[Admiral Von Gerlach]

First of all, THANK YOU to all involved in this fine mod work to enhance surface units, this is very exciting to read and see.

Interesting discussion. Re the mod packs, my humble suggestoin might be to do the carrier or carriers before group 4, in terms of game play and scenarios, there is much more purpose to have working carriers, even if their air groups must constantly circle than the small navies, interesting tho they are, and I too love the story of Finland.

Re the Kriegsmarine, it was a powerful and siginficant fleet far beyond its completion numbers due to the vastly superior watertight integrity, engineering advances in drive train, and gunnery, and training, and was a major influence on the naval war from the start.

Surface campaigns could and should include the Norway invasion that saw the loss of major units by both sides, including the loss of two British carriers at sea with almost all hands, and many other sorties, the battle at Narvik, and other events. A carrier arm would have greatly increased the potential of the KM in many ways, for a roving carrier fast battleship group at sea would have wreaked havoc on the convoy lanes, as the KM did not betray their positions at sea for surface units as they did with subs. And ys the Italian Navy was a very very fine fleet, some of the best ship designs of the time, and there were significant surface engagements and events, such as the torpedoing of the fleet at Tarento, many convoy engagments that were attempting to resupply Rommel, and many more possiblities. The evac of Greece comes to mind, and with that, hopes that some kind of air resources may be able to added to the game, mod wise, tho i know that is a long shot at this point.

and ys, the Pacific Theatre was a surface war as much as an air war and a sub war, and the doctrine, training and focus of tactics and strategy of both fleets showed that, for indeed the IJN perservered indeed in face of facts, in hoping for the great final conflict on the surface, which was deeply ingrained in them from the successes of the Russo Japanese War and their history of association with the RN and its heritage of surface fleet strategy and Mahan's overall philosophy.

This mod work is very exciting to see and great enhances the potential of this already amazing sim. I have the greatest admiration for all hands involved.