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..........he swallowed audibly, so much so that the Foreign Minister glanced at him. It had been a long silence and was still stretching out. He reached for the jug and poured himself some water, his hand was shaking. Doctor Rossi was angry with himself, he was an eminent psychologist, a leader of his field, he should not be nervous or shaking but the intensity of the man opposite literally radiated out of him. He looked over at Minister Ciano and raised his eyebrows questioningly, Ciano shrugged. Rossi inhaled to ask a question, a breath hardly audible over the sound of the crackling fire nearby, but loud enough for Ciano to slowly shake his head and raise a hand.
On the table between the three of them was a dossier. A file of information people had died to collect and more had died getting it into the hands of the Italian Intelligence services. Here it lay now between Ciano, the Foreign Minister, Rossi, the leading clinical psychologist in not just Italy, but maybe the whole of Europe, and Mussolini. Its contents both medical and military in nature, the dossier contained a detailed analysis of the philosophies, goals and capabilities of Adolph Hitler. The conclusion of the report was that Hitler would, within the next 2 to 4 years, initiate an international crisis leading to the eventual outbreak of a European land war that would involve Poland, France, The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.
Mussolini sat very still, alternatively pursing his lips and narrowing his eyes as he considered the contents of the report. The sobering prospects of another war in Europe were not entirely unwelcome, Mussolini was eager to enhance Italy's power and prestige. However, Italy was woefully unprepared, she had the raw manpower, but simply did not have the ground forces to contend with Germany or Russia or even France. Italy had an active military research industry, but not one that could keep up with the other major powers in all of the various disciplines of war. Difficult decisions would need to be made, and made immediately...........
Mussolini sighed and rubbed his brow, 'Bring me Pariani'
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General Alberto Pariani - Chief of the Army
Rossi began to think they'd forgotten he was still in the room.
It had started well enough, General Pariani arrived, laid out his maps and began his brief on Abyssinia. However, without the slightest understanding of military operations even Rossi was taken aback by the numbers mentioned and the lack of progress, Mussolini was horrified. Up until now he'd left the campaign in the hands of the General Staff, this had clearly been a mistake. Rossi flinched at every insult and disparagement that Mussolini heaped upon the General, listened as Mussolini threatened to withdraw the entire front and leave the provinces there to the wild, uncultured savages. To his credit Pariani countered that to make such a rash decision would humiliate Italy's fragile martial reputation, that Mussloni's first military adventure must not result in a defeat at the hands of cattle herders and primitive tribesmen. Mussolini saw the merit in this and ordered that the attack on Abyssinia would continue. However, he wanted to personally review the order of battle and the plans of attack.
Rossi wondered how long Pariani would keep his job
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The militia brigades march back to Ed to be shipped home to Italy and trained properly in the art of war
It was as bad as Mussolini had feared - his review shocked and distressed him. His forces stuck out on that remote corner of the African continent consisted of no less than 16 infantry brigades, 2 of his elite mountain brigades, and 29 poorly trained militia brigades. He was outraged, Abyssinia was a backwards sparsely populated wasteland. This huge mass of men and firepower would be more of a burden than an asset to the General staff in Africa. The campaign required focused, cleverly planned small operations where the forces were no larger than necessary, cutting down on the supply lines and strain on logistics. After careful consideration Mussolini decided to reduce the forces to one army of two corps, consisting of four divisions each, with 2 brigades in each division. The 14 professional infantry brigades and two elite mountaineer brigades would be spread across these 8 divisions. The remainder of the forces, 2 infantry and 29 militia brigades and various headquarters staff would all be returned to Italy immediately for retraining and refitting for the anticipated European land war.
I wish there was a "create proper command structure" button. The most tedious part of my France campaign was breaking apart the army structure and re-organizing it.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 21, 2013, 05:46:12 PM
I wish there was a "create proper command structure" button. The most tedious part of my France campaign was breaking apart the army structure and re-organizing it.
lol, tell me about it - in a few posts if the 'new army' plan - thats taken some sorting!
Despite been chosen originally for his defensive skills and organisational ability, Mussolini decides to stick with General Marinetti to command the Armata dell'A.O.I. His 2 corps are commanded by Lisi and Zingales. Mussolini had Zingales flown in from Northern Italy on his own plane to command the 2nd Corps. He was currently looking for a new breed of officer for the new Italian forces and Zingales fit the bill perfectly, offensively minded and with good command ability. He hoped to build an elite shock force around men like these.
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High command structure of Armata dell'A.O.I
The eight divisions advanced in two columns through Aduwa and Makale and further into enemy territory towards Gondar and Tandaho. Contact with the enemy was first made in Gondar with a brief firefight on February 3rd, 1936 leading to a promising first Italian victory with a casualty ratio of greater than 3 to 1.
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Elite Alpine troops of the 5th Alpine Division exchange fire with the tribesmen of the Abbysinian Imperial Guard
Around this time the untrained militia forces and excess headquarters staff were arriving in Ed and boarding transport ships to Taranto. Here they would meet up with advisors and officers from the 1st Alpine Division and undergo intense mountain troop training to form the back bone of Mussolini's new elite army
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The 190th Pisa Legion Militia brigade leaves Ed
In Mussolini's mind, the main purpose of the East African campaign now was to give his troops as much combat experience as possible, to harden the soldiers, and to get them the experience they so sadly lacked for later operations in Europe. He wanted the same for the Regia Aeronautica too. The only 2 Italian tactical bomber wings were flown in to Ed and given a small chance to have an impact on this small war and were given orders to carry out ground attacks on the troops ahead of the advancing divisions.
The two Corps continued their march into the heart of Abyssinia, brushing aside the tribesmen with ease. General Zingales' corps advanced steadily through Debra Tabor and Debra Markos. Then he divided his forces, two divisions each, and advanced into Dibra and Nakamti. The two divisions at Dibra halted their advance short of Adis Abeba to allow the divisions from Nakamti to maneuver through Jima and Nejo southwest of Adis Abeba.
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2nd Corps advance on Debra Markos
Meanwhile General Lisi's 1st Corps split up from Tandaho with two divisions attacking through the mountains of Dessye to the outskirts of Adis Abeba, and two further divisions advanced through Harar to Goba and stopped South East of Addis Ababa, all that was now necessary to complete the encirclement of the capital was to capture Diredawa. On May 12, 1936, General Nicolosi and his 26th Division attacked from the northwest out of Dessye and captured the beleaguered city - the capital was now surrounded.
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Troops from the 29th Infantry Regiment of the 26th Division attack Diredawa
Heh. Zingales looks like Benny Hill.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 22, 2013, 05:21:23 PM
Heh. Zingales looks like Benny Hill.
you wait all day for some constructive criticism and encouragement...................
:P
Am I just imagining it, or are you having an easier time in Ethiopia this time around? Seems like the war has gone very smoothly so far.
It's always easier when you have Yakkety Sax accompaniment.
Quote from: Martok on August 22, 2013, 06:05:57 PM
Am I just imagining it, or are you having an easier time in Ethiopia this time around? Seems like the war has gone very smoothly so far.
Definitely, i can only think it was the removal of the militia brigades who were dragging down the proper fighters. The 2 hotspots were unintentionally withdrawing from battle (i didnt realise the troops were fighting at the time of gave them a movement order) this causes a retreat, and secondly as the fighting started proper all the enemy forces on the border of Somalia headed into that land straight towards Mogadishu which would have cut off my supply, this coincided with withdrawing all my forces from Somalia but as i cut deeper into Ethopia they all withdrew to support that fight - phew
This is a great AAR Geek! Or should that be a DAR (during action report :D)? Using all the added media really brings out the evolving story, as such.
With the war in East Africa proceeding better than planned Mussolini turned his attention to putting his European forces in order. War was coming to Europe, and he wanted to be an actor on the stage. Italy's army had been designed around smaller divisions made up of two infantry brigades, unlike the three brigade divisions used by most of the other European powers. Italy's generals offered that they liked the greater flexibility of force, but it was always a poor excuse. Mussolini wanted to project Italian power, superior skill in arms, and for each Italian division to be able to hold its own in the line against any division fielded by any other nation.
Having been hounded for months about the poor state of the Italian armed forces, and after an exhausting number of projects and reports, Pariani came to Mussolini with his final solution. Along with Armament Minister Guido Jung the two suggested a massive investment in field artillery, their vision was to eventually match each two infantry brigades in a division with two artillery support brigades. This would increase the manpower of such a division from 6000 men to 8000, but the artillery backed division would have as much, if not more firepower than a standard European triangular 9000 man, three brigade division. The Ansaldo armament factory, overflowing with government contracts went into overdrive.
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The Ansaldo armaments factory, Genoa
It would be mid July before the militia brigades passed their full training for Alpine troops - Their prior training had just been basic, but with better equipment, strenuous exercise of both body and the mind, this manpower could be transformed into an elite fighting force.
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Troops of the 4th Libyan Militia Brigade undergoing intense mountaineer training
Next Mussolini would need to turn his attention to his armoured forces, Navy and Air
Quote from: Staggerwing on August 23, 2013, 08:04:30 AM
This is a great AAR Geek! Or should that be a DAR (during action report :D)? Using all the added media really brings out the evolving story, as such.
thanks SW
I agree, it adds a nice touch.
Italy had made small strides in motorized and tank warfare, but the step up to medium tanks had not yet been achieved by industry or research development. Mussolini was loath to admit that Italy simply could not keep up with the major powers in these technologies and disciplines. These units were expensive and time consuming to generate, and Italy simply did not have the manpower and industrial might to be superior in all things, better then to field superior infantry and artillery, than mediocre infantry, artillery and tanks. Compromise was not in his nature, but there was no choice.
So it was little comfort when he received a study from one of his favoured, up and coming generals, General Messe. It looked into the new ground combat theories coming out of Hitler's Germany. This study investigated the use of mobile troops with a combination of fast moving armour, in a coordinated fashion referred to as Combined Arms. This cooperation enabled both forces to carry out their mission on the battlefield much better and had the much sought after result of a force multiplier - greater than the sum of the two. The report concluded that this type of combined arms warfare, would dominate the battlefield for years to come.
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General Messe, 22a Divisione, 3rd Italian Army
This caused Mussolini some consternation, industry had made a serious commitment to developing infantry techniques and technologies for warfare. Ever the rising star Messe had a counter study prepared - with the careful application of research, officer training and battlefield doctrine he felt Mussolini would eventually be able equip each infantry division with an extra, fifth tank destroying support brigade -- similar to his artillery brigades but instead of heavy howitzers, these units would be armed with high velocity armor piercing cannons. If Italy couldn't join the armoured revolution, she could make sure that her precious forces could destroy those that had. Mussolini ordered research into the area of tactical command structure, which it was hoped would eventually lead to the attachment of yet another support brigade, this time anti-tank guns.
However, there was some light on the armoured situation. Within the army were three old cavalry divisions - Mussolini ordered these to be trained as either motorized infantry or light armor brigades, similar to the Militia brigades of East Africa, these poorly trained units would be brought up to speed with the best Italy's industry could offer. With them he would create three highly mobile assault divisions made up of one brigade of light tanks, two brigades of motorized infantry and would add one extra support brigade of tank destroyers. One extra division of this configuration was also raised so that a powerful 4 division mobile corps could be created.
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Newly outfitted light tanks and their crews undergo intense training, and the Ansaldo tank factory in Milan begins production of Italy's mobile corps
Sounds good so far. :)
Hmm. I'm noticing no mention has yet been made of Italy's naval forces. Is that still coming, or did you decide to go with a different focus this time around?
From the beginning of 1936 Mussolini had directed as much government resources and funds as possible into research, even at the detriment of his Intelligence and Diplomatic services. His research teams were put to task on the following projects - new infantry weaponry (including small arms, light artillery, support weapons and handheld anti-tank weapons). Its WWI era equipment was in desperate need of modernization. Italy also started a modernization program for its new major military arm - artillery - contracts to improve barrels, ammunition, carriages and sights were ordered. Other research teams were assigned to basic aircraft designs, and small fuel tanks for them and the naval engineers were directed to come up with an aircraft carrier design to rival those of the United Kingdom.
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Engineers at Ansaldo begin their projects, and Military strategists combine to iron out new infantry doctrines
The majority of these projects were completed by the end of May and the hugely expensive cost of upgrading existing divisions with the newer equipment began. Staff officers also started the work to develop the infantry doctrines that would make the Italian foot soldier the most effective combat weapon on the modern battlefield. Special Forces and Infantry Warfare tactics were developed and perfected. Assault Concentration was studied to improve the coordination between infantry and artillery in the new division structure. Mass assault techniques were developed to improve the morale of our troops during a rain of steel, as well as operational level organization and command structures which the theorists claimed would enable our troops to regroup quicker between attacks and attack quicker to keep our enemies on the run.
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Mussolini personally inspects his new Mountaineer brigades in Taranto
By mid-June of 1936, the militia had completed their mountaineer training that made them some of the best units in the Italian Army. Mussolini was faced now with another problem - Pariani highlighted that Staff officers could not decide whether to keep these mountaineer brigades in traditional 3 brigade divisions or to match two mountaineer brigades with two of the new, advanced artillery support brigades in the fashion of the standard infantry divisions. The mountaineers backed by artillery would have more firepower it was true, but the advantage of their mountain skills would be lost as the troops would be slowed down in the rough terrain waiting for the artillery to keep up. Mussolini again compromised, with the existing mountaineers from the Alps and the new trained mountaineers, he formed two Corps of 4 divisions each. One consisting of divisions made up of three mountaineer brigades and the other made up of divions with two mountaineer brigades and two artillery brigades. The battlefield would decide which division structure was the better.
Quote from: Martok on August 24, 2013, 01:34:32 PM
Sounds good so far. :)
Hmm. I'm noticing no mention has yet been made of Italy's naval forces. Is that still coming, or did you decide to go with a different focus this time around?
navy next - theres a slight change in the 'plan' as i think ive worked out a way to not need Gibraltar so much ;)
Brilliant stuff geek - really well done. Almost makes me want to fire up my copy and have another bash at it.
...Martok's right though...he does look a bit like Benny Hill.....
Quote from: bob48 on August 24, 2013, 02:17:54 PM
Brilliant stuff geek - really well done. Almost makes me want to fire up my copy and have another bash at it.
...Martok's right though...he does look a bit like Benny Hill.....
lol - stage is almost set and then some more 'action' can be posted
Has the Spanish Civil War been decided yet? I found that to be a huge "what if" in my game. I likely would have tried to take Spain prior to going after Sardinia and Sicily in my game had the Nationalists won instead of the Republicans.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 24, 2013, 02:31:21 PM
Has the Spanish Civil War been decided yet? I found that to be a huge "what if" in my game. I likely would have tried to take Spain prior to going after Sardinia and Sicily in my game had the Nationalists won instead of the Republicans.
just entered '37 in game and almost on the turn of the new year it was concluded, needless to say Spain is now idealogically in line with me and another guy up North, little mustache, forget his name
Benny Hill?
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The Ethiopian High Command wait for the final attack in Addis Ababa whilst at home Mussolini addresses the nation
On the eve of June 1st 1936, General Marinetti received orders from Mussolini himself - 'do no enter the gates of Addis Ababa without his express permission'. Confused and taken aback the General ordered a full halt of all the forces in East Africa, Zingales and Lisi passed the command to their divisions. Addis Ababa held its breath.
At home Mussolini's closest and most revered advisers had concluded that drawing out the East African war would better enable Italy to prepare itself for the inevitable coming of war in Europe. With the nation at a state of war the people were more willing to make the sacrifices necessary for the country to succeed. The objective for now was that Mussoloni and his cabinet were to keep the country on a war footing as long as possible. State controlled news agencies and propagandist agents began spreading rumours and falsehood about the progress of the war against Abyssinia. In the meantime Mussolini would keep an eye open for opportunities to improve his strategic positioning in Europe. For that role his agencies began planting news stories and reports to make neighbouring nations appear more threatening than they really were, and to prepare Italy for the struggles to come.
The African campaign's going a little too well, eh? ;)
very well, and Mussolini is enjoying the increased industry output and low demand for consumer goods whilst it continues!
During August and September both the aircraft designers at Macchi and the naval engineers at Cantieri finish their projects. The basic single engine airframe design was completed ahead of schedule and the developers presented Mussolini with the Macchi MC.200 with pride. Cantieri's engineers also presented Mussolini with plans for an escort carrier - much to their consternation both teams were sent straight back to the drawing boards. Macchi were awarded the contract to develop a multi-role fighter. With her limited resources, Italy would be restricted to developing and building single engine aircraft. The new multi-role fighters would be serviceable as interceptors, tactical bombers and in close air support operations. Cantieri were to commence work on Italy's first full aircraft carrier.
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With the onset of the Spanish Civil War Mussolini provides resources, supplies and aid to his Nationalist brother Franco
After 7 years of Spanish dictatorship under General Miguel Primo de Rivera, the Spanish people, as directed by King Alfonso XIII, went to the polls to determine their political future. A majority of their votes went to the various Republican (anti-monarchist) parties. The King accepted the verdict and went into exile. A Republic was created, secular-socialist in character, much to the great displeasure of those of Spanish society who remained fervently monarchist and Catholic. This latter group was known collectively as the Fascists. The most radical of this group, the Falangists ,headed by Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera, the son of the former dictator was similar to Mussolini's party - a uniformed paramilitary organization.
The elections of 1936 brought in a "Popular Front" government made up of parties of the Left, including the Communists. Immediately political conditions in Spain deteriorated with on-going street battles running between the Falangists and the equally tough Republican police, the Asaltos. When, in July of 1936, the Asaltos murdered a prominent Fascist politician, all hell broke loose. Soldiers in Morocco loyal to the monarchy, "Nationalists" as they called themselves, revolted against the Republican government in Madrid. This was the signal in Spain itself for the Catholic monarchists in the military to rise up in revolt against the Republican government in accordance with a plan carefully worked out beforehand by a young general, Francisco Franco Bahamonde.
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Republican militia closing in on Nationalists barricaded in the ruins of the Alcazar in Toledo
In the opening few days of the war desperate fighting took place in the city of Toledo to gain control of a munitions factory there. The Nationalists were eventually forced to withdraw to the hugely symbolic Alcazar. The Alcázar had been the residence of the Spanish monarchs after the reconquest of Toledo from the Moors, but was abandoned by Philip II and in the 18th century was converted into a military academy. The Nationalists saw the Alcázar as a representation of the strength and dominance of Spain and losing it to the Republicans would have been a serious blow to the Nationalists' vision and morale. In late July Franco's Nationalist forces reached Toledo and drove the Republicans off thus ending the siege and making Franco the hero of the Nationalist cause. Two days later Franco proclaimed himself Generalissimo and shortly thereafter unified the anti-Republicanist forces was declared the head of state.
Uh-oh. I do believe the fecal matter has hit the rotary impeller...
This gets better and better. I can't wait to see if the Italians actually manage to float an aircraft carrier in this game.
Quote from: bob48 on August 24, 2013, 02:17:54 PM
Brilliant stuff geek - really well done. Almost makes me want to fire up my copy and have another bash at it.
...Martok's right though...he does look a bit like Benny Hill.....
Oi! I'm not Martok, damn our eyes!
Ooops - sorry - I think my senility kicked in there....
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THE BATTLE FOR THE CORUNNA ROAD - 13th August-15th September 1936
Rather than launch a direct assault on Madrid the Nationalist command decided to besiege the city instead, this would mean taking the direct area surrounding Madrid. Colonel Varela launched an attack on the Corunna road which runs to the north of Madrid. His troops held a seven mile section of the road against fierce Republican attacks. As casualties mounted on both sides it became apparent that a stalemate had developed.
THE BATTLE FOR MALAGA - 17th September-6th October 1936
With tens of thousands of Italian troops arriving in Spain, the Nationalists felt strong enough to launch attacks into southern Spain. On the 17th September they launched a three pronged attack on Malaga, from the north, north-east and west. The Republicans had large numbers of men available to defend the city but poor organisation hampered their efforts. On the third of October after fierce fighting the Nationalists were on the outskirts of the town and three days later the Republicans abandoned the city.
THE BATTLE OF JARAMA - 6th-24th October 1936
It was at Jarama valley where the Nationalists renewed their attempt to cut off Madrid. The object of the Nationalist plan was to cut the Valencia road to the south-east of the city at Jarama. At first the Nationalists had success in pushing back the Republican defenders under General Sebastian Pozas across the river Jarama. After this minor defeat General Pozas was replaced by General Miaja on 15th October. The Nationalists had created a salient in the Republican lines and eventually completed their objectives.
BATTLE OF GUADALAJARA - 15th-18th October 1936
In a further attempt to cut off Madrid from the rest of the Republic, the Nationalists launched a two pronged attack toward Guadalajara. The forces attacking from the west under General Jose Moscardo met little resistance, and what forces they did encounter were poorly trained and equipped. The forces attacking from the east under General Mario Roatta (one of Mussolin's new elite Generals) consisted of mainly Italian troops who successfully took the town of Brihuega on the 15th November. A few days later on the 17th Republican divisions led by Colonel Enrique Jurado launched a counter-attack against the Italian forces assisted with tanks and aircraft. The attack surprised the Italians who struggled to hold the Republicans back, but after fierce fighting the Republicans were ordered to retreat, the retreat soon turned into an all out rout.
THE BATTLE FOR BILBAO - 31st October-18th November 1936
General Mola with his Nationalist forces in the north began an offensive into Basque country with the intent to take the stronghold of Bilbao. The poorly armed Basque forces under General Encomienda were unable to hold back the Nationalist forces. The towns of Guernica and Durango were surrendered on the 28th October after heavy fighting and bombing raids. However on the 3rd of November General Mola was killed in a plane crash and so was replaced by General Davila. On the 11th of November the Basque forces had withdrawn to Bilbao which was heavily defended with a ring of fortifications described as "a ring of iron". The ring of iron collapsed after an assault when fascist infantry supported by heavy artillery made a breech in the line, and all coherent defences dissolved. On the 18th November the defenders abandoned the city evacuating most of the population.
THE BATTLE OF SANTANDER - 19th-25th November 1936
Nationalist forces who had recently captured Bilbao turned their attention to the west. General Davila launched an offensive toward Santander through the Cantabrian Mountains. Republican General Mariano had large numbers of men at his disposal, but lacked weapons and ammunition, as a result the Republicans were unable to maintain an effective defence. On the 23rd of November they surrendered and the Nationalists entered Santander meeting little resistance.
THE BATTLE FOR MADRID - 7th-29rd December 1936
The Nationalists realised that to end the war they would have to take Madrid, the immediate forces at their disposal were of those under the command of General Davila, his forces were an experienced mix of Italian, German and Moroccan units of the Army of Africa. The first assault came from the direction of the north west with troops under the command of Colonel Varela, by the 16th Varela's troops had gained a bridge head over the river Manzarnares, as a result of the fighting that ensued three-quarters of the university city was lost to the Nationalists. The brave, but poorly armed militia units under General Miaja, supported by soviet tanks and aircraft were able to hold back the Nationalist advance. Further assistance came from the newly formed International Brigades, particularly the 11th Brigade which comprised of German, Polish and French volunteers but by the 23rd the Republican troops were exhausted and had suffered high casualties. They eventually capitulated and surrendered on 29 December 1936. The Spanish Civil War was over, Franco had won and the Nationalists controlled Spain.
Italian troops returned home to a hero's welcome. They had committed themselves well on the battlefield, they had gained much needed experience and had made a reputation for themselves and Mussolini.
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General Franco inspects his troops at the Nationalist victory parade through Madrid
Nice mini-AAR there 'geek. That was a fun "side-quest" to the Big Show. 8)
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In early January 1937 Cantieri's work on the blueprints for a full fleet carrier was completed. Mussolini immediately ordered their yards to begin constructing Italy's first carrier, to be christened the RM Aquila. For the first few moths of 1937 it was a golden age of industrial might, technological advances and everyone basked in the triumphs of Italian engineering, and were justly proud of the technological marvels they had constructed. Incredible bursts of advancement were achieved, steel and coal production registered efficiency improvements, industry itself become more efficient and productive, and the Italian infantryman was becoming the most advanced soldier in Europe. Mussolini rushed to award new contracts in the aftermath of these great successes. Cantieri received contracts to develop aircraft carrier engines and anti-aircraft ordnance. The army staff received instructions to pursue further study of supply organization, and Italian industry received directives to improve their supply production and general industrial efficiency yet again. Italian research and industrial prowess was being firmly established and Italy's star was rising in Europe. It should have come as no surprise then in late May of 1937 when Hitler travelled to Rome to make a direct and personal appeal to Mussolini.
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Hitler proposed to form a Pact of Steel between their two countries and to join what he referred to as the Axis Powers. Behind closed doors heavy debate ensued - Germany had vast potential resources both natural and in manpower, plus the industrial capabilities to put them to use and in a war Germany would be a powerful ally. However, Mussolini was mindful of his meeting with Doctor Rossi not so long ago. There was a very compelling section in that report on Hilter's psychology and how his mind worked. Hitler was bent on the aggrandizement of Germany and himself. He would not be content with strategic successes, but would try at all costs to achieve victory in the face of overwhelming numbers and ignore the facts presented to him. Even now he ignored the superiority of the Royal Navy, the vast land mass of Russia and its inexhaustable supply of manpower and of course the sleeping industrial giant across the Atlantic. Mussolini could not envision his Italian divisions marching in London or Moscow and he would not envision a war where his nation was brought to heel by German might. He flattered Hitler, told him that Italy and Germany and their new cousins Spain were hearts beating in the same chest, but graciously declined his request. He had his own plans for Italy and Europe.
:-\ Schicklgruber is going to be a bit miffed and he's been known to carry a grudge. You may want to get a spy set up over there if the game allows.
Also, does HOI3 permit you to trade or buy the license for certain specific tech or just a general class of stuff? Say, P&W based radial engines as opposed to aircraft engines in general?
Quote from: Staggerwing on August 25, 2013, 03:58:08 PM
Also, does HOI3 permit you to trade or buy the license for certain specific tech or just a general class of stuff? Say, P&W based radial engines as opposed to aircraft engines in general?
it does indeed - but as far as i know you purchase a production run of units not components to put in your own - so i could buy Messerschmitts for the airforce but not just the engines
Glad you were able to get your game restarted after the catastrophic crash, UGeek!
Going it alone, indeed. ;) (Well, not entirely alone, Spain has your back or at least vice versa. Wow, there must have been at least a few dozen civilian supporters at that victory parade!)
Quoteand the Italian infantryman was becoming the most advanced soldier in Europe.
Never thought I'd ever read those words presented seriously. ;)
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on August 25, 2013, 07:25:47 PM
Quoteand the Italian infantryman was becoming the most advanced soldier in Europe.
Never thought I'd ever read those words presented seriously. ;)
lol - me neither
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on August 25, 2013, 07:25:47 PM
Quoteand the Italian infantryman was becoming the most advanced soldier in Europe.
Never thought I'd ever read those words presented seriously AGAIN. ;)
Fixed that for you. ;)
(The Italian infantry and cavalry was once the most advanced soldier in Europe for a very long time, and their artillery/archery wasn't far behind.)
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Spurred on by the unexpected visit and the unerring feeling that momentus things were beginning to happen in Europe, Mussolini, on June 1, 1937 finally gave the eight divisions under the command of General Marinetti the long awaited assault order on Addis Ababa. There were still two full infantry divisions in the capital led by General Mersa including Sellassie's veteran Imperial Bodyguard. However, these doomed troops were encircled and hopelessly outnumbered. It cost 222 of Italy's finest, but Addis Ababa was taken and the East African war was promptly ended. Ethiopia surrendered unconditionally and Mussolini immediately ordered the installation of a new collaborative government in Addis Ababa and instructed all Italian troops to immediately move with all possible speed to the port of Ed for embarkation back to Italy. These now experienced infantry divisions had artillery support brigades ready and waiting for them in the vicinity of Trieste.
Your army needs a catchphrase for whenever you win a battle.
I'd go with yelling out "It'sa spaghetti time!" in an offensively stereotypical Italian accent, but that's just me.
Flush with success in Ethiopia and very pleased with the new military upscale, Mussolini and Pariani set about creating an elite force, the new modern Regio Esercito. After reading through the many reports of the Army Staff and Pariani's recommendations - 6 Generals were selected. This new army was put under the direct command of General Barbasetti di Prun, an officer well known for his no nonsense approach and attacking capability. This army was divided into 5 corps and each corps given to a General skilled in at least attack -
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8th Army command structure
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 27, 2013, 04:15:26 PM
Your army needs a catchphrase for whenever you win a battle.
I'd go with yelling out "It'sa spaghetti time!" in an offensively stereotypical Italian accent, but that's just me.
each operation will now be named after a pasta in honour of you sir
..............and Mussoloni placed them here ;)
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The Yugoslavian border
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 27, 2013, 04:15:26 PM
Your army needs a catchphrase for whenever you win a battle.
I'd go with yelling out "It'sa spaghetti time!" in an offensively stereotypical Italian accent, but that's just me.
Just say, "A bippity-boppitty" over and over. Seems legit.
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King Aleksandar I, the many states of Yugoslavia, the head of the Ustaše visits Mussolini in Rome
Almost immediately after the conclusion of the Great War, a new state was created by the Versailles treaty. It was to be called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes and came about by a union of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and the Kingdom of Serbia. To an average Italian at home it was a needless, worryingly unstable state made up of a number of violent uncompromising factions. King Aleksandar I tried desperately to make a single nation out of this mix of different peoples. He renamed his country Yugoslavia, banned all political parties, and ruled as a dictator. He abolished all the historic territorial provinces and redrew all the political lines. The old flags were banned as were all Communist ideas. His heavy handed attempts however were contrary to the long term ambitions of his neighboring states and his methods only increased the alienation of the non-Serb portion of his population. Mussolini picked his opportunity carefully, through discreet communications with his Intelligence service he was able to offer a Croatian separatist movement, the Ustaše group, to train on Italian territory near the Yugoslav border.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 27, 2013, 04:15:26 PM
Your army needs a catchphrase for whenever you win a battle.
I'd go with yelling out "It'sa spaghetti time!" in an offensively stereotypical Italian accent, but that's just me.
Victory catchphrase when conquering a territory or nations: "NOW
THAT'S ITALIAN!"
great stuff - looking forward to the next post!
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King Aleksander I and Minister Barthou enter Marseilles, moments later the King is dead and the minister fatally wounded, the signing of the Treaty of London from which Italy was excluded
In October, 1934 Aleksandar was on an official visit to France regarding the tense relations between the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Mussolini's fascist Italy. Arriving in Marseilles Aleksander was being driven in a car through the streets accompanied by French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou when Vlado Chernozemski, a Macedonian revolutionary working in cooperation with the Ustaše, and under the secret sponsorship of Mussolini stepped from the pavement and shot the King dead. He was succeeded by his 11 year old son, Peter II, and authority was assigned to his father's cousin, Prince Pavle Karađorđević, as regent. The prince was guided by Aleksander's advisors to make stronger ties with France, but he could see what lay ahead. France was internally divided, and increasingly unable to play an important role in Eastern Europe. He moved Yugoslavia away from its friendly relations with France and for over 2 years sought better relations with Italy, Germany and Romania.
But Mussolini had already made up his mind on the Yugoslavian matter. Italy had been treated poorly by the allies after the Great War. The Allies had wanted Italy's participation during WWI because of its border with Austria, in return Italy was promised Trieste, southern Tyrol, northern Dalmatia, and other territories in return for a pledge to enter the war. However, the promises of the Treaty of London were ignored by the post war Allied leaders, and Italian territories in Dalmatia were given to former enemies in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, now Yugoslavia. Mussolini had openly supported its separatists, and covertly assassinated its leader for advocating a strong central government. The time to undo the Treaty of London's injustice was at hand.
It's kind of amazing that in an era of dignitaries riding around in open-topped cars on parade, there weren't as many rifle-sniping incidents as there were.
Sure, guys run up and pistol shoot people or throw grenades at the car (or both for Archduke Ferdinand kicking off WW1 -- I can't remember offhand which one failed first). But rifle sniping would seem to have been easier. I guess the problem was that sniping would be more of a 'rural' ability and these assassinations seem to have been carried out by 'urbans' who had trouble even figuring out how to shoot a pistol properly.
The amazing thing about the assassination was that all the planned attempts failed and the Archduke made it to the destination government building . It wasn't until the motorcade left there and was re-routed back through the city to get the archduke and Sophie 'Out of Dodge' that they passed later directly by a very dejected Cavrilo Princip. He had actually been wandering the Sarajavo streets and contemplating suicide due to the utter failure of his cabal's attempt to strike their glorious blow for Serbian freedom. Then, suddenly right before his eyes, the Archdukes motorcade slows to take a sharp turn with the royal coach ending up directly in front of him.
He acts, walking swiftly to the touring car, pulling his pistol and firing twice.
Right, I just couldn't remember if it was pistol first then grenade or vice versa.
(I'm remembering the grenade attempt, though, right...?)
In May 1937 stories started running in Italian newspapers that atrocities were being committed against ethnic Italians living on the Dalmatian coast of Yugoslavia. In an appeal to his people Mussolini pointed out that the League of Nations could shed tears of blood for a poor tribesman from the East of Africa, but would not lift a finger to protect the rights and lives of Italians living in their own ancestral homeland. In early June operations began, even before any formal declaration of war - all the trains of Northern Italy were commandeered and began transporting the strike force from Ancona and Taranto to their launching positions.
General Calvi di Bergolo and his corps of mountaineers was taken to Gorizia in the North, General Zingales' and General Roatta's two corps of artillery backed mountaineers were sent to Trieste and Capodistria, General Pintor's infantry corps was sent to Rovignio, and finally, General Messe's Corpo d'Armata Celere of four mobile divisions was stationed in the far south at Pola. At midnight, June 11th 1937, Foreign Minister Ciano delivered an ultimatum to Yugoslavia that all involved knew would be rejected. One hour later with the rejection from Yugoslavia on Mussolini's table, Italy declared war on Yugoslavia.
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The opening plan, one month later and phase two of the Illyrian operation
Surprise was total, the enemy had not even mobilized for defense. The opening phase of the invasion was to isolate Dalmatia and create a front that would pivot on its Southern axis taking most of Western Yugoslavia. Due to the smoother terrain the southern pivot was given to Messe's Corpo d'Armata Celere. Their brief was to advance through Pola to Otocac and halt there until the northern forces could make their longer, arched advance. The most difficult task was assigned to Calvi di Bergolo and his four divisions of Alpini. They have the longest march through the roughest terrain from Gorizia across the the mountains of the border between Austria and Yugoslavia and then down through the rough terrain of Maribor, and finally into the lowlands of Ptuj and Ormoz. Roatta's corps of mixed mountaineers and artillery would advance from Trieste through the rough terrain to Krsko and the urban center of Zagreb. To the south, Zingales would advance from Capodistra through Ljubljana and on to Karlovac, and Pintor's corps would move out from Rovingno to Delnice.
Within a month the line of advance was stabilized and the second phase of the advance was ready to commence. All infantry corps were ordered to attack relentlessly towards the southeast and continue that attack while the enemy was still disorganized leaving no opportunity to regroup. Meanwhile Messe's Corpo Celere was to divide, with two divisions sweeping through Karlobag and two divisions advancing towards Perusic. The corps would reunite at Udbina and advance on the airbase at Split and if possible continue their breakthrough down the Adriatic coast.
I like it. Trumping the Wehrmacht, and four years earlier no less. :)
Looks good, 'geek. Glad to see initial operations went off with few problems.
Question, though: How concerned are you about arousing the wrath of the Russian bear?
Quote from: Martok on September 04, 2013, 05:23:37 AM
Looks good, 'geek. Glad to see initial operations went off with few problems.
Question, though: How concerned are you about arousing the wrath of the Russian bear?
very - its why i didnt join the Axis. Any game ive ever played has always centered around avoiding the M-R Pact and not tangling with Russia - take everything as Germany from Ireland to Helsinki to Istanbul but never, ever tangle with the big guy - ill see if i can send Jo some chocs and keep him sweet
how are your diplomatic relations with the big powers?
another question: what if germany will do poorly from 1939? can you stay away from germany or will a poor executed german war take you down anyway?
Quote from: Keunert on September 04, 2013, 10:59:38 AM
how are your diplomatic relations with the big powers?
another question: what if germany will do poorly from 1939? can you stay away from germany or will a poor executed german war take you down anyway?
Diplo is good, all my resources for diplo/intel are being put into increasing the threat of my likely conquests. Neighbours regard others as a threat before me which i thought may change after the invasion, but im that nice even Yugoslavia still think Albania are more dangerous than i am!
US and UK's highest threats are Japan, and there is no Pact of Steel with Japan yet.
Im hoping by maintaining independence i dont have to get dragged around europe like Germanys lapdog and hopefully I can take his southern/eastern european targets before him and be big enough to take him on if he wants a fight
^^ Thus being Europe's savior from the Nazi menace, and reconstituting the Holy Roman Empire properly along the way!
Plus, once you take Germany's tech, you can start to create Panzers. And then with solid Western backing (and maybe even banking) behind you, you can use Stalin as an excuse to recover all territory lost to Eastern Orthodoxy millennia earlier by sending panthers rolling in like a fo...
...rget it. I doubt you'll ever get around to doing that.
;D
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Phase 2 complete, Phase 3 of Operation Illyria and one month later
The shock of the assault during the second and third phase of the invasion came while the Yugoslavian forces were still reeling from the initial blows. They broke and were sent in headlong flight towards the southeast. The advance of the Italian forces struggled to keep in contact with their fleeing foes such was the haste of their retreat. Messe's mobile corps overran several divisions in its path and swept through Split, along the coast and all the way down to the seaport at Cetinje, they now had an unopposed path north to Belgrade - the Yugoslavian forces were in total disarray and surrender seemed imminent. Such was the shock then of the commanders at the front when Mussolini ordered a full halt to all operations.
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The elite mountain troops receive their newly outfitted artillery brigades, and Mussolini's new look Italian forces advance towards Ljubljana with ease
What's with Mussie pulling a Dunkirk halt? Is he afraid his that his Panzeratti are sticking their necks out too far?
Propaganda/public relations, perhaps? If Benito's justification for the war was the recovery of Italian territory, he may not want to push things too far -- at least for now.
^this move shows what a righteous leader he is: having righteous claims and stopping once those claims are fullfilled. i applause this man of honour!
Despite his ambitions for Italy, his successes, his revolution of Italian industry and the armed forces Mussolini still found himself summonsed to the Fascist Grand Council in Rome to explain his actions. He desperately maintained stopping the advance was the sensible thing to do with the approach of winter, but every military man knew different. The King began to question his management of the war.
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Mussolini gave an impassioned speech imploring them to trust in his judgment, he would do nothing to jeapordise the glory of Italy. He had for the past 15 years guided the ship of state with wisdom, and their trust in him must remain strong.
In truth Foreign Minister Ciano had received a communique from the United Kingdom's new Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. The diplomatic directive therein hinted that Mussolini should stop the advance into Yugoslavian territory immediately, Ciano and his advisors considered this the equivalent of an ultimatum. Mussolini halted the advance in fear of the diplomatic rumblings from the United Kingdom, his new army and certainly his new Navy was is no position to argue with the Great Sea Power - yet. Stopping for the winter was an excuse, Mussolini's pride would not allow him to concede that he had caved to British pressure.
When Italy first attacked Abyssinia, the United Kingdom under Stanley Baldwin had made serious efforts through the League of Nations to pressure Italy to abandon the campaign, but England was unwilling to act without France, and the French cowards were unwilling to act. However, the League resolved to impose sanctions against Italy and in response Mussolini considered suggesting that imposing sanctions would mean war, but he backed down in order to bide his time. He subsequently outsmarted the League in a firebrand speech by responding that "Italy will meet the sanctions with discipline, with frugality and with sacrifice." He allowed the sanctions to be imposed, but they were weak and meaningless - no harm was done to Italian industry, trade in oil, steel and coal continued. Italy's war industry was not affected and even the Suez canal remained open to Italian fleets. It was the The United Kingdom and Baldwin that had backed down.
In May of 1937 Stanley Baldwin resigned and Chamberlain was voted in as the new prime minister. In a break with protocol Chamberlain bypassed his Foreign Secretary Bevin and contacted Mussolini via Ciano directly. At the end of May, just weeks before the start of the invasion of Yugoslavia, Chamberlain remarked, "the lessening of the tension between this country and Italy has a very valuable contribution towards the pacification and appeasement of Europe." Mussolini took this comment as submission to Italy's dominance and if not approval, then acceptance of Italy's campaign in Abyssinia, this also suggested no desire to involve itself in other Italian interests in the region including the invasion of Yugoslavia.
However, the diplomatic communique from Chamberlain had enough hints of resolve embedded in it that it gave Mussolini cause for concern. Under Baldwin Britain had become a bloated, lazy leader of Empire incapable of making war but Mussolini had not yet had the opportunity to test the mettle of Chamberlain. Chamberlain was delighted that Mussolini had stopped his advance, contrary to intelligence reports it suggested that Mussolini was a sincere politician and statesman. He was sure that if he could get Mussolini and Milan Stojadinović, the Yugoslavian prime minister, to sit down and talk he could broker a mutually acceptable agreement that would preserve peace in the Balkans. Mussolini was happy to humour Chamberlain until he was confident Italy could proceed with the offensive without fear of intervention by the western democracies. Chamberlain came to Rome to preside over a peace conference between Mussolini and Stojadinović, he received a warm welcome and was treated with respect. Italian - UK relations became the warmest they had been in years.
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A private joke shared between Chamberlain and Mussolini, and Ciano, Lord Halifax, Chamberlain and Mussolini
The conference was a disaster. Stojadinović believed that he had the West's support in the dispute, even militarily if necessary. Not only would he not consider territorial concessions, he dared to mention old territorial claims against Italy. Chamberlain returned to London reporting that the Yugoslavs had made peace impossible, and he was prepared to wash his hands of the matter. To Mussolini this was good as the the United Kingdom's acceptance of the continuation of the war.
Bennie does some nice ass-covering there. ;)
Question: Does the diplomacy in HoI3 allow countries to actually threaten each other like you described? Or was your description of Chamberlain issuing that note to Mussolini your own addition?
Quote from: Martok on September 05, 2013, 07:30:46 AM
Bennie does some nice ass-covering there. ;)
Question: Does the diplomacy in HoI3 allow countries to actually threaten each other like you described? Or was your description of Chamberlain issuing that note to Mussolini your own addition?
i must confess tis all a lie - just before the halt i needed the African divisions bringing up from Somalia for reserve and id also ordered 4 more divisions that were just about to finish and i needed these to press the attack - that and i couldnt get XXXX's threat level up high enough to attack next so i needed a convenient pause for all the stuff to get finished, plus the IC bonuses for being at war are so juicy!
Well it was nicely done, in any case. As I and others have noted before, you have a gift for storytelling. :)
Quote from: Martok on September 05, 2013, 07:53:56 AM
Well it was nicely done, in any case. As I and others have noted before, you have a gift for storytelling. :)
much appreciated - thanks :)
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The elite divisions are finally shipped from Africa to the new Italian frontline, and the mobile corps receive orders to reengage the Yugoslavian defenders
By October 1st 1937 it was blatantly obvious that the Western democracies were unwilling or unable to assist the Yugoslavian state. After a month's inactivity due to the aborted peace process attempts, Mussolini gave the order to restart the offensive. There was nothing elegant or subtle about the plan, the Italian forces up and down the line were briefed to simply destroy the forces opposite them and advance on the capital. The Yugoslavs broke easily and collapsed rearwards towards Belgrade.
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Artillery pounds the city, Zingales' divisions advance on the capital, areas in pre-planned sectors of the city bear the brunt of attack, Yugoslavia surrenders
On 21st October 1937 the Battle for Belgrade began. Sixteen artillery brigades pounded the Yugoslav defenders to prepare the way for the infantry. The Italians launched their assault at 5:30 am. The Alpini troops attacked three pre-designated sectors of the city following five major directions with platoon or company strength, this assault took place in very heavy rain. Against the right sector, the Alpini attacked with two companies, with full artillery support. Due to the fierce Yugoslav resistance this attack failed but during the night of October 25-26, the sector's CO organized a successful commando operation against the Yugoslav troops stationed at the village of Grammos on the outskirts of the city and captured a number of officers and vital maps and intelligence.
At the central sector the situation was more dangerous - the Italians advanced against the Yugoslav entrenchments with the main force of the two attacking divisions with the support of artillery guns & mortars. The Yugoslavs fought stubbornly, however at noon on the 27th they were forced to withdraw further into the city. At the left sector the Italians attacked with a force of two further divisions and despite their courageous efforts the defenders failed to hold them back. During the night of the 27th the Italian divisions managed to establish a bridgehead into the city - the Yugoslav HQ worried about the new situation ordered the surrender of the city to prevent further bloodshed and destruction.
Yugoslavia, and more importantly Italian lands were back where they belonged.
After the annexation. Mussolini waited for the inevitable protest from France and the United Kingdom, but it never came. Diplomatic relations remained unchanged. Both England and France seemed more distracted by the more existential threat posed by Germany and Japan. It seemed as if Chamberlain was going to allow Italy a free hand in the Balkans so long as Mussolini did not directly threaten UK interests in the area, which were minimal at best.
Step 1: Conquer Yugoslavia
Step 2: ...
Step 3: Profit!
Step 2: Start driving for Middle Eastern Oil fields?
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King Zog I, 8e Armata moves to secure its new borders, 1st Alpini Division on the move to the Albanian border
Long before Mussolini's reign, the importance of the port of Vlore and the small Kingdom of Albania had been identified by Italian strategists as essential to dominating the entrance and exit to the Adriatic Sea. In exchange for Italy's agreement to enter the First World War on the side of the allies, Italy had actually been promised the port and the surrounding territory by France and the United Kingdom as part of the "compensation" in the Secret Treaty of London. During the war Italy occupied Vlore and half of the nation to prevent the strategically important port from falling into the hands of the Austro-Hungarians. At the end of the war Italy refused to withdraw resulting in the Vlore War with Albanian patriots in 1920. The Albanian freedom fighters rose up so fast in revolt against the Italian garrison that it was over before reinforcements could be rushed to the area. This defeat led Italy to withdraw its garrison and surrender its claim to the important port. Mussolini, of course, always saw this defeat as a humiliation of his nation that needed to be rectified. Now was his time
Italy had entered into a series of treaties and relationships with the Albanian nation. The Albanian government was subsidized by Italian loans, and the Albanian army was taught by Italian instructors. Although Italian influence was pervasive, King Zog I refused to surrender his nation's autonomy. In 1931 King Zog refused to renew the defensive treaty with Italy and instead sought to strengthen relations with Yugoslavia and Greece. With the sudden collapse of Yugoslavia and the presence of a mighty Italian army on the Albania border, it was clear that King Zog had selected the wrong friends.
Mussolini wanted the port and airbase for future plans and operations. On January 1st 1938, Ciano delivered the ultimatum to King Zog. Albania must immediately accede to Italian occupation in exchange, he and his wife, newly pregnant with his first child and the only heir to his throne would be permitted to retire in luxury to an estate provided by the Italian government. King Zog refused to sell out his country, but he also failed to fight for its independence.
This kind of in-depth history, even for an alternate history, is why I would never be able to write a good AAR (or OAR) for a nominally historical wargame. I just don't know enough to be credible about motivations and circumstances. :(
Google, wikipedia and honey infused Jack Daniels are your friend!
^ LOL
Sorry 'geek, but I have another gameplay question: Does HoI3 allow you to "diplo-annex" countries like in the EU series? I'm just curious if that was an option for Albania, or whether you were going to have to invade all along.
no diplo-annex, that would be a great feature by the way
Albania was just the next step in Mussolini's righting of many wrongs in Italy's history
It'sa fusilli time!
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The 8e Armata's plan for the liberation of Albania, sporadic street fighting breaks out but no real resistance is offered, surrender
On January 3rd 1938 Italy declared war on Albania. The King's initial plan was to mount a resistance in the mountains with his Italian trained troops, leaving the ports and main cities undefended, but Italian agents placed in Albania as military instructors sabotaged his plan. The Albanians discovered that their artillery pieces had been disabled, and ammunition stores had been destroyed. As a consequence, the only token resistance was offered by gendarmes and small groups of patriots. Meanwhile, the King abandoned the cause of his country, and he and his wife slipped across the Greek border.
The plans for the attack were were left to General Lisi's corp, recently arrived from East Africa, consisting of four mountain divisions with artillery support and General Zingale's corp consisting of four pure mountain divisions. Lisi advanced from the newly acquired Yugoslav province of Ulcinje into Albanian territory through Lezhe, into Tirane and on towards his ultimate objective of Vlore along the Greek border. Zingales advanced down the right flank of Albania to ultimately arrive at Korce on the Greek border. The conquest of Albania was just a means to an end for Mussolini's next mission, it was all over in six days. The population was confused and rightly felt abandoned. It took a few days for them to designate a representative of the people, but on January 9th 1938, they unconditionally surrendered.
Albania became a part of the new Italian empire.
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Ioannis Metaxas - Primie Minister of Greece, Athens, Mussolini on the Albanian/Greece border meets with the General Staff
The Romans had ruled Greece for over 1,000 years between the time that Flaminius' legions defeated Philip V of Macedonia until the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. For Mussolini, no reestablishment of the Roman Empire would be complete without control of the other major Mediterranean peninsula. Not all disputes between Italy and Greece were of the ancient variety however. Italy had clashed with Greece during the occupation of Turkey after the first world war, Italy even assisted Turkish nationals in their war against Greece. Greece was also angry with Italy for its occupation of the Dodecanese islands which Italy captured from the Turks in 1912 and which Greece insisted belonged to them. Italy had promised their return to Greece in the 1919 Venizelos-Tittoni accords, but hadn't. Furthermore, Italy now possessed Albania and with it significant claims to territories in Greece.
There was also the murder of General Tellini in 1923, shortly after Mussolini came to power. Italy was working with the League of Nations on a border dispute between Greece and Albania and General Tellini, a personal friend of Mussolini, was the leader of the Italian delegation. He and three of his staff were murdered by Greek nationals for suspected bias in favor of Albania. This led to a brief invasion of the island of Corfu, but the League intervened in the dispute, Greece apologized for the murders, Italy returned Corfu, but the affront and hard feelings remained. Ultimately, all these disputes were a pretext. Greece was in what Mussolini deemed to be Italy's sphere of influence. Greece would submit, or there would be war.
Ioannis Metaxas became the prime minister of Greece in April of 1936, but suspended parliament and declared himself dictator just four months later. On the eve of March 1st 1938, Italy's ambassador in Athens, Emanuele Grazzi, handed an ultimatum from Mussolini to Metaxas. In it Mussolini demanded free passage for his troops to occupy unspecified "strategic points" inside Greek territory. Metaxas rejected the ultimatum with the words "Then, it is war"
Merda just got real.
It'sa Mousakka time!
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 07, 2013, 10:46:20 AM
Google, wikipedia and honey infused Jack Daniels are your friend!
And then for no apparent reason
you were beaten by the Ethiopians bwahahahahahaha your game crashed and you couldn't reconstitute your save! ;D
Quote from: undercovergeekAlbania became a part of the new Italian empire.
Now THAT'S Italian!
Time to grease the wheels of Empire...
Well, at least the Italians might make the Greeks give up retsina. That abomination has to go!
Quote from: besilarius on September 08, 2013, 09:43:08 AM
Well, at least the Italians might make the Greeks give up retsina. That abomination has to go!
Along with pretty much every other Greek food. Bleh...
i like my retsina display you amoled freaks
Mussolini, for the first time since his rise to power, was uncharacteristically worried. Aides had noticed the lights burning late in his rooms and wondered what could concern their saviour so much
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In his private chambers Mussolini pours over his plans for Greece and the translation of a rousing speech by Metaxas to the Greek nation
He called conferences with his main advisors, senior generals and Chiefs of Staff. Truth be known this was the first time Mussolini needed to wage total war, to mobilise his full armed forces - the army, navy and airforce and he was nervous - this was the first test of Italy's full might on the world stage. He wanted to ensure no rock was unturned in his search for the ideal plan, the master stroke, his pride would not allow failure.
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Mussolini meets with senior Generals Badoglio, Balbo, and Graziani throughout the first week of March
At midnight on March 7th 1938, Italy declared war on Greece.
When devising the battle plan against Greece, Mussolini had enquired of the Chief of the General Staff, Marshal Badoglio, how many divisions would be required to take Greece. Badoglio's answer was at least 20, Mussolini was to give him 28 infantry divisions, including his beloved Aplini troops, plus Messe's corps of 4 mobile divisions.
On the morning of the 8th the assault on the Greek border began. General Gambelli's four mountaineer divisions attacked south from Korce to Kastoria, the attack was supported by Calvi di Bergolo's corps attacking from Bitola. Attacking from Skopje, deeper into the border was Lisi and further to the east was Zingales, and on the extreme right flank would be the ever reliable Roatta, on the west gathering in the port city of Tirane for a different mission altogether was Pintor. Messe's mobile force attacked through the less mountainous western side of Greece in an attempt to break down the coast and isolate Athens. The key to the whole plan, the crux of Mussolini's late nights and nervous looks was to grab Greece's two major cities, Salonika in the east and Athens to the South. His biggest worry was that Greece, already close to the United Kingdom through trade and political connections, would reach out diplomatically and join the Allies before Mussolini could force the surrender to him and him alone, above all else he feared a Greek government in exile and an ability to exert full control over Greece and call it his own.
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The initial plan of attack
Once Gambelli had secured Kastoria, his divisions were in a good position to concentrate artillery fire on the Greek stronghold at Ioannina. With the support of Ambrosio's four infantry divisions, recently formed after the African campaign, as well as General Calvi di Bergolo's mixed Alpini, Gambelli stormed the fortifications. The Greeks had a strong position, but the Regio Esercito brought to bear tremendous firepower from three separate directions and the Greek infantry were forced to abandon their fortifications. On the other side of the front, Zingales continued with his attack through Edessa to Meliki, effectively cutting off Salonika from the rest of the country, whilst Roatta began to march southeast.
Also on the 8th the full weight of the Regia Marina and Regia Aeronautica were also unleashed. Mussolini's 1st Fleet's command was given to the talented rear admiral Campioni, who was widely regarded as a fine tactician. Campioni's fleet was the pride of Italy, it consisted of four battleships, three heavy cruisers and three light cruisers with the 7th and 8th flotillas of destroyers, this potent fleet was sent to patrol the waters of the Ionian sea - its role to intercept any fleeing Greek ships and to guard the sea lanes leading into the Adriatic. Mussolini rebased three naval bomber squadrons to the airbase at Rhodes where they were in a perfect position to scatter Greek shipping in the area, and seven submarine flotillas were rebased to the Dodecanese where they proceeded to pillage the Greek convoys. The rest of the navy was split into small squadrons of destroyers and cruisers in an attempt to cover the sea south of Greece, after all Greece was fully capable of landing its own force in Italy or on the shores of Italian Africa.
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Italian submarines wreak havoc upon the Greek merchant fleet in the Aegean Sea
I'm assuming you have gone further in game, time-wise, than you're writing about...
I'm curious what other world events are occurring. Is Germany annexing the Rhineland and Austria?
It's been a long time since I've played HOI, but I remember a certain randomness to these events when it comes to the AI playing the other major powers.
Just as the greek campaign started they annexed austria and ive seen something fire about czechoslovakia although thats not german yet, I get an invite to the axis every month and japan just signed up. Japan has nearly all of nationalist china and one of the chinese provinces out there has joined the axis - ill post some world shots in the next one
With the northern offensive well established and advancing steadily it was time for Mussolini to attempt a more stealthy approach as opposed to trying to bludgeon his way through Greece. Mussolini had kept Pintor and his infantry divisions back whilst the northern campaign started. As a prelude to his plan, the 1st fleet moved into position off the Attic coast to clear the sea lanes and secure the coastal areas here. Through various agents in the area it was determined that the majority of the Greek reserves had marched north to reinforce the border, the time was perfect. On March 16th 1938, a transportation flotilla of troop transports guarded by three heavy cruisers and various screens landed Pintor and his corps at Patra - the aim, a lightening strike in the South of Greece and a raid on the undefended Athens. The attack achieved total surprise, and the Greeks only had a two brigade garrison division between Pintor and Athens.
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Pintor's men board at Tirane for their amphibious landing, the northern corps begin to push down into the Greek Epirus - in the south Pintor advances east to Athens
In the northeast near Salonika, the Greeks had fortified at Giannitsa but instead of a head on assault of the fortifications similar to that tried at Iaonnina, Mussolini decided to bypass and encircle this defensive position - the strategy paid off, the Greek defenders abandoned their forts and headed to Salonika. Zingales' corps continued its offensive south from Meliki to Kilkis. The gaps in the line after the fall of Giannitsa left an opening for Roatta to begin his march on Salonika - Zingales being the battering ram while Roatta headed straight for the streets of the city.
Further south Messe, Lisi, Calvi di Bergolo and Gambelli were destroying all in their path, pushing the Greeks towards Athens while Pintor set the trap for them there. Off the coast of Athens the reassigned 1st fleet found the pride of the Greek navy. For the cost of a few damaged Italian destroyers the notorious Greek ships Vassilissa Olga and Adrias, amongst many other screens protecting the battleships Kilkis and her sister Lemnos, and the famous cruiser Georgios Averof were intercepted and sunk in a massive sea battle in the Western Aegean. Captains and crew of the battleship Vittorio Veneto and the cruiser Fiume would be recognised after the battle by Mussolini for their outstanding performance in battle.
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Destroyers lead the Battle of the Western Aegean, hunting out the Greek ships, the Adrias capsizes and sinks after two torpedo strikes, the Vittorio Veneto and her sister Roma pummel the Greek capital ships
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"Greek resolve, no matter the force of their pride, will break"
Mussolini had counselled his General Staff and advised them there would be a point in the invasion when Greek resolve, no matter the force of their pride, would break. Almost a month into the fighting that point came. The Hellenic navy was smashed to pieces in sight of Athens itself, all merchant activity had either ceased or been destroyed. On land the last of the best defenders were routed at Larissa and Amfissa and they turned to flee for Athens, only to find Pintor already there - their homeland was lost, on the 5th April 1938 General Pintor raised Il Tricolore on the Acropolis and Metaxas was captured and immediately offered unconditional surrender.
Marvelous! Looks like it was practically a textbook-perfect campaign.
it was - im embarassed to say i was really nervous after declaring war and marching over the border - there was a real sense of trepidation as the attack went forward, i think it was just the size of Greece compared to the other conquests so far, and the first country to have a decent enough naval force to cause me some trouble - genuine nerves - weird, god knows how ill feel if the Grey machine up north comes calling
Join ze Pact uff Shteeeeel und you do not haff to vorry about ze Zhird Rrrrreich comink to call on Rrrrome!
never - well, not until i can close down the Suez and Gibraltar, and that needs a war with Nationalist Spain - however, if im rebuilding the Roman Empire that may need to be done yet
Isn't the UK and France making noises about your thinly-disguised reestablishment of the Roman Empire?
that's the nice thing about this game:
if you play the US it's almost like Nintendogs, if you play France it's an endless runner, if you play the Nazi's it's rogue like and if you chose Italy it's an exposure therapy: you have to expect the worst whenever you act.
btw what's going on in Spain?
Just curious, but if Il Duce advanced through Greece into Roumania, how would the Germans react if you got to Ploesti before them?
Probably the Bulgars would be willing to assist you by opening their borders, if it meant keeping the really big boys, like Germany or Russia, out of their neighborhood.
Controlling the whole of the Balkans looks like it could be within your reach. However, economically, there would be nothing but the oil in Ploesti to justify such a move. In fact, I'd wager that Greece could end up a real pit to absorb huge amounts of capital. The pre-war economy was not exactly scintillating.
And as long as we are in fantasy land, have you put out feelers to Turkey for an alliance to clear the Middle East?
Quote from: besilarius on September 12, 2013, 06:43:27 AM
Just curious, but if Il Duce advanced through Greece into Roumania, how would the Germans react if you got to Ploesti before them?
Probably the Bulgars would be willing to assist you by opening their borders, if it meant keeping the really big boys, like Germany or Russia, out of their neighborhood.
Controlling the whole of the Balkans looks like it could be within your reach. However, economically, there would be nothing but the oil in Ploesti to justify such a move. In fact, I'd wager that Greece could end up a real pit to absorb huge amounts of capital. The pre-war economy was not exactly scintillating.
And as long as we are in fantasy land, have you put out feelers to Turkey for an alliance to clear the Middle East?
yeah, errmmm about Bulgaria and Turkey, ahem
Heh. Reestablishing the Roman Empire means Bulgaria and especially Turkey are on the plate. ;) Especially Turkey for purposes of opening up a route to the oilfields (although I suppose also Bulgaria for a path to the Caucases.)
Meanwhile in regard to Greece: now THAT'S Italian! ;D
Quote from: Keunert on September 12, 2013, 06:40:37 AM
btw what's going on in Spain?
its all over - tis a Nationalist stronghold
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Ciano and Mussolini meet Chamberlain at 10 Downing Street, London
On 18th April 1938 Mussolini and his advisors boarded a plane bound for England. Chamberlain had contacted Ciano through diplomatic channels to convey his dismay at Italy's annexation of Greece, and Mussolini saw fit to speak directly with the Prime Minister. Mussolini calmly told Chamberlain that the entire Balkans region belonged in Italy's sphere of influence, and that he intended to maintain the peace in its sphere as he saw fit. Mussolini was clever to avoid any conversation about what he thought actually constituted the 'Balkans'. He went on further to explain that the minor powers in this area were in-fighting, tribal, and prone to rebellion, and that those disputes had more than once engulfed the major powers including the UK itself in destructive and needless violence. Mussolini intended to gather the minor powers in the area to submit to his central authority thus sublimating all the petty border disputes between the minor fiefdoms. Mussolini was quick to point out to Chamberlain that his inspiration was the United Kingdom's political dominance of India and her other overseas territories and it was a shining example for all to follow, what could Chamberlain say? Rome's dominance in the Balkans may not be to the local's liking, but it is nevertheless in their best interests. Mussolini warned that there may be additional campaigns to which Chamberlain may object, but he gave his personal assurance that none of Italy's designs were directed at those areas in the Mediterranean under current British control. He was very specific - Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, Egypt and the Levant. Italy had no problem living side-by-side in peace with another benevolent colonial power. So long as that power respected Italy in its sphere. In the end Mussolini was satisfied he'd conveyed his message clearly. It was difficult however to read Chamberlain's position on the stated Balkan plans. He remained noncommittal and seemed much more concerned with Hitler and Germany.
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Germany marches back into the Rhineland, German soldiers enter the recently annexed Austria, overwhelmed Sudetanland Germans welcome their liberators
By the time of Mussolini's visit to the UK, Germany had remilitarised the Rhineland, violated the prohibitions on rearmament, annexed Austria, and voiced designs on the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. Germany was also asserting diplomatic influence on the expansion-minded nations of Europe in an effort to get those minor powers to join Germany in the Axis. Chamberlain was obviously in grave fear of an impending war with Germany - the same war that Mussolini knew to be inevitable. Mussolini assured Chamberlain that Italy had no intention of joining the Axis, unless attacked by the United Kingdom or its allies. At the time of his departure Chamberlain declared that the United Kingdom's official position was one of opposition to Italy's expansion in the Balkans, but he also noted that those nations forced to submit to Mussolini's central authority would not be able to join the Axis powers. Mussolini took that last comment to be the most important statement of the conference. He left for Rome on the 21th April, quietly certain the UK would be no trouble.
This was of great comfort to Mussolini, since his plane had left the runway for England his victorious generals had been traveling North. The entire Greek invasion army were boarding requisitioned trains, and company by company, brigade by brigade in a feat of splendid logistical superiority and organisation they were travelling to further glory. By the 10th May there was a ring of steel around Bulgaria
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Uff-da. Benny's on a roll!
Maybe Romania is next?
Sure, it's Roman, right? ;D
I notice that a couple of Turkish observational groups are parked nearby, but no sign of Bulgarian troops. That seems odd: is Turkey in some kind of agreement with Italy to share information on troop movements? (I can't imagine the Moose is going to leave Turkey alone, since they're his path to the Middle East and the southern Black Sea area.)
I think its Zincone's division in the south east border that has allowed me to see over the Turkish red line
Bulgarian and Italian troops are very similar in colour
Oh, I see the flags now; yes the colors were throwing me off, and on my computer at work the screen was too small to see the flags. (I'm looking at it now on a 40" screen.)
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Tsar Boris III, Sofia, and the opening attack
Mussolini had little time for the Bulgarians, he believed they were a poor and violent nation. During the first world war they had conquered most of Macedonia and Serbia, but they had finished on the losing side. The Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine more popularly known in Bulgaria as the Second National Catastrophe required Bulgaria to cede Western Thrace to the Entente, which it begrudgingly did, to Greece at the San Remo conference thereby cutting off Bulgaria's corridor to the Aegean Sea. They were also required to give up a vast tract of land of on the western border to the "Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes." The treaty also forced Bulgaria to return Southern Dobruja, which had been captured during the war and restored the border set by the Treaty of Bucharest. Bulgaria was forced to reduce its army to 20,000 men, pay reparations of £100 million, and recognize the existence of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. These losses of territory, the reparations, and the world-wide depression made Bulgaria desperately poor in the 30's. During these hard times Bulgaria's constitutional monarch, Tsar Boris, seized real total power and ruled through his puppet prime minister, Georgi Kyoseivanov in April of 1935. His government initiated a policy of rearmament after overturning the military clauses of the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine and the Treaty of Lausanne. Bulgaria was forming closer ties with Germany and was contemplating joining the Axis. Bulgaria refused to sign the Balkan Pact which sought to stabilize the borders in the region. Bulgaria felt wronged by the outcome of the first world war and was looking for an opportunity to make things right. Mussolini was of the opinion that Bulgaria, as an autonomous nation, would never keep the peace and thus needed removing from the stage.
On May 24th 1938 Ciano delivered an ultimatum to Kyoseivanov. Either Bulgaria would grant Italy unimpeded access to all of Bulgaria's military and political installations, or Bulgaria would be attacked. The ultimatum was rejected and the attack began just after midnight 25th May 1938. The plan of attack called for General Roatta's corps to advance if they met no serious opposition, but otherwise their purpose was defensive in nature to stop any potential incursions into Italian territory while the forces to the south completed the hard work of the invasion. General Gambelli and his mountain troops were to advance into Berkovica then onto Sofia. General Pintor's corps would advance from Giannitsa to Kresna to Blagoevgrad and finally towards the attack of Sofia, and finally General Messe's mobile corps from Kavala would make an end run through Thasos along the Turkish border and make a dash for the Black Sea port of Varna. Again Mussolini's underlying strategy was to head for the country's most important cities in a play to dissolve national resistance and crush morale.
The attack went according to Mussolini's plans. Within a week his Italian forces were on the outskirts of Sofia at Berkovica, Pernik and Blagoevgrad and the battle to take the capital had begun. However, the Bulgarians put up determined resistance. Meanwhile, to the east Messe was charging toward Varna unobstructed, further plans were drawn up for him to head west after the cities fall and cut off the supply of the resilient Bulgarian armies. Three days later, on June 5th 1938, Gambelli's four divisions were at the doors of the government buildings in Sofia, it had been a costly battle and Gambelli had lost 1500 elite Alpine troops. In spite of heavy losses and the the capture of the cities Varna and Sofia, Bulgaria continued to resist but finally, on June 12th 1938 after Italian forces had overrun most of the country, Tsar Boris finally surrendered and he agreed to leave the country.
There were plenty who were not sad to see him go and viewed the Italian armies as liberators. For propaganda purposes, the views of this minority were given prominent exposure in the press and on the radio waves. Bulgaria was annexed to Italy's central authority.
Think it's time to fortify the Brenner Pass from Austria to Italy.
Going after Austria will be one of the surest ways to get onto Ministache's Scheiss Liste. Them's kin down there, dontcha know.
Have to agree that a grab into Austria would be pushing the envelope.
Was thinking of preparation in case the big, grey machine tries to steamroller their way into northern Italia. There aren't too many ways over the Alps, and germanic invaders from the Teutons and Cimbri through Frederick Barbarossa seem to enjoy the pleasant Brenner Pass.
Its already german -at the moment im waiting out the allies. My threat level with france and uk is 110 even russia feels uneasy at 56 - I have 2 more conquests planned before im off plan
Bulgaria: now THAT'S Italian!
^^ One of those next two targets would be Turkey I expect. After that... hm... While Romania would thematically make sense, it puts you in the path of the Soviet/Nazi clash, which seems bad until they're weakened from fighting each other. (Then you can come in as a liberator.) Going north of the Black Sea in any case would create similar problems more directly.
So my guess, unless you start making (further) moves into Central Africa (to avoid pissing off the British further south, and to avoid the coming British/Nazi clash up north for a while), would be farther east from Turkey in some fashion, heading for the oil -- although that's going to start getting into British territories/Allies again pretty soon.
What troops do you have in Libya, by chance?
What's your air force looking like? Has it 'modernized' in any way like your army?
What's the status of the Italian aircraft carrier?
Jason - turkey and romania already consider pasta their national dish if youre with me! 2 more AFTER them.....
Banzai - libya has the starting garrison division thats all, the airforce is still very small - it will only consist of interceptors and multi role aircraft - similar to the tanks, if I cant have them ill make sure you cant use yours, theyre currently at 1939 level of tech in 1938.... the carriers due in 3 months and then ill order 3 more
Disputes between Turkey and Italy were both ancient and contemporary. Long ago Caesar defeated Pharnaces of Pontus declaring 'Veni, Vidi, Vici' in the short war of Asia Minor. Not so long ago Italy fought the Italo-Turkish War against the Ottoman Empire. Victory resulted in Italy gaining possession of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and Libya, she also gained Rhodes and the Dodecanese Islands. Turkey still possessed a foothold in Europe and still soiled the second Rome. If Mussolini was to emulate famous ancestors then this needed to be rectified.
Whilst anti-establishment propaganda began to be played to the masses of Bulgaria, Mussolini turned round his victorious Generals and ordered them east. Mussolini instructed his Ambassador to deliver his ultimatum to Turkey. On August 7th 1938, Italy demanded that all Turkish forces withdraw from all of Europe and fifty miles from the shore of the Bosporus and the Aegean Sea. Turkey rejected the ultimatum and on August 8th, Italy declared war and Mussolini readied his troops for total war again.
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Turkey's leading men - President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Prime Minister İsmet İnönü, Mussolini's opening attack strategy, Istanbul
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Messe is relieved at the Battle of the Bosphorous, Lisi lands on the west coast, the Turkish Navy attempt to break out
Messe's mobile corp struck first and made a lightening advance from Burgas to Demirkoy to Karacakoy and entered Istanbul virtually unopposed. But at this place catastrophe struck - Istanbul was taken but to advance further into Turkey the Bosphorous needed to be crossed. Messe's forces became bogged down in a deadly battle of attrition with Turkish defenders on the other other side, unable to withdraw or cross they were locked in a battle they couldnt win. The only way to relieve the armoured corps was to find another way around the Bosphorous and take on the defenders from a different flank. Zingales was chosen to spearhead the relief force, he advanced on foot from Thasos to Gelibolu and crossed the southern straight to seize Canakkale and Biga. Fortunately no opposition of note was encountered, and from Canakkale Zingales and his four divisions headed for Gemlik and the southern flank of Istnabul. Roatta's corps had stayed on the European side of the Bosporus to occupy the remainder of European Turkey and operate as a reserve force - when the emergency call went up from Messe he too advanced toward Istnabul. Between them they managed to break the defenders of the Bosphorous and Messe was able to straighten the lines and fan out into and undefended Turkey.
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Messe bogged down in Istanbul
Also on 7th August 1938, General Lisi was gearing up for his mission. The Regia Marina had parked two battleship squadrons in the South Aegean Sea outside the port of Izmir to see if the Turkish navy was foolish enough to give battle. Naval bombers were tasked with striking the port there to either flush out the navy or destroy the ships at port. With the sea lanes secured or defended Lisi's transport flotilla landed his four divisions in Izmiri. The landing was unopposed and the attackers quickly secured the port, and like Messe's corps they fanned out to seize territory and search for the Turkish army which up to this point had been all but missing in action.
By September 1st, Messe had forded the Sakarya River and had seized the provinces of Sakarya and Tarakli and was spreading out to overrun Akcakoca, Akyazi and Cukurhisar, and then on to Mudurnu, the airbase at Duzce. Down south, Lisi's corps had formed a unified front with Pintor's troops and was heading east along the Southern coast of Turkey in an attempt to deny them access to their ports. By September 27th 5 corps were bearing down on Ankara - before any battle could be joined for the capital Turkey's forces capitulated.
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The march on Ankara
Mussolini's boasts of recreating the Roman Empire were coming to fruition. 'Veni, Vidi, Vici' was on everyone's lips after the shockingly quick and easy victory. As an aside, Istanbul was the site of one of the most fabulous architectural feats of ancient Rome, the cathedral of Sancta Sophia. It was first dedicated in 360 A.D. as the first church of Constantinople. It served as a Roman Catholic church between 1204 and 1261 following the last time Italians conquer the holy site. It was then an Eastern Orthodox patriarchal basilica, until it was conquered and defiled by the soldiers of Islam in 1453. It was now once again in the hands of a predominately Catholic army. And although Mussolini was not a believer, he understood the significance of the church among his people. He had created Vatican City in the heart of Rome with the Lateran Treaties in 1929 and he added to these territorial gifts by deeding the holy site of Sancta Sophia to Pope Pius XI and the Holy See.
Best AAR you have done, IMHO, Geek. Excellent stuff. Its really getting me to the point when I want to fire it up and have a bash.
I'm a little surprised that Turkey was really a pushover. Up until this, I thought the success es were fairly believable, but this seems quite unrealistic. I don't think the Turkish army would have rolled over like that.
Know, it is just a game mechanic, but rather a whacky one.
Quote from: bob48 on September 19, 2013, 05:04:19 PM
Best AAR you have done, IMHO, Geek. Excellent stuff. Its really getting me to the point when I want to fire it up and have a bash.
Youre very kind Bob - thanks
Quote from: besilarius on September 19, 2013, 05:14:05 PM
I'm a little surprised that Turkey was really a pushover. Up until this, I thought the success es were fairly believable, but this seems quite unrealistic. I don't think the Turkish army would have rolled over like that.
Know, it is just a game mechanic, but rather a whacky one.
I have a feeling all of Turkeys troops were on their Russian border - along way from where i was - once those VP cities fall and the surrender value goes up theres not much can be done
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Diocletian
When Diocletian reformed the administrative machinery of the Roman Empire, he stripped the civilian administrators of their military powers (granting them instead to distinct offices). Additionally, he further divided the various provinces into smaller units, effectively doubled the number of provinces from fifty to over a hundred. To this new organization he imposed two new bureaucratic levels between the Emperor and the provinces: the Prefectures and the Dioceses. Diocletian grouped these hundred provinces into twelve Dioceses, which were then grouped into four Prefectures. The result was that the units of government were much smaller, and thus more manageable, than they had been before Diocletian's reforms. This not only made administration of the Empire easier but also helped to minimize the risk of revolt.
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The New Roman Empire in its infancy
With Italy now straddling a wide empire possessed of many languages, ethnicities and religions Mussolini decided now was the time for him to re-release Diocletian's vision of the new order of things in Italy's sphere of influence. It would, of course be very loosely based on the old Roman empire, but Mussolini promised that the New Roman Empire would be more modern, more enlightened. Although all newly acquired territories would remain under military government and marital law until security wa reestablished, eventually all territories would be divided into administrative diocese.
The borders of these dioceses would need to be updated to take into consideration the linguistic, cultural, and ethnic makeup of the current territories. However, the idea was to have small local administrative units responsible for all local governmental activities and would be conducted in the local language and according to the local customs and laws. The only limitation on local administration would be a Roman prefect assigned to each diocese by the government in Rome. He would have no official powers other than the veto of local decisions, and that veto power would only be exercised if the local decision is determined to be in conflict with the greater interests of the State and Empire or when the local decisions conflicted with a fundamental public policy of the New Roman Empire. It would be through the gradual and subtle nudging of this functionary that the various dioceses would slowly develop into a part of a greater, consistent, unified and modern state.
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All peoples within the new empire would be granted equal citizenship and have freedom of movement and trade within the entire empire without tolls or tariffs. The monetary system would be unified around a common currency issued by a central bank in Rome and all financial transactions within the empire would be required to be made in that currency. Local franchises of the central bank would be considered as financial growth and the flow of money required.
Taxation would be collected locally by each of the dioceses and the vast majority of revenues collected would be spent in the local dioceses and as the local authorities determined. Only a portion of local revenues would be ceded to the central authority for internal and external security.
It was a step too far for Britain. Chamberlain mobilised his forces and noisily rattled his sabre from across the channel. For him, Mussolini's annexation of the entirety of Turkey went well beyond his understanding of "the Balkans". However, he was still far more concerned with the ominous developments in Germany, and going to war with Italy seemed too dangerous a prospect. Mussolini's army had demonstrated again and again its potency. Now that Italy was equipped with a land route into the heart of the Middle East through Turkey, Chamberlain doubted his empire's ability to protect Egypt and the Suez if it ever came to war. No, Chamberlain decided that he had no choice - he would need to look on the more positive side of things, that Turkey had been removed from the list of possible Axis nations. The United Kingdom issued a strongly worded statement saying it was "totally opposed" to the annexation of Turkey by the Kingdom of Italy.
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Ciano's report on Italy's new and old neighbours
LOL! Nice way of explaining the UK backing down from a fight.
I say, how jolly embarrassing, what!
I shall write to my MP.
I must have missed something - I read of your conquest of Bulgaria, but not Romania...
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on September 21, 2013, 05:51:40 PM
I must have missed something - I read of your conquest of Bulgaria, but not Romania...
slight fluctuation in the space time continuom - normal service will be restored shortly :o
Turkey: now THAT'S Italian! Come to think of it, Ragu even sounds kind of Turkish. Spaghetti and Turkey balls.
Romania: now THAT'S... Schrödingerian?
Okay, so, while UGeek is rectifying the Romanians: what are his two nations on the menu after that? The Levantine nations seem solidly British and French. Bulgaria? Seems likely to be allied with too many people Not Worth Pissing Off Yet. Ditto the Swiss (though the Alpini might work better there than anyone else was able or willing to do in historical WW2.)
UPDATE: I just happened to notice UGeek ahemming about Bulgaria upthread along with Turkey, so I guess maybe them after all!
2nd nation then:
My eye is on that territory on the far Eastern Turkish border, can't quite make it out but it doesn't look connected to the French or British. Maybe then a thrust beyond that? Easy oil would seem to still be a strategic target it possible.
Alternately, I wonder what the central African nations look like right now, near Ethiopia. (Obviously North Africa is out until war with the Anglo-Franks, ditto South Africa, and West Africa is out of range but still most likely French.)
Or, perhaps the Arabian Penninsula across from Ethiopia: any areas over there the British don't give a dem about?
^ LOL. Never let it be said you don't have a way with words, Jason. :)
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2013, 07:54:42 AM
Turkey: now THAT'S Italian! Come to think of it, Ragu even sounds kind of Turkish. Spaghetti and Turkey balls.
Romania: now THAT'S... Schrödingerian?
Okay, so, while UGeek is rectifying the Romanians: what are his two nations on the menu after that? The Levantine nations seem solidly British and French. Bulgaria? Seems likely to be allied with too many people Not Worth Pissing Off Yet. Ditto the Swiss (though the Alpini might work better there than anyone else was able or willing to do in historical WW2.)
UPDATE: I just happened to notice UGeek ahemming about Bulgaria upthread along with Turkey, so I guess maybe them after all!
2nd nation then:
My eye is on that territory on the far Eastern Turkish border, can't quite make it out but it doesn't look connected to the French or British. Maybe then a thrust beyond that? Easy oil would seem to still be a strategic target it possible.
Alternately, I wonder what the central African nations look like right now, near Ethiopia. (Obviously North Africa is out until war with the Anglo-Franks, ditto South Africa, and West Africa is out of range but still most likely French.)
Or, perhaps the Arabian Penninsula across from Ethiopia: any areas over there the British don't give a dem about?
Bulgaria already drive Fiats, drink Chianti and eat Ragu im afraid - North and East are Hungary, and Persia - not Allied yet but protected by the UK
My big decision is more westerly but i dont have a land corridor to them
New York? Scorsese? DeNiro? Al Pacino? Nicolas Cage? Ricci? Pizza Hut?
lol no, im not sending transport ships that far!
Just to inform you:
Switzerland is a tough nut to crack. We have real planes like the Me-109 and real tanks like the Hetzer. And infantry tactics IV.
and because of some overly german friendly officers the main defence is aimed against Italy and France, not Germany.
i was all good until infantry tactics IV - you can keep your hilly-ass, neutral, cuckoo clock making, toblerone producing country to yourself!
just remember Benito, we got you before (1903)
we will get you again if you play tricks.
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let me know if there is some business you are interested in.
you errrr couldnt invade France for me could you?
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do you need a well balanced financing plan for your next adventure? do you need some high tech for your weapons? intel? do you want us to organize some secret agreement with not so loyal allies of your ennemies? let us know. but we won't do anything that threatens our neutrality
LOL!
Quote from: Keunert on September 24, 2013, 01:50:29 PM
do you need a well balanced financing plan for your next adventure? do you need some high tech for your weapons? intel? do you want us to organize some secret agreement with not so loyal allies of your ennemies? let us know. but we won't do anything that threatens our neutrality
Don't make me go off plan and invade switzerland just to spite you!
He's mined all the mountain passes! It's a trap!
There are such things as italian ninja paratroopers in this reality - I can't guarantee they'll open mind as I forgot to research the weapons to go with them
Expect a moustachioed warrior in your backyard any moment - but armed with a salami
Is the salami in his rucksack?
Or in his pants?
That's Amore!
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 24, 2013, 08:22:32 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2013, 07:54:42 AM
Bulgaria? Seems likely to be allied with too many people Not Worth Pissing Off Yet. Ditto the Swiss (though the Alpini might work better there than anyone else was able or willing to do in historical WW2.)
UPDATE: I just happened to notice UGeek ahemming about Bulgaria upthread along with Turkey, so I guess maybe them after all!
Bulgaria already drive Fiats, drink Chianti and eat Ragu im afraid
By "Bulgaria" I actually meant "Hungary" anyway. So... .... ........ so I wasn't wrong after all! :D
West? The hell is over there not British? Portugal? Brazil? (Seems thematic.)
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 24, 2013, 07:02:23 PM
He's mined all the mountain passes! It's a trap!
"It's a trap, colonel! There's two of them!"
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2013, 10:16:44 PM
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 24, 2013, 08:22:32 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2013, 07:54:42 AM
Bulgaria? Seems likely to be allied with too many people Not Worth Pissing Off Yet. Ditto the Swiss (though the Alpini might work better there than anyone else was able or willing to do in historical WW2.)
UPDATE: I just happened to notice UGeek ahemming about Bulgaria upthread along with Turkey, so I guess maybe them after all!
Bulgaria already drive Fiats, drink Chianti and eat Ragu im afraid
By "Bulgaria" I actually meant "Hungary" anyway. So... .... ........ so I wasn't wrong after all! :D
West? The hell is over there not British? Portugal? Brazil? (Seems thematic.)
Recent civil war
Next targets for Il Duce...
(1) Spain. Yes, land of mountains, Moors, matanza (slaughter), maldito (damned), and maldad (wickedness). Spain is basically bullfights and Commies. I think a little Italian order is in the cards; it was part of the Roman Empire, after all.
Then again, so was...
(2) France. I have little doubt Il Undercovergeekduce is going to partake in the carving up of France once Germany gets around to dismantling the surrender-monkeys. I would think these Italian troops could make it all the way to the Atlantic coast, unlike their real-world counterparts. The only question is if the computer is going to give 'geek the choice of honoring the establishment of Vichy France or not. I'm thinking this is hard-wired into the HOI III programming and Vichy will happen no matter what - it's been a while though and I haven't played this series since II, so I don't know for sure. Anyone know?
(3) Once that little slice of French bread is broken off and stuffed into the gaping maw of Italian empire-building, Egypt should fall next, I think. Without the need for Rommel or the Afrika Korps. I think Il Undercovergeekduce's tanks will make it to Riyadh before Hitler even looks at a North Africa map.
(4) Central Africa is pretty much a black hole of supply, but it couldn't hurt I guess.
(5) New York is in need of some modern Roman architecture revamping. There's a lot of Italian immigrants there that need to be reminded what real Italian food is, so a nautical butt-smacking of America would be interesting to read about. Of course, unless you want to pull an Italian Pearl Harbor on the Hudson, you might wait for the Americans to enter the war. Who knows what the situation will be at that time, though.
(6) Why not Madagascar? Or maybe the Seychelles? Hard-working Italians across the Empire will need a nice island paradise to get away to, in order to forget the hardships of living like kings in this new Roman Empire.
Speaking of vacation spots,
(7) Switzerland. YES. Skiing is going to be in short supply now that the Nazis have taken over the best slopes in Austria. Plus, you can turn Switzerland into a nice giant Italian mountaineering school. Just relocate the population to, oh, I don't know, Cyprus or something. Those chocolates will be nice things for Italians to chew on while they look at their train station's new cuckoo clocks that keep immaculate time right along with the immaculate Italian trains that run on time throughout the Empire. (I guess you'll have to keep a few Swiss around to, you know, make things.)
Yeah, I got nothing. I have no idea.
The Swiss historically send elite troops to guard the Vatican, so Il Douche probably knows already not to mess with the Swiss when they're defending something.
Based on UGeek's reply, Spain seems the correct answer for one of the nations (and then Portugal would make sense to clean up afterward). I hadn't thought about him ATTACKING HIS OWN ALLY, but that admittedly seems safer than attacking the ally of France and/or Britain and/or Germany and/or Russia.
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 25, 2013, 08:00:43 AM
The Swiss historically send elite troops to guard the Vatican, so Il Douche probably knows already not to mess with the Swiss when they're defending something.
Like defending their right to out-stripe ANY possible intruder. Or maybe stick them with a glaive, a weapon avoided like the plague even in D&D.
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Quote from: Banzai_Cat on September 21, 2013, 05:51:40 PM
I must have missed something - I read of your conquest of Bulgaria, but not Romania...
Mussolini sipped his wine and sighed to himself. In the privacy of his chambers he could smile to himself and enjoy a moment of pride - 1938 had been one of victory and conquest, he had laboured hard and his plans for a new Roman Empire were almost complete, only a nation or two stood in his way of that full realisation. Chamberlain was acting like a scared old, lady and Hitler was fulfilling all those prophecies his intelligence team had told him about. Sitting back and closing his eyes he was disturbed by a knock at the door - his aide handed him a piece of paper, bowed respectfully and left the chambers. Retiring to his desk and reading glasses Mussolini was surprised to see the note came from the Japanese ambassador. Mussolini was aware the Japanese had recently formed the 'Pact of Steel' with Germany, he was aware of this every month as Hitler and his foreign aides sent an invitiation to Ciano every month asking Italy to join. He unfolded the note and read the brief request - impressed with the speed and strength of the new Italian army, the General of the Imperial Army, Japan was asking for Mussolini's recollection of the recent victory over Romania - Japanese forces were advancing on mountainous regions of Communist China and were seeking guidance on doctrines and approaches from Il Duce.......................
..........Towards the of 1938 Mussolini was sure there was still time for one more campaign before the end of the year. By December 21st 1938, after a long march from Turkey, Italy had amassed no less than eight corps, each of four divisions, along the long Romanian border. Earlier in the year, King Carol II of Romania had banned political parties and established a royal dictatorship, he appointed Miron Cristea, the Patrician of the Romanian Orthodox Church as a figurehead prime minister, but ostensibly all the real power was still in Carol's authoritarian hands. He was yet another old world Balkan dictator, and the world would be a better, more secure, and more peaceful place without him. On the 20th day of December, Ciano delivered to King Carol II an invitation to his country to join the New Roman Empire. Prime Minister Miron Cristea immediately issued a rejection. Mussolini accused the leaders of Romania of disregarding the interests of their people in favor of their own personal prerogatives. Italy declared war on Romania on December 21st 1938.
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King Carol II, Mussolini's opening invasion operations for the whole Romanian frontOf the eight corps on the Romanian border, one corps was in the far north to keep an eye on the Hungarians. Three corps were spread out along the long border between Romania and the former Yugoslavia. The four corps that would bear the principal responsibility of the invasion were deployed along the southern border in the former Bulgaria, closest to the Romanian capital. Messe's mobile forces were arranged on the far left of the line along the Black Sea coast in Varna. Roatta's four mixed Alpini divisions were deployed in Vulchidol. Pintor's four infantry divisions were all concentrated in Ruse and were assigned the task of making the direct assault on Bucharest. Lisi's pure Alpini would start off in Pleven.
Once the order to attack was given General Messe advanced from Varna. In just six days, two of his divisions had attacked Dobrich and two Cavarna, then all four of them advanced to occupy the port of Constanta. In the center, General Pintor started in Ruse and made a direct advance towards Bucharest through Giurgiu. Once Giurgiu was secure, all four of his divisions started the assault on the city. Pintor's advance was supported by interceptors and tactical bombers flying out of the air based in Varna. To Pintor's left Roatta's mixed Alpini started in Vulchidol. Two of his divisions drove into Slatina, and the other two divisions attacked Turnu Macur. From there, one division advanced to Caracal and took up a defensive position, whereas the other division joined the two in Slatina. These three divisions then drove onto Ploesti while the battle of Bucharest still raged to the south. To Roatta's left, Lisi's pure Alpini launched from Pleven. They forded the Danube and attacked Corabia. They continued to Saceni to Titu and finally joined the attack against Ploesti from the other direction.
All this was accomplished in the first eight days of the invasion. Then on December 29th 1938, Bucharest fell to Pintor. The next day, on December 30th Ploesti fell to Roatta and Lisi and on December 31st 1938, King Carol agreed to surrender, if he was provided with a comfortable exile. Mussolini accepted the offer to avoid further bloodshed. In just ten days, Romania was annexed to the New Roman Empire........
Mussolini fondly recounted the victory, the overwhelming feeling of destiny and the pride of Roman ancestors looking on, he sealed the note to the Japanese ambassador and summoned his aide
Ha, nice cover 'geek. 'Twill make a fine addition to Benny's memoirs. ;)
you just got the german army by their oily balls. siege them until they run out of oil and then take revenge on thise barbarian tribesmen.
Nice retrospective segue, Ugeek.
But don't be fooled by the Swiss Vatican guards. They look floofy on purpose, to lull potential opponents. Glaives may not be worth much in the modern day, but they can still kill someone dead with stabs or axe-chops very quickly, and the submachine guns and rifles can do so even more quickly at range.
(Possibly back in the late 30s this was less of an issue.)
i am currently in Venice for some days, just visited the incredible armory of the Doge's palace. incredible stuff. how about an update? i would love to read some more Duce stiries while drinking a Negroni and eating some antipasti...
im on it this afternoon - more tales to follow
^^ Yay! ^^
Sweet. :D
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The two rulers of Hungary stand either side of Mussolini's main objectives - The Hungarian Parliament on the banks of the Danube, and the Elisabeth bridge which must be taken intact to take the capital
The Magyars - to Mussolini, another tribe of primitive, asiatic invaders that befouled Europe during the fifth century to assert barbaric pressure on decent western civilization. These savages eventually made a home, settled down and called themselves the Hungarians. They established a grand dynasty that became one of the most powerful forces in central Europe. However, like many others, they too were on the losing side of the first world war. Their loss was compounded by following the advice of Woodrow Wilson and fully disarming their military, just as their neighbours began arming themselves. In 1918, they were attacked by Serbs supported by the French in the south, by Czechs in the north, and by Romanians in the east. The Entente powers began distributing great tracts of Hungary's traditional territory to Romania, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia. Hungary had no choice and was forced to sign the Treaty of Trianon - a treaty that finally settled Hungary's borders, reducing the nation by two thirds of its pre-war size. Ten million ethnic Hungarians were cut-off from their homeland. Its industry was cut off from its source of raw materials. The nation lost 84% of its timber resources, 43% of its arable land, and 83% of its iron ore. Worse yet, 55% of its industrial plants, 100% of its gold, silver, copper, mercury and salt mines, and 67% of its credit and banking institutions had been shared out between its neighbors.
These deprivations led to Communist revolutions and counter revolutions and ultimately resulted in the rise to power of Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya, the authoritarian Regent of Hungary. In 1938, Horthy and his figurehead prime minister Béla Imrédy, made Hungary one of the expansion-minded powers that Chamberlain feared would be enticed to join Hitler's Axis. Imrédy signed a trade agreement with Germany that drew Hungary's economy out of depression but made Hungary dependent upon the German economy for both raw materials and markets. Hitler appealed to Hungarian desires for territorial revisionism, while right wing organizations, like the Arrow Cross party, increasingly embraced extreme Nazi ideology. It was clear that Hungary was drifting towards the Axis and could at any moment join.
Mussolini thought hard - he did not want to antagonise Hitler and would not consider attacking any nation that fell under Germany's influence. However, no such alliance existed as of January 1939. Furthermore, most of Hungary's land claims were to territories that now lay well within the borders of the New Roman Empire. If Hungary were to join the Axis, it would most likely be a belligerent source of tension between Italy and Germany, always agitating for the acquisition of Empire land. Mussolini resolved to absorb this troublesome neutral and remove the possible source of future tension.
On February 14th 1939, Ciano followed the formalities of delivering an ultimatum to Imrédy. The Hungarian people were to be absorbed by the New Roman Empire, the invitation repeated the promise of full citizenship, freedom of travel and trade, and true local government. The invitation also included an offer of a comfortable exile for Hungary's current leadership if the invitation was accepted without war. Despite the diplomatic friendship of the offer, it was rejected, and on February 15th 1939, Italy declared war on Hungary.
"Guys, look, we pretty much already have all the things you lost, and we're willing to restore them to your administration if you'll just join the club! This should be a no-brainer!"
"[BLEEP] ROME!" {loading guns}
Hitler isn't going to have much Lebenstraum, you keep gobbling up his backyard neighbors...
Have you started researching long range bombers and escort fighters? Sooner or later The Little Mustache is going to flip a brain switch and remember all those stories about Hermann the Cheruscan's little Walk in the Woods back in 9 AD. At that point it will behoove you to start bottlenecking his supply of Panzers and DB 601s as well as that stuff that makes them run.
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 05, 2013, 07:20:54 PM
Have you started researching long range bombers and escort fighters? Sooner or later The Little Mustache is going to flip a brain switch and remember all those stories about Hermann the Cheruscan's little Walk in the Woods back in 9 AD. At that point it will behoove you to start bottlenecking his supply of Panzers and DB 601s as well as that stuff that makes them run.
In the spirit of recreating Rome in all its glory the infantryman has received the majority of Italy's research budget.... I have the best light armour in the world backed up by the most advanced anti-tank equipment and self propelled arty
I have the multi rule airframe and advanced carrier aircraft.... not a dinarri has been spent on bombers....my advancements would be spread too thin
i.e., Walking Up To The Woods himself, swatting back tanks with anti-tanks, and swatting back tactical/strategic bombers with interceptors == taking supplies for Panzers for himself == better than just denying them to the enemy. :)
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Mussolini's opening plans for the Hungarian attack
General Arana and his four new marine infantry divisions were deployed on the right of the Italian line and spread out along the north eastern border provinces, General Calvi di Bergolo's four mixed mountaineer divisions were spread out further to the southwest tasked with a spearhead towards Budapest.
General Ambrosio and his four infantry divisions were deployed in the center of the line near Subotica, sandwiched between the rivers of Tisza on the east and the Danube on his west - he was also tasked with a dash without any river crossings to Budapest - the only force not to have to forge a river crossing it was Mussolini's hope that this Corps would be the forlorn hope if the other advances failed. General Gambelli's corps divided the two divisions guarding each of the flanks of Ambrosio's spearhead. Generals Lisi and Zinglales were on the left flank straddling near the Tisza River were ordered to swing west and come around the left flank of Budapest. General Roatta's four divisions were consolidated on the extreme west as reserves.
The battle plan called for the consolidated forces to make rapid deep penetrations into the Hungarian lines. While risking being cut-off, it was hoped that these deep penetrations would result in a collapse of the Hungarian line, the disorganized fall back of their forces, and a rapid siege of the capital. The spearhead of course being Ambrosio and Calvi di Bergolo. By February 20 1939, Ambrosio's corps had raced through Subotica, Morahalom and to Keckemet approaching the outskirts of Budapest. Meanwhile Gambelli had advanced from Belimanastir to Szekszard and on to Dunaujvaros and was also heading towards Budapest, covering the spearheads left flank. The left flank forces were slowly rolling through the border provinces of Hungary under the watchful gaze of Roatta.
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After one week
During this time Czechoslovakia was split in two, Hitler annexed the western provinces and the eastern provinces were formed under the new nation of Slovakia and was instantly incorporated into the Axis.
The Hungarians initially tried to take advantage of the gaps in the Italian advance by counter attacking at Szekszard. However, once Ambrosio launched his attack on Budapest all Hungarian divisions started to fall back towards the capital. The Regio Esercito's performance was once again outstanding and it occurred to Mussolini that he had at his disposal a highly trained, combat elite army of veterans, truly noble heirs of the Roman legionaries. General Ambrosio started his assault immediately, but his forces had been stretched out on the march, he arrived piecemeal to the outskirts of the city - it took another ten days for the trailing infantry to close on the capital and for the siege to start in earnest. However, by March 4th 1939, the capital had been invested on three sides and the Battle of Budapest had truly started. Ambrosio's four divisions continued assaulting the city from Dunaujvaros. Gambelli's four artillery-backed infantry division attacked over the Danube from Szekesfehervar, and Arana's marine divisions were assaulting the city from Hatvan.
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Budapest's last stand
On March 15th 1939, the city fell and Hungary surrendered. Its people agreed to be absorbed as part of the New Roman Empire.
Uh-huhuhuhuhuhuh. There's a province called "tata." Huh-uh-huhuhuhuhuhuh.
Err, I mean, excellent work 'geek. ;)
Nicely done as usual geek. :)
Something I keep forgetting to ask: Does capturing a country's capital make the AI more likely to surrender (and/or otherwise provide a concrete benefit, gameplay-wise)? I've noticed that's what you generally gun for, but I don't know if you're doing that more for the role-playing element, or if there's a tangible benefit to grabbing the capital ASAP.
Martok - Every nation has a set of victory point provinces that carry more points than the standard ones, Romania for instance was Cluj and Ploesti as well as the capital. When you declare war on the country it sets a 'surrender point' system in process. At the very onset of war a countrys surrender value is 0, you need to get this value beyond the nations unity level. Currently Italy itself has a unity value of 81%, and capturing each victory location establishes a percentage of that surrender value. So before i took Bucharest in Romania i took Cluj (33%) and Ploesti (33%) so at this time Romania had a surrender value of 66 but a unity value of 91 - capturing the capital for the other 34% pushed the surrender value over the unity figure and they folded.
Its the quickest way to victory and to be honest hasnt really needed doing quickly on any nation other than Greece - Greece were been courted by the Allies when i attacked them and if they hadnt folded quick enough they would likely have joined the Allies and even though it wouldnt have brought them into the war it would have meant more than likely that i would have taken Greece with a 'government in exile' - which means it doesnt properly convert to your nation and i think you have Industrial Capacity penalties in place.
Ill do a research update and other parafinalia next, as opposed to just war! Its almost time for the great and good of Italy to gather at the docks at La Spezia to see Cantari's finest floating work
Thanks for the explanation. Looking forward to what you're cooking up next. :D
Hungary: Now THAT'S Italian!
(Hungry Italians like to eat Ragû.)
The most important event to occur during the first half of 1939 however, was the commission and launch of Italy's first true fleet carrier. The RM Aquila - she steamed from northern Italy down to Fleet HQ at Palermo. Everyone of any importance in Italy turned out to watch as the carrier came into Palermo. Mussolini, Campioni, and Pintor were all there, as were the chiefs of staff and all the other ministers. It was a sight indelibly printed upon their memories for ever afterward, the first true expression of Mussolini's maritime strategy given awe-inspiring physical form. Many secret doubters converted on the spot. It seemed, after all, that Italy might have the wherewithal to go through and achieve Mussolini's ambitions.
As soon as the Aquila arrived in Palermo, Mussolini contacted Cantieri and Macchi. He had more orders for these two firms. Firstly, he congratulated Cantieri for completed work on aircraft carrier hangars and anti-aircraft armament and ordered these contracts renewed. However, he also placed an order with Cantieri for three more fleet carriers. With the recent experience they had attained from the Aquila, and despite their recent improvements that required more industrial strength and finesse, each carrier only required two-thirds as much work to complete as the Aquila had required. Additionally, Mussolini ordered six groups of carrier aircraft from Macchi in a serial order.
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The RM Aquila on its shakedown cruise from northern Italy to Palermo.
It was much more of a training exercise than those on board would know.......
The Celtiberians had been a savage people that lived on the Iberian peninsula when the Carthaginians introduced civilization to the area. The Romans eventually won the struggle with the Carthaginians, but the Celtiberians proved a persistent foe. It took Rome nearly two hundred years of bloody warfare to finally pacify the third great Mediterranean peninsula. The Celtiberians were eventually erased from the pages of history to be replaced for hundreds of years by a Roman Spain. However, this portion of the empire was eventually stolen by the Visigoths, then the Moors, then the modern Spanish. Mussolini resolved to return the peninsula to the empire, but, hopefully, it would not take as long to do sp this time.
In more recent history, Italy had plenty of reasons to be displeased with the current occupants of the peninsula. In July of 1936, Spain dissolved into a bitter civil war when General Francisco Franco, frustrated by land reforms and a radical agenda, launched a successful coup against the elected government of the Second Spanish Republic. By January 1937, after six months of bloody fighting that became a cause célèbre for western right wing intelligentsia, Franco had won the war and declared himself leader of the new Nationalist Spain. Italy even lent support to Franco, but that support seemed a costly mistake now - in victory Franco was in the process of creating a godless power. Even George Orwell, the committed English writer, who volunteered to fight on the Nationalist side, had become disillusioned with the violent excess, oppression, and intellectual dishonesty of the Spanish Nationalists.
Although the civil war had been over for two years, Mussolini used the conflict as a pretext for invasion. He claimed that the excesses of both sides was evidence that the Spanish were incapable of responsible self-rule. On June 17th 1939, two battleship squadrons and one transportation flotilla of the Regia Marina appeared off the Spanish coast outside the port of Barcelona. Italy's ambassador delivered an ultimatum to General Franco, join the New Roman Empire, or be destroyed.
This aught to be interesting. Those Spanish troops may be a bit thin on the ground after that bloody civil war winnowed down their ranks but they are chock-full of experience.
Hopefully all those German 'Advisers' have already left. If not, and some of them get caught in the cross-fire, there could be lots of feldgrau in Nova Roma's near future...
The reply was of course no, on June 18th Mussolini declared war on Spain.............
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For the second time in two years Italian troops step onto Spanish soil
The inquest would be had later, possibly communications breakdown, possibly the presence of troops in the port itself, or maybe a Spanish navy hunting for the transports - whatever the reason, Balisti split the II Marine Corps and landed either side of Barcelona, and he himself went ashore at Mataro. Balisti's initial brief is to secure the port of Barcelona and then head west to the towns of Cambrils and Larida, securing them both with two marine divisions each and then to dig in and defend the river crossings in depth. The battleships guard the fragile bridgehead.
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A week later the bridgehead is a little more secure with Spanish troops retreating in disarray
Within eight days the Marines had secured Barcelona and were heading toward their western targets. A full corps of mountaineer troops was unloaded in Barcelona next, their goal was to head northwest and secure the towns of Monzon and Benabarre, also digging in on arrival and defending their newly acquired ground from the strength of the river crossings. This should secure the landing area in depth and allow further troops to be shipped in. The main goal here was to attract the core of Spanish defenders, furious at the incursion, north to the invasion sites, and then to sail around behind them and land at a more southerly port and cut them off. All was going to plan........................
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Spanish forces of unknown strength dare to threaten Italian land
Mussolini was furious, his 'elite' battleship flotillas were meant to be guarding the entrance to Italy - two heavy cruiser fleets were dispatched from La Spezia immediately. Mussolini advised his naval commanders there would be dire consequences if one foreigner stepped foot on Italian soil.
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Three are sunk and one escapes, the 'invasion' is called off
The undefended transport flotilla is all but destroyed within sight of the coast of Sardinia. Further patrols are dispatched to the Straits of Gibraltar and the east coast of Spain - the submarine fleet is summoned
What did France and England have to say so far? Any political push-back?
The submarine fleet is summoned == Summon Bigger Fish. :D
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 13, 2013, 08:43:58 AM
What did France and England have to say so far? Any political push-back?
I'm more concerned with what
Herr Schicklgruber might have to say on the subject...
^Honestly, I think that bit of business can only be delayed a while, not avoided altogether. Das Borg must have taken notice by now. Canaris's Canaries are no doubt already infiltrating Nova Roma so they can soon sing their songs into his ear.
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Barcelona invasion site
Within another three weeks the entire Barcelona sector was secure. There were a few attempted counter attacks over the river but none that troubled Zingales - sector commander for the Catalan zone. But this was the start of a major logistical problem - Italy simply could not get enough supplies into the area quick enough - attacks ground to a standstill, movement orders were abandoned, and fully manned, fully operative divisions were defeated in combat by much lesser foes due to literally no supplies. General Calvi di Bergolo himself was almost captured heading to a rendevous with his four divisions, only for the four divisions not to show and he found himself at the spearhead of an attack with his command staff - severely wounded but still alive he was flown home as soon as enough supplies could be found to arrange the airlift.
Mussolini sent out agents to all ports on the west coast of Italy to commandeer any suitable craft capable of carrying supplies across the sea. In emergency talks with Messe and Pintor it was decided the opening plans of the operation should change - all ports on the Spanish coast should be taken immediately to facilitate the flow of supplies. Calls were made to Cantieri to stop all work on any naval project and construct 30 supply transport ships as soon as possible - Mussolini baulked at the one hundred days quoted but there was nothing he could do.
The first step was for the I Marine Corps to capture the Balearic Islands to provide a staging area for the port attacks and a close enough airbase to cover the transport fleets. RM Aquila was diverted, escorted by four cruisers and three destroyer flotillas she was sent west to Majorca to provide much needed air support from Spanish air attacks.
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I Marine Corps - the big green one, storms the beaches of Menorca and Majorca and secures the port and airfield at Palma
As soon as the port and airfield were secure and the interceptors flown in, the Ist Marines boarded their transports again and under heavy naval escort and the air umbrella provided by Aquila set off for Malaga. Scouts showed the port undefended, and air recon showed Spanish forces screaming north to intercept the Italian invaders - strategically the plan was going to plan, operationally it was turning into a disaster in the north. If Malaga could not prove to be big enough a diversion then the Catalan zone would soon be overwhelmed by Spanish defenders.
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General Arena and the big green one land at Malaga
Intelligence dispatches to France and the UK were returned unanswered. Mussolini feared the worse, caught on the anvil of Spanish steel he would be broken by the French and the British as they turned to attack the Italians. This would not be the case, surrounded by maps, reports, wall charts and supply figures, Mussolini was genuinely taken aback when Ciano for the first time during his career entered the room unbidden and without invitation - he laid a note on Mussolini's desk - the mad man in the North had attacked Poland, as her allies France and England had declared war on Germany - la merda aveva colpito il ventilatore
Good thing Mussy didn't respond to Dolphie's friending request just yet.
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 13, 2013, 01:34:53 PM
^Honestly, I think that bit of business can only be delayed a while, not avoided altogether. Das Borg must have taken notice by now. Canaris's Canaries are no doubt already infiltrating Nova Roma so they can soon sing their songs into his ear.
Hence my concern. ;)
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 13, 2013, 01:58:43 PM
Good thing Mussy didn't respond to Dolphie's friending request just yet.
Indeed.
As it is, I'm sure
'geek would say "the madman's" got good timing. Just when he could really use something to distract the Brits & French, his neighbor steps in. 8)
Were you kind of hoping that Das Bittestachëfuhrer would go for Poland around that time, U'geek? Or was that just good luck?
(From your report it sounded like you thought it was just good luck, but surely the game engine -- i.e. Italy's political analysts -- was going to look for ways to kick off the first main Blitz around that time, so that would be a good time to do something the French at least would want to contest if they weren't already otherwise engaged.)
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The Malaga beachhead after three weeks
Arena and the Ist Marine Corps landed unopposed at Malaga and spread out to secure the new beachhead. Almost instantly the attack ground to a halt due to the lack of supplies, Balisti and the IInd Marine Corps were tasked with this zone also and land a few days later. With their arrival Arena and his Corps were briefed to head west and north, capture Sevilla and Cadiz and defend both towns until the supply situation could be rectified. Balisti was to head east toward the port of Almeria and defend there until new supplies could be shipped in. The Generals found this far from easy as the supplies dried up almost instantaneously, the Spanish defenders were reluctant to attack but Mussolini's troops also could not attack and movement was painfully slow. Where opposing forces met, all the Italian divisions could do was simply dig in and defend - advance was impossible. With the rest of Europe erupting into war, his northern borders without serious garrison, and the eyes of the world watching the last thing Mussolini could afford was a stalemate in Spain.
Back in Rome, junior members of the General Staff begin to whisper the suggestion that maybe this was a step too far, maybe Il Duce has over-reached after all and it was time to make a withdrawal, sue for peace and leave the area to concentrate on the new war breaking out. Mussolini heard the rumours, there would be time later to deal with the dissenters but he was having 'difficulties' himself right now - for a long while now, maybe three to four years he had felt a guiding hand in his decisions, a second voice lending weight to his thoughts. It gave him confidence in his decisions, steered him through political intrigue and expansive warfare and strategy - it was the reason for his bravado and grandstanding - this omnipitent presence at his side. He had put this down to the spiritual approval of Roman ancestors, nodding their heads from eras past, leading him on the right path to glory, but with the war in Spain this hands guiding influence had waned, was not so strong on his shoulder as it once was, he knew that maybe his 'guide' also doubted the wisdom of the Spanish War.
He recalled Pintor, Messe and Lisi to Rome to discuss strategy. The Generals left the meeting with no doubt that the Spanish War was on short notice - all eastern ports must be taken immediately to improve the supply situation or a full withdrawal would be ordered, and the blame would be laid firmly at his Generals' doorsteps. The situation in Southern Spain was so bad the Marines could not even make their way to the port to embark on the mission - standard infantry would have to be used supported by Messe's tanks when the ports were secure.
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Lisi lands at Valencia, he is ordered to hold the port and town for General Messe's armoured advance which will drive northeast and try to connect with the Catalan Zone there
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A day later Pintor lands at Cartagena in the southeast - he is tasked with a breakout to the southwest to try and open the supply routes to the beleagured Marines
The Generals had two weeks to get supplies and fuel moving through the combat zones......................
Quote from: JasonPratt on October 15, 2013, 01:43:03 PM
Were you kind of hoping that Das Bittestachëfuhrer would go for Poland around that time, U'geek? Or was that just good luck?
(From your report it sounded like you thought it was just good luck, but surely the game engine -- i.e. Italy's political analysts -- was going to look for ways to kick off the first main Blitz around that time, so that would be a good time to do something the French at least would want to contest if they weren't already otherwise engaged.)
yeah, i was hoping to coincide the attack just on the right side of the 'Danzig or bust' event - i thought if i went too early the Allies would attack me, i would imagine theyd then declare on Germany over Poland but it would still leave me with the the African forces of France and the UK to contend with - it worked - phew!
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Messe lands and drives north to connect the beacheads
After three days Messe lands with his armoured corps and races unopposed towards Barcelona through the plains and flatlands on the coast. Within six more days the gap is bridged between the two ports and the supply situation is almost instantly relieved. Replenished and rested the Italian troops switch straight to the attack and roll over the defenders in the Catalan zone. Generals Calvi Di Bergolo (flown back to the front after been treated in Rome) and Roatta head northwest to Bilbao and the north coast whilst Gambelli moves southwest to drive towards Madrid - once the front line of Spanish defenders had been breached there was almost no opposition.
Similarly in the South the capture of Cartagena and Almeria lifts the supply drain and the forces can get moving again. Arena guards Cadiz and Saville whilst the IInd Marine Corps push the Spanish further North but the plan for the South is to hold firm rather than push inland - this is the job of Lisi and Messe at Valencia.
By the end of September both Poland and Denmark are collapsing under the weight of German military might. The Italian/French border, both near Milan and Barcelona has all but been abandoned. Mussolini is torn - on one hand the war in Spain is on the move again but the alarming speed of the German advance is worrying. By lamplight on his desk he surveys the newly arrived Spanish maps:-
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Italy's new Western border, 01 Oct 1939
Spain is a pretty big bite to chew on. I think you can take 'em.
With regards to France, though - is the conundrum that if France surrenders to Germany (pfft, of course they'll surrender), that the Vichy France result is inevitable and any southern France gains you make would suddenly be null?
Interesting question! OTOH, maybe you'll get the Southern French equivalent of the Molotov-Von Ribbentrop Pact.
AFAIK Vichy is automatic (well, assuming Germany beats France) and then Germany becomes a protectorate of Vichy - we'll have to see, suffice it to say Italian sooth sayers are sat on the Russian border waiting to see how Germany performs there - any sign of weakness and Mussolini maybe rolling dice in Monte Carlo
I wonder how that would play out if Italy invaded France and conquered it, instead of the Little Austrian.
id rather invade a German France than an Allied France right now - Britain and France and eventually Russia and the assumed automatic entrance into the Axis worries me more than Germany and Japan - i think! i have a lot of SP Artillery and TDs to build between now and making that decision
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The Catalan zone breaks out
With fast flowing replenishment of supplies and fuel, at last the mountaineer troops of Calvi di Bergolo race north. Their first goal Bilbao, from there the northwest coast and Coruna. Air recon from the newly captured air field at Barcelona showed no northern resistance, all Spanish troops appeared to be withdrawing west to defend Madrid. Roatta and his Corps head deeper west, chasing the defenders and mopping up resistance in Zaragoza and the surrounding districts.
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Armoured advance
South and to the east Messe drives further inland, heading for the town of Guadalajara where he can dig in and wait for the double hammer blow of Gambelli's alpine troops to his right and Lisi's combat veterans to his left to form up and attack Madrid. Further south Pintor secures the flanks and clears the way for Lisi.
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The southern zone
In the South the very presence of the Marines had kept a sizeable Spanish defensive force in place. The newly formed XII Corpo d'Armata advance through the gaps towards Huescar in an attempt to shift the enemy and move down their flanks.
The battle for Spain was not yet won but the tide had turned in Mussolini's favour. It was a day of mixed news in Rome, Poland was close to capitulation and countries from all over the world were joining the Allies.
What sort of governance are you setting up once you've successfully occupied a country?
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on October 17, 2013, 05:54:42 PM
What sort of governance are you setting up once you've successfully occupied a country?
I've built a mass of semi-divisions.... one infantry regiment and one artillery brigade which is half of a full division. These have been placed on garrison duties in all the victory point locations in the new territories and have proved very effective at stamping out partisan uprisings in Hungary and Yugoslavia.... when the war in Spain is over and the bulk of the forces come home these half divisions will be combined and sent to the new German border
You are thinking of making the first move, aren't you?
Just biding your time, you sly, sly fellow, you... ;)
Are you selecting "full occupation", "exploitation", "collaborative government", etc?
Excellent,
geek. I'm sure Benny's generals are relieved. ;)
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on October 17, 2013, 06:25:32 PM
Are you selecting "full occupation", "exploitation", "collaborative government", etc?
What are the differences between the choices?
No doubt it affects resources, uprisings, etc. - the more brutal the more uprisings?
I guess there's no "ethnic cleansing" option in HOI III, but who knows, there might be a DLC in the future...or God only knows, a fan-made mod somewhere. ::)
I found this:-
Acquiring territory (annexation) gives you fixed penalties on leadership/IC/resources, whereas just conquering, (not annexing) gives you the choice to exploit IC/resources, with total exploitation exploiting manpower and leadership (collaboration govt.).
Im not quite clear - regardless i go conquer - i bled for it, i want it! The only time this didnt happen was for Ethiopia but the war was declared before the game started and i couldnt change the war goal
A group of Spanish veterans huddled in the cover of a wide crater that had once been a machine gun nest defending the approach to this sector, firing over the crater's lip of rubble and broken brickwork. To their rear a burning T26 sat at an odd angle, its track and wheels on the right blown away, black smoke pouring from the damage there. Machine gun and rifle fire rattled off the twisted mass of rusty girders that Sergeant Lombardi and his squad sheltered behind, and he ducked down as sparks flared from the girders. Lombardi slammed a fresh magazine into his Beretta, rose to a crouch, and ducked his head around his cover to get a sight of the battle in front of him as the Spanish attempted to counter attack and force a path through his lines.
Gunfire roared across the lines between the two forces, the killing ground between the outer defences and the city itself ablaze with broken armoured vehicles and corpses of the defenders. The Spanish were well supplied and dug in, using their local knowledge to launch surprise flank attacks and ambushes but they were no match for the disciplined volleys of fire from the Italian mountaineer troops. Behind Lombardi the armour of Messe's divisions poured fire into the battle, their main cannons throwing up great gouts of earth and stonework as they obliterated the city walls, whilst their constant machine gun fire kept down the heads of even the most determined defenders. Spread across the crest of the ridge Lombardi was on were groups of men with tripod mounted Breda machine guns firing into the city defences and further surpressing the Spanish troops. Lombardi's squad readied themsleves to dash for a breach in the walls. On his flanks were two more veteran squads and they provided much needed volleys of fire into the rubble strewn ground ahead of him. Sporadic fire still managed to reach out from within the defences and a few of his squad fell.
The Spanish defenders had held well so far. Two of their heavier tanks sheltered behind earlier wrecks were providing cover for their own infantry as the Spanish probed weaknesses in the Italian lines. Explosions shook the ground around Lombardi, and piles of debris rained down from the sagging structures where he and his squad took shelter but the majority of the strikes were ineffective and undirected, their view of the battle distorted by smoke supplied by the mortar troops of the 12th company. Lombardi winced as a huge explosion from behind him threw him forward, one of Messe's L5/21 tanks taking a direct hit from a foe inside the city, its turret blew off with a thunderclap of fire and smoke - there would be no survivors. Mortar shells began to fall across the crest and around Lombardi, 'They have us dialled in' shouted someone down the line and a second later a pounding series of impacts slammed into the crest of the ridge and near the wall. 'With me!!' shouted Lombardi and vaulted the crest they were huddled behind, his squad surged to their feet and followed him over. Lombardi was hurled from his feet as the shock wave of the detonations obliterated the girders and cover on the crest behind them, the Breda squads wiped out, a smoking crater remained where he and his squad had just been.....................
The battle for Madrid had started in earnest
^^ Hm, the assault on Madrid isn't going so well, I see...
Are there any VPs northward that you'll need to take to set up a capitulation? And on a territory this large, how does the game engine regard governance? Do you get the whole Spanish enchilada, or a portion defined by your advances; and if the former, will you have to strengthen against partisan counter-assaults or does the game assume capitulation means everyone in the conquered territory will play ball?
Also, what's the status of Portugal? Joined the Allies yet? -- or is it a target for sequel mopup of the Iberian penninsula for the classical Roman western range?
Also, how does it feel to be a psychosis in Mussi's head? ;D (Or maybe a taint-inspired alternate personality based on one of his past lives?)
as i opted for conquest i would imagine once the surrender value reaches 100% ill get the whole country - thats whats happened with all the others. After Madrid there is Coruna in the very north west, that should push it to 100%.
Partisans have tried their best in Yugoslavia, Hungary and Greece so far but have been crushed by the garrison troops left. Because of the proximity of England in the South and France in the North im going to leave a sizeable force in Spain and spend hopefully all of '40 building some decent infantry
Lombardi felt the heat of the blast wash over him, keeping his Beretta pulled in tight to his chest. Smoke and dust obscured his vision and the ringing echoes of the detonations pounded inside his helmet. He rolled to his feet, instantly regaining some sense of his immediate surroundings and the battle at hand. Figures moved in the billowing clouds of dust and falling debris and he pulled the trigger, firing off rapid volleys into the emerging shapes. 'Incoming' came the shout from behind him and others added to Lombardi's fire. He heard screams and three of the figures dropped, there was loud whining sound and a ping as return fire ricocheted around him, one round catching his helmet. He fired another burst and ducked into cover as a spray of gunfire was returned and the spanish advanced under the shadow of their bombardment.
Lombardi checked to his right and left, his squad were ready for whatever came out of the smoke. The Spanish were expecting the mountaineers to be battered and disorientated, the elite troops would make them pay for that mistake. He saw an enemy ahead of him and cut him down, firing from the hip where he stood, the Spaniard fell without a sound, and Lombardi dropped to his knee as more supressing fire from enemy machine guns raked his cover. Mountaineers fanned out around him, firing as they charged, rounds blasting into the Spanish with satisfying results, all around him his men were gaining the upper hand. There was a roar of engines as three close support tanks rolled over the top of the recently blasted crest, laying down withering fire and blasting the Spanish back to there defences. Caught between the crossfire of the mountaineers and the armour, the Spanish in this sector broke and fled further into the city - the engagement for Lombardi ceased to be a battle and became a massacre - with the support of Messe's armoured vehicles and their own armour reduced to smoking ruins the Spanish had no reply. Now Gambelli was free to form up his artillery brigades - he would pound Madrid to dust before marching into the urban chaos of its twisting alleyways and close, lean to structures.
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The two wings of the Catalan sector spread
With the realisation there were no defenders to the North, Calvi di Bergolo was ordered to rush to the North West to capture Spain's last working port leaving the country's resources, food and supplies in Italy's hands and destroying the morale of the country. Roatta was ordered to break off his northern advance and to hook west through Burgos and south to come at Madrid from the north. It was all a formality now, Spains major cities were falling one by one and the Italians were hard pressed to actually find a fight beyond the walls of Madrid
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The Spanish front by the second week of December
Impressive! The Stahlelm Boys must have taken notice by now...
Wow! Yeah, it looks like the Spanish don't have much left. Looks good 'geek!
Out of curiosity, how much game-time has your conquest of Spain taken so far? And how long have most of your other operations taken? Just wondering.
Quote from: Martok on October 20, 2013, 02:34:40 AM
Wow! Yeah, it looks like the Spanish don't have much left. Looks good 'geek!
Out of curiosity, how much game-time has your conquest of Spain taken so far? And how long have most of your other operations taken? Just wondering.
Spain has taken six months, almost two of those lost to the supply problem and not been able to move. Greece took about two months the rest of eastern Europe no longer than three weeks to just under two months. Yugoslavia was maybe three months but I was too cautious and Albania was about a week
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Madrid falls on Christmas Eve 1939
As the flags of surrender break out in Madrid, three Italian infantry corps head west to catch the retreating Spanish forces who alarmingly race towards the Portugese border. But at midnight Ciano receives confirmation from the Spanish ambassador - the fight is done, Spain agrees to join the Roman empire.
On Christmas Day 1939 after the Spanish surrender, an uneasy peace descended upon the vast territories of the New Roman Empire. Mussolini maintained his Empire's neutrality in the war raging to the north, and proclaimed any breach of that strict neutrality by any of the Empire's citizens would not be tolerated. Throughout the war's early progression the frightful efficiency of Germany's Wehrmacht became readily apparent. Poland and Denmark had already surrendered and only four months later on April 17 1940, the flames of war break out in Holland and Luxembourg.
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Holland's front line is crushed in days
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At the same time, the battle for France starts in Metz after Luxembourg falls
After the Spanish surrender Mussolini surveyed his maps in his war room and realized that what he had accomplished was more than enough. All that he had to do now was to hold on to all, or at least most of what he had gained over the past two years and he would go down in history as the greatest servant to Italia since Augustus. There were plans, but none of them were ready in his mind. The general staff had, at Mussolini's direction, been furiously working on operations and contingency operations, but none of them made strategic sense at that time.
There were plans to attack Persia from Turkey, but the Persians had joined the Axis and were already being attacked by the British from India. There were plans for seizing Gibraltar and Suez and shutting the Mediterranean to the British, but what then? The British controlled the rest of the seas and most international commerce. A war with the British would cut off the Empire from trade and practically wed the Empire's fate to the madman in Berlin. This, and Mussolini had given Chamberlain his word - such as it was
There were plans to attack Germany from the south. Mussolini was confident that his impressive army of mountaineers could seize Innsbruck and all the Alpine passes and hold them indefinitely. However, Italy was no longer just a defensive peninsula -- it was now a vast Empire with a border it could not hope to defend against Germany's larger ground forces.
There were plans to attack the neutral Swiss, but the Swiss shared borders with both France and Germany. Although possible, it seemed improbable that attacking Switzerland in the midst of a war between Germany and France would not somehow end up embroiling the Empire in the larger war. No, the Swiss were clinging to their neutrality, and as long as they did, they were only useful in narrowing the potential front with Germany.
As part of Mussolini's review of what his next step should be, he asked his agents in all of the major nations of the world to question their local sources to determine their host country's reaction to the recent expansion of Italy and the founding of the New Roman Empire. Mussolini was under the impression that the other major nations had tolerated Italy's expansion reasonably well. However, the findings of these reports told a different story. In short, all the other major nations of the world were terrified by Italy's recent expansions, and they all saw Italy as the greatest threat to world peace. This was in spite of all of Mussolini's efforts to portray his nation's activities as that of a benevolent major power. At a time of war against Germany, and after Germany had actually breached the Maginot line, France still perceived Italy as its greatest threat. At least the non-European powers of the United States and Japan were not hostile to Italy and did not see her as their greatest threat.
Still, Mussolini was disappointed by these reports, he always knew it would not be easy, but he resolved to persevere. However, these reports had made it clear that the New Empire must be very careful. None of the majors had declared war on the Empire yet, but there was no room for error. Two majors had already declared war on a third. The dogs of war had already been unleashed. However, Italy would play no part. She would welcome home her heroic conquering soldiers and pin medals on their chests, but the Empire needed to stop its expansive and warlike behavior and hope the conflict raging to the north would take the spotlight off of Italia and its newly gained Empire.
On May 6 1940, Mussolini received a diplomatic communique from Hitler. The subtext of the message was basically a summons - a meeting was to be arranged at the border of Germany and Italy.
Mussolini didnt need Ciano to tell him that this might look like Italy was conspiring to join the Axis, and that might appear threatening to the Allies. However, Mussolini determined that it was the prudent thing to attend - he would rather know what Hitler's intentions were than not. He was relying on Hilter's presumption that Italy was a natural ally and would eventually enter the war on the side of the Axis. Ignoring Hitler's insistent invitations to join the Axis would do more damage than a single, discreet appearance of a single meeting between the two European leaders. Travelling by night and without pomp or ceremony Mussolini hoped that the meeting would be as low key as possible.
When the two leaders met at the designated location, Hitler insisted upon a review of the Italian border guards. Mussolini barely contained a sigh and a head shake - how he despised this man.
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Although this was their first meeting since June of 1937, Hitler made no mention of Italy's territorial gains or the founding of a vast new Empire. He merely expressed his admiration for Italy's new aircraft carrier whilst steering Mussolini towards the motorcade waiting outside. As they approached the city hall for the meeting it was clear that Hitler and his agents had had the population turned out with all the ceremony of a meeting of state, press and photographers were in abundance, Mussolini once again barely contained himself.
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At last they arrived at the city hall and retreated into the gloom and privacy of a conference room filled with Hitler's general staff with maps spread out across many tables. The maps were of France, of course, and appeared to show, according to current German intelligence, the status of Italian forces on the French border in both Spain and Northern Italy. Hitler finally explained to Mussolini the purpose of the meeting. He expected Italy to invade France. The maps spread out on the tables also showed the progress of the German invasion. The Maginot line had been breached barely and the French line had stiffened, thus progress had already slowed.
Hitler indicated to the map and called for Italian troops to attack southern France from both directions. His intelligence indicated that the German attack had resulted in a reduction of the defenses along Italian borders. He further anticipated that four corps of sixteen divisions on each of the two fronts, thirty two in total would suffice, more obviously, would be preferable.
What about a secret deal with France instead? Mussie's generals could waste time 'preparing and replenishing' from the Spanish campaign while he gets some idea of what the Allies will do for him if he eventually rebuffs Der Fuhrer and the latter gets pissed off enough to try an incursion into Magna Roma's new frontiers. 'Dolphie can't be eager to be in a 2-front war at this stage, especially if one of those fronts isn't east of Poland with all it's juicy Lebensraum just beckoning...
Helping France out now may also go a ways toward getting 10 Downing St to accepting the Roman Status Quo.
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 26, 2013, 07:02:04 AM
What about a secret deal with France instead? Mussie's generals could waste time 'preparing and replenishing' from the Spanish campaign while he gets some idea of what the Allies will do for him if he eventually rebuffs Der Fuhrer and the latter gets pissed off enough to try an incursion into Magna Roma's new frontiers. 'Dolphie can't be eager to be in a 2-front war at this stage, especially if one of those fronts isn't east of Poland with all it's juicy Lebensraum just beckoning...
Helping France out now may also go a ways toward getting 10 Downing St to accepting the Roman Status Quo.
id love to but stepping a foot on Axis soil now is going to lead to the big grey machine turning east and south and coming for me - i will be ready for that one day but not right now, it may be at the cost of France but i cant do it yet this and i need a nice looking French land bridge from spain to italy to help with supplies there
Defend what you have and get plenty of research going - better armour / AT weapons and aircraft. Is that the way to go for now?
If we assume that at some point Herr H will turn east, and if you don't get dragged in, then eventually, will you will be able to nip in and 'liberate' France.
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Mussolini quietly reminded Hitler of the Empire's neutrality in the current conflict, Hitler instantly dismissed such talk and started bargaining. He offered Italy the French border provinces, including Monaco, after the defeat of France. Mussolini responded that Italy would only be interested in Southern France if the entire coastal region (creating an uninterrupted land bridge to the Spanish provinces) were on the table. Hitler's reaction was to go into bargaining overdrive. If Italy those lands she would need to contribute eighty divisions, not the aforementioned thirty two. Mussolini thought it wise to remind Hitler an attack on France would mean war with the United Kingdom, and Italy sought to avoid such a war, at least until her carrier fleet was ready. Hitler assured Mussolini that he had nothing to fear from the tottering British Empire. After the fall of France, Hitler planned to bomb London into submission, and if they refused to submit, he was manufacturing troop transports for an invasion of the island kingdom.
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Mussolini's targets
Mussolini carefully studied Hitler's maps and feigned interest in his plans. He asked numerous questions and made all the right noises about plans to link forces but Mussolini refused to provide any commitment. Hitler demonstrated no diplomatic tact, no finesse and bluntly pressed for a commitment. He wanted the attack to commence within thirty days. Mussolini's response was more diplomatic but just as blunt. Italy had no dispute with Germany and did not object to its territorial ambitions, whether in the east or in France. In fact, Italy would cheer on its fascist brethren in their struggle with the decrepit democracies. However, Italy had just finished over two years of near constant war involving eight different campaigns. The Italian people were tired of war, and they were determined to sit this one out. The answer at that time was no.
Hitler exploded and began shouting, Mussolini barely caught references to something about "Italian fools", "involvement inevitable", "historic opportunity" and "betrayal". Mussolini assured Hitler that if the Allies were foolish enough to attack the New Roman Empire, that she would be more than willing to form a Pact of Steel with Germany and Japan, but absent such provocation, Italy would not enter the war. He excused himself and left the conference - he headed straight to Rome. If the New Roman Empire wanted the French land bridge, she would have to fight Germany for it.
Something like that Bob!
On his return to Rome, Mussolini summoned all his advisors, the General staff, heads of agency - he wanted to know numbers, force compositions and he wanted to know now. The breadth of New Roman Empire matched that of the old, running from Spain in the west to the Persian border in the heart of the Middle East. Northern Europe, Asia and Persia were all engulfed in bloody war, and the New Roman Empire, seemingly peaceful, was in the eye of the storm.
Most major nations saw Italy as the world's greatest threat to peace and their own independence, but each had reasons not to attack. The United States and Japan were too remote, France and Great Britain had their hands full, with Germany advancing on the Maginot line. Germany still saw Italy as its natural ally and still hoped to woo her into the Axis. The Soviet Union was still morosely healing from its purges and not ready for war.......... yet.
Italy had the time to prepare, but how much time and in which direction these plans should go would always be uncertain.
Reports and statistics started to come in -
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Italy currently fielded 99 Infantry Brigades, 40 Mountaineer Brigades, 76 Artillery Brigades, 32 Marine Brigades, 30 Motorised Infantry Brigades, 4 Armoured Brigades, and 26 Tank Destroyer Brigades
All of this paled in comparison to the forces available to Germany. For the rest of the year and maybe all of next year Mussolini was going to have to commit every available ounce of national resources to increasing the infantry, and the airforce, with the navy last. The major priority was the new look Italian offensive combat unit - 2 Motorised Brigades and 2 Tank Destroyer Brigades and on the completion of his Superior Firepower research he would add a brigade of Self Propelled artillery to these forces. Five more wings of interceptors were needed, not to take the fight to the enemy but to prevent him from bringing the fight to Italy, and possibly 4 new light cruisers were needed.
Looking at his research dossiers, Mussolini was happier with progress here - his infantry and artillery were equipped with technology that experts did not expect to see in the field until 1942, as were his cruisers, destroyers and the RM Aquila. It was beginning to occur to his research teams that the best available Tank Destroyers would be those based on a Medium Tank chassis, not the light tank chassis he was currently using. Advancements into Medium Tanks were started and the teams here were told to concentrate on nothing else. With infantry and artillery as up to date as resources would allow everything else was thrown into advancing industry, its ability to produce, what it could produce and how often it could produce it and various military doctrines were developed.
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The elite infantry and light tank research programmes, and medium tank research catching up, the gun here is not the gun on the tank destroyers so can be left out
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The tank destroyer gun and self propelled artillery research
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The carriers and the cruiser research
In short Mussolini was going to have to retire the empire from any further fights and gains for approximately eighteen months - watching very closely what happened on the Russian borders, and keeping a close eye on Great Britain
Germany ought to be remembering how far the Roman Empire eventually extended. I'm sure England does. ;)
I noticed Portugal was missing in your account of potential targets, but afterward it seems clear you aren't thinking of going there either. Are they already Allied or Axis, or too close to one or the other side already despite being neutral? Or is it more a matter of "not enough value to getting it now, compared to giving our troops rest and training and focusing on leveling up our bling"?
(I would assume the same answer would be true for extension from Ethiopia into central Africa.)
not to question your abilities, after all you are italian yourself, but i do hope the ai will give you greater challenges the bigger you grow. i remember playing EU I and it felt like playing on a normal setting was leading to an autowin.
how difficult was it to achieve this a historical result so far? i do not know the game and just wonder how you feel about the difficulty so far?
great great aar, i enjoy this tremendously!
Quote from: JasonPratt on October 27, 2013, 12:06:15 PM
Germany ought to be remembering how far the Roman Empire eventually extended. I'm sure England does. ;)
I noticed Portugal was missing in your account of potential targets, but afterward it seems clear you aren't thinking of going there either. Are they already Allied or Axis, or too close to one or the other side already despite being neutral? Or is it more a matter of "not enough value to getting it now, compared to giving our troops rest and training and focusing on leveling up our bling"?
(I would assume the same answer would be true for extension from Ethiopia into central Africa.)
Portugal is slowly drifting towards the Axis - it would/should have been my follow on after Spain fell but after viewing the diplomacy numbers i suspect another invasion of a non axis/allied nation may just push the opposing side over the edge and start a war with Italy - my whole reason for staying away from Hitler was not to get sucked into a war with Russia, and if russia feels it necessary to attack me it may weaken its front with Germany making it easier for Germany in the long run - basically its about making sure Russia is happy!
Quote from: Keunert on October 27, 2013, 12:59:50 PM
not to question your abilities, after all you are italian yourself, but i do hope the ai will give you greater challenges the bigger you grow. i remember playing EU I and it felt like playing on a normal setting was leading to an autowin.
how difficult was it to achieve this a historical result so far? i do not know the game and just wonder how you feel about the difficulty so far?
great great aar, i enjoy this tremendously!
apart from Spain which was a logistic problem not a forces one i have vastly outnumbered my enemy, and rightly so its been a pushover - this was only ever going to be a build up to one of 2 big showdowns the UK or Germany - both of which have more forces, more manpower and more industrial capacity than i do - that will be the big challenge, and isnt too far away!
Whilst the United Kingdom was faring reasonably well in the Middle East, their allies were not faring so well in Europe, even without Hitler's requested attack on southern France by the Empire.
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Rotterdam lies in ruins after the German attack and her forces are smashed - in the last week of May 1940 the Netherlands surrender
Within two weeks the German army races through Belgium taking the important port of Antwerp...............
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Panzers roll towards the outskirts of Brussels, June 1940
............and a week later German troops parade past the Belgian Royal Palace
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Unimpeded the Germans commence their attack on France, the Maginot Line provides no resistance to the might of the blitzkreig
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By the middle of July the Germans surround Paris
Within ten days Paris has fallen and the Germans race to the Northern coast to prevent any invasion by the UK
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With Paris sacked and the coast defended the mighty Teutonic hordes were inexorably advancing towards the Empire's borders. Mussolini was concerned that they would not stop, but would continue to roll all the way to Gibraltar. However, on August 29 1940 France betrayed their English allies and offered a separate peace. Eager to isolate the the implacable British, Hitler demonstrated uncharacteristic mercy and generosity to his prostrate foe. Northern France and the entire Atlantic seawall were to be occupied by German troops, but a quasi-independent French state was to be set-up in Southern France in the town of Vichy under the nominal control of Maréchal Pétain. This French state also included attractive territories in Syria including Beirut, and vast tracts of land in North Africa, including the fabled Carthage -- all territories to which the Empire had an historical claim.
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Hitler and Petain meet to discuss the new Vichy regime
Mussolini was initially very excited by the prospects of this development. The French were all but defeated as a world wide power, and the United Kingdom, who refused to recognize the Vichy Regime, would certainly not object too strenuously to a war waged on these traitors. Such a war would almost complete the Empire. Most important would be the addition of Gaul to the Empire, as it would provide the Empire with that all important land bridge to Iberia. However, upon review of the finer points of the establishing treaty between Germany and the Vichy Government, it became apparent that Germany was guaranteeing the independence of its puppet. Declaring war on Vichy would mean war with Germany. This considerably dampened Mussolini's enthusiasm for this development.
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The French border in September 1940, tantalisingly unoccupied
Mussolini found himself in the frustrating position of being surrounded by territories that he wished to acquire for the Empire, but all those territories were secured by major powers. Any move by Italy would result in war with either the United Kingdom, Germany or the Soviet Union. Italy was not yet ready for such conflicts, but preparations were being made. An intricate defense network was established in Iberia. Every port was garrisoned with a division of one infantry brigade and one artillery brigade. This was thought to be sufficient to stop all but the most concerted efforts by the British if they were to attempt an amphibious assault. Pintor's full infantry corps, headquartered in Seville, was stationed around Gibraltar and Cadiz with instructions to take the rock if and when hostilities were ever to break out between the Empire and the United Kingdom. Mancinelli was headquartered in Zaragoza with his Alpini, defending the Pyrenees. Lisi's HQ was stationed as reserve in Madrid with his four divisions stationed in the surrounding countryside to discourage Spanish freedom fighters.
As the victorious soldiers returned from the conquest of Iberia, the defense of Northern Italy was reestablished, and the virtually empty provinces on the French border were re-occupied. Messe's corps was strategically placed in Trieste where it could defend the homeland if necessary or react to threats to the Balkan provinces. Scattini's pure Alpini were stationed in their element in the Alps in Vittorio Vento adjacent to Innsbruck, and Roatta's mixed mountaineer corps was stationed in Venezia. Skeleton divisions began appearing on each of the border provinces with Germany, starting with the Swiss border and continuing east to Russia, this was the beginning of Mussolini's final solution. These small divisions would be eventually formed into new corps of four full divisions each, unfortunately with them came a new crop of inexperienced leaders as the new divisions required more officers.
Hmm. All bottled up with nowhere to go; no good!
Is there anything Benny can do to disrupt the status quo?
barbarossa will be the big tell - if he makes a mess of it ill be right there, if he pulls it off ill join the little fella and see if i cant colonise London - i have a full corps of 4 divisions on every patch of land joining Germany and Italy from the little corner where Italy, Poland and and Russia meet in the east up to the Austrian border, a gap of 8 empty provinces that need 32 divisions then the last 5 provinces have a full corps in too - ill post a pic later - is it enough???
who knows
no news is bad news, and no real life excuses pls
Mussolini sighed, he'd tried to ignore the knocking at his bedroom door, he rolled over in his bed groaning at the pounding in his head and the aches racking his body. It was Ciano who had practically insisted he go to bed, his medical team almost dragging him to his private chambers.
There were worse times for him to have caught the flu, the Empire was in a state of change, for the first time in almost 5 years the people of Italy were not at war - they were a happy, propersous people enjoying the luxuries and trappings of membership of a new rising Empire.
Agents were at the Swiss border, the Austrian border and the Russian border - Mussolini had ordered that he be disturbed the second there was even a twitch from the foreign armies on these borders.
The knocking continued, he rose in a foul mood. Ciano stood on the other side of the door with an apologetic look
'Am i been attacked from anywhere?'
'No, Il Duce but this is the forty seventh time the German ambassador has asked us to join the Axis, i wanted to make sure the answer was still no'
The door slammed shut
With southern Europe essentially in Italian hands, I don't see how El Fuhrer-o could screw things up. Invading England would be a no-brainer.
Quote from: undercovergeek on November 08, 2013, 10:17:39 AM
Mussolini sighed, he'd tried to ignore the knocking at his bedroom door, he rolled over in his bed groaning at the pounding in his head and the aches racking his body. It was Ciano who had practically insisted he go to bed, his medical team almost dragging him to his private chambers.
There were worse times for him to have caught the flu, the Empire was in a state of change, for the first time in almost 5 years the people of Italy were not at war - they were a happy, propersous people enjoying the luxuries and trappings of membership of a new rising Empire.
Agents were at the Swiss border, the Austrian border and the Russian border - Mussolini had ordered that he be disturbed the second there was even a twitch from the foreign armies on these borders.
The knocking continued, he rose in a foul mood. Ciano stood on the other side of the door with an apologetic look
'Am i been attacked from anywhere?'
'No, Il Duce but this is the forty seventh time the German ambassador has asked us to join the Axis, i wanted to make sure the answer was still no'
The door slammed shut
LOL! That was great. :D
I hope you've not actually been suffering the flu, though? If so, you have my sincere sympathies.
Mussolini is writing this in person?
Quote from: Keunert on November 09, 2013, 01:57:47 AM
Mussolini is writing this in person?
You said no real life excuses!
And no but I'm his guiding spirit
As the year 1941 dawned, the New Roman Empire had formed an intricate defensive network that at least was able to cover most of its border, though it may have been too fragile if actually put to the test by Germany or the Soviet Union. There were also small half-divisions garrisoned on all the islands and ports, it was hoped this would be enough to turn back all but the most concerted amphibious assault by the United Kingdom, if it came to that. Mussolini felt prepared, but he loathed the reactive posture he had taken. He wanted to build up his forces to enable him to re-seize the initiative. But even with the help of occupied foreign factories and captured resource stockpiles, Italian industry still continued to struggle to keep up with her neighbor to the north.
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By February of 1941, the Regio Esercito was training eight mountaineer brigades, eighteen self-propelled artillery brigades and eight more artillery brigades. These units would be merged with the motorised units for added indirect soft firepower. It was also building 12 anti tank brigades - the Regio Esercito was been split into two kind of Corps - a defensive corps made up of four divisions consisting of two infantry brigades, two artillery brigades and now with the completion of the study of superior firepower, allowing a fifth brigade to be added to a division, an anti-tank brigade. On the offensive side, divisions were being made up of two motorised brigades, two tank destroyer brigades and now an extra self propelled artillery brigade. It was also raising four new infantry divisions. The Regia Aeronautica continued to slowly expand the number of interceptors it required and the Regia Marina was constructing three more carriers.
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The new tank destroyers rolling off the line at the Ansaldo factory in Rome.......
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.....and the new SP Artillery seen at the Ansaldo sister factory in Milan
Developments in small RADAR and a new aero engine were being developed for Italian small aircraft, and techniques were being improved for ground attacks, port strikes, naval strikes and close air support generally. Research was directed at improving the engine, armor and reliability of Italy's all important tank destroyers. Finally doctrinaire improvements were being developed for mechanized offensives, special forces, assault concentration, and tactical command structure.
The German general staff and foreign diplomats all agreed on the obvious -- the New Roman Empire presented a serious and growing threat on Germany's southern border. But Germany was led by a madman and he could not comprehend the obvious, and he still saw Italia as his junior partner that would ultimately take her rightful place under Germany's wing. Hitler kept insisting that his diplomats pester Mussolini with incessant offers to join the Axis. Mussolini continued to provide polite demurrers. It wasnt so long ago Mussolini read a quote by the famous scientist Albert Einstein stating that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result - Mussolini was all but sold on the insanity of the man to to the North.
In June of 1941, with the United Kingdom still undefeated off its shores and with America having recently moved closer to the Allies, Hitler cast his precious Wehrmacht against the vast territories of the Soviet Union.
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Mussolini had no love for the Bolsheviks and wanted more than anyone to see communism blotted from the earth. However, he had also read his history, and the massive Soviet Union could not be taken down by invasion. Nevertheless, Mussolini watched with great interest the advance of Hitler's armies. If they could quickly sweep eastward and occupy Moscow and Leningrad, then just maybe Germany could pull it off. Hitler may be crazy but if that were the case, Mussolini would have to reevaluate the offer to join the Axis and redirect his covetous eye from southern France to Gibraltar, Egypt and Iraq.
Right about this time Mussolini was taken completely by surprise by the reappearance of Nationalist Spain - on the tiny island of Santa Isobel off the coast of Cameroon, the people there had risen up against Italy and declared their land once again Spanish. At first bemused, Mussolini realised that his forces need to be mobilised to take back the small patch of land - in doing so his people would stand down on their need for luxury items and these extra industrial resources could be poured back into military production and industrial expansion - he smiled to himself, both at the tenacity of the islanders and the luck which had befallen him.
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The brave but soon to be crushed islanders of Santa Isobel
Within weeks the Germans had taken all the territory occupied by Russia as part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, and blasted through the Soviet defences all across the border, the once secure North Eastern border of Russia and Italy was now practically all German as forces under Guderian raced towards the black sea - this wasnt working out as Mussolini had hoped
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To the west at Turka stand the Italian Marines, only a few weeks ago this was the Eastern extent of the German border
Hmm. Things have just taken an interesting turn. Which way will the NRE jump?
im going to keep an eye on the situation through the winter and see what happens - easter of '42 is decision time
Well, the Bigger Mustache always wanted a thrust against Germany from the south asap, to open up a second front. Could be a slick way to take a lead in world affairs while having an excuse to consolidate more of the former Empire.
Towards the end of 1941 and early 1942, Germany found itself at war on many fronts. The Luftwaffe was still battling the British in the skies over London, its u-boats were still battling the allied destroyers and convoys under the freezing North Atlantic, and the Russian front was, after six months of fighting, starting to bend under the pressure. By October of 1941 Hitler had smashed through Leningrad and surged toward the Finnish border.
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Leningrad under siege
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Further south there were breakthroughs beyond Minsk and onto Smolensk -
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German troops set fire to farm holdings on the outskirts of Smolensk
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And to the extreme South, Odessa had succumbed to the panzers of Guderian -
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The crew of a Russian anti-tank gun ready themselves at the Odessa front
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Contrary to the predictions of his General Staff and intelligence services it would appear Hitler's war against communism was going better than hoped. Mussolini was waiting for the German forces to be swallowed by a Soviet winter and then he would cross the Alps and rid the world of this mad man forever - but this plan lay in tatters, a simple glance from Ciano over the maps told Mussolini all he needed to know about more than one senior aides thoughts on the overtures from the German embassy and the persistent Axis offers. Never a man blessed with a huge amount, Mussolini decided to exercise some patience a little longer - fine tune his forces and see if Moscow and Stalingrad were as safe as he had originally been told.
On November 4th 1941, Mussolini's world became a whole lot more complicated -
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'Today, November 4th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.'
At the same time Japanese forces seized the islands of Guam, Wake and Midway.
In turn the US declared war on Japan, the Pact of Steel and Germany, and promptly joined the Allies
Back at home, by the end of the year Mussolini's new forces were rolling out of the factories and marching out of the training grounds. In mid-February, Mussolini finally felt secure with his borders. It was time to re-seize the initiative...............
Oooo, someone's going to be busy this weekend. (https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wargamer.com%2Fforums%2Fsmiley%2F00000613.gif&hash=bbbbab88329b671f51983ea73d04a74cbd1b1fbd)
i am undecided if i enjoy my recently started journey into game of thrones (books) more than reading your aar.
even though my faith in your history mastery recently got a little blow by your switzerland / sweden thing.
He was just thinking ahead for the long-term. ;)
Quote from: Keunert on November 15, 2013, 09:17:30 AM
i am undecided if i enjoy my recently started journey into game of thrones (books) more than reading your aar.
even though my faith in your history mastery recently got a little blow by your switzerland / sweden thing.
lol thanks, it had been a long week!
Ever since Julius Caesar had Vercingetorix publically strangled in the Tullianum after his glorious victory at Alesia, Gaul had been a Roman province.
After their defeat by the Germans in 1940, Petain had established his government, but it was never widely recognized as anything other that Hitler's puppet. A rival French government had been set up in London, and the French colonial possessions were divided between these vying power structures. In addition to this unnecessary chaos on the Empire's border, and as a separate but clear casus belli, the Vichy Regime was providing material support to the new island of Nationalist Spain.
Inevitably, it appeared that the Gauls were descending into chaos again and demonstrating an inability to properly govern themselves. Into this vacuum, Mussolini would propose that the New Roman Empire should step, to provide much needed stability, universal citizenship, and uninterrupted freedom of movement and trade from Iberia to Turkey. In anticipation of German capitulation on the Russian front during January 1942, Mussolini quietly sent his legions into motion.
In Spain, the mixed Alpini/Artillery corps, now under the leadership of a new General, General Pariani shifted their positions northwest towards the Bay of Biscay and the coastal town of Bayonne and its port there. Replacing General Pintor, the flamboyantly named General Amedeo Duca Degli Abruzzi's mixed corps abandoned their positions around Gibraltar and were shipped to positions on the Vichy frontier at Foix. From the countryside surrounding Madrid General Marinett and his pure Alpini Corps marched for the front just north of Barcelona. Twelve divisions in all moved into position on the Spanish border with Vichy France. In Northern Italy, the eight divisions on the Vichy border were readied for operations. Mussolini hoped to add Vichy to the territories of the Empire without a fight, but was prepared for one if necessary.
There was always the chance that Germany would attempt to enforce its guarantee of Vichy independence. If this were the case, preparations needed to be made in the event that Germany declared war. Germany had no border guards, in the event of war the Italians would immediately go on the offensive.
On March 1 1942, the Italian forces were in position. Ciano delivered to Petain, Mussolini's invitation to the people of Southern France to join the new Roman Empire. Petain immediately rejected the invitation and vowed to fight. That same day, Italy declared war. Simultaneously, Mussolini had a private letter hand delivered to Hitler wherein he personally implored Hitler to not act foolishly and to abandon his guarantee of the corrupt Vichy government................
Let's see if this New Roman Empire deals with the Germanic barbarians better than the Old Roman Empire.
Hoo-boy...
Merda is getting' real...
Clever use of that little island. ;D
Wait, I thought the Germans were kicking ass over the winter up in Russia. What changed? Why would they capitulate now?
And so the pure Alipini prepare to prune the Aryan purity patrols.
The Obersalzberg will make a nice mountain home for Il Duce and his followers.
Quote from: JasonPratt on November 16, 2013, 09:29:04 AM
Clever use of that little island. ;D
Wait, I thought the Germans were kicking ass over the winter up in Russia. What changed? Why would they capitulate now?
And so the pure Alipini prepare to prune the Aryan purity patrols.
They're not - they're kicking ass but if I leave it til after moscow of stalingrad the russians may surrender and then I'm in trouble, unless I join the axis - but from a RPG perspective I just can't bring myself to do that!
Oh okay, you meant Russian capitulation to the Germans.
The events of March 1, 1942 happened quickly and were momentous. Stories told later, and legends put into print long after the war, would describe the moment Hitler learned of Mussolini's declaration of war on Vichy France. Whilst the details differ, the constant in all of them is a temper unseen since the early days of the '30s when he came to power, and whilst the witnesses cannot quite agree on which item it was, they all agree that desk items were smashed and thrown. Before today Hitler was inclined to ignore the warnings of his advisers concerning the growth of the new empire on his southern border. He chose to believe that the similarity in the economic systems and idealogy of the two nations made them brothers in the eternal struggle against Bolshevism and Democracy. However, after the Italian declaration of war on Vichy France the treachery caused him to act incautiously, seeking vengeance against his would-be ally.
Once again Hitler ignored the recommendations of his advisers who were even now counseling caution. Germany's forces were occupied far to the east and not currently able to attack or defend from the south. They particularly saw no sense in adding a new foe to their already long list on behalf of the French. However, Hitler's mad hatred immediately became implacable, and he demanded that Rome be destroyed stone by stone.
On March 2 1942, Germany vowed to enforce the guarantee of the independence of Vichy France and declared war on the Empire. Mussolini was disappointed, but not unprepared. In all of Europe, only one nation had agreed to stand with the Nazis - the puppet state of Slovakia, uncomfortably situated between German occupied territory and the Empire. So, on March 2 1942, Mussolini immediately declared war on Slovakia.
As a result, a state of war was declared to exist between Italia and all of the world wide Axis powers.
The Italian forces all along the frontier immediately advanced into enemy territory.
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Pariani, Amedeo Duca Degli Abruzzi and Marinett carry out their recently prepared operations on Southern France. The corps of General Pariani struggle through the Pyrenees, seek out the enemy, and advance on Bayonne. Closer to the Mediterranean coast Marinett quickly descends the mountains toward the plains of Carcassonne.
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Guzzoni's Alpine border guard march into France from the other flank. They are tasked with assaulting the daunting fortifications of Toulon. The troops and generals were inexperienced, but one of the divisional commanders General Ago had graduated officer candidate school specialising in fortification assault techniques.
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Barbaset's Alpine Corps march into the mountainous areas of western occupied Austria, Pintor marches his infantry corps into the flatter east. In the Alps, the four pure Alpini divisions of were tasked with the immediate assault on Innsbruck. This important alpine town had the only air strip in the area, and was only defended by a German garrison division. The mountaineering skills of the black feathers would be put to the test at the very outset of the war, as the town needed to be captured quickly.
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Calvi di Bergolo's motorised Corps enter western Slovakia, and Utili's infantry Corps march into eastern Slovakia. Forces in the East are instructed to advance into Slovakian territory as fast as the terrain will permit. However, they are also instructed to halt their advance on the border of territories claimed by Russia, even if that territory is occupied by the Germans. Once the border was reached, the Italian divisions were to assume defensive positions. The Bear would need to do its own heavy lifting. In the West, the divisions here are ordered to streak north as fast as possible, grabbing territory until they come into contact with the enemy. Meanwhile, Calvi di Bergolo was himself to occupy the weakly defended Bratislava in what was hoped would be a coup de main.
The die was cast...................
...And it's on like Donkey-Kong! <grabs popcorn>
after all Switzerland may have been a better fit for Italy
Nice work. I wonder if the Allies will offer a place to Italy...or is that automatic now that you're fighting the Germans? Your ideology is too far off from the democracies, isn't it?
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 17, 2013, 04:43:12 PM
Your ideology is too far off from the democracies, isn't it?
*
cough*
stalin*
cough*...
I ask as it's been a long time since I've played HOI. I barely remember something about a triangle with democracies, communism, and fascism at different points. I don't know if I'm remembering it right or not though.
I cant watch - tell me when its over!
Geek, this is seriously good stuff - thanks for the entertainment.
^ Ditto that! Entertainment at it's best!
Took me most of the day between chores, but, I have finally come current on this AAR. Geek, this is top notch, brother! It takes a dedication I can only aspire to. I think you are shit out of luck if Hitler finishes off Stalin quickly, otherwise, hang tight and PRAY!!!
I dunno...with most of the Wehrmacht in northern France and Russia, this little Italian invasion is going to be the nail in the Fuhrer's coffin. I bet Il Duce can get to Berlin before anyone else!
And then, after Berlin, the REAL struggle will begin: Russia might possibly allow Italy to keep its gains, but the Allies probably won't.
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After sporadic clashes with Slovakian border garrisons, elements of Calvi di Bergolo's corps enter an undefended Bratislava and the Slovakian puppet government promptly flee the country. It's lands and people were incorporated into the New Roman Empire.
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The unprepared defenders of Innsbruck are swept aside by Roatta's Alpini divisions and the airfield is secured there. The small but proud Italian strategic bomber wing are stationed there in readiness for rooting out more hardy defenders.
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Grazzioli's Spanish forces advance 300km into Southern France before meeting any credible opposition. The fortress of Carcassonne falls without bloodshed and Grazzioli himself captures Toulouse in Mussolini's name. In the northwest Pariani's forces capture Bordeaux - on the north side of the river German forces are preparing for a counter attack.
The first days of Mussolini's invasion were all going according to plan - Slovakia was knocked out of the war, important air fields were seized denying the superior Luftwaffe the chance to slow down the advance, the Spanish border was secure, but the most important early objective of the French campaign was bridging Iberia and Rome to help the free flow of supplies - without which Mussolini's Mediterranean forces would struggle. If Italy and Spain could not be connected there would be great difficulty supplying the French invasion forces. If the French or Germans could halt the advance the invasion would be slowed and the breakthrough to the rest of France and south western Germany prevented.
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Initial advances into France via Northern Italy had been successful. The French had unwisely abandoned their fortifications across the border, but had consolidated at Toulon and Marseilles. Here they would stand fast.......
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French troops are pushed further behind the border.
On March 29 1942, Mussolini gave the order for the attack to commence on Toulon, General Allerino's men moved forward form the east, supported from the North by General Frusel. Generals Romegial and Babini waited in the North in reserve. The Germans moved north east to block Frusel and immediately launched an offensive against the Italian forces in an effort to drive them back. Generals Babini and Romegial quickly came to Frusel's assistance and attacked the German column. The three way battle between equal forces settled down into a slugging match. French defenders then launched a counter attack against Allerino......
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............after a week of hard fighting Frusel's division was ruined, out of ammunition and low on men they were forced back across the border. To prevent a collapse in the area Mussolini directed the other five divisions of the Alpine border corps south, abandoning their captured land further to the north.
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Further to the north east Barbaset and Pintor continue their march through Austria, the elite alpine troops far out pacing their infantry brothers to the east. Barbaset swings west toward the Swiss border and the highly prized territories of the old Maginot line. Pintor steels his men for a difficult march through the Alps and then onto Munich
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Further east, occupied Czechoslovakia is almost over run, Calvi di Bergolo's motorised divisions have cleared Prague and on the eastern border Polish lands are recaptured and the hard hitting marines are tasked with taking Krakow - here the marines would write history and go down in legend.............
Wow, with all of the alternate history I've read, I don't think I've ever seen one where Italy took on Germany. Der Fuhrer is facing a three-front war when we all know how poorly a two-front war went for him. Great stuff!
Yeah, an Italy-vs.-Germany conflict is not one I've seen covered before. Go, Benny, go!
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Early April in southern Poland the war is raging to the east and west, but General Arena and his marine divisions find themselves virtually alone in the city limits of Krakow. This portion of the front was apparently devoid of opposition in strength, so General Arena had tentatively advanced all the way to Kraków.
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Kraków, strategically placed on the Vistula River was before the war a leading center of Polish economic, academic, cultural, and artistic life. However, after the invasion of 1939, Kraków had become the seat of the General Government for the Occupied Polish Territories. It was selected by the Germans as their administrative center for all occupied eastern territories presumably because the city was a major transportation hub between east and west. All roads and rails in the area ran through Kraków.
As soon as Arena's troops reached the outskirts of Krakow, Governor General Hans Frank and his staff blackened the sky with smoke as they frantically burned government records in Wawel Castle and evacuated the town. Later that same day, April 3 1942, General Arena moved his Italian marine divisions into the city. The Italians were not prepared for what they found. The town was unscathed by war, but had been the scene of many horrific crimes by the occupying German army. The Italians were welcomed by the desperate looking residents, clearly relieved the Germans had gone, but they seemed too dispirited to even celebrate their own liberation. Most just stayed in doors, the streets were deserted.
General Fautilli of the 1st Marine Division immediately positioned his 8,000 troops in strategically important defensive sectors around the city anticipating a viscious German counter-attack.
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Nobody could anticipate at that moment that Krakow was the key to the entire war with Germany - the events that would unfold in the next few weeks would be bourne out of Fautilli's heroism. To the west, the main Italian divisions were advancing into Germany itself, defended only by light divisions thrown together in an emergency until the heavy German divisions could be railed back home from the eastern front. However, all the trains would ultimately pass through Krakow so the Germans needed to recapture the Polish city before they could efficiently return the tanks and trucks needed to beat back the Italian invasion of their homeland. Hitler told his generals that the recapture of Krakow must be made their first priority and all other objectives were of secondary importance.
Within days of its capture three German panzer divisions descended from the North to assault the city. The actual assault started on April 10 1942 when two of the panzer divisions, a light armor division and a heavy armor division tried to force their way back into the city streets. General Fautilli's troops had never seen anything like the monster designated the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E before. These monsters had armour that ignored his troops ordinary anti-tank weapons, and they were armed with a massive 88mm cannon. However, the urban setting and defensive stance the Marines had prepared played into the Italian's hands. Tank commanders had to choose between buttoning up and stumbling through the city streets or exposing themselves at close quarters to Italian snipers. Though out-numbered and outgunned, the Italians were giving as good as they got, but the German assault continued, on the outskirts of the city scouts could see reinforcements en route. More tanks were been brought to bear by the Wehrmacht.
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As soon as the assault started, Bastico's 2nd Marine Corps further east were disengaged from their battle with German forces coming from the Eastern front, boarded trains and sent with all speed to the gap in southern Poland, but it would be a long time before they could come to General Fautilli's aid. More immediate aid came in the form of General Cei's infantry corps. His divisions were moved into the city to assist with the defense, these divisions were some of the first Italian forces to receive purpose built anti-tank brigades - they were armed with Italy's finest anti-tank weapon, the lethal pezzonovante. The Ansaldo Cannone da 90/53 was much like the German 88 mm, now mass produced from factories in Milan and La Spezia. It was a converted anti-aircraft gun that made a vicious anti-tank gun, except the Italian version has a single-piece barrel, making it easier to manufacture. It also fired a slightly bigger projectile, had a higher muzzle velocity and longer range.
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Once the pezzonovantes made their way into the city, the battle swung Arena's way, the Tiger's armour could not withstand a well placed solid shot from one of the big guns. The battle stretched out from day to day, more heavy units pulled from the Russian front headed back towards Germany found themselves stuck in the meat grinder that was becoming Krakow. The units unable to make it west were thrown into the battle. By April 20 1942, the battle had been raging for seventeen days, two Italian divisions, one of infantry and one of marines were alone in Krakow centre assaulted by two Tiger divisions, two light panzer divisions and a combined arms division made up of motorized infantry and tank destroyers. The other supporting divisions of the two corps held back further reinforcements from the North.
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The streets of Krakow were littered with the burning hulks of German armored vehicles, but more tanks were sent in to push aside the wreckage and continue the assault. By May 1 1942, the battle had been raging for almost a month. The Germans kept attacking with fanatic zeal bolstered by the new arrival of an SS Panzer division and this was the first German unit to turn the tide of battle towards the Germans. The Italians had reached the extremity of human endurance. General Flautilli's division had held the line in the city while General Arena had defended the surrounding areas but a desperate and disastrous retreat was looking more and more likely.
Then the II Marine Corps arrived, with some very clever adjustment of battle lines before the eve of the fight anti tank brigades had been added to Bastico's divisions - this was enough to force even the much vaunted IIIrd SS Panzer Division over the brink. They and the rest of the German attackers retreated in disarray, the casualties on both sides were horrific, but the city had held, the marines had held, what ordinary Italian citizen soldiers accomplished there would never be forgotten.
:o
Stalingrad in Poland. Nice work, Generalissimo. 8)
And with this victory, the title of biggest European surrender-monkeys passes forever from the Italians into French hands, therefore reshaping history and comedy routines forever.
Nicey told and AWESOME defense Geek!!
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 22, 2013, 10:43:44 PM
And with this victory, the title of biggest European surrender-monkeys passes forever from the Italians into French hands, therefore reshaping history and comedy routines forever.
LOL. Nicely put,
Steelie. :D
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 22, 2013, 08:29:17 PM
Stalingrad in Poland. Nice work, Generalissimo. 8)
Quote from: MetalDog on November 22, 2013, 11:18:24 PM
Nicey told and AWESOME defense Geek!!
Seconded so very, very much. That was epic!
To the West scouts report the stout defenders of the Atlantic wall are heading south - the easy ride in Western France is over for Pariani. Divisions are also coming south from Belgium and the Netherlands
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At Toulon the five extra divisions of the border corps arrive from the North just as four German divisions advance South in their wake. On April 10 the renewed German assault began on the Italian occupied city of Cogolin. General Ferrari and his Alpini division have enough supplies and room to manouever to the the rear of the German lines in Marseilles - as another German assault moves from Marseille to Brignoles in the North, Ferrari moves into the undefended city of Marseilles, with the port secure further supplies and men can be brought to bear against the encircled German defenders.
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Italian troops move through the streets of Marseilles
In Cogolin German divisions attack with near reckless abandon - the need to breakout and resupply is getting desperate
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Simultaneously, the four German divisions re-assault Ferrari in Marseilles. He would have been quickly overrun if he had not been reinforced by two of General Babini's divisions from Manosque to the north. However, that move would merely buy more time. In a matter of days a renewed German assault pushes the Italians out of the city, Ferrari retreats in disarray - the path east to Northern Italy is open to the Germans.
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Victorious French troops march back into Marseilles
As the disorganized combat divisions came streaming back, rifles were issued to the startled clerks and cooks. The Alps needed to be held at all costs. Orders were also issued to two mini-divisions guarding the Swiss border to consolidate into a single front line division and travel as fast as possible to Balbini's position to the East of Toulon. However, it was doubtful that that division could stem the tide even if it could arrive in time. Something else needed to be done to salvage the Northern Italian front.
It was the first time Mussolini had tasted the bitter flavour of defeat. There needed to be a way to relieve the pressure on the front other than just feeding more troops into the theatre and starting over. He turned to the garrisons in captured Italian island provinces, already stationed in ports, their mobilisation and shipping could be arranged immediately. It was a last desperate throw of the dice to shore up the battered forces of the border corps
Well, we knew it couldn't be all smooth sailing...
Quote from: Martok on November 23, 2013, 07:26:06 AM
Well, we knew it couldn't be all smooth sailing...
yeah - the composition of those German divisions in the south is a killer
Mussolini had at his disposal a rapid deployment force of six divisions that could assault the beaches anywhere along France's southern coastline. They could be transported to Barcelona and sent by train to Ferrari's line like regular soldiers, but that was deemed a waste of the marines special abilities at amphibious assaulting. They could be landed just behind the German lines in the Montpellier area. That plan would provide the most immediate relief to Ferrari, but it was deemed too risky. After the fall of Marseilles there was no port in the area in which supplies could be shipped. Since Italy had no idea how many German divisions were arriving, landing too far west ran the risk of being cut off and destroyed. It was decided the landing would be further to the east, just to the west of Marseilles. The marines should not have too much trouble taking the port of Marseilles for supply convoys, and the landing would relieve Ferrari whilst at the same time threatening the German flank and halting their advance to the Alps.
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Civilians flee their homes after waking up to the Italian invasion flotilla parked off their coast
On April 20, the transport flotilla was loaded with the six relief divisions that had been gathered in Sicily from the outlying islands of Italian conquests. Two battleship squadrons, a carrier task force, and the infantry in their transports were sent to the coastline off of southern France just west of Marseilles. By April 21 1942, all six divisions were put on shore without opposition, three divisions were put ashore in Marignane and three divisions in Arles to the west. The three divisions in Marignane under General Alberceti immediately attacked the German division in Marseilles. The port needed to be secured to support the invasion.
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IV Division, 8th Armata unload at Marignane
Under the weight of the massed fire of the three divisions, the German division was quickly defeated and the three infantry divisions started moving into Marseilles to secure the port. Meanwhile, the three divisions landing in Arles started to fan out to expand the beachhead before the anticipated German divisions started arriving to arrest the advance. General Dapino advanced northeast into Avignon and immediately attacked a German army headquarters behind the lines there. General Battisti advanced north east into Provence, but stopped his advance when he encountered two German divisions coming the other way. General Sala advanced east to push straight through Marseille and march on German occupied Cogolin.
General Dapino pressed his attack on the headquarters in Avignon while the three victorious divisions fanned out from Marseilles. General Mancini attacked eastward toward Toulon with his infantry division and managed to link up with General Sala and his punching attack on Cogolin. From the North now came the rested 5 divisions of the border corps, Generals Frusal, Romegial and Babini were eager for revenge - buckling under the pressure the last remaining German forces here were pushed into the tiny pocket of Cogolin. Five German divisions and one French division were now encircled on the French coast, after a few feeble counter attacks it became clear that the units in this pocket were doomed. Appropriately, Frusal applied the finish on the 2nd May 1942, the forces surrendered - the south of France was clear - it was of little comfort - these units were ordered to march North to stem the tide of German divisions coming down the Maginot line.
To the east something extraordinary and unexpected happened. Under constant attack and subjected to disordered retreats and lack of supplies the German forces in occupied Poland were having difficulty recovering from the slaughter at Krakow. A fighting withdrawal was under way as the Germans headed west and north to defend their homeland - encouraged by the sight of retreating Germans and confident in the strength of the Italian advance, the people of Poland rose up and took back their previously German occupied homeland.
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The people of New Poland looked immediately to Mussolini for guidance and protection. A loyal fascist government was installed in the fledgling state and they declared themselves subjects of the New Roman Empire. Already facing enough enemy fronts Hitler declared a non-aggression pact with New Poland and immediately withdrew all his forces...... as a puppet state of the Roman Empire it meant Mussolini could march where he saw fit - the consequences were far reaching.............
Wow! Just in case things weren't already interesting enough...
Any reaction from the other powers, by the way? Is Benny receiving any "attaboys" from Britain, USA, etc? I'd imagine your assault on the Deutchland has to have thrown their diplomatic postures in complete disarray.
Britain has co-ordinated a few attacks with Italian forces from the air. On more than one occassion ive been strafed by German air power and then they are chased off the scene by the RAF
Im not sure how or when it happened but the whole of France is annexed by Germany now - there is no Vichy France in Europe, they still have a presence in Africa, and indeed have taken some Italian lands there - as thats the nation i declared war on and that subsequently brought in Germany i fear, Crusader King style if Vichy surrenders anything ive achieved against Germany will be returned to them - to get around that ive made the conquest of Germany one of my war goals - theres no escaping Il Duce
So... wait, what happened with Poland again?? Was that an actual game result, or clever narrative angulation to explain something else the game did? (I have trouble believing a non-aggression pact with an Italian client state would mean anything if Germany is already at war with Italy.)
lol - tis all true - after capturing Lodz the map went red just as you see, New Poland (my name for it) appeared with a diplomacy trigger of 'Poland has joined the No Faction' (i guess thats me) and a loyal Fascist Republic has been put in place. When i went into the diplomacy screen to see what was what they are my puppet and ally, no longer a member of the Allies
Edit - apologies it is not a non aggression pact it is a truce with the Axis powers
A truce???
Wow. Wonder how long that will hold out in the game's algorhythms, under the circumstances.
Also, what's happening with the German forces still in-country? Do they have a time limit to get out, and are they trying?
Even knowing that you are the genius in command.... how do you consider the ai's response on Hitler's behalf? (ain't that a nice sentence for a foreigner?)
if i got your posts right Germany is crushed and you will be the second power on europe's mainland just after the soviets.
I ask because i remember in EU I it always felt to be to easy once you crossed the critical phase of the first decades. the ai never tried to ally against the biggest power, like you would do in a game of risk.
Jason - i know that when i recaptured a Russian province, as soon as it switched to Russian i got an icon saying 'youre in friendly territory' but no countdown in which to get out - i didnt log in as the germans to see but i assume they got the same message
Keunert - theyre definitely not crushed, and as yet unwritten come up with an awesome idea
Mussolini studied the maps. He did not have enough forces in France to expand further without leaving the line too thin, better to hold here from Nantes in the north-west to the Swiss border in the south-east and counter any move made by the German forces. German forces who already had three choices to make, defend their own gains, counter attack or retreat east to defend their home lands.
By Late May 1942, reports from the fatherland were not promising for the Germans - composed of a combination of forces never before encountered by the German war machine, the Italian motorised divisions under Calvi di Bergolo had cut a bloody swathe through the centre of Germany. Capturing most of the industrial heartland, experimental rocket sites and resource centres of the nation, step by step these elite divisions had systematically denuded central Germany of its ability to rebuild and reinforce. On May 20th the 1st Motorised Army stood at the gates of Berlin..................
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On 26 May, Magli's 1st Motorised Corps and Gratarolla's 2nd Motorised Corps fought their way through the southern suburbs and attacked Tempelhof Airport, just inside the S-Bahn defensive ring, where they met stiff resistance from the Müncheberg Division. But by 27 May, the two understrength divisions (Müncheberg and Nordland) that were defending the south east, now facing three Italian corps were forced back towards the centre, taking up new defensive positions around Hermannplatz. General Krebs, Chief of the General Staff was informed that within 24 hours the Nordland would have to fall back to the centre sector. The Italian advance to the city centre was along these main axes: from the south east, along the Frankfurter Allee (ending and stopping at the Alexanderplatz); from the south along Sonnen Allee ending north of the Belle Alliance Platz, from the south ending near the Potsdamer Platz and from the north ending near the Reichstag. The Reichstag, the Moltke bridge, Alexanderplatz, and the Havel bridges at Spandau saw the heaviest fighting, with house-to-house and hand-to-hand combat. The SS fought particularly hard, because they were ideologically motivated and they believed that they would not live if captured.
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In the early hours of 29 May the Italian IV Motorised Corps crossed the Moltke bridge and started to fan out into the surrounding streets and buildings. The initial assaults on buildings, including the Ministry of the Interior, were hampered by the lack of supporting artillery. It was not until the damaged bridges were repaired that artillery could be moved up in support. At 04:00 hours, in the Führerbunker, Hitler signed his last will and testament and, shortly afterwards, married Eva Braun. At dawn the Italians pressed on with their assault in the south east. After very heavy fighting they managed to capture Gestapo headquarters on Prinz-Albrechtstrasse, but a Waffen-SS counter-attack forced the Italians to withdraw from the building. To the south west the III Motorised Corps attacked north across the Landwehr canal into the Tiergarten.
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Gestapo headquarters on Prinz-Albrechtstrasse
By the next day, 30 May, the Italians had solved their bridging problems and with artillery support at 06:00 they launched an attack on the Reichstag, but because of German entrenchments and support from artillery guns on the roof of the Zoo flak tower, in Berlin Zoo, it was not until that evening that the Italians were able to enter the building.
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Artillery guns on top of the zoo flak tower
The Reichstag had not been in use since 1933 when it burned and its interior resembled a rubble heap more than a government building. The German troops inside made excellent use of this and lay heavily entrenched. Fierce room-to-room fighting ensued. At that point there was still a large contingent of German soldiers in the basement who launched counter-attacks against the Italian troops. Finally, on 2 June the I Motorised Army controlled the building entirely.
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The Reichstag on the morning of 2 June 1942
During the early hours of 30 May, Hitler was informed in person that the defenders would probably exhaust their ammunition during the night. Hitler gave them permission to attempt a breakout through the encircling Italian Army lines. That evening under the cover of darkness Hitler and Braun were smuggled out of the city by the SS and fled Berlin to establish a new Nazi capital in Euskirchen on the Belgian border.
As the perimeter shrank and the surviving defenders fell back, they became concentrated into a small area in the city centre. By now there were about 10,000 German soldiers in the city centre, which was being assaulted from all sides. One of the other main thrusts was along Wilhelmstrasse on which the Air Ministry, built of reinforced concrete, was pounded by large concentrations of Italian artillery. The remaining German Tiger tanks of the Hermann von Salza battalion took up positions in the east of the Tiergarten to defend the centre against Messe's tanks which were approaching the capital.
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Tigers guarding the Tiergarten
During the early hours of 1 June, Krebs talked to General Bitossi, commander of the II Motorised Corps, informing him of his willingness to negotiate a city wide surrender. However, they could not agree on terms because of Italian insistence on unconditional surrender and Krebs' claim that he lacked authorisation to agree to that. Goebbels was against surrender, in the afternoon, Goebbels and his wife (after killing their children) committed suicide. Goebbels's death removed the last impediment which prevented Krebs from accepting the terms of unconditional surrender of the garrison, but he chose to delay the surrender until the next morning to ensure Hitler and his Chiefs of Staff had escaped.
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Krebs waits for Bitossi near the Moltke bridge
On the night of 1–2 June, most of the remnants of the Berlin garrison attempted to break out of the city centre in three different directions. Only those that went west through the Tiergarten and crossed the Charlottenbrücke (a bridge over the Havel) into Spandau succeeded in breaching Calvi di Bergolo's lines. Early in the morning of 2 June, the Italians captured the Reich Chancellery, General Krebs finally surrendered with his staff at 06:00 hours. The 350-strong garrison of the Zoo flak tower finally left the building. While there was sporadic fighting in a few isolated buildings where some SS troops still refused to surrender, the Italians reduced such buildings to rubble.
The Battle for Berlin was over, the German capital lay in ruins...................
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It's official-
Spock has a beard.
:o
Wow. Just wow. Some truly superb work,
'geek!
Quote from: Staggerwing on November 25, 2013, 07:12:18 PM
It's official-
Spock has a beard.
LOL.
I guess it's too early to say "Now THAT'S Italian", since Hitler and the new Mrs. Hitler have moved elsewhere. (Whatever happened to the old Mrs. Hitler...?)
Nifty use of that Italian flag photo, too! :D
According to a documentary on tv last night mrs hitler died when he was young as did his 4 other siblings leaving him to feel he was marked for greatness - when she died doctors report they have never seen a relative so grief stricken as adolph
Thanks jason - 10 mins on GIMP - I thought it would be a nice touch
No, I meant his original wife. He had a wife and kids. I don't recall what happened to them.
Smashing stuff, Geek. Well done indeed.
Quote from: bob48 on November 26, 2013, 03:38:30 PM
Smashing stuff, Geek. Well done indeed.
Thanks Bob and thanks to all the guys for the feedback - shits about to get real!
Good lord. You mean shit hadn't *already* gotten real??! :o Now I'm almost afraid to see what happens next...
we may <shudder> see him win. and then, God may help me, i will have to think of geek in a respectfull manner (lord forbid)
good stuff as always! you should base a novel on this. better even a ten volume novel with filming rights and then you'll be allowed to get fat and be still around all the hot actors that you somehow managed to write female roles for.
Das Fourth Reich: The Forging of a Blade
Das Fourth Reich: Ruptures in the South
Das Fourth Reich: Green Hills of Africa
Das Fourth Reich: Mare Nostrum
Das Fourth Reich: Rise of the Viking
Das Fourth Reich: Fall of the Viking
Das Fourth Reich: Awaking Bear
Das Fourth Reich: Bear rips with salad
Das Fourth Reich: Washingtonaples
^ Actually, as OC as I am, I thought exactly that, that this would make a good 'faux' book. Am I the only one?
All he did was knock out Berlin. Germany isn't down for the count yet, and it's doubtful that the Allies will accept all this expansion by a fascist Italy. In effect he's dared every other country in the world (including Japan, the other Axis superpower) to crush him.
Quote from: JasonPratt on November 27, 2013, 08:57:27 AM
All he did was knock out Berlin. Germany isn't down for the count yet, and it's doubtful that the Allies will accept all this expansion by a fascist Italy. In effect he's dared every other country in the world (including Japan, the other Axis superpower) to crush him.
its more local than that - but it is a cunning plan by Hitler
Don't tell me he sent Von Ribbentrop east with a box of chocolates... Or on a little cross channel boat ride...
Geek, Stagger.....someone has pinched your cheese as well.
I thought cheese got 'nicked.'
the great cheese theft!!!! ???
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 27, 2013, 02:24:54 PM
I thought cheese got 'nicked.'
Nicked, pinched, half-inched... its gone...........
After Frankfurt fell in the first few days of June 1942, Mussolini flew out to meet with Pintor and Zingales. Calvi di Bergolo was savaging the north of Germany - he was tasked with chasing the northern defenders to the sea and then turning west across the border with Denmark, through Hamburg and on to the Dutch border. Further south on the French/Swiss border was Pintor and his elite infantry divisions. Capturing the new German capital was now his Corps' main objective - through Western Germany and all the way to the Belgian border, meeting up with Calvi di Bergolo's forces and securing the entire west of Germany - their flank now secured by the presence of New Poland.
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Mussolini surveys the front with Pintor
Mussolini called for the maps - in France he had captured the South, built a corridor to Iberia (partially retaken by the Germans after the battle of Marseilles but operations were in progress to recapture this area) and secured the line.
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French maps June 1942
Germany troubled Mussolini. He could see from the maps that approximately seventy percent of Germany belonged to him or had been retaken by the Poles, but intelligence told him he'd only faced thirty percent of Germany's forces. They could only be still locked in combat with the Russian forces to the east - a good few forces had attempted to come west to secure Berlin and the Polish centres of industry and these had been efficiently dispatched but common sense dictated the armoured legions of Hitler must be coming.
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Maps of Germany in June 1942
The reason for summoning Zingales soon became clear - the presence of a neutral, unpassable New Poland presented Mussolini with a god sent opportunity - the entire Eastern Front, should they be on their way, could only come through Mussolini's 'front door' at Danzing - across the whole front only these four provinces were passable by Hitler and his forces. Zingales was to park his whole Corps in this area, dig in, fortify and watch the German forces destroy themselves trying to get in. The aircraft carrier Aquila was brought north from patrol duties with her entire escort in the Mediterranean to make sure no sea based invasions from Norway or Axis Finland were attempted.
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The 'front door'
The last days of Germany were now drafted in military operations and ready to launch. Barbasseti di Prun's VIII army and Pintor's Ist Army were to head west for the new capital and possibly the capture of the Fuhrer himself. General Gambelli's corps would steer south and west to secure the industrial zones of the Rhineland and occupy the fortified provinces of the old Maginot line. Bastico's II Army and elements of Utili's VII army, including Messe and Zingales were to hold the door closed against the remainder of the German army.
Satisfied with his plans Mussolini returned to Rome - an ashen faced Ciano met him at the landing strip. Whilst securing Germany's destruction to the west and shutting them out in the east by slamming the front door in their face - Hitler promptly kicked in the back door and flooded through the undefended northern plains of Romania with his 'missing army'
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Amazing. I'm enjoying this more than half the alternative history novels I've read. And that's one of my favorite genre's. Great job!
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 27, 2013, 04:34:11 PM
Amazing. I'm enjoying this more than half the alternative history novels I've read. And that's one of my favorite genre's. Great job!
I can't second
Steelie's words enough. This AAR is very well done.
Now let's see if
Herr Schicklgruber's counterattack through Romania succeeds..
Quote from: undercovergeek on November 27, 2013, 12:21:19 PM
Quote from: JasonPratt on November 27, 2013, 08:57:27 AM
All he did was knock out Berlin. Germany isn't down for the count yet, and it's doubtful that the Allies will accept all this expansion by a fascist Italy. In effect he's dared every other country in the world (including Japan, the other Axis superpower) to crush him.
its more local than that - but it is a cunning plan by Hitler
Indeed (as I read tonight). But the other is coming.
It took Mussolini a moment or two to comprehend what he had just heard. For what seemed like an eternity he stared unblinkingly at Ciano.
'Romania, Duce............ Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, our own eastern provinces, there is nothing in their way'
The majority of Italys force were in western Germany, almost to Belgium and the Netherlands. The lands around Danzig could not be abandoned - he would not give the Germans another avenue of attack.
'Who do we have?'
'The marines Duce, just the marines - I and II Corps, and the III Corps of Utili's 7th Army', Ciano said in a hushed whisper, it was almost a sob - he wasnt an army man but he knew from the reports what was flooding into Romania - and the forces he had listed were no match for them. Here now were the heavy tanks, the super heavy tanks, the SS divisions and the elite fighting forces of Germany.
Arena and Balisti, both recipients of the Order of the White Eagle, personally pinned upon them by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, leader of New Poland, were sent south to intercept and halt the advance. So too were Lisi and his III Corps. It would be a week or more before they arrived, where to send them exactly would be Utili's problem - the front would be changing on a daily basis.
'Get me Stalin, or that idiot Litvinov, just................. just get me someone Russian' bellowed Mussolini getting into his staff car
From Uzhorod in the northwest near Turka, to Cetatea Alba across the bay from Odessa in the east, they came - the border towns all across the front fell.
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Mussolini sat in the back of the car, angry at himself more than anyone else. He had pulled the forces from the borders and sent them West despite his advisors pleas - was he now no better than the German fool, ignoring the advice of those more learned and experienced than he?
If he closed his eyes he could only see Roman cities burning, desperate, pleading Italian citizens running from the flames and tanks and oncoming German revenge. He needed a plan, and a good one, he had 'gone it alone' so that his glory need not be shared, now the price of that isolation loomed large. He had the car turned around, he was going back to the western front, he needed a victory there immediately, a cleared flank and a path to the Eastern front opened as soon as possible
Damn. I see what you mean now by the fecal matter hitting the rotating oscillator...
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If only you had a giant weekend available to find a way to deal with this mess! :D
Personally, I'd recommend pulling back troops from Germany. So what if that leaves another route back into central/western Europe? This is probably the majority of tough remaining German units already; and they aren't coming to reclaim their homeland, they're coming to ruin yours! They can always retake Germany after crushing you; you can always retake Germany after protecting your own areas.
'It looks the entire German high command is here Major', General Umberto lowered his binoculars and squinted through the smoke and flames pouring from another destroyed German tank nearby.
Here on the outskirts of Hamburg, a bombed out ruin courtesy of the RAF, the northern forces that Calvi di Bergolo had been tasked with destroying were making a last, desperate stand. Eight divisions led by Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Willem Keitel himself were placed throughout the city. I and III corps of the I Motorised Army had surrounded the city, IV corps had been sent north to cut off any routes of retreat and to secure the Danish border. II corps had been sent into the city to capture or destroy the important port, wary of the numbers facing them II corps were confident - captured men had told of the lack of supplies, the disorganisation of the forces and the lack of will to fight. True enough when the assault commenced at dawn on the 10th June the defense folded almost immediately - there were few casualties but the prisoners taken included Keitel, and Jodl and twenty seven thousand fighting men.
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With the prisoners still marching to the rear, II corps started to pack up. The order from Mussolini had been made clear, 'advance, advance, advance'. Within five days Bremen had fallen and all Northern forces had been pushed back to Willhelmshaven - there amongst the U-boat pens and shipping works they would be surrounded and destroyed. The north was clear - Calvi di Bergolo and his men were put on trains and sent south east as quickly as possible.
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The bewildered, utterly dejected remains of Germany's western armies were marched to Hamburg -
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Further South, Pintor and his men were heading west to the Nazi stronghold of Euskirchen. Defenses were stronger than expected and Pintor had to inform Mussolini that this would not be as speedy an operation as Calvi di Bergolo's. His main fear was that German troops would fall back and occupy the forts built by the French and there hold back the Italians until their Eastern front collapsed under Germany's new attack. A corps of General Roatta's alpine troops was ordered from the South to come north to the rear of the Germans and prevent such a withdrawal.
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The west was going well, it was just a matter of mopping up the remainder of the forces and destroying Euskirchen brick by brick. There was no word from Russia, his agents had gone quiet, there was no intel coming from the Russian front at all - he needed to know if this was a full scale withdrawal from Russia and if the entire might of Hitlers Panzer divisions were coming.
A runner appeared at his door with a folded message. Bucharest was under attack - the garrison had sworn to stand until the last man
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And the race is on! Who will get to the finish line first?
could you say a word about the supply mechanics pls? what are they living from, Germanies Ostdivisionen?
If I understand it, Keunert, as long as there is an unbroken line of territory you own from your capitol to your troops, they are in supply.
that's no more the case for germany. do they get immobilized after some time?
I was having this discussion with the Italian logistics minister, bawb the other night - I'm unsure on the supply rules but there is no supply line from German occupied Russia to Germany.... but Germany has Minsk, Kharkov, Kiev, Leningrad, Bucharest and many other towns - I know supplies can be drawn from captured ports but that is still shipping supplies in from the home resource centres.... you know what keunert you maybe on to something.... they may be completely out of supplies
you just let them run dry on the empty fields of Romania!
that's a brilliant strategy indeed! you get all their equipment and will then crush Russia!
Duce.
It strikes me (again referring to our conversation) that non of those cities will be capable of producing heavy tanks. I stick by my 'exchange ground for time and bleed 'em with your superior AT units' theory. How long before his elite units are mere shadows of their former selves?
Respectfully,
Roberto.
.
The Germans would not let up their pressure. On the 12th of June they assaulted Bucharest, and sacrificed over twelve hundred soldiers to destroy the garrison of nearly four hundred and fifty Italian defenders. Right across the front the Germans won all the minor skirmishes with the small divisions that had been established to defend important locations across the New Empire - these divisions were thrown mercilessly in front of the oncoming SS as a speed bump, something, anything to slow them down to allow the marines to catch up. Damage was also being done operationally by the Germans, they simply destroyed all logistics infrastructure as they advanced, no bridge, no road nor rail junction in Romania would be left undestroyed by the end of the month.
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Four days later, for the second time in two years, the vital oilfields of Ploesti were taken without bloodshed or damage, and three days after that the vital port of Constanta fell - supplies into the area that would have sustained the marines were cut off. Hitler then decided to switch fronts and start the advance on the old countries of Hungary and Bulgaria, re-designating the panzer groups as whole panzer armies for the occasion, such were the number of armoured divisions now in the area. Operation Typhoon, which was set in motion on 21 June, saw the 2nd Panzer Army rush along the paved road from Tolbuchin to Varna with Sofia as its destination, while the 4th Panzer Army and 3rd Panzer armies headed for Budapest and the Hungarian plains.
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There is a ridge of hills that runs through Ramnicu Valcea in the west of the old country of Romania. On a ridge, high up on one of those hills, looking down into the valley of Pitesti stands General Arena, hero of Poland. In his binoculars is the unprotected rear of the German advance, behind him stand 8 undefeated, elite Marine divisions and behind them stands Messe and his armoured divisions. This would be Arena's war on the Germans...........
To the west the Italian forces take a collective breath - the Northern regions have been swept clear of German defenders, the southern forces are rolling through the Rhineland. Pintor readjusts his line of advance, and Calvi di Bergolo stands ready - the path to Euskirchen is clear
Them there panzers are about to be de-pantsed. This should be good!
On 25 June, two divisions of Arena's I marine corps were ordered to strike eastwards to provide a screen for the II Corps' main attack further south, supported by Messe's armoured corps. Simultaneously, the two other divisions of I corps (first and second) were ordered to head southwest to disrupt continuing German efforts to advance on Hungary. Between 25–28 June, the II Marine Corps cut through the 2nd Panzer Army's flank, completely stalling the German advance through southern Romania and the Bulgarian border, and successfully surrounded and destroyed a number of German units south of the river in the region.
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Messe's tanks race east to support the marine's advance
The first and second divisions of I Marine Corps, now with support from one of Messe's armoured divisions continued their advance in a southwestern direction, these two divisions successfully cut the supply lines to the German spearheads, and swung east to meet the Third Panzer Army head on. On 25 June, alarmed by the success of the Italian counterattack, Hitler ordered the Fourth Panzer army to shift its front from the Hungarian/Romanian border and support the Third Panzer army - now out of supply.
Marines began to engage German units southwest of Pitesti, performing a holding action to wait for the remains of Messe's corps and the third and fourth marine divisions coming south from providing a screen earlier. By 1 July, the Germans had pulled two armoured divisions off the front and back towards Russia - either a Russian counter attack was under way or lack of fuel and supplies was beginning to take effect. Between 1 and 2 July, the reformed I Marine Corps with one armoured division by their side continued to attack the spearhead of the Third Panzer Army with great success, intelligence suggested the army was out of fuel. Further east the II Marine Corps with three armoured divisions broke through the thinly stretched German lines and drove back into Bucharest. To the east Ploesti and the abandoned port of Constanta.
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Italian armoured divisions provide much needed pace to the race for Ploesti
By 5 July, the attacking I Marine Corps had been badly mauled, but it had completely stopped with the aid of dwindling supplies, the Third and Fourth Panzer armies. Scouts at the rear of these armies reported operations in place for withdrawing from the front. Taking advantage of the the stalling Panzer advance the marines were able to destroy isolated divisions, creating large gaps in the enemy lines leading to uncoordinated and piecemeal counter attacks from the Germans that were ineffective. Between 6 - 8 July, the Fourth Panzer Army, including the SS Panzer Corps, were pushed back 140 kilometers and repositioned only about 90 kilometers south of the occupied Russian border. The Third Panzer army had effectively been abandoned, out of supply and out of fuel it was defenceless in the heart of Romania.
In the west of Germany, in the early morning of 28 June, Pintor launched a two-prong attack into Euskirchen. General Roatta's divisions, advancing from the Northwest, split up into two columns advancing towards northern Euskirchen on either side of the Stuttgart-Antwerp railroad. Elements of the eighth division, on the right side of the railroad, attacked the city's industrial district, meeting heavy resistance and advancing only to the northern railway yard by the end of the day. On the opposite side of the railroad, parts of the 9th Division struck at the commercial sector to the northeast of the city, meeting a Tiger-led German counterattack which drove part of the 9th division back out of the city.
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Tigers lead the counter attack in the northeast of the city
Only with aerial support from tactical bombers and the massed artillery of Pintors supporting divisions were the Italian infantry able to battle their way into the city. A flanking attack from the rear finally allowed the Italians to achieve a foothold in the northern area of the city. Simultaneously, the I Motorised division from Calvi di Bergolo's forces attacked down the main road from Cologne, fighting an immediate counterattack coming on their left flank. Fighting their way past Tigers, this Italian contingent was able to lodge itself into Euskirchen's northeastern suburbs. From the north, another contingent of Calvi di Bergolo's motorised infantry and self-propelled guns attempted to take control of the road exits to Aachen and Blankenheim to try and prevent an attempted breakout. This attack penetrated deeper into the outskirts of Euskirchen, but low on fuel the self propelled artillery was forced to entrench itself and turn to the defensive.
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The old court building in Euskirchen, now Hitlers headquarters
Pintor's tenth division attacked on the same day, along the west side of Euskirchen. After penetrating into the city's old town area, the advance was stopped by a deep anti-tank ditch, lined with German defenders, including anti-tank guns. A German counterattack was repulsed after a bloody firefight. A detachment of the tenth fought its way to the southern approaches of the city, finally cutting off the road to Blankenheim. On the night of 04–05 July, a breakthrough element crossed the anti-tank ditch, taking the German defenders by surprise, and opening a path for motorised troops and artillery to cross. This allowed the tenth to advance to the city's main railway station, which would be the farthest this division would advance into the city.
On 6 July, the eighth division made progress into the city's centre, breaking through the staunch German defenses in the northern suburbs and began a house to house fight towards the centre. By the end of the day, the division had reached a position just two blocks north of Nazi headquarters in the town square. The I Motorised Division was able to surround the square, after taking heavy casualties from German snipers and other defenders, by evening. That night, I division's third battalion, under the command of Guillardo Mancini linked up with the second battalion in the town square square and attacked towards the court building. Meanwhile, the division's left wing reached the junction of the high street and market street exit roads and went on the defensive, fighting off a number of German counterattacks.
The next day, Mancini's battalion struck towards the headquarters building and the surrounding block. In a bid to trap the city's defenders in the center, the 1st Battalion re-entered the city using the Aachen exit road. As Pintor surveyed the town square and the court building a messenger appeared on a stolen German motorcycle - there were unsubstantiated rumours that Hitler had either committed suicide or had been assassinated by his bodyguards..........
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Arrivaderci, Herr Mustache!
Damn. Looks like the "Thousand Year Reich" has already reached its death throes.
Excellently done, Geek!!! I say again, well written and add kudos for the strategy and tactics.
^Agree with you MD. And first class entertainment as well.
Quote from: Martok on December 05, 2013, 06:35:21 PM
Damn. Looks like the "Thousand Year Reich" has already reached its death throes.
Wasn't that supposed to be the resurgence of the Holy Roman Empire anyway?
I'd say
that's going pretty well so far. :)
(Also, now THAT'S Italian. ;D )
Why stop with Germany?
Today Europe, tomorrow, the world!
Wait, that sounds kinda familiar...
Pintor wiped his hand over his face and rubbed the back of his neck, it had been a strange day - at 08:00 on the 8th July a white flag had come out of the court building's upper window and shortly after a dishevelled German officer had walked out of the Nazi headquarters shouting that Hitler was dead and asking to speak with the local commanding officer. Since the heady days of 1936 Pintor had been at the spearhead of most of Italy's victories, but they were local disputes, old land been reclaimed - today he and his army had vanquished a superpower of Europe. The older victories had been a very simple matter of the head of state agreeing to join the Empire, this seemed so much more than that - Pintor knew that in a matter of days the whole world would be watching...........
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On July 9th 1942, Armistice Day, the imprisoned Jodl, now the senior representative of Germany's forces, signs the German unconditional surrender in Rome. The borders of controlled territories in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway were a mess. The French government in exile, set up by the British in London after the fall of France to the Germans in 1940 had immediately contacted Mussolini - they swore loyalty to the Empire, walked away from the Allies who had so poorly defended them and allied themselves with Mussolini who immediately replaced the old government with a pro-fascist one. A day later Denmark, Belgium and Luxembourg joined the Empire too and swore fealty to Rome. All of Germany was under Italian control - somewhere out there was a small contingent of the Nazi party, probably led by Goering or Canaris, running the government from a cellar in some South American country in all likelihood - no matter - Germany was Mussolini's, as was the Netherlands and Norway.
Mussolini looked down on his desk, across from him the Danish King and his ministers signing the necessary documents that would hand Danish resources, industrial strength and armed forces over to Mussolini and the Empire. Laid before him were the new maps of Europe, prepared that morning -
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The King raised an eyebrow at Mussloini as he chuckled to himself. What the hell was he going to do with Norway and a baltic coastline?
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Bravo, undercovergeek. 8)
did you make six prostitutes timetravel to Hitler?
Quote from: Keunert on December 11, 2013, 09:58:52 AM
did you make six prostitutes timetravel to Hitler?
you might have to help me with that one!
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 11, 2013, 09:49:01 AM
Bravo, undercovergeek. 8)
lots of tidying up to do - and them maybe an eastern expedition
Bravo, sir! Truly a tremendous accomplishment.
Quote from: Keunert on December 11, 2013, 09:58:52 AM
did you make six prostitutes timetravel to Hitler?
LOL!!
An amazing victory! Well done! Thanks so much for sharing the story 8)
Its been a great ride, Geek. Well done mate.
thanks all for your brilliant feedback - im kind of tempted to go for Japan, but role playing as Benito as i have, its not something thats in his plan really
How in hell's name would you get there? The logistics would be a bit of a nightmare.
if memory serves vietnam is vichy still, missed this out actually, Vichy is still alive, has taken a lot of Italian Africa and is still at war with benito - sail to vietnam - take that and launch from there
come to think of it if Vietnam is french french its actually mine anyway
You know, there IS a significant Italian-American community on the USA's East Coast. Maybe time to unite your people 8)
Maybe. But its still going to take a lot of build-up to get to Japan, and your Navy aint that big. Is Vietnam an ideal base to launch and support a invasion force from?
Perhaps Operationo Sealiono is a better option.
Quote from: bob48 on December 11, 2013, 02:28:49 PM
Maybe. But its still going to take a lot of build-up to get to Japan, and your Navy aint that big. Is Vietnam an ideal base to launch and support a invasion force from?
Perhaps Operationo Sealiono is a better option.
lol its so so tempting, but there is the big blue monster on the other side of the Atlantic - admittedly hes busy in the Pacific - basically the Allies are usa, canada and south africa but its still scary enough
And there is a big Red Bear behind you......
^Yeah, and if memory serves me, that Big Red Bear has just now figured out how to start building a kick-ass tank. It might be time to put those German scientists and engineers you bought and paid for to work.
Quote from: Staggerwing on December 11, 2013, 07:46:17 PM
^Yeah, and if memory serves me, that Big Red Bear has just now figured out how to start building a kick-ass tank. It might be time to put those German scientists and engineers you bought and paid for to work.
Absolutely - and recruit some
cannon-fodder foreign legions from the conquered lands.
I vote for consolidating previous Roman territory in Africa first. (Without ticcing off Britain or... who else is in Africa right now? You own the Dutch, I think.)
Quote from: JasonPratt on December 12, 2013, 07:03:20 PM
I vote for consolidating previous Roman territory in Africa first. (Without ticcing off Britain or... who else is in Africa right now? You own the Dutch, I think.)
me, vichy france and the UK - theres a lot of mopping up to do in Africa
Geek, I just found this AAR the other day. Very well done. In fact, I liked it so much, I went out and purchased HOI 3 yesterday. Well, that and the fact that the entire HOI 3 collection cost less than $11 on Amazon right now :)
I was surprised you attached Germany and not Russia. I was thinking that you would maybe go through Turkey and take out Russia's oil fields. But I like what you did even better.
I"m also kind of surprised that the UK never landed forces in Europe when you were invading France/Germany.
Isn't Persia an Axis member. Are they still allied with Japan. If not, I would think that would be a very nice target.
Very well done. Give me a little time to learn the game, and I'll be posting my own AAR. I'm already working out the high level details in my head.
thankyou very much OJsDad - like you i was inspired to play the game by a brief AAR by our very own Silent Disapproval Robot as France
In every game like this i always fear Russia, its just so vast! The British lent air support all throughout the attack on northern Germany, but i suppose the AI had difficulty knowing what to do as i wasnt an Allies member
The game is still ongoing, ive just taken a short break to figure out what the hell to do next - all roads point to London but its suicide with the US an Allied member already - i may need to review exactly how much damage was done to the Russians and consider that too
Hope you enjoy the game as much as i did
Just a thought here Geek. Without the UK as a base, just how much of an immediate threat would the US be?
Trying to stage a large scale invasion of mainland Europe directly from America is a bit like Italy invading Japan (sort of).
Its a threat which is on your doorstep - can you afford to leave the UK alone?
....I for one welcome our new Italian overlords.........
Mine didn't even start out as an AAR. It just kind of morphed into one as I was using the forum as a kind of sounding board/learning tool/venting outlet as I learned to play the game. Hope you have fun with it OJsDad. I found it a bit overwhelming at first but eventually got the hang of most of it. (supply still remains a bit of a mystery to me.)
Geek, I don't know your exact situation, but if you go after England, I would target their African/Middle East colonies and try to starve her. Do you have enough sub force to blockade England. I know you don't have the bombers for the job.
One quick question. What is a good country to start with to learn the game. I was thinking the US, but wasn't sure.
I always start with something small, like Yugoslavia or Romania. Italy is a good place to start, too.
FWIW, lots of folks say Brazil is a good starting country. Canada might be good as well. You got lots of ocean protecting you but you also can get in on the European and Pacific fights by helping Great Britain.
yeah, a bit like CKII, it depends on how much you want to do and are comfortable with - i found italy really good, lots of action, can stay out of Axis and go your own way, because the game is programmed to kill you as the Axis, its not quite sure what to do with you as a neutral so you can go a bit off the beaten track