• 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.

OAM

GDI Commander
68 Badges
May 17, 2006
2.847
0
  • Crusader Kings II: Reapers Due
  • Victoria 2: Heart of Darkness
  • Warlock: Master of the Arcane
  • 500k Club
  • Cities: Skylines
  • Mount & Blade: Warband
  • Crusader Kings II: Way of Life
  • Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense
  • Cities: Skylines - After Dark
  • Knights of Pen and Paper 2
  • Crusader Kings II: Conclave
  • Cities: Skylines - Snowfall
  • Stellaris
  • Victoria 2: A House Divided
  • Tyranny: Archon Edition
  • Stellaris: Digital Anniversary Edition
  • Stellaris: Leviathans Story Pack
  • Crusader Kings II: Monks and Mystics
  • Stellaris - Path to Destruction bundle
  • BATTLETECH
  • Surviving Mars
  • Stellaris: Synthetic Dawn
  • Crusader Kings II: Jade Dragon
  • Stellaris: Humanoids Species Pack
  • Stellaris: Apocalypse
  • Crusader Kings III
  • Europa Universalis IV: Conquest of Paradise
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Crusader Kings II: Charlemagne
  • Crusader Kings II: Legacy of Rome
  • Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods
  • Crusader Kings II: Rajas of India
  • Crusader Kings II: The Republic
  • Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham
  • Crusader Kings II: Sword of Islam
  • Darkest Hour
  • Europa Universalis III
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Europa Universalis IV: Art of War
  • Ancient Space
  • Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations
  • Europa Universalis IV: Call to arms event
  • For the Motherland
  • Hearts of Iron III
  • Hearts of Iron III: Their Finest Hour
  • Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition
  • Leviathan: Warships
  • Europa Universalis IV: Res Publica
  • Victoria: Revolutions
  • Semper Fi
Author's forward: Hello forum goers, it's been ages since I've done an AAR, but I've been having the most epic game I've had in years. I've done quite a few AARs, but by midgame always seemed to get bogged down and lose interest, in no small part because a game of this nature (through no fault of its own), requires a pretty hefty computer to run quickly. I'm happy to say, I now have a pretty hefty computer, and even in the mid 1940s the game is still running lightning fast. Furthermore, while I started playing this game without the intent to make it into an AAR, I find myself in a situation rather worthy of sharing, and I'm sure many of you can appreciate it. I will say now, too, because of the odds stacked against me, I'm going to be boosting nuclear production a tad. Without further delay, I present to you The Dawn, a story pitting the Union of Britain against nearly the entire world.

---------------

The Dawn - A Nuclear Armed Union of Britain Comes Back from its Darkest Hour

FE9553E928C04170B42A8B36E3BEC13C0058A1C1

Hello diary,

I feel the need to introduce myself here, for your purpose is quite important. I have recently come to understand the weight my actions will carry, how the world will soon be changed, and how the people deserve to hear the real story, censorship be damned! Though the Union preserves our freedoms, unlike the extremists in the former Commune, Turkey, or elsewhere, there is still a great deal of wartime censorship, perhaps rightfully so, but I still cannot bear to leave this story untold. I will ensure this notebook is kept safe, for future generations to find even if I am unable to deliver it personally. I am Nathaniel Mills, political liaison between Comrade Horner's government and the researchers of Project Dawn. At one time I aspired to become a scientist, of the same field as those I am now surrounded by, but my father convinced me to take a position in London a few years ago. It seems my studies have brought me full circle, though, as while I'm not nearly as qualified on nuclear physics as the staff here, they're quite friendly and say I'm good for bouncing ideas off of, for a fresh perspective. I suppose we all must find joy where we can in these trying times.

I write you in late September, 1942. The situation is bleak, but the 'honour' of being the darkest hour would have most certainly been awarded to some time in late January, 1941, when France fell, or sometime earlier this summer, when the Russian bear decided to senselessly throw its lot in with the new Kaiser the same week Italy fell, even though now would have been the perfect time for them to strike from behind. Things are looking up, even if Project Dawn remains our only hope. We actually held Ottawa for a time last week, but pulled back to conserve troops in a better defensive location. Likely not propaganda, either, as we know the Canadians are broken. Our troops marching up from Western New York are almost unopposed. We don't deal with strategy here, but we still get a bit more down the grapevine than the general population.

North America - Frontline Late September, 1942
05BB4ADEC0365787D13524882BFFFF4E2FC2C641

Not everything we hear is good, though. Word is the Republican Navy is down to three operation carriers, though the one taken out of service this week is more or less intact, just in need of an overall, as compared to the others which might be better off scrapped than repaired. Canada's navy is resting gently in the North Atlantic, of course, but Germany has endless hordes of decades outdated battleships. Not a direct threat, but we can't guard all our shipping at once. We thought we'd hit all their carriers, but recently they have appeared to launched a "new" one. New in that it is most definitely freshly launched, but it is still vastly inferior to our carrier technology. With the fall of France, though, it's almost moot. Our land defenses are strong enough to make any bomber wary, but conversely Mittleeuropa is consistently able to ground our own interceptors. Britain can fight on, but once again, our shipping is ever vulnerable.

Europe - Late September, 1942
A5AC400B002BC8433527DFF54519834347FF89CC

Our projections put the first weapon as ready sometime in late 1944. We can hold out until then, I am sure, and have the Entente brought into line in America by then, but we will still have a violent road ahead...
 
So... I was also going to say I'm going to pump out Chapter 0 real fast describing how we got to where we are now, planned for tonight, but after an hour's work and 1300 words, I'm only 1/3 done, so.... gonna take a bit longer, sorry :eek:o

It might actually be Monday before I get it done, because of other obligations, but until then I'm happy to answer any individual questions.
 
So judging by the Kingdom of France, I'm guessing this is post-WK2 and Germany won?
 
So judging by the Kingdom of France, I'm guessing this is post-WK2 and Germany won?

The war with Germany is still very much raging. To make matters worse, Russia joined the alliance about 6ish months ago, and is about 3/4 as strong as Germany. The only major powers I'm *not* at war with are the US and Japan. Even then, the US is on my long term invasion list because I invested heavily in the CSA but they lost.
 
Last edited:
Cool, good luck!
 
Chapter 0: How Did We Get Here?

I suppose, in case it comes to pass that our government sees fit to censor some of the general history of this war, I should reiterate some basic information here. I am no historian, but fortunately I believe the events caused by that fateful assassination in 1914 are so well known that they could not ever be hidden, even with determined effort. Events before, while interesting, do not necessarily have much bearing on our present situation. I will begin around the year 1936, as that is when I best recall events starting to be set in motion. Of course at the time no one would have noticed. It was the era of great spectacle. We had our Congress, France theirs, the International met, world sporting events took the public imagination by storm, and all seemed well. Perhaps not good, as war exhaustion was still high, and many other parts of the world were suffering from the Berlin Stock Market Crisis of that year, but history, even from my inexperienced point of view, is clearly something that requires a degree of hindsight to understand.

Just sitting here I am a bit overwhelmed thinking about it all... after much thought, I have decided to only quickly bring us up to speed on a continent by content basis. There is simply too much to tell otherwise. I ask anyone reading this to forgive me for glossing over anything important, but I cannot be seen taking too keen an interest, lest I am suspected of harboring this very set of documents. I must thus rely on my humanly imperfect memory, and up until recently the grand course of history was not something I had given much thought to anyway...

The Americas​

320px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png


gH6il8f.png

I shall first discuss North America, with a focus upon the American States. Whatever twisted tale is eventually told of Canada, I likely would not have much to add, though I would likely repeat it with less flourish. I will likely discuss them in greater detail, anyway, as the Canadian Front advances in the next few weeks. The situation in the United States is much less black and white, and something of a hot topic around the office.

The real trouble for the United States began in 1936, though their economy had been flagging long before. As the year was wrapping up, a highly contested four way election saw the Presidency taken by Democrat John Nance Garner. I'm not well versed in how their electoral system worked. It was once explained to me, but the rules sounded downright arcane. From what I've gathered, though, the required majority was not obtained, somehow, and it was left to their Congress to decide. As someone familiar with parliamentary systems of government, this should seem the norm in my mind, but apparently it's quite a deviation in their system, one that could not be digested. Civil war soon followed, with Northern industrial states breaking off to form a union in similar model to our own, the Combined Syndicalists of America, led by pseudo-legendary figure Jack Reed. His government had our full support, and received more than had been promised in support had he won the election and brought the United States into the International. I don't think our leaders or the French expected events to unfold as they did, but the high spirits of the time did little to discourage risk taking.

Unfortunately, the Civil War appeared to take the darkest turn right from the start, by any measure. Southern states also broke with the Union, following some twisted version of that National Populist fad. Outlying territories declared independence first, or were taken into "protective custody" by Canadian meddlers. The canal, Guantanamo Bay, and Alaska were returned after the war, the last being somewhat ironic as the United States at present, such as it is, no longer has access to the Pacific aside from transit through Panama. The big shock was when California, Oregon, and Washington left the union too. Apparently this was the region that was most economically prosperous, and if that translated to military success it was certainly true. They secured a nice peace treaty after only six or so weeks, gaining a buffer zone out to the continental divide, more or less. I saw an official report, and it's estimated they lost only about one thousand during the operation. At present, the United States still does not recognize them, though appears to be to weary to do anything about it. This number is much harder to estimate, but considering the former Union State and CSA are reintegrated, combat deaths in the second American Civil War are said to exceed three million.

The opening battle of the war was a major defeat for CSA forces, and probably was the turning point from the very start. The Battle of New York saw Federal forces repel Syndicalists all the way back into Ohio. On the battle's heels, Canada seizes New England and creates a separate puppet government to ensure stability and that the CSA would not have access to a secondary stronghold. The citizenry was surprisingly receptive of this, and after the conclusion of hostilities elected to remain independent, which of course leads us to our present situation. The United government was too weary to protest this move either.

As for the actual fighting, despite initial setbacks by both revolting factions, for a time things very much seemed in the balance. The Federal government never truly lost it's hold on the area from New York City to North Carolina, but the rest of the country seemed lost. Once the fighting got going, though, a surge of refugees flooded Federal ranks. It turns out people in the core regions for each revolt, though sympathetic to the causes, blamed each for the destruction of their homes more than they held any particular loyalty. The tide slowly turned, and the CSA in the North and Union State in the South decided on a temporary cease fire to deal with resurgent opposition from President Garner. Unfortunately for them, this destroyed what ideological credibility they had left, spurring even more desertions. The path was still long and tortuous. In '38 both revolts had been pushes out of their core regions, but the Union State lingered into '39, even retaking Georgia at one point and performing a last ditch "March to Washington" campaign that came within miles of taking the city, thanks to disorganized militia performing rear guard actions as if they were asleep at the wheel. This diversion allowed the CSA to retake Chicago and Detriot, but by Februrary 1940 they too were crushed, the last remnants hiding in some forest in Minnesota days after the last of the Union State's leadership was defeated at a small, captured army base near Roswell New Mexico in an now infamous last stand.

I feel as if I have written a whole book on the subject, diary, but the Civil War was truly the biggest event in the West since 1898, if not the 1860s. Another irony, but apparently the Republican Party, which looked utterly crushed in 1936, won a stunning landslide in the election of 1940, a mere whisper of fanfare compared to elections past. The new President Knox promised to head a new constitutional convention, while doing his best to repair the nation, while the party of Garner seems to take all the blame for destabilizing the nation in the first place and destined to fade into obscurity.

Little else of note has occurred in the Western Hemisphere. Mexico is of course our good ally, and Centro-America is a pseudo ally, to a degree. Bolivia is in line, too, if it were not for how isolated their position is. Thankfully, La Plata and Brazil seem intent on continuing their hostilities rather than intervening, and Chile would rather be isolationist. Though opposed to us for obvious reasons, the right at least does not appear to have have a unified agenda.

3KX59jj.png

Europe​

320px-Flag_of_the_German_Empire.svg.png


320px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png


Europe - Map of UoB/Allies and Hostile Nations
P3mGFGf.png


Of course, I need not describe Fortress Europa in great detail. Not even the strongest of propaganda could ever exagerate the odds that we must overcome. The war effort rebounded Germany's economy, so that they alone have roughly an additional 50% production on us. They are further backed by resurgent Tsarist Russia. Russia reannexed much of the Caucuses, leaving a puppet Azerbaijan in a bid to for increased oil resources or something, but appears content to honor Brest-Litovosk. I honestly have no idea what they think they stand to gain by casting their lot with Germany, though the Germans certainly have used this development to consolidate their hold on Eastern Europe.

The Commune of France lives on in spirit, and in the 70 thousand or so refugees that made it to our shores so far, but the government is dead. Personally they always seem a bit too prone to extremism for my tastes, but their conduct in this war and years past had been nothing but admirable, especially considering how their ruin is our fault. For some background, though once again I doubt the censors would ever be able to hide this fact, the War started in the first few days of 1938, over Iceland. Scandinavia in general had been harassing us for some time, and this was after the Norway Fiasco. As that's something that is already being covered up, I shall remind or inform any readers that our government abandoned the good people of Norway to the rabid Populists of Sweden, after we had not only given our word to defend the status quo, but the people of Norway elected a socialist government of their own accord! But no matter, that did not factor into the outbreak of hostilities, though I do hope once we gain the upper hand we launch a Scandinavian campaign.

Back to the point at hand, Denmark had been acting very provocatively since the stock market crash, but their aggressive economic policies came back to bit them in the end. To maintain balances, they were forced to grant Iceland independence. The people welcomed this, but their own economic house was left in shambles. The government of Iceland sought refuge with Canada, which proved to be a mistake. The Royalists forced a harsh economic program upon the people to pay for fuel for the winter, which the people rejected. We had no choice but to intervene. One thing led to another, and soon our brave marines were fighting on the streets of the capital. Only after sending troops in force were the people able to secure their true independence.

On the previous, I believe I likely am well in line with party rhetoric. What came next, though, I believe to be the result of an overly jingoistic leadership, and perhaps a very fatal mistake. Flush from victory on the shores of Iceland, war command decided our brave marines would next secure Ireland back into the Union. Months prior, Germany had guaranteed Ireland a place in Mittleeuropa, should they feel threatened. I guess many at the time thought it was a bluff. It wasn't.

The Republican Navy expansion program was not yet complete, and as a naval aficionado, I am a bit sad that I'll never get a chance to see the grand flotilla as it was envisioned. Only two of the eight new carriers were done, but our navy was still an easy match for most opposition. The sheer number of Canada on one side and Mittleeuropa on the other took it's toll, though. By 1940 the Royalists were down to mere destroyers, but in the process we'd lost three or four of the older carriers. Germany's Navy still stands to outnumber us three to one in capital ships, but cannot match us in a straight up fight. Our intelligence estimates they have upwards of THIRTY battleships, and we had been sure we had gotten all their carriers, but a fresh one launched a few weeks ago, though still less advanced than ours. We are down to three operational, with one under refit. An additional three carriers sit in drydock, but are not repairable in the immediate future thanks to constant raids by land based bombers on shipbuilding infrastructure.

clrqsoM.png
J6XsDP8.png

The land war seemed like much a repeat of decades past, at least at first. The French advanced in 1938, taking most of Flanders and Walloonia by the end of the year. The next year was a gridlock, but France still ailed from the lost generation, and could not replace losses from trench warfare. Our army expanded slowly, but every person mobilized was sent directly to the killing fields. We pushed back for a time even, but then we had to shoulder more and more of the burden. By mid 1940 many French army divisions only existed on paper, and the last week of August is when our generals gave the order to withdraw. We had to save our own formations, even if it meant running and leaving the French to their fate. If we hadn't, the landing attempts in Ireland and along the Channel probably would have done us in, but it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, as well as many others.

The new puppet Kingdom of France is a very unwilling participant, but the mere use of their airbases is enough of a threat to us to warrant attention. Their industry is about half of what it was before the war, and used piecemeal for a a variety of tasks that don't exactly lend too much support to the German war effort. All told they probably contribute more than the revitalized Austria does. They're too busy keeping Hungary and the Balkans in line, as well as sending protest after protest to the Poles, to really add much to the fight besides their own veteran air corps. Also, compared to these events, the fall of Sicily is but a footnote. The Italian Federation has not affiliated itself with Europe at large, but the newly minted Kingdom of France did stretch their arms by taking Sicily proper. What will come of this is yet to be seen, but I'm sure the exiles in North Africa are raising some eyebrows at it.

The Middle East​

320px-Ottoman_flag.svg.png


oIkG1F0.png

The Ottoman Empire is no more. That is perhaps one of the most shocking changes of the past few years, and sadly, from a historical perspective I presume, largely ignored in the face of events in Europe. The Empire that stood since the fall of Byzantium is now replaced with a repressive Totalist regime centered on a Turkish identity. At this point in time I don't think anyone can pretend to know what internal machinations are going on there. Early diplomatic fumbles left them firmly outside the Internationale, and at this point if they had joined they would likely be facing Russian invasion, which is the last thing the region needs. The nation is still quite important, however, moreso than an upstart regime might typically be. The Arab axis had success beyond their wildest dreams, but realized that while their claims were vast, their ability to assimilate the old Ottoman Empire was not. In addition, leaving Turkey with some land outside Turkey proper would keep them busy internally, and act as a useful buffer to prevent the alliance from immediately dissolving, much like what happened in the Balkan Wars. Syria and Lebanon were left untouched, and Turkey still controls a vast swath of uninhabited desert, as a direct buffer between Persia and the Arabian powers, but the Turkish government is likely not comforted at all, and would rather reverse the large gains of the Kurdish state.

Germany remains in a good position, holding the canal, but backed off on some of its other possessions in the region. Before the Arab-Ottoman War, Germany sold Crete to the Ottomans, which remains in Turkish control as a separate, puppet totalist regime. Cyprus, on the other hand, was sold back to Greece itself, creating a somewhat awkward situation, but one that has thus far not boiled over.

Elsewhere, Russian's foreign policy has mostly been directed at reestablishing control over the rebellious Caucasus Mountain region, likely for oil concerns. Their first attempt was an alliance with the Cossacks, but the latter proved too rebellious. Direct control was eventually established, saved for a mutually beneficial relationship with a puppet government in Azerbaijan. Russian influence, via annexed Armenia, is even intruding into traditional Turkish lands, causing direct threat to the totalist government there. In Central Asia, Russia has remained absent, which has allowed the Turkish people there to consolidate in a nationalistic state.

Asia​

320px-Flag_of_Japan.svg.png
320px-Flag_of_the_Qing_dynasty_%281889-1912%29.svg.png


k5mxmih.png

There is of course the complicated situation in India to talk about, but frankly, not much has changed. A three-way war might seem interesting, to those who are inclined to be interested, but the front line has really not changed much despite two years of conflict, aside from some successful probes from the democrats down South back up towards the Entente aligned holdings. It was technically a separate war, until we negotiated the alliance about a year ago. That had the unfortunate effect of drawing in Germany's Asian allies as well, but did have the benefit of providing leverage enough to negotiate a separate peace with the democrats. Let the Entente deal with a two front war, though so far they do appear to be dealing well.

For awhile it appeared as if Germany was backing off from the region. Several colonies rebelled, and were left to their own devices, including Indochina. An Indian syndicalist sponsored rebellion led by Ho Chi Minh too root there and prospered. But then Germany found an ally in the resurgent Qing. Reforms in the late 1930s brought strength to the once ailing Empire, which successfully defeated a rival claimant faction. De jure, they had always controlled Southern China as well, but de facto German corporations had had power there. Rising anti-foreigner sentiment convinced German authorities to renegotiate treaty terms with the Qing, which revitalized the Chinese even more. Within six months, as if to show off their new power, the Qing put down mad Sternberg in Mongolia, then peacefully returned the Trans-Siberian Railway to Russia, both legitimizing their power base and building critical goodwill. Indochina was thusly crushed after Asia became a major theater of the current conflict. They held out for an impressive 11 months, but the though of taking on the Qing, with their endless manpower, may be an even more daunting challenge than neutralizing Europe.

The real unknown factor left is Japan. Japan is a modern powerhouse, without any question. They had had a relatively fair and democratic government, but riots due to ethnic tensions with Koreans, economic factors, and other things led to a declaration of martial law. It is is no secret that the new, military government seeks to expand their influence, for economic security. They've made nominal trade deals with California, Hawaii, and have done major investment in the Philippines. They've also cast longing eyes at Russian Siberia. This could be the real reason for Russia's alliance with Germany. Either way, Japan remains perhaps the last possible ally of convenience for the British cause. The real question is now whether or not Japan is afraid of Germany and the Qing...

And here I will stop. Already I've spent nearly until dawn working on this, and I'm one of the few people around here who does not have a good reason for "pulling an all nighter". I should get an hour or two of sleep if I can, and bore you not any more with my layman's history.
 
Last edited:
Thanks! Also just an FYI to everyone, ingame pictures will be added to that post shortly. I've been having an issue with my upload speed for a few weeks, and I actually hadn't realized how bad it was until starting this AAR. My power went out this morning, though, and when it came back my upload speed was fixed! Looking forward to getting more pics up now.
 
Bit of an OOC update, though I hope to get an IC update in sometime this weekend. I've updated the game to make the AI of certain countries research nukes and rockets as well, so later in the game we may get some nuclear rivals. Countries that can research nukes include Germany, Russia, Japan, the US, and the PSA.
 
Chapter 1 - Britain at Home, Britain on the Move

November 1, 1942

I apologize for not writing sooner, diary. It is not for a lack of will, but merely a lack of progression. When I originally conceived this idea, history seemed to move fast. Indeed, the past few years have seen the world change dramatically. However the state of the war, such as it is, dictates that aside from daily air raids, not much fluidity is happening. Even more so because the Canadian offensive has stalled, likely for the winter at this late date. I suppose it is a small comfort we are technically across the St. Lawrence, even if we do not hold any major cities in Ontario.

Seeing as I do not wish to forget about this project, I have decided to provide a bit of insight into the "daily grind" here on the homefront. As I mentioned previously, there are air raids. Even here in Inverness, though we've only had a few minor encounters this far North. The reserve fleet base up at Scapa Flow where the Republican Navy takes its refuge seems to draw more attention, though thankfully fares well, so far. Along the channel, though, it is a daily fight in the air, one the RAF cannot hope to win. We have not given up, far from it. Our strategy is merely to change the fight, so to speak, much as us here at Project Dawn are doing for war as a whole.

Dover, London, and other cities have been fortified with the latest, greatest anti-air technology has to offer. Forgive me if I get a bit verbose here, but I still very much have my passion for technology, even if my career path has led me elsewhere. The first layer of defense are numerous anti-air sites, staffed by "professional volunteers" at this point who likely have not gotten a shift in in the factories for months. The new guns, in addition to being quite large, have "proximity fuses" which score kill after kill. I do not have complete information, nor likely accurate information, but from what I hear, on average we shoot down 10 bombers a day over Dover, killing 350 European airman a week. In exchange, roughly five or so infantrymen are lost a day, a small price to pay. Any sane commander likely would have long ago shifted their targets, at least to infrastructure, but the fact that raids have sometimes consisted of up to 3500 aircraft mean the enemy has material to spare. It is quite telling that they do not do more damage, though, and I'm told most enemy bombers just drop as soon as they can and head for home, rather than face our guns. Maybe the enemy commanders will realize this soon and pick a different target. 10/12/42 Bombers now hitting behind the first line in the London-Northeast sector, rather than Dover. One of the mid-range priorities for the factories at the moment is the production of a new, mobile anti-air vehicle, to be deployed and attached with the Home Militias, to give those in the air a little extra to think about.

Of course, the RAF isn't taking this laying down, either. The lack of challenge is in part due to the desire to building up an overwhelming force for when we return to the air. When we do so, it is hoped another wonder-project will have paid off. Another wing of the facility here appears dedicated to turbojet research, and though I don't have access to that, word from Barry, the gate guard near the canteen, is that they hope to have four fully turbojet equipped fighter squadrons by late summer next year. Turbojet research is nothing new, however, which is likely why the secret is not that closely guarded. Rumors have it that there's a third layer of defense we're working on, too, though, called "Raid-ar" or something like that. I'm sure future readers will find great humor in my lack of knowledge as to the name, but I assure them I understand the principle quite well, just merely lack understanding of our own code-names, which is probably for the best.

I shall close this entry, which is more lengthy than I had anticipated, with just an example of the continuous naval raids we also experience. A few days ago our valiant forces held off an invasion attempt at Dover, which likely would have been much more tricky had the enemy aircraft been competent at their jobs. Standard operating procedure is to have a unit of Home Militia at every location deemed suitable for a possible landing. When an attempt is made, and many are, a few divisions of reserves are sent for support. Lately it's been the refugees from France that have seen the most action, but if need be units from the various naval staging areas can be sent as well. The most important step, however, is the deadly cat and mouse game the Republican Navy plays, disrupting landings as they occur. In face of our navy, the Germans really have no chance to land, so it's likely these attempts are actually trying to draw the RN out and destroy it, but so far we've had the luck. Last time, at Dover, the Germans sent four battleships, though, so they are rather serious, if ineffective.

Addendum: 27/12/42: Just an addition, this has really picked up lately. Edinburgh has been under near constant probing attack for close to two months! The RN is stretched just trying to keep track of every attempt! I think they've won the day, for now, though.

eVCLaYr.png

Sx93fW1.png

P4irSEy.png


---------------

January 10, 1943

We've done it! Well, not us. The project is still coming along nicely, but no, I mean we have Ottawa, safe and secure! At the time it was kept a very very closely guarded secret, for obvious reasons, but while our forces by the lakes were in good condition, they simply weren't enough to push back the Royalists. The army decided to redeploy some troops from the backwoods of Quebec down there, as well as pulling the gratuitous garrison force from out supply base in New Brunswick (a fact I only know because I recognize a division name from an earlier report, most probably don't pay that much attention. Also I know the Mexican forces long ago volunteered to pull guard duty for us as our troops go and fight. How generous of them...) and with the doubling of our forces, we were able to push up through Toronto and take Ottawa in the dead of winter! The Canadians of course launched a counter attack, but were easily thrown back.

tuW1yax.png

RNURb7Z.png

8HEAXc5.png

TNH9rc2.png



There was some good strategy involved, not just brute force, but I won't go into that, for I only have minor details and am not a military man anyway. The short version is the massive force split and flanked North, so that the only route out of Ottawa for the Canadians was back towards Quebec. In the end we had to retreat tactically from that area, but held it long enough to rip up rail lines, and prevent reinforcements. Personally I'm optimistic that the Royalists will soon surrender, after a bit of mopping up in Quebec, but Barry tells me I'm too optimistic. He's placing a bet on Winnipeg needing to be taken before they give up the fight. There's rumors that the Canadians are mobilizing with emergency action now, but I still have confidence...

1GQjkcq.png
 
Subscribed
 
The US, whether it's reality or not, appears fairly exhausted, and acts as such. The 2nd ACW killed around 3 million people as a *low* estimate, and the American people threw out the Democratic Administration in a landslide in 1940. That is not to say the US would have no stake in New England, but perhaps the most important factor is, after the war, New England made a decision on it's own *not* to rejoin the union, deciding Canada was a better option than the wartorn United States. The US did not particularly protest this decision then. Now that the situation has changed I'm sure trouble is being stirred up anew, but for the moment the official line from the UoB government would be that, at the very least, New England needs to remain occupied for logistical reasons. It's not an argument the US would want to test, though if that state of affairs remains after Canada is defeated (and it will ;) ) that's when tensions will really flare. The US has a large Army (intel reports around 100 divisions), but also is focused on the PSA, who unlike New England, the US was very very unhappy to lose. While New England could be described as Montenegro to the US's Serbia, the PSA is Taiwan to the US's PRC.

Though thank you for bringing that up, you've given me an idea... heh...
 
Chapter 2 - Global Deescalation and Progress

February 1, 1943

Not quite as long a wait as last time, I'm happy to say. It is more thanks to my motivation to continue, now that my initial misgivings are gone, than any new news to report. Indeed, over the past two weeks, it's more or less what HASN'T happened than what has that is of note. I thought the change of pace might be a welcome break from the monotony of air raid reports.

The news centers on South America. Chile now appears to be paying for its isolationism. Our Bolivian pseudo-allies made demands based on their claims from about a century ago, and it appears Chile was more than willing to bend. I can't fathom why, as while I mean no slight against what's left of the Internatonale, but an expedition to South America hardly seems in the cards at this point in time. The only thing I can grasp at is perhaps Chile wishes to avoid somehow getting entangled in the Brazil-La Plata War, even though their likely ally, La Plata, is winning quite handily.

iUtgvQB.png


Or not, I must remind myself... I forgot for a second that a few days later La Plata experienced quite a destabilizing turn of events, including a coup. While I wouldn't say for sure this is the cause, the timing coincided with a small scale withdrawal from Brazil, in order to quell riots. I would say more, but I am unfortunately not well versed on South American politics.

RUfwpKr.png


Overall, I would say this shows a marked trend of LESS war, which I will also admit is quite the odd thing to say considering how much war we already have. That is precisely the point, though. After years of war upon war piling up to become this grand conflagration, some world leaders are finally saying, firmly, "no".

Adding to this trend, following the election of a new Congress in mid term elections, President Knox of the United States as pressed, time after time, for a solid answer on the "Californian Question." There is still no formal repudiation of the US claim, but Knox dodged each and every time, stressing the need for peace, unity, and cooperation in rebuilding a shattered nation. The Question is likely still open, and for all I know the speeches were just cover as the Americans watch the Canadian situation with intent, but I have a feeling the Civil War was just too devastating, and the people too weary.

FaxKmyq.png


---------------

March 1, 1943

Well, after a month, I believe the record deserves a war update. Progress has been made, notable progress really, just not in a very tense fashion. We've rolled up the line in Canada, taking Montreal and Quebec City, at the price of about 8 thousand casualties to their thirty plus thousand. The Canadian army is well and truly broken, though clearing out upper Quebec will likely be a frozen hell, or at least a muddy hell the equal of the Russian climate, given that it is at least starting to get a bit warmer now. It is impressive our troops were able to continue the advance through the constant snow of this winter, but I suppose it's also a testament to the flagging will to fight of their opposite numbers. Once again, I am no general, but I imagine we'll try and keep the bulk of them bottled up up North, while pushing our fast troops across the plains, in an attempt to show them just how futile further resistence is. We've won, we know it, they know it, all that should be left is the paperwork...

XaRUqbn.png

Y7x6Zk1.png


And in other news, the naval enthusiast in me leaps for joy. Though originally from two or more separate formations, our six remaining carriers have been united into an action group ready to take the fight back to the high seas! They launched in early February and have already reported several victories against the Russian fleet, which they hadn't had the chance to batter yet, due to ongoing repairs. I believe last week alone they accounted for three more battleship kills, and about 10 other vessels on top of that. I don't get my information from the standard channels, so I'm mostly confident in the accuracy of the reports.

uDFsFpA.png


I suppose high command is already speculating on our next move. I know a few of us around here are, despite it being ill advised. Nothing wrong with a small bet with the guards here and there, when they release the news of the next front. The doubled carrier force gives us a lot of options. Personally I'm thinking we'll ramp up easy, maybe go for the Caribbean Federation first, though Louis, the cook, says that wouldn't count and should be considered the same as the Canadian Front. I think he's still bitter that he lost the bet on Berumda back in 41, before the resounding success of the Nova Scotia, then the New Brunswick invasions were announced, but that's before my time on the project, let alone my time engaging in such discussion.

I hope to write again soon, though I warn it warn it may be awhile if it takes a long time to launch a new front. Assisting in India would take some time and doing, too. The possibilities are nearly endless...
 
Well guys... as you may or may not have noticed, that event with the US was to address that concern, I added it in myself. Little did I know less than an in-game week later (despite that being in the Feb 1 update, it occurred on March 1), did I know the US was going to get up to more shenanigans on their own... we appear to be in for a rough ride... *whistles innocently*
 
Chapter 3 - The St. Lawrence Salient

March 20, 1943

My previous optimism has proven to be unfounded. Less than a week after I last wrote, American President Knox sent an ultimatum to London, demanding not only an immediate withdrawal from New England, but an end to the war in Canada entirely. This, of course, was completely unacceptable! It is understandable they would be concerned, but President Knox has demonstrated a breach of proper diplomatic conduct so grave even the average citizen can see how disrespectful the demand was. Our government of course declined, so as of March 6 (March 5 local time in the Americas), the United States has declared war upon the Internationale.

yQxfoXp.png

pGsV9a4.png


Our Mexican allies stand ready along their shared border with the United States, but they only have 50 divisions or so as compared to the estimated 100 of the United States. We have roughly 31 divisions overseas, and we've dispatched near everyone that can be spared here for an additional 12. The Canadians have around 20, but only a few are capable at any given time. These numbers are of course subject to some leeway, as wartime measures prevent very detailed information from finding its way to me. I've patched together a good variety of sources in an attempt to be as accurate as possible.

Due to the lack of combat formations in North America, the occupation demarcation with the United States had been left largely unchecked too. In hindsight, this is perhaps not the best choice we made, for a few reasons. Of course it means that the Americans are allowed to advance unopposed, but it also could have been a contributing factor in the American decision. If they saw our forces as weak, or in an unfavourable position, it might have been a cue they were looking for. As it is, we have been resisting with bombers as best we can. If there is any bright side, it is that it appears as if the US Army was caught somewhat unprepared for the sudden outbreak of conflict again. The Mexican border is swarming with troops, but at the start of the conflict only one lone division of Southern National Guard was along the primary front, with a few others making their way over from Lake Erie. It leaves room for some hope that the numbers the intelligence service are reporting consist of a lot of low quality troops.

z6yU3eE.png


The propaganda is confident, as always of course, but the military officials around the base do seem genuinely confident we can form a cohesive front AND continue to push the Canadians back, if we get reinforcements to New England soon. That may be a big if, however. The Republican Navy has defeated every enemy that has come its way, but has not done so without loss. Up until now, the USN had been largely ignored. It appears as if it has survived the American Civil War in better shape than we might have first imagined. The convoy to Halifax is under constant harassment, and the word I received is that they engaged in a major carrier battle in the mid-Atlantic, a world history first! It was four USN carriers vs our six. The result was inconclusive, despite our better numbers and technology, and apparently one of ours was even so damaged that it will be put back into overhaul upon return to Britain. For now it will continue on, lest it be caught alone, and we can only hope the reinforcements make it...

Gyh4tml.png


---------------

March 22, 1943

A small addition to the report a few days ago is needed. Under the pretense that the Internationale has some serious leadership issues since the Fall of France and Italy, our leadership is working on a reorganization of the alliance. As part of the plan, a hand was extended to both Centroamerica and Bolivia. The former accepted, but not the latter, unfortunately. It seems as if the South Americas may indeed be looking towards cautious isolationism. Still, Centroamerica's entry to the Internationale will boost morale, and help slightly with the situation in the American war.

hCpEoz4.png


Also, thanks to one of the naval attaches, I've learned in the last bout at sea we managed to get some good licks in on the Americans finally, and perhaps even cleared the way. Two old, but famous battleships are down, the Constitution and Constellation, as well as three of their more modern battleships and a light carrier, at least, and not counting escorts.

----------

April 14, 1943

Just another small update for you diary. After the initial shock, while events progress, there hasn't been much explosive action, as before, though I expect there soon will be. Sometimes documenting these periods is just as important, though. The mood is not that of the daily grind, as with the bombing along the Channel, nor is it that of boredom with the lack of action (as bad as that sounds related to war in general), but that of tense anticipation. The stage is almost set in Upper New England, along a very convoluted front line, but we've managed to get forces in place. The Mexicans have unfortunately evacuated their small, one division strong contribution from the North to provide additional assistance in the South, where the battle wages non-stop across the Rio Grande. In exchange, we've brought the garrison force from Newfoundland, which was bloated with numbers in a false early assumption there would be a more violent response to our initial landings. The snow is melting, but the rivers will likely run red and not clear...

blYq15A.png

voB5hpd.png
 
It's certainly looking interesting and that the Peoples Union has got a big challenge in taking down the US. If you manage it a unified CSA will be an incredibly powerfull ally, that can help lead the way towards a liberated Europe. Keep it up.