STAYING NEUTRAL IS NO OPTION - a Swiss Mini-AAR
Settings: HOI 1.01, Hard/Normal, Fog of War = On, Swiss War Entry = 100 %
January 1, 1936
General Overview
The situation looks bad, really bad. Switzerland has some resources, but they are barely enough to keep the army supplied. Manpower is ok. Technology is ok. The Swiss army is equipped with light mortars and is specialized in mountain warfare. The knowledge of the 70mm field artillery is there but none were produced so far. The army consists of
6 infantry div
3 mountain div
1 tactical bomber squad
They are led by competent leaders, especially Field Marshall Guisan and General Wille (a genius in defensive operations, winter warfare, engineering and deceiveing the enemy!).
Surrounding Switzerland are France (allied with UK), Germany (axis), Italy (neutral) and Austria (neutral).
All of the first three nations are a constant threat to the existence of Switzerland! Having not enough resources to conscript more troops or to advance in technology, Switzerland can only wait and hope...
... or take it's only chance: by attacking Austria
After Austria there will be other targets, but let's take step by step
February 1, 1936
After debating on the described emergency situation, all political parties have agreed to declare war on Austria.
The following days see some fierce fighting around Bregenz, the Austrian forces rapidly reinforcing their single inf div garissoned there. The numbers are about equal on both sides, but heavy snowfalls hinder all offensive maneouvres. Only after the sun will shine again, the outcome will be visible. To make it short: They take a devastating defeat and are on the run!
March 16, 1936
Vienna is taken and whole Austria annexed.
After such an easy war, the generals are eager to push forward. Their next target: Hungary.
Meanwhile, the Swiss Army High Command orders to prepare 1 cav div and 2 mtn div, all with the brand new 70mm field artillery equipped.
April 4, 1936
Hungary is declared war on. At first there are only 6 inf div visible. After some days, the Hungarians throw all their forces to the frontline. They have now 9 div against our 9 div. Given these odds, our superior troops should be able to decide the battles for our good. But there is one problem: The Hungarian Air Fleet. Their planes are surprisingly strong and make our nice bombers useless.
May 9, 1936
But despite this advantage, the Swiss Army prevails. After heavy fighting (the Hungarian Infantry literally fought to their death ) we gain the upper hand and Hungary is annexed.
Switzerland is now larger, but not stronger. With the new resources coming from Austria and Hungary, some new technologies are researched (20mm anti-air), and the first armored vehicles and fighter airplanes ordered.
Summer and Autumn, 1936
Nothing special happens during this time. None of our big neighbours have taken aggressive steps against us.
Our new neighbours are Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia. Romania and Yugoslavia have 10 to 20 inf div and a good air force. The Czech have lots of tanks and strong field fortifications but no air force is visible. It is clear that, whatever step is taken now, it won't be as easy as before...
December 7, 1936
The target was chosen: Czechoslovakia. The strategy goes as follows. The main attack will be launched at Bratislava and from there further to Slavkov, Praha and Plzen. The Czech forts in the hills of Neuhaus and Winterberg are to be avoided. A weak defensive line is established from Salzburg via Wien to Szombathely.
The war starts and the strategy proves to be good. The Czech army outnumbers the Swiss by about 2:1. But they make one error. Some of their forces are waiting in the forts and are not willing to attack the advancing Swiss Army in the open field. But this is not the only problem the Czech have: Having no air force, the only thing they can see in the skies are the Swiss bombers raining death on them (fortunatly for the Czech, the Swiss Air Force often can't find the target because of heavy snowfalls in the region *again* ).
The better organized troops under Field Marshall Guisan are finally able to secure Bratislava, Slavkov, Praha and Plzen. But the Czech don't surrender!? Why not?
After careful examination of the situation, General Wille finds the reason: While the Swiss were attacking the capital of Czechoslovakia, a mixed army of infantry and armors conquered nearly all Hungarian provinces and the Czech are still thinking they could win the war.
Convincing them of the opposite, the best Swiss troops march in direction of Budapest and defeat the Czech army in the region. The weaker Swiss troops in the north are attacked several times by strong Czech forces, but the newly formed high-mobile Swiss cavalry unit rushes from hot spot to hot spot and turns the tide of the battles.
February 1, 1937
The Czech government resigns and the former Czech territories belong now to the grown Swiss Confederation!
May 23, 1937
The fall of Czechoslovakia strenghened Switzerland considerably. We have now all the resources we need to operate at full capacity (102 IC by now!), manpower is still at 250, research is making progress nicely (Inf Gun 30mm developed, early tank prototypes researching), and some new units have joined the ranks of the Swiss Army now listing:
6 inf div
3 mtn div
3 mtn div with artillery
1 cav div with artillery
1 arm div with artillery (+1 in production)
1 tactical bomber squad
1 fighter squad
What will come next? Only time will tell...
Switzerland in May 1937
Settings: HOI 1.01, Hard/Normal, Fog of War = On, Swiss War Entry = 100 %
January 1, 1936
General Overview
The situation looks bad, really bad. Switzerland has some resources, but they are barely enough to keep the army supplied. Manpower is ok. Technology is ok. The Swiss army is equipped with light mortars and is specialized in mountain warfare. The knowledge of the 70mm field artillery is there but none were produced so far. The army consists of
6 infantry div
3 mountain div
1 tactical bomber squad
They are led by competent leaders, especially Field Marshall Guisan and General Wille (a genius in defensive operations, winter warfare, engineering and deceiveing the enemy!).
Surrounding Switzerland are France (allied with UK), Germany (axis), Italy (neutral) and Austria (neutral).
All of the first three nations are a constant threat to the existence of Switzerland! Having not enough resources to conscript more troops or to advance in technology, Switzerland can only wait and hope...
... or take it's only chance: by attacking Austria
After Austria there will be other targets, but let's take step by step
February 1, 1936
After debating on the described emergency situation, all political parties have agreed to declare war on Austria.
The following days see some fierce fighting around Bregenz, the Austrian forces rapidly reinforcing their single inf div garissoned there. The numbers are about equal on both sides, but heavy snowfalls hinder all offensive maneouvres. Only after the sun will shine again, the outcome will be visible. To make it short: They take a devastating defeat and are on the run!
March 16, 1936
Vienna is taken and whole Austria annexed.
After such an easy war, the generals are eager to push forward. Their next target: Hungary.
Meanwhile, the Swiss Army High Command orders to prepare 1 cav div and 2 mtn div, all with the brand new 70mm field artillery equipped.
April 4, 1936
Hungary is declared war on. At first there are only 6 inf div visible. After some days, the Hungarians throw all their forces to the frontline. They have now 9 div against our 9 div. Given these odds, our superior troops should be able to decide the battles for our good. But there is one problem: The Hungarian Air Fleet. Their planes are surprisingly strong and make our nice bombers useless.
May 9, 1936
But despite this advantage, the Swiss Army prevails. After heavy fighting (the Hungarian Infantry literally fought to their death
) we gain the upper hand and Hungary is annexed.Switzerland is now larger, but not stronger. With the new resources coming from Austria and Hungary, some new technologies are researched (20mm anti-air), and the first armored vehicles and fighter airplanes ordered.
Summer and Autumn, 1936
Nothing special happens during this time. None of our big neighbours have taken aggressive steps against us.
Our new neighbours are Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia. Romania and Yugoslavia have 10 to 20 inf div and a good air force. The Czech have lots of tanks and strong field fortifications but no air force is visible. It is clear that, whatever step is taken now, it won't be as easy as before...
December 7, 1936
The target was chosen: Czechoslovakia. The strategy goes as follows. The main attack will be launched at Bratislava and from there further to Slavkov, Praha and Plzen. The Czech forts in the hills of Neuhaus and Winterberg are to be avoided. A weak defensive line is established from Salzburg via Wien to Szombathely.
The war starts and the strategy proves to be good. The Czech army outnumbers the Swiss by about 2:1. But they make one error. Some of their forces are waiting in the forts and are not willing to attack the advancing Swiss Army in the open field. But this is not the only problem the Czech have: Having no air force, the only thing they can see in the skies are the Swiss bombers raining death on them (fortunatly for the Czech, the Swiss Air Force often can't find the target because of heavy snowfalls in the region *again*
).The better organized troops under Field Marshall Guisan are finally able to secure Bratislava, Slavkov, Praha and Plzen. But the Czech don't surrender!?
Why not?After careful examination of the situation, General Wille finds the reason: While the Swiss were attacking the capital of Czechoslovakia, a mixed army of infantry and armors conquered nearly all Hungarian provinces and the Czech are still thinking they could win the war.
Convincing them of the opposite, the best Swiss troops march in direction of Budapest and defeat the Czech army in the region. The weaker Swiss troops in the north are attacked several times by strong Czech forces, but the newly formed high-mobile Swiss cavalry unit rushes from hot spot to hot spot and turns the tide of the battles.
February 1, 1937
The Czech government resigns and the former Czech territories belong now to the grown Swiss Confederation!
May 23, 1937
The fall of Czechoslovakia strenghened Switzerland considerably. We have now all the resources we need to operate at full capacity (102 IC by now!), manpower is still at 250, research is making progress nicely (Inf Gun 30mm developed, early tank prototypes researching), and some new units have joined the ranks of the Swiss Army now listing:
6 inf div
3 mtn div
3 mtn div with artillery
1 cav div with artillery
1 arm div with artillery (+1 in production)
1 tactical bomber squad
1 fighter squad
What will come next? Only time will tell...
Switzerland in May 1937
