If it came to it you could bleed them dry on the Highlands along a Fort William, Fort Augustus, Inverness line. In winter with those mountains and a Loch in the way, the Germans would be bu*gered.
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Arrrgghhh Edward. Nay I say! Fight Edward on the airwaves!
This does look dire, by the by. There is no front as such and the British, the British seem to be totally unsure about what to do. Alas.
This does look dire, by the by. There is no front as such and the British, the British seem to be totally unsure about what to do. Alas.
Well, I guess this was pretty much written on the wall when the Brits failed to bring their troops back from France ( or even to organize a bastion in Bretagne as apparently they tried out ) and when the Germans launched their Sealion. The Brits simply didn't had enough boots in the ground to stop the Germans and only the German mindless focus in London ( that actually would fit well in RL Germany leadership of the time 
) actually made it look that they could be stopped before some serious damages being made to GB ( btw, how is the Nat Unity of them? I assume that is low, given your Edwardian sideshow )
I guess that what is in order now is a controlled retreat to the Highlands and then decide what you want to do, between trying to hold GB no matter what and making a temporary retreat of Europe to focus on the Far East ( that is actually looking good enough, in spite of the messy mess that will be dealing with the Japanese puppets as soon as you get more to the north ) . Both options can be justified both gamewise and writing wise ( the first would be a ode to those brave Aussies that held the german tide against all odds , in spite of losing so much soldiers that would make Gallipoli look a small bleeding and the second would be a typical return of the hero scene ). To be honest , I would prefer the retreat, simply because those men that would die in the Highlands would probably do more good to the cause rounding up some japanese ....
) actually made it look that they could be stopped before some serious damages being made to GB ( btw, how is the Nat Unity of them? I assume that is low, given your Edwardian sideshow )I guess that what is in order now is a controlled retreat to the Highlands and then decide what you want to do, between trying to hold GB no matter what and making a temporary retreat of Europe to focus on the Far East ( that is actually looking good enough, in spite of the messy mess that will be dealing with the Japanese puppets as soon as you get more to the north ) . Both options can be justified both gamewise and writing wise ( the first would be a ode to those brave Aussies that held the german tide against all odds , in spite of losing so much soldiers that would make Gallipoli look a small bleeding and the second would be a typical return of the hero scene
). To be honest , I would prefer the retreat, simply because those men that would die in the Highlands would probably do more good to the cause rounding up some japanese ....
It's an option although I'm not sure if it'll work. The map doesn't model the Lochs and the edges of the Highlands are only Hills, not mountains.
We shall fight him on the beaches. We shall fight him in London. We shall fight him in Yorkshire. We shall fight him in the Highlands. We shall fight him from Australia. We will fight.
Oh bugger, he's setting up the puppet government. Ah well. Puppet is a stretch but if Edward gets put in charge it'll definitely be a pro-German government in a distinctly anti-government country. The British Empire will crumble for good if that happens, it's only a question of who gets what pieces.
The "front" is pretty terrible, yes, and the AI rather than retreat to a narrower front is just fighting on the spot. Shortsighted.
Well, I guess this was pretty much written on the wall when the Brits failed to bring their troops back from France ( or even to organize a bastion in Bretagne as apparently they tried out ) and when the Germans launched their Sealion. The Brits simply didn't had enough boots in the ground to stop the Germans and only the German mindless focus in London ( that actually would fit well in RL Germany leadership of the time
I guess that what is in order now is a controlled retreat to the Highlands and then decide what you want to do, between trying to hold GB no matter what and making a temporary retreat of Europe to focus on the Far East ( that is actually looking good enough, in spite of the messy mess that will be dealing with the Japanese puppets as soon as you get more to the north ) . Both options can be justified both gamewise and writing wise ( the first would be a ode to those brave Aussies that held the german tide against all odds , in spite of losing so much soldiers that would make Gallipoli look a small bleeding and the second would be a typical return of the hero scene
I don't think I'll fight to the last man in the Highlands, despite the AAR's title. There comes a point where you have to salvage what you've still got and I'll probably evacuate to Newfoundland and redeploy the troops to California for transport across the Pacific. Once Japan is dealt with I can muster up whatever forces are available for a counterattack on Europe, hopefully with American help.
The mindless focus of Germany on London I thought fit with Hitler's personality very well, although I made sure to include repeated protests by Guderian, Von Manstein etc. on the ground due to the sheer illogicalness of the head-on assault. London wasn't even in danger of falling until the Germans swung around through East Anglia and surrounded it. British National Unity isn't great although they're nowhere near surrender yet. By my rough estimations, when Belfast falls they'll probably be in the area of 80-90% surrender progress, at which point I will intend to fire a home-made event as I don't feel the United Kingdom is in any realistic position to remain a unified fighting force by then. I'll probably have several updates on the Fate of the Empire when/if this happens.
I'm not sure about that. I imagine that Churchiil and co. would evacuate to Canada and count on the US support if GB fell. The dominions would probably stay loyal, the only real problem would be India, which would probably become an independent country. If the RN is not beaten and the Soviet Union is standing, there is still hope.
When I say a unified fighting force, I'm mostly referring to the state of the Colonies. The UK will still continue to fight, but Hitler will certainly set up a puppet government and small parts of the military may defect to said government (though the vast majority will remain loyal, I imagine). The war remains a priority but the Empire will be heavily shaken by the loss of its heartland. She won't "surrender" in a complete sense, only as much as the Vichy surrendered. Even if India or the like breaks free as an independent state, I find it unlikely that they'd swap sides or even pull out of the war, at least as long as Japan is in it. The loss of Britain itself spells heavy damage to the British Empire's "unity" from a British perspective, not from an Allied perspective as the homeland no longer has the strength to keep any of her more larger and more independent colonies in line if they want to do things on their own initiative.
this may be a very dumb question, but could you maybe retake the major ports by amphbious assault? deprived of Dover, Hull, Portsmouth, with the number of troops they have over there, they are bound to be in for a surprise concerning their supply- and fuel lines. (I just don't remember if the terrain makes for sound defense; those men would have to hold out for a few weeks at least)
I know, last ditch desperation. but still...
I know, last ditch desperation. but still...
The issue with that is that, even if he could make those raids, the Germans captured the London stockpiles. I assume that they were as filled as usual, so the Germans will not have supply issues in Britain for quite a while even if the harbours you mention were captured.
@Saithis
Are you planning on "liberating" Scotland and Wales if GB goes down? That would be at least a very uncommon view in a HoI3 map, but it would fit what you're saying about GB not being able to keep it's act together after the defeat ....
@Saithis
Are you planning on "liberating" Scotland and Wales if GB goes down? That would be at least a very uncommon view in a HoI3 map, but it would fit what you're saying about GB not being able to keep it's act together after the defeat ....
Addendum
Awesome AAR Saithis. Good to see the ANZACs punching well above their weight
If you're looking for inspiration on how to drive ze Germans out of England, I suggest watching 'Jackboots in Whitehall'.
Eagerly awaiting the next thrilling instalment.
Awesome AAR Saithis. Good to see the ANZACs punching well above their weight
If you're looking for inspiration on how to drive ze Germans out of England, I suggest watching 'Jackboots in Whitehall'.
Eagerly awaiting the next thrilling instalment.
London burns. Clouds of thick black smoke gathers in the sky. The capital of the Commonwealth has fallen after a fierce ressistance from the Allied troops. It was to be expected when German reinforcements has arrived at Grimsby. The position is untenable, front is too wide and troops are not enough - the gap is already beginning to appear and there are no men left to fill it. Britain will fall in days. ANZAC forces should start withdrawing to Ireland or Scotland, before it'll be to late.
P.S. "London will remain British"!
P.S. "London will remain British"!
I must truly appreciate your work on this AAR. HPP mod and the background story you create make this AAR one of the best of the current ones. The Australian war machine must fight on! You should consider the possibility of retreating to Northern Ireland, where the Germans would have to cross a channel in order to get to you. Anyway, I'm guessing that you have a good plan worked out already so keep up the good work, I'm eagerly waiting for the next chapter
It would be extremely difficult to do so and the consequences will probably be the loss of the city. Germany is defending her ports meaning I need to land with overwhelming force adjacent to the port in question, I have no marines yet. The worst part is that as mentioned below, even if I do, there's no way Germany has shipped all those supplies overseas yet, so they won't starve for a long time. Britain had 99999 supplies if my intel was correct, and a metric crapton of fuel.
I'm not planning on liberating Scotland and Wales, at least not initially. Although it would be a very interesting map, I think both sides at the moment are too focused on keeping their United Kingdom as just that. Now if a weak British puppet government begins to falter without a strong outside hand keeping it together, it could be a long-term possibility. With German-backed Nationalists at risk of coming into power, however, I don't foresee it happening just yet. Hitler will be happy enough to have split Britain and her Empire in two, as without the Empire Britain is only a little stronger than France.
Awesome AAR Saithis. Good to see the ANZACs punching well above their weight
If you're looking for inspiration on how to drive ze Germans out of England, I suggest watching 'Jackboots in Whitehall'.
Eagerly awaiting the next thrilling instalment.
Thank you very much! Your recommended film sounds reminiscent of Churchill: The Hollywood Years, I'll have to give it a look at some point.
Next installment should be in a day or two, I hope you'll enjoy it.
I've already drawn a fall-back line in Northumbria, very close to the Scottish border. Runs from Newcastle to Carlisle, 3 provinces wide with urban/hills for defence. I'll see how I hold out there and if German pressure is too heavy, I'll probably withdraw to Glasgow/Northern Ireland and begin evacuating. First, though, I have other plans.
I must truly appreciate your work on this AAR. HPP mod and the background story you create make this AAR one of the best of the current ones. The Australian war machine must fight on! You should consider the possibility of retreating to Northern Ireland, where the Germans would have to cross a channel in order to get to you. Anyway, I'm guessing that you have a good plan worked out already so keep up the good work, I'm eagerly waiting for the next chapter
Thank you very much, HPP has helped me a great deal in crafting this story although it's beginning to reach its limits in terms of event count for Britain and the Empire. I will thusly have to mod in a few events to keep the story going as strongly as I would like. Northern Ireland is my final fallback point for if my northern defense line falls, since its more or less 'safe' against German attack if I hold Larne and Belfast. Vanguard shouldn't have too much trouble keeping the German Navy at bay while my transports evacuate everyone overseas from there. Hoping to have the next chapter tomorrow or so - we'll see!
Just found this and read it all in one go. Great work so far... alway very cool to see struggling gameplay of this kind, where victory very much isn't a foregone conclusion. Will keep on following... Cheers!
For some reason I hadn't taken the time to read this wonderful AAR before. Better late than never I guess. Excellent writing and the screenshots are beautifully edited (I am a sucker for good graphics).
That Sealion is a thing of beauty (and an excellent twist for your story). It seems the German AI somewhere found a bit of intelligence. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of the British AI. The way it protected its beaches it should be called AD (artificially dumbness).
That Sealion is a thing of beauty (and an excellent twist for your story). It seems the German AI somewhere found a bit of intelligence. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of the British AI. The way it protected its beaches it should be called AD (artificially dumbness).
Hope there is an event for the Free State to join in!
My grandfather fought for the Brits in WWII!
My grandfather fought for the Brits in WWII!
Just read through this whole AAR in a day, congratulations on a very well written AAR. I was very impressed by how you had Italy on the ropes there for a while.
Unfortunately it seems you have been let down at two crucial junctures by the AI. When it gave up the Maginot line France fell much quicker than it was going to. Then the complete absence of the Royal Navy from home waters that allowed Sealion to occur was rather stupid, one would like to think the AI should prioritise keeping at least some of the RN's 15? Battleships and Battlecruisers at home. Any human player would have had a few to sortie and destroy an invasion fleet, sigh :wacko:. As someone who gave up on Arsenal of Democracy because of the crap AI it seems HOI3 is better but still lacking. Well done on making the best of it though.
Obviously you are planning to try to hold onto the North for a while? It seems like a good prospect with your substantial army, some British units, a narrow front and some favourable terrain. Surely it can't be too much longer until the Russian Bear is prodded into action, in which case I think holding onto the North would give you a good shot of booting the Germans out when the Russian pressure starts to bite. Or do you think the Wehrmacht will have their measure as well?
Unfortunately it seems you have been let down at two crucial junctures by the AI. When it gave up the Maginot line France fell much quicker than it was going to. Then the complete absence of the Royal Navy from home waters that allowed Sealion to occur was rather stupid, one would like to think the AI should prioritise keeping at least some of the RN's 15? Battleships and Battlecruisers at home. Any human player would have had a few to sortie and destroy an invasion fleet, sigh :wacko:. As someone who gave up on Arsenal of Democracy because of the crap AI it seems HOI3 is better but still lacking. Well done on making the best of it though.
Obviously you are planning to try to hold onto the North for a while? It seems like a good prospect with your substantial army, some British units, a narrow front and some favourable terrain. Surely it can't be too much longer until the Russian Bear is prodded into action, in which case I think holding onto the North would give you a good shot of booting the Germans out when the Russian pressure starts to bite. Or do you think the Wehrmacht will have their measure as well?
If I were in your position, I would leave the British Isles. It's like trying to fight with a rotten arm. The rot has set and no matter how much you throw at it the arm will fall, and when it does you will go with it. It is far better to cut it off before the infection spreads and carry on the fight without it. If anything this is a good thing.
The British have fallen and their empire has fallen apart. All it would take is a strong power in Asia to take advantage of the fall of this empire to become a serious force to reckon with.
The British have fallen and their empire has fallen apart. All it would take is a strong power in Asia to take advantage of the fall of this empire to become a serious force to reckon with.
Just found this AAR and have to say it's one of the best I've ever read! Gripping story, very well written and a perfect balance between screenshots, pictures and text.
Very, very well done!
Looking forward to the next update.
Very, very well done!
Looking forward to the next update.
Gief weekly dose of updates!
To be honest this AAR is the only reason I come on the HoI3 AAR forum these days!
To be honest this AAR is the only reason I come on the HoI3 AAR forum these days!
To be honest, it's a bit late to be fighting on the beaches and the landing grounds, and it's definitely too late to be fighting in France. Fighting on the seas and oceans doesn't seem to be stopping more Jerries from landing. As for the air - the RAF is fighting, but I doubt their strength and confidence are increasing.Winston Churchill said:
That leaves just the fighting in the streets, fields, and hills, then.