I know you all like long elaborate AARs, but mine will be quick, cause it was a real fun game and you all might like to try it out.
Germany and the USSR are easy if you have any clue what you are doing. Same probably for the United States. Japan and China are also not that tough. People love Italy games, including myself. Italy is a fun country to play because of its situation in Europe and it has the potential to be great, but historcally never did. Italy has a lot of options Germany did not. France has a lot in common with Italy, but few people play out a game as France. I did and it was a great game. Of course, the first thing you must do is make it facist or autocratic or whatever so you can actually have fun with it, and allow you to use your economy better.
France's number one concern is Germany. Germany will easily outproduce and out research you if you wait until 1939, so you need to deal with them as soon as possible. You could lose, but if you wait you will certainly lose. They occupy the Rhine in 1936 and I strike. My plan was to overun so much of their industry and resource rich western territory that I would cripple their economy and can produce just enough to win the war by atrition. The battle plan more specifically hopes to encirce an army in Cologne by a quick dash to Dortmund via the Saar. Lukcily, this worked to perfection and as I charged quickly across the ungarrisoned Ruhr and encircled 6 there. There were setbacks for us both. And each time it looked like the war had reached a stalemate, I managed to win a key battle, and keep the Germans stepping ever so slowly back. Almost a year later, Berlin fell and I inserted a Pro-French government. Shortly before the war ended Poland seized the day and joined me. They made out very nicely receiving Prussia and Germany's arms into Posen. I decided to "tempoarily" occupy the Rhineland. (Cologne, Saarbrucken, and Aachen. The Soviets joined too 1 day before the end, but no operations resulted.
With Germany secure, I could go about my dream of a French dominted continent. I quickly invaded Belgium and Luxembourg. Britain, who I guess were having a big jolly tea time to celebrate Germany getting smacked down without them lifting a finger I am guessing were to stunned to do anything. After that I invaded the Netherlands, fearing Britain might pull themselves together and act. But I played my hand well, and just annexed Rotterdam and Eindhoven. The Rhine created a nice natural French frontier. The Belgians agreed to give up their Euro territory, for it they fought on from Africa I would have just ignored them anyway.
Spain was next. I saw an easy pretext for intervening to assist one side or the other. Britain bought this story, and stood idly by and watched me demolish battered Repiublican divisons. As soon as I reached Madrid though, I started trashing the Nationalist forces and by the time Britain figured out what I was up to, it was too late.
Portugal was next. Britain had a treaty with them, but they were destroyed in five days. Britain was left with nothing to do again. I figured I had just about pushed my luck as far as it could go.
Or so I thought. I had a hard time beleiving Britain would help Italy. So after my invasion I pledged no annexation of Italian land in Europe and took their colonies and Sardinia instead after giving them a beating they will not soon forget.
Now I was sure my options were exhausted so I built the next two years making sure I could survive war with the Limeys. I built a great army, air force and navy, and even spread some Industry througout the countryside. This game is somewhat flawed with ahistorical games like this so I improvised. I reasoned that Britain would secretly put together a coalition to prevent further French adventures. So I put together an aliance for the UK. The current situation made war inevitable as this situation was intolerable. Its members were the UK and the Commonwealth of course. Germany, fed up with my soldiers running the Rhine, joined on. Austrian memories of Metternech earned their allegiance and as goes Germany, there goes Hungary. Italy joined for revenge. The Belgians and Dutch also joined. Quite a formidable crew, and a fun challenge. France vs the Fourth coalition.
So for my next trick I attacked the Dutchagain for the whole shebang, and the war was on. This was nasty, especially early on. It did not help that Brazil joined on the next day. I guess Portugal made them mad, but know they had a chance with some allies to keep me off their coast. And Turkey, I suppose eyeing Syria. Turkey really dazzled me. What the hell? TURKEY? Isolationist my ...... Germany staged a successful invasion of the Ardennes area, and by the time I shoved them back, here come the Italians. I will not go into specifics here, but let' s just say the second war against Germnay was almost an exact replica of the first. Italy got themselves in a bit of trouble by invading me in the south and got much of what was left of their army after my earlier victory cut off and annihilated. I had the North for the remainder of the German campaign and annexed them after Germany fell. Austria and Hungary collapsed under enormous forces that I know had managed to amass.
Next came the familiar campaigns in the Balkans that I had run so many times with Germany. I waited for the Swiss guarantees to expire and annexed them as well. By 1943, all of the Mainland of Europe under my control except Poland. Most of the British Navy was underwater thanks to my nightmare of an airforce (Naval Bombers) and my Subs and Carriers rulled the waves.
An invasion of Britain did not seem possible though, despite my power. The British still had a sizeable navy. Even though I had elimated half of it, well, it is still likely the Worlds finest behind the United States. They also had managed a large army and air force. Britain was also not something I envision under my control so I went after them in Africa. While I engulfed Europe, my coloies had been picked clean. Control of Suez and a respectable navy managed to get me landed and I went to work. Surpisngly I was halted at Algiers and Alexandria. Repeated attacks for some reason yielded to me massive losses. This was pointless. I withdrew from Africa.
I had sacked Istanbul earlier, right after Greece and knocked the Turks out of the war. I made them give up Itsanbul and left them alone. I had no designs there. With Poland my goals were met. But they coninued to let the Brits stage air attacks from there. This was no good. I decided to put an end to their defiance. Poland would have to wait. As I prepared the British sacked Istanbul. It is a good thing I was ready and putting the finishing touches on my war plan. It exceeded my greatest expectations. A huge amphibous attack on their Southwest coast, a rapid advance west to Izmir, and the encirclemnt of huge coalition forces on the blockaded south coast and sealed off Black Sea was a great victory.
I contined my advance south after annexing, freeing, and releasing as a puppet my new coequal Turkish ally. Iraq fell and I made it to my next goal of Suez. Lucky me, I took Iraq without the nightmare I have experienced with the British and their allies there in the past with Germany or Italy.
Now, I look at the Soviets and Poland. The Soviest have pretty much ignored me. I begged for their help when I was on the ropes during the continent campiagns. As a peace offering after Romania I forked Bessarabia over to them. But now, they have 600 divisions. Can I compete? No. I have 194 divisions, three quarters of which are guarding what I have. Poland on the other hand has 150 divisions. A war with Poland would be tough. Really tough. Super tough. An invasion there would be horrific. Yes, the Poles are scary in this game.
Meanwhile I had still been building up over the course of the year, It is now June of 1944. I have reasearched a lot of techs. I am guessing in the next 18 months I will have the bomb. Then I can carry on erasing Warsaw with it's 150 divisions. The Poles deploy all of them there. Strange... And maybe the Russians when I get enough bombs.
This game was and still will be great. Taking on Germany, Italy, Britian, and many other nations stercthed me thin. This is the funnest game ever for me and I am a seasoned veteran.
Germany and the USSR are easy if you have any clue what you are doing. Same probably for the United States. Japan and China are also not that tough. People love Italy games, including myself. Italy is a fun country to play because of its situation in Europe and it has the potential to be great, but historcally never did. Italy has a lot of options Germany did not. France has a lot in common with Italy, but few people play out a game as France. I did and it was a great game. Of course, the first thing you must do is make it facist or autocratic or whatever so you can actually have fun with it, and allow you to use your economy better.
France's number one concern is Germany. Germany will easily outproduce and out research you if you wait until 1939, so you need to deal with them as soon as possible. You could lose, but if you wait you will certainly lose. They occupy the Rhine in 1936 and I strike. My plan was to overun so much of their industry and resource rich western territory that I would cripple their economy and can produce just enough to win the war by atrition. The battle plan more specifically hopes to encirce an army in Cologne by a quick dash to Dortmund via the Saar. Lukcily, this worked to perfection and as I charged quickly across the ungarrisoned Ruhr and encircled 6 there. There were setbacks for us both. And each time it looked like the war had reached a stalemate, I managed to win a key battle, and keep the Germans stepping ever so slowly back. Almost a year later, Berlin fell and I inserted a Pro-French government. Shortly before the war ended Poland seized the day and joined me. They made out very nicely receiving Prussia and Germany's arms into Posen. I decided to "tempoarily" occupy the Rhineland. (Cologne, Saarbrucken, and Aachen. The Soviets joined too 1 day before the end, but no operations resulted.
With Germany secure, I could go about my dream of a French dominted continent. I quickly invaded Belgium and Luxembourg. Britain, who I guess were having a big jolly tea time to celebrate Germany getting smacked down without them lifting a finger I am guessing were to stunned to do anything. After that I invaded the Netherlands, fearing Britain might pull themselves together and act. But I played my hand well, and just annexed Rotterdam and Eindhoven. The Rhine created a nice natural French frontier. The Belgians agreed to give up their Euro territory, for it they fought on from Africa I would have just ignored them anyway.
Spain was next. I saw an easy pretext for intervening to assist one side or the other. Britain bought this story, and stood idly by and watched me demolish battered Repiublican divisons. As soon as I reached Madrid though, I started trashing the Nationalist forces and by the time Britain figured out what I was up to, it was too late.
Portugal was next. Britain had a treaty with them, but they were destroyed in five days. Britain was left with nothing to do again. I figured I had just about pushed my luck as far as it could go.
Or so I thought. I had a hard time beleiving Britain would help Italy. So after my invasion I pledged no annexation of Italian land in Europe and took their colonies and Sardinia instead after giving them a beating they will not soon forget.
Now I was sure my options were exhausted so I built the next two years making sure I could survive war with the Limeys. I built a great army, air force and navy, and even spread some Industry througout the countryside. This game is somewhat flawed with ahistorical games like this so I improvised. I reasoned that Britain would secretly put together a coalition to prevent further French adventures. So I put together an aliance for the UK. The current situation made war inevitable as this situation was intolerable. Its members were the UK and the Commonwealth of course. Germany, fed up with my soldiers running the Rhine, joined on. Austrian memories of Metternech earned their allegiance and as goes Germany, there goes Hungary. Italy joined for revenge. The Belgians and Dutch also joined. Quite a formidable crew, and a fun challenge. France vs the Fourth coalition.
So for my next trick I attacked the Dutchagain for the whole shebang, and the war was on. This was nasty, especially early on. It did not help that Brazil joined on the next day. I guess Portugal made them mad, but know they had a chance with some allies to keep me off their coast. And Turkey, I suppose eyeing Syria. Turkey really dazzled me. What the hell? TURKEY? Isolationist my ...... Germany staged a successful invasion of the Ardennes area, and by the time I shoved them back, here come the Italians. I will not go into specifics here, but let' s just say the second war against Germnay was almost an exact replica of the first. Italy got themselves in a bit of trouble by invading me in the south and got much of what was left of their army after my earlier victory cut off and annihilated. I had the North for the remainder of the German campaign and annexed them after Germany fell. Austria and Hungary collapsed under enormous forces that I know had managed to amass.
Next came the familiar campaigns in the Balkans that I had run so many times with Germany. I waited for the Swiss guarantees to expire and annexed them as well. By 1943, all of the Mainland of Europe under my control except Poland. Most of the British Navy was underwater thanks to my nightmare of an airforce (Naval Bombers) and my Subs and Carriers rulled the waves.
An invasion of Britain did not seem possible though, despite my power. The British still had a sizeable navy. Even though I had elimated half of it, well, it is still likely the Worlds finest behind the United States. They also had managed a large army and air force. Britain was also not something I envision under my control so I went after them in Africa. While I engulfed Europe, my coloies had been picked clean. Control of Suez and a respectable navy managed to get me landed and I went to work. Surpisngly I was halted at Algiers and Alexandria. Repeated attacks for some reason yielded to me massive losses. This was pointless. I withdrew from Africa.
I had sacked Istanbul earlier, right after Greece and knocked the Turks out of the war. I made them give up Itsanbul and left them alone. I had no designs there. With Poland my goals were met. But they coninued to let the Brits stage air attacks from there. This was no good. I decided to put an end to their defiance. Poland would have to wait. As I prepared the British sacked Istanbul. It is a good thing I was ready and putting the finishing touches on my war plan. It exceeded my greatest expectations. A huge amphibous attack on their Southwest coast, a rapid advance west to Izmir, and the encirclemnt of huge coalition forces on the blockaded south coast and sealed off Black Sea was a great victory.
I contined my advance south after annexing, freeing, and releasing as a puppet my new coequal Turkish ally. Iraq fell and I made it to my next goal of Suez. Lucky me, I took Iraq without the nightmare I have experienced with the British and their allies there in the past with Germany or Italy.
Now, I look at the Soviets and Poland. The Soviest have pretty much ignored me. I begged for their help when I was on the ropes during the continent campiagns. As a peace offering after Romania I forked Bessarabia over to them. But now, they have 600 divisions. Can I compete? No. I have 194 divisions, three quarters of which are guarding what I have. Poland on the other hand has 150 divisions. A war with Poland would be tough. Really tough. Super tough. An invasion there would be horrific. Yes, the Poles are scary in this game.
Meanwhile I had still been building up over the course of the year, It is now June of 1944. I have reasearched a lot of techs. I am guessing in the next 18 months I will have the bomb. Then I can carry on erasing Warsaw with it's 150 divisions. The Poles deploy all of them there. Strange... And maybe the Russians when I get enough bombs.
This game was and still will be great. Taking on Germany, Italy, Britian, and many other nations stercthed me thin. This is the funnest game ever for me and I am a seasoned veteran.
