Germany Hard AI Stream (HPP)

[HFaber]

I'm part way through Part 10 where you're having a few problems in Norway. There's only one thing I can think of that could have happened to the division defending Narvik, which is that the unit 'shattered'. I think this is only supposed to happen with low strength and/or low org. units and only when you have a low officer ratio. Since the victorious British division still had high strength, so should yours. Your officer ratio is fine, so it must have been when the organisation was exhausted. I wonder if being overseas has any relevance here? If the unit did shatter, you should find it re-forming in Berlin.

I didn't find the division in Berlin. I think I lost it permanently

Lastly, you've confirmed that heavily used air wings can be destroyed. I'm glad I now know the answer to that question!

I am trying to optimize my air deployments. I'm checking in on the air combat screens and try to find out why sometimes I'm completely overwhelmed. I'm setting most of my missions to day time and I'm reducing the air fleets from 4 to 3 squadrons to reduce the stacking penalty. Another point I noticed is overlapping areas of operation. Squadrons will gang up on the enemy and the stacking penalty is back. I think I'm seeing some slight improvements. Another issue is that I have some very reduced squadrons deployed, usually between 80% and 30%. I'm prioritizing their reinforcement.

 

[HFaber]

Part 11

This part covers the period from 30.10.1940 to 06.01.1940 and mostly deals with force reorganization, redeployment, some military planning, research, air warfare and convoy warfare. We address some weaknesses in the ground force setup, the lack of fighters and we organize the occupation of France and securing the channel and Atlantic coasts.

 

[Wraith11B]

I'd recommend that you use defensive stances for any defensive deployment of aviation assets. They won't pursue as far.

 

[HFaber]

I'd recommend that you use defensive stances for any defensive deployment of aviation assets. They won't pursue as far.

Good idea. I usually don't feel the need to do that when I'm operating unopposed or when I have a reserve fleet that I can rely on.

 

[SSmith]

I'm now after the fall of France, Belgium and the Netherlands at 408 IC and I can still import so much metal that I have a surplus of 240 units and a surplus in rare materials of about 30, which is brilliant. My stockpiles are getting so high I am incurring penalties. For some reason the British do not seem to be interested in a dedicated anti-convoy warfare. I can still outproduce the losses.

I noticed you weren't needing to commit much IC to replacing losses despite your convoys being very exposed to attack by one of the world's largest navies. It may be as you suggest that the AI isn't trying to raid your convoys. It could be the AI is too busy hunting your u-boats - or it could be the AI only intercepts convoys by random chance.

I'm also curious how effective your convoy raiding really is. The number of pop-up messages you've had gives me the feeling the British AI is losing convoys much faster than it can replace them. I set the AI a cap of 20% of its production budget for convoy building but I might need to consider raising that (especially for Britain and Japan) if you're causing as much devastation as I'm imagining.

 

[HFaber]

I noticed you weren't needing to commit much IC to replacing losses despite your convoys being very exposed to attack by one of the world's largest navies. It may be as you suggest that the AI isn't trying to raid your convoys. It could be the AI is too busy hunting your u-boats - or it could be the AI only intercepts convoys by random chance.

I'm also curious how effective your convoy raiding really is. The number of pop-up messages you've had gives me the feeling the British AI is losing convoys much faster than it can replace them. I set the AI a cap of 20% of its production budget for convoy building but I might need to consider raising that (especially for Britain and Japan) if you're causing as much devastation as I'm imagining.

Yes. It's really a tricky balance between convoys and submarines and ASW capabilities. I'm now in the spring of 1941 and my subs are between 75% and 99%, I lose the odd transport or convoy and I think I'm sinking roughly 2x as many enemy transports/escorts.

My own ASW techs are low - 1938ish I think, and I'm not able to effectively safeguard my supply lines to Norway, but I also don't think most of the British subs are really convoy raiding me.

Would you want me to tag switch and check out the British ASW/convoy activities?

 

[SSmith]

Would you want me to tag switch and check out the British ASW/convoy activities?

That might be helpful, yes. Do you keep older saves that you could check periodically so you don't get up-to-date intelligence on the UK? Note the UK gets a quantity of convoys when Norway falls. Also, I'm hoping you will find the UK is building convoys as described in the previous post and has kept up with ASW research.

 

[HFaber]

That might be helpful, yes. Do you keep older saves that you could check periodically so you don't get up-to-date intelligence on the UK? Note the UK gets a quantity of convoys when Norway falls. Also, I'm hoping you will find the UK is building convoys as described in the previous post and has kept up with ASW research.

Yes I have older saves that I can examine without spoiling the current game.

 

[HFaber]

Hello everyone, the series continues. If you like the series join my Youtube or Twitch channel, hit subscribe and you will be notified when I stream HOI3.

Posting episodes continually on here as well sort of defeats the purpose of live streaming platforms and is a lot of work for little reward. Hope to see you on one of my channels

Here is the link to the playlist for this campaign:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj2z2c5q-u0K2XEpS47plRJvnyBCM_00X

My Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-5di1JcIYI7O9L4qLzg2Yw

My Twitch channel:
https://www.twitch.tv/captainyellowfin

I will post here again when I start a new campaign.

HOI3/HPP related question will of course always be answered in my campaign threads.