Napoleonic Dreams AAR
It should be noted that this is poorly researched fiction thus some characters will probably behave completely different to the real people, then again HOI3 most of the time does not even closely follow history. This is also my first AAR so bare with me, I don't consider myself as good as some players such as Xamand and IanClacher but I will certainly try, even if I do fail.
France 1936
Difficulty: Normal
No mods but minor save game alterations and possible use of the No neutrality cheat if things are taking too long.
Part 1.1
The Dream
Wednesday January 1st 1936, Paris, France.
It was midnight, and all the population of Europe were asleep in their beds. All except Albert Lebrun, Président of France. He couldn’t sleep no matter how hard he tried; it was if a divine hand was keeping him awake. He tried praying to this divine being to let him sleep but to no avail. He tried reading in bed but his wife kicked him out of the bedroom from which he drifted to his study to see if his work could bore him into sleep. Unfortunately he quickly ran out of work to do and was left staring out into the darkness through the window behind his desk.
He glanced around looking for something to do or read and his eyes fell on a book that General Gamelin had tried to encourage him to read. It was a book on Napoleon Bonaparte’s career in building a large empire throughout Europe. Lots of dates, lots of numbers and lots of countries that no longer existed. It hadn’t interested him much but it was probably just the thing that would bring him the sleep that he needed. Albert began to flick through the book, mostly just looking at the pictures and the diagrams of the battle that only made some sense, but most of it was lost on him. He stopped when he came to a page that folded out to reveal a map of the extent of Napoleons achievements. From the Spanish border with Portugal all the way to Moscow, it was certainly an amazing achievement to do in such a short space of time. He looked back out the window and then to the clock that sat on the mantelpiece. It was almost two in the morning, he felt his eyelids drooping and accepted that it was the moment to sleep. I didn’t want to move from his chair so he pulled a blanket out of a cupboard and placed his feet on the desk.
There are times when there are dreams so vivid that you are convinced that it is reality. Albert Lebrun was having one such dream. He galloping proudly on a white stallion past thousands if not hundreds of thousands of soldiers, their rifles resting on their shoulders with fixed bayonets. Buttons and medals gleaming, not a single thread out of place. Behind them row upon row of tanks, trucks and far off in the distance he could make out artillery guns of a dozen calibres. He stopped his horse beside a podium, behind which stood all his generals standing proudly in rows. He took his place behind the podium, placing his hands either side of it and out of the pale clouds surrounding his army was revealed several buildings. These were not just any buildings, the Kremlin, the Reichstag, the British Houses of Parliament and the Statue of Liberty to name a few that he saw. It was then the generals called out in unison, “Long live the Empereur!”
The morning sun woke him, he’d only gotten three hours sleep but that did not matter. The dream he had was still in his mind and embedding itself solidly in his memory. He picked up the phone and called his secretary. It rang a few times until Noirtier picked up the phone.
“Do you know what time it is?” Noirtier mumbled, still half asleep.
“It’s just gone five Monsieur Noirtier, I want you to call an emergency meeting, I want every minister there was well as the chiefs of the military! Nine O'Clock sharp!” He said bluntly.
“Oh my God? What’s happened?” Noirtier, now fully awake, almost shouted.
“While you’re at it bring me a list of all the candidates suitable to replace them.”
“What is-“ Noirtier was cut short as Albert gently placed the phone down. He smiled as he looked out the window as the sun began to rise. Today was going to be a good day.