Ai Finland accepted into Axis during Winter War event, backdoor break of MR Pact by USSR

[Meglok]

Below is a copy of a bug report I just posted that happened in a SP Japanese game I was running to test some ideas.

Situation: Historical SP game, Japan player run. Taking historical focus choices and no fabrications, WT is at 100% Mods No Man's Land and a few naval define code tweaks.
April 1 1940: Western Europe has fallen. Germany and Italy are regrouping and fighting in Africa.
Player run Japan has taken China and is assisting in Africa with volunteers to try and get ai axis out of Africa fast. Nat. Spain is in Axis, both Gibraltar and Suez have fallen. USA and USSR are Neutral.

4/1/1940: Ai USSR uses war goal and declares on ai Finland to take Karjala, triggering Winter War event chain.

4/4/1940: Finland is invited into Axis (by ai Germany?). Germany has literally no troops on eastern border. Ai Italy immediately joins Soviet-Finnish war.

4/12/1940: Ai USSR breaks MR Pact less than 1 year after signing, Germany's back door is wide open.

Issue: Under no circumstances should ai Germany accept ai Finland into Axis during Winter war event sequence. Ai Germany should especially not do this with no eastern border garrison to keep MR pact intact.

This seems to happen with increased frequency in 1.3.3. it can also be triggered by one of the Baltic States. If it isn't on @SteelVolt 's list hopefully the bug report will allow him to look into it.

It looks like the diplomacy ai doesn't even compared the garrison ratios or even look at the front balance to see if accepting Finland into the Axis is a good idea. Not sure if ai Germany will be able to stop the Russians east of the Oder. It has no front lines on th East at all. Looks like I will have to swing north now. Might make for a more interesting game for me, but from the standpoint of game play this is a senseless move by the ai that should be stopped by a few situation checks.

Not sure of any way to stop this from happening as a player not involved. Any ideas, other than not raising WT?

 

[Dalwin]

This is very old hat. We went into it at great length a half a year ago. Unfortunately nothing about it has changed. It can be very frustrating if you try to play a 1v1 MP game. Even if the Axis player rejects Finland's request, they will then ask the Allies and the UK will accept them.

I find the Finland situation less frustrating then what happens later on. If the Axis and Allies are at war but the Comintern is still neutral, then any countries the Axis attacks will automatically join the allies, regardless of their geographical location or ideology. Even a communist guarantee on their country does not change the situation. There is not even a request to join which could be turned down by the Allied player.

This can be a real slap in the face to the Russian player if he has manage to defeat 2 or 3 Axis players in the SCW. Republican Spain is still going to join the Allies if it is invaded before Russia enters the war.

The best way that I know to prevent the Finland problem is to keep WT low and to deal with Finland before sending the Baltic Ultimata.

 

[War Emblem]

That's funny because this same thing just happened to me in a game I playing as Turkey. Finland drew the whole Axis into a war with the Soviets in 40. Here is where the real craziness begins....

As in your example Germany had no troops in the East. But they did have - for some reason 76 Division in Denmark and another 70 in France. Romania has 120 Divisions (!!!!!). As Turkey (and in the Axis) I had 29 Divisions on the Russian border which was undefended. (Background - I conquered Bulgaria and Iraq before WW2 broke out. Joined Germany when war started, took the Middle East through Egypt and Greece). I rushed forward into the under belly of Russia and almost made it to Stalingrad with my 4 motorized divisions. They were turned back at the gates though as the Soviets were mass transports troops my way with strategic movement. I had to retreat some but have made a big push into the south of Russia. The Romanians are holding the Eastern front, Germany sent some forces east but in all honesty I have no idea what they are doing, they have a huge force in transports going east. They might be going to China?! I will have to see how it plays out. For me, this DoW worked out because the entire Soviet southern frontier was undefended but I suspect I will suffer in the end because Germany is making some bizarre choices.