@ SovietAmerika: Greece was originally occupied by Austrians, but Turkey took over the territory after the collapse of Danubian Federation. It's purely strategic move of Mitteleuropa, since there were already some Turkish troops in Greece before.
@ coorta88: I have plans with Wallonia too, but I'll reveal them later.
@ Nikolai, Bergioyn, Zeldar155: Finnland demanded Vardø because of Kvens and national prestige (uniting all the Finnish people), while there is a Russian game behind that also. That's not all, Russians have other plans with Finland also. Current Russian objective is to make Russian-friendly Finland (alienated from Western dominated Scandinavia as strong as possible), in fact, Tsar wants Finland to become a minor brother of Russia. For further Finnish cooperation, Russians are even ready to give more concessions. As for Åland, it's still under US occupation, and its status needs to be decided in the future. It all depends on Russia and USA.
@ Kaiser_Mobius: Indeed, it really seems that Finns were holding on the Eastern Front. United Commonwealth exhausted itself in early phases of war (first conquest of Moscow was performed by Lithuanians, Russian counter-offensive destroyed many of Lithuanian units and second conquest of Moscow was already performed by Germans mostly), and Eastern Front was mostly in domain of Germans and Finns then (plus Danubian Federation had its part, but capitulation also knocked her out of play). As for other ME members, Princenly India is still holding her ground (Qings are now only the guests in Northern India), AlgOstAsien is on the way to anex Thailand, Persia is barely holding Russians on bay (Russians have became really strong, occupation of Chinese land allowed them to restore and even strenghten their power), while La Plata is doing very good against Brazil. There are also some elite German units fighting on Platinean side and La Plata has very modern army, but it's strange that massive Brazilian army can't stop them despite all expeditionary troops (US, CS, Canadian...).
@ Viden: Why should I get rid of Czechoslovakia? They are my allies. As for nukes, Germans are still deciding about that (war is not over yet), and Germans are not crazy fanatics despite all bad sides, and moral questions are holding them from unleashing nuclear armageddon.
@ Lurken: Germans are not completely passive, they have plans for the future.
@ Hochseeflotte: That's right. Nukes also were never used and they would be a lot weaker than IRL. And there use is also a great moral question. The nation which would start the nuclear war would get the mostly bad reputation in history. It would be something like unleashing deadly viral weapon that would destroy half of humanity. Personally, I'm not fond of the use of nukes in my game, but I included them in scenario to prevent the wars from happening to early. But if someone gets to desperate, nuclear war would still be possible.
@ Zhuge Liang: Good thinking. Russians are really suspicious about German Provisional Goverment, and that's why there is some rivalry with West in Scandinavia. Also, Russians will continue to try to get more influence in Germany, they don't want to be isolated from Central Europe after the war.
@ Razgriz 2K9: Destroying Kaiserreich might be the goal, but Germany shall not be destroyed. Germans should know that defeat doesen't mean the destruction of nation. This is also the cause for formation of German Provisional Goverment. If Germans would see defeat as end of civilization, they would surely use nukes without thinking.
@ Bergioyn: Thanks for pointing at that, it's my mistake at colouring the map. Corsica is of course French. Let's just say that revolt of Corsican nationalists happened and Italians gave a hand to French allies, so Italy controled Corsica for a few days (map was created in time of Italian control ).
Thanks for comments, everyone! I hope you don't mind for lack of pictures in this update, I rather gave one map where everything is well seen instead of posting tons of screenshots.
War of the Titans - 19
Königsberg, 15 March 2014
- Sire, news from the frontiline.
Kaiser Friedrich V von Preussen looked at colonel of Kaisergarde that entered the room. - I don't need any more bad news. Everyting is going down. It doesen't matter anymore...
- Bur Sire, those news are even more critical. Russians are already in Bessarabia, and they are only a few miles from Memel. Frontline is not going to bear this pressure. Morover, pro-Russian officers lead by General Mihov have performed coup in Bulgaria. Country has switched sides now...
- All our allies and friends...all are leaving us in this darkest hour. They sticked with us when we were great...everything is gone, it doesen't matter now. Civilized world is fading away, barbarism is on triumph. But we can still destroy their victory. Germany is not going to die alone. She is going to die with the rest of the world. It is better that our heirs won't live at all, than to live under the joke of barbarism. - Kaiser stood up and made his way to HQ. Everything what was left of German authorities was packed up in massive underground complex in Königsberg.
- Gott mit uns, Majestät.
- God has left us long ago. - answered the Kaiser and passed the guard, entering the Generalstab hall.
- Welcome, Sire. - the room was packed with officers. Kaiser barely saw anyone in civil dress those days. With the collapse of civil authority, military was now ruling the Reich. Feldmarschall Gunter von Esling was now de facto head of goverment.
- Feldmarschall, I will be quick. Let's stop pretending that the war can still be won. I have decided. Let's ruin their victory.
- Sire, what do you have in mind?
- Nuclear weapons. Feldmarschall, you have the key, commanders of missile bunkers have the keys and launch codes ready. Contact me with all commands, we will do it now.
- Sire, with all the respect, but I have to reject this offer.
Kaiser immediately bursted into rage. - How dare you? You are under my command, and you are responsible to me. I can put you to martial court for this disobedience.
- Sire, I have the plans for the Germany after the war. My men are in contact with Russians. I warn you to stop with this madness. Fatherland may lose this war, but we won't lose Fatherland because of this. We can use rivalry inside UNA to bargain the best for Germany. I am patriot and I won't allow that my homeland will be destroyed because of the crazy old man who thinks that he is a leader of universe, Your Majesty.
- Such a disrespect! This is outrageous! I will have you shot for this!
- You and which army? - Feldmarschall took the speaker and gave announcement to entire complex. - This is Feldmarschall Von Esling speaking. Kaiser is not able to perform his service any more. I am taking the command. Duties of chief of state are now in my domain until the end of extraordinary situation.
Both in HQ room and across the entire complex, Heer personel quickly disarmed the Kaisergarde. - Gentlemen, accompany the Kaiser into custodity. - Kaiser was completely broken. In the pasive way without resistance, accompanied by two officers, he left for his office where he would be locked and put under the guard.
Some weeks later
After the Kaiser's arrest by German military, Feldamarschall von Esling started intensive negotiations with Russians, hoping to use divisions inside UNA for the German best. Russians signed peace with Germany and declared that Germany surrendered to Russia, hoping to get entire Germany under their influence. This step angered the UNA which stated that German ''surrender'' can be only seen as separate peace. Tired of German joking with nuclear war threats, Western allies started offensive again, capturing Berlin. This put Russians in panic. Moscow called for joint peace conference.
Main Russian argument to achieve influence in Germany was Russian achievement to prevent nuclear war. Russians claimed that Gunter von Eseling was in fact their agent and that removal of Kaiser was in Russian achievement. Gunter von Esling confirmed Russian story, but probably only because of oportunism and not because he was real Russian agent (Felmarschall Von Eseling knew that Western UNA allies already picked their German friends to form post-war German goverment, and Von Esling was not viewed as reliable person in the West, as General Hans-Otto Budde revealed him as architect of war and grey eminence of German regime).
After the long talks and failure of plan for united neutral Germany, the decision that pleased both sides was made. West respected Russian good deeds in war (stubborn defence against Mitteleuropa and Russian preventing of nuclear war by cooperating with Gunter von Esling) and decided to reward Russia. But rewards was not given of sheer good will. It had practical background. West wanted to have one German state under its influence, without Russian messing. That's why ''Russian Germany'' was recognized in attemp to give Russians their playground in Germany, without messing with Western playground in Germany. Good walls make good neighbours, as they say.
Europe in May 2014:
French (with support of Western allies) simply ''upgraded'' German Provisional Goverment and created new German state. Federal Republic of Germany was born in areas that were under administration of German Provisional Goverment. The rest was given to Russians, which received areas that were under French military control in time of German surrender (parts of Eastern Central Germany) and everything Eastern from that. In their sphere of influence, German Union was created from remaints of German Empire. Germans had to give away Memel as ''sign of friendship'' and areas of former United Baltic Duchy, which became Grand Baltic Duchy, protectorate of Russian Empire.
Goverment of Federal Republic of Germany: General Hans-Otto Budde who lead German Provisional Goverment became the chief of land forces in Federal Republic of Germany.
Goverment of German Union: Feldmarschall Gunter von Esling became Tsar's loyal ally and mighty ''Vodz'' of pro-Russian German Union. He chosed Udo Voigd for second in command to lead the goverment with strong hand. Former kings of Scotland and England found a place in goverment according to their professions (Canadians didn't care what will be former pro-German monarchs of Britain doing in the future, it was enough for them when those monarchs formally droped their monarchic claims and titles, connected with Britain), while French didn't care about two former African Staathalters moving to German Union. Regime was also supported by some important industrialists, like Conrad Thyssen for example.
In the North, Finns accepted important Russian offer. Russians wanted to secure their influence in Finland by offering an interesting deal to Finns. Eastern Karelia and Kola peninsula were offered to Finland under condition that State of Finland becomes a Grand Duchy of Finland with Russian Grand Duke as ruler. Despite the familiar sounding name, Grand Duchy of Finland was not the same as Finish entity inside Russian Empire in the past. Finland would remain independent and sovereign state, altough under great Russian influence. Despite being Russian, Grand Duke would be sovereign monarch (in times of old Grand Duchy, title of Grand Duke was reserved for Tsar himself, and Tsar was represented by Governor-General). This Grand Duchy didn't have any connections with Russian state, being sovereign monarchy. To give more diplomatic bribe to Finns, Russians even managed to successfully demand Aland from US authorities, giving it to Finland. Finland became Russian minor brother, with Finnish territory being open for Russian land, air and naval bases, but staying independence state, and most important of all, achieving great territorial gains.
In the neighbourhood, United States and France liberated United Kingdom of Scandinavia with capital in Stockholm and ruled by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. Scandinavian kingdom was composed of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Canada decided to keep Iceland and Greenland in her domain, incorporating Iceland into Canada as province and Greenland as territory.
In the Balkans, new Bulgarian Tsar from the House of Romanov was crowned. Bulgarian Empire was granted strong influence over the Kingdom of Greece and Kingdom of Albania. Russians and Bulgarians decided to push someone that is easy to control to Greek throne. Former king of French puppet kingdom from the House of Hannover was crowned as the new Greek king. French didn't have any problems with that as they were glad that Hannoveran dynasty, occupying Greek throne now, won't be able to claim French throne anymore.
Albania received king from House of Hesse, a former Breton monarch. He was crowned under the title ''Skanderbeg III of Albania''. For a diffrence of Bulgaria, Albania and Greece, Serbia stayed in French domain. Alexandre Karageorgevich, officer of French Air Force, finally claimed the Serbian throne under the name Alexander I. He became the second Serbian king from the House of Karageorgevich, succeding Peter I who had to leave Serbia during Weltkrieg. Montenegro became autonomous principality inside Serbia, ruled by prince from Montenegrin House of Petrovic-Njegos.
Austria-Illyria was the successor of Danubian Federation, but without monarchist Habsburg rule. New state was a federal republic, composed of Republic of Austria and Republic of Illyria. This state was also in French domain.
Goverment of Austria-Illyria: Popular Austro-German actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, famous for leading roles in movies from Babelsberg Studios film production, started a political career and became the President of Austria-Illyria.
Hungary ended the war by surrendering to French forces. To counter Russian influence, Hungary was allowed to keep part of Transylvania and part of Banat. Hungary stayed a kingdom, ruled by regency. Habsburgs were prohibited to claim Hungarian throne, so Hungary stayed kingdom without a king, similar to Spain. Romania has fallen into Russian domain. Romania was allowed to keep Bessarabia under condition that Romania accepts a king from the House of Romanov.
Most of the Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthernian-Moldavian Commonwealth (United Commonwealth) was occupied by Russia, while Czechoslovak troops managed to occupy part of Poland. Polish state was established by Czechoslovaks. Political vacuum in Poland was filled by the rule of Polish generals, former United Commonwealth officers. Russians were grumbling about Poland being part of legal Russian claims, and after seeing that small Poland enjoys support of Western UNA allies (Westerns didn't want that UNA would look like imperialist oppressor of small nations). Russia recognized Poland as independent state, but tried to impose a member of House of Romanov on potential Polish throne. Due to furious resistance from Poland, support of international community, lobbying of Polish emmigration in the West, and issues with establishment of Russian client states, Russians canceled their plans with Poland.
Due to Russo-Bulgarian domination of mainland Greece, Greek royal claimant Theodore de la Roche changed his political ideas. He became staunt republican and even dropped his ducal title and royalist claims. In French-controlled Crete, he established Republic of Crete and became a President. Turkey signed peace and preserved her pre-war borders.
United Kingdom was reborn.
Liberals were victorious in the first elections in restored UK. Now it was the time to end the war on the other continents too.