AXIS Minors

[shri]

Q: How to use the 3 minors, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria?
Historical option conjures up the Stalingrad collapse in my mind.
I am not sure how to use them.

Should i disband everything except infantry division and use them as garrisons in Russia and Balkans?
Also, is invading Greece necessary? takes too much time and delays Barbarossa.

Thanks in advance to the great support i have received so far from the experienced players.

[tyronec]

Use infantry divisions as garrisons and to protect your rail lines.
The ones that use oil are probably best not used.
Invading Greece depends on how the game is going but Russia is the priority.

[shri]

Thanks.

Does that Oil directly get transferred to Germany? Because Germany needs OIL, like a madman.

[AlbertN]

In '41 they're valid Frontline troops, have them exp some against the shoddy Soviet corps.
They'll be very valuable later on when German manpower has issues, to cover relatively 'safe' zones of the front.

At least that's my experience, Germany struggles with manpower so I try to cultivate my minor armies (well hungary and romania - they've semidecent HQs at least. Bulgaria is for garrisoning and antipartisan duty, no question asked).

[shri]

Aren't those minors short on Production to just replace their existing units?
I followed the advise of TYRONEC and gleaned an extra 3 infantry small divisions from Hungary and Romania (each) by garrison mode, which means enough to cover all of France, Balkans and some initial parts of USSR. I can remove all German Infantry East for Barbarossa.

[AlbertN]

Germany can lend lease production to them for that.

[Chocolino]

ORIGINAL: Cohen_slith

In '41 they're valid Frontline troops, have them exp some against the shoddy Soviet corps.
They'll be very valuable later on when German manpower has issues, to cover relatively 'safe' zones of the front.

At least that's my experience, Germany struggles with manpower so I try to cultivate my minor armies (well hungary and romania - they've semidecent HQs at least. Bulgaria is for garrisoning and antipartisan duty, no question asked).

Fully agree that they can be used as front line troops in the early stages of Barbarossa - especially if there are not enough German troops available yet. Once the Axis Allies gain some experience they can be passable even in '42. Using them in the front assumes that there are not many areas in the USSR you need to garrison early on.

Of course, when compared to German troops they are 2nd tier. So instead of using German divisions to garrison it is better to use the Axis Allies instead.

[AlbertN]

To me it boils down to manpower - Germany can only replace so much in general and I regularly rotate the mauled frontline troops as partisan hunters.

Given these were early games when I did not had grand experience and I struggled with manpower.

[Journier]

ORIGINAL: Cohen_slith

To me it boils down to manpower - Germany can only replace so much in general and I regularly rotate the mauled frontline troops as partisan hunters.

Given these were early games when I did not had grand experience and I struggled with manpower.

you will struggle with manpower on both sides of the war unless you completely stomp russian or russia stomps germans and avoids losses.

and thats a great move rotating the troops in and out, I do the same with romanians and hungarians.

[AlbertN]

Usually my bigger question is how to use their Airforces.

Tbh I'd much prefer if they'd have at start a 10/20 Interceptor and a 10/20 Medium Bomber (that can be reinforced up) and their Logistics adjusted than the useless Fighter-Bomber.
Plus Hungarian starts with 50 experience vs the 40 default.

Bulgaria should start with some more troops tbh than just 1 corp.

[LiquidSky]

Compared to the early Russian units, they are very good. On the invasion turns you can attack with them.

I always take out Greece before the date so that Yugoslavia joins me. Just invade that southern Greek port and use the German airforce after France falls.

The Yugoslavs you can split into two Corps from the Army and spread them around for anti-partisan work and to protect my airplanes. I build a couple extra Bulgarian infantry to defend and garrison Greece. The Rumanians and Hungarians I keep as Large Corps in the major Russian cities as garrison. Finland well...basically sits as there is no supply. Split them up into divisions and look dangerous

[shri]

Thanks. This sounds better.

BTW how do you conquer Greece without Yugoslavia? the Terrain in Albania is nearly impossible.

[AlbertN]

Naval invasion and swarming the skies with planes. (Usually requires the whole of the 6 Italo-German medium bombers positioned in Albania, south of Taranto and Rhodes), and crack troops + decent HQ invading.
You can add Italian fleet doing support in the beach you invade.