The Darkest hour of the Russian Empire 2

[Falconette]

THE DARKEST HOUR OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE 2

by Falconette

AwAARds

• Best Darkest Hour AAR - December 2011
  
  

Darkest Hour
Russian Empire campaign continuation

So, finally, here it is. Welcome all my readers and everyone who liked my previous AAR about Russia in WW1-era. First AAR's timeframe was from 1914 till 1918. This AAR would be divided into two volumes - The Interbellum (from 1918) and The War (from 1936). Doing some modding, I continued playing as Russian Empire after the victory in WW1. So, let's start!

Game version: Darkest Hour 1.02b2
Scenario: The Great War, 1914 -> The Day of Decision, 1933
Difficulty: Hard
IC takeover: ON
Tech teams takeover: ON
Used cheats: nofog and sometimes money

CONTENTS

VOLUME ONE: THE INTERBELLUM

CHAPTER ZERO: INTRODUCTION

PART I: AFTER THE GREAT WAR

PART II: POLITICAL LIFE OF THE EMPIRE

CHAPTER ONE: 1920s

PART III: EUROPEAN TIME OF TROUBLES 1919-1922

PART IV: WIND OF CHANGE 1922-1925

PART V: CRISIS IN THE BALTICS 1926

PART VI: FOR THE PROGRESS 1927-1929

CHAPTER TWO: 1930s

PART VII: DEATH OF THE LEGEND 1930

APPENDIX 1: CHRISTMAS IN RUSSIA

PART VIII: NEW EMPIRE 1931-1932

PART IX: BEGINNING OF THE DARKNESS 1933

PART X: NEWS FROM THE WEST 1934

PART XI: CLOUDS OVER EUROPE 1935

VOLUME TWO: THE WAR

CHAPTER THREE: 1936-1939

APPENDIX 2: VICTORY IS OURS (BEST DH AAR OF DECEMBER)

PART XII: THE MENACE

PART XIII: UNCIVILIZED CIVIL WAR

PART XIV: THE BIG WORLD AND THE LITTLE WARS

PART XV: THE ERA OF PEACE IS FINISHED

CHAPTER FOUR: 1939-1941

PART XVI: AND IT BEGINS...

PART XVII: THE FIRST SHOTS

PART XVIII: THE EUROPEAN TRAGEDY

PART XIX: FALL OF FRANCE

APPENDIX 3: UNIFORMS OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY

PART XX: VAE VICTIS

PART XXI: THE THINGS BECOME BALANCED

PART XXII: SOUTHERN BATTLES

PART XXIII: WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

CHAPTER FIVE: 1941

PART XXIV: AGONY OF THE LION

PART XXV: EUROPE UNDER THE BOOT

PART XXVI: ENGLAND AND AFRICA

PART XXVII: LAST MONTHS OF PEACE

PART XXVIII: THE BATTLE BEGINS

PART XXIX: IT'S NOT EASY

PART XXX: THREE FRONTS IN ACTION

PART XXXI: BATTLES, ENDLESS AND BLOODY

PART XXXII: NEWS ARE WORSENING

PART XXXIII: AMERICA MAKES THE MOVE

PART XXXIV: KHOTYAT LI RUSSKIE VOINY?

CHAPTER SIX: 1942

PART XXXV: AGAIN AND AGAIN

PART XXXVI: MANCHURIAN SNOWS AND BALTIC WAVES

PART XXXVII: NO MORE ILLUSIONS AND AFFAIRS

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE EPILOGUE

PART XXXVIII: THE FINAL

[hoi2geek]

Nice to se a continuation, but now, let's raise the stakes.

I want to see Russia(under the glorious reign of Anastasia I) go for world hegemony

[Falconette]

The Darkest hour of the Russian Empire 2

Chapter Zero: Introduction
Part I: After the Great War

Founders of the new Europe

...The Great War was won by the Entente. Central Powers were totally crushed and had no chances to bring back their previous might and glory. Germany lost all her colonies, Lorraine (to France), Schleswig (to Denmark), Western Poland and Danzig (to Russia), Sudetenland (to Czechoslovakia). German Empire was no more, only weak German republic, that was completely abased by Versailles treaty - without the army, the navy and any national proud. Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed and was separated into Austria, Hungary and Czechslovakia. Large parts of former Habsburg territories were given to Yugoslavia (Croatia and Bosnia), Italy (Dalmatia and Northern Italy), Russia (Galizia and Krakow). Ottoman Empire lost Southern Caucasus to Russia and all Middle-Eastern territories to France and Britain in 1917. In 1918 under hard diplomatic pressure (Black Sea fleet entered the Sea of Marmara and was ready to shoot at Sultan's palace) Istanbul was given to Russia and renamed into Constantinople. The Great War finished, but didn't solve all the problems of Europe. It only added more of them...

Russia after the Great War


Nicholas II at the age of 55

Russia won the war, but payed extremely high price for that - losing 2,500,000 soldiers killed and wounded was terrible even for such a big nation. Russian navy lost 70% of its strength in bloody naval battles like the Battle of Danzig bay or a disastrous battle versus the Austrians in Black Sea. Nicholas II realized that the country never was so close to death. Emperor knew that the triumph of his empire was based on millions of dead soldiers. Revolutionary threat didn't disappear - autocratic regime was still too unpopular. There was a lot of work to do. Geo-political situation leaved much to be desired - relations with former allies (France and England) worsened after the Treaty of Constantinople - this unexpected step of the Russian government that gave the Tsar an opportunity to enter the Mediterranean Sea shocked Entente's governments. Germany was very dangerous too -trying to make her peaceful forever, authors of the Versailles treaty destroyed German national proud, and revanchists started becoming more and more popular. Russian foreign minister Sazonov was one of the treaty authors, and his idea about tiny 100,000 Reichswehr was a dangerous decision. So, with so much problems, the Tsar had no another way. On 1 of May in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg (in 1918 he became St. Petersburg once again) the Constitution of the Russian Empire was announced. The Tsar became a constitutional monarch with about 50% of political power, while other 50% were in Parliament's hands. It wasn't a crowned republic like United Kingdom, but not Autocratic Russia of Alexander III. The new era had begun....

New Russian government of constitutional monarchy


Winter Palace - a place where the Constitution was born

This unexpected act of the Imperial Government suddenly changed the political situation. Ultra-revolutionary parties like Bolsheviks lost influence in Russian society, because all attention came to more conservative Mensheviks, Social-Democrats and SRs, who had an opportunity to have a place in Imperial Senate and State Duma. First free elections of Duma since 1914 began, and the results were quite interesting. They didn't change the cabinet much, because all ministers according to the Constitution were appointed directly by the Emperor (except the Prime Minister, who was a leader of majority party), while Parliament's duty was to create laws and vote for it. This regime suited Russia well, because it legalized all banned parties except Bolsheviks and made the elections free, while the Tsar had enough power to rule.

IMPERIAL ELECTIONS OF 1918

Political parties of the Russian Empire at 1918 elections:

Union of the Russian people (SRN) - National-Socialists & Fascists coalition
Conservative Monarchists (KM) - Paternal Autocrats
Octobrists (SO) - Social Conservatives
Constitutional Democrats (KD) - Market Liberals
Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) - Social-Liberals
Social-Democratic Party (SD) - Social-Democrats
Socialist-Revolutionary Party (SR) - Left-Wing Radicals
Mensheviks (MN) - Socialists

Imperial Senate

Imperial Senate (Upper House) was responsible for co-operation with different ministers and the Tsar himself. Members of the Senate were elected from their home provinces directly. For example, if Conservative-Monarchist party won the majority on elections in Warsaw governorate, it would send their man to Senate. Senate consisted of 16 seats (from Moscow governorate, St. Petersburg governorate, Tsardom of Poland - Warsaw and Krakow governorates, Grand Duchy of Finland, Constantinople governorate, Lwow governorate, Bessarabia governorate, Kiev governorate, Minsk governorate, Caucasus governorate Nizhny Novgorod governorate, Orenburg governorate, Omsk governorate, Irkutsk governorate and Vladivostok governorate) and each party or coalition had to own 9 or more seats for the majority. The head of Imperial Senate was elected by the Senate and had direct contact with the Emperor.

Results of the elections:

Ruling Octobrist party won the elections and took 8 seats and chairman positions. More conservative KM party won the majority in Kiev, Minsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladivostok and Constantinople (5 seats), which helped to create a strong conservative coalition. Opposition parties like Kadets (KD) won elections in St. Petersburg and Grand Duchy of Finland taking two seats, while the most "radical" party of this list - Liberal Democrats - won the elections in Krakow governorate.

Octobrists - 8/16
Conservative Monarchists - 5/16
Constitutional Democrats - 2/16
Liberal-Democratic Party - 1/16

State Duma

State Duma (Lower House) was responsible for creating, discussing and accepting Imperial laws. It was elected by all the population, and the winning party appointed their leader as Prime minister. In 1918 right conservative and reactionary parties were the strongest ones, because they gained popularity after the war successes and were considered to be right guys to restore the country economy and infrastructure after the war. So, Octobrist party together with Ivan Goremykin as prime ministerial candidate had the biggest chances to win. Imperial State Duma consisted of 600 seats with 301 seat needed for majority.

Results of the elections:

Ruling party (Octobrists) won the elections, taking 290 places. Making coalition with Conservative Monarchists, Goremykin's party owned 59,9% of the Parliament.

Octobrists - 290 (48.3%)
Constitutional Democrats - 116 (19.3%)
Conservative Monarchists - 70 (11.6%)
Liberal-Democratic Party - 64 (10.6%)
Social-Democratic Party - 22 (3.6%)
Union of the Russian people - 20 (3.3%)
Socialist-Revolutionary Party - 13 (2.1%)
Mensheviks - 5 (0.2%)

Ivan Goremykin continued his prime minister career for five more years

To be continued
Waiting for your comments
Next update: December, 17

[Falconette]

Nice to se a continuation, but now, let's raise the stakes.

I want to see Russia(under the glorious reign of Anastasia I) go for world hegemony

Thanks for the first comment Well, that's similar to my plans, but by Russian Imperial Laws a woman can attend to the throne only when no male princes and grand dukes are alive. I'll let crown prince Alexis survive his illness in this version of history, so after the death of Nickie he would be Tsar Alexis II

[Kaiser_Mobius]

OUTSTANDING!

I wish you all the best of luck in part 2 of your campaign as the Russian Empire. You have made a very nice setup and I look forward to seeing more.

Great work.

[Soulstrider]

Brilliant update, it was probably really an hard for Nicholas to even consider making an constitution.
What are your plans? Join the Axis, the Allies or make your own side?

[Falconette]

Brilliant update, it was probably really an hard for Nicholas to even consider making an constitution.
What are your plans? Join the Axis, the Allies or make your own side?

I'll ask my readers about that when 1936 arrives

[hoi2geek]

Make your own side, and go against all nations (even neutrals), so that the world is one Russian planet.

[Razgriz 2K9]

The Russian Empire survived World War I. I think you broke history Falconette...or did you save it? In any case, I'm very interested to see the future of the Empire

[Timmie0307]

With this new system, I think that in the 1920s Russia will boom like the USA and if you insist on a Depression, either Russia will stay with democracy or autocracy again...if democracy is strong enough it will hopefully not elect parties like fascists/communists take over (because of large votes...). Above all the Tsar will remain now that he has done so much good to Russia.

Interesting developments...will a clash with the japanese happen again? What will Russia's policy with Germany/Entente be Can't wait for the updates!

Tim

[Nikolai]

Best of luck with this second part!

[hygge0302]

This will be most intriguing.

[son of liberty]

Your last aar was excellent. I look forward to a repeat this time.

[Ivir Baggins]

To be honest, I want you to force the SRN into power and form a fascist dictatorship. Alternatively, get KMs in charge and go full autocracy.

[Dofon]

Very interesting! Loved the last thread.
Hmmm, I would think the Black Hundreds would make a better PA party. For NS.... err... The Ushi Party? (Damn you Empire Earth!)
Also, Russia is definitely strong enough on its own to play the Axis and Allies against one another for its own gain. Another victorious march into Berlin? Maybe even another glorious march into Paris? ;D
Afterwards, conquer the world and become Tsar of the Earth Empire! Just watch out for those meddling LFW this time.

[Deus Eversor]

URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111 1111111111111111111111111111



i knew it iwll be continued, i just didnt know so fast

[Milites]

Urrah!

It will be very interesting to see how the world post the Weltkrieg will proceed. Nazis or Communists in Berlin? France taking on the popular front? Spain descending into chaos? Whatever happens, I hope holy Russia holds true to her new constitution.

[SovietAmerika]

Hurray for Octobrist victory! Let our new democracy save the old ways.

*will be watching closely*

[Sakura_F]

Long live the Tsar!

[Avindian]

So glad to see you continuing this! I love the work you did outlining the election results; very good stuff!