Kandammerung: A Hearts of Iron AAR

Kandammerung - The Last Battle of Germany: A Hearts of Iron AAR

Prologue

Two years ago, Germany was the supreme power. Britain was fighting a pathetic fight in Africa, the Soviet Union was collapsing, the United States were still reeling from one little air strike in Hawaii. Life was good, running wars were easy, and victory was inevitable. Seemingly inevitable.

Apparently, when it comes to a fight in a city named after your leader, Russians were unbeatable. In addition, apparently even if you rip apart an American navy in port they can still come back to win the day. Apparently the British are still as stubborn as they have always been, and can not only achieve victory in Africa, but take Italy as well to finish the deal. Damn showoffs.

The Greater German Reich however, remains untouched. Sure, the Russians are retaking their lands in the east. And of course the “Allied” forces have just made a successful landing at Normandy and are on the way to Cherbourg (could have sworn they were going to land further north). A two front war then…ever the bane of Germany.

This could be the end of all our gains in the past five years. This will either be Germany’s most brilliant victory, or a terrible end. But what an end!


Europe - June 20th, 1944

This is a short AAR to give myself a swift kick in the arse with my creative lackings. A ‘council’ is welcome (I truly feel I’ve destroyed CFC AAR’s with them, but they are so much fun) and I shall hopefully be updating fairly regularly. I’ve gone too long without a Hearts of Iron game.

Game: Hearts of Iron 2 1.3a
Scenario: Gotterdammerung - 1944 Scenario
Country: Germany
Difficulty: Very Hard
Primary Objective: To survive beyond May 9th, 1945
Analysis: Will be lucky to survive the winter

Im in as the supreme air marshall

you can count me in, i'll be in charge of destruction of documents

until then, Field Marshall of the Italian front

I definetly have been improving my skills at cooking dolphin. So count me as Head Dolphin Chef.

Minister of Silly Walks/Field Marshall of the Balkans!

I'm in for command of the Western Front.

Raisin Bran said:

Im in as the supreme air marshall

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NO WAI! THAT'S MY POSITION! FIGHT OT THE DEATH!

*punches Raisen in the chest and kicks him in the groin*

I shall defend Austria! (south) if I cannot be Reichmarshel of der Luftwafe again.

You bloody raisen.

I will be supreme Army commander

Subscribes.

Good luck with the upcoming battles!

Cheers chaps, looking forward to an epic retreat!

General plan at the moment is to give ground in the east, while attempting to wipe out Allied forces in France. That may give us a fighting chance.

Retreat in the East, try to hold the river lines.

First thing that MUST be done is to wipe out the Normandy landings, transfer every plane of the luftwaffe west to try and keep out the bombers. After you've wiped out the Beachead in France, transfer a few forces to Italy, and the rest to the East. The mountains in Italy are easy to hold so stay there for now.

Il take whatever position is needed ;p

Encircle, encircle encircle.... Dont be afraid to let the Americans advance a little in the West if it enables you to cut of their supply. And in the East encircling is all that can keep you alive .

I think you'd be best forgetting about trying to take on the Allies on the sea, justifying the building of battleships whilst fighting the Red Horde seems criminal.

WHat are the numbers in the East? how outnumbered? I agree with the general concensus that we should fall right back, build some fortifications to fall back too. Can we make peace with the Allies?

I agree with Volum and encirclement. we can't get into a slugging match with those barbarians. I saw pull right back, fortify the Baltic region and southern Poland, let them push towards Berlin and then push in. Cannae their ass.

Volum said:

Retreat in the East, try to hold the river lines.

First thing that MUST be done is to wipe out the Normandy landings, transfer every plane of the luftwaffe west to try and keep out the bombers. After you've wiped out the Beachead in France, transfer a few forces to Italy, and the rest to the East. The mountains in Italy are easy to hold so stay there for now.

Il take whatever position is needed ;p

Encircle, encircle encircle.... Dont be afraid to let the Americans advance a little in the West if it enables you to cut of their supply. And in the East encircling is all that can keep you alive .

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I'll throw you to the bear in the east, then. Quite a promotion for our former coffee-maker.

That is essentially what I'm going to try to do. However I am quite enjoying the idea of a story in which we're losing (I rather hoped it would happen in my previous German AAR), but that doesn't mean we're going to fight any less!

Edit: Dammit Stevie for X-posting. But you make some good points there too.

I want to know the current airforce numbers.

I dont mind a story where we are losing as long as we bounce back and win

Raisin Bran said:

I want to know the current airforce numbers.

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you had to ask Raisin, you just had to ask....

so what's the build plan here? we're outnumbered regardless so quality rather than quantity perhaps? fast moving troops for encirclements?

I was thinking old men on bicycles...

I'm not entirely sure. Build queue right now is U-Boats and V2 Missiles. The subs are getting cancelled, no question asked. V2's are up for debate - I can't see them being much use, but they will be finished within a month.

I am tempted to build a defensive line, but it will cost too much, so we'll have to make do with what we have. Unit wise, I think we can only focus on infantry, though perhaps some heavy tank brigades rather than a full unit. Some mechanised/motorised infantry divisions as well. If things look bleak, then we may have to fall back to militia or weaker units. Our tech-tree is virtually complete, so it may be worth simply upgrading our existing units to modern standards.

I'm open to any suggestions, and shall be off to the Paradox forums to read up on some 1944 AAR's

Kan' Sharuminar said:

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Ok that is the plan for the air force.

I want the planes squadrons like this :

3 squadrons of - 2x tactical bombers + 1x Fighter + 1x interceptor
3 squadrons of - 2x tactical bombers + 2x interceptor

and

1 squadron of - 3x Close air support + 1x interceptor
1 squadron of - 2x Close air support + 2x interceptor

Put these squadrons on interdiction and ground attack mission on the normandy landing zones. Priorising the CAS planes for ground attack and tactical on interdiction. (month long runs)
This will prevent the americans and british forces to be able to ressuply their front line and slowly but surely weaken the units that have landed in France.
Put at least 1 ground attack and interdiction doing night runs and the rest on day runs. This way it will leave no time for the allied troops to take a break.

put all leftover interceptors on air superiority missions on France's beaches.

Supreme Air Marshall Raisin Bran has spoken. This is not to be discussed and orders must be followed immediately without any questionning.

here, i know its not my front but after examining the Russian front this appears to be the easiest defensible line agianst the Soviets