cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass koala: Lets Play HOI 3, ICE mod Austraila [Archive]

Storm Bringer

2011-03-13, 02:17 PM

that title box is only JUST long enough to fit that title......

so, after some thoughs, and a quick check around, i decided to try Didays ICE mod for Hearts of Iron 3, and play as a old fave,

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8673/hoiaussiestart1.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-03-13

Now, I've never played the ICE mod, nor done a LP before, so this should be Quite Intresting.

assuming that at least some of my (hopfuly large) readership is not familliar with HOI terminology, a quick glossary:

IC: industrial Capacity. how much factory space you have to build everything form tanks to toy cars.

neutraltiy: a mesure of the "Pacifism" of your nation. a high Neutrality means that you cannot do warlike things like introduce conscirption, move to a war economy, or declare war.

Leadership: quite a complex one, but boils down to how many Bright young people you have, and how you want to spend them. leadership is spread between reshearch, espionage, diplomacy, and Officers.

Unity: National morale, in a nutshell. how committed your people are to King and County. a low unity means your people will not support your war effort, and give in and surrender easily.

Organisation: the "staying power" of your combat units. most battles are decided when one unit runs out of organisation and breaks. this basicly shows how long the unit can withstand the rigurs of combat before it come apart, and covers things like tactics, use of reserves, morale of the troops, etc. the number of Officers a unit has is very important for Org, and the Officer Ratio is the number of trained, competent officers you have relitive the number you "need" (you can a ratio of greater than 100%, which gives bonus org up to 140%)

Morale: how quickly a unit regains Organisation. very important, as with a low morale score, your army will keep having to stop to re-gian org.

Hard/Soft: how "mechanised" a unit is. the value for it in the stats is Softness expressed as a %, with lower being harder. Armoured units have a low Softness, and infantry have a high softness. softness affects what attacks affect a unit, with Hard units taking little or no damage form Soft attacks. a Division with a softness between 33 and 66% gets a combined arms bonus.

Infarstructure: the amount of road and railways in a province, and their usefulness to a army on the move. this determines how fast you move and how easy it is to supply your armies over this terrian.

Army structure: for those who don't know it:

A brigade (Bde) is the smalled unit HOI deals with, and conists of about 3,000 men for a line infantry unit (support units have less). at the scale HOI deals with, a brigade is too small for indepenant action.

up to 5 brigades can formed into a Division (Div), which is the smallest practical unit at HOI scales and the basic building block of your army. divs can get up to about 15,000 men in them, but most are smaller, about 9,000-10,000

up to 5 divisions can be grouped together into a corps. while divs move as one unit, corps and higher levels don't, with the attached divs being ordered seperatly. this allows a corps to fight in several provinces, outflank, rotate divs on the line, etc. basically, a corps is a "sqaud" of divs, and the level i usually manage attacks at (eg "III corps will move south to outflank while V corps hold them in the center) most of my corps are between 30,000-50,000 men, but can be bigger.

5 corps can combine into a Field Army, normally just called an Army (e.g. montys 8th army in north africa). this is as big as most minor nations need in terms of command, and an army will often have 100,000 men, with really large ones having nearer 200,000.

above army is Army Group, again with room for 5 armies. only major powers have enough men fighting in a given area to need this level. the entire german forces invading russia amounted to just 3 army groups. i've had over a million men under an army group before.

above all of these sit theatres, which are the highest level of command, can have unlimited subordinate units, and are used to co-ordinate the movements of units on a very large scale. most small nations only need one theatre level command. somewhere like the UK as a few, like "north africa", "india", "britian and northern europe".

a quick rundown of starting position.

Army: maybe 15,000 men. mostly garrison birgades suitable for holding ground and not much else. I have a 2 Bde div of cavalry, and another 2 bde div of motorised infantry (thats regular troops with unarmoured lorries to transport them). thier are 3 theatre at the moment "sidney" (southern and eastern aussie, "Dawin"(a small area around siad town on norther aussie), and "Guadalcanal" (Papua New Guinea, the birtish solomans, and the titluar island. basically all the "overseas" part of my nation)

Navy: 2 first world war era heavy cruisers (CA), 2 interwar Light cruisers (with 2 more building), and a old flotilla of Desroyesr (DD). all are behind the tech curve, but thiers not much i can do about that (once a ship is built, you can only upgrade minor compents like AA, anti sub systems, radar, etc. the guns, armour and engine are all fixed at the start of construction)

Airforce: a single unit of Tactical bombers (a HOI aircraft unit is about 100 planes). Out of date as it stands, but unlike with the navy, i can upgrade these planes to a newer, up to date model.

aand that enough typeing for one post.

psilontech

2011-03-13, 03:04 PM

Could you explain the ice mod?

Storm Bringer

2011-03-13, 03:36 PM

ok, first planning and decsion time:

thoughts

Biggest threat to me: japan, without a shadow of a doubt. I'm too close to the UK for the allies to attack me, the Commies don't really field a fleet in the pacific, and the other axis powers don't have the reach to attack me.

How they will attack me Amphibous landings, trying to take the VPs in the solomans, then maybe try and take mainland aussie itself.

How much help I will get: really depends if the Japs push the US into the war. the rest of the allies are going to be too busy in europe to spare much for the pacific. New zealand will likey join the allies and the war, but i can't see them being any use (no navy, small army, pitiful IC to improve on that).

in practical terms, i cannot Rely on any meaningful help form the US or any other ally in the defense of my lands, beyond the goods i can buy.

What i am going to do.

I'm going to have to hold the solomans and papua, which means putting troops into the VP locations, keeping them supplied, and being able to reinforce them when they are attacked. form thier, i will try and take the offensive with my own landing attempts on the japanese pacfic islands, to deny them bases to attack me.

to do this, i will need:

garrisons for the VPs: going to try and put one div of 3 garrison+1Arty Bde on each VP.

Enough convoys and escorts to keep them supplies. quite important. if i can't do this, then i may as well tell the troops out thier to shoot themselves, for all the good they can do. in the face of japanese convoy raiders, this is goona be hard.

A QRF: Quick Reaction Force, this will ideally be Marines, backed up by the ICE mods fancy new Amphibious Armour. them being marines is partly so i can use them as the core of a later attack force to start driving the japs back.

A Fleet to protect all the above: now, i don't have a cat in hells chance of stopping the Imperial Japanese Navy in a straight fight. they have, at this point, something like 12 Battleships, ~4 Carriers, ~12 Heavy crusiers, and at least as many CLs and DDs, not to mention sub flotillias, and thats before they start bulding any more with their much higher IC. the best i can hope for is a fleet that can protect my counterattacking troops long enough to get them ashore, and to chase away the worst of thier convoy raiders.

Ok, now i have a grand total of....22 useable IC, most of which is currently tied up in the two new CLs i'm building

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/7594/icstart.jpg (http://img850.imageshack.us/i/icstart.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

that first CL will finish very soon, so that's some IC freed up. I am not going to embark on any ambitous building programs just yet.

in other areas, I have a touch over 10 leadership points. for the moment, they will be disributed as show here:

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/13/techstart.jpg (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/techstart.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

the very high espionage value is to quickly build up enough spies to both max out my internal network and build on in japan, with the aim being to drop my neutrality down and raise japans threat, thus pushing me into the allied camp. at that setting, i'm pumping out 0.45 spies every day, so i'll have enough to be getting on with within a month, two at most. then, i plan to drop espionage down to a trickle and concentrate on tech. this way, i get the Intel net i need quickly, and can then concentrate my leadership efforts on techs without haved to worry so much about having enough spies.

techs to follow, next post, when i have thought about them

Storm Bringer

2011-03-13, 03:43 PM

Could you explain the ice mod?

to quote the mods FAQ

DiDay's ICE is an extensive mod of HOI3 under development by DevilDread and many other members of this forum. ICE began as "DiDay's Unique Units" add-on mod. Over time more and more material was added into the mod and it became DiDay’s I.C.E. (Iron Cross Edition). ICE is perhaps the most widely used and respected mod for Hearts of Iron III. ICE has the main goal of adding three major things that many believed to be missing from Hearts of Iron III, realism, depth, and fun. DiDay's ICE strays away from the open ended "Sandbox" nature of HOI3 to provide a more realistic, and historically plausible game. To do this, DiDay’s ICE adds an incredible amount of content into HOI III, produced by members of the Paradox Community. This includes hundreds of events and decisions, new units, new techs, and much more! This content drastically changes the way the ICE is played compared to vanillia HOI3, and makes the player feel much more connected to his or her game.

quoted form here (http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?503076-I.C.E.-FAQ-and-Thread-Library)

Storm Bringer

2011-03-13, 04:12 PM

starting techs

first off, I'll start the three naval doctrine trees. I'm going to need them to upgrade the fleets effectivness.

second, provincal AA guns, to defend the VPs agianst the superior japanse air force.

third, radar and starting radio techs. as soon as i can get some radar coverage over teh VP's and the straights they command, the happier I'll be about not being suprised.

after that, it's a toss off between basic infantry upgrades and naval upgrades. I'm not too sure what route to go for on the naval side, though, so for the moment, I'm loading the infantry techs into the queue (I havn't got the leadership to do all this at once, unlike japan or the US, which can pretty much resherach everything at once).

industrial production and effciency techs: i need more IC, and this is a good way to get it, and get more out of my existing IC.

plans for future advances:

reshearch marines ASAP, along with motor infantry (so i can convert my cav to motor).

decide on what sort of fleet i want, and start teching that up.

get the airforce up to '36 levels (i.e. all "basic" aircraft techs reshearched. form thier, aquire Naval bombers and Multi role fighters, for deployment to the islands (Nav to hunt convoys Muli roles becuase i can't afford to have seperate interceptors and bombers at this point. multi roles are weaker at each thant the specailists, but can do both well enough for now.)

ok, initail builds

first, add a buttload of convoys, as i'm going to need to be able to absorb a LOT of sunk merchants when the IJN subs stary prowling.

second, i going to need 5 divs of 3 garrison and 1 arty, to place one on each of the 5 VPs on the island chain, shown here:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9649/islandvps.jpg (http://img199.imageshack.us/i/islandvps.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

however, doing that is going to cost me about half my initail Manpower, and i havn't got the ability to raise more quickly (at least unil i can improve my recruitment methods). I already have 4 divs of garrsions already, so i can ship them out to the VPs and just build the arty, plus one div form scratch.

so build queue, at game start:

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/5717/ic1.jpg (http://img855.imageshack.us/i/ic1.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

I need to keep at least 40 manpower in reserve, for when i mobilse, to fill out the understenght garrison forces. i;ve got about 40 manpower to play with for my QRF forces, when i get round to building. current gain rate is a measly 0.8 manpower a month. I am hoping to increase that by the time war comes, if only so i can absorb losses.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-13, 09:43 PM

Oh boy, no offense, but I'm predicting a Crash-and-Burn here. In all of my ICE games, Japan's steamrolled everyone. I mean, by 1940, all of China taken, serious advances into Burma, Singapore taken, ready to march into India, and also several successful landings in Australia and New Guinea.

Then again, that game had mad Axis successes across the board.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-14, 01:04 AM

yhea, well, doomed i may be, but hopfully i can entertain a few people as i go down.

anyway started the game rolling. status update, mid feb 1936:

-I have enough spies to be getting on with. can now switch most of my IC to tech,, as shown here

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9765/tech1.jpg (http://img96.imageshack.us/i/tech1.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

-gonna experiment a little with the new techs ICE adds. I will try out the torp Boats and MTBs as a method of getting some sort of naval presence in each northern port, so i;ve added them to the queue.

-of the naval options, I have decided to go with a cruiser based fleet, for two reasons: cruisers share practicals, so building lights helps me build heavys, and i already have a boost to it form those two CLs I'm building. Second, i already have a cruiser based fleet, and so teching up cruisers helps me thier.

psilontech

2011-03-14, 09:35 AM

I'm going to preface this with the disclaimer that I've never played a HOI game, much less three with a mod.

The Japanese, as far as I know, had the fewest and worst tanks in WWII.

Build and research tanks. Buy tanks from America.
TANK THEM TO DEATH!!!:smallfurious:

:smalltongue:

Storm Bringer

2011-03-14, 01:13 PM

Update, july 1936

the repbulicans appear to be winning the spanish Civil war. Most times i have seen the nationalists win. all this means is that Spain will joint he allies and be promtly crushed by german panzers, rather than joining as an ally.

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/6831/spaingl.jpg (http://img638.imageshack.us/i/spaingl.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

I now have two divs out in position, covering Port Mosely and Guadalcanal, the two 2 point VPs. I've also order the contruction of AA cover on all the island VPs. I'm going to need the flak when the zeros come knocking.

The Japanese, as far as I know, had the fewest and worst tanks in WWII.

true, but the only tanks i can built at the moment are 1918 level tanks.

plus, armour fighting the jungles and mountains that dominate the planned battlefields will be at a serious handicap. the reason the japs had crap armour is they spent a lot of time fighting in crap tank country, so thier poor armour was not a problem.

now, amphibious armour. that would be an amazingly usful assest i could really use, if only anybody had any.

also, armour is very IC intensive. I just don't think i could afford to build a useable amount of armor AND anything else at teh same time.

Update: august, 1956.

I've decided to experiment with some of the lighter new units in ICE, by building MTB (motot torpeado boats. speedboats with torps attached) flotillais. thier super cheap, so i can afford to churn out a dozen of them and have place them thoughout my islands.

update: New year, 1937:

the nationalists have rallied and are slowly grinding the republicans into dust. it is only a matter of time before they crumble and spain is unified again. The republicans have done much better than i have previously seen, though. Not once has the war dragged on into the new year like this.

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/953/spain2o.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/i/spain2o.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Closer to home, 4 of the 5 garrisons are now in situ, with a small amount of AA cover over most of the VPs.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-14, 02:10 PM

Nationalist Spain almost always wins handily, it is strange to see the war go on this long.

MTB's die like flies. Massed MTB's should be able to take out some convoys and maybe some destroyers and transports too, but not much else.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-14, 03:00 PM

Update 1st May 1937

the republicans are Still holding on, and even managed a limited counteroffense that;s retaken a few provinces near the north. a amphious landing took the ports of Santander and Bilbao on the north coast back, but that has since been crushed,

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/1751/spain3.jpg (http://img845.imageshack.us/i/spain3.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us). thier been a bit of a **** up with the image when i made the JPEG, but it stil works, so meh.

edit: 15th may, 1937
the A nationalist push along the east bank of the Erbo river got to within a single province of the sea, and to the forts around barcelona, before being pushed back slightly. the republicans have made a few single porvince advances all along the front. somethings taken the bite out of the nationlist advance.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/192/spain4.jpg (http://img849.imageshack.us/i/spain4.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

japan has yet to start the china war, and i've got the final garrison into position. Am reshearching the Marines i need for a QRF, and some light infantry, cos i hope they can move over 10% infrastucture (agian, a new unit i'm eperimenting with.

edit 2: 25th june, 1937

the republican rally was short lived, and they have their backs right up agianst the wall now. heavy fighting is occuring near Valencia, the republican captial. whatever was holding back the nationalists is now over, and thier final, overdue victory is likey to be soon.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7781/spain5.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/spain5.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

in other news, work has now begun on my QRF marine division, though it's a beast of a project that's sucked up my entire spare IC.

27th july 1937: nationlists reach the coast just north of Valencia, cutting the thin remains of republican spain in two. a Rebuplican unit in the south is cut off and surrounded.

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/7259/spain6.jpg (http://img593.imageshack.us/i/spain6.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Storm Bringer

2011-03-14, 04:08 PM

update: 11th august, 1937

japan finally invades china

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/6180/japanchinawar1.jpg (http://img541.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar1.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

within hours of the start of teh war, the japanese make to landings, one near the old german naval colony of Qingdao, and one near Shanghai, opposite thier treaty port their.

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8577/japanchinawar2.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar2.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

within two weeks, they have Shangahi surrounded and cut off, while seizing a large swathe of undefended countryside form the clearly blindsided Chinese

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/4471/japanchinawar3.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-03-14
.

lessons to draw form this: so far

the japs landed at undefended ports and advanced overland to thier objectives. this means i'm going to have to build more garrsions to hold more ports two at least, maybe 4 if the japs can move over 10% infra land.

VonFenris

2011-03-14, 04:47 PM

Not much to say, except that I'll be following this LP closely. And that I never heard of this game, but love it already.

Admiral Harkov

2011-03-14, 07:08 PM

Ditto, following as well. May get the game because of this, because it sounds mighty interesting.

Please, do excuse me for correcting an errata, but I feel the irk to point out that the spanish river mentioned that you typed as Erbo (obviously a matter of fast typing) is Ebro.

Premier

2011-03-14, 07:21 PM

I haven't played the game, but I'm curious: have you considered, you know, allying with Japan? Seems to me like it would solve your main problem.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-14, 07:41 PM

I haven't played the game, but I'm curious: have you considered, you know, allying with Japan? Seems to me like it would solve your main problem.

Neutrality probably too low to make alliances.

Never seen Japan fight the war that way. For me, they always fight a land war from Manchuria south, always with a landing around Hong Kong, sometimes working, sometimes not. Never those multiple landings like that.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-15, 01:07 AM

Neutrality probably too low to make alliances.

Never seen Japan fight the war that way. For me, they always fight a land war from Manchuria south, always with a landing around Hong Kong, sometimes working, sometimes not. Never those multiple landings like that.

they have recently (~8 weeks) patched the vanillia games AI, and it's got a lot more agressive and willing to make amphiboius landings than previously. maybe that's why the japs are suddely much more marine based.

I haven't played the game, but I'm curious: have you considered, you know, allying with Japan? Seems to me like it would solve your main problem.

could hace tried form the start, but it would be very, very hard to get into the axis before the japs decide to try and kill me. My Neutrality is to high, the germans don't like me (and in this game, you need the germans to like to to join the axis).

I've never done it without cheating, to be frank.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-15, 10:10 AM

they have recently (~8 weeks) patched the vanillia games AI, and it's got a lot more agressive and willing to make amphiboius landings than previously. maybe that's why the japs are suddely much more marine based.

That woulda been it.

As for alliances, you would also get an event when Britain declared war about the commonwealth. There's a vote, I think, on whether the Commonewealth would fight with Britain or not, and 99% of the time the answer is yes.

Gaelbert

2011-03-15, 02:36 PM

Just curious, what's the situation at the start in Spain like? Does it have the Spanish Civil War about to erupt or anything?

Storm Bringer

2011-03-15, 02:41 PM

the civil war starts a few months into the game, and previously, it normally over with a nationalist victory well before christmas 1936. I have never seen it take this long to resolve.

anyway

Update, september 1937:

nationlist china has annexed Xibei San Ma, one of the 3 warlord states on its boarders. clearly the threat of the japs is forcing them unite or die (most likey both)

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8506/japanchinawar5.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-03-15

the annxed lands run form the small, red communist china (yes, Chairman Maos communist china) westwards, north of Yunnan (which, together with the gray blue Guangxi Clique to the soutj and nationalist china, form the extent of the old Qing empire).

Lord Loss

2011-03-15, 03:25 PM

Following this closely. I think you should try and make an alliance with someone, at least. Never been goood at strategy games, but they're still lots of fun.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-15, 03:50 PM

that would indeed be a wise straegy, and one i have been persuing, mianly by courting Mother England and the Allies. however, my dammed Neutrality is stopping me form going ahead an actually joining, and will do so for some time.

september 10th, 1937

the japs have linked thier two landings into a single front. the Chinese capital of Nanjing is under siege, and the forts to the south of its have beien taken.

http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/6261/japanchinawar6.jpg (http://img864.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar6.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9003/japanchinawar7.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar7.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

the little "XX" symbols are land forts, and the bulleye thing indicates a nations captial.

for those not in the know, ther was no single "china" at this stage in history, the old Qing empire colllapsed in 1912, and the squabbles didn't end until 1949, when historically, the communists won and the nationlists feld to Taiwan, which for most of the 20th century insisted on being called the Republic of China.

september 19th 1937:
the forts around Nanjing have fallen, only a thin supply like along the west bank of the Yangtze is letting supplies in (or out, more to the point. the central supply dumps are always in the captial. loseing them cripples your army until the game can rebuild the network.)

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/1661/japanchinawar8.jpg (http://img823.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar8.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Storm Bringer

2011-03-15, 04:17 PM

October, 1937:
the remaining chinese warlords unite behind Chiang Kai-shek, and allow themselves to be annexed. apart form The small pocket of communist china, All Under Heaven once agian answers to one man.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4216/japanchinawar9.jpg (http://img200.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar9.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/936/japanchinawar10.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar10.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

the japanese amphibious forces have almost linked up with the overland force coming in form manchuria, just north of the Yellow River. a thin line of chinese troops are holding them apart, but not for long.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-15, 04:31 PM

5th october, 1937:

the overland push has linked up with the landing forces.

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/8061/japanchinawar11.jpg (http://img846.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar11.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

and, within 72 hours of the annexation, the japanese have made another wave of landings, this time time around Hong Kong.

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6956/japanchinawar12.jpg (http://img138.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar12.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

it gets worse. that port a province east of Hong Kong? wasn't thier 3 days ago. they are using Mulberry harbours (Building a prefab, lvl 1 port before the invasion, then landing on a undefended shore province and plonking the ready made port down. a level 1 port as a low supply thoughput, but still, thats a very smart tactic. no way is the AI able to think of that on it's own. somebody coded the AI to do that.).

edit: closer inspection reveals that the provinces in question were annexed by japan, not occupied as in a invasion. it must be part of the event that triggers the unification. checking my "wideshot" of the unifed china, i can see them thier too, so it must be part of that.

phew/ thats Significantly less worrying than the AI being able to Mulberry, or having the skill to keep reserves sat about waiting for another landing.

in other news, Generalíssimo Francisco Franco has still not beat the republicans!

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/6968/spain7.jpg (http://img857.imageshack.us/i/spain7.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[/spoiler]

Gaelbert

2011-03-15, 06:57 PM

Is the red zone the Republican controlled land? Is it possible for the Republicans to actually win that one?

The Glyphstone

2011-03-15, 07:03 PM

Can we get some pictures/info on your progress?

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-15, 07:16 PM

I started a Japan game, am currently a few months past you. Republicans hold only Barcelona, but the borders have been pretty stable for almost 2 months.

As for me, just took Nanjing, but have been having supply troubles. My landings at Hainan Dao almost reached the 3 big cities in the Guangxi Clique, but my supply lines failed, and I'm retreating back to that neck of land connecting to the island, Hainan Dao, to try and re-supply. I was actually just bombarding Guangzhao, the big port city near Macao and Hong Kong, when I ran out and had to retreat. My landing at Shanghai was sweet though, and my Manchurian forces are doing ok.

I just need to get more supplies. I'm currently hovering at about 600 supplies, not nearly enough...

This mod has a lot of historical events. For example, if you're Japan, you basically have no choice than to declare war. If you take this decision to press China over the Marco Polo Bridge incident, you're stuck declaring war later. Those landings are also scripted, though the success there varies.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-17, 01:22 PM

home front, octover 1937:

i have 5 garrison divs out in the solomans, at (running bottom left to right in a arc) Port Moresby, Lae, Rabaul, lonahan, and Guadalcanal. these are each 3 Bdes of Garrison troops, plus a Brigade of heavy Arty to stiffen the defense. thier current strength is 21,000 men, but when mobilized that will climb to 50,000.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4323/thesolomans.jpg (http://img405.imageshack.us/i/thesolomans.jpg/)

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technically, I would only need a corps level command to control these 5 divs, but the distances invloved make a poor choice (corps can only control divs up to 200km away. the div can move more than 200 km form the corps HQ, but it loses the benefits of being in a proper chain of command). so, the divs are attached directly to the theatre HQ, as are my 2 flotillas of destroyers.

these 5 points are defended becuase they are the VPs. however, i have in the queue to be built 2 more garrison divs, to hold two extra ports and prevent a overland attack on port moresby

Also in the build queue (in front of the two garrison divs, in fact) is the Marine Div that will form the backbone of my reaction force. however, it;s such a beast it;s taking up all my IC to build, so i can't really make anything else until i have finished it. however, it is important enough that i think it's work the effort.

http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/8490/ic2.jpg (http://img860.imageshack.us/i/ic2.jpg/)

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December, 1937

the japanese now control all of the chinese coast east of Hong Kong, and are driving deep into the chinese lands al along the front.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/1764/japanchinawar13.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar13.jpg/)

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Christmas Day, 1937:

the spanish civil war drags on, with Francos nationalists unable to take the last thin sliver of republican lands, dispite over 18 months of bitter fighting. I have never, ever seen the fight last this long. I'm putting it down to the changes made by ICE.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/6579/spain8.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/spain8.jpg/)

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Storm Bringer

2011-03-17, 02:27 PM

update, march, 1938.

the marines are due on the 22nd, which will free up My IC agian.

the chinese are holding a long salient streching back form nanking down the Yangtze river, with the japs enroaching slowly. they have made some gains to the south, but lost ground in the north

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/8674/japanchinawar14.jpg (http://img683.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar14.jpg/)

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http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8554/japanchinawar15.jpg (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar15.jpg/)

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Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-17, 03:29 PM

My Republicans are literally holed up in 2 port towns. They literally hold ONLY the Barcelona and Almeria. That's all they own. only provinces. They had a third port town, near Almeria, but that fell recently. And due to the Japanese Supply Bug, I can't continue that game. :smallannoyed:

If you play as Japan, then the convoy AI sends literally all your supplies to the small islands, without regard to how much supplies the dudes there actually NEED. It means I ran out of supplies multiple times in my invasion of China, and now I successfully conquered China, and I try to move half my army getting ready for fighting against the Allies in the Pacific, my supplies just die. My entire army halts because I have no more supplies. I have TONS of fuel, but no supplies. How a-historic, should be the other way around.

Apparently this is a Semper Fi issue, and the modders have been trying to fix it but can't yet...

But that Republic is surprisingly strong. They still hold that whole coast...

Storm Bringer

2011-03-20, 11:54 AM

update, May, 1938.

the Marine division has finally finished building. now, i have a counter-attack force that can reinforce threatened VPs.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9283/marinesy.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/i/marinesy.jpg/)

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In china, the frontlines are starting to stablise. the chinese are holding the japs on the line of the Yangtze (and one of its tributaries, buti can't figure out which), while the japs are losing ground in the south, their orignal landing sites near hong kong now overrun.

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6136/japanchinawar16.jpg (http://img138.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar16.jpg/)

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In spain, the republicans are still holding out, but thier perimiter has shrunk and it is still only a matter of time before they lose their last few VP's at valencia and bacelona

http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/844/spain9.jpg (http://img859.imageshack.us/i/spain9.jpg/)

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Storm Bringer

2011-03-20, 01:37 PM

update august, 1938:

the chinese have cleared thier costlines as far as Shanghai, but lost a few provinces in ther centre. however, they are holding well, and have retaken more ground than they have lost. it's clear the japs are finding it hard to push the chinese out of the rougher southern chinese terrain. form my point of view, this is good, as i hope the war will drag on enough that the japs won't have the men to atttack me. the US is still sitting high and dry with a wopping 99% neutrality, so i doubt they will join the battle.

http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/9297/japanchinawar17.jpg (http://img859.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar17.jpg/)

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edit:

October 4th, 1938.

the chinese counterattack has pushed the japs back form the lower reaches of the Yangtze, and almost cleared them some breathing space around nanjing, for the first time since the war began. while my pic record doesn't show it, the japs held the entire north back of the yangtze at thier greatest extent, plus a salient along the east bank of that lake.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/2969/japanchinawar18.jpg (http://img88.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar18.jpg/)

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I honestly didn't think the nationlists had it in them to push the japs back like that. I'd basically written them off as "going down, sooner rather than later", but it seems that the japanese have bit off more than they can chew.

october 11th, 1938

finally, after 2 years of pushing, my neutrality has dropped enough that i can start to moblise my economy, and thus get more IC!

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8396/ic3t.jpg (http://img690.imageshack.us/i/ic3t.jpg/)

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full civve economy gives you a -30% to IC. basic, as you can see, gives you a -15%. due to a combination of ministers and techs, i get a +20% bonus to IC, so the net effect is i am 5% up on my "base" ic of 26 (which translates as just a single IC point. but still, better than nothing).

24th october 1938:

In other news, Generalíssimo Francisco Franco has not only failed to beat the republicans, but has lost a large amount of ground to major offenseives all along the front!

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4308/spain10.jpg (http://img156.imageshack.us/i/spain10.jpg/)

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this is really a suprise to me. if the chinese are going down, the republicans had lost, and just didn't want to admit it. but, it seems like they have some fight left in them (either that, or a major help event fired and they just got a buttload of forign aid form someone).

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-20, 02:48 PM

What on earth is happening in Spain! It's possible Britain France and the USSR all sent aid, and perhaps Italy and Germany didn't...

Storm Bringer

2011-03-20, 02:48 PM

november 1938:

oh
my
god.

the chinese offensive has reached the Yellow river. japanese forces in central china have been cut off and surrounded.

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/2480/japanchinawar19.jpg (http://img845.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar19.jpg/)

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in spain, the republicans are cleaning shop. thier forces have reached the gates of mardrid, and their position is the best it has been since 1936.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/1391/spain11a.jpg (http://img832.imageshack.us/i/spain11a.jpg/)

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their must have been a forgin aid event or something. i can't think of what else could have cuased such a huge change in the republicans fortunes.

edit: the republicans have taken madrid.

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9716/spain12i.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/i/spain12i.jpg/)

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ten days later, the front line has reached the nationalist capital.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8967/spain13.jpg (http://img856.imageshack.us/i/spain13.jpg/)

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Storm Bringer

2011-03-20, 03:16 PM

New Years Day, 1939.

in Europe, the republicans have pushed the nationalist back to the heartlands, with thier capital under siege and the better part of 2/3rds of spain under republican control.

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/9404/spain14.jpg (http://img716.imageshack.us/i/spain14.jpg/)

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the chinese have pushed the japanese back massivly, in what can only be called a rout. two pockets have been formed, and are slowly being ground down. japanese troops are still at the gates of nanjing, but Chang kei shek can rest easy in the knoweledge that he has the upper hand for the moment.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/2333/japanchinawar20.jpg (http://img683.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar20.jpg/)

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at home, i now have 7 garrison divs strung out across the solomans, plus the marines to form a QRF. the two extra divs were placed to cover harbours that form which a japanese force could advance overland to a VP form.

I've placed the motorised and cavalry divs under the the same corps command as the marines, to form my ready reserves, based in Sindey, where the main element of my fleet is based (still 2CA and 4 CL, i'm afriad. unlikey to be able to improve that before the war starts, even if i could spare the IC.) My Airforce is due to start recieving multi role fighters later this year ('39), which will be a big boost. I'm be basing them out of the airports in the solomans, with the intent to both bomb any invaders and to keep japanese CAGs off my back (CAG: Carrier Air Group. I hope i'm far enough away form the japanese islands that they can't bring ground based aircraft to play, so all i have to deal with is thier carrier based planes. having done a rough mesurement, i am pretty sure that his tac bombers won't have range, and his interceptors definatly will not. that should mean i will be able to contest, or maybe even gain, air superority over the solomans.)

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/756/thesolomans2.jpg (http://img857.imageshack.us/i/thesolomans2.jpg/)

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edit:

12th march, 1937

the republicans have won the Civil war. what a comeback.

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/329/spainend.jpg (http://img148.imageshack.us/i/spainend.jpg/)

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in china, the japanese have been pushed back almost to thier start lines in Manchukuo.

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/8800/japanchinawar21.jpg (http://img713.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar21.jpg/)

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honestly, i kinda want them to slow down a little and keep the japs tied up longer. at this rate they will overrun Manchukuo and Korea, then the japs will be left to twiddle thier thumbs and seek new lands to replace their lost territories (ie me)

Storm Bringer

2011-03-20, 04:08 PM

march 20th, 1939.

Czechoslovakia was annexed 5 days ago. the french don't take it well.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/5728/westernfront1.jpg (http://img651.imageshack.us/i/westernfront1.jpg/)

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Storm Bringer

2011-03-21, 03:11 PM

august 1939.

the chinese have retaken Manchukuo and Korea, a peace event has fired and the damm japs are no longer at war! form my point of view, a very bad outcome. the japs are now free to concentrate on me and the rest of the pacific, so i am, quite simply. gonna be facing the full might of the Imperial japanese armed forces.

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/1708/japanchinawar22.jpg (http://img851.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar22.jpg/)

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http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3750/japanchinawar23.jpg (http://img820.imageshack.us/i/japanchinawar23.jpg/)

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europe is quiet at the moment, but all hell is gonna break loose soon thier. as soon as germany moblises, I will, as well. hopfully,, japan is still busy in the post china re-org (esp. since it's been defeated, and hopefully lost at least some of it's land forces.) to bother me for just a little while longer.

1st september, 1939:

the germans have decleared war on poland and the United Kingdom. the UK has called the whole of the Allies to helo them.

the Second World War has begun, right on time.

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/3266/westernfront2.jpg (http://img826.imageshack.us/i/westernfront2.jpg/)

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as part of this event, my neutrality has dropped about 20% form 63% to 42%. i am now in a position to impose a 3 year conscription, and will be able to switch to a war economy within a year at the most.

of course, i am moblising, as well as changing my build queue.

the german declearation of war (DOW) is a limited one, which is a special trick the Axis gets in HOI, which lets them start a war without forcing the rest of the axis into it. Japan and italy are not yet invloved in the war, dispite being axis powers. this is good, as it means that the japs aren't about to start knocking on my door just yet, but germany is perfectly able to take poland, france, and the Low Countries on its own.

17th september, 1939.

the soviets join the party, attacking poland as the Nazi Soviet pact kicks in.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/381/westernfront3.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/i/westernfront3.jpg/)

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4th october, 1939.

Citizens of Australia,

this morning, we recieved a message form the goverment of the United Kingdom, calling upon us and all other members of the Commonwealth to help the Mother Country in it's struggle agianst the forces of the Axis. After due deliberation, with my cabinet, and my military advisors, I have decided to answer this call.

acorrdingly, as of midday, sidney time, this country is at war.

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/8617/startofthewar.jpg (http://img703.imageshack.us/i/startofthewar.jpg/)

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it's on.

as a side effect of going to war, i've been able to pass a raft of new legislations which will boost my productivity no end.

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/3897/startofthewar2.jpg (http://img851.imageshack.us/i/startofthewar2.jpg/)

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The Glyphstone

2011-03-21, 05:24 PM

Was the spy from New Zealand disguised as a sheep?

And why is NZ spying on you anyways?

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-21, 05:57 PM

Was the spy from New Zealand disguised as a sheep?

And why is NZ spying on you anyways?

They want kangaroos. They are willing to trade extra sheep.

The Glyphstone

2011-03-21, 07:57 PM

They want kangaroos. They are willing to trade extra sheep.

More like wood for sheep.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-21, 09:30 PM

More like wood for sheep.

"I GOT WOOD FOR SHEEP."
"Gwyn..."
"What? Oh. Um. Oops."

AHEM. You might still have a couple of years before war with Japan, so you may yet have breathing space.

psilontech

2011-03-22, 11:51 PM

I'm considering purchasing a HOI title. Any suggestions, would people generally agree that III is the best, or did it fall short of its predecessors?

And hell, I might as well derail a little further whilst waiting for an update - Wargames. I loved the hell out of Panzer General II. Are there any 2006+ titles that anyone would recommend?

Edit: Somehow, recent in my mind in 2006. Awesome.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-23, 07:53 AM

Generally, people on the Paradox forums consider HOI2+expansions to be better than HOI3+expansions. I can't really say anything on that, never having played HOI2, but HOI3 is a great fun game, I would recommend it.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-23, 01:51 PM

I'd agree that HOI3 is, in my opinion, better. the division builder feature is awesome (and not in HOI2), the map is prettier, and Ai command system means you can delegate as much of the mircomanagement as you like (i've not been using it, but you can put pretty much any echelon of command under AI control, set it a goal ("Take istanbul", "Defend cario", etc) and it will do alright. it's great for secondry theatres where you can't be arsed to mircomanage them)

anyway, Update, New years day, 1940

The poland fell, but they fight on. The germans are sat behind the Siegfriedstellung, and the french behind the Ligne Maginot.

a few assiue convoys have been lost to U-boats, but the german light units are taking a pounding. so far, in the last 4 months, the germans have lost 8 U-boat flotillas, 4 destoryer flotillas, and 2 TB flotillas.

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4705/germansealosses.jpg (http://img835.imageshack.us/i/germansealosses.jpg/)

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note how many of those flotillas were killed by carriers, or more specifically thier CAGs.

the other axis powers are still sitting this out so far, so the Phoney war is pretty much the staring match it was in history at the moment.

edit: 8th april, 1940

the germans finally make a move, starting thier conquest of denmark and Norway.

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/3415/waronthenorth.jpg (http://img192.imageshack.us/i/waronthenorth.jpg/)

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denmark fell within 10 days. norway is untouched so far, but the germans may try a amphib attack.

edit edit:
11th may 1940:
fall gelb has started.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/1933/westernfront4.jpg (http://img823.imageshack.us/i/westernfront4.jpg/)

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the words "Pete Tong" come to mind.....

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/7261/westernfront5.jpg (http://img828.imageshack.us/i/westernfront5.jpg/)

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the low counties were not mobilised, so their getting steamrolled.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-24, 02:06 PM

13th June, 1940:

the germans have overrun most of the netherlands, and belgium is not much better off. french forces have rushed to try and stem the tide, but the Wehrmacht is grinding forwards relentlessly. (unlike the historical german army, the HOI3 AI isn't capable of launching deep penetration blitzkriegs and encriclements, but only of grinding forewards along the whole front.).

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/6527/westernfront6.jpg (http://img830.imageshack.us/i/westernfront6.jpg/)

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for those who aren't familiar with NATO unit symbols (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APP-6A), the counters with the the "X" in the white rectangle are Infantry units. the ones with the oval are armoured, the checkquer boxes are HQ formations. the number of little "x" along the top represent the units echelon in the chain of command. the more, the higher, quite simply. the counters are coloured accordding to the owners colours (i.e. french are blue, the germans are grey, the belgians are yellow, etc).

the grey terrian with the diagonal stripes is conquored lands held by germany.

also, most of those provinces hold a lot more formations than can be seen on that shot. several devisions are in most of provinces along the front.

edit:

the germans make thier move into france, crossing the frontier betweem sedan and Metz. it appears a huge air battle is going on over the spearhead, with over a thousand planes involved in what must be The Mother of All Dogfights.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/6817/westernfront7.jpg (http://img3.imageshack.us/i/westernfront7.jpg/)

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edit: that 10 stack of interceptors is, it turns out, entierly german. the bombers were rather outmatched french bombers. talk about a beat stick, even with the huge stacking penalties, it'd be a bitch to fight.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-24, 05:03 PM

10 intercepter squadrons? That's getting to the point where you can just fire a machine gun in the sky and be fairly sure of getting a hit.

Coidzor

2011-03-25, 12:13 AM

So at what rate does the game progress? I thought this was a turn-based game and yet there doesn't seem to be a consistent skip in days between turns... does it cover smaller units of time when armies are in conflict and larger units of time when there's no active fighting between forces?

Klose_the_Sith

2011-03-25, 12:28 AM

Storm Bringer

2011-03-25, 01:11 AM

So at what rate does the game progress? I thought this was a turn-based game and yet there doesn't seem to be a consistent skip in days between turns...

hoi3 is, as Klose says, puaseable real time. the game advances in increments of an hour every few seconds at it's slowest setting, but you can speed it up to a day per second (roughly). you can pause at any time, just by hitting the space bar.

does it cover smaller units of time when armies are in conflict and larger units of time when there's no active fighting between forces?

in practice, yes, becuase you tend to speed things up when not at war, simply because nothing is happening on a hourly basis.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-25, 03:17 PM

I think it's a great system, because it really allows you to play at your own speed. It combines the great parts of turn based with the great parts of real time.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-27, 09:41 AM

august 23rd, 1940.

paris has fallen.

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/6073/westernfront8.jpg (http://img835.imageshack.us/i/westernfront8.jpg/)

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i would make more of this, but really, saying the germans conquored france in HOI is like saying water is wet. it's pretty much expected.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/604/westernfront9.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/i/westernfront9.jpg/)

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promted by the fall of paris, the UK expands the war to include Italy, but not on japan (I expect the japs to kick off either shortly, or after the germans attack russia).

8th september 1940:

france surrenders:

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/673/westernfront10.jpg (http://img835.imageshack.us/i/westernfront10.jpg/)

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The Glyphstone

2011-03-27, 10:42 AM

So, will anyone ever declare a non-limited war?

And how does Vichy France annex itself, anyways?

Storm Bringer

2011-03-27, 11:32 AM

So, will anyone ever declare a non-limited war?

And how does Vichy France annex itself, anyways?

both of those are event driven decisions, i think. "limited" war means that the attackers allies are not required to join in on the attackers side (and therefore get a share of the spoils). normally it's somthing only the Axis powers can do (it's the freebie the axis get for being axis)

ok, quick question to those knoweldgeable about this game: when supplies are sent "into network", WTF does that mean? I am losing like 143 suppiles a day into network, but only using about 50 for units. I'm currently pumping double the amount of IC am i supposed to need and still in the red for supplies.

edit: it's sorted itself out. I think it was becuase i was reclaiming a unit given to the UK in a decision (which i decided i would rather have myself). the loss was form trying to supply a unit in egypt form aussie.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-27, 01:25 PM

new years day 1941.

germany controls europe form the Pyrenees to Königsberg.

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/3066/westernfront11.jpg (http://img192.imageshack.us/i/westernfront11.jpg/)

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the war in africa is going our way. italian east africa is mostly under allied control.

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/5594/africa1.jpg (http://img828.imageshack.us/i/africa1.jpg/)

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on the north african coast, the brits have pushed forward as far as Tobruk.

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3686/africa2x.jpg (http://img22.imageshack.us/i/africa2x.jpg/)

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at home, a series of 4 events has fired over the last year, each granting me a single division of 3 infantry Bdes and 1 arty bde. thus, i now have a 40,000 man reserve of front line quality troops, just waiting for the japs to try something.

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/1863/iicorps.jpg (http://img690.imageshack.us/i/iicorps.jpg/)

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The Glyphstone

2011-03-27, 01:28 PM

Why wait? Declare war on them first! Or is your neutrality still too high for a war declaration?

Flickerdart

2011-03-27, 02:05 PM

You should annex some of your neighbours, like New Zealand. :smalltongue:

And yeah, with Japan wounded from their invasion of China this is a great time to blitz them with your 40,000 mans.

Storm Bringer

2011-03-27, 02:26 PM

see, while i have a unexpected boost form the event given divs, they are not, man for man, any better than jap troops, and japs have more, PLUS the largest fleet of the axis powers, (and i think the 3rd largest in the game after the US and UK).

In the coming war with japan, what's going to be the clincher is who can supply their forces during the Island Hopping. attacking will put my convoys at the mercy of jap light forces, and i will need to take and hold many islands,

You should annex some of your neighbours, like New Zealand.

And yeah, with Japan wounded from their invasion of China this is a great time to blitz them with your 40,000 mans.

now, when i play using a neutrality cheat, i often do just that. however, without cheating, thier is no way i can make new zealand threatening enough to start the war. and now they are in the Aliies and I can't touch them anymore.

also, while 40,000 men SOUNDS like a lot (and is), this is a game where effective armies are in the hundreds of thousands. i have 140,000 men, only 70,000 of them 1st line quality (due in part to my own choices). My navy is still very small (it would take years to expand it much. a CA would take me over 2 years at this point. if i'd known about the extra divs form the events, i wouldn't have pushed out all those garrisons so much.)

also, the loss of korea happened 12-18 months ago by now. the japs are going to have recovered by now. frankly, form my POV, the loss of korea is a bad thing. I want the japs looking westwards into china, not southeast at me. without any Asian holdings to tie up troops in land wars thier, they, and thier AI is free to point all it's assets at me.

edit: it turns out that the whole debate is moot anyway, as dispite having a neutrality of around 40%, it is still too high to be the aggressor. it would need to be about 10%.

edit edit:
2nd april, 1941
in a late april fools joke, the USA tells the world it want to help us.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4626/usahelp.jpg (http://img231.imageshack.us/i/usahelp.jpg/)

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Flickerdart

2011-03-27, 02:39 PM

How do you know they won't try to take China again?

Storm Bringer

2011-03-27, 02:54 PM

cos i honestly think they would have started it if they were going to try it.

besides, the chinese kicked thier asses in '39. now its 41 and the chinese have had two whole years to improve thier defences, build new units.

edit: that event from the US has just given me a freaking 1 armoured/2 motorised div.

I HAVE TANKS!

speaking of late april fools, the kingdom of Iraq just came out and said "oh yhea, we like hitler."

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/9697/axisiraq.jpg (http://img821.imageshack.us/i/axisiraq.jpg/)

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now, that is a real balls ache. Iraq will likey get it's arse kicked pretty shortly, but is persia goes Axis (which is looking very likey), then the suez is gonna fall, if not yet, then when the germans kick stalins arse (and they will). they will open up a land route via georgia, liberate axie persia (if it falls, then drive on to cairo and catcutta. i've seen it before (help do it before, in fact, as Romania).

edit:

told ya. the mid east is a gonna.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/6025/axispersia.jpg (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/axispersia.jpg/)

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edit edit:

speaking of gonnas:

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/565/yugosalvia.jpg (http://img508.imageshack.us/i/yugosalvia.jpg/)

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http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/4475/yugosalvia2.jpg (http://img219.imageshack.us/i/yugosalvia2.jpg/)

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that's a curb stomp and a half. the yugoslavic army is facing an almost completly hostile border. talk about screwed.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-03-27, 05:15 PM

No kidding! Only the Italians aren't destroying them. Poor Yugoslavia...

Coidzor

2011-03-27, 10:54 PM

So you're just waiting for an opportunity/to repulse an attack right now, but what are you still working on of that last production queue you told us about?

Storm Bringer

2011-03-31, 12:30 PM

sorry about the lack of updates this last week. it's been really busy at work, much more so than normal. unfortunatly, it's gonna get worse.

I work in the british army, and as of tomorrow, i'm off on a two week exercise, so i will not be able to post at all during that time.

I WILL pick this up when i get back.

so. watch this space.

Storm Bringer

2011-04-18, 07:03 AM

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnd i'm back. it was sorta fun. I was living inside a cold war aircraft hanger that was clearly built to take a nucular bomb. quite intresting,, if only in a "thank god the cold war stayed cold!" sort of way.

anyway,

So you're just waiting for an opportunity/to repulse an attack right now, but what are you still working on of that last production queue you told us about?

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/7758/ic5.jpg (http://img847.imageshack.us/i/ic5.jpg/)

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ok, at the moment, I'm building a pair of motorised Bdes. the reason is i have 4 already, spread between 2 divs, so i plan to create, using these two and the free armoured division, a mobile corps.

the transports are for the my paratroops. cos they are sod all use with out them. i only need one unit's worth, but they are damm usful things to have, hence the 2nd unit at the bottom of the queue. the convoy raiders are exactly what they say on the tin:

beautifuuly hidden behind that pop up is a unit of Multi Role Fighters (Hawker Hurricane Mk IIIs, to be precise). this would be the third unit of Multi Roles i have built.

current dispositions
a quick rundown of what forces i have, with the expectation that i will be fighting the japs before New Years Day, 1942.

army: two active theatre commands, Sidney and Guadalcanal.

Guadalcanal:
7 divisions, attached directly to theatre, each of 3 garrsion Bdes and a arty Bde. these are spread out in a semi circle across the Solomans, guarding strategic ports.

Sidney:
2 corps, QFR and II corps (austrailian). the latter is the 4 regular infantry divsions i was given. collected in a single, concentrated reserve to either from the core of an attack or the backbone of a defense, as needed. i may foreward deploy these to Port Moresby on Papua New Guinea, but that will be a later call.

QRF command contains, at the moment, the US built armoured div, the two understenght cavalry divs (actually motorised), my marine div and my paratroops. kinda of a catch all corps with all my specialist units (some would say follies).

Air Force: 2 groups of Multi Role and a group of Tactical Bombers, with another unit of multi roles being built. All three units are foreward deployed to airfields in the Solomans.

Navy: 2 heavy cruisers, 4 Light cruisers, 2 flotillas of destroyers, 2 convoy raiders (one still being built but will be ready before the party starts) and 3 tranport flotillas. the cruisers and teh transports are in sidney harbour, while the destroyers and convoy raiders are at port moresby.

edit:
7th May, 1941
yugoslavia surrenders to the inevitable.

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1346/yugosalviaend.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/yugosalviaend.jpg/)

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edit edit:

5th June, 1941:

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/9856/yugosalvia4.jpg (http://img815.imageshack.us/i/yugosalvia4.jpg/)

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an intresting action. with greece down as well, this means the whole of mainland europe apart form spain and portugal. answers to Berlin now.

Storm Bringer

2011-04-18, 08:09 AM

24th June 1941

bararossa starts. Peru joins the Axis.

coinicdence? I think not.....

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4175/easternfrontstart.jpg (http://img19.imageshack.us/i/easternfrontstart.jpg/)

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edit: it appears my quick joke was, in fact, quite real. Peru is, weirdly, most threatened by the USSR (though wether this was ture before they join the axis, i don't know).

the first actions of the Eastern front include a soviet offensive down the coast of the Black Sea, with small gains being made by the axis in the northern and central sectors of the front.

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3938/easternfront2.jpg (http://img96.imageshack.us/i/easternfront2.jpg/)

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3 weeks later, the axis centre has made some significant gains, with the push starting to angle towards Kiev (the city just below where those 4 rivers meet in a X shape)

http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/7765/easternfront3.jpg (http://img859.imageshack.us/i/easternfront3.jpg/)

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by the beginning of August, the russians have been pushed back along thier whole front. Kiev looks set to fall soon, with Minsk not far behind.

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/8056/easternfront4.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/easternfront4.jpg/)

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I expect the germans will reach Stalingrad, way off to the east, before teh russians surrender. that will leave the germans with a land route into Persia, though which they will overrun the mid east, north africa and India. i've seen it before (done it, as romainia).

Flickerdart

2011-04-18, 11:08 AM

What's the deal with Croatia and Serbia rebelling? Did they get put down afterwards or what?

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2011-04-18, 03:03 PM

What's the deal with Croatia and Serbia rebelling? Did they get put down afterwards or what?

I got the impression that Germany released them as Puppets...

Storm Bringer

2011-04-19, 07:35 AM

28th august, 1941:

A Free French battlefleet is patrolling off the coast near sidney. a welcome sight. those 2 battleships and three light cruisers are a massive boost to allied fleet strenght in the pacfic (as the US is not part of the allies yet, the brits have zero vessels in the area, and of the rest of the allies, we have....3 dutch sub packs. oh, and my fleet.) a Pity they have no CAGS for thier carrier. if i can free up the IC, i might build them one.

http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/6830/freefrenchfleet.jpg (http://img862.imageshack.us/i/freefrenchfleet.jpg/)

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On the Ostfront, Kiev and Minsk have fallen, the Chimea is overrun, and the pazers are nearing the gates of Leningrad.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3681/easternfront5.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/i/easternfront5.jpg/)

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edit:
Leningrad has fallen.

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/4761/easternfront6.jpg (http://img847.imageshack.us/i/easternfront6.jpg/)

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What's the deal with Croatia and Serbia rebelling? Did they get put down afterwards or what?

No, they were created by germany as puppet states, presumably so they didn't tie down german garrisons.

Storm Bringer

2011-04-19, 08:28 AM

15th september, 1941

My will broke, i turned off the Fog of War to have a peak around and see what was actually happening.

I really wish i hadn't. but i also learned some intresting facts along the way:

fact one:
the japanese fleet is MASSIVE, and almost all of it is sat in Hiroshima harbour (now THIERS a reason to nuke it)

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/749/japfleet.jpg (http://img691.imageshack.us/i/japfleet.jpg/)

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fun fact two: dispite having no less then 20 carriers, they don't seem to have any CAGs (Carrier Air Groups, the air units that operate off carriers).

fun Fact three:
Hungry is running the Ostfront. the majority of the units on that line are german built units acting as expeditionary forces, getting thier orders form Budapest.
Why? god only knows.

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/7060/easternfront7.jpg (http://img35.imageshack.us/i/easternfront7.jpg/)

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bizzare.....

now, to turn the fog back on and face my destiny.

Flickerdart

2011-04-19, 11:08 AM

That's weird - Leningrad isn't supposed to fall. Stupid Germans, don't even know what they're doing.

Can you send a spy to Hiroshima and set off a chain reaction that blows up every ship? Or at least some.

Storm Bringer

2011-04-20, 03:51 AM

19th novemeber, 1941:

the hungarian german offensive has slowed to a crawl as tempratures reach -17C near leningrad and -7C near moscow. the germans lead units are only a dozen or so miles away. in the south, where it is still above freezing, the germans are making some progress as they push into georgia.
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9642/easternfront8.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/9302/easternfront9.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

on the 2nd of october (just in time for my birthday on the 4th), the americans send another armoured division. I now have a full corps of armoured and motorised units. if Japan doesn't kick off before christmas (which is when i expect it will), then i'm taking these guys to join the war in africa.
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/6959/usahelp2.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

edit

9th december, 1941:

the japanese have declared war on the US. the US joins the allies. I join the war against the japs.

now, we shall see just how ready i am for the reality of war.

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/1517/pacificwarstart.jpg (http://img191.imageshack.us/i/pacificwarstart.jpg/)

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the germans are at the gates of moscow, but have not yet been able to make the final push at take the place.

the fall of moscow won't kill the Soviet union, thier morale is much to high. but it will screw them up. I've never seen the SU stand up beat the germans in land warfare yet.

Storm Bringer

2011-04-20, 04:57 AM

New Years Day, 1942

the seige of moscow has dragged on so far for over a month. the Ostfront is more or less static at this time. I don't know what will happen when the snow thaws.

http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/9439/easternfront10.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

at home, their has been little action. the US fleet is out in force, with over 20 sub flotillas working out of Guam, and heavy fleet elements spread all over the place.

the Japs havn't done much since the start of the war (the US pacific fleet was still in its home ports on the US west coast when the war kicked off, so no chance of a pearl harbour). they've sink a few convoys on my exposed trade route to nationlist china (it runs within a thousand or so KM of Taiwan and japanese controled Vietnam, and runs into china near british Hong Kong so it's a easy target for japs subs. if i loose to many subs, i may cancel the route.), and one or two on the american trade routes. I've move my 2 destoryer flotillas to cover the american trade a bit.

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/6279/chinatrade.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

edit:

28th febuary, 1942

austrailian destoryers become the frist aussie units to enguage the enemys combat troops (my convoy raiders have been sinking plenty of transports and escorts, but they don't count), sinking a japanese sub flotila that was attacking my trade to the americas.

http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/7779/pacificwar2.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

also, in thier first major offensive action, the americans, in true style, say "to hell with all that island hopping bull, lets invade Okinawa!"

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/7760/pacificwar3.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

shortly before that pic was taken, my found hopes about AI stupidity were roundly shattered as no less that 25 seperate japanese CAG groups (that 2,500 planes) launched a mass raid on the port and airbase at Naha. thats a HELL of a lot of carrier planes.

Storm Bringer

2011-04-20, 08:06 AM

march, 1942

the US may have been late into the war, but it;s certianly trying to make up for lost time.

iwo jima falls. two of the most bloody battles of the pacific, won with minimal losses.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/1591/pacificwar4.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

and a raid on Antwerp. doomed form the start. Americans have lost nearly half thier transport fleet on this folly. and they were doing so well until now.

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/2720/westernfront12.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

the Ostfront is more or less stable, with the russians regaining a little ground in the south while losing some near the finnish boarder. Moscow still stands on the front line, but it looks like the supply nightmare has stalled the german advance.

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1241/easternfront11.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/i/easternfront11.jpg/)

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Ok, ya know what? screw all this waiting, I'm going to attack. I see your huge fleet, japan, and i point out you've done sod all with it!

Storm Bringer

2011-04-20, 09:22 AM

okay, my first attack of the war, and some updates.

first off, the japs are doing moderatly well on mainland asia, with the advance on singapore moving steadily and a few divs skrimishing with the birts in burma (both sides seem to have burma pegged as a backwater).

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9036/pacificwar5.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9036/pacificwar5.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

second, my raiding ships were caught and killed by a jap carrier group. oh well.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3752/pacificwar7.jpg
By xerxeskingofking (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/xerxeskingofking) at 2011-04-20

now, my attack. the target is the island of truk, site of the main japanese base on the Caroline Islands to my north. it's also the only airbase in the chain, so control of it would allow me to bring my para into action (currently, the jap islands are too far away to make a paradrop on).

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/3143/pacificwar8.jpg (http://img819.imageshack.us/i/pacificwar8.jpg/)

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the garrison was (last time i peeked:smallredface:) 3 garrison bdes. for my attack, I'm throwing forward my 2 bdes of marines (i used to have one, but an event gave to 2 of marines, so i switched to 2 3 bdes divs of marines). supporting them will be the main element of the australian navy, (2 CA/4CL) for fire support and help getting though the coastal forts.

I'm not going to lie, this could go horridly wrong. but it's gonna be fun.

edit the attack started on the 17th. so far, it's a grinding adavance, but we appear to have the upper hand.

edit: bollacks:

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/7043/pacificwar9.jpg (http://img683.imageshack.us/i/pacificwar9.jpg/)

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the HMAS Sindey was sunk in the ensuring battle, along with 2 of the 3 transports. the fleet retreated, and was only able to salavage 1 of the attacking divisions. Not one ship of my fleet is above 70% strenght.

that'll teach me to be cocky.