50 replies to this topic

[Juni Ori]

R Havell, on Feb 21 2006, 04:43 PM, said:

I don't know what may have caused the sudden IC drop, but as a side piece of advice, it's usually not worth building factories.  They take 5 IC (and a lot of time) to build and then they produce 1 IC a year.

Guess I'm stupid, but I don't get it. Produce 1 IC a year? Ok, every factory increases IC by 1 and building factory takes a year. But think it this way: build 16 factories in first year and get over 10% more initial IC for the rest of the game. Ok, the same 10% you get from remilitarizing Rheinland, but when you do both, you get 20-21% increase. True that I didn't count exactly when it starts to pay back, but rough estimation assured me to do it. And when the factories are ready, it's only beginning of 1937. You still have very much time to build Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe. (So far I haven't even dreamed of challenging Royal Navy and drew back Kriegsmarine to Skattegat to protect Baltic Sea with Luftwaffe.

[Flop]

Well, the thing is that if you spend 5 IC for one year on a factory, and only get one IC extra when it's finished, it'll take five years to break even. Of course that calculation doesn't factor in IC boosts, like minister and technology bonuses, so the actual time it takes to break even is probably more like 3-4 years.

It's worth it in the long run, but in my opinion it's not worth it as Germany, since you need all of your IC right away for building up your army.

[Havell]

Yeah, if you want a powerful army it's best to start ASAP.  Especially if you want high quality units like battleships (which take 730 days to build).
And the point with the whole "payback time" thing is that you could have been building military units instead of factories using all the IC that factory building takes.  The 16 factories represent 80 IC for a year, that's quite a few planes and ships.
Like Flop says, Germany needs to build a strong military fast and can't afford to waste IC on factories.

[Juni Ori]

Hmm... For some odd reason I've fared well so far building some industry first and now I've tried both styles and I have to say that unless you concentrate to sea you can easily use first year improving industry.

Now in my newest game - where I didn't build industry - I got alliance with Nationalistic Spain soon after the beginning of their civil war and was even able to send forces to help them out! Republicans had no chance... In 1938 Hungary suddenly joined my side! Next I only wish I'd get Italy soon to my side, so I could press to France from three directions. I'm thinking of partially following the original German plans and include attack from both Spain and Italy. Looks like they don't have sufficient troops to resist it. Only problem I'm having at the moment is that my Spanish allies failed to hold the line and now my army there is surrounded to Bordeaux. Still no need to worry, as Frenchmen don't seem have forces to win and my allies control the Bay of Biscay.

[Juni Ori]

Sorry for double-posting.

I just had to calculate the exact date when 16 factories built in 1936 begin to pay back. Then I lost my notes and now I can't say anymore the very exact date, but it was either late February or early March in 1941. Almost 7 years of gameplay to go and only a bit over 4 behind. And if you want to build battleships, they don't take much IC per day and you can finish them well before invasion to Poland. Also every unit you build in 1936 will be outdated and need to be upgraded around '39-'40 and you have to supply them.

I'm going to go with factories. Only thing that I'm going to miss is attacking Republican in Spain...

Btw, just finished trying, powerful strike from Spain puts France to its knees very early, way before end of '39. I took Paris in October... And I had only 18 divisions in Spain in September - 9 kavallerie, 3 panzer (light, btw), 3 gebirgs and 3 infanterie. I led the assault in two main directions: panzer and infanterie to south coast of France and kavallerie to north. Gebirgsdivisions got stuck for some time fighting French mountain divisions. Only thing I missed was that Italy doesn't seem to be interested joining me, at least yet...

Edit: I begun a new game and now I'm going to go with those 18 factories. In April 11. I almost started 5 more factories, but decided to go with transports and help Nationalist Spain (when they emerge). Or then I could take over whole Spain...

[Juni Ori]

Mwahahahahahaha! I love this game! I begun playing with Finland and already in 1938 I have conquered St. Petersburg, vast areas of (useless) territories, Murmansk and Archangelsk. And after I lured Soviet Union to declare war to me! And I've allied with Baltic Countries, and our combined forces keep on advancing. Soon we reach outskirts of Moscow, which I somehow don't believe we can take over. Advancing has already slowened very much and I'm worrying what happens when they start to retaliate seriously! So far no problems, but...

Btw, sorry for tripleposting, but nobody else seems to have anything to say!

[PrejudiceSucks]

Where's the best place to buy this game currently? I've looked around a lot, but I can't find it in the shops

[Juni Ori]

Flop, on Feb 7 2006, 09:45 PM, said:

3) I've only played a couple of games with USA, but I believe it's possible to become fascist if you want to. You're gonna get to make some historical choices during the game, not to mention change your policy sliders. At the beginning, though, I don't think the USA is even able to declare war (if I remember correctly). In HOI 1 I routinely attacked and crushed Italy, when playing as Germany, but I usually don't in HOI 2, because of the transportation drain. I often decide not to ally myself with Japan, in order or avoid a war with the USA, when playing Germany...

Okay, now it's tested. I allied with Germany playing the States. I played it with "who cares"-attitude, but slowly I became more and more interested. Now I'm going to seriously play with the States and wipe those stupid Allies before crushing the Big Red Bear. Not to mention whole Central and South America. Perhaps AI-led Germany can help me a little, but I seriously doubt that...

[Juni Ori]

*desperately holds temper down to prevent random total destruction in surroundings*

Played Germany. Allied with Nationalist Spain. Conquered Hungary. Italy declared war. Received N.Italy industrial provinces in peace treaty. Allied with Romania and Hungary. Poland annexed 10.9.1939 at 4:00. Only 3 divisions per province detected in Maginot Line. Breakthrough. Vichy France established 29.10.1939 at 0:00. Game crashes...

I can't remember a single time, that it has crashed before. Guess did I save often? Luckily there's savegame in 1.7.1939, but all the glorious victories... *snif*

[a1s]

Juni Ori, on Nov 21 2006, 07:26 PM, said:

I can't remember a single time, that it has crashed before. Guess did I save often? Luckily there's savegame in 1.7.1939, but all the glorious victories... *snif*

you haven't seen it crash before? lucky you! next you'll tell me you haven't seen the black-lines-over-all-the-text-screens-and-half-high-animations bug in your life?
allso, there's an autosave function.

P.S. how did you manage to offend italy so much? in 1939 they're supposed to be your closest allies...

[Juni Ori]

Black-lines-over-all-the-text-screens-and-half-high-animations bug? Never. And I turned autosave off - got bored to it as it's slow and rather pointless in then so far so stabile game.

Of course it was intentional. Italy has guaranteed Hungary's independence. Attack her, wait for the declaration of war and finish her. 40 IC plus bonuses more for me. You just have to wait for some time. Italy is worst ever ally... Impossible peninsula to defend - however the computer doesn't seem to be too eager to attack there - useless wasteland in Africa and you can take over most of Italy's IC to your own use - like I did. Three garrisons with MPs in Milan (? in west from Venice) and regular defences - I usually keep 3 divisions in inactive front, if it doesn't have potential threat - and not much problemos. Only that mountain are has some partisan activity, but you don't really have to care about it.

[Juni Ori]

Finally, Jan 1. 1943 Soviet Union defeated. If I only had known how little partisan activity they have after it. Stupidly I had liberated Byelorussia and Estonia and given them useless territories. Wierd how they turn to 0-dissidency after that... Anyways, I don't regret liberating Kazakhstan! Now I have contact to Japanese forces and we are mauling Chinese front from all directions, except south. I also reached British, French and Nepalese forces in Pakistan.

I'm considering restarting the game, as I did some very stupid choises, in addition to those already mentioned.

[Juni Ori]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!

Can't this stupid AI play fair? Months of silence in Mediterranean, no Royal Navy anywhere seen (I got Gibraltar and Suez very early) and when I decide it's time to finish Italy and send my Kampfgruppe Tirana to "liberate" Albania, all of the sudden enemy fleet of 67 ships appears out of nowhere, with high organization and in nearly full strength! Only 17 were of Italian navy, rest were of Royal Navy. My 60 Unterseebootsflottilles couldn't prevent the inevitable: total annihilation of my Kampfgruppe and 5. TT-Flotte (3xTP). And yes, of course right after that my U-Boots sink about 50% of enemy forces!

Well, after causing some minor damages around me, I took a time machine and went a month back. Guess what? The enemy fleets appear right after you send your transports, never earlier... Tested three times after initial catastrophy, never fails.

[a1s]

the British must have decoded your cyphers.

also why are you invading Italy, again?

[Juni Ori]

Pretty damn good industry in North Italy (40 IC in what, 6 provinces?) and overall I don't like them at all.