[CMBB reviewed in Military History Magazine]

Ahhh... Close Combat, now *there's* another good game. As a CMBB rookie, I credit my early successes against the AI on the experience gained in Close Combat: Invasion Normandy... (like, *don't* let your tanks charge ahead, cover your advance, don't overextend).

BTW... what's a Waffenschleppenvashen? :cool:

[Could Germany have lost alone?]

Nice thread for my first post... Disclaimer: The following is not representative to my overall views of history and the world. Don't judge me by it. Hell, I vote for the *Greens*...

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Germany couldn't "win" the war, at least not with the goals set by Hitler (Lebensraum im Osten) and the timescale of a single war of a couple of years.

With a more "moderate" set of goals, however, Germany could have turned out *the* big winner of the war, and with only a few turning points. (None of them really related to what's depicted by CMBB...)

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* In the Battle of Britain, use allied attacks on cities as propaganda material, but keep the focus on RAF-related targets. Commence operation Sea Lion at earliest possible time, or *at least* put Scapa Flow and major chunks of the Royal Navy out of commission while keeping up the threat of invasion.

After Dunkirk, the British Army was at an all-time low. US support hadn't materialized yet. Even Churchill was aware how desperate the situation was - several sources claim that, after his famous "fight them on the beaches" speech, he covered the mike and said to the person next to him, "and we shall fight them with broom sticks and beer bottles for most assuredly that's all we have left".

Yet Hitler was possessed with the idea of some kind of "nordic alliance" with the British even after that rousing speech, and possessed with vengeance on British cities with a Luftwaffe that was much better suited for taking out radar stations, airfield installations and production lines.

* Talk Mussolini out of his "adventure" in North Africa. A completely useless drain of resources, period.

* Do *not* declare war on the US. The stupidest move of all. A country that was very much reluctant to be drawn into a war far away in Europe, out of reach of any effective action by the German, with almost limitless ressources in man and material. Without that declaration of war, supply and support of the British and Russia would have taken a much less effective form, probably for years to come. (See below.)

* Step up the industry for all-out war right from the start, with focus on "doable" projects like the Panther and the Fw-190 (instead of the V-weapons and other "superweapons").

* Do *not* go for "total annihilation" of Russia, including oppression and deportation of civilians. Rather, go for a "realistic" short-term goal. Like the Wolga. Even with things as they were (full involvement of the US, Britain still fully active, industry not up to speed) they almost made that goal. The Wolga would have been a *very* good natural frontline to hold against Russia, and Germany would have had access to the Caucasian oil fields. Get a peace treaty with Stalin that leaves him in power of what's left. (Who wants Sibiria anyway?)

* Reinforce positions - military, economically, politically. Sit back with one of the mightiest empires ever created, and build from there, slowly, step by step. (The US give an excellent example of how it's done these days.)

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All that being said, good riddance that Hitler was too short-sighted for any mid-range goals.

[ October 26, 2004, 01:42 AM: Message edited by: Leopard_2 ]