A Bad Romeance

[shepherd352]

This is one of my last achievements to get. I looked around and found very little information. Guides on forming Byzantium are many years old and the Wiki says it can't be done with BotB! I'm not there yet but here is what I have done (WTT, historical on, Fascist path).

I decided to get Albania and Yugoslavia in my first two justifications. I joined the Axis (just Germany) and declared. I tried to call in Germany just on Albania but I don't think that works anymore. As a result Italy declared war on me (for Albania) and Romania joined in (for Yugoslavia). After lots of fighting, Germany had most of Italy, with Slovenia and Croatia as puppets, and I had all of Romania and a tiny Italy as a puppet. Not what I was planning but OK. With peace restored (and with a plan to attack Russia when Germany did) and wanting to avoid war with the Allies I left the Axis.

When Germany declared war on Poland, the Soviet Union also declared ( historical on), so the Allies were at war with both the Axis and the Comintern. Around this time, I noticed that the Republicans won the SCW (first time in as long as I can remember). Spain joined the Comintern and France was attacked from behind. The Spanish push was very successful so I decided to hit the Axis while they were still fighting the Allies in Europe. I was well equipped but had no manpower (even on extensive). It was very slow at first but then Hungary fell. I saw pocket opportunities using the weird Russian stop lines in Poland. Half way through my advance, Russia declared on Germany, so I pushed to the Baltic Sea (to cut them off). Comintern Spain kept pushing in the West. When Germany fell, I got all of Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Italy! I am at war with the Axis (Japan). Spain holds all of France and the Benelux and the Allies are at war with the Axis and the Comintern. Now I just need Russia. Drawing on German manpower, I am building the divisions I will need. I plan to declare on Russia, join the Allies and when Russia has fallen, justify on Turkey. I will get Byzantium last but it should work.

This has been a blast. No plan survives contact with the enemy and every fight has been on a budget. Playing back on WTT has been weird. Some new mechanics are included, so guides that worked a few years ago will not work now. I hope the achievement doesn't bug-out on me but the fight has been worth it.

 

[shepherd352]

Just an update to confirm that it works. I had everything except forming the Byzantine Empire and I needed Hatay for that (France got its land back when the Comintern was defeated). I initiated war on the Allies, took Hatay and formed the Byzantine Empire (you just need to control, not own). Then I released Romania as a puppet. Achievement done.

 

[Telenil]

I decided to get Albania and Yugoslavia in my first two justifications. I joined the Axis (just Germany) and declared. I tried to call in Germany just on Albania but I don't think that works anymore. As a result Italy declared war on me (for Albania) and Romania joined in (for Yugoslavia). After lots of fighting, Germany had most of Italy, with Slovenia and Croatia as puppets, and I had all of Romania and a tiny Italy as a puppet. Not what I was planning but OK. With peace restored (and with a plan to attack Russia when Germany did) and wanting to avoid war with the Allies I left the Axis.

Oooh that's clever. Guides I've seen so far were cheesing the Turkish army around Edirne, this is much more satisfying. Thank you for the idea, it's working really well so far.

 

[TolHydra]

Interesting. I had to resort to non-historical to get this. Britain went commie and the fascist Turks decided to formalize the Balkan Entente, which at first made me ecstatic as it meant a free Yugo but then the democratic French ended up joining the Balkan entente anyway. I had to fight them all while Germany was busy doing bugger all.

How did you guys bypass the French guarantee on Yugoslavia on historical? Just wait until they die?

 

[Telenil]

How did you guys bypass the French guarantee on Yugoslavia on historical? Just wait until they die?

The French guarantee is removed when France picks Buy Time, the focus immediately before the alliance with the UK. I think it's late 1937 on this patch, before the Anschluss in any case.

The guarantee on Romania is annoyingly not removed for some reason, but it doesn't trigger since Yugoslavia was the one I declared war on.

 

[papapyro]

I joined the Axis (just Germany) and declared. I tried to call in Germany just on Albania but I don't think that works anymore. As a result Italy declared war on me (for Albania) and Romania joined in (for Yugoslavia). After lots of fighting, Germany had most of Italy, with Slovenia and Croatia as puppets, and I had all of Romania and a tiny Italy as a puppet.

Did you declare on Albania and Yugoslavia at the same time? I declared on just Albania, which I capitulated before Italy could get troops there. I also managed a naval landing around Taranto, but I lost two divisions and couldn't break out. I waited on Germany to send some troops down but they only sent a small force and didn't really attack with it. Meanwhile, Italy started navally invading me and I couldn't hold both the beachhead and my mainland. Should I have waited for Anschluss so that Germany could open an Alpine front?

 

[jacekgk]

Should I have waited for Anschluss so that Germany could open an Alpine front?

Yap, definetely Italian AI should recognize german border as a big danger (rightly ) and send a lot of troops to the Alpen. This should help You a bit.

But remember, that when Munich Conference will start, Germany will retreat units and send them to the Czechoslovakia border to fear the Czechs. So or You should be very fast to defeat Italy, or let them bleed in the mountains with Germany, protect Your mainland and wait with fight until german troops will organize again

Have a good fun, this is one of the greatest achievements in the game I have choosen a different way to do this and I'm in the half way - give me the sign, how Your attempt will end.

 

[Evethor]

I, actually finished Bad Romeance myself two days ago.
I went with the BftB focuses to get Byzantium with the "cheese" of defeating the Turkish army around Edirne.

Bulgaria was second since BftB Bulgaria is the dark lord incarnate and must be destroyed.
Unfortunately I misstimed my justification so the allies guaranteed them and I had to join the axis.
And when Germany went for the commies I joined in and got some land and puppeted the Soviets from the Urals to the East.

After this I had a lengthy campaign of destroying the Allies where I invaded the continental US while Italy and Germany took the UK.
After the peacedeal I Left the Axis, got imidiatley justified on by Italy and then I spent a few years bleeding the axis dry in the Yugoslav mountains.
I took most of the commonwealth as puppets, securing the resources while keeping my manpower for fighting the Axis.

Luckily the broken peacedeal mechanics meant that Germany had a lot of land in Asia and so the Japanese decleared war on them.
The lack of Rubber meant I could outproduce the Axis and when I had green air I steamrolled the axis and got the achivement in 1951.

 

[papapyro]

Yap, definetely Italian AI should recognize german border as a big danger (rightly ) and send a lot of troops to the Alpen. This should help You a bit.

But remember, that when Munich Conference will start, Germany will retreat units and send them to the Czechoslovakia border to fear the Czechs. So or You should be very fast to defeat Italy, or let them bleed in the mountains with Germany, protect Your mainland and wait with fight until german troops will organize again

Have a good fun, this is one of the greatest achievements in the game I have choosen a different way to do this and I'm in the half way - give me the sign, how Your attempt will end.

Thanks for your help! One other question: did you attack Yugoslavia and Albania at the same time? I couldn't tell from your post. I feel like holding both the frontline with Yugoslavia and protecting your mainland from naval invasions would be difficult, but maybe it's good so that you have a larger frontline with the Italians, and navally invading them from Yugoslavia would probably allow you to cut them down the middle and cause them problems. I landed on the heel of the boot to keep the invasion distance as short as possible, but it was quite hard to break out of and easy for the Italians to keep in check.

 

[jacekgk]

did you attack Yugoslavia and Albania at the same time?

No, just Albania (problably this was a mistake - I explain it later ).. I tried this strategy several times and in the best attempts I finally defeated Italy with a huge german help in spring 1939. I hoped, that it will be sooner, but when Munich Conference was started, Germans removed a lots of troops from the frontile and kept them into czechoslovakian borders - this delayed a victory for a bid. Between Anschluss (I started the war just after that) and Munich Conference is cop of months - propably this is possible to defeat Italy quicker then I did, but I'm not good in some micro

And after victory against Italy I had some problems, because Turkey had quarantees from UK (and Germany, but in this run I decided to be allied with Germany). So the next my step was war with Allies. Thanks italian navy and italian manpower I have made a nice job in Africa and I have landed in british islands, but then some british invasions and some attritions killed me In meanwhile Romania joined Axis - this is why I told, that probably it was mistake, not putting Yugoslavia and Romania very quickly into the war. In that case I decided to abandon the run.

So I decided to another strategy (very similar to Evethor). In my game is autumn 1940 - I took Bulgaria, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Romania almost in the same time, and Hungary as strawberry on the cake (forgive me polish inside joke ). Hungary was very risky, I defeat them just few days before focus "Joining the Axis" was ended. Italy justify on me, but in this moment of the game Axis are not a threat - I have some collaboration goverment in Italy (and I will have more), I weakened them by defeating their good allied, this is just a few months before Barbarossa kicks off, so I feel confortable.

But I'm scary about fight against Soviets after we defeat Axis finally. I hate fight alone with USSR so late in the game (maybe joining the Allied is still an option, but I'm afraid that I generated too much world attention). So I leave this save for the moment, when I will have much time to play HOI4 (not in this week, probably not next - but I will describe the result, when I find time to go back to this savegame).

Propably strategy with war againts Romania (by Yugo) and Italy (by Albania) with german help is more efficient and in my style (I don't like a late major war for some banal reason - my PC is very weak and game after 1943 - 44 is not a fun anymore ). If war will take to much time, I think too, that it is possible to avoid british guarantees by ignite civil conflict in Turkey. I will try it, if my current attempt fails

 

[papapyro]

One bit of advice, at least, for anyone attempting this: leave historical focuses on...

 

[papapyro]

Actually, if you're joining Germany to kill Italy, unless you can capitulate Italy before August 1939, then maybe forget about historical focuses. It seems with them on, Germany is quite keen on attacking Poland, and Mussolini is prepared to let bygones be bygones with France and Britain.

 

[KaiserAndy123]

Best proposed RNG:

Have the UK support the King, while Germany staying historical and then Italy will become isolated as a result.

 

[jacekgk]

I leave this save for the moment, when I will have much time to play HOI4 (not in this week, probably not next

It took a while, but finally I got some times to finish this attempt. This was one of my favourite achievements - purple world looks very nice

My few advices:

1. If You feel not very good in micro (as me, I make very weird things with my divisions and fronlines ), wait for fighting with Turkey until romanian guarantees are cancelled (turn of 1938/39). Then Turkey will stay alone.
2. You can defeat Romania by declaring war on Yugoslavia (but remember to justify, when WWII kicks off). One mention - take romanian lands after Bessarabia event! I have notice, that if I was faster, USSR manually justified on me. Maybe it is not end of the world, because You can join the Axis, but this delay war with Italy and it is possible, that Allies get enough war score to puppet them (what You should do for the achievement).
3. Try to make full collaboration goverment in Italy. When You defeat them, You can almost immediately take decision about forming Greek Italy. This is not counting as puppeting Italy (different country tag, I guess), for the achievement You have to puppet Italy in the peace deal. But that country is very simple to annex, which give You access to the very powerful decision - Triumph in Italy - and making core province for Byzantium in Apennine Peninsula. When I clicked this, I get 4 milions manpower and huge number of factories.
4. And You need this for fighting with USSR. After victory against Axis, USSR started to manually justify on me - I did some save scum (I confess) and this was happened all of third times. I tried to defeat USSR alone (meh), as part of the Allies (maybe, but I did someting stupidy there) and finally - in cooperation with Japan. Maybe I had lucky this time, lately I see so strong Japan very rarely (victory in China in early 1941 - it doesn't happen very often), but Japan made a nice distraction on the east, so defeating USSR was not so hard as I excepted

Have a good fun, this kind of achievements with a different strategies I want to see more