Introduction
The time has come for another 'summer project': the long-mooted sequel to Quick & Dirty Part 1, which dealt with the French fight for survival and victory (see France: A Quick and Dirty HOI3 AAR). That AAR ended in March 1944 with an Allied World Order victory and the Soviet Union limping through to a stalemate win in the west (Finland and most of Romania being its only real gains) and a deep incursion by Japan in the Far East. Most of Europe was united under the Allied UN banner.
After this, all countries that could be were liberated as democratic Allied puppets and every option in the standard game for decolonisation that could be taken was, but leaving them all under the Allied banner. See this chapter from Q&D1 for the details:
France: A Quick and Dirty HOI3 AAR – 1936 Start - Last Chapter
Here is a brief summary though for those who may not wish to go back for all the detail:
New Map of Europe
Western Poland is back, but the Soviets still occupy a small chunk (one province) of central Poland – and all of Eastern Poland, which they absorbed under the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939. Finland remains a government-in-exile, its territory occupied by the Soviet Union.
A Post-Colonial World
Indo-China was liberated, even though it is significantly occupied by Japan.
Here are the current members of the United Nations of the Democratic World Order.
And the map of the world as at 21 March 1944.
******
That brings us to the present. I will play now as the Soviet Union, starting way behind the French-led Allies who have already achieved their 12 victory conditions and control virtually all of Europe. The USSR has been under AI control since January 1936. They had a significant German incursion until France defeated them and still face a major Japanese occupation of the Soviet Far East.
This AAR will take the same no-frills, no-narrative, no-character, no-additional-pictures approach of France: Quick and Dirty. Except now trying to undo all of de Gaulle’s good work and see if the Axis can be fully defeated and a dominant Allied faction can be wound back.
This time though, the game is being played as an AAR vehicle, so I can capture screen shots as I go, rather than relying on old game saves and a hazy memory. To keep the same quick flavour though, it will be kept to a month a chapter, no matter how much action takes place. Most combat will be recounted in summary form, but significant or indicative battles will be covered in a little more detail.
In terms of play, Soviet land combat will be largely run by the AI, with human control at either the Theatre or (where things are more active) Army Group/Front level. Air units will be allocated to AI control. This should make the Soviet task even harder (and the game quicker to play). Navies will be human-controlled when in combat and all non-combat aspects will also be human controlled (tech, production, intel, diplomacy etc).
The only real broad objectives are as stated above: roll back the Japanese occupation of the Soviet Far East, then start to gain victory conditions and see if Allied supremacy can be wound back. No specific game end-date in mind as yet, but it won't go forever. One thing I'm taking up is the rapid (as possible) development of nuclear weapons as an in-game challenge. Soviet research in that area remains pretty basic (can't build a research reactor yet).
The first new chapter will be posted soon.
After this, all countries that could be were liberated as democratic Allied puppets and every option in the standard game for decolonisation that could be taken was, but leaving them all under the Allied banner. See this chapter from Q&D1 for the details:
France: A Quick and Dirty HOI3 AAR – 1936 Start - Last Chapter
Here is a brief summary though for those who may not wish to go back for all the detail:
New Map of Europe
Western Poland is back, but the Soviets still occupy a small chunk (one province) of central Poland – and all of Eastern Poland, which they absorbed under the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939. Finland remains a government-in-exile, its territory occupied by the Soviet Union.
A Post-Colonial World
And the map of the world as at 21 March 1944.
******
In Moscow, Josef Stalin contemplated the capitalist-imperialist ‘New Democratic World Order’. And he didn’t like what he saw. He would dearly love to see a new Communist World Order to replace these bourgeois United Nations. The Comintern is destined to grow and replace the Allies. Even if it takes years to achieve. But first there is still a war to be won against the Fascist Japanese. He would see how the Allies were placed after that – and maybe strike if they did not appear ready.
******
This AAR will take the same no-frills, no-narrative, no-character, no-additional-pictures approach of France: Quick and Dirty. Except now trying to undo all of de Gaulle’s good work and see if the Axis can be fully defeated and a dominant Allied faction can be wound back.
This time though, the game is being played as an AAR vehicle, so I can capture screen shots as I go, rather than relying on old game saves and a hazy memory. To keep the same quick flavour though, it will be kept to a month a chapter, no matter how much action takes place. Most combat will be recounted in summary form, but significant or indicative battles will be covered in a little more detail.
In terms of play, Soviet land combat will be largely run by the AI, with human control at either the Theatre or (where things are more active) Army Group/Front level. Air units will be allocated to AI control. This should make the Soviet task even harder (and the game quicker to play). Navies will be human-controlled when in combat and all non-combat aspects will also be human controlled (tech, production, intel, diplomacy etc).
The only real broad objectives are as stated above: roll back the Japanese occupation of the Soviet Far East, then start to gain victory conditions and see if Allied supremacy can be wound back. No specific game end-date in mind as yet, but it won't go forever. One thing I'm taking up is the rapid (as possible) development of nuclear weapons as an in-game challenge. Soviet research in that area remains pretty basic (can't build a research reactor yet).
The first new chapter will be posted soon.
Last edited:
- 2