This is my first AAR and my first post. I played HOI before this and this will be my 2nd game playing HOI 2. My first was with Germany on Normal/Normal where I ended up invading the U.S by 1944. This AAR will begin with Italy in the 1936 scenario, again on Normal/Normal. I’ve made a couple of rules for myself before starting. If things go as well as they did with Germany, I’ll have to up the difficulty level next time.
1) No assuming control of any Axis forces with two exceptions.
a. One of the computer players gets “stuck”. (Ex. In HOI I saw Germany refuse to attack Polish forces in Warsaw before even though they control every other Polish territory could easily win the battle.
b. I want to keep a computer player from “helping” me. (Ex. I decide to invade Yugoslavia)
2) No reloading if I don’t like the results of a decision, battle, etc
My goals are to defeat Britain in North Africa and the Middle East. Then turn around and help Germany against the Soviets. If I can pull off an invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece somewhere in there even better.
I’m going to be writing this in the third person as a fictional advisor to Mussolini.
Dec 30th, 1936
My name is General Mario Graziano (ret) and I’ve recently been appointed by Benito Mussolini, Il Duce himself to be his primary adviser. The world is changing and it appears that Germany under Hitler will be the primary instigator of this change. Although I believe in greatness of Italy, I am perhaps a bit more practical than Il Duce and know that Italy does not have the industry or the manpower to create the Second Roman Empire ourselves. The question then is, who to align ourselves with? In the Great War we were allied with the democracies and received almost nothing for our role in the defeat of Austria and Germany. Italy should not go to war in Europe unless we can guarantee ourselves that we will receive some significant territories. I would like to expand our North African holdings, but France and Britain surround us there. So, I will advise Il Duce to seek an alliance with Germany. If war breaks out we will then evaluate whether we believe Germany can win, and if not we will have to make a separate peace with the democracies of Britain and France.
In the short term, Italy faces several problems. Il Duce has begun a war in Ethiopia. We need to vastly increase the industrial power of Italy. Finally, I feel we are technologically behind the rest of Europe. Although our military is using old and outdated equipment, I doubt a war will break out in Europe in the next few years. The army will have to wait until we can afford to modernize it. I am still much more hawkish than Il Duce’s last advisor and our policies will begin to reflect that.
Although I am not entirely pleased with the reasons behind the war in Ethiopia, Il Duce has spoken. I don’t expect many problems with the Ethiopians this time however, I do know that the unexpected can happen and I will watch this war closely. I will insist that we disband the 5 militia units that are part of our attack in the north. We have plenty of forces there and they will just be a supply drain. The 3 militia units under General Graziani in Sudan will remain until after the conflict is over since they are the majority of his army.
I’ll be concentrating most of our domestic efforts on building a modern industrial state. With that in mind, I have evaluated the cabinet and decided to make one change. Cesare Ame is the head of Italian Intelligence. He has been concentrating on naval intelligence and while I respect the need to know where our enemy’s ships are, the Ethiopians are the only ones fighting with us right now, and last time I checked a map they don’t have a coastline. I want to concentrate on looking for some of the industrial secrets that our neighbors are using so I’ve recommended that Il Duce appoint Umberto Ricci as the new head of intelligence.
As for technology, I will have our research teams concentrate on domestic applications for now. I award a contract to the Fiat Corp. for an improved computing machine (This will help our future research projects). Lancia Company receives a contract for basic machine tool development. The Camproni Corp. who normally specializes in aircraft gets a contract for agrichemistry. No one else in Italy has the chemical knowledge that they do. Il Duci is insisting that we develop as least some new weapons so, I give the Macchi Company a contract to develop a Great War Air Carrier. This is a technology that all the other great powers in Europe have. Hopefully, Il Duce will not insist we actually build one of these monstrosities.
I order several new factories to be built across Italy and concentrate most of our available resources toward them. The only exception is to finish building a submarine flotilla and a light cruiser whose designs were obsolete before they even laid down their keels. A lot of money has already been spent on them though and the light cruiser is almost finished.
Italy has almost no natural resources needed for a modern industrial nation. For now I make several trade treaties (most are with Germany and the Soviet Union) for the coal, iron, oil and rare materials needed. I have to trade some of the output of our own factories for this, but in the long run it will pay off.
March 4th, 1936
General Guzzoni entered the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Abbab today and accepted the Ethiopian surrender and we’ve annexed the country. We are recalling most of the troops back the Italy, so we can avoid the expense of long supply lines.
June 15th, 1936
The Lancia Company begins delivering basic machine tools to all of our factories. For a reward, I renew their contract and ask them to develop some improved machine tools.. Less than a month later, Camproni Corp finishes their development of new agrichemicals. I receive a request from Umberto Ricci, our head of intelligence for some resources to develop some basic decryption techniques. I assign Arturo Crocco to his department to head up the effort. Later in July the Macchi Company delivers plans for a Great War Air Carrier. Il Duce has been complaining that he has no head in his private plane. It’s a waste of resources, but he is the supreme leader, so I give Macchi another contract to work on an Improved Air Transport. I tell them if they can also increase the speed and range of it, I’ll give them a bonus.
July 24th, 1936
I haven’t mentioned the civil war that popped up in Spain a couple of months ago, because frankly, it’s Spain and I don’t care. Today, though Il Duce came in and demanded that we send some support to General Franco. Apparently, they’re drinking buddies or something. Anyway, I end up having to send a ton of military supplies and take out a few loans to send some extra cash to General Franco. This will set our research and industrialization programs back a month or so.
Jan 25th, 1937
By the end of January, 4 new factories have come online across Italy. I expect 6 or 7 more by the end of the year. The Lancia Company has completed their contract for improved machine tools and I’ve assigned them again to work on advanced machine tools. I’m also renegotiating several of our trade agreements for a more favorable arrangement.
May 29th, 1937
The Fiat Corp has finished their work on the improved computing machines. These machines will assist our research teams in computing complex calculations. After completing this difficult task, I assign them to an Agricultural Production contract as a reward.
August 1st, 1937
After months of negotiations we proposed that we join Germany in an alliance and they accepted. We’ll be known as the Axis. I expect to get quite a bit of technical assistance from the Germans which will allow us to quickly modernize. Later in August Crocco completes his research in Basic Decryption and I award a contract to the Breda Group to develop Early Fighters from a blueprint that the Germans gave us.
November 6th, 1937
Lancia has completed all their work and delivered some Advanced Machine Tools. During a tour of Germany Il Duce was very impressed by the German tank demonstrations. I’ve asked the Lancia Company to begin work on some Basic Tank designs. Fiat Corp has also completed their Agricultural Production contract and I’ve finally been able to give them some work that suits their talents. They will begin design work of Advanced Construction Engineering. The Breda Group has completed their work on Early Fighters. I would have them work on more advanced aircraft, but I have a feeling that the Germans will share some more of their technology soon. Instead I will have Air Marshal Balbo review some documentation that the Germans sent us on Operational Destruction Doctrine and begin implementing it in our air force.
January 30th, 1938
Balbo completed his work on Operational Destruction Doctrine and since we’ve now received plans for a Basic Interceptor from Germany I assign the Breda Corp to begin work on it. Later in February, Lancia finished their work on the Basic Light Tank. Il Duce sees a demonstration of the new Tank and is very pleased. He orders that we begin production of them in mass. I order 6 divisions worth of these tanks, but in order to reduce the cost, I don’t ask for a completion of this order until January of 1940. The navy has reviewed the plans for the Early War Carrier and has requested funds for a new more modern design. A contract has been awarded to Cantiera Navali Riuniti to work on a new design based on plans we received from Germany for an Early Air Carrier.
March 26th, 1938
Fiat finishes their work on Advanced Construction Engineering. During a tour of Germany I spoke with several of their officers about logistics. I give Lancia a new assignment to develop Rear Area Supply Dumps based on the German model.
May 3rd, 1938
Breda finished their work on the Basic Interceptor. General Graziani who accompanied me on my tour of Germany has formed a group that will begin looking at some of the German army maneuver theories. He’ll be working on Schwerpunkt and Delay Doctrines. I’ve been diverting resources from production into rebuilding our armed forces. Several of our units are up to full strength now, so I’m going to begin using those resources to modernize our units. Later in May, we receive the plans for the early air carrier. I’ll have the navy review them, but I don’t believe it is up to the standards we need to build one yet. So I ask the Riunite Group to work on a new updated plan. The Germans are kind enough to send some of their experts down to help with it. Lancia also finished there work on Rear Area Supply Dumps and I assign the Fiat Corp to work on Production Control
Sept 10th 1938
We receive plans for a new Basic Air Carrier. After reviewing the plans with the Navy, Il Duce orders that we begin construction on one. It’s scheduled to be finished by May of 1940. Lancia begins work on a Rear Area Repair Shop. Most of our upgrades on the Army are complete now and almost all of our troops are up to 1936 standards.
Oct 26th, 1938
Most of the factories that we broke ground on in 1936 are now up and running. I place and order for 3 more divisions of light armor that will be finished in Oct of 1939. We also have developed our industry enough that we can afford 5 teams working on new technology for Italy. I assign the Caproni Group to work on Early Field Artillery. Later in November, the Fiat Group presents there plans form Production Control. On their recommendation I ask them to begin work on Production Planning.
December 14th, 1938
Lancia has presented a plan for implementing the Rear Area Repair Shop. Although cavalry have been considered obsolete since the Great War, Italy still fields 3 full divisions of them. Their might be a use for these troops to block enemy breakouts in a war though. To accomplish this we need to update the weapons the cavalry are using so I’ve asked the Lancia Company to study the problem and present a plan for it.
January, 29th, 1939
Caproni delivers a prototype for early field artillery. I ask the Bread group to begin work on updated Basic Infantry weapons.
February 16th, 1939
I had an interesting visit from the Macchi Company today. You may recall that in June of 1936 Il Duce demanded a plane with a working bathroom in it for his personal use. To be honest, I had forgotten about the contract with them, but today they delivered an Improved Transport Plane. I would imagine that this is the fastest and best ranged plane with a head in the world. During the demonstration we all pointed out the head to Il Duce. He gave me the strangest look and I realized that he hadn’t complained about a lack of head for over a year now. The secretary who he hired about a year ago just looked at it and giggled. Air Marshall Balbo definitely liked the plane though and asked me for some funs to research something called Battlefield Interdiction. Later that month Lancia finished their work on Basic Cavalry. I gave them a new contract for Basic Field Artillery.
March 21st 1939
Fiat’s work on Production Planning is complete. I’ve assigned them a new task. Assembly Line Experimentation should allow Italy to jump ahead of most of the industrialized world in efficiency.
March 26th 1939
I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but apparently Il Duce went around me and asked the Foreign Office to send an ultimation to King Zog. Since he rejected it, we’re now at war with Albania. I doubt this will be much of a fight, but it seems like a waste of men and resources to me. I appoint General Graziana to head up the seaborn assault of Albania. He’ll take 6 division, which is probably overkill, but the practice will do the troops some good.
April 5th, 1939
Graziana leads a well executed assault against Albania. Too bad there’s no resistance… they would have gotten clobbered. Albania surrenders and Il Duce has his grand victory. Germany has annexed most of Czechoslovakia now and I believe he is going after Poland next. I’m not sure if the western allies will allow this without a fight. A war in 1939 will be earlier than I expected, but it appears we’re on Hitler’s timetable, not mine. I’m beginning to move some troops into North Africa to fight the French and British if we end up at war. I’m going to abandon Ethiopia if was comes now and instead concentrate on taking Egypt from the British. Breda develops new Basic Infantry weapons later in the month. My priority is to get all divisions updated to these new weapons before in the next 3 months. Air Marshall Balbo has finished with his studies on Battlefield Interdiction and has this crazy idea of jumping troops out our transport planes and into battle using parachutes. He says the Germans have already had field trials. I ask Breda to begin working on the implementation of an Early Airborne Division. With was coming I ask Il Duce to appoint Ubaldo Soddu as Armanents Minister. This was a position the Il Duce himself held, but Ubaldo is a genius at logistical supply and Il Duce is too busy to give the post its proper attention. I ask Macchi to begin work on implementing a Basic Tactical Bomber based on plans we received from the Germans.
June 13th, 1939
Research on Basic Field Artillery is complete. Lancia will now begin research on the Semi-Motorized Cavalry Division. Breda finishes research on the Early Airborne Division and begins to work on the Basic Mountain Division. As soon as we finish building the last light tank order we’ll begin production of an airborne division.
July 29th, 1939
Macchi finished development on the Basic Tactical Bomber and I’ve asked Caproni to begin looking at Early Anti-Tank Artillery.
August 17th, 1939
Lancia have presented their plans for modernizing our cavalry to Semi-Motorized Cavalry I’ve awarded them a contract to look at an improved light tank. Germany has sent us plans for these and I’m anxious to get it implemented before a new war starts. The Germans have gotten very quiet and they appear to be massing on the Polish border. Hopefully the Allies will back down.
August 24th, 1939
Germans and Russians have signed a secret pact regarding Poland. I was worried that the Germans would end up having to fight a two front war, but it appears Hitler is smarter than I thought.
August 30th, 1939
The Germans have invaded Poland. The Allies have declared war on us. Il Duce is ecstatic and believes we will crush them. All I know is that we are much better prepared for this war than we were 3 years ago. I have 18 divisions on the French border with another 6 in reserve. It appears that the French don’t have many troops on the border so we might seize the initiative here and attack. I’ve have 3 divisions in Tripoli to guard against a French invasion of North Africa from the west. In the east part of north Africa are Italy’s main offensive units. On the Egyptian front of north Africa are 15 divisions of crack Italian troops. General Graziani is on the southern flank with 9 infantry divisions and the northern flank is commanded by General Messe and General Bergonzoni each of whom have 3 tank divisions. Naval forces consist of a 30 ship fleet under Grand Admiral Ghe, A 12 ship fleet under Vice Admiral da Zara and a 12 flotilla submarine fleet under Admiral Aosta.
To be continued...
1) No assuming control of any Axis forces with two exceptions.
a. One of the computer players gets “stuck”. (Ex. In HOI I saw Germany refuse to attack Polish forces in Warsaw before even though they control every other Polish territory could easily win the battle.
b. I want to keep a computer player from “helping” me. (Ex. I decide to invade Yugoslavia)
2) No reloading if I don’t like the results of a decision, battle, etc
My goals are to defeat Britain in North Africa and the Middle East. Then turn around and help Germany against the Soviets. If I can pull off an invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece somewhere in there even better.
I’m going to be writing this in the third person as a fictional advisor to Mussolini.
Dec 30th, 1936
My name is General Mario Graziano (ret) and I’ve recently been appointed by Benito Mussolini, Il Duce himself to be his primary adviser. The world is changing and it appears that Germany under Hitler will be the primary instigator of this change. Although I believe in greatness of Italy, I am perhaps a bit more practical than Il Duce and know that Italy does not have the industry or the manpower to create the Second Roman Empire ourselves. The question then is, who to align ourselves with? In the Great War we were allied with the democracies and received almost nothing for our role in the defeat of Austria and Germany. Italy should not go to war in Europe unless we can guarantee ourselves that we will receive some significant territories. I would like to expand our North African holdings, but France and Britain surround us there. So, I will advise Il Duce to seek an alliance with Germany. If war breaks out we will then evaluate whether we believe Germany can win, and if not we will have to make a separate peace with the democracies of Britain and France.
In the short term, Italy faces several problems. Il Duce has begun a war in Ethiopia. We need to vastly increase the industrial power of Italy. Finally, I feel we are technologically behind the rest of Europe. Although our military is using old and outdated equipment, I doubt a war will break out in Europe in the next few years. The army will have to wait until we can afford to modernize it. I am still much more hawkish than Il Duce’s last advisor and our policies will begin to reflect that.
Although I am not entirely pleased with the reasons behind the war in Ethiopia, Il Duce has spoken. I don’t expect many problems with the Ethiopians this time however, I do know that the unexpected can happen and I will watch this war closely. I will insist that we disband the 5 militia units that are part of our attack in the north. We have plenty of forces there and they will just be a supply drain. The 3 militia units under General Graziani in Sudan will remain until after the conflict is over since they are the majority of his army.
I’ll be concentrating most of our domestic efforts on building a modern industrial state. With that in mind, I have evaluated the cabinet and decided to make one change. Cesare Ame is the head of Italian Intelligence. He has been concentrating on naval intelligence and while I respect the need to know where our enemy’s ships are, the Ethiopians are the only ones fighting with us right now, and last time I checked a map they don’t have a coastline. I want to concentrate on looking for some of the industrial secrets that our neighbors are using so I’ve recommended that Il Duce appoint Umberto Ricci as the new head of intelligence.
As for technology, I will have our research teams concentrate on domestic applications for now. I award a contract to the Fiat Corp. for an improved computing machine (This will help our future research projects). Lancia Company receives a contract for basic machine tool development. The Camproni Corp. who normally specializes in aircraft gets a contract for agrichemistry. No one else in Italy has the chemical knowledge that they do. Il Duci is insisting that we develop as least some new weapons so, I give the Macchi Company a contract to develop a Great War Air Carrier. This is a technology that all the other great powers in Europe have. Hopefully, Il Duce will not insist we actually build one of these monstrosities.
I order several new factories to be built across Italy and concentrate most of our available resources toward them. The only exception is to finish building a submarine flotilla and a light cruiser whose designs were obsolete before they even laid down their keels. A lot of money has already been spent on them though and the light cruiser is almost finished.
Italy has almost no natural resources needed for a modern industrial nation. For now I make several trade treaties (most are with Germany and the Soviet Union) for the coal, iron, oil and rare materials needed. I have to trade some of the output of our own factories for this, but in the long run it will pay off.
March 4th, 1936
General Guzzoni entered the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Abbab today and accepted the Ethiopian surrender and we’ve annexed the country. We are recalling most of the troops back the Italy, so we can avoid the expense of long supply lines.
June 15th, 1936
The Lancia Company begins delivering basic machine tools to all of our factories. For a reward, I renew their contract and ask them to develop some improved machine tools.. Less than a month later, Camproni Corp finishes their development of new agrichemicals. I receive a request from Umberto Ricci, our head of intelligence for some resources to develop some basic decryption techniques. I assign Arturo Crocco to his department to head up the effort. Later in July the Macchi Company delivers plans for a Great War Air Carrier. Il Duce has been complaining that he has no head in his private plane. It’s a waste of resources, but he is the supreme leader, so I give Macchi another contract to work on an Improved Air Transport. I tell them if they can also increase the speed and range of it, I’ll give them a bonus.
July 24th, 1936
I haven’t mentioned the civil war that popped up in Spain a couple of months ago, because frankly, it’s Spain and I don’t care. Today, though Il Duce came in and demanded that we send some support to General Franco. Apparently, they’re drinking buddies or something. Anyway, I end up having to send a ton of military supplies and take out a few loans to send some extra cash to General Franco. This will set our research and industrialization programs back a month or so.
Jan 25th, 1937
By the end of January, 4 new factories have come online across Italy. I expect 6 or 7 more by the end of the year. The Lancia Company has completed their contract for improved machine tools and I’ve assigned them again to work on advanced machine tools. I’m also renegotiating several of our trade agreements for a more favorable arrangement.
May 29th, 1937
The Fiat Corp has finished their work on the improved computing machines. These machines will assist our research teams in computing complex calculations. After completing this difficult task, I assign them to an Agricultural Production contract as a reward.
August 1st, 1937
After months of negotiations we proposed that we join Germany in an alliance and they accepted. We’ll be known as the Axis. I expect to get quite a bit of technical assistance from the Germans which will allow us to quickly modernize. Later in August Crocco completes his research in Basic Decryption and I award a contract to the Breda Group to develop Early Fighters from a blueprint that the Germans gave us.
November 6th, 1937
Lancia has completed all their work and delivered some Advanced Machine Tools. During a tour of Germany Il Duce was very impressed by the German tank demonstrations. I’ve asked the Lancia Company to begin work on some Basic Tank designs. Fiat Corp has also completed their Agricultural Production contract and I’ve finally been able to give them some work that suits their talents. They will begin design work of Advanced Construction Engineering. The Breda Group has completed their work on Early Fighters. I would have them work on more advanced aircraft, but I have a feeling that the Germans will share some more of their technology soon. Instead I will have Air Marshal Balbo review some documentation that the Germans sent us on Operational Destruction Doctrine and begin implementing it in our air force.
January 30th, 1938
Balbo completed his work on Operational Destruction Doctrine and since we’ve now received plans for a Basic Interceptor from Germany I assign the Breda Corp to begin work on it. Later in February, Lancia finished their work on the Basic Light Tank. Il Duce sees a demonstration of the new Tank and is very pleased. He orders that we begin production of them in mass. I order 6 divisions worth of these tanks, but in order to reduce the cost, I don’t ask for a completion of this order until January of 1940. The navy has reviewed the plans for the Early War Carrier and has requested funds for a new more modern design. A contract has been awarded to Cantiera Navali Riuniti to work on a new design based on plans we received from Germany for an Early Air Carrier.
March 26th, 1938
Fiat finishes their work on Advanced Construction Engineering. During a tour of Germany I spoke with several of their officers about logistics. I give Lancia a new assignment to develop Rear Area Supply Dumps based on the German model.
May 3rd, 1938
Breda finished their work on the Basic Interceptor. General Graziani who accompanied me on my tour of Germany has formed a group that will begin looking at some of the German army maneuver theories. He’ll be working on Schwerpunkt and Delay Doctrines. I’ve been diverting resources from production into rebuilding our armed forces. Several of our units are up to full strength now, so I’m going to begin using those resources to modernize our units. Later in May, we receive the plans for the early air carrier. I’ll have the navy review them, but I don’t believe it is up to the standards we need to build one yet. So I ask the Riunite Group to work on a new updated plan. The Germans are kind enough to send some of their experts down to help with it. Lancia also finished there work on Rear Area Supply Dumps and I assign the Fiat Corp to work on Production Control
Sept 10th 1938
We receive plans for a new Basic Air Carrier. After reviewing the plans with the Navy, Il Duce orders that we begin construction on one. It’s scheduled to be finished by May of 1940. Lancia begins work on a Rear Area Repair Shop. Most of our upgrades on the Army are complete now and almost all of our troops are up to 1936 standards.
Oct 26th, 1938
Most of the factories that we broke ground on in 1936 are now up and running. I place and order for 3 more divisions of light armor that will be finished in Oct of 1939. We also have developed our industry enough that we can afford 5 teams working on new technology for Italy. I assign the Caproni Group to work on Early Field Artillery. Later in November, the Fiat Group presents there plans form Production Control. On their recommendation I ask them to begin work on Production Planning.
December 14th, 1938
Lancia has presented a plan for implementing the Rear Area Repair Shop. Although cavalry have been considered obsolete since the Great War, Italy still fields 3 full divisions of them. Their might be a use for these troops to block enemy breakouts in a war though. To accomplish this we need to update the weapons the cavalry are using so I’ve asked the Lancia Company to study the problem and present a plan for it.
January, 29th, 1939
Caproni delivers a prototype for early field artillery. I ask the Bread group to begin work on updated Basic Infantry weapons.
February 16th, 1939
I had an interesting visit from the Macchi Company today. You may recall that in June of 1936 Il Duce demanded a plane with a working bathroom in it for his personal use. To be honest, I had forgotten about the contract with them, but today they delivered an Improved Transport Plane. I would imagine that this is the fastest and best ranged plane with a head in the world. During the demonstration we all pointed out the head to Il Duce. He gave me the strangest look and I realized that he hadn’t complained about a lack of head for over a year now. The secretary who he hired about a year ago just looked at it and giggled. Air Marshall Balbo definitely liked the plane though and asked me for some funs to research something called Battlefield Interdiction. Later that month Lancia finished their work on Basic Cavalry. I gave them a new contract for Basic Field Artillery.
March 21st 1939
Fiat’s work on Production Planning is complete. I’ve assigned them a new task. Assembly Line Experimentation should allow Italy to jump ahead of most of the industrialized world in efficiency.
March 26th 1939
I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but apparently Il Duce went around me and asked the Foreign Office to send an ultimation to King Zog. Since he rejected it, we’re now at war with Albania. I doubt this will be much of a fight, but it seems like a waste of men and resources to me. I appoint General Graziana to head up the seaborn assault of Albania. He’ll take 6 division, which is probably overkill, but the practice will do the troops some good.
April 5th, 1939
Graziana leads a well executed assault against Albania. Too bad there’s no resistance… they would have gotten clobbered. Albania surrenders and Il Duce has his grand victory. Germany has annexed most of Czechoslovakia now and I believe he is going after Poland next. I’m not sure if the western allies will allow this without a fight. A war in 1939 will be earlier than I expected, but it appears we’re on Hitler’s timetable, not mine. I’m beginning to move some troops into North Africa to fight the French and British if we end up at war. I’m going to abandon Ethiopia if was comes now and instead concentrate on taking Egypt from the British. Breda develops new Basic Infantry weapons later in the month. My priority is to get all divisions updated to these new weapons before in the next 3 months. Air Marshall Balbo has finished with his studies on Battlefield Interdiction and has this crazy idea of jumping troops out our transport planes and into battle using parachutes. He says the Germans have already had field trials. I ask Breda to begin working on the implementation of an Early Airborne Division. With was coming I ask Il Duce to appoint Ubaldo Soddu as Armanents Minister. This was a position the Il Duce himself held, but Ubaldo is a genius at logistical supply and Il Duce is too busy to give the post its proper attention. I ask Macchi to begin work on implementing a Basic Tactical Bomber based on plans we received from the Germans.
June 13th, 1939
Research on Basic Field Artillery is complete. Lancia will now begin research on the Semi-Motorized Cavalry Division. Breda finishes research on the Early Airborne Division and begins to work on the Basic Mountain Division. As soon as we finish building the last light tank order we’ll begin production of an airborne division.
July 29th, 1939
Macchi finished development on the Basic Tactical Bomber and I’ve asked Caproni to begin looking at Early Anti-Tank Artillery.
August 17th, 1939
Lancia have presented their plans for modernizing our cavalry to Semi-Motorized Cavalry I’ve awarded them a contract to look at an improved light tank. Germany has sent us plans for these and I’m anxious to get it implemented before a new war starts. The Germans have gotten very quiet and they appear to be massing on the Polish border. Hopefully the Allies will back down.
August 24th, 1939
Germans and Russians have signed a secret pact regarding Poland. I was worried that the Germans would end up having to fight a two front war, but it appears Hitler is smarter than I thought.
August 30th, 1939
The Germans have invaded Poland. The Allies have declared war on us. Il Duce is ecstatic and believes we will crush them. All I know is that we are much better prepared for this war than we were 3 years ago. I have 18 divisions on the French border with another 6 in reserve. It appears that the French don’t have many troops on the border so we might seize the initiative here and attack. I’ve have 3 divisions in Tripoli to guard against a French invasion of North Africa from the west. In the east part of north Africa are Italy’s main offensive units. On the Egyptian front of north Africa are 15 divisions of crack Italian troops. General Graziani is on the southern flank with 9 infantry divisions and the northern flank is commanded by General Messe and General Bergonzoni each of whom have 3 tank divisions. Naval forces consist of a 30 ship fleet under Grand Admiral Ghe, A 12 ship fleet under Vice Admiral da Zara and a 12 flotilla submarine fleet under Admiral Aosta.
To be continued...
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kick the allies ass, they deserve it 
