Presenting Making the Trains Run on Time, a short AAR, that is also semi-realistic! (semi being a key-word here.)
This AAR was mainly started because I felt I need a break from my other AAR, and I needed something new to work with. Mussolini and Italy was so obvious, I just couldn't help myself.
I can't promise that many updates, or even that long a game, but you'll see why.
______________________________
Mussolini felt a cold grip on his head. He looked up, and before him he saw the most beautiful thing he had ever witnessed in his life. Trains everywhere, not late, nor early, but exactly on time. He quickly got on his feet and entered one, the insides were, if a bit dull, sturdy and quite fascist. Just what Mussolini liked the most.
He continued to stroll around the train, before it suddenly started rolling along the tracks. As he looked outside, he saw a border post with a large sign above it. "Yugoslavia" it read with big letters, but strangely enough, they were flying Italian flags. Shrugging it off, Mussolini soon found himself at yet another border post, this time it said "Egypt", but still the Italian flags remained.
A sudden feeling dizziness overwhelmed him, followed by a loud ringing noise that assaulted his ears.
Soon after, he found himself in his bed.
He knew what he had just witnesses meant something, a way for Italy to reach the glory it once enjoyed.
Mussolini started yelling: "EMMANUELE!" and soon the king stood before him.
He continued: "I know how to secure our future as a strong nation and world power!"
The king looked at the fascist leader in his kingly bed. "How?"
"Trains Emmanuele, trains!"
The king sighed, then left the room.
The Italian Kingdom was a major European power in 1936. Ruled by Benito Mussolini, with Vittorio Emmanuele III serving as a powerless figurehead, the Italian state was a highly authoritarian state.
Controlling not only the Italian mainland, but also Libya, Somalia and Eritrea, while being in a state of war with the independent African state of Ethiopia, there was much hope for a brighter future with a vast colonial empire and a reborn Roman empire.
It was here, in this very year, that the Italians hoped to start a trend of victories, ending with the conquest of the world.
Rome, 1st January 1936
-General Staff Meeting-
Mussolini had called for a meeting with his military staff, in order to agree on a common strategy for the future of the country. Influential people like Grazioli, Pariani, Graziani and Balbo were all present, each pushing forward their own idea for the future.
"Obviously, a doctrine of Superior Firepower would serve our country's interests best!"
"Human Wave is the only viable option for Italy on the road to domination!"
"We should adopt the German Blitzkrieg instead. We could call it... Rapido Guerra!"
"That's stupid... A traditional Grand Battle Plan is what we need."
Mussolini interrupted the generals.
"Gentlemen please. Don't you see, you are all wrong!"
The generals looked at their leader confused.
"Italians shouldn't follow the ideas of others, no, we will fight like real Italians! Abandon all official doctrines at once!"
"B-but sir!" stammered one of the generals.
"AT ONCE!" continued Mussolini steadfastly.
"Now then... Admirals." Mussolini turned towards three admirals, who had overheard the conversation.
One immediately fell to his knees and begged Mussolini.
"Please, don't abandon our doctrines! We need them, plea-"
"Oh you silly little man." Interrupted Mussolini. "Guards, remove this man from my sight."
The crying admiral was dragged from the room.
"Any questions?" continued Mussolini. There was a dead silence between the rest of the admirals.
Finally, Giuseppe Valle, the chief of the air force stood nervously by himself.
"And I hope you already know what to do my dear Giuseppe?"
"Of course Mussolini. Of course." The chief left the room in a hurry.
"Good... That will be all for now gentlemen!"
"But Mussolini, aren't you forgetting our war in Ethiopia?" asked Balbo, much to the annoyance of Mussolini.
"Yes... Of course. Have you drawn up a plan?"
The general pulled out a map. "Yes I, or in fact, we have." The rest of the generals joined Balbo.
"We believe if we create several encirclements, with Addis Ababa staying as the primary goal of the conflict, we will be able to succeed without much trouble. You can see exactly how it will work and how we expect the Ethiopians to react here."
Balbo placed the map in front of Mussolini who studied it briefly.
"I don't like it." answered Mussolini coldy.
"What do you mean you don't like it?"
"Well it's stupid. Let me show you how it's done."
Mussolini pulled out a map of his own and quickly assembled a battle plan.
"Here."
The generals looked at the map with clear horror in their faces.
"I'm not sure this will work." said Graziani.
"OF COURSE IT WILL, IT IS BRILLIANT!"
"Look Mussolini, you can't just walk through British lands, it doesn't work like that." continued Pariani.
"Oh yeah?"
-Fast forward 2 months, 6th march 1936-
"God damn it..."
In the next episode of Making the Trains Run on Time, will Mussolini be able to live out his dream of getting the trains to run on time? Will that ever happen anywhere else than in Japan? Will this AAR turn out to be anything but a horrible piece of work by a lazy Dane? Who knows.
This AAR was mainly started because I felt I need a break from my other AAR, and I needed something new to work with. Mussolini and Italy was so obvious, I just couldn't help myself.
I can't promise that many updates, or even that long a game, but you'll see why.
______________________________
Mussolini felt a cold grip on his head. He looked up, and before him he saw the most beautiful thing he had ever witnessed in his life. Trains everywhere, not late, nor early, but exactly on time. He quickly got on his feet and entered one, the insides were, if a bit dull, sturdy and quite fascist. Just what Mussolini liked the most.
He continued to stroll around the train, before it suddenly started rolling along the tracks. As he looked outside, he saw a border post with a large sign above it. "Yugoslavia" it read with big letters, but strangely enough, they were flying Italian flags. Shrugging it off, Mussolini soon found himself at yet another border post, this time it said "Egypt", but still the Italian flags remained.
A sudden feeling dizziness overwhelmed him, followed by a loud ringing noise that assaulted his ears.
Soon after, he found himself in his bed.
He knew what he had just witnesses meant something, a way for Italy to reach the glory it once enjoyed.
Mussolini started yelling: "EMMANUELE!" and soon the king stood before him.
He continued: "I know how to secure our future as a strong nation and world power!"
The king looked at the fascist leader in his kingly bed. "How?"
"Trains Emmanuele, trains!"
The king sighed, then left the room.
The Italian Kingdom was a major European power in 1936. Ruled by Benito Mussolini, with Vittorio Emmanuele III serving as a powerless figurehead, the Italian state was a highly authoritarian state.
Controlling not only the Italian mainland, but also Libya, Somalia and Eritrea, while being in a state of war with the independent African state of Ethiopia, there was much hope for a brighter future with a vast colonial empire and a reborn Roman empire.
It was here, in this very year, that the Italians hoped to start a trend of victories, ending with the conquest of the world.
Rome, 1st January 1936
-General Staff Meeting-
Mussolini had called for a meeting with his military staff, in order to agree on a common strategy for the future of the country. Influential people like Grazioli, Pariani, Graziani and Balbo were all present, each pushing forward their own idea for the future.
"Obviously, a doctrine of Superior Firepower would serve our country's interests best!"
"Human Wave is the only viable option for Italy on the road to domination!"
"We should adopt the German Blitzkrieg instead. We could call it... Rapido Guerra!"
"That's stupid... A traditional Grand Battle Plan is what we need."
Mussolini interrupted the generals.
"Gentlemen please. Don't you see, you are all wrong!"
The generals looked at their leader confused.
"Italians shouldn't follow the ideas of others, no, we will fight like real Italians! Abandon all official doctrines at once!"
"B-but sir!" stammered one of the generals.
"AT ONCE!" continued Mussolini steadfastly.
"Now then... Admirals." Mussolini turned towards three admirals, who had overheard the conversation.
One immediately fell to his knees and begged Mussolini.
"Please, don't abandon our doctrines! We need them, plea-"
"Oh you silly little man." Interrupted Mussolini. "Guards, remove this man from my sight."
The crying admiral was dragged from the room.
"Any questions?" continued Mussolini. There was a dead silence between the rest of the admirals.
Finally, Giuseppe Valle, the chief of the air force stood nervously by himself.
"And I hope you already know what to do my dear Giuseppe?"
"Of course Mussolini. Of course." The chief left the room in a hurry.
"Good... That will be all for now gentlemen!"
"But Mussolini, aren't you forgetting our war in Ethiopia?" asked Balbo, much to the annoyance of Mussolini.
"Yes... Of course. Have you drawn up a plan?"
The general pulled out a map. "Yes I, or in fact, we have." The rest of the generals joined Balbo.
"We believe if we create several encirclements, with Addis Ababa staying as the primary goal of the conflict, we will be able to succeed without much trouble. You can see exactly how it will work and how we expect the Ethiopians to react here."
Balbo placed the map in front of Mussolini who studied it briefly.
"I don't like it." answered Mussolini coldy.
"What do you mean you don't like it?"
"Well it's stupid. Let me show you how it's done."
Mussolini pulled out a map of his own and quickly assembled a battle plan.
"Here."
The generals looked at the map with clear horror in their faces.
"I'm not sure this will work." said Graziani.
"OF COURSE IT WILL, IT IS BRILLIANT!"
"Look Mussolini, you can't just walk through British lands, it doesn't work like that." continued Pariani.
"Oh yeah?"
-Fast forward 2 months, 6th march 1936-
"God damn it..."
In the next episode of Making the Trains Run on Time, will Mussolini be able to live out his dream of getting the trains to run on time? Will that ever happen anywhere else than in Japan? Will this AAR turn out to be anything but a horrible piece of work by a lazy Dane? Who knows.
