia.
Firstly, we discover we'd been looking in Portsmouth the whole time and that Plymouth is somewhere else altogether. Although embarassing we put this down as the sort of mistake better to make in peace time. The destroyers are added to the convoy pool.
We also discover around ten colonies that we had previously missed! Part of South America, the Carribean and some little places around New Zealand. The locals are delighted to have their industrial capacity upgraded.
Finally we find a new fleet in the middle of the Atlantic. (On a personal note, I'm also pleased to finally find out where the Bahamas are. I thought they were near Africa). We're not too sure what to do about the fleet but presumably the previous owner of the Empire had them there for a reason so we leave them where they are.
Meanwhile on the Continent, the Spanish start a little fracas. We send support to the Republicans, as left-wing anarchist rabble seem less of a danger than fascists.
August 1936
A very quiet month, though probably not for the Spanish as we see the Nationalist bit of Spain getting smaller on the map. Looks like our supplies did the trick.
We test loading and unloading of troops by sending one division of men from India to Singapore to help out the chap with the pith helmet. Don't want anyone stealing all our rubber.
September - December 1936
Nothing of interest happens anywhere in the world. We remember that we have a diplomatic corps again and find them back in the bar at Claridges. We send them off for a second round of hardly influencing anyone. The USA elect Roosevelt.
The game is Vanilla HOI 1.05c Normal/Normal, Fog of War on.
January 1936
First impressions: The British Empire is big. Rather worryingly big. And very undermanned. I was expecting this to be more like EU2 where I'd only have about 10 provinces to manage. Maybe I should have played Latvia instead?
The first task is to begin upgrading industry across 30 of the father flung provinces. And Cardiff (which is pretty far flung in its own way). From a hazy grasp of the game mechanics I understand not to upgrade anywhere with an IC higher than 5, though we also start building AA batteries across the south of England and coastal fortifications in Hong Kong.
The second task is to look at the economy. From the convoys screen I can see that we have an awful lot of convoys and very few escorts. After probably a couple of months of game time of scrolling round the map I gently poke the economy with a stick, by increasing the convoy size running from Singapore to Portsmouth. Nothing catastrophic happens so I leave it alone. Apparently all the numbers are going up, which seems like a good thing. A couple of trades are created which coincide nicely with the entire world market running out of oil, so I cancel those and trust the merchant navy to keep ticking along nicely.
Almost all of our Industrial Capacity is directed towards research and spread evenly across the different fields with the exception of rocketry and nuclear research. A hazy goal is to reach techs which reduce our research time, upgrade our fighter and bomber fleets, improve convoy efficiency and build a good solid medium tank.
March 1936
Attention is now turned to the military, or apparent lack of it. The various infantry divisions scattered around are upgraded to full strength and the Indian army is collected and stacked near Calcutta in the hope of scaring away anyone thinking of coming across the border from Bhutan. Field Marshall Gort is put in command of the forces stationed in the Middle East and some chap wearing a pith helmet gets charge of Singapore since he seems to have the right headgear for the climate.
At least the fleet is a source of comfort. The Home Fleet is warding off any invasion from the North Pole at Scapa Flow, and is split in two with a more manageable sized 2nd Fleet being harboured at Portsmouth under Grand Admiral Ramsey. The Meditteranan fleet receives the same treatment, and half of it is despatched, as 1st Fleet to Singapore. Finally a flotilla of transport ships is stationed near India to be able to ferry the only decent size army we have around the world at a moment's notice.
April 1936
We remember we have a diplomatic corps and after finding them in the bar at Claridges we send them off to hardly influence a string of small European countries. Nothing much seems to happen as a result except that Italy annex Ethiopia.
Despite the confidence gained by safely ignoring the economy for now there is a slight sense of unease at the lack of escorts so work begins on the first newly commissioned units of the UK. Three Destroyer flotillas.
June 1936
Nothing much has happened except watching our supply of rubber go up, and the final arrival of the three destroyer flotillas. They are attached to the 11th Flotilla in Plymouth and promptly disappear without trace. Plymouth shows no 11th Flotilla. The ledger shows that an 11th Flotilla most definately exists. The game is reloaded, with much cursing and gnashing of teeth and the flotillas are written off as lost.
July 1936
July is an excellent month apart from some messy business in Iberia.
Firstly, we discover we'd been looking in Portsmouth the whole time and that Plymouth is somewhere else altogether. Although embarassing we put this down as the sort of mistake better to make in peace time. The destroyers are added to the convoy pool.
We also discover around ten colonies that we had previously missed! Part of South America, the Carribean and some little places around New Zealand. The locals are delighted to have their industrial capacity upgraded.
Finally we find a new fleet in the middle of the Atlantic. (On a personal note, I'm also pleased to finally find out where the Bahamas are. I thought they were near Africa). We're not too sure what to do about the fleet but presumably the previous owner of the Empire had them there for a reason so we leave them where they are.
Meanwhile on the Continent, the Spanish start a little fracas. We send support to the Republicans, as left-wing anarchist rabble seem less of a danger than fascists.
August 1936
A very quiet month, though probably not for the Spanish as we see the Nationalist bit of Spain getting smaller on the map. Looks like our supplies did the trick.
We test loading and unloading of troops by sending one division of men from India to Singapore to help out the chap with the pith helmet. Don't want anyone stealing all our rubber.
September - December 1936
Nothing of interest happens anywhere in the world. We remember that we have a diplomatic corps again and find them back in the bar at Claridges. We send them off for a second round of hardly influencing anyone. The USA elect Roosevelt.
