Re: Manual for Veterans?
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 3:12 am
I had a caveat that somehow didn't make it into my post.
And a few more caveats in addition that I didn't bother with.
According to all my reading , and my own third party impression , Germany hardly had the best tanks in 1939.
It's telling ( and generally historically accurate ? ) that the best tank in your line up in 1939 isn't German at all . It's a Czech tank.
And in pretty much EVERY WW II game I have played , until 1941 - 42 , I pretty much wind up using German tanks as glorified cavalry , because their armor and guns are negligible . Their ONLY positive is mobility .
Did I mention that is how it plays out in EVERY WW II game I have played ?
And as far as historical accuracy goes , it isn't just that a Pz II doesn't measure up to a Panther. It doesn't measure up to a Char B either . And at this point Italian tanks are competitive.
As for other caveats : I doubt a first play - through , or even a second , third , or fourth play- through , should count as the definitive play - through anyway.
They are TEST play - throughs.
After all , that's what wargaming is supposed to be all about.
What does Walter Warlimont state as his greatest regret in his memoirs ? He says his greatest regret was that Hitler never got around to wargaming his plans . If he had , so Warlimont contends , things might have turned out differently. But Hitler never participated in a wargame , so he never really knew what was practical and what wasn't.
And apparently wargaming still doesn't get enough respect. As I here it , the first Iraq war was wargamed thoroughly , and the second Iraq war wasn't wargamed at all . If that's true , it explains a lot.
So , yeah , you wargame it five , or fifteen times , so that THEN you can brag that you're the reincarnation of Frederick the Great.
Last Caveat; Pretty much everything I have read from the German side says the Norway campaign was very touch - and - go , and a very close run thing. They almost lost. They were surprised they won. They took a beating in any case , but it just so happens they won.
So , yes , if anything , a wargaming of it is unhistorically too easy. Hitler didn't wargame it.
And a few more caveats in addition that I didn't bother with.
According to all my reading , and my own third party impression , Germany hardly had the best tanks in 1939.
It's telling ( and generally historically accurate ? ) that the best tank in your line up in 1939 isn't German at all . It's a Czech tank.
And in pretty much EVERY WW II game I have played , until 1941 - 42 , I pretty much wind up using German tanks as glorified cavalry , because their armor and guns are negligible . Their ONLY positive is mobility .
Did I mention that is how it plays out in EVERY WW II game I have played ?
And as far as historical accuracy goes , it isn't just that a Pz II doesn't measure up to a Panther. It doesn't measure up to a Char B either . And at this point Italian tanks are competitive.
As for other caveats : I doubt a first play - through , or even a second , third , or fourth play- through , should count as the definitive play - through anyway.
They are TEST play - throughs.
After all , that's what wargaming is supposed to be all about.
What does Walter Warlimont state as his greatest regret in his memoirs ? He says his greatest regret was that Hitler never got around to wargaming his plans . If he had , so Warlimont contends , things might have turned out differently. But Hitler never participated in a wargame , so he never really knew what was practical and what wasn't.
And apparently wargaming still doesn't get enough respect. As I here it , the first Iraq war was wargamed thoroughly , and the second Iraq war wasn't wargamed at all . If that's true , it explains a lot.
So , yeah , you wargame it five , or fifteen times , so that THEN you can brag that you're the reincarnation of Frederick the Great.
Last Caveat; Pretty much everything I have read from the German side says the Norway campaign was very touch - and - go , and a very close run thing. They almost lost. They were surprised they won. They took a beating in any case , but it just so happens they won.
So , yes , if anything , a wargaming of it is unhistorically too easy. Hitler didn't wargame it.