German Reich (HoI4)

Germany
Culture	German
Capital	Berlin
Government	Fascist
Religion	Catholic

Germany is a major country in almost every scenario, and is the leader of the Axis powers. Germany is the most powerful of the fascist/Nazi countries and is the most commonly played.

Overview

Germany is one of the most powerful countries, with a strong military, great economy in most respects, excellent tech teams, and good events. For those players wanting to command a military juggernaut without too much concern for political or domestic subtleties, Germany is a natural choice. Her economy and technology are good enough to support a variety of different strategies, while she starts scenarios and is led by events into a dominating strategic position, all under an autocratic government that has little restriction on using the full weight of the nation's resources in any way seen fit.

Scenarios

1936

Military

Army

Germany begins with a strong army, but not one that greatly eclipses its larger neighbors. Both France and Poland have armies capable of matching or exceeding German numbers. Germany's military is almost exclusively infantry, but does start with a valuable corps of light armor.

• I.Panzerarmee in Berlin as the armored force
  • 3 x Light Armored Divisions equipped with PzKpfw.I tanks
• I.Armeekorps in Koningsberg covering East Prussia
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Artillery Brigade
• II.Armeekorps at Stettin covering the Polish frontier
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Antitank Brigade
• III.Armeekorps at Berlin as an army command group
  • 1 x Headquarters
  • 2 x Infantry Divisions
• IV.Armeekorps at Dresden covering the Czech frontier
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Artillery Brigade
• V.Armeekorps at Stuttgart covering the French frontier
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Artillery Brigade
• VI.Armeekorps at Munster covering the Dutch frontier
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Antitank Brigade
• VII.Armeekorps at Munich covering the Austrian frontier
  • 4 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Antitank Brigade
• VIII.Armeekorps at Berlin as an eastern reserve
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Engineer Brigade
• IX.Armeekorps at Frankfurt-am-Main as a western reserve
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Antiaircraft Brigade
• X.Armeekorps at Hamburg covering the Danish frontier
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Artillery Brigade
• XI.Armeekorps at Hannover as a northern reserve
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Antiaircraft Brigade
• XII.Armeekorps at Dortmund covering the Rhine frontier
  • 3 x Infantry Divisions with one attached Engineer Brigade

The Army has a large number of superior leaders at its disposal. General von Rundstedt, Lieutenant General von Kluge, and Major Generals von Manstein and Guderian are all skill level 5 leaders available. Beyond these, 18 skill level 4 leaders are available including ten corps commanders. Considering that most of Germany's neighbors lack any leaders greater than skill level 3, this is a major advantage of German forces.

Air Force

The German Air Force in 1936 is reasonably strong, with a good base of interceptor and tactical bomber units to provide air superiority and striking power. Equipment is antiquated and in need of upgrade, but the technology is already in place for this so it is only a matter of spending upgrade resources for them. The air force can also rely on a good selection of airfields throughout the country, with full size airbases located in Berlin, Breslau, Kassel, Konigsberg, and Munich with satellite (level 4) fields in Essen, Frankfurt-am-Main, Kiel, Rostock, Stuttgart, and Wilhelmshafen.

• Luftflotte I at Berlin
  • 1 x Interceptor Wing
• Luftflotte II at Berlin
  • 1 x Interceptor Wing
  • 3 x Tactical Bomber Wings
• Luftflotte III at Breslau
  • 3 x Tactical Bomber Wings
• Luftflotte IV at Kassel
  • 1 x Interceptor Wing
  • 1 x Tactical Bomber Wing
• Luftflotte V at Munich
  • 1 x Tactical Bomber Wing
• Air Defenses
  • Level 4 emplacements in Konigsberg
  • Level 3 emplacements in Essen and Frankfurt-am-Main
  • Level 2 emplacements in Berlin, Breslau, Dortmund, Hamburg, Kassel, Magdeburg, Munich, Rostock, Saarbrucken, Stuttgart, and Wilhelmshaven
  • Level 1 emplacements in Kiel, Leipzig, Lubeck, and Nuremberg

The Luftwaffe is not as strongly blessed as the army with exceptional leadership, but has its share of top commanders available. Kesselring, Kitzinger, and Sperrle all are at skill level 4, and nearly 20 skill level 3 commanders are available to fill command roles as well.

Navy

The German Navy, or Kriegsmarine, is the weakest of Germany's armed forces, and is not close to being able to challenge the British or even French navies on the open sea. It can however be an effective in the Baltic Sea--in particular when operating under the cover of Luftwaffe support. Infrastructure for the navy is good however, with four full size naval bases available. Rostock and Konigsberg are on the Baltic Sea while the ports in Kiel and Wilhelmshaven open to the North Sea. Additional coastal provinces may be built up into bases, but the Kriegsmarine can look forward to better basing as Germany seizes much of Europe.

• Kriegsmarine at Wilhelmshaven
  • 2 x Heavy Cruisers (Hipper class cruisers)
  • 1 x Light Cruiser (Nurnberg class cruiser)
  • 4 x Light Cruisers (K class cruisers)
  • 1 x Light Cruiser (Emden class cruiser)
  • 1 x Destroyer Flotilla (Z1 destroyer)
• Baltische Flotte at Konigsberg
  • 2 x Battlecruisers (Great War Battlecruisers)
  • 3 x Destroyer Flotillas (G7 destroyers)
• I.Unterseebootsflotte at Wilhelmshaven
  • 1 x Submarine Flotilla (Type IIA submarine)
• II.Unterseebootsflotte at Kiel
  • 2 x Submarine Flotillas (Type IIB submarine)

Intelligence & Diplomacy

Intelligence

Germany has a network of 76 spies infiltrating many of the world's nations, while 51 foreign spies are within German borders.

• 5 spies in Austria, Denmark
• 4 spies in Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Nationalist China, Norway
• 3 spies in Argentina, Belgium, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States
• 2 spies in Bulgaria, Finland, Japan, Lithuania, Republican Spain, Romania, Soviet Union, Yugoslavia
• 1 spy in Albania, Brazil, Greece, Luxembourg, Mexico, Portugal

Diplomacy

Germany is not in a strong position diplomatically. As leader of the Axis, she is currently alone, with even like-minded nations such as Italy not wanting to ally. Meanwhile, most of her actions will sour relations with the western powers and possibly the Soviets as well if she is not careful. Germany has only minor diplomatic agreements in place in 1936:

• Alliance = Germany is the leader of the Axis
• Non-agression pacts = Soviet Union, Poland, Austria, Turkey
• Independence guarantees to = Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Poland, Denmark, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Romania, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Finland
• Territorial claims on = France, Luxembourg

Economy

Natural resources

Natural resources are plentiful, with sizeable surplus level of energy (from Germany's huge coal reserves). Oil is however almost non-existant, although during peacetime at least, Germany should be able to trade for whatever she needs and maintain growing stockpiles in all areas.

Due to Germany's hungry industrial base, rare materials are in short supply despite production. Prolonged wars will eventually starve the industry if trade can not be maintained for rares.

Germany has a large population which should be able to maintain most military building strategies well into a war, but heavy casualties will eventually drain her. Germany does well to build units which economize on manpower as main combatants, as the need for infantry and garrisons to fill in behind advances will require large amounts later.

Initial stockpiles are 1000 energy, 1000 metal, 500 rare material, 500 oil, 500 supplies, 70 money, and 850 manpower

Industry

Germany has a powerful industrial base, although it is concentrated in a few vulnerable areas of the country. Once Germany expands beyond her borders these will be harder for enemies to target, but will still need to be protected against strategic attack. As long as it is well fed, Germany's industry should be able to maintain healthy production of supplies and new units to support offensives, but if it falters, Germany will feel the pinch quickly. A side benefit is the large transportation capacity resulting from her IC level, although this will be necessary once Germany's empire expands and occupation of territory bleeds the TC level.

Infrastructure

Germany's basic infrastructure is superb, at 100% over nearly her entire territory (only Oppeln is at 80%). This allows rapid movement between east and west front.

Technology

Germany has some strengths technologically, and has great research teams to give it the edge in other areas. The money to pay for the teams should be available in most circumstances as long as things don't turn to badly against Germany.

Germany's infantry tech is moderately advanced, with the early infantry division and semi-motorized cavalry division already discovered. Logistics are ahead of the game with rear area supply dumps and Germany has also the ability to build early mountain divisions. Germany is poised to develop the basic motorized division and early marine division.

Germany is at a basic level in armor tech, possessing the early tank, but ready to develop the basic light tank, basic heavy tank, and early tank destroyer. Early field artillery is in service, as are early antitank artillery and early static antiaircraft artillery. Germany also has the capacity for basic antiaircraft brigades and basic armored cars.

Germany has an advanced level of naval technology in surface combatants, already possessing improved technology for the light cruisers, heavy cruisers, battlecruisers, and battleships. She is on par with the medium range submarine, but lags with only an early destroyer and Great War aircraft carrier design.

Germany has a balanced contemporary aircraft technology, with both early bombers and early fighters available, as well as a basic air transport design. Germany can branch out in any direction desired for aviation.

Industrial technology in Germany is well-rounded, with mechanized agriculture, census tabulating, basic oil refining, and improved construction engineering. She lags however, needing basic machine tools. Advanced sciences are poised for development, as Germany has both a faculty for nuclear research and a rocket test and research facility capability.

German operational doctrines are very well advanced for all branches, compared to other nations, giving Germany a strong early advantage. German land doctrine is well advanced along the spearhead doctrine, with delay doctrine, elastic defense doctrine, and schwerpunkt doctrine all developed. Naval doctrine is also well advanced along the lines of sealane interdiction doctrine, with raider patrol doctrine and unrestricted submarine warfare doctrine developed. Air doctrine has been developed along the lines of battlefield destruction and operational destruction, with dive bombing doctrine developed as well.

Government

Germany begins with a mixed bag of leaders, but with its political sliders set for hawkish authoritarian rule.

• Head of State Adolf Hitler, a Power-Hungry Demagogue
• Head of Government Rudolf Hess, a Silent Workhorse
• Foreign Minister Constantin von Neurath, a Great Compromiser
• Armaments Minister Werner von Blomberg, an Infantry Proponent
  • Reich Minister Rudolf Hess (Strategic Air Proponent)
  • Reich Minister of Finance Johann Schwerin von Krosigk (Resource Industrialist)
  • Head of the German Labor Front Robert Ley (Corrupt Kleptocrat)
  • NASDP Treasurer Franz Xavier-Schwarz (Resource Industrialist)
  • President of the Reichsbank Hjalmar Schacht (Administrative Genius)
  • Councilor of State Fritz Thyssen (Laissez-Faire Capitalist)
  • Reich Commissioner for Bavaria Franz Xavier Ritter von Epp (Infantry Proponent)
  • Reich Commissioner for Volunteer Labor Franz Seldte (Military Entrepreneur)
  • Reich Commissioner for Labor Konstantin Hierl (Resource Industrialist)
  • Chairman of the Association of German Industrialists Gustav Krupp (Tank Proponent)
• Security Minister Wilhelm Frick (Prince of Terror)
  • Reich Minister of Justice Franz Gurtner (Silent Lawyer)
  • Chief of Police Kurt Daluege (Prince of Terror)
  • Chief of Reich Security Main Office Reinhard Heydrich (Prince of Terror)
• Intelligence Minister Wilhelm Canaris (Dismal Enigma)
  • Aide-de-Camp to the President Oskar von Hindenburg (Political Specialist)
  • Chief of Army Intelligence Carl von Schubert (Logistics Specialist)
  • Assistant Minister of Justice Hans Dohnanyi (Political Specialist)
• Chief of Staff Ludwig Beck (Mobility Proponent)
  • General Staff Officer Fritz Bayerlein (Training Proponent)
  • General Staff Officer Wilhelm Gruner (Defensive Proponent)
• Chief of the Army Werner von Fritsch (Armor Proponent)
  • Retired General Erich Ludendorff (Mobility Proponent)
  • Retired General Walter von Luttwitz (Infantry Proponent)
• Chief of the Navy Erich Raeder (Battleship Admiral)
  • Inspector of Training Affairs Alfred Saalwachter (Commerce Protector)
  • Retired Admiral Ludwig Fulda (Battleship Admiral)
• Chief of the Air Force Hermann Goring (Army Aviator)
  • Inspector of Dive Bombers Karl Koller (Army Aviator)
  • Assistant for Procurement Carl Friedrich von Siemens (Fighter Pilot)
  • Reich Air Minister Ulrich Grauert (Fighter Pilot)