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HoI4 Dev Diary - Poland Focus Tree Rework Part 1/2

Hello everybody and welcome to another dev diary for the upcoming Barbarossa patch and yet to be announced DLC. Today I’m going to be talking about the first focus tree which is a rework of Poland.

Poland was first added as a free DLC on release for everyone titled "United and Ready" so as such what you see in this diary will be free for everyone once Barbarossa drops. Next diary we will continue on to cover the DLC parts of the focus tree, because the tree is a bit too large to cover in one go. Enjoy!

Poland is interesting because it is a hugely popular minor (it's roughly as popular as Spain and more popular than Greece). Yet it has a very difficult position sandwiched between Soviet and Germany, which tend to scare people off. Perhaps it's the challenge, or its critical role in WW2, or just the large amount of Polish HOI4 fans, you tell me.

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So, if we load up the tree we can see not only Ignacy Mościcki’s beautiful new portrait, but an entirely new tree.

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Let’s start with the industrial branch. In the old tree, the player would have to dredge through a lot of low-value research bonuses to get just a few extra factories, so many of those old focuses have been expanded with extra factories and bonuses. But, this branch is not just about getting free factories, Poland is on a tight schedule and must use her time well if she has ambitions of outlasting the Reich.

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Many industry focuses for Poland grant powerful but temporary bonuses towards consumer goods and construction speed so time the funding of your armement well to maximize the bonuses you’ll get.

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Poland was a nation with many problems in 1936, and one such problem was that their rail networks were disparate and disconnected; largely due to the fact that Poland had only a few decades prior been part of three different nations. Among many problems this caused for Poland, it also disrupted their agricultural supply networks, which resulted in the Peasant’s Strike of 1937.

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Beginning as mere whispers among the peasantry, if Poland fails to join the supply networks and enact major agricultural reform, they will be faced with a nasty peasant’s strike, damaging their stability, industry, and populace. Though on a tight schedule, Poland may pacify the countryside to delay this uprising, but until reform is enacted, the peasants will remain restless.

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Failing to enact reform entirely will result in a massive populist uprising, and a civil war is the last thing Poland needs. If Poland is to survive the Reich and the USSR, she must be united and ready.

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Moving on to another issue Poland had in the 30s; we have the Free City of Danzig! Danzig/Gdansk was in a unique and complicated position in this period. The city was simultaneously free and owned by no-one, an official Polish protectorate, and an international city partially run by the League of Nations. So representing Danzig/Gdansk as an on-map tag in 36 felt not quite right, so instead the city is demilitarized and Poland is incapable of accessing any of their factories, resources, or manpower.

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When the Nazi party took power in the city, it strangled Polish trade, so Poland begins the game with the “Embargoed Economy” trade law, similar to Undisturbed Isolation in the US but not nearly as harsh. To remove the Embargoed Economy, Poland must either develop a new trade port in Gdynia, gain a new port through conquest, or clamp down on Danzig.

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Attempting to seize control of Danzig will cause the city to begin a resistance, and Poland can fight that resistance through decisions and the usual resistance/compliance mechanics. With enough compliance, Poland will be able to ban the Nazi party and take permanent control of the city; ending the resistance, gaining access to all of Danzig’s resources, manpower, and industry, and finally being able to remove the embargoed economy.

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Failing to bring Danzig under control will result in the city rising up against you and appearing as a tag on the map. Failing to stamp out this uprising in time will cause the city to defect to the Reich.

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When either Gdynia or Danzig has become Poland’s major port, they gain access to the rest of their naval branch, granting dockyards, factories, and research bonuses.

Next up we have the old Prepare for the Next War branch, which has been expanded quite considerably since its original implementation. Poland now has access to Plan East and Plan West, military plans to fight the USSR and the Reich.

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Historically, Poland believed the USSR to be the greater threat and didn’t begin preparing Plan West until just two years before invasion. But, with the power of hindsight, the player can start either plan immediately after completing the Prepare for the Next War focus, and accumulate forts and construction bonuses along the border.

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However, until Plan West has been completed, Plan East cannot be begun and vice versa, but when complete, no further focuses from the branch may be taken.

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Finally, probably the part of the tree that has received the most love; the historical Polish political focus branch. Poland was not the united stable regime we had previously seen on release. Along with impending threats outside their borders, Poland was (like most authoritarian regimes) plagued with infighting and factionalism.

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The dictatorship was divided between the Castle lead by Ignacy Mościcki, the Sanation Right lead by Edward Rydz-Śmigły, and the Sanation Left led by Walery Sławek.

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Each branch of the Sanation has a series of focuses that can be completed for various bonuses and the player does not have to commit to one faction or the other right away. Rather, you can form your government with a multitude of policies from each of the three factions, but the longer you spend forming your government, the less time you have for other things like industry and plans East and West.

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Historical Poland will also have access to the April Constitution, the binding document of the Dictatorship. Though it begins weak, through collaboration with Sanations Left and Right, the Constitution will become a powerful bonus to Poland's politics. With all power consolidated in the President, you'll be able to change your laws and your cabinet with ease.

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Time isn’t your only opponent here though, each of the two factions will expect Mościcki to appease them by enacting their policies and giving them power. Every focus of the Left you complete will make the Right more irritated and vice versa. On top of that, both factions will passively gain irritation over time so spend too long without taking a side and you risk losing both to civil wars.

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Historically, Mościcki maintained control of the government until wartime, at which point it was agreed Śmigły would take control, but Poland failed to last long enough for this to take effect. However, if the player has appointed either Śmigły or Sławek as Chairman of Poland, the Sanation Right/Left can supercede the Castle and become the majority controller of the government. This enables some light alt-history within the historical branch, as well as unlocking new diplomatic options for Poland.

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Available to all three factions of the dictatorship is the Align With the West branch, which allows Poland to join the Allies as they were able to in their old tree.

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In the 30s, Lithuania was technically at war with Poland until the 1938 Polish ultimatum to Lithuania in which Poland demanded an end to the cold war over Vilnius. As well as being able to gain cooperation and eventually an alliance with Lithuania, Poland may also demand Lithuania’s annexation which can result in occupying Lithuania without the need for war, but take this focus with caution as it extends your frontline with the Axis.

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Lastly, the Romanian Bridgehead Strategy has now been moved to the diplomatic branch and allows Poland to bring Romania into the allies. Historically, Poland and Lithuania had an alliance prior to the war, and Poland can pursue this alliance closer, bringing Romanian guns to the Polish front.

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The Sanation Right exclusively has access to Polish Revanchism which has now been expanded into its own full branch. As well as being able to demand the annexation of Lithuania, the Right can pursue both a restored Commonwealth and fulfil the ambition of the Polish–Czechoslovak confederation.

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Lastly, the Sanation Left has access to an expanded Baltic Alliance path, allowing them to gain alliances with the Baltic states, Czechoslovakia, and Romania, and unlocking the newly expanded Between the Seas branch!

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(It's worth mentioning at this point that most focus icons are placeholder)

No matter which path Poland is pursuing, as long as Poland is not in a faction already, they will be able to realize the Intermarium ambition and create an alliance from sea-to-sea! All they need to do is be considered a major or be a faction leader already, and have a large army. At this point, Poland can be considered a real contender for a major alliance of their own.

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The old Between Seas focus was not really “between seas” so much as it was just a Baltic alliance, but now the first nation to be invited to the faction is Romania. After Romania has made their decision, the alliance can spread any direction; north into Scandinavia and the Baltics, and south into the Balkans. Though unlikely, an Italian alliance is not out of the question for Poland here, but some significant change in policy for either nation would be necessary to tempt the Italians away from the Axis.

That’s all for this one, next week we’ll be talking about Poland’s DLC-locked alternate history branches!
 
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I would argue though that without the Soviet Invasion, even with the chaos from not having the Polish army fully mobilized, Poland still could have pulled off the Romanian bridgehead strategy well into very early 1940 (and even they expected to do so). Polish counterattacks did eventually stabilize the south, German supply lines were stretched that far into the horrendous rural infrastructure, and most of all, winter was coming which would put a halt to serious fighting.
Polish army would try to hold in a narrow, disloyal region, having lost it`s native industry, and being unable to recruit any reinforcements. Yes, that would work out.
Rural infrastructure actually works against Poland first, since supplying army over Romanian and then Polish infrastructure under Luftwaffe attacks would be far worse than just having to content with poor infra.

As for the issue of winter putting an end to serious fighting, Winter War and Soviet counter-attacks in winter 1941-42 and 42-43 would beg to differ.

Also, I don`t know why would SU just abandon lands that it believes to be rightfully it`s, even if it wouldn`t directly invade, there was plenty of ways for them to help Polish defense collapse.
 
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disloyal region

During German Invasion Ukrainians and Belorussians stood by Poland, were mobilized and especially more loyal to Poland people fought in Polish army against Germans. Even anti-Polish parties were not acting up at that time.

This said, Carpathia terrain is mountainous and was awful for the bridgehead. There is no direct railway from Galicia to Romania too, the only meaningful rail connection going through Transcarpathia.

I would argue though that without the Soviet Invasion, even with the chaos from not having the Polish army fully mobilized, Poland still could have pulled off the Romanian bridgehead strategy well into very early 1940 (and even they expected to do so). Polish counterattacks did eventually stabilize the south, German supply lines were stretched that far into the horrendous rural infrastructure, and most of all, winter was coming which would put a halt to serious fighting.

Poland effectively lost by 5th September.
There was nothing going for Romanian bridgehead other than evacuation.

The critical mistakes were made from the poor war plans of Poland and advanced military planning of Germans. There was capacity to defend, but only at the start. At the time Soviets entered war, Poland was done for.

Also, I don`t know why would SU just abandon lands that it believes to be rightfully it`s, even if it wouldn`t directly invade, there was plenty of ways for them to help Polish defense collapse.

They were bound by treaties with Poland.

Annexation of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus officially was because "Poland ceased to exist, we must protect our brethren" - they denounced effectively their obligations and treaties with Poland defacto.

But in truth it was all decided by MR pact, about which Poland was oblivious. In fact, in 1939 Allies talked about alliance with USSR and Soviets helping Poland and attacking Gernany. They didn't expect former rivals, Germany and Soviets, to cooperate against Poland and rest of Eastern Europe.
 
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I hope that the Communist tree will be treated with the same sensitivity as the Sanacja tree and will give Poland the opportunity to expand without losing anything to the USSR. It will also take into account the three concepts of the three Communist leaders, i.e. Ochaba (Poland playing the first fiddle in the international politics of the communist movement), Gomułka (Polish Autarchy and flirting with nationalism) and Bierut (Poland as a faithful ally of the USSR).
 
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Absolutely!

I'm Romanian and I played Poland a lot, it may have been a "speed bump" in real life, largely due to late mobilization due to Allies pressure, but the very point of a game is that you don't have to follow real life step by step.

Honestly, after Battle for the Bosporus I was expecting the worst, but this focus looks so amazingly made I wish it was summer already so I can play it.

By the way, and a question for the actual Poles if they agree. Would you agree to have the "Międzymorze" faction renamed to it's English equivalent "Intermarium"?

Every other faction's name in the game is in English regardless of the origin of the founding nation. It leads to more consistency within the game.

Honestly, for consistency, I think you could change the name to Intermarium, for me it wasn't a problem.

Mainly because I play the Polish version, so I would probably have Międzymorze anyway :D
 
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I'm Polish and glad you've reworked my country. I personally think would be better (and more accurate) to make Free City of Danzig a separate country, but its up to you. I have a few remarks tho.

First of all, not everybody knows that Germany and USSR had two plans how to divide Poland in Ribbentrop-Molotov pact. On the left is how they planned oryginally, during making said pact (as you can see, Lithuania was meant to be in the German sphere of influence). On the right, how they finally did it after the invasion.
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I would like both participants be given a choice, which division to realize in the game. It would be an interesting alt-history (a Pole talking how to divide his country. Yep I know, a bit weird ;))

Second of all, there is an area in north-east Poland called Suwalki, more or less here:
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Historically, it was given to Germany. So I think it would be a good Idea to separate it from Bialystok as a new state.

Before Man the Guns, Bialystok was a bit more to the east, what was changes, likely to make possible ot recreate modern Polish borders after the war.
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However, after Germany invaded USSR in 1941, they annexed Bialystok and this area as well into the Reich:
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So, I think it would be nice if it was made a separate state as well. You can name it Grodno, cause there is a city there by that name.

Lastly about Ribbentrop-Molotov, Lithuania historically was given Vilnus area shortly after fall of Poland by the Soviets (not for long tho, as USSR occupied and annexed Lithuania shortly after). But it would be nice little detail, to add some event for the Soviets to choose, if to transfer a state of Vilnus to Lithuania or not.

Also, it would be good if Germany could form Protectorate of Bohemia and Morawia and General Governate in central Poland.

But there's also an important thing with to fix. If your puppet's land are not his cores, resistance grows and grows to the point of rebellion and you can do nothing about it. I think it would be good to be able to somehow support your puppets in destruction of said resistance, for example by enabling player's agends to be sent on rooting out the resistance mission on puppet's states. But maybe you could implement other mechanics, like police forces supported by puppet's master. That might come at hand if you are going to give Germany option to create more Reichkommisariats on former Soviet territory in upcoming DLC.

Ok, so i think these are all my suggestions. Good luck with working on Barbarossa Patch :)
 
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During German Invasion Ukrainians and Belorussians stood by Poland, were mobilized and especially more loyal to Poland people fought in Polish army against Germans. Even anti-Polish parties were not acting up at that time.

This said, Carpathia terrain is mountainous and was awful for the bridgehead. There is no direct railway from Galicia to Romania too, the only meaningful rail connection going through Transcarpathia.



Poland effectively lost by 5th September.
There was nothing going for Romanian bridgehead other than evacuation.

The critical mistakes were made from the poor war plans of Poland and advanced military planning of Germans. There was capacity to defend, but only at the start. At the time Soviets entered war, Poland was done for.



They were bound by treaties with Poland.

Annexation of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus officially was because "Poland ceased to exist, we must protect our brethren" - they denounced effectively their obligations and treaties with Poland defacto.

But in truth it was all decided by MR pact, about which Poland was oblivious. In fact, in 1939 Allies talked about alliance with USSR and Soviets helping Poland and attacking Gernany. They didn't expect former rivals, Germany and Soviets, to cooperate against Poland and rest of Eastern Europe.
I will answer in order;

Not exactly true there was in fact a coordinated action by Ukrainian Nationalists in Poland at the time of the invasion. Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists was directly funded and cooperated to great extent with the Abwehr since pretty much right after the end of world war 1. There was even a plan for a full blown uprising in the east but that was scrapped last moment as with Molotov-Ribbentrop pact these territories were now to be in Soviet sphere so Germans told the Ukrainians to not stage a uprising but neglected to inform the OUN that they are soon gonna find themselves in the hands of the Soviets. OUN was a big organisation in on itself but one has to say that the actual democratic representation of the Ukrainian people in the form of UNDO coalition did stood by Poland similarly with the majority of Belarusians. Of course there were also the communists which were acting up but that again wasn't the majority of people. But that does not mean that Ukrainians or Belarusians were not opposed to what was going on in Poland as they very much were. It also does not mean the region was deeply loyal to Poland because it really wasn't. In the case of World War 2 simply put most people didn't like either the Soviets or the Nazis. Therefore from 1936-39 there should be a lot of content about minorities and the entire problem of the eastern territories.

The next two things are okay but now for Soviet Union. Neither Germany nor Soviet Union treated these pacts in any seriousness either internally or externally and in fact undermined them at every step. It was a big failure of the Polish foreign policy because it was obvious that these treaties have no value to the people that signed them and that was noticed at the time but ignored by Sanation regime. The annexation of those terrains officially was a war of liberation of the oppressed minorities and a expression of communist solidarity and all that stuff. In fact the Soviet Union expected to fight Polish troops and be drawn into the war but the people in charge once again showed their brilliance and declared that Soviet troops are not to be fought. Furthermore you say they didn't expect but we now know that Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was known to the allied nations (delivered to them thanks to USA) but that they did not pass on that information to Poland. As to why that happened I would have to go into a lecture of what British government was doing at the time and it is a fascinating wild circus of just ridiculous stuff but that would take way too much space. In short they were afraid that if the Polish government knew what was going on they would capitulate outright (Monumentally stupid logic). The only serious talks about cooperation with the Soviets that I know of were during Munich when the Red Army offered to march trough Poland to aid Czechoslovakia but you might predict how Poland reacted to that idea. Besides it was just a play to up Soviet international standing because they knew they couldn't do it. Anyhow Soviets would intervene in any case where Poland was attacked by a major power whether Germany signed a Molotov-Ribbentrop with them or not, the results, moments and the such of that intervention could be different but it would happened in 10/10 cases.
 
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For the Russian rework I had the idea for the non-aligned branch where they make Anastasia the Tsar (a fake of course as there were many), and have it to where eventually the government will realize that she is a fake and have three options
1) Knowingly keep her to maintain the idea of the last 'true' Romanov/Decendent of Nicolas (a leader trait, presumable)
2) Tell the public and dethrone her and replace her with either and heir( if one exists) or (forgeting his name right now) the actually heir Nicolas's brother. loss of stability that can be regained with time as the new Tsar is in power
3) The fake Anastasia dies in a 'hunting accident' and the prior happens just minus the stab hit

If you decide to keep you run the risk of the public finding out on their own which could lead to massive stab hits or civil war
 
President Lauri Relander(from 1925-1931) was known for faring around the "Reissulasse" Traveling Lasse, Lasse being a nickname for Lauri.

He was called that because he made a whopping few state visits to Scandinavia, which was unprecedented at the time.

Finland practiced a foreign policy in the 1920s and 30s known as Reunavaltiopolitiikka, roughly translated as "Border states policy" (See Warsaw Accord of 1922). While the practice of reunavaltiopolitiikka was sort of ended in 1935, president Svinhufvud(president from 1931-1937) by no means was an isolationist.

I'd have to check to be sure, but IIRC the "border state policy" was abandoned already circa 1920 in favour of a Nordic orientation, after the surviving European countries that had split from Russia signed peace with her one by one.
 
The problem is that just because something is more common, doesn't mean it's more correct. See the very common mistake in Polish - using "tą" in the Accusative case (Biernik) instead of "tę".
If a state institution like the IPN uses it, i certainly won't believe it is completely pulled out of ones finger. Everywhere i could find something about his name change, it was a mere mention of how he incorporated his nom de guerre into his official name, however i have not seem anything pointing me towards the fact that Smigly-Rydz was the official order of his surname, not Rydz-Smigly. Not a single one.

Provide me a credible source and i will say "fair enough".
 
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Not exactly true there was in fact a coordinated action by Ukrainian Nationalists in Poland at the time of the invasion. Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists was directly funded and cooperated to great extent with the Abwehr since pretty much right after the end of world war 1. There was even a plan for a full blown uprising in the east but that was scrapped last moment as with Molotov-Ribbentrop pact these territories were now to be in Soviet sphere so Germans told the Ukrainians to not stage a uprising but neglected to inform the OUN that they are soon gonna find themselves in the hands of the Soviets. OUN was a big organisation in on itself but one has to say that the actual democratic representation of the Ukrainian people in the form of UNDO coalition did stood by Poland similarly with the majority of Belarusians. Of course there were also the communists which were acting up but that again wasn't the majority of people. But that does not mean that Ukrainians or Belarusians were not opposed to what was going on in Poland as they very much were. It also does not mean the region was deeply loyal to Poland because it really wasn't. In the case of World War 2 simply put most people didn't like either the Soviets or the Nazis. Therefore from 1936-39 there should be a lot of content about minorities and the entire problem of the eastern territories.

My only point was that in WWII, for the Polish campaign, Ukrainians and Belorussians were mobilized (I think above 100 000 people total), UNDO was still the leading political party of Ukrainians and OUN irl also tried to do minor attacks - but the fact was that it lacked authority to make a massive rebellion and lacked in manpower and ammunition. One must remember that OUN was being suppressed for all 1930s and yet it still grew. But practically Poles would be able to organize defenses in Galicia and Volhyn if only the issue of loyalty was at hand (and there were way bigger issues). Perhaps OUN could actually make a full-blown revolt with German support... but that would need an active help since 1938 probably.

I would wait to see 2nd DD about Poland before making any final judgements, but overall minorities issue hopefully should be shown there. It would be a shame if it was ignored and I hope that the answer above cores from Meca only meant to not spoiler future DD. It makes no sense to ignore them while seemingly going into such details for Poland, so it is probably just in DLC.

The only serious talks about cooperation with the Soviets that I know of were during Munich when the Red Army offered to march trough Poland to aid Czechoslovakia but you might predict how Poland reacted to that idea. Besides it was just a play to up Soviet international standing because they knew they couldn't do it.

There were many probes at it. The issue was, of course, conflict of interests that stalled it for good.
The real issue why Polish foreign politics became a mess is the fact that the Germany turned on them. I am not sure if Germany could be satisfied with Danzing and land corridor to East Prussia and not divide them like Czechs but rather award them later like Romanians, but the path they took in history meant that needed to jiggle between two powers to both of which they didn't trust.
 
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will there be a way to improve the friendship with hungary and possibly invite them to a faction? hungarians and poles were such good friends, hungarian soldiers in warsaw even handed weapons to the poles during the uprising. I think a focus for this would go nicely next to inviting romania to a faction, a well as possibly arbitrating your own vienna award.

also, will there be naval focuses even if you dont own either Danzig or Gdynia? Its more than possible these territories are handed over to germany but poland has control of lithuania.
 
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The Allies lose opinion of Poland if they go down this path, but a full-scale intervention doesn't seem like something the Brits would have done at this time. Germany, on the other hand, does gain the option to intervene as the situation escalates. Seizing Danzig is the quicker but riskier option, but developing Gdynia is safer and slower.

Stay tuned next week ;)
If Germany intervenes does it count as an offensive or defensive war? (in the context of whether the Allies guaranteeing Poland would be called in.) Because while intervention suggests offensive, it doesn't seem great that the UK and France would back Poland in this scenario where they just trampled all over Danzig's sovereignty if it happens before Anschluss or the annexation of the Sudetenland :/
 
You guys realize lesser consumer goods in the game context means that there are more factories working on military production and construction rather than necessarily a way of saying some countries are richer than others, and an authoritarian state could easily do that. Also, Germany still gets more of their -5% than Poland with their -15% as it is a matter of math, Germany has almost 60 factories more than Poland ( not even counting Austria and Czechoslovakia ) if you know what you are you doing, hence why the numbers change so much, Jesus Christ, do you even know what you are complaining about at this point?
That is only true at the start of the game, what if Poland defeats Germany, now Polish Mefo bill is much better then it logically should be, just because you felt sorry for them having fewer factories then Germany.

The game is not ment to be fair, Germany is ment to be stronger then Poland, that is how it was during WW2. To try and even it out makes the game less historical. The entire point of trying to win the war as Poland instead of Germany is for the challenge, to put training wheels on Poland diminish that accomplishment.
 
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During German Invasion Ukrainians and Belorussians stood by Poland, were mobilized and especially more loyal to Poland people fought in Polish army against Germans. Even anti-Polish parties were not acting up at that time

My only point was that in WWII, for the Polish campaign, Ukrainians and Belorussians were mobilized (I think above 100 000 people total),
100k fairly low number if you compare conscription of Poles.
This said, Carpathia terrain is mountainous and was awful for the bridgehead. There is no direct railway from Galicia to Romania too, the only meaningful rail connection going through Transcarpathia.
Yes, and planes will have a field day with it.
They were bound by treaties with Poland.

Annexation of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus officially was because "Poland ceased to exist, we must protect our brethren" - they denounced effectively their obligations and treaties with Poland defacto. But in truth it was all decided by MR pact, about which Poland was oblivious.
Yes, Soviets clearly were considering themselves bound by treaties. They only violated them, like 5 times: Poland, Baltic annexation, Finland, Bessarabia and Japan.

Official excuses, are just that, opportunities taken.

In fact, in 1939 Allies talked about alliance with USSR and Soviets helping Poland and attacking Gernany. They didn't expect former rivals, Germany and Soviets, to cooperate against Poland and rest of Eastern Europe.
Well, if Soviets were to help Poland, what do you think the price of that help would be ? :D

Soviets wanted stuff they lost to Poland back. Maybe even Poland itself, since it was part of Russian Empire.
 
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Looks good. I honestly think it's pretty well-balanced. Poland does get some buffs, but also has a bunch of new problems to deal with (railways, Danzig, etc.).
 
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