"WWII: Early or Late War?" Topic

I've got armies for 1940-45--no Poles--but find middle east-north Africa most interesting, which centers me in 1941-43. Hard to fit this into a binary early/late war system.

I like early war a lot, but for whatever reason most of my minis are late war (Eastern Front and NW Europe 1944)

What WW2 minis I have are early war – North Africa 1942 to early 1943 microarmor.

Jim

US Armored Combat Commands and Canadian army for me — Late War it is.

Hmph. This is worse than I thought. "Early war" extends to the end of the North Africa campaigns? If so, it really binary: "late war" begins with dunkelgelb, and everything else is "early war." I'd understood early war to be roughly Blitzkrieg era, late war to commence spring or summer of 1944, and 42-43 to be mid war. Clearly we need another poll!

A common definition would be helpful.

Early war 1939 to 1942.

"To" or "through" OC?

After thinking about it for a couple of minutes, for me, it has more to do with the age of the design of the weapons (tanks) being used, than an actual date.

I tend to think of mid 1943 as the dividing line. Once the Panther and Tiger are in service, the games "feel" different to me. "Early war" involves designs that predate the war, "late war" involves those designed during the war.

Not scientific by any means, but the way I tend to think of it.

I answered "late war, but had it been an option, I would have gone with "mid-war" instead.

I tend to end early war in the 1941, but maybe a little later in Russia then in North Africa, and for me, it has the same problem as Glory Years Napoleonics--only one army really understands the new way of war, and you have to place it under ridiculous handicaps to get a balanced game.

Late war (1944-45) has ground attack aircraft in cab ranks, which again makes it hard to balance. I only play when there's an overcast. And there's a fairly widespread agreement on doctrine and equipment.

But in between, you have serious differences in equipment and doctrine without the German edge being overwhelming, and you can credibly fight a brigade action without aircraft. For me, Crusader to El Guettar is a sweet spot. But other tastes clearly differ.

Mid war 1943

+1 willamb. 42-43 for me

I will happily game any year of the war, and any theater, but I collect forces for Early War.

Pre-1942.