Ugh, time to consolidate. And eventually, kick the Irish for their realpolitik. After the Germans, of course. Business before pleasure
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
I think Ireland's neutrality suits Australia better... I think it would be very difficult for Australia to defend the whole island other than just Ulster.
Hopefully the Irish will see some sense and let the Aussies into their pubs.
Hopefully the Irish will see some sense and let the Aussies into their pubs.
I am a terrible HOI player so really don't know anything about the mechanics, I generally have trouble keeping up when people use things like CV and CL, etc.
So I will take it on everyone's good authority that your boats are not looking pretty right now. I know those big looking ships on the right don't look like they will mix well with your carrier. Do you actually have the speed to escape though?
So I will take it on everyone's good authority that your boats are not looking pretty right now. I know those big looking ships on the right don't look like they will mix well with your carrier. Do you actually have the speed to escape though?
there is very little that can catch a Carrier when it is pulling out of a fight, but if the air wings onboard are banged up, the carrier becomes just a huge floating bath tub. weather also tends to severely affect a carrier's performance in battle. (talking in general terms here, not this fight in particular)
US Occupation is more or less standard after the Fall of Denmark, its an event that I might have failed to take a screenshot of and posted, not sure. In any case, Iceland is US held territory and definitely incapable of hosting the Australian Navy.
Luck is definitely needed. The RAN is just about on the verge of destruction!
And a fairly old CV at that - haven't played HOI in ages, so I don't know what the speed is of HMAS Vanguard, but its historical counterparts weren't exactly speedy. And if the heavy cruiser is in firing range of the battle wagons (and, as I just realized, everything else in the German fleet with guns), I can't help but fear that Vanguard might be in for a pummeling next.
Tense stuff with the crumbling of Britain and the overcrowded beachhead in Ulster, as well as the resurgent Japanese. Hope you can evacuate everyone and start kicking the Japanese around for real soon.
It's a very old CV indeed, if I had the spare tech/IC I would have picked up a CVL first for practicals. HMAS Vanguard is not a swift or speedy ship, but there's two saving graces here: Schleswig-Holstein and Schlesien are just as old a design and even slower, meaning the pocket battleships are held up by their capital ships if they want to stay in formation. The other thing working in my favour is that the German Navy doesn't actually have great doctrines as of yet. Still, there's a lot of German ships there and only a handful of Australian ships to meet them.
Times like this I'm quite glad that Germany hasn't finished the Bismarck or Kirpitz yet (although I've checked and they're building them...as well as the terror of the seas Graf Zeppelin.) Vanguard has a shot at making it out, but it's a slim one...and is more likely to revolve around retreating safely.
If only the Germans were so easy to topple!
I could manage it, if only because the number of ports in this HOI map are pretty low compared to Ireland's historical port count. The AI tends to be very hesitant to attack non-port provinces which gives me a lot of flexibility. The real problem is that in order to hold Ireland, it would take up a large quantity of my manpower and get me nowhere in terms of beating the Axis...I think Iceland is more important to keep as a base long-term.
Carriers are faster than Battleships, but there's a problem here in that my air wings are drained from long months of war and the Germans have started right on top of me, positioning-wise. Weather is going to make my carrier's ability to damage the other ships and thus drive them off very weak. On the bright side, the weather IS a two-edged sword for the Germans - their own ships are ancient and have a difficult enough time sinking modern Australian vessels in good weather. This battle, ultimately, is going to be pure gambling as to who lives and who dies, but I'm definitely playing against the House here.
On April 17th, the Republic of Ireland finally gave a definite answer to the Allies' plea for permission to occupy and defend Irish ports: No. The refusal to aid their own neighbours and brothers was seen as highly controversial by many Irishmen, who accused the government of lacking moral fibre or backbone. Without any way of securing their flanks, the Australians were forced to continue patrolling the choppy waters of Britain in search of German ships and to send men to the safety of Canada as quickly as possible.
The Irish! How very irritating...how many Australians will pay with their lives for this blaspheme! Nice update though!
How did you get those expeditionary forces? Did you do a save-switch-reload to make the UK give you those troops and fleets?
Plenty of sailors, but with any luck the Army might get away without too much pain...thanks, though!
I have two computers so I used both to make it quicker, but yes, I did. I felt it was completely ludicrous that the entire Allied Army bar my forces would stay and allow themselves to be completely destroyed without a retreat, so I took the liberty of making them expeditionary forces and retreating them to Ireland.
neat trick. nice to know if one ever wants to have an Afrika-Korps. provided Italy has any transports left by that time, that is.
Seeing as most of the UK is now occupied, and the Duke of Windsor is back under Germany.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih5GGKQUd6E
This is a ripping documentary that seems rather topical and thought it might help you story wise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih5GGKQUd6E
This is a ripping documentary that seems rather topical and thought it might help you story wise.
Great AAR. Maybe Germany will force USSR to bitter peace in the end of 1941 or start of 1942 if they win in britain? ;D
I'd think if you're playing Italy and it's not against a Human Britain, you're not likely to have transport problems. xD It is a good trick to get an Afrika Korps though, indeed.
Seems very interesting, I'll definitely have a look.
Perhaps, but it's hard to say. If Germany can't deliver a serious knockout blow to the USSR in the opening year or two of the war, they could easily become bogged down under the USSR's tremendous military production capacity.
This AAR just continues to impress! Things are getting very dicey, which only makes for a better read, especially when the quality of presentation is so high. Can't wait to see where this goes.
One quick question. Any chance we will get to see the state of domestic affairs (production plans, current resources etc.) and the state of other commonwealth nations once the current crisis in Ireland is dealt with? I'm dying to get a idea of how many UK units are in India & North Africa, not to mention what South Africa and Canada have been up to (though I understand from comments above that Canada has done little).
Many thanks to the author!
One quick question. Any chance we will get to see the state of domestic affairs (production plans, current resources etc.) and the state of other commonwealth nations once the current crisis in Ireland is dealt with? I'm dying to get a idea of how many UK units are in India & North Africa, not to mention what South Africa and Canada have been up to (though I understand from comments above that Canada has done little).
Many thanks to the author!
Thanks for the compliments and you're welcome.
You will definitely be seeing the domestic and Allied states of affairs in coming updates. Action is going to be very slow for a few months due to a grinding jungle war in Britain and no way of fighting the Germans in Europe meaningfully. Africa is currently secure. This is the time for the Dominions (especially Australia) to lick their wounds and prepare for round 2, so there's plenty of time for me to go into detail with stuff.
-----
I was fully intending to update over my holiday, but that became unfeasible due to graphics drivers problems on my laptop. Maps turned into garbled messes that were barely legible. Thankfully, I'm back now and fully capable of updating, so I'll try to get to that soon!
Beyond your great writing, interesting story and fun games I think the best thing is that you are so good with keeping the updates rolling. Far too many AAR writers start and never finish; keep up the good work Saithis, I'm looking forward to the next bit.
Ah, 's good to hear that an update is in the works (however tentatively ). Quick question: the 'grinding jungle war in Britain' - did you mean Burma, by any chance?
). Quick question: the 'grinding jungle war in Britain' - did you mean Burma, by any chance?
Forgive me if you answered this already, but was it possibly in the cards to try another defense on the Glasgow-Edinburgh line? The Urban terrain plus the snippet of river might have given you a decent edge for a while.
Loving It
Really....
just envy, is just what i have....
I'm loving it....
makes me want to start a new game, and write...
(i know that i can't play and write and .... do the same as you.... that's why... ENVY)
Nice AAR
and starting to love HPP
now i have the doubt... play with what country, with what mod....
Congratulations. It's very, very good, with the right balance of fantasy, Role Playing and the game.
Really....
just envy, is just what i have....
I'm loving it....
makes me want to start a new game, and write...
(i know that i can't play and write and .... do the same as you.... that's why... ENVY)
Nice AAR
and starting to love HPP
now i have the doubt... play with what country, with what mod....
Congratulations. It's very, very good, with the right balance of fantasy, Role Playing and the game.
Never liked playing hearts of iron before (despite owning al of them). But I've been trying it out a little more lately thanks in part to this (and other) great AAR's. Definitely appreciating what you are doing with a medium power, very exciting and giving some guidance to some of my test games.