German Campaign AAR

[NightPhoenix]

Welcome to my AAR of the German Campaign. I will be starting the campaign from the beginning, in 1939. Playing through all the German DLC's (currently 2 but there will be more) and turning it into something like a Grand Campaign. I'm not sure yet if i will be importing my core in between the different DLC's, i will decide on that later. Besides i will attempt to keep a healthy mix of forces that might somewhat resemble the state of the German army at the time, although i do need to actually win the scenarios, I'll try to balance it between fun and strength. The game will be played on Feldmarshall difficulty. I hope to upload at least each week, but I'll more or less will be doing this when i have time, so no promises. Please keep in mind that my commentary only serves for entertainment purposes and does not in any way resemble my own opinion. Without further ado let us begin!

Once again Germany finds itself in a difficult spot. After re-positioning itself as a major power in Europe once again, despite the harsh terms forced onto it by the treaty of Versailles, several countries have stepped up to thwart our rise to power. Despite our success in annexing Austria and liberating Czechoslovakia, our plans to free Danzig and reclaiming the territory lost during the first World War from the Poles have not been so successful. With the Polish Army preparing for war, and with diplomatic options running out, we have no choice but to invade the country....



Although our initial stages in our invasion went well, we now find our troops struggling against the defensive positions around Mlawa. This fortified position North of Warsaw must be eliminated if we want to move on towards the Capital. Positioned behind the river and with heavy bunkers defending the city all around, this will not be an easy task. Luckily our friends of the Kriegsmarine are willing to shuffle around some forces to strengthen our core.



As our forces cross the river and assault the heavy bunkers around the city, we take many losses in the process. The superior tactics of our forces however show their worth. Bunker after bunker is being taken out, and the defenses around the city are slowly softened up. A small crack through which our forces can seep through is created, and a foothold is established on the other side of the Mlawka river.



While our forces are struggling to fight their way through the defensive lines around Mlawa, we get news that France and the United Kingdom declare war on us! Our resolve to end this battle quickly is strengthened. If the Western Allies strike before the war in Poland is over, we might find ourselves fighting a war on two fronts. World War I would repeat itself, and Germany would be doomed. This time things will be different!



After clearing the immediate vicinity around the city, house-to-house-combat takes a heavy toll on our forces. Despite the numerical advantage of the Polish forces in the region, our better trained and better armed forces are able to oust the cities defenders and hoist the German flag over Mlawa......

[NightPhoenix]

Heavy fighting around the city continues, as Polish high command sends more and more reinforcements to take back the city. Even the limited air and tank assets that the Polish army owns are being used to hold our advance....



After a hard fight, the Polish forces lay in ruin. Moreover, as most of the Polish reserve has been committed to the West, a small force of our units has been able to achieve a breakthrough in the East, and is now advancing on Przasnysz and it's strategically located airfield.



More news on the political front soothes the mind of our troops. We've received news that both Italy and the United States have decided to remain neutral in this conflict. Now that these countries, which aided the Entente in the first World War, have decided to remain neutral the odds in this war have certainly changed for the better!



After crushing the Polish counteroffensive, the remaining defenders around the city flee South, towards Warsaw. The remaining bunkers and equipment is being blown up to prevent it from falling into our hands. Our forces are in hot pursuit.



Although we had not suspected it, our worst fears have now become a reality. In the middle of our drive towards Warsaw, on the 7th of September, the French have decided to attack in the Ruhr region, which was recently reclaimed by our valiant forces. We can only hope the French will be quickly repulsed as we resume our advance.



On the same day of the opening of the French attacks, our troops are able to overwhelm the Przasnysz airfield, to the complete surprise of the Polish defending forces. Polish high command simply did not expect us to strike so swiftly, by bypassing the remaining bulk of their forces still fighting North of the city. Much valuable equipment is commandeered by our forces, and will be put to good use in the upcoming campaigns.



The Polish army outmatched and overrun, our drive South continues. With no troops left to oppose our forces, many of the fleeing defenders are captured. Those who resist face graver consequences. Although they gave a good fight, the Polish troops ultimately were unable to stop our advancing forces from breaking through the defensive positions and seizing the key cities in the region. Our offensive continues as we march on the final bastion of defense in Poland....

[slitherfrank]

What is AAR? and Feldmarschall difficulty? You're mad.

[NightPhoenix]

AAR stands for after action report.

[NightPhoenix]

After the victory at Mlawa, our fight continues. On all fronts our valiant troops advance towards Warsaw: the ultimate objective in our campaign against Poland.



As we get closer and closer to the city, our immediate goals become clear. Not only do we have to destroy many of the cities remaining defenders but A large pocket of Polish troops to the West of Warsaw is attempting to break through our lines at the Bzura river. This threat needs to be eliminated. We need to clear the skies over the Polish Capital in order to secure the way for our bombers to get through to the city. The fortress at Modlin poses a serious threat to our flank and ideally should be taken out. Finally there have been rumors of the deployment of an armored train in the area. Capturing it would allow us to deploy it in future operations.



We have received a report that the French attack has been called off. With the retreat of the French from German territory, we can begin the assault with steady minds, and sure hearts. Nothing can prevent the fall of Warsaw now....



Strong forces in the North face the heavy opposition as we get closer to the city. Our troops attempt to fight their way to the city of Plonsk to the South-West, where they will meet up with the II. Army Corps. Polish artillery, tanks and heavy infantry stand in our way.



As per the agreement, Poland would be split between the Soviet Union and Germany. With fighting raging North, South, and West of Warsaw, news has come in that the Soviets have begun a large scale offensive into Poland in order to claim their due. This means Warsaw can expect no reinforcements from the East either.



Our fight to prevent Polish forces from crossing the Bzura is going well, meanwhile He111 bombers arrive to aid us softening the Polish defenses by heavy aerial bombardment.



Despite giving everything they have, the Polish forces are simply no match for our well prepared defenses....

[NightPhoenix]

In our struggle to reach the Modlin fortress and link up with the II. Army Corps we fight our way to the city of Plonsk. Rumor has it that the vanguard of the soon-to-arrive army has already reached the outskirts of the city.



Finally after several days, and the assault on the city already in full swing, the main bulk of the forces arrive to aid us.



After several days of hard fighting, not only has the city of Plonsk fallen, but the Polish counteroffensive has failed to achieve any success as well. The remnants of Army Poznan and Army Pomorze will scatter and attempt to reach Warsaw in smaller groups. Very little of the remaining Polish troops will reach the Capital. Most will be captured or killed.



In our attempt to link up the forces North and South of Warsaw, our forces encounter a valuable prize. The armored train, mentioned in the briefing has been caught in our net. With the rail line broken both to the East and the South, there is no chance for escape and supplies, cut off. A swift strike of our forces allow the capture of the train, although it will be out of commission due to repairs for quite some time.





In the South, without any remaining threats on the flanks, all forces are now converging on Warsaw. Although there are still some forces hiding in the Kampinoska forest that need to be removed, these operations will be handled by our comrades.

[NightPhoenix]

Not all has been quiet in the skies, as the valiant fighters in the Luftwaffe have engaged the Polish air-force and come out on top. The remainder of Polish fighters have been destroyed, and the way is clear for our bombers to rain death upon our enemies! One pilot in particular has been exemplary in recent combats and has shown himself a true ace within his ranks.



In the North, after the defeat of several Polish divisions, our troops spit up. One task-force, aided by heavy air bombardments, is tasked with the destruction of the Modlin fortress. On the 13th of October the assault began. Heavy infantry aided by tanks and bombers from the Luftwaffe have started the opening round. A first breach in the defenses has been made....



Without any troops to halt the German advance, our troops simply choose to bypass the heavily defended city and opt for a siege. If all roads to the city can be cut, the remainder of Polish forces will be forced to surrender afterwards. It will be only a question of time by then.



Last to go before the city is completely encircled is the Modlin fortress. It's defenders held out for more than 2 weeks since the attack started. Finally, the last of the defenders have surrendered.



With nowhere to run and no help expected to arrive, the defenders of Warsaw have decided to lay down their arms after German air raids laid ruin to the city. The division of Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union sees us spit the only recently reformed country in half, with us taking the highly treasured industrial regions in the South-West for ourselves.



Even with our glorious victories over Poland, the Allied forces see no reason to back down. Despite a period of relative quietness in the West, dark clouds seem to appear over Norway. Intelligence reports that the Allies will invade there, in order to deny us precious metals that we need for the war effort. Meanwhile we will have to increase the number, and expand our industries to better suit these times of war.



Until next time. I have a hunch this war is only just beginning.....

[NightPhoenix]

After the victory at Warsaw, Poland is divided between Germany and the Soviet Union. With our troops on the Eastern front now available, most of them will be transferred to the west. Trouble is brewing and already a daring operation has been planned for the immediate future. Although we have always had good relationships with Norway, intelligence has reported that Great Britain is planning to invade the country. Already we have received reports that the Allied forces have broken Norwegian neutrality and we suspect that they will soon transport troops to occupy several key strategic places. By acting in this fashion they hope to cut us off our vital ore supply coming from Sweden and Norway. Thus choking us off from vital resources necessary to continue the war effort. We cannot let this happen, and thus have come up with the following plan: Operation Weserübung. As per the first part of the plan, Denmark will be occupied. This will block off the Baltic sea from the Allied navy, and provide us with staging areas, such as airfields that will allow us to follow up with the second part: the invasion of Norway. This is where our troops come in. The first part of the operation was a stunning success.



Next, we will strike at Norway from three directions, two combined Air and Naval assaults in the South, near Oslo.




A small naval attack in the North near Trontheim will provide us with an airbase in central Norway, from which we can maintain air superiority, and strike at any Allied forces attempting to land there by sea.



The bulk of our forces will be located in the South, from where we will secure key cities before we head North towards Trontheim. Several objectives have been given to us. Not only do we need to be swift in securing the initial objectives. Not only are we to quickly seize an airfield, so more forces will be able to land and support the operation; we also need to quickly seize several key objectives in Norway before the Allied forces can make their presence, so that the attack does not drag on unnecessarily. If we can refrain from deploying any tanks during the operation, these units can be prepped for the upcoming invasion of France, allowing us to deploy more forces there. (I'm fairly certain this objective is bugged, as it will not show the checked sign at the end of the mission, but i will still pursue it)



As a preliminary assault, several warships were to enter Norwegian waters and bombard these regions. Unfortunately these operations have not all gone to plan. While entering the Oslofjord the Cruiser Blücher has been hit by the defending coastal batteries and sunk. The sacrifice these men made will never be forgotten!



As our navy enters the Norwegian waters further North we notice that Allied forces have already deployed mines in Norwegian waters, making the operation all the more difficult...



Despite this, our initial landings are underway. Although we are as of yet unable to properly supply these troops, they are valiantly fighting to secure a proper beachhead. We have received reports that several of our Fallschirmjäger have already captured several cities. Fierce Norwegian resistance at key airfields has however prevented us from quickly moving towards Oslo, as we now have to fight our way through to the city....

[NightPhoenix]

We had hoped to capture the Norwegian royal family and cabinet, and quickly put an end to the hostilities by forcing them to sign an agreement of surrender. At the first sign of combat however they fled, effectively forcing us to keep up the battle.



While the battle has been going on for several days, we have secured more cities and have nearly secured the primary airfields. The bulk of our forces have also landed on Norway, the Kriegsmarine around Trontheim will retreat back to Germany. Remaining any longer would put the fleet at too much of a risk.



With the capture of these airfields, more troops will be flown in from Germany to support the operation. Already our forces are marching upon Oslo, but any help is much appreciated.



While our forces are fighting their way up North, our air force has not remained aground. Many of our Stuka dive-bombers, together with fighter escorts have been sent North to fight for air superiority and destroy any attempt at a Naval landing by Allied forces. For now, only the small Norwegian air force has attempted to prevent us from flying North, however these antiquated planes are no match for our superior Luftwaffe.



Continuing on, we spot an allied landing party by good use of our recon forces.



Without adequate fighter protection these ships are easy pickings for our bombers. Many casualties are made amongst enemy shipping and troop transport alike. One bomber pilot in particular has shown himself to be a true ace, sinking 2 enemy ships, while severely damaging another.



Meanwhile, our troops in the South have made significant progress. Not only have they been able to clear much of the enemy coastline. Securing a stable supply line from which resources can be transported by sea, after an intense battle with the Norwegian Army they have secured Oslo from enemy troops. Even though fighting is still going on in the outskirts and around the city, German Infantry can be seen parading through the city streets marching North towards Lillehammer and Trontheim.

[NightPhoenix]

After the fall of Oslo, OKW has allowed the deployment of a small force of light tanks to aid the assault on Lillehammer and Trontheim. These units will catch up with the bulk of our forces as we march North.



Spotted by one of our recon planes is the deployment of Allied forces in Norway, despite our attempts to prevent these landings by the luftwaffe, a significant number of British and French forces has been able to make it ashore. These need to be defeated before the end of the operation if we want to call operation Weserübung a success. Only by destroying the Allied forces here, will we be able to secure the vital resources that we need to maintain the war effort!



Before we meet the Allied threat, the last of the Norwegian defenders must be defeated. Their remaining troops have gathered around Lillehammer for one final stance.



In the end though, their resistance was futile. The combination of air-superiority, artillery bombardment and tank support allowed our forces to overcome this hindrance and defeat the last of the Norwegian Army. Allowing them once again to move further North, through the rough landscape. The difficulty moving through the Norwegian terrain slowed our advance significantly. After more than a weeks march, we finally reach Central Norway, and Trontheim is finally in sight. By this time however the Allied landing party has also gathered here in force, ready to prevent our advancement.





A desperate fight breaks out for the city. Although these forces are much better prepared than the Norwegian forces, are more numerous and better trained, the fame fate befalls them. Although they put up a better fight, the combination of German forces combined with air-superiority once again leaves the allies reeling on the battlefield. Few of the enemy troops were able to escape by sea. Many were captured.





The complete destruction of the Allied forces, combined with the sucessful occupation of Norway has made this operation a stunning success. Once again Germany has dealt a devastating blow to the Allied forces while advancing her own position.



While the battles in Norway raged, troops in mainland Europe have not remained idle. Intensive and specialized training has been going on for several months now, it's results will only be shown on the battlefield from now on out.



While the battles in Norway were under way, another plan to destroy the British and French on the continent was already being put into action. The next installment will show the Germans in Operation Fall Gelb!

[NightPhoenix]

For those interested, the replay of Norway.

[NightPhoenix]

While the battle in Norway is raging on, in Belgium a daring plan is being put into motion.



In order to outflank, cut off and destroy the Allied armies we are to simultaneously lure the enemy into our trap, and advance through the dense forests of the Ardennes. This has to be done swiftly, in order to prevent the Allied forces enough time to react to our maneuver. If the forts of Eben-Emael can be destroyed swiftly, we might be able to seize critical bridges across the Meuse river. Moreover High Command has bid us to take the Capital of Belgium: Brussels if the opportunity arises. This would put the Belgian armies in disarray, and bring prestige upon our forces. A small force should also march upon Luxembourg and occupy the country before Allied reinforcements arrive.



The troops are spit into two battle groups. One, which will drive through Belgium and lure in the French and British forces.



The other will drive through the Ardennes and attempt to cross the Meuse river at the spot of least resistance.



With the start of the offensive, news arrives from our enemy overseas. With the change in Prime Minister it seems that the fight against our old enemies will be going until only one remains. Despite this we move on, confident in our superiority in combat and success.



As paratroopers land in and around the fortress of Eben-Emael, Stuka dive bombers rain death from above on the concrete bunkers. Within just 2 days, the fortresses are ours. The speed and audacity with which our forces have been able to execute the operation is stunning. Waving soldiers sit on the half destroyed fortresses as the bulk of our army moves along.



Meanwhile, in the South word has gotten around that our valiant troops have been able to capture Luxembourg without even firing a single shot. Our forces immediately march on, and leave the defense to the occupational troops, the march through the Ardennes must carry on!



Our initial assault is going according to plan, several crossings over the Meuse river have already been made, and our forces are pressuring Liege from several directions.



With the operation now in full swing, additional reinforcements are being freed up to support the operation.

[NightPhoenix]

After heavy combat, the city of Liege is finally in our hands, the bitter fighting all the more indication that the Allies were right to shift their forces up North.



French reinforcements are now on-route towards the city, the enemy unaware that our forces have already taken it, and are prepared for their attack....



Our troops in the Ardennes are facing little opposition however, and with the enemy totally oblivious we are able to move an entire army through the forests undetected.



As our march through Belgium continues, the Northern task-force faces more and more opposition. Scouts indicate the B.E.F is marching towards our advancing columns to halt our troops. Supported by a large force of French troops, this is a formidable adversary that will threaten the success of the operation. Confident in their own ability to stop us, they advance.......



Due to our good intelligence, the troops were noticed on time of the Allied attack. Being able to prepare in advance allowed us to repulse the enemies spearhead, and continue moving on, capturing the second of our objectives.



Our forces in the Ardennes have found their opening after a long march through the forests. Instead of striking towards the obvious direction and attempt a crossing at Sedan, we attempt to cross the river further North, and will then head South. This way we hope to bypass the bulk of the enemy forces protecting that important city.

[NightPhoenix]

The advance in the North has finally reached its goal. Enough of the enemies cities have been captured to make the Allies believe this is where the real strike will come from. The B.E.F is poised to strike at our forces there. We will have to crush this final obstacle to reach our secondary objective of capturing Brussles.





Good news comes to us while our struggle here continues. Our troops are relieved to hear that our brothers-in-arms in the Netherlands have achieved success. After the bombardment of Rotterdam, the Dutch government has decided to surrender to prevent further meaningless bloodshed.



Meanwhile, our plan to cross the Meuse river undetected has unfortunately failed. It seems the French have gotten aware of the trap and sent whatever forces they could muster to prevent us crossing the river further South. A bloody battle to cross the river ensues.



In order to aid our struggling forces, we send some reinforcements South despite the imminent threat of the B.E.F. The speed of the operation is the most important element and we must not be delayed!



Heavy fighting erupts over a large stretch along the river, as both our troops and the French attempt to cross the river and gain the advantage in assaulting the enemy forces. We have to block several crossings in order to prevent the French from striking in our rear, while we fight our way through the enemy infantry with our armored columns......

[NightPhoenix]

In the North, we have finally defeated the B.E.F after a long and hard struggle. Many of our troops have shifted South, and only a token force is left to capture the (now nearly unprotected) city of Brussles.





In the South as well, our forces are able to finally advance across the Meuse river.



Token resistance is still put up, but the majority of our troops has already crossed the river, and will now advance upon the English Channel. No enemy troops are spotted within the near vicinity of our forces and it seems that our mission has been a stunning success.



The extraordinary speed which which our commanders have executed the mission has proven that one of the commanders amongst our tank corps is worthy of recommendation, and will be able to take on a key role in the further war amidst our forces.



While our forces were advancing upon the Channel, a new British armored counteroffensive has failed to achieve its task. Despite delaying our advance, ultimately the enemy tanks lay in ruin, and our troops reach the Channel coast. An uncountable amount of enemy soldiers are now stuck on the beaches near Dunkirk, unable to get away, with only the remnants of the French and Belgian armies to protect them. We make ourselves ready to eliminate this pocket of resistance.....



Proven to be very effective during the execution of Fall Gelb, our commanders have been given more independence in the planning and executing of their orders. This will provide a high degree of flexibility and frees up the higher leadership to plan other tactical details.



For those interested, the replay of the battle.

[GabeKnight]

Hi NightPhoenix,

thanks for sharing and the replay. Compared to your approach on Norway, I deployed more forces (heavy inf., eng. & med. arty) around Trondheim to secure and fortify this position from the beginning and used one Paratrooper unit instead to capture the northern airfield to be able to deploy and maintain tact. bombers there. Two entrenched inf. units at the forests near that airfield and one at Trondheim created kind of a choke point for the arriving british troops from the north and west. The tact. bombers stayed in the north to destroy the naval transports and supply ships to meet the sec. obj. and secure the northern area. I wonder if someone ever took the "Bergen" invasion route, though...

EDIT:
Wow. Really liked your approach on Belgium. Very disciplined and methodical. Nice.
Although parts of the replay, and especially the end drive near Sedan I've been waiting for, are screwed up, I enjoyed watching the replay. Thanks.

[NightPhoenix]

I just watched the replay, and i noticed it too, very strange. Some units don't seem to move even though they did, and the replay even acts as if they entrench. It even destroys units that didn't get destroyed. Such as the AT-gun. I remember the auxiliary AT-gun getting destroyed, and nurturing the core one to health again, but in the replay it does some strange stuff, i wonder how that works. It even shows artillery shots half across the map, quite funny.

[kondi754]

The replay system doesn't work properly, there is still a lot of errors...
I noticed that you saved a lot of RPs during Belgium scn.
Over 400, I managed to maintain the most around 340, so nearly 100 RPs less.
Congratulations, good work

@NightPhoenix
I have a request to you, take a look at this thread and take part in the poll.
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... 64&t=81568

[NightPhoenix]

After our success in trapping the Allied forces, our drive towards the Channel coast shouldn't be a major problem. We are tasked to be the spearhead that will encircle the remaining French and British forces that are still holding out in this region. After the encirclement we should eliminate any resistance that is left before we turn our heads South again.



Our first task will be to force the Belgians to surrender, their remaining forces will put up only token resistance, but removing this nuisance should allow us to operate on a much faster timetable, and allows us to save many a soldiers life, as we don't have to fight needlessly against an enemy that's already been beaten. If we can also seize the city of Oostende quickly we can count on assistance of the Kriegsmarine in preventing the evacuation of British manpower and materiel. The destruction of the British here should allow us to salvage much of their equipment, resulting in the acquisition of a new combat unit.

Our forces are split into 2 task-forces. One in the North-East, these troops will take the fight to the Belgians and fight their way towards the coast from the North, hopefully reaching Oostende without too many delays and forcing the Belgian surrender.



Our troops in the South will march towards the coast as well, but rather from the South-Western reaches of the map. Fighting their way towards Dunkirk, the goal is to take the city before the English forces can evacuate. The English will have no choice but to stand and fight, or surrender.



Immediately as we move towards the North, a counter strike from the French delays our advance. These forces will do anything to keep us from the retreating British, many casualties are made on both sides. Our strike North from the South is a gamble however, as there are no usable airfields in the vicinity. If we fail to liberate one in due time the Luftwaffe will waste precious time flying to air bases far into the rear. It is therefor paramount that we advance swiftly.



In the North, there is little opposition from the Belgians. Swift progress is made, and within a few days the coast is within reach. Moreover, the remaining Belgian troops have surrendered to our advancing forces, allowing us to advance without opposition for miles on end through the countryside.



In the South as well, after a hard struggle in defeating the French counteroffensive we finally move North and secure our much needed airfield. The noose around the Allied forces is tightening.



As the English forces have been informed of our ongoing operation, combined with us reaching the Channel coast near Oostende and the failed French counteroffensive in the South, morale amongst the enemy troops drops to an all time low.
Feeling there is no chance of ever breaking out of the pocket, the English make ready for a retreat towards Dunkirk. Schnellboote are on route to intercept any troops attempting to evacuate by sea.

[NightPhoenix]

Now that the English are Fleeing for their lives, the pressure is on. We must advance fast enough to prevent an escape by sea. Once again the French attempt to thwart our plans, this time a counter strike towards the North is attempted to relieve the pressure on the retreating British.



Due to our good reconnaissance we spotted the advancing French and were able to position ourselves accordingly. Crossing the river, the French forces were ambushed by our troops. Despite being larger in number, this allowed us to seize the initiative on the French and fight back in good order.



While the battles around Dunkirk rage, our allies already fighting in France have captured an important prize: the port city of Calais has fallen into our hands. With the regions around the Dunkirk pocket tightly secured, our operation can continue unhindered.



As we reach closer and closer to Dunkirk, the enemy starts getting up the pace more and more. The English are now in full retreat, dashing towards the channel coast with all their might, in an attempt to escape.



They are however too late. By the time the main force of English troops arrive at Dunkirk, it's already been secured by our forces. Weary and without supplies and ammunition. The English have no choice but to surrender, now that they have no way out. No ships are able to reach the coastline and we take thousands of prisoners. Much of the equipment is salvaged by our forces, although some has also quickly been destroyed before our troops could confiscate it.





All that's left now is clearing out the remainder of the French forces, holed up in some of the towns in the vicinity. These operations pose no threat to our forces and casualties are kept to a minimum. The British captives have been led away from the beaches of Dunkirk, and into captivity.





Once again the Germany has shown itself to be superior over the Allied forces. The operation to reach the Channel coast and destroy or capture the Allied troops has been a stunning success. We march once again Southward one final time to deal with France once and for all. Let the next operation be the final blow that will secure victory for us in Europe and bring the combined efforts of the Allied forces to ruin in operation Fall Rot!



Here's the replay for the mission, i wonder if it's as crazy as the last one.