A seasoned general's debrief on Hearts of Iron IV

The first time I tried playing France, I botched the Entente at Yugoslavia, and despite running roughshod over Libya could not break either the German or Italian lines, at which point I surrendered to online user guides. I tried another three or four times with the turtle-to-'38 approach, but either I'd still stonewall against the Axis, or the Balkans would get rolled, or both. Then I saw a single comment about going for early war and changed tack entirely.

This is my story thus far.

March, 1936. Germany stations troops in the demilitarized Rhineland frontier in contravention of the Treaty of Versailles. I tell Britain Adolf's not playing square. Neville tells me to sod off. I tell Adolf to get stuffed.
Oops, it appears I've declared war.
Twenty-seven divisions to five. Can you spell "land grab"?
Those Communist rebels are rather neatly packed into an easily corralled corner WAIT WHAT HAPPENED TO AFRICA
All the colonial troops deployed to Africa have magically poofed to the continent. Guess it's good I left the main fleet in Marseilles.
tfw the Commune stole half your North Fleet
After about a week of tying the troops down in pocket fights, I realize their only two cities are completely undefended. TANK RUSH KEKEKEKE
Rebellion crushed with a total casualty count of six destroyers. Shoulda kept the ships in port and just rushed to Dieppe.
Now to rush all these motor divisions to the Rhine and OH GOD DAMN IT MORE JERRIES
Now that the Colonial Corps has debarked in Algeria, it can embark right the hell back to Europe.
Sure is easier crossing the river when there aren't a bunch of forts in the way.
Germany is calling up the tanks but I still have numerical superiority. Better yet, there're gaps in the line so I can actually try encirclement this time.
Maybe I would appreciate the French planning bonus if I wasn't micromanaging every single unit.
The further we go from Maginot, the longer the front gets. I'm doing a pretty good job of pushing the Wehrmacht over the river, but if I can't start flanking soon this is going to be a pain.
tfw you've built about four factories because all your production is sucked up by field repairs
People laugh at cavalry in WWII, but they're great for nabbing open land.
HoI4 minigame: Stave off frontline attacks long enough to finish off the encircled division.
It's been months and I don't think I have a single frontline division at full strength.
tfw the front stretches from Bremen to Munich and you're still holding initiative
French tank brigades are actually ridiculously fragile, and thanks to supply shortages they're barely reinforcing. They are, however, excellent for rushing empty land.
I have made a serious strategic error. Since France is technically the aggressor in this war, I can't call Czechoslovakia in support because democracies hate offensive war. That means I'm on my own until Adolf muscles in on the Sudetenland, and that's not 'til September '38. It's still July '36.
I think I've finally found the weak link. Germany's been filtring troops south for the heaviest fighting, and now the north coast is practically undefended. Crossing my fingers I can rush east before they start calling up reserves.
I've had to pull out pretty much all air wings before they were completely destroyed, but at this point air superiority isn't Adolf's main problem.
BUT THEN CZECHIA JOINED IN ANYWAY
On the one hand, the Czechs are squandering opportunity not rushing to encircle the Germans. On the other, the strategic situation is the opposite of the Sudeten crisis, so I suppose they can afford to take their time.
Rushing to link up with Czech territory and cut off like six divisions at once.
tfw Prague gives you the entire army
POCKET SECURED. JERRY'S A GONER.
It is now September 1936. The northern front is about to crack, the Czech army is sneaking up the Polish border, and I've just finished off another tank division. Germany holds ~30% of its major cities and we've got double their divisions.


This war might very well be over by Christmas.