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Nice to see you tackling Portugal. there's another colonial territory that needs to be added - Portuguese Northwest India.I tihnk it was actually threepieces of land.

Conquering Brazil would provide the resources and manpower to do a world conquest. Build up Ascension Island as a port and airbase. Historically,the Portuguese army was small. Going for marine, mountain and airborne would fit in. Transports dropping paratroopers would be interesting. Elite Portuguese armed forces
 
Hmm...

Well, I am happily continuing my campaign in v1.1c for today and maybe tomorrow, as I wait for solid feedback on v1.2.

Any impressions, please let me know!

Renss
 
For now I'm going to provide another update from my v1.1c game. Still not 100% sure I'll switch it to v1.2 although it's still likely I will.

What I may do is show you what I did with v1.1c first, then re-do with v1.2. Not sure yet.

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Since my energy has ballooned like it has, I'll stop the energy deal I had going with Germany in order to get some money back. I'll build up money again so I can make a go at my Crude Oil stockpile -- it's dwindling, and I'm concerned.

TradeDealDown.jpg


This trading back-and-forth is part of an intentional strategy. I’ll build up one stockpile until it’s sufficient – until it’s a little above where I want it to be – then I’ll let it slip away slowly as I concentrate on something else, hoping I can come back to the other before it’s passed below a level where I can get it back. Eventually, if this is successful, I’ll build up each stockpile gradually without running out of money.

VenezOil.jpg


In mid-July, our research pays off by improving our Industrial Production. The 2.5% increase in IC successfully combines with other modifiers to give us 12 available IC, rather than 11. A nice step for a productively starved Portugal!

Portugal’s trading strategy, as well as her spread-out colonial structure, will always require a lot of convoy transports. We’re building more of those with our paltry IC (less than 4 directed toward Production right now). Also trying to build garrisons, and there’s some cavalry on the priority list, but I’m not sure yet when it will get built. There’s a reminder toward the bottom of the queue that we need to build a fort in Macao, as well as our need to build more troops transports too!

RomOilJuly.jpg


Another deal with Romania for Crude Oil will reduce our stockpile loss in Oil from nearly 4 per day to only 2 per day – a reduction in loss is a good thing when we lack the financial capability to build it up just yet.

On the espionage front, we’re reducing Portugal’s neutrality, of course. But we’re also increasing Republican Spain’s threat – this is a hedge against the possibility of her winning the Civil War.

RepSpainSpies.jpg


I’m not actually expecting such a win, despite British and French aid (in addition to Soviet, as she had historically). The Nationalists seem to be doing alright. By mid-July, they’ve eliminated a pocket of Republicans up near El Ferrol (northwest Spain) and will have a solid front toward the east and south, and won’t need to worry about their backside.

SCWJuly.jpg


By the end of August, we’re busy spreading our garrison troops out. Sao Tome will not be a garrisoned island for now – we’ve got other priorities – but many of our troops will pass through there as a way station. The Nationalists have retained the nearby colony of Rio Muni (the province of Bata).

With South Africa so near – a likely opponent – and French colonies too – another likely opponent – we must look to the defense of not just Angola, but also Mozambique (on the other side of Africa) and Cabinda (that small scrap of green Portuguese territory to the north of the Belgian Congo (in purplish gray).

SaoTome.jpg


In the next screenshot, you’ll see Mozambique (in the lower left), and Goa (Pangim - way up north). Italy occupies much of the Horn of Africa, but the British and French virtually hold the Indian Ocean and everything that touches it as their own enormous lake! This will be a hostile environment to be crossed by our convoys and troops if we ever go to war against them.

IndianOcean.jpg


Our research priorities now are Education – to increase our leadership points – and the second level of Industrial Production. There will not be many times when Portugal will not be concentrating on Industrial Production, because we’re desperately in need of more IC.

Why don’t I just increase my economic laws? I probably could by now – our neutrality has been reduced some – but I want to get a decent level of resource stockpiles before I start spending them like water, which is what happens at higher levels of economic mobilization.

ResearchSep36.jpg


I’m researching both, militia techs and infantry techs, slowly. I have both – I need to improve both. I’m only researching Small Arms and Support Weapons for each, though – if I ever face armour, I’m screwed anyway, so why increase hard attack? And toughness isn’t as important to me as my soft attack ratings and my defensiveness. If I have time to focus on those later, I will, but I don’t have a lot of time, relative to my ability to do research and production. This is a rush job, and I concentrate on what’s most important to defend what I have. Even my offense will be “smash-and-grab” so defense will be critical to hold onto those “grabbed” territories.

We’ve got 2 ½ research projects going at a time – low, but tolerable. In hindsight, I should have switched my attention away from spies by this point – the Republicans were going to lose. But I missed that. Wasted leadership – oh well.

SCWOct.jpg


By October, we begin to move our infantry away from the border with Spain, as the Civil War is going decidedly in the Nationalists’ favor. We have better uses for those troops in our colonies than here at home. Portugal itself is relatively defensible, and besides if we’re seriously invaded at home as a major-power target, there’s not much we can do to prevent defeat. However, Portugal cannot do much offensively with its troops if they’re not dispersed to defend the colonies – and to use the colonies as bases.

As I’ve said before, this is a “go big or go home” gambit – we win big, or we lose big. Portugal will benefit from both, planning and luck. We’re hoping the great powers will be too distracted to pay much attention to our vulnerabilities, when war actually comes!

RestoreOil.jpg


In mid-November, we’re finally in a position where we can start rebuilding our Oil stockpile. It’s diminished to the point of 678 units – that’s too low. With 3 Oil coming in from the USA every day, that will slowly build our reserve back, and we’ll be able to maintain our other stockpile-building projects for a while (we’re increasing Metal and Rare Materials, while Energy is in maintenance mode like my Oil has been for a while – I’m losing it slowly, but have enough coming in to prevent wholesale elimination of the stockpile). Note that our Supplies are remarkably low – I’ll need to fix that. And soon.
 
Quite a balancing act you're forced to play with your limited resources. Fortunately the way HOI3 handles occupied/conquered territories means that you can increase your production base reasonably well. Provided you can conquer some worthwhile land that is.;)
 
Heh, Portugal looks like it'll be fighting a very interesting set of wars--colonial wars, but not against natives but European armies. May want to study up on the campaigns of Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck in preparation. :D
 
It's almost painful to watch how you have to dole out your preciously few resources. The more you emphasize the small industrial and resource base you have, the more I wonder what exactly you'll be able to achieve in a war, particularly in a war against the Allies. It should be interesting to find out.
 
Heh, Portugal looks like it'll be fighting a very interesting set of wars--colonial wars, but not against natives but European armies. May want to study up on the campaigns of Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck in preparation. :D

If only the game would have that kind of possibilities in it. :p
 
South Africa is not part of the Allies at the start of 1936 in HoI 3. That provides a window of opportunity to grab Namibia(administered by South Africa) and South Africa. Raising the threat level of Namibia would kep South Africa from building up their mlitary. The Belgian Congo would provide all sorts of resources, though Belgium may be guaranteed by Britain an have to wait for war with the axis to take.

Timor would make a good jump off point to secure the the Dutch East Indies and Dutch Guyana would provide a springboard for an attack om Brazil.

It's probably too mcuh to hope for to have a run at the clique running the Chinese territory nearest Macao.

Wonder if Portugal will have a desire for Siamese cats?

You're doing a nice showcase of the game, Rensslaer.
 
Quite a busy little nation you have there.
 
Seems like you are building up a nice set of trade deals all around the world, but you are going to need that if you are ever going to be able to build some real forces… Also if the Nationalists continue doing this well, maybe you should see if you can attack the Republicans and grab some provinces before they are completely defeated. Or is your level of neutrality still too high to do anything?
 
A very interesting AAR. I have never taken a look at Portugal, other than as a target while playing a major power. :D It truly is indefensible against a Britain, France, or Germany and thus I'm feeling the pressures you must be facing in preparing for future war. Looking forward to the next update.

BTW, excellent strategy guides. :D
 
Just upgraded to v1.2.

Ooh! Shiny. :)

Modifying for Goa...

What I've decided I will do is play anew from v1.2, duplicating many of my earlier moves, but maybe improving on a point or two, based on experience.

When it seems appropriate, I'll tell you what happened in my earlier game, to compare and contrast (I got up to Aug 1939 I think).

I won't tell you what happened. It wasn't a bad run, really. You would have enjoyed it, as did I.

But I will tell you this -- one thing I did discover is: The UK AI does not, as was feared, ignore Goa. :D

Rensslaer
 
You'll start a new thread right?

Besides, it would be Novo Imperio, so you have a reason.:D
 
You'll start a new thread right?

Besides, it would be Novo Imperio, so you have a reason.:D

Same thread...

And the Imperio Novo is styled like Estado Novo, which was what this government was called historically.

More soon!

Rensslaer
 
this is great stuff - think you're right to go to 1.2 - its so much faster and seems to have ironed out the worst failings in terms of diplomacy etc.

I've just been muttering in my USSR aar about the difficulties of being expected to cope with 'just' 17 leadership points - I should have your problems.
 
Playing a minor power can truly teach one the mechanics of any game as mistakes (and victories) are magnified and brought into greater relief. Anything you've learned thus far that would cause you to change the Guide?

Looking forward to your take on the differences in the new version (as compared to v1.1c).