First Campaign Advice

[David Hansen]

Playing as Germany in the 1939 campaign. Should I buy a maritime bomber very early in the campaign? (Nov-Dec 1939)
If so...how should I plan to use it? Should I send it to the Med to counter Allied naval assets regarding Malta and NA? Or should I hold off until later in the war before purchasing? BTW-not planning an invasion of England.

Also...what is the "ideal" timeframe to launch the invasion of Russia? Is it also important to have captured Malta, Greece and the Balkans before launching against the SU?

Thanks in advance for any insights, etc.

[Platoonist]

Regarding the maritime bomber (Fliegerkorps X) It's wonderful to have, but you can only ever have the one if soft builds limits are on and given Germany's over-burdened economy it always seems like other items are screaming for priority. If I build it, I usually post it in Denmark/southern Norway where it can deal both with UK ships in the North Sea and Soviet ships messing with the Baltic convoy lines.

Best invasion window for invading the USSR is in early '41, ideally on the first nice weather turn (no attacking in mud or rain) Place all your troops next to the border and be ready to stomp on those reserve Soviet units that mobilize immediately when war is declared as unprepared defenders. Wipe out as many as you can, as those units deploy at 50% morale and readiness and it'll never be easier be knock out so many Ivans at once.

The difficult part of invading Russia is that it funnels outward the further east you go, so your troops are never as concentrated or well supplied as when you are at the Axis-Soviet border. It's easy to lose your focus just moving units willy-nilly all over the vast Russian landmass. You have to pick your objectives and concentrate on them and keep an eye on where the supply numbers will be the best on the next turn. Given the spread-out nature of its towns and cities, supply numbers in Russia are rarely as fat and plentiful as they are in France or Poland. Garrison those dedicated partisan locations. (The ones with just a "P")

Malta usually ends up being an interim target between France '40 and Russia '41. If you mass all the German and Italian bombers in Sicily attached to a decent HQ they should be able to whittle away the UK AA unit stationed there over a few turns. Send some Italian battleships to do the odd bombardment as well. Invade Malta when the AA unit is gone or extremely weakened. A paratrooper will do as well. As the Axis I always grab Yugoslavia, but against the AI Greece can be ignored pretty successfully. Just remember have some garrison units handy to sit on Tito's partisans.

[nnason]

Excellent advice.
I would recommend reading on the forum After Action Reports and The War Room.

Also look for "The Sugar War Machine."

I have some old help files if you are interested.

Lastly one of the best ways to learn is playing Mirror games.

[Elessar2]

The latest Allied strategem in the Med is to aggressively blockade all the North African ports. I'd get both the German and Italian Maritime Bombers and send both down there.

[Duedman]

Or ignore North Africa completely and turtle in Italy while you rush over Russia.
With Italy research AAlvl2 + buy AA asap.
THen upgrade AA on your ships so they do get sunk in port (mostly because Italian National Morale is squishy)
Put cheap garrisons left and right of Rome, Naples and the other easily approachable cities.

Taking such a city with badly reseached landing craft alone is nigh impossible. But only if you deny the adjacent landing hexes so the units cannot unload and help the assault.

Do not attack Greece.

For Barbarossa:
I prefer a big build up in Romania with many tanks including mobility upgrades.
Watch out that Axis Allies (i.e. Romania) troops do not benefit from production tech discounts. Not every unit needs the best weapons right away. If money is short, prioritize mobility for tanks.
Ukraine has great tank country and lots of MPP value. Taking that Helps you and weakens the Russians.
Use forcemarch often. It gets you "uncontested" hexes for free where you can then forcemarch into again. And again. And again.
First Barbarossa turn with 10 supply from Rumanian cities you can go very very far.
The Russian units are initially so weak, they cannot hurt you even if you stop at low supply. Of course still make sure it is not zero. And that they do not get a chance for a hit on one of your HQs. Damaged HQs slow you down.

Brute force just one rail line open towards the front so you can operate HQs forward and continue rushing.
Just encircle the enemy units left and right and blockade them to zero with 2 lesser units. Once at zero, they die without resistance. Do not use the mobile units to attack those side cities.
Combine that rush with forcemarching Paratroopers and the game is basically over in 1941. At least vs. normal AI.
For Paratroopers: Do NOT take the one offered on turn one. Then buy one before Dec 1939. This way you can have 3 of them.

[Lothos]

Playing as Germany in the 1939 campaign. Should I buy a maritime bomber very early in the campaign? (Nov-Dec 1939)
If so...how should I plan to use it? Should I send it to the Med to counter Allied naval assets regarding Malta and NA? Or should I hold off until later in the war before purchasing? BTW-not planning an invasion of England.

Also...what is the "ideal" timeframe to launch the invasion of Russia? Is it also important to have captured Malta, Greece and the Balkans before launching against the SU?

Thanks in advance for any insights, etc.

Just putting in a plug in, but once you learn the basics of the game then I would recommend you start trying mods. I always felt the base game was a sprint and felt way to fast paced. The mod I work on is in my signature. Once you learn the basics give it a try