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What would be some strategy tips on production for the Axis in 1938? The month is now March 1938 and like for Germany I have started some type of Navy along with sub building.
I also have started some tank production, and also air. Should I be massing political points this early?

I'm no expert, but me personally, I like to go heavy on PP and pour it into the industrial base. As for your military, figure the tanks you produce now will be near outdated by the time war starts in 39... soldiers and 88's are good purchase as they can go through the entire war, so they have long and short term value. PZ II's and early 3's have such a short term shelf life, in my opinion, that you're better to build a tank factory later and build later models for France and eventually Russia. You have almost enough tanks to take Poland from the start, if you add mobile infantry and artillery. Filling out your HQ is paramount... I'm neurotic on my chain of command and setting up HQ's though... and upgrade air as early as you can too. Loads of PP early gets you ahead on development and production... since Germany must be the elite army... being at the top of the tech totem pole is a very good thing. This is just my style, though... there are many ways to play Germany, of course.

As for your military, figure the tanks you produce now will be near outdated by the time war starts in 39...

If war starts in 39. That is entirely a German decision. Other than that, I do agree with ArmouredLion, that producing something that will be obsolete is a bad idea, at least as long as you are not in a war, or don't expect one to happen soon.

As for strategy, this is a new mod, nobody has written the book yet.

Thanks for the tips. One question is how do you build a tank factory? Do you have to use engineers or is there a card for it?

I found out about building the factory complex, except I would like to know how many Engineers does it take to build one.

One more question is where do you find the efficiency of a combat unit?

ORIGINAL: AstroBlues

I found out about building the factory complex, except I would like to know how many Engineers does it take to build one.

It does not take a certain number of engineers...it takes a certain amount of EP (Engineer Points)..this number can be reached by many different numbers of engineers. The more engineers the faster this EP requirement is reached. There is a limit to how many EP and engineer can reach so there is a lowest number of engineers needed to reach 200 EP. And it also takes a certain number of PP (Political Points) which in GD1938V3 is 200...Engineers earn 1 EP per turn per Engineer while Engineer II's earn 2 EP per turn per Engineer. It takes a while for most nations to create PP in cities so that limits how many Industrial Complexes you can build in a year. Since those same cities are needed to produce combat and/or transport units you need to be wary of what you build and when.

One more question is where do you find the efficiency of a combat unit?

Unsure exactly what you mean by that question. Efficiency is something that pertains to all your combat units while the individual strengths of a unit is determined by what you put in it, and against what you pit it against.

No war by 39? Man, I never even thought of that!

I meant the combat efficiency which was talked about in the start of the manual for the 1938mod. Right now in our game, which we have 3 players, it is May of 1939. Germany already has Austria. There are several expensive research I would like to do, except I may have to hold off on them. One question, I played the "Who supporting who" card and it said if Czechoslovakia was attacked it would ally with Britain. Would it do this definitely or how could Germany prevent this?

I meant the combat efficiency which was talked about in the start of the manual for the 1938mod.

The combat efficiency is a stat that affects all units under your command. Each major country has a combat efficiency of their own, and each major country has a combat efficiency score that is applied to non-own troops. (Manual page 15)

The combat efficiency is mentioned in the manual. Each major country has cards that can improve it. If you have a card called "improve quality" (Manual page 16), then you efficiency is less than 100%. Each time you play that card, it will tell you what your efficiency is.

... and it said if Czechoslovakia was attacked it would ally with Britain. Would it do this definitely or how could Germany prevent this?

There is no way you can prevent a major country from intervening in a war with a minor country. If it says it is Britain, then it is Britain. You might manipulate who it is, by affecting the diplomatic scores major countries on that minor country (Manual pages 24-25), but completely removing the ability to stop a major country from intervening is not possible...

BUT...

You can use the card "Threaten" to make a minor country collapse and come under your control, if you are successful. The success rate is dependent on the countries current stability (among other things) and you can manipulate that, by using the card "send agents" (Manual pages 26-27).

If the "Threaten" card fails, you will go to war, with the country protecting that minor.

Also note that the card tells you who will come to the nations defense NOT who is currently most popular with that minor nations...You can be most popular but if you threaten war and they don't capitulate that means you go to war (losing your popularity and one of your potential enemies becoming most popular by default).

What year did Germany take Czechoslovakia? Was it in 38 or early 39?

ORIGINAL: AstroBlues

What year did Germany take Czechoslovakia? Was it in 38 or early 39?

I believe Feb 39?

Depending on what you mean by take:

September 38, was the Sudeten Crisis, where the "Sudeten lands" became part of Germany, effectively removing any chance of Czechoslovakian defense.

October 38, when they formally became a part of Germany, and the troops marched in to the new German territory.

March 39, when Hitler took the rest of the Czech lands, and Slovakia became a country/Axis Puppet.