I'm not going to go into great detail, since I didn't keep notes (I wasn't planning to write an AAR). I chose South Africa because it's my native country, and because I didn't want to play a major while still learning the game.I played v1.0 (I don't like patching mid-game) on very hard/normal. Here are the things that happened (some very interesting, IMO):
* No alliance was completely defeated (although the Commies were on their last legs) and the game ended at the end of 1947
* Communist China won the Chinese civil war. Convincingly. They annexed the Nationalists on the 15th of November, 1938, 8 days after Japan declared war on Communist China. Communist China was annexed by Japan on the 10th May, 1939
* World War II began on the 2nd of November, 1938, when France declared war on Germany. The whole Vichy thing happened to France on the 29th of December of the same year, after Germany invaded through the low countries
* Technically, the Spanish civil war was never resolved. The Communists drove the Nationalists off mainland Spain, and things stayed that way until the end (except for Ceuta, which was occupied by America shortly after they entered the war on April 5th, 1939, and became an important Mediterranean base for South African and American ships)
* Japan declared war on the Allies on New Year's Day, 1941, but didn't join the Axis.. The only significant thing that happened in the Pacific theatre the whole game was that the UK launched a promising invasion of China, taking a large portion of the country, only for India to declare independence on June 1st, 1946, cutting off all the British forces in China, which were subsequently routed by the Japs. The upshot: Japan retained its Chinese holdings, as well as some Malaysian and Pacific territories, until the end of the game.
* On March 10th, 1941, Germany landed 3 divisions in Portsmouth, which stayed there for several months, but could not launch an offensive due to constant bombing. They were eventually driven back into the sea.
* On January 3rd, 1942, the Soviet Union (having annexed the Baltic states and Finland) declared war on the Axis. Bad idea. By the end of the game, Germany had established a front line in Siberia: Norilsk-Bajkut-Bratsk-Irkutsk (although their offensive had inexplicably stalled there for years). In other words: the Soviets were finished.
* Amazingly, throughout the whole game, Poland survived, maintaining its neutrality throughout (they obviously handed over Danzing).. Germany invaded the Soviet Union through Memel.
* All Nordic states (including Denmark) and Latin American states remained neutral throughout the war
* Although Republican Spain is at war with Germany, very little has happened on their border at Bilbao-Bayonne. Germany has taken Bilbao about 3 times, only to be repulsed.
* Italy initally conquered almost all of British and French Africa, except for Botswana and half of Rhodesia.
* I, as South Africa (after discovering the workings of the reinforcement button and the constraints of low infrastructure), launched a counter-attack against these Italian holdings. There was one Italian division in the whole of Africa, which I succeeded in cutting off in the Sahara desert (heh - what a way to go). I liberated many famous cities, like Cairo, Alexandria, Benghazi, Tripoli, and Tunis, eventually retaking all of British and French Africa and occupying the Italian colonies, with 3 infantry and 1 cavalry divisions. Strangely, the Italians never took Matruh, Sidi Barrani, Jerusalem, Amman, or French Syria, even though all were undefended and there for the taking.
* South Africa starts with 2 infantry divisions. By the end of the game, I had expanded the army to 4 infantry divisions, 2 cavalry divisions, 2 fighter squadrons, 2 divebomber squadrons, 4 submarine flotillas (2 are class II, 2 are coastal), and 2 destroyer flotillas
* I have deployed 1 infantry division, 1 cavalry division, 1 fighter squadron, 1 divebomber squadron, 1 submarine flotilla, and 1 destroyer flotilla in Durban to defend the homeland. The rest of the land and air forces are located in Tunis for an eventual invasion of Italy (if I had gotten any transports). The other subs and destroyers are in the Mediterranean (1 sub flotilla and 1 destroyer flotilla are around Gibraltar, where no Axis ship has entered or left the Med for several years, while 2 sub flotillas are blockading Rome and Cagliari - the Italian navy has long since ceased to exist. Meanwhile, I have bombed the garrisons in Malta and Cyprus into oblivion, but I can't take those islands because I have no transports.
* Our economy collapsed around the middle of the game due to resource shortages, and has been running at about half its capacity ever since. There is nothing I can do about this, since I can't invade overseas without transports, I am already trading all my excesses for resources I need, and all the African territory I captured went to Britain or France.
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* At the end of the game, the alliances were as follows:
Axis: Germany, Italy, Nationalist Spain, Slovakia, Hungary
Allies: United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Belgium, Holland, USA
Commies: Soviet Union, Mongolia, Republican Spain
* Technically, tha Axis won on VPs.
* The largest army in the world is the USA, with 394 divisions (89 infantry, 1 cavalry, 150 motorized, 47 mechanized, 45 armoured, 62 marine). Germany is second with 293 divisions, while Brazil (!!!) is third with 77. Canada is 4th with 48. Japan is 5th with 43. The UK is 15th with just 20 divisions. The Soviet Union have a measly 1 infantry division left.
* The USA also has the largest navy (10 battleships, 24 cruisers, 60 destroyer groups, 21 carriers, and 61 transports). Germany is 2nd with 160 (including 112 submarine flotillas). 3rd is Japan with 40, then the Soviets, with 25, followed by Brazil with 23. The UK is 6th with 22 capital ships and flotillas.
* The largest airforce also belongs to the USA, with 156 squadrons (83 fighter, 60 strategic bomber, 4 tactical bomber, 1 divebomber, 4 naval bomber, 4 transport).. In a close 2nd is Germany, with 154 squadrons, followed by Japan (38), UK (26), and Brazil (24).
Comments, suggestions, and questions
* How about a "share tech with all allies" button. I always ahare all my tech with all my allies (why would you want to keep it a secret - it's not like they regularly desert you like in EU2)
* Staging coups is a bit unrealistic. As South Africa, I managed to stage three coups: Portugal on the 1st of March 1937, Saudi Arabia on the 1st of November 1937, and Bulgaria on the 1st of August 1942. How many nations staged coups in other nations in the time period? I think the whole coup function should be removed.
* The USA has huge forces, yet has not invaded its enemies at all (except a few Pacific Islands and Ceuta). I believe this is a known problem.
* There is a bug whereby I can't enter Kagali (the Italian-controlled province West of Lake Victoria). I've saved the game and will report it in the bug forum if isn't fixed in 1.01.
* Why did Germany not finish off the Soviet Union? After driving all the way to Lake Baikal, they just stood there doing nothing for about 4 years, even though only 1 division was facing their vast army (and I've checked, they are still at war).
* The game seems to "forget" about events until you reload the game. This happened with both "Material support for Spanish civil war" and "Indian independence" - they happened as I loaded the game, even though the game was paused. I'll report this as well if it isn't a known issue or fixed in 1.01.
* No alliance was completely defeated (although the Commies were on their last legs) and the game ended at the end of 1947
* Communist China won the Chinese civil war. Convincingly. They annexed the Nationalists on the 15th of November, 1938, 8 days after Japan declared war on Communist China. Communist China was annexed by Japan on the 10th May, 1939
* World War II began on the 2nd of November, 1938, when France declared war on Germany. The whole Vichy thing happened to France on the 29th of December of the same year, after Germany invaded through the low countries
* Technically, the Spanish civil war was never resolved. The Communists drove the Nationalists off mainland Spain, and things stayed that way until the end (except for Ceuta, which was occupied by America shortly after they entered the war on April 5th, 1939, and became an important Mediterranean base for South African and American ships)
* Japan declared war on the Allies on New Year's Day, 1941, but didn't join the Axis.. The only significant thing that happened in the Pacific theatre the whole game was that the UK launched a promising invasion of China, taking a large portion of the country, only for India to declare independence on June 1st, 1946, cutting off all the British forces in China, which were subsequently routed by the Japs. The upshot: Japan retained its Chinese holdings, as well as some Malaysian and Pacific territories, until the end of the game.
* On March 10th, 1941, Germany landed 3 divisions in Portsmouth, which stayed there for several months, but could not launch an offensive due to constant bombing. They were eventually driven back into the sea.
* On January 3rd, 1942, the Soviet Union (having annexed the Baltic states and Finland) declared war on the Axis. Bad idea. By the end of the game, Germany had established a front line in Siberia: Norilsk-Bajkut-Bratsk-Irkutsk (although their offensive had inexplicably stalled there for years). In other words: the Soviets were finished.
* Amazingly, throughout the whole game, Poland survived, maintaining its neutrality throughout (they obviously handed over Danzing).. Germany invaded the Soviet Union through Memel.
* All Nordic states (including Denmark) and Latin American states remained neutral throughout the war
* Although Republican Spain is at war with Germany, very little has happened on their border at Bilbao-Bayonne. Germany has taken Bilbao about 3 times, only to be repulsed.
* Italy initally conquered almost all of British and French Africa, except for Botswana and half of Rhodesia.
* I, as South Africa (after discovering the workings of the reinforcement button and the constraints of low infrastructure), launched a counter-attack against these Italian holdings. There was one Italian division in the whole of Africa, which I succeeded in cutting off in the Sahara desert (heh - what a way to go). I liberated many famous cities, like Cairo, Alexandria, Benghazi, Tripoli, and Tunis, eventually retaking all of British and French Africa and occupying the Italian colonies, with 3 infantry and 1 cavalry divisions. Strangely, the Italians never took Matruh, Sidi Barrani, Jerusalem, Amman, or French Syria, even though all were undefended and there for the taking.
* South Africa starts with 2 infantry divisions. By the end of the game, I had expanded the army to 4 infantry divisions, 2 cavalry divisions, 2 fighter squadrons, 2 divebomber squadrons, 4 submarine flotillas (2 are class II, 2 are coastal), and 2 destroyer flotillas
* I have deployed 1 infantry division, 1 cavalry division, 1 fighter squadron, 1 divebomber squadron, 1 submarine flotilla, and 1 destroyer flotilla in Durban to defend the homeland. The rest of the land and air forces are located in Tunis for an eventual invasion of Italy (if I had gotten any transports). The other subs and destroyers are in the Mediterranean (1 sub flotilla and 1 destroyer flotilla are around Gibraltar, where no Axis ship has entered or left the Med for several years, while 2 sub flotillas are blockading Rome and Cagliari - the Italian navy has long since ceased to exist. Meanwhile, I have bombed the garrisons in Malta and Cyprus into oblivion, but I can't take those islands because I have no transports.
* Our economy collapsed around the middle of the game due to resource shortages, and has been running at about half its capacity ever since. There is nothing I can do about this, since I can't invade overseas without transports, I am already trading all my excesses for resources I need, and all the African territory I captured went to Britain or France.
---
* At the end of the game, the alliances were as follows:
Axis: Germany, Italy, Nationalist Spain, Slovakia, Hungary
Allies: United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Belgium, Holland, USA
Commies: Soviet Union, Mongolia, Republican Spain
* Technically, tha Axis won on VPs.
* The largest army in the world is the USA, with 394 divisions (89 infantry, 1 cavalry, 150 motorized, 47 mechanized, 45 armoured, 62 marine). Germany is second with 293 divisions, while Brazil (!!!) is third with 77. Canada is 4th with 48. Japan is 5th with 43. The UK is 15th with just 20 divisions. The Soviet Union have a measly 1 infantry division left.
* The USA also has the largest navy (10 battleships, 24 cruisers, 60 destroyer groups, 21 carriers, and 61 transports). Germany is 2nd with 160 (including 112 submarine flotillas). 3rd is Japan with 40, then the Soviets, with 25, followed by Brazil with 23. The UK is 6th with 22 capital ships and flotillas.
* The largest airforce also belongs to the USA, with 156 squadrons (83 fighter, 60 strategic bomber, 4 tactical bomber, 1 divebomber, 4 naval bomber, 4 transport).. In a close 2nd is Germany, with 154 squadrons, followed by Japan (38), UK (26), and Brazil (24).
Comments, suggestions, and questions
* How about a "share tech with all allies" button. I always ahare all my tech with all my allies (why would you want to keep it a secret - it's not like they regularly desert you like in EU2)
* Staging coups is a bit unrealistic. As South Africa, I managed to stage three coups: Portugal on the 1st of March 1937, Saudi Arabia on the 1st of November 1937, and Bulgaria on the 1st of August 1942. How many nations staged coups in other nations in the time period? I think the whole coup function should be removed.
* The USA has huge forces, yet has not invaded its enemies at all (except a few Pacific Islands and Ceuta). I believe this is a known problem.
* There is a bug whereby I can't enter Kagali (the Italian-controlled province West of Lake Victoria). I've saved the game and will report it in the bug forum if isn't fixed in 1.01.
* Why did Germany not finish off the Soviet Union? After driving all the way to Lake Baikal, they just stood there doing nothing for about 4 years, even though only 1 division was facing their vast army (and I've checked, they are still at war).
* The game seems to "forget" about events until you reload the game. This happened with both "Material support for Spanish civil war" and "Indian independence" - they happened as I loaded the game, even though the game was paused. I'll report this as well if it isn't a known issue or fixed in 1.01.
