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...wait. Convoy capacity? To transport units?? You're telling me the HoI4 devs saw what the CK team was doing with "navies", where if an army walks into a sea tile they automatically build boats thus ensuring the player never has to be bothered about such a horrible thing themselves...and thought this was a good idea for gameplay?!?
Yes, bascially. You have to clear the water tiles so it's safe to cross (or dont and risk a whole bunch of shit happening), and build enough convoy units to carry troops, but yes, these convoys can teleport anywhere and just appear when troops are being moved.
It's still nowhere near as bad as CK3 though. Not even CK2 levels (where boats exist separately and have to be raised and moved but are just for transport. No other naval mechanics).
...mmm. Yes and no. He was instrumental in the Nazi war effort and certainly didn't seem to mind fighting for them, but once in Africa, tended to do things his own way and ignore any absurdly evil orders like shooting all prisoners etc.
What he would have done had he been on the Eastern front with everyone else (all of whom committed war crimes)...Well. seems fairly obvious.
A lot of allied Commanders fought Rommel personally so there was a good reason for them all to lionise him (esepxially as he was convinetily dead).
When he became head of the german command in France, he was...if not involved in various plots to assassinate Hitler and dethrone the nazis, knew about them and didn't do anything about it.
However, these plots were all in aid of starting a miltiary dictatorship that would continue the war in the east and end the war with the Allies. That is to say, keep doing all the really evil nazi stuff out east, just not with Hitler or war with the Allies.
So...a LITTLE bit better, but not much.
I'd say Rommel would 'appear' to genuinely be the best of a bad bunch in the german high command, but that's not saying much. He could have been much worse, I guess.
I think now is going to be an interesting balancing act of keeping force at home in case Russia gets frisky, whilst maintaining a suitable expeditionary force to be able to be decisive in some of the other fronts (as the human player oftentimes is).
Of course, helping clear up Libya Iraq and Iran expeditiously may also mean more Allied help of the beat comes knocking.
In the responses, I've let the Rommel discussion stand for itself. Like Canaris perhaps, as well as the July 1944 plotters, they stand up well compared the abject nutters, bastards, demons, idiots and war criminals they were surrounded and associated with. A low bar, but there you go.
"Błyskawiczna", but you were close Although I think many Poles would be more familar with German "Blitzkrieg" which means the same thing, but sounds more "catchy" and it's much shorter ^^
It looks like the British are low on organisation and probably struggling with supply, and the Italians are short of a lot of equipment. This may end in stalemate...
I did think that was quite well done. At that stage they'd been bogged down there for a while. And they should be suffering supply difficulties, which I've seen HOI3 do quite well in North Africa as well when its AI v AI, the campaign swinging back and forth rather like it did in OTL.
Predictable, I suppose. It seems faction surrender requires the Imperial Kwantung Territories to surrender and there's not much chance of that happening at the moment. Would that be Puyi's Manchuria?
I am glad the crossing was completed safely, because the Italians do have some navy left if that intelligence report is anything like accurate. Now you're in Libya, I fear there's not going be enough supply for everybody, especially now the British have landed more forces.
It was a bit of a nail-biter. The risk and likely supply issues was why I only sent the four divisions - remembering when they set off the British hadn't even started their daring Benghazi landing and Operation Compass was bogged down. Though if because of supply rather than AI torpor, I guess the extra Polish divisions could could make it worse. Still, I here to learn the game, so this is another way of doing it.
Any idea why it says the efficiency of the lend-lease convoys is so low? I don't think it can be explained by lack of shipping or Italian convoy raiding.
This being Paradox, I can only presume that a 50% loss of equipment reduces divisional fighting capability to a horrifyingly low, uh, 90% or so? Yes, this sounds historically accurate...
Probably not. I anticipate him living up to the artificially-intellectual principles of perhaps a couple of naval invasions of unimportant islands, sinking half the Imperial Japanese Navy, and demanding complete world domination at the peace conference after sitting on his rear doing frell-all for a few years.
...wait. Convoy capacity? To transport units?? You're telling me the HoI4 devs saw what the CK team was doing with "navies", where if an army walks into a sea tile they automatically build boats thus ensuring the player never has to be bothered about such a horrible thing themselves...and thought this was a good idea for gameplay?!?
No one tell El Pip he might actually blow a vessel this time.
Answered below, I think. I thought the mechanic wasn't too bad, actually. And the transports are represented in any battle if intercepted and can be sunk if attacked. Ferrying those four divisions across required 24 of my then around 38 convoys, taking away trade and lend-lease transport capacity during their use.
Thanks for the tip! You will see in the next update I was diverted by other concerns, at least for now, but will welcome your advice on that situation (no spoiler for now) when it comes up.
Thanks. And the equipment/replacement side is as I would expect. Does that require convoys and is it an automated thing, or do you have to assign them (somehow)?
If @Bullfilter is playing on the latest patch he sould be able to build supply hubs, ports, etc. in allied lands to increase the supply. Though maybe that's a DLC feature (no idea)?
Not sure, I'd have to check. Re DLC, it's only Man the Boats, iirc. Bt separate patches are automated, so I'll have to look. I know I can build supply hubs (though I haven't yet), but haven't looked yet to see if that is possible in Allied territory.
Nice to see mainland Italy fall, although I wasn't expecting Free Italy to form in Africa! I'm guessing they'll fall apart due to eventual equipment shortages, but they're certainly making it as annoying as possible to take them out! It's a good thing Poland is going to help, maybe it'll actually be won in the near future.
Yes, bascially. You have to clear the water tiles so it's safe to cross (or dont and risk a whole bunch of shit happening), and build enough convoy units to carry troops, but yes, these convoys can teleport anywhere and just appear when troops are being moved.
Yes, in that sense it's not as specific or hands-on as the troop transport units in HOI3. But moving four divisions in the Med took around two thirds of my entire transport capacity.
I think now is going to be an interesting balancing act of keeping force at home in case Russia gets frisky, whilst maintaining a suitable expeditionary force to be able to be decisive in some of the other fronts (as the human player oftentimes is).
Of course, helping clear up Libya Iraq and Iran expeditiously may also mean more Allied help of the beat comes knocking.
Hope we can help the British take it before French North Africa is overrun!
More on the force balance issue in the coming chapter - a well made point, I think, including re the difference human player intervention (in enough force) can make on AI v AI campaigns.
I did have that in mind re Libya and Iraq, but wanted to see Italy fully wiped out in Libya first, if possible.
To All: thanks so much for the comments! I'll be writing up the next chapter soon. It was played through and the images edited at the same time as 1-15 Feb (the month was played through as a single session, but was a bit too busy to fit into one concise chapter of the length I'm aiming for), so shouldn't take too long. Whatever happens, fast or slow, I just write up to the required length and pick the best point I can to conclude each chapter.
Thanks. And the equipment/replacement side is as I would expect. Does that require convoys and is it an automated thing, or do you have to assign them (somehow)?
If there's an uninterupted (you, allies, puppets, etc.) land connection from your capital to wherever the forntline is then the replacements are transported along railroads automatically. But, like in this case, if your front is across a sea/ocean, you need convoys to do it. You don't have to assign the convoys, they just do it themselves.
If there's an uninterupted (you, allies, puppets, etc.) land connection from your capital to wherever the forntline is then the replacements are transported along railroads automatically. But, like in this case, if your front is across a sea/ocean, you need convoys to do it. You don't have to assign the convoys, they just do it themselves.
Chapter Eleven – What Lies Beneath? (15-28 February 1941)
Up periscope!
=======
15-24 February 1941 – Up Periscope!
By the morning of 15 February, the recently landed Polish Africa Corps (Korpus Polski Afrykańskiej – KPA) was on its way to the front and would aim to work up to full organisation along the way. Then British were still battling away to cut off an Italian armoured division north of Benghazi while attacking from that port to the south.
The KPA was currently in mountain terrain and would be for a time yet, meaning attrition was running high.
The following morning, as the French position in Algeria was collapsing, the decision was made to send another convoy of four divisions to Africa – this time a far riskier route that would take it past Italian occupied territory. There was considerable misgiving about the risk being run, but there was nothing currently stopping the Italians from running rampant through Algeria, all the way to Morocco.
At the end of 18 February, supply alerts were received about not from Africa, but for units back in the homeland, especially up on the north-east frontier, but also across the border. It seems the rail system was not as robust as had been thought.
If it could not support the divisions currently there, how could it properly support future defensive operation, with higher supply consumption by more units? A study of the current supply state and rail network (some examples shown below) seemed to be indicating that a large-scale upgrade of the rail network in the east was required.
As a result, current factory construction was put on the back-burner and a comprehensive series of rail improvements cancelled. But had this situation been read properly? Would more supply hubs be better as well or instead of some of these rail upgrades? Though if the current ones seemed to be almost empty, would constructing more of them do any good? [I really don’t know how to read this stuff accurately yet. The mouse-overs seemed to be highlighting rail bottlenecks that needed fixing, but if I’ve overdone it I can cancel some of the forward plans for them.]
On 18 February the German troops fighting in North Africa officially received the name Afrika Korps (Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK).
In the Mediterranean, at midday on 19 February the dreaded call came out from a sentry on one of the unescorted Polish troop ships: “Zauważono peryskop!" (periscope sighted). It emerged that a wolf-pack of 13 Italian subs had discovered the exposed transports. The convoy immediately attempted to disengage, but that would take some time. There was trouble ahead for the Western Force of the KPA!
Two hours later, a Royal Navy destroyer group radioed that it was on its way – but remained a harrowing 73 hours steaming time distant. The Polish transports were on their own.
A day later and one of the Polish transports had been sent to the bottom as the slow disengagement progressed as the surviving ships took on increasing damage.
By midday on the 21st another transport had been sunk as the damage mounted, as three of the Polish divisions approached Algiers. What had happened to the fourth division? Had it already been destroyed?
By 0400hr on 22 February, three Polish transports had been destroyed in the Battle of Palma de Mallorca. But in the mini-plot of the battle (inset) there seemed to be another Polish unit obscured by those for the Italian and Allied ships also in the area …
In any case, the ships transporting the three divisions still hadn’t actually fully disengaged by the time they limped into port that evening. But the three divisions aboard had not suffered enormous damage, 6 DP’s situation being illustrated as an example.
… and that icon spotted in the background was identified as the fourth Polish division which [due I think to one of those illogical one click doesn’t get them all interface issues] seemed to be stranded or slowed down on its way to Algiers. The division was down to only 32% strength but still alive.
By very early on 23 February the Italian subs now sought to disengage as Allied destroyers and subs closed in on them. The battle report eventually received on the morning of 25 February showed a total of six Polish convoys had been sunk in the almost-disastrous crossing, with the total fleet down to 34 [after some recent builds which had started to flow through the production pipeline to offset some of the losses – I think]. In the end, 10 DP escaped disengaging and heading north to the safe port of French-occupied Cagliari.
The three divisions that had arrived in Algiers had barely begun to recover organisation by the time the fast-moving Italians arrived and launched a probe on Algiers on the morning of the 23rd.
It was easily brushed off two days later, but the risk of encirclement from advances in the south caused an order for a general withdrawal to be made to the French port of Oran.
At that point, it was decided that no more such convoy risks would be taken. The ten Polish divisions remaining in southern Italy boarded trains and we heading back to Poland by 1100hr on the 23rd.
=======
25-28 February 1941 – Any Port in a Storm
Early on the 25th, before 10 DP had reached the safety of Cagliari, another naval battle broke out in Palma de Mallorca. This time it was a German troop convoy, also apparently without a direct escort, with French and British ships in the area but still not joined in the battle against the same Italian sub wolfpack that had attacked the Poles. The Germans had lost one convoy already, with another four attempting to disengage.
Two days later and the German division was trying to land in Algiers – which had since been occupied by the Italians, as the Poles neared Oran, where they hoped to set up a defence of the port before the Italians closed up with them. If the Germans, who were unsurprisingly losing, could hold the Italians up a bit, that would at least be a little useful.
It wasn’t until midnight on the 27th that 10 DP reached the safety of port, with only 28% of their strength remaining and some chronic equipment shortages. At that time, the shipyards in Danzig were producing one new convoy per week.
By the evening of 28 February, KPA West had reached the outskirts of Oran, having recovered some organisation along the way. 6 DP would entrench in front of Oran, while 18 DP would dig in at Oran itself and 17 DP to the south.
The Italians were already approaching, but it was hoped they might be affected by supply and equipment problems the further they extended their advance. The plan was to hold on while the British and KPA East drove into Libya itself.
Last thing on the 28th, it was decided to get 10 DP back home, via southern France, as soon as possible to continue its recovery. It was hoped that after an initial hazard, the rest of the journey would be relatively safe. Only time will tell if this was wise or foolhardy.
=======
Monthly Updates on the War
In North Africa, the British had consolidated their hold on Benghazi and continued their advance along the coast. KPA-E [Anglicised compass designations used, for ease of understanding] had closed up to just behind the front line and was now ready to ‘put a bit of stick about’ if needed to maintain the momentum.
Many hundreds of kilometres to the West, as we have seen KPA-W was trying to make a stand at Oran, the last French port on the Mediterranean coast.
The British and French seemed to be pushing the Iranians back slowly but steadily, though the Allies seemed to be having trouble despatching the Iraqis, who now had their capital in the north, as Mosul.
The general situation in China remained perilous for the Allies as Nationalists headed closer towards surrender, principally due to the Japanese invasion from the east. But the overall war was still – perhaps rather optimistically – assessed by pundits to be going in favour of the Allies.
Forces of Imperial Kwantung, supplied out of the territory of the allies the Guangxi Clique, had conquered most of northern Vietnam, with the French in retreat in the south and caught in an apparent pocket along the border with Thailand and Burma.
And against all expectations, the Chinese Pocket still fought on desperately, despite the attrition and supply shortages they endured. It seemed at least five German and one French division fought alongside around eight or nine from their Nationalist comrades against both the Fascist and Communist forces surrounding them.
To the south, the main front in China was narrow and precarious, under threat from the Fascist Asian League from the south and the Communist Japanese from the north. The Nationalists had almost been cut into two parts in the centre of the front.
It seemed a large part of the German Army in particular had been committed to this campaign and was clearly in some danger of isolation and destruction. Which could be a severe strategic blow for the Allies if war came to Europe at the hand of the still suspiciously dormant Trotsky.
In the north-west of that main line, another Asian League incursion had been made west of Changde as the Communists also bore down from the north in that sector too. Most of the Allied forces in this sector were Nationalist divisions, again with the Germans in some numbers.
I'll be writing up the next chapter soon. It was played through and the images edited at the same time as 1-15 Feb (the month was played through as a single session, but was a bit too busy to fit into one concise chapter of the length I'm aiming for), so shouldn't take too long.
The following morning, as the French position in Algeria was collapsing, the decision was made to send another convoy of four divisions to Africa – this time a far riskier route that would take it past Italian occupied territory. There was considerable misgiving about the risk being run, but there was nothing currently stopping the Italians from running rampant through Algeria, all the way to Morocco.
A day later and one of the Polish transports had been sent to the bottom as the slow disengagement progressed as the surviving ships took on increasing damage.
I realize here that one of the admittedly positive things about this convoy == transport nonsense is that you can't cheese it by running 2x as many transports as you need so that you don't lose any troops if a few get sunk on the way over. Admittedly that is more realistic as requisitioning extra transports as empty decoys was not exactly done. At least, not for an actual landing operation, for providing false intelligence of course the operational budget was considerably more flexible.
By the evening of 28 February, KPA West had reached the outskirts of Oran, having recovered some organisation along the way. 6 DP would entrench in front of Oran, while 18 DP would dig in at Oran itself and 17 DP to the south.
The following morning, as the French position in Algeria was collapsing, the decision was made to send another convoy of four divisions to Africa – this time a far riskier route that would take it past Italian occupied territory.
If it could not support the divisions currently there, how could it properly support future defensive operation, with higher supply consumption by more units? A study of the current supply state and rail network (some examples shown below) seemed to be indicating that a large-scale upgrade of the rail network in the east was required.
[I really don’t know how to read this stuff accurately yet. The mouse-overs seemed to be highlighting rail bottlenecks that needed fixing, but if I’ve overdone it I can cancel some of the forward plans for them.]
I'm also still learning the supply system, but I think I can give you some tips:
Upgrading the rails just increases the speed at which supply trains can get to the frontline (I think?). To actually increase supply capacity you need to upgrade the infrastructure or build supply hubs.
You can also increase the range of supply hubs by clicking the "Motorize supply" button on your Generals or Field Marshals. It requires enough trucks/trains to function, but is worth it if you're having problems with supply. It has three levels: horses, some motorization, max motorization. Subsequent levels requiring more, but giving more supply.
Also you can do this individually for every General, but it is much faster if you do this via Field Marshal.
(Example screenshots of Motorizing supply below)
Button location:
The Field Marshal doing this for the whole army (not just individual Generals, which can be useful if you don't have enough trucks/are only fighting on one front):
Early on the 25th, before 10 DP had reached the safety of Cagliari, another naval battle broke out in Palma de Mallorca. This time it was a German troop convoy, also apparently without a direct escort,
The Italians were already approaching, but it was hoped they might be affected by supply and equipment problems the further they extended their advance. The plan was to hold on while the British and KPA East drove into Libya itself.
Forces of Imperial Kwantung, supplied out of the territory of the allies the Guangxi Clique, had conquered most of northern Vietnam, with the French in retreat in the south and caught in an apparent pocket along the border with Thailand and Burma.
It seemed a large part of the German Army in particular had been committed to this campaign and was clearly in some danger isolation and destruction. Which could be a severe strategic blow for the Allies if war came to Europe at the hand of the still suspiciously dormant Trotsky.
Is there not a link between convoys and units? When the convoy sinks, the unit should go to the bottom of the Med, not swim 100 miles to shore (unless Aqua Man is commanding). How many units does France have guarding French Polynesia (vital to senior leadership vacation plans)? Four reasons for Poland to care about France: Champagne, croissants, Marie Curie and Marquis de Choisy. Thank you for the update.
Now, to be fair, an episode may cover two days, two weeks, two months or more, depending on what happens and what I want to illustrate/ask questions about. The first session was a long one, through to January 1941. This last one covered a month, because I didn't want to make it too short, but had some 'real-time' questions I wanted to ask. The undertaking is to deliver chapters of roughly the same standard length (measured by Word Doc pages), at which point I'll stop and go with that. I mention the session to chapter ratio just so people know whether we're back in real time for the game or not.
Nor I, really! I was hoping someone might. Mind you, 30% attrition seems pretty high, and when I've looked at the equipment loss summaries previously, in many types as much or more was lost to attrition rather than combat. But I don't know the game well enough to make any judgement on it <shrugs nonchalantly>
The main reason for intervening re France is wanting something to do other than sitting around waiting for Trotsky to hit us, supporting the wider Allied war effort and wanting to kill off Italy. And France and Germany in particular would be looked to to provide us some support if we do get struck by the USR. If they're willing to commit so many troops to far-off China, I can naively hope they might see fit to do the same closer to home! Strategic reasons, not sentimental - damned glory-stealing poseurs!
I realize here that one of the admittedly positive things about this convoy == transport nonsense is that you can't cheese it by running 2x as many transports as you need so that you don't lose any troops if a few get sunk on the way over. Admittedly that is more realistic as requisitioning extra transports as empty decoys was not exactly done. At least, not for an actual landing operation, for providing false intelligence of course the operational budget was considerably more flexible.
Maybe, but given the ease with which they've swept through Tunisia and Algeria and our recovering org, dubious supply circumstances and isolation, I thought it was better to be prepared than to regret not taking precautions.
I'm also still learning the supply system, but I think I can give you some tips:
Upgrading the rails just increases the speed at which supply trains can get to the frontline (I think?). To actually increase supply capacity you need to upgrade the infrastructure or build supply hubs.
You can also increase the range of supply hubs by clicking the "Motorize supply" button on your Generals or Field Marshals. It requires enough trucks/trains to function, but is worth it if you're having problems with supply. It has three levels: horses, some motorization, max motorization. Subsequent levels requiring more, but giving more supply.
Also you can do this individually for every General, but it is much faster if you do this via Field Marshal.
Thanks for that, and the examples too. Again, it's useful to work through these issues now, where the Polish homeland is at peace, than after the Soviets attack and we find ourselves scraping for supplies! I'll have a play with some of those other settings and look at supply hubs as well before going too much further with the mass railway building.
They have some in China proper too, including one in the Pocket. Haven't looked to see where the rest are, but I might do an intel shot of them for the next update, to see how many units they have in total.
Is there not a link between convoys and units? When the convoy sinks, the unit should go to the bottom of the Med, not swim 100 miles to shore (unless Aqua Man is commanding). How many units does France have guarding French Polynesia (vital to senior leadership vacation plans)? Four reasons for Poland to care about France: Champagne, croissants, Marie Curie and Marquis de Choisy. Thank you for the update.
Yes there is. I think the mechanic is that four divisions took 24 convoys to transport, so if you lose say six convoys, a quarter of the total strength is knocked out. Hence the div that got hit hardest returned to port at just 28% strength, whereas the ones that made it to Algiers were mid-high 80s strength. Though of course, this is the first time I've encountered the mechanic (being a newbie at HOI4) so others are likely to know more. To me, from my very limited experience, it actually seemed to be a pretty fair mechanic for a slightly (in some ways) dumbed down computer game, IMHO.
Haha re French escape plans. Yes to the champers and and croissants, please!
A study of the current supply state and rail network (some examples shown below) seemed to be indicating that a large-scale upgrade of the rail network in the east was required.
This is the first time I've seen that supply map and apart from the fact it looks visually as though there are problems in the east of Poland, it isn't at all clear to me what should be done about it. If it were me, I might try building railways in one area and hubs in another, and see which one worked better.
The three divisions that had arrived in Algiers had barely begun to recover organisation by the time the fast-moving Italians arrived and launched a probe on Algiers on the morning of the 23rd.
That one attacking Italian division looks exhausted. Perhaps we've got this all wrong. The Italians aren't invading Algeria - they're reatreating from Libya.
This time it was a German troop convoy, also apparently without a direct escort, with French and British ships in the area but still not joined in the battle against the same Italian sub wolfpack that had attacked the Poles. The Germans had lost one convoy already, with another four attempting to disengage.
It wasn’t until midnight on the 27th that 10 DP reached the safety of port, with only 28% of their strength remaining and some chronic equipment shortages.
Last thing on the 28th, it was decided to get 10 DP back home, via southern France, as soon as possible to continue its recovery. It was hoped that after an initial hazard, the rest of the journey would be relatively safe. Only time will tell if this was wise or foolhardy.
KPA-W[Anglicised compass designations used, for ease of understanding] had closed up to just behind the front line and was now ready to ‘put a bit of stick about’ if needed to maintain the momentum.
Many hundreds of kilometres to the West, as we have seen KPA-E was trying to make a stand at Oran, the last French port on the Mediterranean coast.
It seemed a large part of the German Army in particular had been committed to this campaign and was clearly in some danger isolation and destruction. Which could be a severe strategic blow for the Allies if war came to Europe at the hand of the still suspiciously dormant Trotsky.
Quick response: oops! I focused so much on trying the Polish and English abbreviations out and swapping them around I got the directions wrong! Will fix.
I think re. Supplies that the railroad upgrades should do the job for the most part except in the north (where you aren’t upgrading the rails to the northernmost supply hub), and that one of the big changes you can make, provided you have enough trucks, is to switch from horses to trucks on hauling your supplies from the hub to the division - that button is the one to the right of the upgrade railroads one, or alternatively it can be set on an army by army basis under the portrait of the general in the top left corner when selecting the army .
That one attacking Italian division looks exhausted. Perhaps we've got this all wrong. The Italians aren't invading Algeria - they're reatreating from Libya.
I see the war has continued to progress to the baffling advantage of France. Despite a lot of hiding behind others and some terrible performances when they do turn up, far too much of that map is light blue. It is a sad sight that I hope is fixed in the peace conference. Some might say it would be unusual for the victors to annex someone on their own side during a peace deal, but if Poland and the UK did agree to annex France and divide it between them it would not be unprecedented (probably). And given how little France has actually done do they even count as a 'victor'? Really?
Italy chosing to fight on out of North Africa is a bold gameplay choice. And by bold I do of course mean terrible and baffling, like most Paradox gameplay decisions. It has been mentioned that the ongoing efforts to remove all naval warfare or indeed the sea as a concept from Paradox games may be upsetting, I feel quite the contrary. Paradox are so catastrophically bad at anything involving water, and have been for so many decades, that abstracting it away is frankly a mercy to all involved.
I see the war has continued to progress to the baffling advantage of France. Despite a lot of hiding behind others and some terrible performances when they do turn up, far too much of that map is light blue. It is a sad sight that I hope is fixed in the peace conference. Some might say it would be unusual for the victors to annex someone on their own side during a peace deal, but if Poland and the UK did agree to annex France and divide it between them it would not be unprecedented (probably). And given how little France has actually done do they even count as a 'victor'? Really?
Italy chosing to fight on out of North Africa is a bold gameplay choice. And by bold I do of course mean terrible and baffling, like most Paradox gameplay decisions. It has been mentioned that the ongoing efforts to remove all naval warfare or indeed the sea as a concept from Paradox games may be upsetting, I feel quite the contrary. Paradox are so catastrophically bad at anything involving water, and have been for so many decades, that abstracting it away is frankly a mercy to all involved.
Not until they had already gone into the water though. Which is still about as strange as them not showing up at all, which was the case when the game first launched.
I see the war has continued to progress to the baffling advantage of France. Despite a lot of hiding behind others and some terrible performances when they do turn up, far too much of that map is light blue.
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