January 1st, 1936
Comrade Trotsky in a typicaly relaxed pose prior to the New Years Day seizure of power.
There was an awed hush from the party as the 18th Party Congress results were read out to the assembled workers, peasants, and soldiers deputies.
Comrade Tukachevsky had already risen to his feet to applaud the arrival of the long absent comrade who most, if not all, people in the same room had believed either dead or banished forever.
Leaning on his companions, Leon walked towards the podium to give his first address to his comrades since the original defeat of the left opposition so many years ago. Yet now he returned in triumph - his main political opponent discredited, and his own prestige having never been higher. Comrade Trotsky knew that any drastic changes would shake the already tottering workers state to its knees, and it was with some trepidation that he announced that no changes would be made to the Politburo aside from the removal of Stalin, and several of his more prominent lackeys.
Turning to face the assembled deputies, Trotsky knew it was time to lay out his plans for the future of the workers and toilers of the world.
The new Socialist government included many Stalinist hacks. Time will tell if this situation changes or not.
Even as he took control of the organs of the party after the skillful execution of his plans to topple the corrupt Stalinists, Trotsky knew there were many battles to be had, not least of all the quelling of incipent rebellions within the population of the diverse Soviet Union. In light of these needs, production was focused on the key agendas to reduce the high rural and urban dissent.
Estimates of the time indicated that approx 15% of the entire peoples of the Soviet Union - notably the Georgian, Ukrainian and Kazakh soviets were displeased with the sudden capitulation of Stalin following the declaration of loyalty to Trotsky given by the red army.
After a lengthy session of the Congress, Trotsky returned to dictate his immediate plans to his allies within the Party.
Trotsky seen dictating his plans to lift the USSR out of its stalinist stagnation.
First and foremost on his mind was the immediate threat of the fascists and counter-revolutionaries to the west. Trotsky knew that to secure the peace of the workers state it would have to defend itself more vigourously than Stalin had planned, and this security would in no small part depend on his own creation - the red army. With this in mind, and with the knowledge of the diverse agents of the revitalised Comintern that the new threat of Nazism would not threaten the workers immediately, Trotsky set his plan into motion for the long term survival of the workers state.
Trotsky's insistence on the development of the navy concerned many in the soviet union at first. Time would tell how correct his decisions were.
With his awareness of the debt he owed to the Red Army, Trotsky set in motion his plan to centralise the governing bodies of the red army. Hours after his arrival at the Party Congress, the leading generals of the red army recieved their marching orders... On arrival many would learn what they had hope for after so many years. For others, it would mean the relinquishing of their positions.
Red Army formations march towards Moscow to consolidate Trotsky's government and discuss strategies for defending the workers state.
With all plans proceeding like clockwork, Trotsky was only then able to relax. The year was young - his own enemies hiding and dispirited. Soon he would achieve the dream of Lenin and himself of spreading workers democracy and uniting the world behind the red flag. However for the moment caution seemed the better cause than valour. As crowds hoisting red flags continued to swell red square, Trotsky could rest knowing at least that for the first time since 1921, the revolution was again on course...
Trotsky's later history of these crucial days was represented by this cover to one of his books, showing heroic men and women mustering in red square - determined to defend the revolution against any and all counter-revolutionary's.
(Note - this AAR is my first after so many years of playing Paradox games. Hopefully the many fine AAR's I have had the pleasure of reading will help me make this not unpleasant to follow.)
Having been inspired by many others to finally have a go of it, this first attempt utilises HOI2 Doomsday 1.1. Any mod's are purely cosmetic - ie, merely cut and pastes, rather than serious game file editing. Any issues that arise that seem particularly at odds with the new political leadership of the USSR will be dealt with on a case by case basis in regards to editing. I hope to make it through to games end however with no edits at all.
Given my habit of playing multiplayer games rather than SP, I hope to make this interesting in regards to fighting the AI by following the unpredictable lead of the Party Congress - as represented by anyone who feels interested enough to post in this thread with their suggestions. The game is played on normal/normal commencing on Jan 1st 1936. I aim to play no further than the latest post here - ie, you will all know as much, or close to as much, as I know about future events.
As such, I will be following a broad 'trotskyist' strategy - eg, the purge event will be treated from a different standpoint than perhaps is normal. However by and large I hope to have my strategy guided by suggestions and contributions to this thread (aka - consider yourselves party members attempting to jostle for influence in a new, slightly more forgiving Soviet Union). As the title suggests however, the aim is to expand, and spread communism.
Comrade Trotsky in a typicaly relaxed pose prior to the New Years Day seizure of power.
There was an awed hush from the party as the 18th Party Congress results were read out to the assembled workers, peasants, and soldiers deputies.
Comrade Tukachevsky had already risen to his feet to applaud the arrival of the long absent comrade who most, if not all, people in the same room had believed either dead or banished forever.
Leaning on his companions, Leon walked towards the podium to give his first address to his comrades since the original defeat of the left opposition so many years ago. Yet now he returned in triumph - his main political opponent discredited, and his own prestige having never been higher. Comrade Trotsky knew that any drastic changes would shake the already tottering workers state to its knees, and it was with some trepidation that he announced that no changes would be made to the Politburo aside from the removal of Stalin, and several of his more prominent lackeys.
Turning to face the assembled deputies, Trotsky knew it was time to lay out his plans for the future of the workers and toilers of the world.
The new Socialist government included many Stalinist hacks. Time will tell if this situation changes or not.
Even as he took control of the organs of the party after the skillful execution of his plans to topple the corrupt Stalinists, Trotsky knew there were many battles to be had, not least of all the quelling of incipent rebellions within the population of the diverse Soviet Union. In light of these needs, production was focused on the key agendas to reduce the high rural and urban dissent.
Estimates of the time indicated that approx 15% of the entire peoples of the Soviet Union - notably the Georgian, Ukrainian and Kazakh soviets were displeased with the sudden capitulation of Stalin following the declaration of loyalty to Trotsky given by the red army.
After a lengthy session of the Congress, Trotsky returned to dictate his immediate plans to his allies within the Party.
Trotsky seen dictating his plans to lift the USSR out of its stalinist stagnation.
First and foremost on his mind was the immediate threat of the fascists and counter-revolutionaries to the west. Trotsky knew that to secure the peace of the workers state it would have to defend itself more vigourously than Stalin had planned, and this security would in no small part depend on his own creation - the red army. With this in mind, and with the knowledge of the diverse agents of the revitalised Comintern that the new threat of Nazism would not threaten the workers immediately, Trotsky set his plan into motion for the long term survival of the workers state.
Trotsky's insistence on the development of the navy concerned many in the soviet union at first. Time would tell how correct his decisions were.
With his awareness of the debt he owed to the Red Army, Trotsky set in motion his plan to centralise the governing bodies of the red army. Hours after his arrival at the Party Congress, the leading generals of the red army recieved their marching orders... On arrival many would learn what they had hope for after so many years. For others, it would mean the relinquishing of their positions.
Red Army formations march towards Moscow to consolidate Trotsky's government and discuss strategies for defending the workers state.
With all plans proceeding like clockwork, Trotsky was only then able to relax. The year was young - his own enemies hiding and dispirited. Soon he would achieve the dream of Lenin and himself of spreading workers democracy and uniting the world behind the red flag. However for the moment caution seemed the better cause than valour. As crowds hoisting red flags continued to swell red square, Trotsky could rest knowing at least that for the first time since 1921, the revolution was again on course...
Trotsky's later history of these crucial days was represented by this cover to one of his books, showing heroic men and women mustering in red square - determined to defend the revolution against any and all counter-revolutionary's.
(Note - this AAR is my first after so many years of playing Paradox games. Hopefully the many fine AAR's I have had the pleasure of reading will help me make this not unpleasant to follow.)
Having been inspired by many others to finally have a go of it, this first attempt utilises HOI2 Doomsday 1.1. Any mod's are purely cosmetic - ie, merely cut and pastes, rather than serious game file editing. Any issues that arise that seem particularly at odds with the new political leadership of the USSR will be dealt with on a case by case basis in regards to editing. I hope to make it through to games end however with no edits at all.
Given my habit of playing multiplayer games rather than SP, I hope to make this interesting in regards to fighting the AI by following the unpredictable lead of the Party Congress - as represented by anyone who feels interested enough to post in this thread with their suggestions. The game is played on normal/normal commencing on Jan 1st 1936. I aim to play no further than the latest post here - ie, you will all know as much, or close to as much, as I know about future events.
As such, I will be following a broad 'trotskyist' strategy - eg, the purge event will be treated from a different standpoint than perhaps is normal. However by and large I hope to have my strategy guided by suggestions and contributions to this thread (aka - consider yourselves party members attempting to jostle for influence in a new, slightly more forgiving Soviet Union). As the title suggests however, the aim is to expand, and spread communism.
