Hearts of Iron II is one of the best games I've played in rencent memory. The new land combat system is a vast improvement over the original as is the naval combat. My first game as Germany went ok until the reds dowed me. I was unprepared and a stalemate resulted that I barely could hold. Thus long term defeat. My second game went reasonably well. It was fun hunting the brittish carriers with my own. This time I had most of my army(although not the panzers) in the east waiting for the Soviet dow. My panzers were off conquering the british empire. I even conquered the pacific members of the commonwealth. After I returned my panzers, I made a breaktru in the south around lowe(that oil prodcing provence in Poland). My panzers got as far as Stalingrad, but my thrusts to cut off the Soviets in the north was a spectacular failure that resulted in the loss of 8 panzers divisions under Hoth. However, I was able to over come and by mid 46 I had foced the Soviets to surrendur. The loss of so many generals in 45 was annoying(I hate the historical death date for generals feature). Only the Americans remained. And the Canadians and a few other North American countries. I never launched an invasion, although there is a USA surrendur event. Between the fall of the Soviets and the end of the game I contented my self with hunting allied ships in the atlantic and harrasing alled convoys to africa(I had liberated most of it but the americans invaided. The S africas, Rhodisians, and Italians seemed to be containing the advance though). My first nuke came online in december 1947 has did my first 6 nuclear sub flotilas with more on the way. The Americans were far behind me in the nuclear field(building a reactor helps alot) and I had been stockpiling ICBMs for a while. I ended the game in a spectacular fashion. I fired all of my ICBMs at the major population centers of the US(urban terrain) The nuke I saved for DC.

1630 hrs.
The fuher and other high ranking members of the government and Wermarch are on had for this gorious occasion. Donetz has taken personal command of the nuclear sub fleet and is currently stationed off the eastern seaboard listening. He makes makes a radio address to the citizens of the axis powers annoucing that today the Americans will know the folly of trying to undo the new word order. The rocket fires as do ones similar, yet very different, all across western france.

1658 hrs. Dec 30
Radar operators at near Washington detect and income aircraft. It's position is rather odd. It is directly above the city and is decending very quickly. Estimaed time until impact: 2 minutes

1659 hrs. Dec 30
An aid rushes into the oval office and tells President Truman that a likely ICBM was about to land and that they must quickly hurry to the strongroom*, although the chance that it would land close enough to damage the white house is slim.

1700 hrs. Dec 30
Just before entering the strongroom, Truman glances out a window. He sees an speck streak down in the distance and a bright flash eminate from where it struck. He also feels the temperature rises instantly. His cloths ignite and his skin begins to boil. Then the shockwave hits and brings with it merciful death.

0500 hrs Dec 31.

The vp is sworn in as president of the United States. He vows that he will make Germany pay for the destruction they have caused. But he knows that in the very likely event that germany can make more of those dreadful bombs, the war is over.