Video game that lets you choose between panzers, U-boats and jets
Click here to play. You might want to use a stylus on a mobile device.
Germany did not mobilize its economy until late 1942, under the new leadership of Albert Speer. Speer streamlined armaments procurement, leading to big increases in the number of German tanks and airplanes produced in 1943 and 1944. Of course, these production increases were dwarfed by the combined economies of the Allies. In 1943, however, even small increases in tank, U-boat or aircraft production could have made a difference. For instance, increasing anti-tank gun production at the expense of fighter aircraft output might have kept the Red Army at bay a bit longer. In addition to controlling military strategy, this game lets you explore these different production options. The strategy cards let you choose between producing panzers, fighters, anti-tank guns for infantry units and bombers. The game starts in January of 1943, and each turn covers 3 months. To win, you simply have to keep the Allies from capturing Berlin and the Ruhr.
Game Details:
Time per turn: 3 Months
Human Units:
[o]: German Panzer Korp (2 Panzer Divisions)
[x]: German Infantry Army (~9 Divisions)
Computer Units:
(x) Allied Army (~9 Divisions)
Design Notes:
This game is designed to test different armaments production decisions after Germany fully mobilized its economy in late 1942. Until that point, Germany’s military procurement efforts could charitably be called disorganized. Albert Speer managed to find lots of inefficiencies that, when corrected, allowed Germany to double or triple production over the next 24 months. The only thing that really stopped this expansion in production was the advance of Allied armies and the relentless bombing of Allied air forces. The Germans were, of course, working to counter the effects of Allied bombing raids by moving production underground. Scaling up jet fighter production probably could have stopped Allied daylight bombing entirely. With armaments factories and synthetic fuel plants moved underground, Germany could have continued to support a modern field army of 4 million+ soldiers indefinitely. Such a military force probably could not have held onto Poland or France. However, 4 million well-armed German veterans, fighting close to Germany’s borders and under the protection of jet fighters, could probably hold off the Allies long enough to develop a potent wonder weapon, or simply bleed the Allies into a cease fire.
Of course, none of this happened, because the Germans ran out of time. Could different production choices in 1943 and 1944 have prolonged the war? This game is an attempt to explore that thesis. At a high level, you get to choose between building U-boats, fighters, bombers, tanks, fortifications, and artillery. U-boats stop Allied amphibious landings, preventing a second front. Fighters stop Allied bombing, allowing Germany to produce more weapons. Bombers disrupt the economies and logistical networks of the Allies, slowing offensives (think V-1s, V-2s and Ar 234 jet bombers armed with radio controlled glide bombs). Fortifications blunt Allied attacks (think the Atlantic Wall or the Siegfried Line). Artillery in general, and anti-tank guns in particular, puts more infantry units on the front line. Finally, tanks put more fast-moving units on the battlefield. Germany picked fighters, tanks and fortifications. You can try something different.
Having played this game several times, betting on anti-tank guns and fighters seems to be a winning combination. This makes sense from an economic point of view. One Panzer IV cost about as much as 9 PAK 40s. Cutting tank and U-boat production in half, and allocating the steel, fuel and transport to anti-tank gun production could have made a major dent in Allied armored strength. Producing 20,000 anti-tank guns a year would have been entirely realistic in 1943 or 1944. At that level, you could deploy two anti-tank guns per infantry company. With a few Panzerfausts per infantry platoon, and 6-8 half-track mounted multiple rocket launchers, a well entrenched German infantry division could easily chew up an Allied armored division. Said infantry division could certainly hold off an Allied armored division until the odd battalion of Tiger tanks arrived to finish the attackers off. Trading tanks for infantry also frees up fuel for Luftwaffe jet fighters.
As always, you can change anything you don’t like about the game using the game editor.
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