OK, first time playing HOI. I finally bought it..
After a few hours to fmiliarize with the system, I started my first Grand Campaign...
First game : Italy. 1936.
difficulty and SI agressivness average.
I promise, next time I will actually write nicely and add maps, once I figurer out how to do it.
To summarize.
1936: Ethipia crushed fast from the South.
Research of technology for Infantry, build up supplies depots in North Africa, massive trade of steel and coal for rubber and Oil. Get convoys to brng resources from the Dodecanese and Eritrea to Italy. Upgrade of industries in all "Mainland" provinces.
no build up of armies, except for a few long term ships (2x CVs and a few destroyers)
1937: hmm, I kind of get into dislike of Germany and all of this involvement in Spain. Italy withdraws from Alliance with Germany. Italy does not need puny Germany to rule the world!!
Continue to research infantry and production techniques and some tank techniques.
No army build ups but more developments on mainland regions's industries. some diplomacy with Portugal, etc.
1938: time to build up the Regia Aeronautica. Dive Bombers, Fighters and Tactical bombers developed. More industiral build up.
Add four Battlships, 2 cruisers, destroyers and transports up.
Increasse industry.
1939: In the Spring, Germany is at War and seems to defeat first France, then Poland. Go figure.
Italy plays quiet and watches while Vichy France is installed.
As the research on Armour is finally done, and that my air force is ready, I create a few more armoured divisions (7 in total) with some more Cavalry forces.
AHHH ! my supplies in Lybia dry out and my forces there are disbanded !!!
1940: November. Vichy France's Nationalism is on my nerves. Only one obnoxious fascist dictatorship can exist on the mediterranean (not counting the Greeks...). I declare War on Vichy, that seems to be Neutral. Strangely Germany does not react, perhaps is that because it is bogged down in Russia?
My Legions of Alpini, take grenoble, defended by a french armoured division. While my Light (I guess) Tank Army supported by Motorized and Cavalry are unleashed and quickly occupy all of Vichy France. Some cavalry goes berserk and alone occupies all of Africa. Yeahh
1941: Italian Cavalry units land in Dakar, while another goes through the Sahara to occupy Vichy central Africa.
1942: wow, Germany seems to be on the Urals... Itlay stays quiet. We even suggest to share research with the USA and Britain. After all we are a "nice" Fascist, not like our Northern Neighbours.
1943-1944: tehcnology research.
1945: Italian Invasion and Annexation of Yugoslavia.
I then stop the game.
My thought on HOI:
it is an improoved Allies & Axis. fun, but quite irrealistic and limited in its ability to use diplomacy and alliances. But I need to playmore to really know if my statement holds playtime.
I prefer EU2 though. But impressive job of the development team...
After a few hours to fmiliarize with the system, I started my first Grand Campaign...
First game : Italy. 1936.
difficulty and SI agressivness average.
I promise, next time I will actually write nicely and add maps, once I figurer out how to do it.
To summarize.
1936: Ethipia crushed fast from the South.
Research of technology for Infantry, build up supplies depots in North Africa, massive trade of steel and coal for rubber and Oil. Get convoys to brng resources from the Dodecanese and Eritrea to Italy. Upgrade of industries in all "Mainland" provinces.
no build up of armies, except for a few long term ships (2x CVs and a few destroyers)
1937: hmm, I kind of get into dislike of Germany and all of this involvement in Spain. Italy withdraws from Alliance with Germany. Italy does not need puny Germany to rule the world!!
Continue to research infantry and production techniques and some tank techniques.
No army build ups but more developments on mainland regions's industries. some diplomacy with Portugal, etc.
1938: time to build up the Regia Aeronautica. Dive Bombers, Fighters and Tactical bombers developed. More industiral build up.
Add four Battlships, 2 cruisers, destroyers and transports up.
Increasse industry.
1939: In the Spring, Germany is at War and seems to defeat first France, then Poland. Go figure.
Italy plays quiet and watches while Vichy France is installed.
As the research on Armour is finally done, and that my air force is ready, I create a few more armoured divisions (7 in total) with some more Cavalry forces.
AHHH ! my supplies in Lybia dry out and my forces there are disbanded !!!
1940: November. Vichy France's Nationalism is on my nerves. Only one obnoxious fascist dictatorship can exist on the mediterranean (not counting the Greeks...). I declare War on Vichy, that seems to be Neutral. Strangely Germany does not react, perhaps is that because it is bogged down in Russia?
My Legions of Alpini, take grenoble, defended by a french armoured division. While my Light (I guess) Tank Army supported by Motorized and Cavalry are unleashed and quickly occupy all of Vichy France. Some cavalry goes berserk and alone occupies all of Africa. Yeahh
1941: Italian Cavalry units land in Dakar, while another goes through the Sahara to occupy Vichy central Africa.
1942: wow, Germany seems to be on the Urals... Itlay stays quiet. We even suggest to share research with the USA and Britain. After all we are a "nice" Fascist, not like our Northern Neighbours.
1943-1944: tehcnology research.
1945: Italian Invasion and Annexation of Yugoslavia.
I then stop the game.
My thought on HOI:
it is an improoved Allies & Axis. fun, but quite irrealistic and limited in its ability to use diplomacy and alliances. But I need to playmore to really know if my statement holds playtime.
I prefer EU2 though. But impressive job of the development team...