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Skywalker_T-65

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Nov 30, 2013
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Warriors of the North (Sweden, HPP)
By: Skywalker
Style: History Book
Version: Semper FI, HPP


While still relatively new to HOI, I have been itching to write an AAR with it for some time, due to my general fascination with the time period. The problem became, however...what nation to use? I had already decided I wouldn't do a major, since I didn't want it to be too easy and I think there are enough German/Brit/Soviet/other major AAR's as is. So, I decided to switch to the Regional Powers. Weaker, but still with the ability to influence things without cheating. I still wanted to pick one that hadn't been overdone (like, say, Hungary) so I was vacillating between Yugoslavia and...Sweden. In the end, I chose the Swedes. Why?

Simply put, Sweden is in a great position to influence the War in Europe, compared to other Regional Powers. You have a neutrality that won't be violated, barring some absurd conquering spree raising your threat too high. You have, especially in HPP, an overabundance of everything but coal. The tech is, while not super-advanced, definitely nothing to sneeze at. IC and infrastructure are fairly decent. All in all, it is a very interesting nation to play.

My main goal in this AAR is to entertain my readers. Second, is to see where a Sweden that goes mostly historical can end up. No forming a Scandinavian Empire by eating the weaker powers nearby. Nor will I have a set alliance goal, we will see where the game (via faction influences) takes us in that regard. Allies could end up stabbing Germany while they're busy in Mother Russia. Axis could take Fortress Norway (what I quite often see happen) and maybe even the British Isles if I can build a strong enough navy. Comintern...can do whatever I please, though its absurdly unlikely to happen.

It's this element of (semi-historic) randomness that I hope grabs readers attention. And all that being said, wish me and Sweden luck and I hope you enjoy the ride! First post will be up tomorrow my time.


House Rules:

Stick with the historic neutrality until I can join a faction.
If plausible, help Finland in the Winter War.
No reloading/cheat codes/etc.
May add more as time goes by.
 
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Sure, let's play the home front of Paradox :D
In my opinion, Allies would be most entertaining, as you'll then be fighting a cross-Baltic war with a superior Germany. But any other option should do as well, as long as you pick your fights.

I'm looking forward to the first update!
 
Sweden is an interesting nation I agree, in a precarious position. I have fond memories of a game of my own once, in the allies, where Finland got scared into the allies and the 3 northern nations kicked the German's ass out of Norway when they invaded.
Looking forward to where this one is going, good luck!
 
It will be very interesting to see an AAR with a Nordic country which doesn't build a power base by chewing all her neighbours. An Allied Sweden will be mainly working in favour of Comintern, given that it will keep occupied the German forces in Norway, or even worse in Denmark behind the straights. Can't remember if Malmø :)p to Sweds about the ø) can be attacked through land, but fortifying behind a water passage would be cheeky (although it can be inevitable). It will shred Germany's war effort.

My best gamble would be to join Comintern (and I think it is possible due to Sweden's socialdemocrat government, or HPP mechanics of government transitions).
 
It will be very interesting to see an AAR with a Nordic country which doesn't build a power base by chewing all her neighbours. An Allied Sweden will be mainly working in favour of Comintern, given that it will keep occupied the German forces in Norway, or even worse in Denmark behind the straights. Can't remember if Malmø :)p to Sweds about the ø) can be attacked through land, but fortifying behind a water passage would be cheeky (although it can be inevitable). It will shred Germany's war effort.

My best gamble would be to join Comintern (and I think it is possible due to Sweden's socialdemocrat government, or HPP mechanics of government transitions).

Malmo is behind a strait, so it can be crossed from Denmark. However, a few divisions with sufficient AA protection can hold them off very well. do you remember a little Denmark AAR that was around here sometime ago, where someone did the same thing but then in Denmark? The amount of Germans dead in the water was astonishing, and Sweden can do exactly the same (as long as the Germans don't use their fleet to land somewhere else)
 
Subbed, it seems very interesting
 
Thanks sebas, I was not sure whether Malmo was behind a strait. I 've read the AAR you 've mentioned and it has inspired me for epic defense (playing Sweden -since it is the most powerful nation of the scandinavian nations, and not being attacked by the majors) in Denmark though. There was never need to defend Malmo ;)

In any case, defending a strait, whether is Malmo, Odense or Sicily can break Germany and have them conquered by the Soviets quite easily while they waste hundreds of thousands of soldiers in a single battle.
 
This looks great! I think Sweden is a great choice for an AAR.

It would be interesting to see you play as either of the factions or maybe - if your neutrality is low enough - try and weather the storm alone.
It should be especially interesting around the time of Barbarossa, as mentioned above.

I'm definitely subbing and good luck! :)
 

Glad to have you!

Sure, let's play the home front of Paradox :D
In my opinion, Allies would be most entertaining, as you'll then be fighting a cross-Baltic war with a superior Germany. But any other option should do as well, as long as you pick your fights.

I'm looking forward to the first update!

You have no idea how tempting it was to crack a Paradox joke...or two...or three :p

Allies is the most likely too, unless the Germans make more of an effort to get me in their camp than they did in the test game (typically in there it would be influence me for a couple months, then stop and I would bounce back into the Allied camp).

Sweden is an interesting nation I agree, in a precarious position. I have fond memories of a game of my own once, in the allies, where Finland got scared into the allies and the 3 northern nations kicked the German's ass out of Norway when they invaded.
Looking forward to where this one is going, good luck!

I only think I've seen an Allied Finland a couple times before. I just have to hope they end up on the same side as me, no matter what side that may be. Scandinavian Alliance FTW!

It will be very interesting to see an AAR with a Nordic country which doesn't build a power base by chewing all her neighbours. An Allied Sweden will be mainly working in favour of Comintern, given that it will keep occupied the German forces in Norway, or even worse in Denmark behind the straights. Can't remember if Malmø :)p to Sweds about the ø) can be attacked through land, but fortifying behind a water passage would be cheeky (although it can be inevitable). It will shred Germany's war effort.

My best gamble would be to join Comintern (and I think it is possible due to Sweden's socialdemocrat government, or HPP mechanics of government transitions).

I've noticed that most Nordic AAR's do tend to involve conquering the neighbors. Sound strategy, but I wanted a more historic take so that's why I decided not to here. And yep, if the Germans end up as my enemies, I just need to beef up my navy enough to where they can't invade me on the flanks, and they won't be able to cross against a determined defense of Malmo.

Subbed, it seems very interesting

Glad you think its interesting.

As a swede I can do no more than to sub and wish you good luck with your AAR. You better bring glory to my ancestors or else... ;)

Well now I have to do well :p

Glad to have you reading!

This looks great! I think Sweden is a great choice for an AAR.

It would be interesting to see you play as either of the factions or maybe - if your neutrality is low enough - try and weather the storm alone.
It should be especially interesting around the time of Barbarossa, as mentioned above.

I'm definitely subbing and good luck! :)

Glad you like the choice of nation. Sadly, factions are the only way to get involved in a war (or Directly Intervene in the Winter War), without cheating. Gustav V has that annoying +0.1 to Neutrality bonus, so I'd basically always have to have spies working on lowering it, or I'd never get anywhere.


Obligatory 'State of the Nation at the start of the game' post will be up once I'm done typing it...so maybe an hour or so.
 
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Warriors of the North said:
Chapter One: The Year it all Began

The year 1936 could be said to be like any other year since the beginning of that turbulent decade. The world was still struggling to recover from the Great Depression, and very few countries were showing signs of improvement. Among those nations was Sweden, the Scandinavian powerhouse that had escaped with its economy mostly intact. Thanks to its strong supplies of natural resources, primarily its iron ore deposits, Sweden was in a unique position to prosper, despite the Depression still wreaking havoc on the world around it.

Despite this, the problem was simple. Which nations would be willing to trade for Swedish iron, with their economies in shambles? As it turned out, one way the Swedish government was able to gain trade was its southern, and rousing, neighbor. Germany had dragged itself out of the Depression, lead by the able (if heavy-handed) leadership of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party. Naturally there were whispers that he shouldn't be trusted and that Germany was not as well as she appeared, but the lucrative trade offer was more than Sweden could refuse. Not with the Depression still gripping Europe.

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The persistent whispers remained however. Germany was well remembered as a brutal foe in the Great War. Sweden had been neutral during that horrible War, but that did not mean they were blind. The Swedish officer corps had watched the fights on the Western Front, and they had seen what Germany was capable of. The amount of iron that Hitler requested just rose even more warning flags in Stockholm, considering the fact that very few new buildings were being built. That left the Heer, Luftwaffe and Kreigsmarine as the likely destination of the Swedish iron. This knowledge was not met well in Stockholm, the Swedish Military being what it was at the time.

Having not fought a war since the days of Napoleon, the Swedish Military was inexperienced. The argument could be made that it was not obsolete, but the fact remained that no matter how well armed its troops, sailors, and pilots may have been, they lacked any experience in combat. And with Scandinavian iron flowing into German factories, it was doubtful that whatever technological edge they may have had would last long. And it wasn't just Germany that could be a threat. The Soviet Russian Bear was always looming, and while Finland would be the one to bear the brunt of any fighting against the Bolsheviks, it wouldn't mean that Sweden would escape, especially if the Finns should fall.

With this knowledge in mind, a rearmament program was begun.

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Pictured: Stridsvagn m/21, Sweden's first 'tank' and HMS Drottning Victoria of the Sverige Class

The Swedish industry was mobilized as much as was possible, given its deplorable state. Nowhere near what the great powers of the world could manage, Sweden would never have a large military. Lack of manpower and lack of available factories left the Swedes in a risky position. If they expanded their military too far, and too fast, it might draw unwanted attention from the more powerful neighbors. This was well known in Stockholm at the time, and it worried military planners and government officials alike. None of them were ready for a war, and the Swedish military most definitely was not ready. It had just recently been reorganized as it stood.

Previously, all the Swedish Armed Forces had been under joint command from Stockholm. This was seen as inefficient for a modern military, so one of the first effects of the modernization and build-up was a drastic reworking of the command network. Instead of the Army being commanded from Stockholm, it would be split into three Corps, to be reinforced as new troops were called up and trained. These were the Northern Corps, under the command of Archibald Douglas, a veteran of the Finnish Civil War. The Central Corps, responsible for the defense of Stockholm among other tasks, would fall under General von Rosen. The Southern Corps, based in Malmo, fell under General Olof Thörnell.

sweden21_zps6ac759e6.jpg

Please ignore the Baltic States under Soviet Rule. It was a typo by the map maker.

This reorganization was hoped to better prepare Sweden for any potential War. Douglas had experience with the Finns, so having his command on the border with Finland would provide easy support if needed. Thörnell on the other hand, was the highest ranking officer in Sweden, so to the High Command it only made sense for him to be in command of the equally problematic border with Denmark...something that may well become the German border in the future for all they knew at the time. However, reorganizing the army could only do so much good.

Among the Swedish command, there was a sobering knowledge. As advanced and forward thinking as they were, Sweden just did not have the same educated population as larger nations. They would never be able to keep up in technology with Germany, Russia or Britain. At best, Sweden could keep up in a couple select areas, if most of their time and effort were spent exclusively on those areas. The same went for their production. While advanced, Sweden just lacked the number of factories to keep up in an arms race. Thus, it was decided that they would focus on improving the Royal Swedish Navy, the Infantry arm of the Royal Army, and the Royal Swedish Air Force first and foremost. Anything else, aside from squeezing everything possible from their limited industry, was considered secondary to their goals.

It would be a modern, infantry based army with a modernized Baltic-based Navy that would protect Sweden. And a modern Air Force that would bring the battle to anyone who broke their hard-fought neutrality. While 1935 had ended on a good note aside from the Depression, January 1936 was the beginning of the end for world peace. And Sweden would be ready when and if a war came.

tech-production1_zps0e82fb1b.jpg

Note the Submarine Flotilla taking up production space. Once that is complete, infantry will be trained and equipped using its space.






-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Phew...that took longer than expected due to some technical difficulties. Anyway, since none of the pics showed it, Sweden has 33 IC to start with. Thus, I'll never have a very full production queue (as it stands, I'm already pushing upgrades down until the Subs are finished in April). I also have some tech screens that I didn't post here, if anyone wants to see them, just ask and I'll post them. Let me know what you think!
 
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That's some nice going for you, but I just have to say that sweden from the late 1800s to the 1940s were very friendly of Germany and actually would rather see a strong Germany than a strong France or Britain. This is though if I remember correctly but I am 99% sure I do. :)

I still like how you started the AAR, the feeling you are conveying is very true to how it was back in the 30s for Sweden. :)
 
Nice update, gives a good idea of the state of the nation in HPP.
That's not a bad fleet at all you have there. If they can stand up to anything on the technological level, you might be able to wrest control of the Baltic from both Germany and Russia.

So you are going for an allied fortress Scandinavia then? Gonna be fun if the Russians and Germans stick to their plans...
 
You have a nice fleet for the Axis to bomb :p If you join the allies remember to take out of the straits before joining ;)

Btw, where are the nice Battlecruisers Sweden has in vanilla? Not in HPP? Also whats with the sub? was it already in the queue ? I can think of a million ways to spend that IC.

Will you licencing any units? That 5 leadership is quite restricting.
 
That's some nice going for you, but I just have to say that sweden from the late 1800s to the 1940s were very friendly of Germany and actually would rather see a strong Germany than a strong France or Britain. This is though if I remember correctly but I am 99% sure I do. :)

I still like how you started the AAR, the feeling you are conveying is very true to how it was back in the 30s for Sweden. :)

Agreed, they sureley prefered a strong Germany rather than a strong Russian Empire/Soviet Russia
 
It will be very interesting to see an AAR with a Nordic country which doesn't build a power base by chewing all her neighbours. An Allied Sweden will be mainly working in favour of Comintern, given that it will keep occupied the German forces in Norway, or even worse in Denmark behind the straights. Can't remember if Malmø :)p to Sweds about the ø) can be attacked through land, but fortifying behind a water passage would be cheeky (although it can be inevitable). It will shred Germany's war effort.

My best gamble would be to join Comintern (and I think it is possible due to Sweden's socialdemocrat government, or HPP mechanics of government transitions).

Hi,

you`re totally wrong abt. Sweden aligning with Comintern if you want to be historical. Socialdemocrats were considered as the most despicable among the opposing factions by the Bolshies as they went, with time, for a peaceful transformation of society. Taking into account the swedish tradition of societal consensus and historical enmity, maybe even hate(in the game time period) towards Russia/SU the idea becomes even more outlandish.

Rgds, Oldtimer
 
That's some nice going for you, but I just have to say that sweden from the late 1800s to the 1940s were very friendly of Germany and actually would rather see a strong Germany than a strong France or Britain. This is though if I remember correctly but I am 99% sure I do. :)

I still like how you started the AAR, the feeling you are conveying is very true to how it was back in the 30s for Sweden. :)

I figured I'd get at least something wrong, but that's what readAARs are for, pointing out mistakes. I'll keep an eye on that now ;)


Nice update, gives a good idea of the state of the nation in HPP.
That's not a bad fleet at all you have there. If they can stand up to anything on the technological level, you might be able to wrest control of the Baltic from both Germany and Russia.

So you are going for an allied fortress Scandinavia then? Gonna be fun if the Russians and Germans stick to their plans...

That fleet is 9 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, four destroyers, (soon to be) four submarines, and one transport. Not bad at all considering the rather deplorable state of the other Nordic fleets. Tech level though...I'll post the respective ships in the next update (or sooner if anyone wants to see them), but only a couple are up to par unfortunately. I did manage to deal with the Soviet Baltic Fleet rather well in my 'Intervene in the Winter War' test game though!

Allied or Axis. Still not sure where that will end up, but Fortress Scandinavia is definitely going to be a goal.

You have a nice fleet for the Axis to bomb :p If you join the allies remember to take out of the straits before joining ;)

Btw, where are the nice Battlecruisers Sweden has in vanilla? Not in HPP? Also whats with the sub? was it already in the queue ? I can think of a million ways to spend that IC.

Will you licencing any units? That 5 leadership is quite restricting.

There is a reason I'm building up my air force too ;)

The BC's that vanilla Sweden has are the Sverige class. HPP has those as the most advanced heavy cruisers in the Swedish fleet. To be fair, neither HC or BC really fits those ships (or the other Nordic heavies) since they were coast-defense ships. And yep, the sub was already there. I can think of plenty of other IC uses too, but having an extra sub could also be useful, which is why I'm letting it keep building (it's already fairly well along after all).

Licenses are a must if I want anything other than infantry for my army. While I can keep my navy/air force mostly up to date, I have no tank techs. So Germany will hopefully sell me some to bolster my forces. Somewhat historical there actually.


Agreed, they sureley prefered a strong Germany rather than a strong Russian Empire/Soviet Russia

They do in here too. As Derahan pointed out I messed up a bit on the Swede/German relations, but I'm working on that now. Soviet's are definitely the biggest threat though, even with Finland in between the two nations.

Hi,

you`re totally wrong abt. Sweden aligning with Comintern if you want to be historical. Socialdemocrats were considered as the most despicable among the opposing factions by the Bolshies as they went, with time, for a peaceful transformation of society. Taking into account the swedish tradition of societal consensus and historical enmity, maybe even hate(in the game time period) towards Russia/SU the idea becomes even more outlandish.

Rgds, Oldtimer

Nice to see another readAAR! You're most likely right on the Comintern bit, which is why I expect it to be the least likely to happen (I don't think I've ever had the Soviets actually influence me before).
 
Also, Sweden would never have joined anything comming from Russia since the historic enmity goes back at least 500 years and we have fought so many wars that it is crazy. It is called "Rysskräcken" or the scare of russians I believe it could be translated it. Either way it comes out to that Russia especially want to kick swedens nuts (why are we so important anyway? we got some iron in the far north and lots of forests and the rest is populated with people that complain about exactly everything (well generalisation haha).