Hearts of Iron II Doomsday

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

In updated news, Romania and Yugoslavia joined the Axis after declaring war on the Soviet Union (along with Greece), and since I'm at war, and am massively outnumbered, the only choice was to align with the Allies or Comintern and pray that I can increase relations with Italy enough to recieve aid from them. I chose the Allies, but I'll split with them as soon as something is done about the Balkans and Germany. That location really is a fireball waiting to ignite. I'll send a screenshot as soon as I can.

OK, here it is:



Some of it got cut off while I was resizing it. Greece has joined the Axis, and Poland and the Soviet Union are fighting, with the Poles making considerable progress, considering their situation. Turkey is also working on Syria and Iraq.

[Csargo]

In updated news, Romania and Yugoslavia joined the Axis after declaring war on the Soviet Union (along with Greece), and since I'm at war, and am massively outnumbered, the only choice was to align with the Allies or Comintern and pray that I can increase relations with Italy enough to recieve aid from them. I chose the Allies, but I'll split with them as soon as something is done about the Balkans and Germany. That location really is a fireball waiting to ignite. I'll send a screenshot as soon as I can.

OK, here it is:



Some of it got cut off while I was resizing it. Greece has joined the Axis, and Poland and the Soviet Union are fighting, with the Poles making considerable progress, considering their situation. Turkey is also working on Syria and Iraq.

That's why I love this game.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Annexed Yugoslavia, came to a suitable peace deal with the Axis, which now includes Poland, Bulgaria, and Albania. The Czechs joined the Allies. The Comintern is making considerable progress in Poland, but the Romanians are holding their flank quite well. They haven't lost a province yet to the Communists yet.

Since Austria wasn't supposed to have any chance against the Germans, I decided to go down in a blaze of glory. That blaze of glory has left a trail of destruction through the Balkans, and shows no sign of slowing down.

[Csargo]

Well I've joined the Axis and Germany has just annexed Austria. I have reinforced North Africa with 10 or so divisions. I think I'll have enough time to bulk up a little before war with UK and France. No Tiberius I don't have modern Carriers but I have already started Teching them up. So we'll have to see what happens from here.

[Csargo]

Well, the Russians actually attacked me early in my game. I wanted to wait 'till June 1941 before attacking, but they got the jump on me by declaring war in April. Took me until mid-may to get everything in place for an offensive--the Soviet army just kind of sat there, not taking advantage of the situation. Once everything was in place, I launched my Blitzkrieg, taking 20 or so provinces in southern Ukraine and destroying 5 Divisions by mid-June. Now, however, my Infantry line along the entire eastern front doesn't seem able to hold out against Soviet attacks while I consolidate my gains and re-position my Panzer Corps for another Blitzkrieg.

It'll take most of the summer to get the troops I borrowed from my allies in the balkans (Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Hungary) to the front, in order to stop the constant attacks on my line (which are eating up my man-power fast, and can't be stopped with a wide-front assault, which would leave me manpower-less by '43) and prepare for another Blitzkrieg.

What am I doing wrong, here?

You have over stretched your lines it looks like. But SU declaring war on you first probably messed you up pretty bad. You need to get reinforcements to the front pronto and probably fall back to a easily defencible front. Encircling as may divisions as you can and destroying them is the key to destorying the SU forces I think In the beginning. Cant think of anything else

[Keba]

Well, the Russians actually attacked me early in my game. I wanted to wait 'till June 1941 before attacking, but they got the jump on me by declaring war in April. Took me until mid-may to get everything in place for an offensive--the Soviet army just kind of sat there, not taking advantage of the situation. Once everything was in place, I launched my Blitzkrieg, taking 20 or so provinces in southern Ukraine and destroying 5 Divisions by mid-June. Now, however, my Infantry line along the entire eastern front doesn't seem able to hold out against Soviet attacks while I consolidate my gains and re-position my Panzer Corps for another Blitzkrieg.

It'll take most of the summer to get the troops I borrowed from my allies in the balkans (Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Hungary) to the front, in order to stop the constant attacks on my line (which are eating up my man-power fast, and can't be stopped with a wide-front assault, which would leave me manpower-less by '43) and prepare for another Blitzkrieg.

What am I doing wrong, here?

Well, getting the SU to declare on you is odd enough, but it has been known to happen.

Manpower is always a problem when fighting the SU, though I would say that the corps you were using are, on average, too weak to manage to break Soviet lines, which usually have as many as 12 divisions. Larger units are needed for that.

The SU has a lot of troops, and a lot of manpower. As it is, the more territory you capture, the more manpower you will recieve, as a lot of their provinces offer manpower.

Your allies won't be much use, except for weight of numbers ... I usually use them to stabilize the front, though in my current campaign I completely did away with them in favour of my own holding corps, which worked like a charm, they would hold the enemy long enough for my main forces to reach the area.

The key thing is to surround and annihilite as many SU troops as possible, as early as possible. They will be getting better and better as time passes.

Ultimately, if you lose, then start a new campaign. I've done that often enough.

[GoreBag]

I don't think you'll be able to properly blitz the Russians again, since you hold so much of their territory and your TC will be used up un great measure.

[Avicenna]

Anyone want a look at my second Italian campaign? It's so messed up it's not funny... If you take a look at the official list of Allies, I'm not on it. But if you look at any single allied member's diplomatic profile.. I'm in the Allies fighting the Axis! Also, on my actual profile, the smelly allies aren't even mentioned.

A few more interesting points
- I have military access with Bulgaria
- I have five puppets and four are allies: Angola, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia
- Angola, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Somalia are at war with Bulgaria
- I am allowed to declare on the Allies
- If I do, I lose Angola, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, who go to war with the Allies AND myself
- If I declare on the Allies, Britain advances to Tobruk. I then get massed by popups declaring the ENEMY IN SIGHT! TOBRUK LOST TO BRITAIN! message which I have seen about a hundred times in the last minute.

I know my belligerence is 87 and nobody likes me, but it seems the actual game is bullying me.

Oh, and my industry is pathetic, at 81. This is the whole of modern Italy, the coast of Illyria/Dalmatia, Albania, Greece and Libya. (Macau and East Timor as well). In my newest Italian campaign, it's 65. (Italy's original empire + Albania - Somalia) Italy isn't capable of building anything at any speed it seems.. the most I can produce at once is five divisions or so, when I allocate ALL non-supply and non-CG IC to production. Hurrah. Did I mention that my dissent is topping world records at the moment?

[Csargo]

Anyone want a look at my second Italian campaign? It's so messed up it's not funny... If you take a look at the official list of Allies, I'm not on it. But if you look at any single allied member's diplomatic profile.. I'm in the Allies fighting the Axis! Also, on my actual profile, the smelly allies aren't even mentioned.

A few more interesting points
- I have military access with Bulgaria
- I have five puppets and four are allies: Angola, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia
- Angola, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Somalia are at war with Bulgaria
- I am allowed to declare on the Allies
- If I do, I lose Angola, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, who go to war with the Allies AND myself
- If I declare on the Allies, Britain advances to Tobruk. I then get massed by popups declaring the ENEMY IN SIGHT! TOBRUK LOST TO BRITAIN! message which I have seen about a hundred times in the last minute.

I know my belligerence is 87 and nobody likes me, but it seems the actual game is bullying me.

Oh, and my industry is pathetic, at 81. This is the whole of modern Italy, the coast of Illyria/Dalmatia, Albania, Greece and Libya. (Macau and East Timor as well). In my newest Italian campaign, it's 65. (Italy's original empire + Albania - Somalia) Italy isn't capable of building anything at any speed it seems.. the most I can produce at once is five divisions or so, when I allocate ALL non-supply and non-CG IC to production. Hurrah. Did I mention that my dissent is topping world records at the moment?

Well my Italian campaign isn't as screwed up as yours. I am currently in the process of getting Marines to take Gilbraltor. Though I haven't made too many mistakes so far one big one is I didn't help Spain during the revolution meaning I didn't Declare war on them it would have been smart to gain some holdings in Southern Iberia for my assualt on Gilbraltor but my mistake.

[Keba]

Well my Italian campaign isn't as screwed up as yours. I am currently in the process of getting Marines to take Gilbraltor. Though I haven't made too many mistakes so far one big one is I didn't help Spain during the revolution meaning I didn't Declare war on them it would have been smart to gain some holdings in Southern Iberia for my assualt on Gilbraltor but my mistake.

Gibraltar cannot be invaded from the sea, no beaches. Airborne or land units units are necessary for taking the Gib. Arrange for military access through Spain for the airborne invasion (you cannot invade even with military access, it seems, I know, I've tried).

Oh, and Tiberius ...

[Samurai Waki]

Well my Italian campaign isn't as screwed up as yours. I am currently in the process of getting Marines to take Gilbraltor. Though I haven't made too many mistakes so far one big one is I didn't help Spain during the revolution meaning I didn't Declare war on them it would have been smart to gain some holdings in Southern Iberia for my assualt on Gilbraltor but my mistake.

Good Luck. I don't think Gibraltar has assaulteable beaches though.

[Csargo]

Good Luck. I don't think Gibraltar has assaulteable beaches though.

Crap that completely ruins my plans

[screwtype]

...

[Csargo]

No, your plan is still a good one. Take North Africa, and you can can just air assault Gibraltar. Unless I'm retarded all of a sudden, and there's no Airfield in NA within range. But you could always build an airfield.

I was kinda hoping to take Gib. right after the war started that's why I was saying that.

[Avicenna]

Military access only works for paratrooping.. you can't invade an enemy from neutral territory. Don't feel like researching paras myself, though.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

A small campaign update:



My predictions are that Turkey will continue to be driven back until the Soviets can become involved in that theatre.

After Poland is overrun, Germany will probably be split between Austria, France, and perhaps Britain or Czecheslovakia. The Soviet Union will be driven back by the combined Allied armies, if the French show enough aggression. Austria will back out of the alliance as soon as possible.

I will attempt to annex the remainder of the Balkans, with the exception of perhaps Romania and Albania, and attack through Greece, restoring and expanding the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.

[CountArach]

Well, while we are all talking about our current campaigns, I'll share my HoI1 Campaign as Japan with the CORE mod.

At the start of the game I was shipping my troops over to China, preparing for the inevitable war. Everything got there with time to spare, andmy Navy took up strategic locations. Finally a pop-up comes up with the option to declare war on all of China (including the Communists and Sianking). I took it and Blitzkrieged my way over the border. I swept west and then south along the Chinese coast. I was just fighting the same divisions over and over, so their Organisation was basically zero.

My main push west was halted by 20 or so divisions on the Communist border (They made peace withthe Nationalists and had Miliitary access). I assaulted several times, but failed in all of them.

Unfortunately, my blitz left me overextended (I needed to push through to the west to guard the flank) and as such I lost a couple of territories to the commies. I rre-took one at great cost and sued for peace with them. THis left them with one extra territory and protected my flank well. I looped around with my blitz and hit the rear of the nationalist lines. I FINALLY annexed them and then surrounded the communist lines.

At this point I declared war and put in my orders for times. Then the pop-up comes up... Germany invites you to be part of the axis...

BWAHAHAHAHA!

I accepted and into the war I plunged. The French (With indochina) and Britain (In India) became immediate threats. Fortunately I had just finished building a couple of divisions, which I promptly placed on the border with INdia and Indochina.

My assault on the communists went well, and I wiped them out. I made peace with Sianking, and as such I only had one front now.

The French took one of my undefended territories, but shortly after Vichy France was created! So now one enemy was just about dealt with. I then got the option to take over indochina, which I did. I also allied with Siam.

So now I assaulted India, which was easy. I am currently about half way across India with my 40-50 divisions. The British have about 4 defending all of India. I also have taken Singapore with some Marines and lost a couple of islands to New Zealand.

Okay, in the rest of the world, the alliances look as such:

Allies: United Kingdom, France (Now destroyed and replaced by Vichy), Norway, Denmark (Now Destroyed by Germany), Greece (Destroyed by Germany), Belgium (Now Destroyed by Germany), Netherlands (Now reduced to Pacific Holdings), Luxemborg (Now Destroyed by Germany), Yugoslavia (Now Destroyed and replaced by Serbia and Croatia)

Axis: Germany (With Austria annexed, Poland half of France, Greece, Denmark and Germany proper), Japan (With China and half of India), All of the Eastern Europa (Literally every nation here), Vichy France, Italy (Without their African holdings due to British offensive), Siam, Iraq (I think) and one or two other nations of little or not consequence (Basically puppets of Germany). We are currently in a war with Norway (Not part of the Allies)

Comintern: Just SU. They are currently in a war with Norway as well.

As an interesting note, the Winter War occured. It was awesome. Finland lasted over a year and only lost a handful of territories, but then gave in ad ceded several territoies to SU. But they survived!

I'm just worried about America. Though they are only at 75% war entry!

Any questions?

[Avicenna]

Whoa.

How does everyone build so much? As Italy, I'm struggling to even build 8 tank divisions. Having to allocate most of my IC to supplies, CGs and reinforcements+upgrades, I'm left with just over 10 to give to production, which I'm currently throwing into infrastructure. I tried putting it all on production and enough for CGs, but my dissent went sky high and I now have to reduce it.

Is the economic strategy just to put enough into CGs, supplies, reinforcements and upgrades then all the rest into production? I'm really confused.

[CountArach]

Most of my production comes from mainland Japan. After a place reaches 6IC capacity, I stop building anything there, as it has become a worthwhile part of my industry. I usually try to have about 60 IC for building troops, but I am not sure what that translates to in HoI2...

[screwtype]

Whoa.

How does everyone build so much? As Italy, I'm struggling to even build 8 tank divisions. Having to allocate most of my IC to supplies, CGs and reinforcements+upgrades, I'm left with just over 10 to give to production, which I'm currently throwing into infrastructure. I tried putting it all on production and enough for CGs, but my dissent went sky high and I now have to reduce it.

Is the economic strategy just to put enough into CGs, supplies, reinforcements and upgrades then all the rest into production? I'm really confused.

Why do you want tank divisions? They're expensive both to build and maintain.

When I was playing Italy, I made do with just Inf and Mountain. Mountain Divisions perform very well in most types of terrain and weather, they get the best bonuses of all troop types. I'd just build a dozen of them instead of tanks. Just see that you've got a decent airforce to use in conjuction with them. Maybe you can think about building a tank division or two when you've already got a large, well upgraded army.

[discovery1]

Reinforcements and upgrades can be left at half or less. And Italy probably wants at least two or 3 panzer divs in Libya. 8 would probably be excessive though,

[Avicenna]

Tanks can blitz with their higher speed and are harder for TACs to take down. Or so I thought. I've also had the Republican Spaniards beat up a few divisions of mine with one of theirs (tank one).

[screwtype]

Reinforcements and upgrades can be left at half or less. And Italy probably wants at least two or 3 panzer divs in Libya. 8 would probably be excessive though,

Yeah, I've never managed a full campaign yet, but I don't think Italy really needs to worry about armour until about 1943, when the Brits start to make nuisances of themselves. And even then I'm not sure it's essential. I seemed to be doing very well as I recall without any of the stuff. Heck, even my old buddy Haile Selassie was doing a great job of beating the Brits out of Addis Ababa time and again with only a little help from his Italian friends

[Avicenna]

Ah well, Italy's too frustrating for me with the large chance of death at the hands of the Allies. I've started a new Argentinian campaign, and have just recently annexed Uruguay with their nice resources and 8 factories. Planning on waiting for dissent to go to zero, and join the Axis. Don't know what to build though... with my two teams should I have one go on re-thinking a mobile doctrine and one upgrading all sorts of infantry things? I've got one Int and one NAV bomber. My navy consists of 6 capital ships, 4 screens and one submarine. My army has 6 divisions, one of which is an HQ. Quite a few brigade attachments. Infrastructure is low with most provinces at 60% and some at 40%, and I'm producing increased infra for one province right now, and researching level 2 tanks (one div should be a useful trump card in S America) and '36 inf.

Any comments on my strategy?

[discovery1]

Ah well, Italy's too frustrating for me with the large chance of death at the hands of the Allies. I've started a new Argentinian campaign, and have just recently annexed Uruguay with their nice resources and 8 factories. Planning on waiting for dissent to go to zero, and join the Axis. Don't know what to build though... with my two teams should I have one go on re-thinking a mobile doctrine and one upgrading all sorts of infantry things? I've got one Int and one NAV bomber. My navy consists of 6 capital ships, 4 screens and one submarine. My army has 6 divisions, one of which is an HQ. Quite a few brigade attachments. Infrastructure is low with most provinces at 60% and some at 40%, and I'm producing increased infra for one province right now, and researching level 2 tanks (one div should be a useful trump card in S America) and '36 inf.

Any comments on my strategy?

Mind the great bird with the shiny head to the north. Always check to see if they are protecting someone.

[screwtype]

Ah well, Italy's too frustrating for me with the large chance of death at the hands of the Allies. I've started a new Argentinian campaign, and have just recently annexed Uruguay with their nice resources and 8 factories. Planning on waiting for dissent to go to zero, and join the Axis. Don't know what to build though... with my two teams should I have one go on re-thinking a mobile doctrine and one upgrading all sorts of infantry things? I've got one Int and one NAV bomber. My navy consists of 6 capital ships, 4 screens and one submarine. My army has 6 divisions, one of which is an HQ. Quite a few brigade attachments. Infrastructure is low with most provinces at 60% and some at 40%, and I'm producing increased infra for one province right now, and researching level 2 tanks (one div should be a useful trump card in S America) and '36 inf.

Any comments on my strategy?

You are obsessed with tank divisions aintcha!

As I recall, South America has a lot of jungle and mountains. Tanks are useless in both. IMO, you really do not need tank divisions in SA. For your elite divisions, I suggest building mountain divisions instead.

[Avicenna]

Oh well, I've got one. The Americans can't do anything, they need the desired enemy to have around 100 belligerence before they can DoW, which they still haven't done, despite annexation of Uruguay and recently Brazil, which has left my TC hurting badly.

I joined the Axis, and it's mid 1939, with Germany only doing Anschluss recently. Kept pumping cash to get the Germans to be my buddies, and they've had, at the highest point, a +155 relationship with me. Annihilated a division or two with their Luftwaffe.

Anyway, life is pretty nice now. My Navy's only lost one destroyer which was quickly replaced, with 6 capitals and 6 screens and many victories. I am going down the CAS line, with Interceptors to help them out. Infantry is going quite well, with me about to finish research on level 1 interceptors and start research on level 1 motorized or '39 INF at mid 1939, probably going for the former. By the way, did I mention Blitzkrieg is part of my doctrine without any tech support from Deutschland?

Argentina rocks Italy, which somehow is worse than GB in my eyes.

[GoreBag]

Well, I just started as Italy not long ago and have made to 1941. I attacked the Yugos to get the Dalmation coast and they joined the Allies. I got dragged, kicking and screaming, into WW2. As well, I can't officially join the Axis because Bulgaria is already my ally. As well, Greece and Romania stepped in to protect the Yugos, which was a long, nasty campaign for all of us, but I own Greece, the Bulgars own Romania and I puppeted a few southern Slav states in former Yugoland.

North Africa was hellish. At first, I outnumber the Brits, but before I knew it, they had brought up so many reinforcements (including 6 armoured divisions to my none) that they almost pushed right out of Africa at Tobruk. My air superiority prevailed after I'd reinforced many a division to Africa and I ground them down to a nothing force. Spain joined my alliance, so it's time to take Gibraltar after I clinch the Suez and maybe Iraq.

[AggonyDuck]

Oh well, I've got one. The Americans can't do anything, they need the desired enemy to have around 100 belligerence before they can DoW, which they still haven't done, despite annexation of Uruguay and recently Brazil, which has left my TC hurting badly.

Most likely in the process you ended up giving the USA four free moves towards interventionism. The problem with South American nations is the fact that once you're against the US you're fighting a losing battle.

[Keba]

Handling the US as a SA country is easy ... simply pile divisions not in use in beach provinces. I'd recommend artillery brigade attachements on garrison divisions (two should suffice, more would be better, of course).

The US usually has bigger problems than SA to think of.