Here is an unexpected screenie of an unexpected turnout in an unexpected war
Difficult level Normal.
AI set on Aggressive.
Patch v1.01
To start it of, this game session was played and still is on a LAN with 2 players. Me as Italy and my friend playing as Portugal with the soul plan on attacking Spain in the civil war. Things started to heat up slowly. I launched an offensive into Switzerland thinking that I’ll probably have problems with their forts. No such thing tho as I rush attacked with 3 forces consisting of 12 infantry/mountain divisions and a few artillery brigades attached, with generals of course.
Meanwhile in Ethiopia I quickly took the capital and annexed them. Switzerland falls and I make use of their strong fortifications. The civil war broke out in Spain and Portugal with only his 2 infantry divisions attacked slowly and careful. Germany suddenly blitz’s France extreme hard in the meantime. In fact so heard that I didn’t even get the time to mobilise my army to attack France myself. Shortly after Paris falls making Vichy France appear. I of course declare war on them, easily taking their possessions but I ‘m unable to annex as they still have a large domain in Africa. My old friend Portugal is desperately fighting and is unable to take over Republican Spain. A while later Republican Spain declares themselves the owners of hole Spain. Reinforcements finally gets trained and two mountain divisions with artillery brigades attached comes into Portugal services, but my friend is fighting a loosing battle as he calls out in panic for my help. I now border Spain from my wars. I agree to help and shift forces to ready an attack, declaring war faster to try and get the Spanish AI to divert forces away from my friend.
Suddenly to my horror my friend yells that Republican Spain has just allied prior to my attack to Germany itself. In a logical move I hide under my desk in fear, lol. Forgetting all about my friends desperate situation I move everything I can up to my boarders with Germany but to late. Tanks followed up by infantry starts to role over my boarders and I lose territory fast. I counterattack with my motorised infantry and outdated tanks but with mixed results. As my infantry catches up I play defensive but soon find out those damn Germans are trying to split my country apart, ruining my supply lines. I try my best but they manage to split my country in 4 parts, basically leaving my armies supplyless and trapped in pockets. Meanwhile my airforce unlike theirs are bombing their infantry and tanks whenever possible, as I try hard to fight back, rebuilding my supply lines. At this time I’m yelling across the room to my friend to help me, but all I get is yells back with the words “I’m dying damit, I need the help” Seeing your empire split in tiny peaches is really a gruesome sight, especially when you know the German flag might be hanging up soon. The battle rages on and I managed, despite all odds to rebuild most of the supply lines, reinforcing my battered forces. At this time I begin to make concentrated attacks using the rest of my airforce, trying to trap them in pockets.
This strategy is what the Germany used on me, so I guess learning from the German attacks made my strategy change allot in game. Portugal is still alive and managed to recapture his territories in Portugal itself, but all lands in Spain is lost and he’s dug himself in and waiting desperate for reinforcements to arrive. My attacks are starting to have success as I managed to destroy large concentrations by trapping them and bombing before I attack simultaneous from different directions. As the time goes I restore most of the chaos the Germans inflected on me. At this moment in time, I decide to attack into Germany territory itself, but with great fear of the consequences as all my tanks and motorised infantry lies destroyed in my countryside. I only have infantry with artillery brigades and specialised mountain divisions with a modest airforce, but tiny compared to the Germans. As time goes I meet up with English bombers who is bombing Germany, but are having huge problems with their airforce. I knew it would be hard but I must try capturing their aircraft’s on ground to help England, and mostly to help my own airforce from being shot down while operating in enemy territory, infested with fighters.
Still I manage to push forward as I meet resistance, especially panzers and motorised infantry. At a point I finally split Germany in half with small pockets trapped but they still have plenty of men left, which they use to make an offensive in Italy again, forcing me to split my forces even more. My friend tried to make an attack in Spain but eventually retreats back to safe territory as more forces closes in. As the months go its now clear that the German War Machine has been hit hard and its only a matter of time before I react Berlin, which I do later but not easily as I lose but recapture it. While I’m wining the war with Germany, Republican Spain invades me with a small force taking a few lands. My infantry is fare away so I’m forced to respond, diverting my remaining airforce to attack them. As I secure Berlin and its surroundings, which was one hell of an accomplishment in it own, they keept trying to beat me away. I move my main forces towards Spain to finally help my friend. As I react their borders I launch 3 attacks, easily beating any resistance. Probably because their troops still lacks even the most basic rifles of WW2. Not much is needed before Portugal makes his attack. A few months after I make peace with Spain, returning everything back to pre war time. I only did this as my friend wanted Spain, which he did take later on as you can see.
Hope you find this AAR a good read As you can see on the picture, I liberated and attacked a bit more after the war with Spain, and Portugal took over Denmark, lol Danes conquering Danes. Anyway we are not finished with the game but I highly doubt it will go so crazy later on. Tho I hear my friend wishes the steel in Sweden
Btw this was my second time playing HOI. First time was with Spain where I got trashed by Vichy France, ouch. Last thing, I encountered a nasty bug as it seems every time I try making Germany a Puppet state it crashes but annexing works, tho then the game is over. Ill just continue to occupy them as I get 50% of their industry this way.
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