Slitherine

Ever since I made model kits many years ago, then got into tabletop wargaming and then computer games I've always opted to play as Germans. You see, I have always admired the designs of their armour and aircraft over (almost) anything the allies had. There's the Krupp Protze, SdKfz251, 222, 234/4, Kubelwagen, Stug IIIG, Panzerwerfer 42, Tiger, Jagdpanther, Tiger II, Stuka, ME262, even the German helmet! They just came up with these great designs and angular shapes. The Sherman, Churchill and even the Spitfire don't do it for me. The Mustang and Corsair were pretty cool though. Oh, and the Russian Katyusha.

OldFocker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:54 pm Ever since I made model kits many years ago, then got into tabletop wargaming and then computer games I've always opted to play as Germans. You see, I have always admired the designs of their armour and aircraft over (almost) anything the allies had. There's the Krupp Protze, SdKfz251, 222, 234/4, Kubelwagen, Stug IIIG, Panzerwerfer 42, Tiger, Jagdpanther, Tiger II, Stuka, ME262, even the German helmet! They just came up with these great designs and angular shapes. The Sherman, Churchill and even the Spitfire don't do it for me. The Mustang and Corsair were pretty cool though. Oh, and the Russian Katyusha.

I think that I can 'See-Your-Point'... but!... may I remind you of that 'Olde-Quote' [I don't know who originated it???].

"Beauty is in the Eye-Of-The-Beholder"... so!... that being the case, then... even... 'Lip-Stick-On-A-Pig' could look dazzling-spectacular under the right conditions???.

OldFocker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:54 pm Ever since I made model kits many years ago, then got into tabletop wargaming and then computer games I've always opted to play as Germans. You see, I have always admired the designs of their armour and aircraft over (almost) anything the allies had. There's the Krupp Protze, SdKfz251, 222, 234/4, Kubelwagen, Stug IIIG, Panzerwerfer 42, Tiger, Jagdpanther, Tiger II, Stuka, ME262, even the German helmet! They just came up with these great designs and angular shapes. The Sherman, Churchill and even the Spitfire don't do it for me. The Mustang and Corsair were pretty cool though. Oh, and the Russian Katyusha.

I agree that lots of German hardware "looks" cool. If there was a direct correlation between looks and performance, I always thought the Spitfire "looked" like it should be a kick-ass fighter, more so than the bf-109 and its more angular canopy. Likewise, the Sherman (75) looks like a rollie-pollie updated Trubia tank and the Churchhill like it was done by WW1 tank designers. Whereas the Tiger II looks like it should be able to roll over everything, but in fact barely could move with its mobility more closely resembling a tortoise than a tiger.

I agree with the OP's sentiments, although for me the lure isn't the sexiness of the vehicles (although they are indeed sexy, Panther and Butcher Bird I'm looking at you).....it's the lure of beating history.

All those "what if's". All those "Lost Victories" as Von Manstein's book is so aptly titled.

There must be a way for that war machine to succeed or at least force a bitter peace of some description.....listening to Guderian, Manstein, Galland (especially, FFS you've got a war-saving jet fighter project and you want to turn it into a strategically useless light bomber??) and others, knowing when to hold and when to realign the line etc etc etc.

Turning a "Jet" into a Useless Light-Bomber?:

"BaronVonWalrus"... Yes!... this is the 'Typical-Senseless-Stupidity'... of those not directly involved in the 'front-line-action' at the "dirty-end-of-the-stick!".

The people that are involved in the 'thick' of the action are the one's "who know best" as to what will and what will not work!.

Grrr ....

IMHO ideology is only , at most , two - tenths of aesthetics. But ideology is habitually represented as being eight - tenths of aesthetics.

The winners may indeed write the history books , and while success has many fathers , and failure is an orphan , the aesthetic outcome may be quite otherwise.

So I wouldn't be at all surprised if , in a hundred years , the Americans and the British were speaking Mandarin , writing in Cyrillic , with a cigarette in the other hand , while goose - stepping around in jack boots , claiming beauty is in the eye of the beholder , while looking down their noses at folks who indulge the vice of a preference for gym wear and lace - up boots.

In the meantime , in Panzer Corps 2 , I refuse to upgrade my German infantry to the 1943 models because I hate frumpy uniforms and shoe laces , and good luck trying to get me to ever apologize for my haberdashery choices .....in a make - believe game no less.

OldFocker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:54 pm Ever since I made model kits many years ago, then got into tabletop wargaming and then computer games I've always opted to play as Germans. You see, I have always admired the designs of their armour and aircraft over (almost) anything the allies had. There's the Krupp Protze, SdKfz251, 222, 234/4, Kubelwagen, Stug IIIG, Panzerwerfer 42, Tiger, Jagdpanther, Tiger II, Stuka, ME262, even the German helmet! They just came up with these great designs and angular shapes. The Sherman, Churchill and even the Spitfire don't do it for me. The Mustang and Corsair were pretty cool though. Oh, and the Russian Katyusha.

I think all the models are done very fine in this game, and the camo options are great. Kudos to the designer!

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And you know what? I'd really really really love to see a Battle Academy 3 with those 3D units.

Not just specific to this game, but in just about any WWII game, I just want to play Germany. It's the only way to fully experience the European Theater. They were everywhere.

Why and Who do I Want to Play???:

For myself!... I usually 'Prefer' to play the 'Losers!'... why???... because even though it is an exercise in 'Futility'... I am always determined to try to change the 'Historical-Outcome'. For-what?... I know not why?... it's just a 'Perversion-Fixation?'... that I am impelled to dol

So... if ever a "Pacific or Italian" campaign ever comes to pass... I will also give them... [Japanese & Italians] my first go-a-round!... to see how badly I can fail!.

Retributarr wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:25 pm Why and Who do I Want to Play???:

For myself!... I usually 'Prefer' to play the 'Losers!'... why???... because even though it is an exercise in 'Futility'... I am always determined to try to change the 'Historical-Outcome'. For-what?... I know not why?... it's just a 'Perversion-Fixation?'... that I am impelled to dol

So... if ever a "Pacific or Italian" campaign ever comes to pass... I will also give them my first go-a-round!... to see how badly I can fail!.

Same here - Italian, Romanian, Hungarian Finnish side seems tempting due to that on the Axis side and on the Aliied - Polish or French.

Plus, in video games and model kits the way something looks is an important factor as it was mentioned earlier here, and for me Italian equipment is the best here, always making me hope for a campagin with the Italian army. On the armour side L6/40 looks 10 times more modern than it is, Semovente da 90/53 is one of a kind, and Semovente da 105/25 is a bestly vehicle. With planes there's the CR.42 with it's biplane setup, underapperciated and undervlaued Macchi C.202 with a very intimdating look... The aesthetics of those machines are quite something.