Império Novo - An Axis Portugal AAR

[Woody Man]

The dominoes are really falling aren't they? The coming war in Africa is going to be a tough one, it's an entire continent away, and we don't quite have the resources of the RN..

[Stuyvesant]

Your most potent offensive forces seem to be arrayed in Macao (four infantry brigades) and along the borders with South Africa and Namibia (two infantry and two cavalry brigades). I suspect ground actions will follow in those areas, though I'm a bit doubtful that four brigades is going to be enough to tackle the South Africans. Perhaps you can wait until they ship their army to Britain's defense?

[Rensslaer]

Your most potent offensive forces seem to be arrayed in Macao (four infantry brigades) and along the borders with South Africa and Namibia (two infantry and two cavalry brigades).

Ahh, yes... And I would explain... But that would ruin the fun!

Rensslaer

[aldriq]

Pretty decent build-up with such scarce resources. Now let's hope you can put them all to good use

[Jorath13]

I will chime in with my own excitement to see this update! At least Germany is doing well enough - strange that the AI can control its armies well enough, but the minute a human player tries to put their armies on AI control, it plays sloppy, though certainly an AI-led army has better reaction time than a human controlled one! I'm looking forward to seeing how the Portugese army handles warfare.

Incidentaly, I had planned for my first official AAR to be Japan, but seeing how poorly CAGs and naval units perform in 1.2 (due in part I believe to the weather problems) I've backed off this idea. Reading Peter G Tsouras' book, Third Reich Victorious and inspired by this excellent AAR I've decided to go for playing Turkey as an AAR start. Turkey is one of the alternate WW2 stories in the book, wherein the country is pulled into the Axis sphere of influence around when Case Blue (the summer '42 German offensive into southern Russia) unfolds. The country is a decent-sized minor, larger than Portugal and most of the other Axis minors, but certainly in dire need of everything, like what you're seeing here. I'll hopefully have it up and running soonish.

In the meantime, keep up the good work on this AAR - you're thrilling alot of readers!

[kigrwik]

I, for one, don't understand why you have CAV & GAR in Africa. Do you really think they are enough for a decent conquest ? How about adding some of the Macao INF as well ? Surely you don't intend to take on the chinese, do you ?

Damn, I can't wait to see how this unfolds, get a move on !!

[WhisperingDeath]

With many other readAARs I, too, sit on the edge of my seat! Well done thus far! I am quite impressed at the quiet way in which you've built a sizeable force for a "minor" player. I am curious as to what might transpire in the Far East and your most recent comment forestalled my initial thought of bidding "farewell" to the troops in Macao. I most anticipate the "Bungle in the Jungle" that will surely by the Congolese Wars and Battle for South Africa.

[Rensslaer]

Great AAR

Look forward to your updates.

Thanks, Lusitania! Welcome to the story!

As you can see by my post count I'm a committed lurker, but I felt like I had to emerge to complement you on another excellent Rensslaer AAR. Reading Fire Warms convinced me to buy Vicky and I'm sure this would do the same for HOI3 if I didn't already have it. Looks like you're building up towards an interesting war.

P.S. I understand if it's on the back burner but I hope you're not abandoning Sforza!!! That AAR and Prawnstar's excellent Audacity of Hope got me into EU3.

Welcome Ahriman! To this AAR and others! I guess this is a multiple welcome! I'm now in the strange but exalted position of having both, Ahriman and Ahura Mazda as fans of my AARs!

Glad FW got you to buy Victoria! Quite a game -- hoping the next one does the series justice. And EU 3 -- I played that for many months, never getting bored.

As for Sforza!!!, I'm still intending to keep it up, but it's going to be spotty for a while. I'd even like to pick up my Roman Civil War AAR, too. If you haven't seen, there IS a new update -- only a couple weeks old now -- to Sforza.

Well, the lack of a call to arms seems a bit welcome! Gives you more time to prepare, at least.

Indeed. I think, though I certainly didn't expect that respite, it was quite welcome once I realized the ramifications (and understood that I hadn't "missed the boat" somehow, and could declare war on my OWN terms!).

Wise AI Germany realizes that, at this time, you're more useful as a peaceful partner (and supplier of much-needed gasoline for the Panzers) than as an active belligerent. Surely that must be the explanation.

Anyway, as others have pointed out, it's actually a boon that will allow you to gather a few extra critical resources.

Heh heh... Clever Stuyvesant is onto the Germans!

Are you thinking of taking the Congo? If I remember rightly, European powers rarely staff their colonies with enough troops, so that could be a good way to gain a fair bit of land.

Welcome, LinktheWindow! Yes, the staffing of Africa is/was my hope for conquest... On the other hand, as we've already seen in at least one place, v1.2 has better colonial coverage than v1.1c did. Someone upstairs has been reading my AAR!

This AAr is really a thriller. I`m looking forward to see how the mighty portugese armed forces are able to tilt the balance in favour of the Axis. And I must say I`m slightly worried about the small quantity of Portugese Naval Vessels when it comes to protecting portugese convoys and transports.

Thanks! Yes, I'm kind of worried about the small ability of my navy, too. But that's something I won't be able to do anything about anytime soon, and it's also something that will either matter, or it won't, depending on how the Allies react. I won't know until the event...

Is your TAC squadron still namaed "Portugese Airforce" or something? You better name it again, with the Arrival of your Nav's that derogatory name will no longer be needed! I thought you had based them in the Azores however.

You really have built up a decent army! It didn't seem to good though all the updates, but when you add it all together it is pretty good! Yeah, your navy is horrible, hopefully you can keep those transports afloat.

Indeed... I'm glad to have been able to build as much as I did, even if so much of the force is of lower-quality troops. As for the Tac squadron... Didn't think of that! You may be annoyed by this through the first 4-5 months of war, and I'll hope to think to fix that. I have been paying more attention to the mechanics of the gameplay, and less to aesthetics such as this.

:: delurks ::

Long time lurker, first time poster (on this AAR) - Wicked progress on the set-up for (what we hope will be successful) war. Good luck to you, sir!

:: relurks ::

Welcome, Fuhrab! Thanks for delurking!

The dominoes are really falling aren't they? The coming war in Africa is going to be a tough one, it's an entire continent away, and we don't quite have the resources of the RN..

Yeah, AI Germany isn't minding it's stride very well, or pacing itself. I hope that doesn't get it into trouble! Yes... Comparing the resources of the Royal Navy vs. ours is.... depressing and frightening, at the same time!

Incidentaly, I had planned for my first official AAR to be Japan, but seeing how poorly CAGs and naval units perform in 1.2 (due in part I believe to the weather problems) I've backed off this idea. Reading Peter G Tsouras' book, Third Reich Victorious and inspired by this excellent AAR I've decided to go for playing Turkey as an AAR start. Turkey is one of the alternate WW2 stories in the book, wherein the country is pulled into the Axis sphere of influence around when Case Blue (the summer '42 German offensive into southern Russia) unfolds. The country is a decent-sized minor, larger than Portugal and most of the other Axis minors, but certainly in dire need of everything, like what you're seeing here. I'll hopefully have it up and running soonish.

In the meantime, keep up the good work on this AAR - you're thrilling alot of readers!

Thanks, Jorath! Turkey should be a fascinating choice -- one of the countries I've always wanted to play around with. I'll look forward to the AAR! Did I see you're (still?) playing a Japan game in HOI 1? I'll have to see if I can drop by. The book sounds interesting, and for $3 (+shipping) online, it's hardly something I can pass up. I'll have to see if I can get it -- I've asked for Amazon money for my birthday. And since they haven't yet published those darned Tales of the Gold Monkey DVDs, I've been spending my old Amazon money on other things. Grr...

I, for one, don't understand why you have CAV & GAR in Africa. Do you really think they are enough for a decent conquest ? How about adding some of the Macao INF as well ? Surely you don't intend to take on the chinese, do you ?

Damn, I can't wait to see how this unfolds, get a move on !!

Ahh, soon enough! All will become clear!

With many other readAARs I, too, sit on the edge of my seat! Well done thus far! I am quite impressed at the quiet way in which you've built a sizeable force for a "minor" player. I am curious as to what might transpire in the Far East and your most recent comment forestalled my initial thought of bidding "farewell" to the troops in Macao. I most anticipate the "Bungle in the Jungle" that will surely by the Congolese Wars and Battle for South Africa.

Well, I'm foreshadowing very "close to my vest", but let me just say the battles for Congo AND South Africa will be very, VERY interesting! Glad you're looking forward to it!

Thank you also, LordE, SonyBlack, and Aldriq for your comments! And I hope I didn't miss anyone...

I'm going to go back to a pre-Sforza comment style I used with Fire Warms. If I don't have anything constructive to say with regard to your comment, or if you're asking something I don't wish to disclose, respond to, or even hint that I'm paying attention to (for reasons of suspense), I may not quote and respond directly to your question/comment -- I'll simply acknowledge your comment at the end of feedback, such as you see here. I hope no one takes offense to it! I'm doing it to try to keep my feedback-to-feedback time to a manageable level, which hopefully will allow me to respond on a better schedule than I've been keeping.

Thanks, again, everybody, for reading and commenting! Any new lurkers? Or old ones who haven't been coaxed out into the open yet?

Another update tomorrow, I think... Trying to keep to one update every couple of days as a pace. It may slow down a little if I have dramatic narratives to write, but hopefully I'll get ahead of that, and it won't slow us down.

Rensslaer

[shepherd352]

Have been lurking since the start but only just bought the game and registered. A great read and a great tutorial for economic micromanagement (critical with the minors).

Looking forward to the rest of the story.

[Rensslaer]

Near the end of August, 1939, Denmark was completely occupied by German troops, and yet they refused to surrender. Their government fled to England. The Germans began a long standoff with the Swedish defenders at Malmö, across a brief waterway.



Wow. The success of the Germans stuns one. I’m especially eyeing the conquest of Belgium. What if the Belgians surrender before our neutrality matches their threat? Then I’d have to wait for the same match with the French before I could declare war…



I’m watching my neutrality and Belgian threat very closely. A hair’s breadth separates them at the end of August. Pins and needles time.

To shore up our faltering Crude Oil stocks, I sign an agreement with Romania. That’s one I can maintain well into the war without any difficulty, I’m hoping. I purchase one quantity of Fuel, too. Why? I’m selling Fuel (to Italy, I think) at a slight profit, but I don’t want this to run our stockpiles down too quickly. I have an enormous stockpile, since I don’t have many units which need Fuel. But best not to get careless.



The French and Belgians both, around this time, decided that we were their likely enemy, and so they embargoed us, as with the Dutch. We’re facing off against the two of them – each in opposing “corners,” awaiting the beginning of hostilities. I’m going to have to take quick action to save Cabinda, if they decide to attack in concert. They have four divisions to my two (or 3 to my 1, plus an HQ on each side).

At the beginning of September, we achieve an “Education” advance – my Leadership is increased by an extra 2.5%, which…. Which brings me from 4.04 to 4.20! Hmm….



With my newfound “wealth” of “intellectual property” I select my next set of priority research projects. Two militia techs, to further aid my many garrisons, an improvement tech for Infantry defensiveness (all three of these will finish before the end of the year). I also replace Coal to Oil with Oil Refining as a priority. This is because for the first time I’ve seen my Fuel stockpile start to deplete. Just a minor bump to this tech may keep us at equivalency so that I don’t have to worry about Fuel. Surely that’s not likely to happen, but I don’t want to be caught off guard if it does. Plus, I can sell Fuel, and my allies may need it.

Remember I was thinking if Belgium surrendered, I’d have to declare war on France instead? By mid-September, it was beginning to look like Paris would fall any day, too!



Fortunately, though, once all of mainland Belgium fell, their government retreated to the jungles of the Belgian Congo. They flew – they’d have to, as there’s no chance of reaching mountain- and forest-shrouded Elisabethville by land in any quick manner – and even passed over our Portuguese colony at Bissau as they traveled.

That’s one thing that can be easily missed about Africa, for those who are not accustomed to thinking in military terms. Africa is like a big hollow shell, strategically speaking. Almost all of its sites of strategic interest are along the coast, with the interior mostly impassable to land traffic (and aircraft pilots take their lives into their hands as they overfly the interior, too, hoping there’s no accident). Africa is an obstacle to ocean-going traffic, and to landborne traffic as well – both of these can be used to strategic advantage by those who know how.

It’s time to put all this planning to use!



On September 16, 1939, we declare war against the still-situating Belgian government. At this time, we become embroiled in war with all of Belgium’s allies, as well. Some of these, we will have no occasion to worry about – Sweden? But we have adjacencies with South Africa, the French and British colonies, the Belgian Congo, and even with the Netherlands East Indies (where their government has gone into exile, on the island of Sumatra).

Immediately, laws must be changed, and sliders reallocated (after the clock rolls over, implementing the new changes). We’re at war, and so I can finally increase conscription to “service by requirement.” Total Economic Mobilisation will increase our IC from 31 to 37. Moving to State Press will help protect us from spies (I could have changed this earlier, but didn’t care to). Heavy Industry Emphasis will improve our Supply Throughput, which is suddenly relevant, and will no longer have an impact on our Consumer Goods need. IC efficiency is increased.



My first visible offensive move is to embark my cavalry from Sao Tome, and transport them to attack the nearest enemy port – Douala, in French Cameroun. Having previously scouted these shores, I’d found few British or French ships in port. The Belgians, of course, have their only remaining naval base at the mouth of the Congo River.



And, as expected, land combat quickly comes in that theatre too. Only the elite French mountaineers, though, attack. The Belgians seem aloof for some reason. Perhaps still recovering from the sting of losing their homeland.



We actually outnumber the French in Cabinda, though with inferior forces. We can sustain without aid for a while, unless the Belgians decide to join in.

I am not hopeful, having scouted Hong Kong recently as well, but just to check, I send my destroyers out to eyeball Hong Kong, which is separated from Macao by the mouth of the Pearl River (Canton River), as well as by the Guangxi Clique’s major city of Canton/Kwangchow itself. Without declaring war upon the Guangxi – an idiotic idea, with my deployment situation – I cannot reach Hong Kong except by sea. I can also tell you I do not yet have near enough strength to accomplish that against her coastal fort.



Our forces elsewhere begin to move as well….

[Myth]

And so it really begins...the preparations of your far flung forces will now be tested in real combat!

[LaBretonniere]

As a longtime lurker (since the first post of this Portugal AAR!) and first-time poster for AAR threads, I'd like to say I'm thoroughly enjoying the reading and watching with anticipation. Thank you very much, Rensslaer, for the story you've told so far and I look forward to following the story through to the very end!

[Maj. von Mauser]

At last it begins! We will see if Portugal is prepared to defend and expand it long stagnating empire! I'm surprised Denmark decided to fight, maybe with Sweden as a close ally they had a little more incentive.

I'm hoping for some good stories out of these battles aswell!

[potski]

I am not hopeful, having scouted Hong Kong recently as well, but just to check, I send my destroyers out to eyeball Hong Kong, which is separated from Macao by the mouth of the Pearl River (Canton River), as well as by the Guangxi Clique’s major city of Canton/Kwangchow itself. Without declaring war upon the Guangxi – an idiotic idea, with my deployment situation – I cannot reach Hong Kong except by sea. I can also tell you I do not yet have near enough strength to accomplish that against her coastal fort.



Our forces elsewhere begin to move as well….

That was a risky move, scouting in daytime with the transport ships in tow, and carrying an INF Div! Bump into a UK patrol and you could have lost the transports and the troops. You have got very little scope for recovering from a loss like that.

[Karelian]

Once the French are knocked out, your situation in Africa should improve at least a little.

[Rensslaer]

Consider this an Official Update!

This is a point of feedback, but it strikes very close to the strategy discussions many of you readers are looking for, so this should be worth reading for everyone!

Potski is an able strategist and naval and supply adept who was on the Beta with me...

That was a risky move, scouting in daytime with the transport ships in tow, and carrying an INF Div! Bump into a UK patrol and you could have lost the transports and the troops. You have got very little scope for recovering from a loss like that.

Ahh, yes, truly! It IS dangerous, and yet...

1) Because of the unique situation (double meaning includes the geographical "situation") of Macao vs. Hong Kong, one cannot leave one without passing the other. If I worried about this all the time, I'd be effectively blockaded -- in essence, a tacit self-blockade, even without any enemy ships present.

2) It will take 2-3 hours for an enemy fleet to sortie from Hong Kong, even if it's there. Plus, in v1.2 the enemy fleet AI is kind of slow. I was confident that if I found things not to my liking I could move away before trouble started.

3) If I were being this risk-adverse, Portugal would have no chance at anything. I'm making a choice to take risks in order to obviate the possible success in seizing opportunities. With only 3 combat fleet units, there's no way I could perform any invasions "carefully" -- if I'm not willing to take risks, I cannot perform invasions. Period. So I've chosen a risky path instead, with potentially catastrophic consequences.

4) If I intend to use the port, I have no choice but to perform this maneuver. I will essentially perform it every time I leave (this is a compounding of the first two points). If I leave, I'm out of their way quickly. If I stay...

5) If I were staying to try to invade, I might well be in trouble. It's very, VERY risky. I'll tell you that in the first 4 months of war (foreshadowing) I succeed in these risky invasions some.... and I die in some.

Anyway... There's a capsule of my thinking in doing this. Hopefully it "stands to reason" (i.e. seems reasonable).

Thank you, Potski! You're right... And yet I cannot take your advice!

Rensslaer

p.s. Oh, and one last thing... The loaded transports were there because my plan was to either invade if HK were undefended (which I did not expect it to be), and if not to go ahead and escape for other adventures. This was a two-option plan from the beginning.

p.s.2 -- Oops! I forgot to add this little bit, sent to my by Potski by PM, which is valuable information.

Hi Rens, On the Portugal AAR, speculation on the Call to Arms. You may already know this, and it's just part of the story (nice read BTW), but the AI is set not to call someone unless the war has been going for at least five months, and even then only if the odds are not completely in the attackers favour. This was to stop ITA being immediately called when GER invades POL, which did happen in some of the early versions.

[Pier]

When is the NAV due, where will it be deployed and what will you do with it?

[Jorath13]

An exciting beginning! For a brief moment I thought you were going to report that due to Germany's exhuberant attacks both Belgium and France fell too quickly for you to do anything. I would not worry so much about the Cabinda attack for now...once France falls (which should be sooner than later) this offensive will fade away quickly. Right?

[kigrwik]

And then ... it begins.

At long last, the ultimate faceoff between the giants of their time and, well, Portugal. A mere shadow of its former self, or... ? Only time will tell.

Fate favors the bold ! (And boldness make for good AARs, too).

[BoemsiBoemsie]

I hadn't posted on your AAR yet, but I must say it is very well written and very exciting. I hope the Condor does what it supposed to do, kill ships. It seems like a balancing act with the resources and your far flung units. Anyway, all the best!