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Please do! This has been a wild and exciting ride so far
My head is swimming with nations I want to run in HoI4 / Kaiserreich... but I'm definitely excited to see my Estonian campaign through V2! I don't know if I'm brave enough to try and mod HoI4 though since there's no converter, so I think that campaign will likely end there unless I decide to jump it to Stellaris.
I know the feeling - I am holding fire on any projects just now though in case the next update is announced with a close release date at PDXCON. I am really interesting in some of the changes coming - plus what's not to love about armoured cars
I know the feeling - I am holding fire on any projects just now though in case the next update is announced with a close release date at PDXCON. I am really interesting in some of the changes coming - plus what's not to love about armoured cars
And that new Spain tree... Carlist playthrough plz <3
September 1941 - December 1941
Synarchism Sweeps the Americas
After Brazil and Argentina were incorporated into the Synarchist Pact, only two countries in South America remained unaccounted for: Paraguay and Uruguay. While both nations were small when compared to the rest of the member states, Salvador Abascal was not willing to take the risk of having non-aligned nations within his faction's sphere of influence.
Uruguay would come to enter the Pact willingly, after Mexican efforts to support Synarchist movements in the country led to the passing of a new constitution and the formation of a newly-organized Catholic state in Uruguay.
Uruguay was then followed by Cuba, where new President Pablo Garcia sought admittance into the faction after his own Falangist government rose to power on the island. Two more allies had been added to Mexico's growing pan-Hispanic alliance, but one proved much more stubborn. As with the rest of South America, Mexican agitators had done their best to increase support for a government overthrow, but Communism proved to be too deeply rooted in the Paraguayan government for any such movement to be successful.
As a result, in December of 1941, Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia mobilized their armies to invade and crush the small Communist state. With little territory and a tiny army, Paraguay was utterly overwhelmed and annexed into Argentina after barely a month of fighting. In spite of their Communist ideology, the Paraguayans received no aid from Soviet Russia, which was preoccupied with fighting off the attack on its eastern shores by Japanese and Korean troops.
The defeat of Paraguay meant that, with the exception of British, Dutch, and French colonies on the northern tip of South America, all of the continent had now been brought into the Synarchist Pact -- no sovereign states south of Mexico existed outside of the faction's influence. At last, Abascal had succeeded in uniting all of Hispanic America's nations under one banner; soon, the time would come to decide where and how the Synarchist Pact would expand next.
The Axis Marches Into Italy
The invasion of Poland sparked an all-out war between the Axis and the NIR, and the early days of the war had not favored Italy. Swift Axis offensives had pushed Italian troops back across the Po River, but as the two sides fought over the river crossing, the Italians managed to grind their enemies to a halt as multiple failed efforts to cross the river left the waters filled with the bodies of German and British soldiers. But as the fall prepared to turn to winter, the Italian defenses began to falter.
In November, a great combined offensive by British, German, Yugoslavian, and Swiss troops broke across the river south of Turin, where they successfully pressed their way out to the Mediterranean coastline. The maneuver isolated a number of defending Italian divisions, cutting them off from supplies and reinforcements coming from Genoa. As the Axis' vice grip closed in, these soldiers would all be defeated in one of the largest frontline losses for Italy during the war. At the same time, crack German soldiers finally managed to fight their way across the Po north of Bologna, where a siege on the city began in late November.
By Christmas, both Bologna and Genoa had fallen to Axis occupation, with La Spezia following soon after. Italian soldiers spent their Christmas fighting around Florence, struggling to prevent Axis divisions from engulfing the city and surrounding it in a multi-fronted siege. Turkish reinforcements began to arrive in Ancona to help bolster the rapidly-falling frontline, but the waters of the Adriatic proved dangerous as German U-Boat patrols attacked the Turkish vessels delivering their troops to the shore. But Florence would fall before the Turkish troops could come to its defense, and by New Year's day of 1942, the Axis had extended the frontline to Ancona and Rome, threatening the Italian capital itself and forcing Mussolini to fight his hardest to preserve his empire.
Synarchism Sweeps the Americas
After Brazil and Argentina were incorporated into the Synarchist Pact, only two countries in South America remained unaccounted for: Paraguay and Uruguay. While both nations were small when compared to the rest of the member states, Salvador Abascal was not willing to take the risk of having non-aligned nations within his faction's sphere of influence.
Uruguay would come to enter the Pact willingly, after Mexican efforts to support Synarchist movements in the country led to the passing of a new constitution and the formation of a newly-organized Catholic state in Uruguay.
Uruguay was then followed by Cuba, where new President Pablo Garcia sought admittance into the faction after his own Falangist government rose to power on the island. Two more allies had been added to Mexico's growing pan-Hispanic alliance, but one proved much more stubborn. As with the rest of South America, Mexican agitators had done their best to increase support for a government overthrow, but Communism proved to be too deeply rooted in the Paraguayan government for any such movement to be successful.
As a result, in December of 1941, Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia mobilized their armies to invade and crush the small Communist state. With little territory and a tiny army, Paraguay was utterly overwhelmed and annexed into Argentina after barely a month of fighting. In spite of their Communist ideology, the Paraguayans received no aid from Soviet Russia, which was preoccupied with fighting off the attack on its eastern shores by Japanese and Korean troops.
The defeat of Paraguay meant that, with the exception of British, Dutch, and French colonies on the northern tip of South America, all of the continent had now been brought into the Synarchist Pact -- no sovereign states south of Mexico existed outside of the faction's influence. At last, Abascal had succeeded in uniting all of Hispanic America's nations under one banner; soon, the time would come to decide where and how the Synarchist Pact would expand next.
The Axis Marches Into Italy
The invasion of Poland sparked an all-out war between the Axis and the NIR, and the early days of the war had not favored Italy. Swift Axis offensives had pushed Italian troops back across the Po River, but as the two sides fought over the river crossing, the Italians managed to grind their enemies to a halt as multiple failed efforts to cross the river left the waters filled with the bodies of German and British soldiers. But as the fall prepared to turn to winter, the Italian defenses began to falter.
In November, a great combined offensive by British, German, Yugoslavian, and Swiss troops broke across the river south of Turin, where they successfully pressed their way out to the Mediterranean coastline. The maneuver isolated a number of defending Italian divisions, cutting them off from supplies and reinforcements coming from Genoa. As the Axis' vice grip closed in, these soldiers would all be defeated in one of the largest frontline losses for Italy during the war. At the same time, crack German soldiers finally managed to fight their way across the Po north of Bologna, where a siege on the city began in late November.
By Christmas, both Bologna and Genoa had fallen to Axis occupation, with La Spezia following soon after. Italian soldiers spent their Christmas fighting around Florence, struggling to prevent Axis divisions from engulfing the city and surrounding it in a multi-fronted siege. Turkish reinforcements began to arrive in Ancona to help bolster the rapidly-falling frontline, but the waters of the Adriatic proved dangerous as German U-Boat patrols attacked the Turkish vessels delivering their troops to the shore. But Florence would fall before the Turkish troops could come to its defense, and by New Year's day of 1942, the Axis had extended the frontline to Ancona and Rome, threatening the Italian capital itself and forcing Mussolini to fight his hardest to preserve his empire.
Now that all of South America are united under Mexico, all they do next is bide their time for the inevitable. In the mean time, the interlude regarding the Mexican military focus branch.
And don't forget to have the military debate of "Blue Water Navy to match the British and American navies or Raiding Navy lessons from German U-Boat fleets" and "conventional Heavy Field Artillery Support or Aerial (Light and Medium) Bomber Support"
And don't forget to have the military debate of "Blue Water Navy to match the British and American navies or Raiding Navy lessons from German U-Boat fleets" and "conventional Heavy Field Artillery Support or Aerial (Light and Medium) Bomber Support"
Clearly now it is time to get those Europeans to hand over their colonies. They don't belong in the Americas.
I mean it's no surprise Italy is losing, what with them facing off against two of the most powerful militaries in the world.
I mean it's no surprise Italy is losing, what with them facing off against two of the most powerful militaries in the world.
It would be a lot better if you can get the Europeans to hand over their colonies in the Americas without bloodshed. You could always give them something in return.
If it were just Britain I would say go raiding, but as one will have to face up against the USA as well a blue water fleet may be better in the long-run. Though it will take years to make even a reasonably sized squadron. Whether that time lag justified the potentially quicker Raider fleet I leave to others.
Likewise I a tempted to go artillery - simply easier to produce.
Likewise I a tempted to go artillery - simply easier to produce.
I think raiding makes more sense ... no way I could compete on sheer capital size with any of the majors. Though capital ships are just so pretty and shiny....
I am loving this AAR
Haven't finished all updates
But I am loving it
I just love 19th century Mexico in general.
It was indeed a melting pot of all different types of politic revolutions and bands
Great work
Haven't finished all updates
But I am loving it
I just love 19th century Mexico in general.
It was indeed a melting pot of all different types of politic revolutions and bands
Great work
More allies, I am quite happy things are going so smoothly. Now the question: try to fight the USA, or get those European colonies under a friendly banner?
We need to convince the Europeans to hand over their colonies to you before the Axis comes to the US.
Unfortunately, I don't think there's any diplomatic means to achieve that haha... If I want the rest of South America, I've got to make war on the WPTO or the Axis... But if the Axis continues to dominate moving forward, sooner or later they're going to end up at war with the USA, and if they have to fight me and Canada on both fronts, I see my chance. This is very much going to be a "wait and see" period while I see who I can jump in their moment of weakness XD
December 1941 - June 1942
The Invincible Reich
By Christmas of 1941, Axis forces had marched southward through Italy and were threatening the great capital in Rome as Italian defenders, bolstered by recently-arrived Turkish reinforcements, struggled to hold on to the seat of their nation's power. By February of 1942, Axis troops had advanced to the edges of the city, and the 16.Panzer-Division spearheaded the German assault on Rome.
The battle over the city took almost the entire month, and the casualty toll was heavy on both sides. But on February 23, Rome finally gave way and was occupied by the German Reich. Mussolini and his top advisers fled south, and Pope Pius XII was evacuated from the Vatican and fled to Avignon, France, to seek refuge from the oncoming Nazi occupation. The defeat was the harshest blow yet dealt to Mussolini's New Roman Empire, and as spring came close, the German invasion of Europe seemed unstoppable.
The fall of Rome was accompanied by a renewed counteroffensive in the Balkan region, where Axis troops -- primarily British and Yugoslavian with some German support -- captured Romanian and Bulgarian states under Spanish occupation, incorporating the occupied territory into Yugoslavia. Hitler also engineered a brief invasion of the Netherlands, which took just two weeks to complete in its fullness.
Hitler's Wehrmacht had achieved victory upon victory, and both the Spanish Balkans and the Italian Peninsula seemed to be foregone conclusions. With the battle in both theaters already apparently won, the Führer mobilized another wing of the army to begin a new campaign -- an invasion of France.
The Maginot Line -- which the French had extended up to the Atlantic coast -- succeeded in slowing down the German advance, but even the legendary defensive line could not hold the Wehrmacht at bay for long. As the new Panzer IV tanks pressed into the country on the northern end of the border, German and Swiss troops stormed out of the Alps, capturing Annecy and moving on to occupy large stretches of southern France. The French had thought themselves prepared for war with Hitler, but the rapid loss of territory rattled the army and the government terribly. Within a month, defeat seemed inevitable. As elements of the government fled to the colonies to attempt to reorganize and continue their resistance, the mainland capitulated and France was fully occupied by the German Reich by June 14. Germany now extended from western Poland to the French Atlantic coast and nearly halfway down the Italian Peninsula -- as the invasion of Italy continued and preparations for an attack into Spain and Portugal were made, the total Axis conquest of Europe seemed like an inevitability.
Preparing the Pact for War
With the Synarchist Pact established as the sole dominant political power south of the United States, the influence of Mexico and Falangist Cuba led to both the Dominican Republic and the Third Empire of Haiti joining the Synarchist Pact in early 1942. But with the power base south of Mexico secured, the affairs of Europe and North America became the center of military, economic, and foreign policy.
Long periods of military recruitment had increased the size of the Mexican infantry forces substantially, with the army boasting 90 infantry divisions. These units included a mix of regular army troops and professionalized Cristero units, but all of them had been reordered to conform to a standard organization of line infantry and artillery. However, as the size of the army grew, supplying it became a challenge -- in particular, artillery was in critical demand. The army took to equipping most of its soldiers with captured weapons from the subjugated Central American states, scaling back the production of modern Mexican-manufactured infantry equipment to focus on turning out as much field artillery as possible. With new-model cannons being developed in the spring of 1942, production would remain strained for some time as the army attempted to supply its divisions with the newest artillery.
With supply and manpower concerns facing the infantry, Saturnino Cedillo began to shift his focus toward expanding his mechanized forces. Recognizing that the Mexican army would need a small core of elite assault units for an eventual war with a major world power, Cedillo stepped up the production of the VB-3 Márquez light tank, and also directed the manufacture of a number of VBA-3 Castrillon heavy tank. With these two new-model tanks under heavy production, Cedillo began a project to convert the army's stockpile of outdated VB-2 Melgar light tanks into self-propelled artillery guns. Cedillo's plan was for these three vehicles to form the center of a small, elite corps of heavy offensive troops, supplemented by motorized infantry. While this would demand considerable manufacturing time and oil, Cedillo believed that such divisions could be the key to a successful war against a great world power like the United States.
The navy's first two carriers, the ARM Jalisco and the ARM Oaxaca, were finished and put into active service in May, just as the invasion of France was beginning. These two converted Spanish battleships were the first new capital-sized additions to the Mexican fleet since the Great War era, and they would soon be followed by a new project to construct Mexico's first truly modern capital ship, a heavy cruiser. This would be supported by the continued construction of submarines and destroyers, with an eye toward creating a small but effective naval task force that could defend the coastline from naval invasions.
The production of these ships and weapons was elevated as the top priority of the Mexican economy -- with Hitler's Axis swallowing up Europe at an increasing rate, war would no doubt reach the Americas before long, and Mexico needed to be prepared for it. All the while, Mexican diplomats were increasingly engaging in dialogue with their British and German counterparts -- with Mussolini's alliance falling apart rapidly, many in the Mexican government believed that some degree of cooperation with Hitler and Edward would be necessary to achieve their ambitions north of the border.
The Invincible Reich
By Christmas of 1941, Axis forces had marched southward through Italy and were threatening the great capital in Rome as Italian defenders, bolstered by recently-arrived Turkish reinforcements, struggled to hold on to the seat of their nation's power. By February of 1942, Axis troops had advanced to the edges of the city, and the 16.Panzer-Division spearheaded the German assault on Rome.
The battle over the city took almost the entire month, and the casualty toll was heavy on both sides. But on February 23, Rome finally gave way and was occupied by the German Reich. Mussolini and his top advisers fled south, and Pope Pius XII was evacuated from the Vatican and fled to Avignon, France, to seek refuge from the oncoming Nazi occupation. The defeat was the harshest blow yet dealt to Mussolini's New Roman Empire, and as spring came close, the German invasion of Europe seemed unstoppable.
The fall of Rome was accompanied by a renewed counteroffensive in the Balkan region, where Axis troops -- primarily British and Yugoslavian with some German support -- captured Romanian and Bulgarian states under Spanish occupation, incorporating the occupied territory into Yugoslavia. Hitler also engineered a brief invasion of the Netherlands, which took just two weeks to complete in its fullness.
Hitler's Wehrmacht had achieved victory upon victory, and both the Spanish Balkans and the Italian Peninsula seemed to be foregone conclusions. With the battle in both theaters already apparently won, the Führer mobilized another wing of the army to begin a new campaign -- an invasion of France.
The Maginot Line -- which the French had extended up to the Atlantic coast -- succeeded in slowing down the German advance, but even the legendary defensive line could not hold the Wehrmacht at bay for long. As the new Panzer IV tanks pressed into the country on the northern end of the border, German and Swiss troops stormed out of the Alps, capturing Annecy and moving on to occupy large stretches of southern France. The French had thought themselves prepared for war with Hitler, but the rapid loss of territory rattled the army and the government terribly. Within a month, defeat seemed inevitable. As elements of the government fled to the colonies to attempt to reorganize and continue their resistance, the mainland capitulated and France was fully occupied by the German Reich by June 14. Germany now extended from western Poland to the French Atlantic coast and nearly halfway down the Italian Peninsula -- as the invasion of Italy continued and preparations for an attack into Spain and Portugal were made, the total Axis conquest of Europe seemed like an inevitability.
Preparing the Pact for War
With the Synarchist Pact established as the sole dominant political power south of the United States, the influence of Mexico and Falangist Cuba led to both the Dominican Republic and the Third Empire of Haiti joining the Synarchist Pact in early 1942. But with the power base south of Mexico secured, the affairs of Europe and North America became the center of military, economic, and foreign policy.
Long periods of military recruitment had increased the size of the Mexican infantry forces substantially, with the army boasting 90 infantry divisions. These units included a mix of regular army troops and professionalized Cristero units, but all of them had been reordered to conform to a standard organization of line infantry and artillery. However, as the size of the army grew, supplying it became a challenge -- in particular, artillery was in critical demand. The army took to equipping most of its soldiers with captured weapons from the subjugated Central American states, scaling back the production of modern Mexican-manufactured infantry equipment to focus on turning out as much field artillery as possible. With new-model cannons being developed in the spring of 1942, production would remain strained for some time as the army attempted to supply its divisions with the newest artillery.
With supply and manpower concerns facing the infantry, Saturnino Cedillo began to shift his focus toward expanding his mechanized forces. Recognizing that the Mexican army would need a small core of elite assault units for an eventual war with a major world power, Cedillo stepped up the production of the VB-3 Márquez light tank, and also directed the manufacture of a number of VBA-3 Castrillon heavy tank. With these two new-model tanks under heavy production, Cedillo began a project to convert the army's stockpile of outdated VB-2 Melgar light tanks into self-propelled artillery guns. Cedillo's plan was for these three vehicles to form the center of a small, elite corps of heavy offensive troops, supplemented by motorized infantry. While this would demand considerable manufacturing time and oil, Cedillo believed that such divisions could be the key to a successful war against a great world power like the United States.
The navy's first two carriers, the ARM Jalisco and the ARM Oaxaca, were finished and put into active service in May, just as the invasion of France was beginning. These two converted Spanish battleships were the first new capital-sized additions to the Mexican fleet since the Great War era, and they would soon be followed by a new project to construct Mexico's first truly modern capital ship, a heavy cruiser. This would be supported by the continued construction of submarines and destroyers, with an eye toward creating a small but effective naval task force that could defend the coastline from naval invasions.
The production of these ships and weapons was elevated as the top priority of the Mexican economy -- with Hitler's Axis swallowing up Europe at an increasing rate, war would no doubt reach the Americas before long, and Mexico needed to be prepared for it. All the while, Mexican diplomats were increasingly engaging in dialogue with their British and German counterparts -- with Mussolini's alliance falling apart rapidly, many in the Mexican government believed that some degree of cooperation with Hitler and Edward would be necessary to achieve their ambitions north of the border.
And so the Axis defeat their last major obstacle to European domination. Fascism is triumphant.
War would, inevitably, turn towards the Americas. Not even America and the Soviets are enough to stop the Axis at this point, its better to willingly side with the winners of this new century rather than be remembered as disgraced loser.
War would, inevitably, turn towards the Americas. Not even America and the Soviets are enough to stop the Axis at this point, its better to willingly side with the winners of this new century rather than be remembered as disgraced loser.
It's always embarrassing just how quickly France falls. I guess that just leaves the Soviets to oppose the Axis, although I doubt they'll do anything until Hitler inevitably attacks them.
The Mexican army is coming along quite nicely. The one benefit for you when it comes to war with the US is their military usually starts off quite small compared to the other great powers until they're drawn into war.
I guess that just leaves the Soviets to oppose the Axis, although I doubt they'll do anything until Hitler inevitably attacks them.The Mexican army is coming along quite nicely. The one benefit for you when it comes to war with the US is their military usually starts off quite small compared to the other great powers until they're drawn into war.
Seems like Axis dominance of Europe is a forgone conclusion now. Honestly, the Germans and British don't really have anyone to challenge their rule over Europe, aside from maybe them turning on each other and spiting the Axis.
Good to see Mexico's progress in uniting most of the Western Hemisphere. There's still the US that could be a problem, honestly surprised they've been letting Mexico get this far through. I wonder if all of Latin America would be enough to take on the titan that is the US. We'll see, could be a very interesting war.
Good to see Mexico's progress in uniting most of the Western Hemisphere. There's still the US that could be a problem, honestly surprised they've been letting Mexico get this far through. I wonder if all of Latin America would be enough to take on the titan that is the US. We'll see, could be a very interesting war.
Man, the Reich is just dominating. It's not even a challenge for the Axis at this stage. Short of you and Russia teaming up, I think Hitler has pretty firmly won Europe at this point. Given you have no real interests in Europe, I don't see that happening.
It's always embarrassing just how quickly France falls.
The Mexican army is coming along quite nicely. The one benefit for you when it comes to war with the US is their military usually starts off quite small compared to the other great powers until they're drawn into war.
I think they're designed to capitulate much earlier than most nations.. They fell REALLY fast.