This will be a C.O.R.E. 0.85 AAR playing Germany at normal difficulty but with furious IA. The historical setting will be a bit different of the IRL one, in order to explain some decisions I made at game start...
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Introduction : Germany 1918-1936 : a short history
Germany 1918-1936 : a short history
by Herr Leopold Von Preussen
After World War I ended the great powers decided to impose a thight control on the defeated Germany and to force the germans to pay huge war indemnities. Alsace and Lorraine were given back to the French, who also occupied important industrial sectors of the country in order to make sure they got their money back.
A provisional occupation governement was set up, but forbidden one of the most important part of independant governements : armed forces were banned.
The occupation lasted until 1935, when the allies decided to set up a free election in order to make Germany fully independant by January 1st, 1936.
During the early 30's a nationalist party had grown quite powerfull. Called NSDAP, it was led by a former corporal called Adolf Hitler. His rethoric, calling for the restaured glory of the German people, pleased many in Germany. Many former military officers were oppenly supporting him as well as many powerfull industrialist. So it was not a surprise when, in August 1935 he was elected President of Germany. Soon he recruited a small team around him, with many talented military men, and he set them one goal : build quickly a powerfull military able te fight any western nation in less than 5 years. An impossible task... or not ?
Germany 1918-1936 : a short history
by Herr Leopold Von Preussen
After World War I ended the great powers decided to impose a thight control on the defeated Germany and to force the germans to pay huge war indemnities. Alsace and Lorraine were given back to the French, who also occupied important industrial sectors of the country in order to make sure they got their money back.
A provisional occupation governement was set up, but forbidden one of the most important part of independant governements : armed forces were banned.
The occupation lasted until 1935, when the allies decided to set up a free election in order to make Germany fully independant by January 1st, 1936.
During the early 30's a nationalist party had grown quite powerfull. Called NSDAP, it was led by a former corporal called Adolf Hitler. His rethoric, calling for the restaured glory of the German people, pleased many in Germany. Many former military officers were oppenly supporting him as well as many powerfull industrialist. So it was not a surprise when, in August 1935 he was elected President of Germany. Soon he recruited a small team around him, with many talented military men, and he set them one goal : build quickly a powerfull military able te fight any western nation in less than 5 years. An impossible task... or not ?
Introduction ( 2 ) : Some private initiatives
Some private initiatives
During the occupation years some had taken private initiatives. One of them was the director of the Heinkel airplane design bureau. The Günter brothers and him had designed the plans for a cheap but efficiant fighter, with the hope to get a contract as soon as the NSDAP would have taken control. Some rich sympatizer of the NSDAP helped the Heinkel firm to build some planes, in order to test them in their vast east-prussian estates, far from any prying eyes... After some problems had been taken care of, mass production began in order to build 4 air divisions of thoses planes and train pilots, under the lead of as pilote Von Richtoffen.
At the same time a naval architects bureau was working on a new concept, under the direction of a former officer of the Imperial Kriegsmarine. The plan was to designe a powerfull ship that could be rapidly built. The name of this project was "Deutschland"
In his house, a retired officer of the land forces was writting a book about his WW1 experiance in motorized warfare. His name was Guderian...
Some private initiatives
During the occupation years some had taken private initiatives. One of them was the director of the Heinkel airplane design bureau. The Günter brothers and him had designed the plans for a cheap but efficiant fighter, with the hope to get a contract as soon as the NSDAP would have taken control. Some rich sympatizer of the NSDAP helped the Heinkel firm to build some planes, in order to test them in their vast east-prussian estates, far from any prying eyes... After some problems had been taken care of, mass production began in order to build 4 air divisions of thoses planes and train pilots, under the lead of as pilote Von Richtoffen.
At the same time a naval architects bureau was working on a new concept, under the direction of a former officer of the Imperial Kriegsmarine. The plan was to designe a powerfull ship that could be rapidly built. The name of this project was "Deutschland"
In his house, a retired officer of the land forces was writting a book about his WW1 experiance in motorized warfare. His name was Guderian...
Chapter I : 1936 - Priorities have to be set !
1936 - Priorities have to be set !
On this first of January 1936 the new German Governement could meet for the first time without any allies observers in the room. For the first time, those men would be able to work openly toward their goal.
Adolf Hitler, their leader, was at the head of the table, as Head of State and Head of Governement. Next to him on his right Mr Von Neurath, minister of foreign affairs. Next to von Neurath was Mr. Canaris, ancient naval officer now responsible of the secret services. Next to him was Himmler, minister of security. Then came Schacht, the industry minister. To the left of the man who called himseld 'the fuhrer' was General Beck, Chief of staff of the German forces. After him were General Von Fritsch, for the land forces, Admiral Raeder, for the fleet, and Air Marshall Goering, for the Luftwaffe.
"- Well, gentlemen, let's get to work please. Since everything else was settled when we were still observed by the French and the British we shall concentrate on the military problem. Thus I shall ask of Von Fritsch, Raeder and Goering a report on the forces they control, and those they would like to have. Von Fritsch, would you please begin ?
- Yes, certainly. Well, we do not control a single land division. We have no army, not a single regiment. Yet we have great potential in our country : many experimented men from WW1 only waiting to get back to work. Thus I suggest we begin with the training of 50 conventional infantry divisions with engineer battalions in order to improve their mobility, making it easier for them to rush toward the front in case of war.
- 50 divisions ? How would you place them ?
- Well, the main threat comes from the sea and the French border. Thus I plan on putting 30 divisions on the French border, 5 on the Belgian border, 5 on the North Sea coast, 5 on the Baltic Coast and 5 in Eastern Prussia.
- This would leave our austrian, czeckoslovakian and polish border wide open !
- Indeed it would. But those zone are not in as great a danger as the Rhurr and the coasts, since none of those countries has the power of the French or the British. Moreover the forces in Prussia are like a dagger toward the heart of Poland, since they could quicly go to Warsaw...
- Hum, I see. And after this force is ready ?
- Well I read a book by some Guderian, called "Achtung Panzer" with intersting ideas about manoeuvre warfare and how it should be led by motorized unit... I think 50 motorized infantry with engineer would do the trick... And cover the undefended borders well !
- Beck ? Your opinion ?
- I agree with Von Fritsch, at least for now, and we can re-deploy our forces when they will be ready...
- Indeed. Approved then. Raeder now ?
- Ja. Currently we have nothing more than some small ships under police control for harbor patrols. But during the last years I thought hard about how to build a powerfull navy at as little a cost as possible. With a Blom und Voss team I designed a new class of ship, packing the power of a battleship in a ship of a cruiser size. I call it the Deutschland class. They cost less than half the price of a battleship for about 3/4 of their power. Number would then make up for the difference of power. I suggest a striking force of 10 such ships, and 20 destroyers divisions to protect convoys and escort the main combat ships. But the current destroyer designs seems to small and not powerfull enough for our plans, and so would like to put a engineer team on the task of designing a new destroyer class. Additionaly we could design new submarines class since they proved so usefull in the last war... I have a friend, called Doenitz, who could be just the kind of man we may need for such a plan... I must also tell you that we have enough civilian liners and transport ships to lift 9 divisions.
- Well, you seem to have a good plan. Agreed. Now to you, Goebels.
- Well, the Luftwaffe is currently our most powerfull branch with 4 fully equiped and trained divisions of fighters of the He-51 design. Biplan, easy to use, cheap to build. I suggest we build 11 more divisions, in order to train more pilots. And word on new design. We must have total air superiority in order to prevent any bombing by the allies' bombers.
- Indeed. Approved. Now, how to distribute the free IC to research and production ? Schacht ?
- Ja herr president. I suggest 100 IC to production and as close of 150 IC to research as possible, with 25 IC to supplies production, slowly increasing our stockpiles.
- Good. So be it. Gentlemen I leave you now to your families.
1936 - Priorities have to be set !
On this first of January 1936 the new German Governement could meet for the first time without any allies observers in the room. For the first time, those men would be able to work openly toward their goal.
Adolf Hitler, their leader, was at the head of the table, as Head of State and Head of Governement. Next to him on his right Mr Von Neurath, minister of foreign affairs. Next to von Neurath was Mr. Canaris, ancient naval officer now responsible of the secret services. Next to him was Himmler, minister of security. Then came Schacht, the industry minister. To the left of the man who called himseld 'the fuhrer' was General Beck, Chief of staff of the German forces. After him were General Von Fritsch, for the land forces, Admiral Raeder, for the fleet, and Air Marshall Goering, for the Luftwaffe.
"- Well, gentlemen, let's get to work please. Since everything else was settled when we were still observed by the French and the British we shall concentrate on the military problem. Thus I shall ask of Von Fritsch, Raeder and Goering a report on the forces they control, and those they would like to have. Von Fritsch, would you please begin ?
- Yes, certainly. Well, we do not control a single land division. We have no army, not a single regiment. Yet we have great potential in our country : many experimented men from WW1 only waiting to get back to work. Thus I suggest we begin with the training of 50 conventional infantry divisions with engineer battalions in order to improve their mobility, making it easier for them to rush toward the front in case of war.
- 50 divisions ? How would you place them ?
- Well, the main threat comes from the sea and the French border. Thus I plan on putting 30 divisions on the French border, 5 on the Belgian border, 5 on the North Sea coast, 5 on the Baltic Coast and 5 in Eastern Prussia.
- This would leave our austrian, czeckoslovakian and polish border wide open !
- Indeed it would. But those zone are not in as great a danger as the Rhurr and the coasts, since none of those countries has the power of the French or the British. Moreover the forces in Prussia are like a dagger toward the heart of Poland, since they could quicly go to Warsaw...
- Hum, I see. And after this force is ready ?
- Well I read a book by some Guderian, called "Achtung Panzer" with intersting ideas about manoeuvre warfare and how it should be led by motorized unit... I think 50 motorized infantry with engineer would do the trick... And cover the undefended borders well !
- Beck ? Your opinion ?
- I agree with Von Fritsch, at least for now, and we can re-deploy our forces when they will be ready...
- Indeed. Approved then. Raeder now ?
- Ja. Currently we have nothing more than some small ships under police control for harbor patrols. But during the last years I thought hard about how to build a powerfull navy at as little a cost as possible. With a Blom und Voss team I designed a new class of ship, packing the power of a battleship in a ship of a cruiser size. I call it the Deutschland class. They cost less than half the price of a battleship for about 3/4 of their power. Number would then make up for the difference of power. I suggest a striking force of 10 such ships, and 20 destroyers divisions to protect convoys and escort the main combat ships. But the current destroyer designs seems to small and not powerfull enough for our plans, and so would like to put a engineer team on the task of designing a new destroyer class. Additionaly we could design new submarines class since they proved so usefull in the last war... I have a friend, called Doenitz, who could be just the kind of man we may need for such a plan... I must also tell you that we have enough civilian liners and transport ships to lift 9 divisions.
- Well, you seem to have a good plan. Agreed. Now to you, Goebels.
- Well, the Luftwaffe is currently our most powerfull branch with 4 fully equiped and trained divisions of fighters of the He-51 design. Biplan, easy to use, cheap to build. I suggest we build 11 more divisions, in order to train more pilots. And word on new design. We must have total air superiority in order to prevent any bombing by the allies' bombers.
- Indeed. Approved. Now, how to distribute the free IC to research and production ? Schacht ?
- Ja herr president. I suggest 100 IC to production and as close of 150 IC to research as possible, with 25 IC to supplies production, slowly increasing our stockpiles.
- Good. So be it. Gentlemen I leave you now to your families.
Well I destroyed any unit I had at game start except the 9 transports and the 4 fighter units. I start with a clean board 
Thanks !
You know, it is easier to start with a clean board : no need to spend IC for supplies, you can make the army you want, in my case a higly mobile one.
You know, it is easier to start with a clean board : no need to spend IC for supplies, you can make the army you want, in my case a higly mobile one.
I actually started playing a game as Germany on the same settings. Turns out that I had no patience to wait till 1939 to fight so I ended up clearing up Europe in about 2 years using the divisions givin to me plus 12 made. Got DoWed by Russia when I had about 9 divisions near them. Churned out 54 vanilla infantry. So you dont neccesarily need a mobile army....
Chapter 2 : the first months
The first months
Germany, during those first months of freedom, seemed to be full of life. Many celebrations took place, peoples ate and worked, the agriculture gave a good production, the germans were happy. Most did not seem to notice the discreet disapearing of some peoples, mostly jewish and leftist, mainly because no one cared about them. In the newly rebuild german Heer many officer of talent were working hard. The recruitement of the higher ranks had been made on the basis of the records of WW1 : only the competant ones had been taken. Some had seen their rank change overnight, as a colonel Rommel discovered when he received a letter from the new HQ asking him to come as a general in the new army ( an opportunity Rommel would not refuse ).
Most countries did not find Germany in need of being watched. The UK were more concerned by the death of their king and the new IRA bombing campaign while France had too many political troubles inside to care much of what was going outside. And everybody thought the German would need at least 25 years before becoming a danger for anybody, be it Albania or Iceland !
Yet all was not bright for Hitler : his close friend Gustloff had been murdered in Switzerland and the local branch of the NSDAP banned from political activities.
In february the german governement had a decision to take. In 1918 the German had had to pay war indemities to the Italians, mostly as coal delivries. Now that Germany was free she could decide not to give the coal away. But the situation was not so simple since Italy was a fascist nation under the leadership of Mussolini... Should the self styled leader of fascism help Italy or not ? After some hard debates it was decided that the coal would be sent.
In early march a small secret team develloped new models of gears, suspensions and engines for heavy and armored vehicules while early april saw the developpement of a small, high rate of fire submachinegun, as well as many new infantery equipement and advances in artillery technology. More important yet, the first 5 infantry divisions with engineer batalion were ready !
In May 36 Ethiopia was finally annexed by the Italians fighting there to create a new colonial empire.
By the end of June 5 new divisions were ready while many new scientific achievement had been announced : computers that made calculations quicker, 20mm guns for planes, light artillery prototypes, ...
May saw another important sign of Germany's growing health : a military mission was sent to China, in order to train 20 divisions in the western fighting ways in exchange for some rare minerals needed by the german industry.
The first months
Germany, during those first months of freedom, seemed to be full of life. Many celebrations took place, peoples ate and worked, the agriculture gave a good production, the germans were happy. Most did not seem to notice the discreet disapearing of some peoples, mostly jewish and leftist, mainly because no one cared about them. In the newly rebuild german Heer many officer of talent were working hard. The recruitement of the higher ranks had been made on the basis of the records of WW1 : only the competant ones had been taken. Some had seen their rank change overnight, as a colonel Rommel discovered when he received a letter from the new HQ asking him to come as a general in the new army ( an opportunity Rommel would not refuse ).
Most countries did not find Germany in need of being watched. The UK were more concerned by the death of their king and the new IRA bombing campaign while France had too many political troubles inside to care much of what was going outside. And everybody thought the German would need at least 25 years before becoming a danger for anybody, be it Albania or Iceland !
Yet all was not bright for Hitler : his close friend Gustloff had been murdered in Switzerland and the local branch of the NSDAP banned from political activities.
In february the german governement had a decision to take. In 1918 the German had had to pay war indemities to the Italians, mostly as coal delivries. Now that Germany was free she could decide not to give the coal away. But the situation was not so simple since Italy was a fascist nation under the leadership of Mussolini... Should the self styled leader of fascism help Italy or not ? After some hard debates it was decided that the coal would be sent.
In early march a small secret team develloped new models of gears, suspensions and engines for heavy and armored vehicules while early april saw the developpement of a small, high rate of fire submachinegun, as well as many new infantery equipement and advances in artillery technology. More important yet, the first 5 infantry divisions with engineer batalion were ready !
In May 36 Ethiopia was finally annexed by the Italians fighting there to create a new colonial empire.
By the end of June 5 new divisions were ready while many new scientific achievement had been announced : computers that made calculations quicker, 20mm guns for planes, light artillery prototypes, ...
May saw another important sign of Germany's growing health : a military mission was sent to China, in order to train 20 divisions in the western fighting ways in exchange for some rare minerals needed by the german industry.
Chapter II : The spanish war and its consequences
Chapter II : The spanish war and its consequences
On the 18th of July, 1936, a new war errupted on the European mainland : after months of political fighting, and many attemps by foreign governement to get Spain on their side a large fraction of the Army had rebelled against the governement and was now led by the Caudillo, Franco, wishing to create a new fascist state in Europe.
Immediatly other countries began to pledge their help toward one camp or the other : the Poles sent small arms, mostly kbk wz. 1929 rifles, to the Republican. But they got almost no other help : the French, the Russian and the British left the democrats and the communists fight alone against the fascits. Yet volunteers from all over the world came, like the Lincoln unit from the USA
The Nationalists, on the other hand, had lot of help from the friendly fascist countries : the italian sent huge amounts of troops
while the Germans sent mostly Lufftwaffe personnel since it was the only powerfull branch of the Army.
They also sent some battalions of ground forces
Chapter II : The spanish war and its consequences
On the 18th of July, 1936, a new war errupted on the European mainland : after months of political fighting, and many attemps by foreign governement to get Spain on their side a large fraction of the Army had rebelled against the governement and was now led by the Caudillo, Franco, wishing to create a new fascist state in Europe.
Immediatly other countries began to pledge their help toward one camp or the other : the Poles sent small arms, mostly kbk wz. 1929 rifles, to the Republican. But they got almost no other help : the French, the Russian and the British left the democrats and the communists fight alone against the fascits. Yet volunteers from all over the world came, like the Lincoln unit from the USA
The Nationalists, on the other hand, had lot of help from the friendly fascist countries : the italian sent huge amounts of troops
while the Germans sent mostly Lufftwaffe personnel since it was the only powerfull branch of the Army.
They also sent some battalions of ground forces
The Germans used the war to test new doctrines, new equipements... The concept of self propelled anti-air machine gun was tested there, as well as the firsts prototype of a new plane, the BF-109 F air superiority plane which fought next to the older He-51
vidéo sur le bf-109, format divx
vidéo sur le bf-109, format divx