Allies-Comintern war

[_karl_]

I know that the Soviets can declare war to Poland to gain access to Germany, in case Poland has not been annexed before. According to the LUA files in can happen in 1942:

Spoiler

function P.ForeignMinister_ProposeWar(voForeignMinisterData)
   -- If we are pat of the Comintern then process this
   if not(voForeignMinisterData.Strategy:IsPreparingWar()) then
     if voForeignMinisterData.FactionName == "comintern" then
       -- We will not consider DOWing Germany if we are in a war already
       if not(voForeignMinisterData.IsAtWar) then
         -- Make sure we control Moscow
         if CCurrentGameState.GetProvince(1409):GetController() == voForeignMinisterData.ministerTag then
           local loAxisFaction = CCurrentGameState.GetFaction("axis")
           local loAxisTag = loAxisFaction:GetFactionLeader()
           local loAxisCountry = loAxisTag:GetCountry()
         
           -- Make sure we never surrendered in the past
           if not(loAxisCountry:GetFlags():IsFlagSet("su_signs_peace")) then
             local loAlliesTag = CCurrentGameState.GetFaction("allies"):GetFactionLeader()
             local loAxisAlliesRelation = loAxisCountry:GetRelation(loAlliesTag)
             local lbSealion = P.SealionCheck(loAxisAlliesRelation, loAxisFaction)
             
             -- Can we DOW the Axis Leader
             if lbSealion then
               if math.random(100) < 40 then
                 voForeignMinisterData.Strategy:PrepareLimitedWar(loAxisTag, 100)
               end               
             else
               local lbDOW = Support.GoodToWarCheck(loAxisTag, loAxisCountry, voForeignMinisterData, false, true, true)
               
               if lbDOW then
                 if voForeignMinisterData.Year >= 1942 then
                   if math.random(100) < 10 then
                     voForeignMinisterData.Strategy:PrepareLimitedWar(loAxisTag, 100)
                   end             
                 end
               elseif voForeignMinisterData.Year >= 1942 then
                 -- Poland Check if we can go through them
                 local loPOLTag = CCountryDataBase.GetTag("POL")
                 local loPolandCountry = loPOLTag:GetCountry()
                 lbDOW = Support.GoodToWarCheck(loPOLTag, loPolandCountry, voForeignMinisterData, false, true, true)
                 
                 if lbDOW then
                   if math.random(100) < 30 then
                     voForeignMinisterData.Strategy:PrepareLimitedWar(loPOLTag, 100)
                   end
                 end
               end
             end
           end
         end
       end
     end
   end
end

You can notice the second "true" in GoodToWarCheck, which means they will attack Poland even if it is in a faction. It would of course apply to a puppeted Axis Poland, but it would also apply to an Allied Poland which would have managed to survive this far.
Imagine that through an epic effort you've managed to have the German offensive in Poland stopped but the war in 1942 is still indecise, with fluctuating borders. Then suddenly the Comintern declares war to the Allies, so that the Allies are at war with everyone else and Hitler doesn't have to worry about the Red Army any more (the script is s crystal clear: the Soviets will not consider any attack against the Axis before being finished with their war with the Allies). It would be an absolute disaster for the Allies, and in some sense a disaster due to their performance being too good, which is weird. I think it could be called a bug. Has this already happen to somebody? Maybe somebody playing Poland as a human player.

 

[kilen2015]

i have something close actually (i do playing GER in VH, TFH, no cheats, end date: 1956).

i started war in 12apr1943 against Denmark/Switzerland/Poland, together.
Poland was already allied with UK and others before i engaged the war...
in 13th or 14th april 1943, SU attacked Poland by east, wich engaged SU in war against Allies (UK-USA-FRA-etc).

i am in 8 november 1945 now, USSR still at war with Allies and neutral with me.
but its very coherent from my point of view, AI UK did rational things (on scales of some seasons or all years since starting war) but failed and never could landed on my shores... (15+ tries of landing on atlantic coasts & med sea coast. including some 3to5 with 5to7 divisions per invasion, etc)
...and now, since summer 1945, a big AI investment in undergrounds/guerilla against me (from all of them: UK, Sweden, USA, mainly + some others few more in their respective countries occupied by me) since they understood frontal assault cant be enough...

struggle on my backgrounds is more stressing and complexe to manage (micromanagement makes me go forward very more slowly since this new strategy started from AI-UK&Allies)
but i master all the crisis since now, i have 45 brigades (2x CAV + 1x POL each) reserved for,
and 15 more finished soon, etc...
my backgrounds will hold on, no stress about it.
(i was more stressed around end september1945 where, the 22th at 0:00, i received 32 (!!!) alerts of militia regiments (+ 8 more just next, at 0:00 on following 23september1945) appearing in different places of my empire.
i cleaned all of them for 16nov1945 (so, 3.5 weeks later +/- ! (y) ...a good thing done ).
it was the more serious/higher alert till now.
but there was other waves too (4 since now, each having between 8 and 12 ennemy militias appearing each time, etc... no real stress there each time, cleaned in approx 10 days each, each time)

about my own plans,
all continental europe was mine in 7.5months after starting war (from 12april1943 to 27nov1943) by conquest or by alliance...

Finland case was quite different:
as i expected Winter War longer (it was a mystake, probably coz USSR is at war with Allies), i expected Finland should joined me by alliance, etc.
but as they didnt, i invaded them this year (from 21sept1945 to 5oct1945... so, 14 days to end the job).

this new context is intresting coz USSR started a massive reorganization of her land troops in front of me, to extend their watching/dispatching from Odessa to Murmansk...

and there is also Persia who accepted to join Axis: it creates an intresting possible new frontline for me & partners to attack USSR next, when time will come (?)...
but my attack (planified) on USSR were already cancelled 2 times (spring1944, ending winter 1944-1945), concentration of russian land forces was too much higher, it was just a basic suicide to try to attack them like that and at that time...

so, i still prepare this last big step fro now (and hope to prevail with, if it works):

i just ended Finland conquest now,

i fight "terrorists" hardly, everywhere necessary,

i still must end building 4 air transports & 5 PARA divs for now (ready for january 1946), i start invasion of all british islands just next (+ Iceland with, also), around jan/feb/march1946 +/- (initialy, 13 divisions will participate to UK invasion),

i will have nuclear techs & missiles in 1946 (or1947, big max...?),
it will surely be a part of my strategy for THE(!!!) epic last campaign of my conquests against USSR (around 1947 or 1948 +/- ?)...
more closer of a "WW3 campaign" in fact... (same about all my techs & doctrines: i have all of them completed at 1944-45 skill (or near by for some last secondary ones) and ALL my forces have levels 1943-1944 already completed for sure, it gives me around 1to3 skills more of all my ennemies, approximatly, depend wich arms/troops specificly, etc... but i clearly have the more advanced/modern forces, far from other nations and globaly (including USSR !)... (y)

for the rest, conquest of the world works very well by my AI allies ("drove" by me, of course, Japan & Italy do great job but its 90% coz i micromanage very consciencisouly/slowly all and manage all steps of all their conquests, etc...):
- India owned at 99% by JAP,
- Med Sea shores owned at 80% by ITA & GER (rest is owned by Spain & Turkey, both are neutral countries),
- Australia owned at 30% by JAP,
- eastern africa owned at 95% by ITA,
- Pacific ocean owned at 60% by JAP (it varies a lot between USA-JAP but Pearl is conquered since long and, globaly, Japan hold the central pacific front on US islands more than Japs islands, so its ok)
- western africa owned at 30% by GER (i had all of FRA colonies after France fall but i let UK conquered back Western African Coast coz no intrest to fight there, etc... i just stopped them to protect/hold North-Sahara and Algeria/Morocco/Tunisia/Lybia. i dont really care, i will defeat UK in their homeland, not in africa, etc...)

- and i control all conquered Europe with GER (except: Portugal/Spain/Turkey/british islands/Iceland).

about diplomacy,
i influence -since long- Spain, Turkey, Argentina, Siam and Afghanistan.
i hope i will can make them join Axis more quickly as possible (Turkey is close to be open to alliance proposition, it will be for starting 1946... i will see there and for each of them, step by step)
but, in the othe hand, Spain resist to join Axis since months too, so... (only Persia accepted concerning the list of "possible unusual/exotic new allies" for now)
i will see, i hope they will not take too much longer and will can participate to the invasion of Russland, etc...

i stop here, i will add pictures later (i must load HoI3 back, in fact, i just shut down now... i will add screenshots later to show how it looks like)

but, defenatly, its possible to have in HoI3,
i do play in this specific context since end aug2015+/-... (y)
...and its very realistic/intresting ! (to see USSR fighting Allies and find profit in it for Axis, etc).

i guess there is a good chance to prevail like this, with this scenario (...even if there still many unknowns and risks to meet later, of course, specialy on eastern front)

i said since weeks i will make an AAR about this scenario, with all details,
but i miss courage and time to start, in fact... lol
so this is just short resume as exemple... (i will add sceenshots about later) (y)

++

 

[marxianTJ]

It's a known drawback to trying to play Poland - I *think* the whole thing can be avoided by not sharing a border with the USSR anymore - as Poland. The few successful defenses I've seen of Poland have all abandoned most of the hinterlands to Germany anyways. Which would make it a German occupied territory border to the USSR

 

[_karl_]

i have something close actually (i do playing GER in VH, TFH, no cheats, end date: 1956).

i started war in 12apr1943 against Denmark/Switzerland/Poland, together.
Poland was already allied with UK and others before i engaged the war...
in 13th or 14th april 1943, SU attacked Poland by east, wich engaged SU in war against Allies (UK-USA-FRA-etc).

i am in 8 october 1945 now, USSR still at war with Allies and neutral with me.

You mean you kept Germany at peace from 1936 to 1943?? So you've stopped at the Second Vienna Award, without activating Danzig or War, and it was enough for the UK not to declare war on you?

 

[Less]

It's definitely a very real thing. If you defeat Germany as Poland the Soviets will DoW you eventually.

That said I think its incredibly unlikely for the Axis/Allies war to stalemate all the way to 1942 with Poland still alive, so the "absolute disaster" of the allies fighting the Soviets and Germany/Italy/Japan simultaneously will probably never happen unless you specifically try to make it happen. Poland/Germany have a huge open border with clear plains, little fortifications, and Poland has no manpower to hold out for a long war. It's going to be short war whichever way it goes.

 

[_karl_]

It's true the unbalance of manpower between Germany and the rest of Europe is just unrealistically massive. Like if Paradox wanted to make sure that at the end of the day nothing else than a Germany victory can happen for the pre-1941 act, to force an artificially historical scenario.
After two months of war my Spain has already lost half of its manpower, which was nearly 100 times smaller than Germany and has nothing to do with the size of their populations.
I would have prefered Germany to have a realistic manpower and then gain free additional Waffen SS brigades from occupied countries via events.

 

[yamato2cz]

It's true the unbalance of manpower between Germany and the rest of Europe is just unrealistically massive. Like if Paradox wanted to make sure that at the end of the day nothing else than a Germany victory can happen for the pre-1941 act, to force an artificially historical scenario.
After two months of war my Spain has already lost half of its manpower, which was nearly 100 times smaller than Germany and has nothing to do with the size of their populations.
I would have prefered Germany to have a realistic manpower and then gain free additional Waffen SS brigades from occupied countries via events.

THIS! i love you. germany has more MP than india. whole india. but on topic:yea, there are rather interesting scenarios over the time if you dig thru files. and they can happen even in full AI games. but sadly they are VERY rare.

 

[kilen2015]

You mean you kept Germany at peace from 1936 to 1943?? So you've stopped at the Second Vienna Award, without activating Danzig or War, and it was enough for the UK not to declare war on you?

yes absolutly (y)
i got all intresting events from 1936 to 1939 and escaped starting war with Poland & Allies in 1939 (it was necessary, i failed my last try in spring2015 coz i failed there to have Anschluss, Vienna agreements and Memel, etc... after, i was doomed coz of MP in 1942... ).
but i always try to do that way since start i play GER in HoI3, in fact (i already did in HoI2 and prevailled there in VH, years before, its the best way to prevail with GER, i think):

start the war before 1943 is too much dangerous,
u can quickly prevail on the west and obtain "classic scenario of WW2" (Vichy/Benelux + Denmark/Norway/Poland, etc)
but soon as war start with USSR around 1940/1941 (+ Allies on the other side), u are matched ! so...
i always try to escape classic events of history in 1939 (after "Memel gift" from Lituania, in fact, last intresting event to have)

about my xp, 1939 is a very decisive year,
"very touchy" and its not 100% guaranted u can escape "the earlier war".
anyway, in that case, i fail my try coz i am never ready in 1939: i make my plans to start the war in 1943, not before, so my officers are around 40% at that time, i build them later, etc... plus, some parts of my army are not yet started to be build, etc, etc...
if UK engage me there, before i start war by my own, i am done ! lol

in fact, GER have ONE big asset in WW2 (u must aim, u cant waste it): "choose when starting the war" (!!!), and its very important to wait to be more ready u can, i think... (there, u can hope to prevail in WW2) etc.

so, about 1939:
if u refuse and deny "SU-GER pact" in 1939,
and if u ignore events about Poland, it can works. (i did here and quite differently before too, 2 times: 1 other time in spring 2015 on TFH and one first time in 2013 on HoI3Vanilla... +2 other tries where i failed/restarted before starting serious events & wars)

remark: it can aslo works if Poland isnt yet ally with UK, when 1939 events about Dantzig Corridor are actived/ready, and if u become at war with Poland...
i get the case in my last try in spring2015: i proposed peace to Poland -surprised to be at war with, also, but the context was quite different- in 1st HOUR of that war and Poland agreed to make peace immediatly, etc... then, i succeed to stay in peace till 1940 after, in that scenario.
...and i should be till 1943 too, but i did a mystake and tried to engage small nations around "too much" quickly (Denmark, Switzerland, etc) ;
before engage classic Allies in "classic western WW2", etc... but i failed, it was a stupid idea, i became engaged there,
and being forced to resign in july1942 (coz i wasnt ready militeraly and i had lost all the strategic initiative on all fronts at that time, in summer 1942) it was mainly coz i needed 3 years more to have all ARM forces i mess at that time and start the war in 1943 only (like here/now), etc...

but anyway, it was just a previous failure,
this last try since augustus2015 is really well started and war between USSR & Allies help me a lot (since april1943)
(even if they have quite limited confrontations together... except in seas, but even there, its not decisive for any of both, of course)

i add some screenshots here down with, i dont make legend about
(anyway, i could write a novel each time i have a new chapter in my campaign if i would like to explain all... lol
so, ask if u have questions, i will detail there next...) (y)

++

 

[kilen2015]

It's true the unbalance of manpower between Germany and the rest of Europe is just unrealistically massive.

its short (moving marge about MP), but not impossible... (y)

and close of reality, in fact...
its not unrealistic if u read books concerning mid/high scales war on eastern front (i have many), etc...
its why i refuse to declare war before 1943...
but its not really unrealistic:
its just mystakes from AH in real... Germany should wait to be ready in real too (as we can do in HoI3 with loooong patience and slow/consciencious managing) lol

so, about MP,
if u dont start too much earlier and make plans of building to have reserves of MP for eastern front,
AND WITHOUT FORGET (!!! very important !) dont waste any occasion about events to take all MP dispo from each of events,

u can have enough and prevail on the east.
(with rightfull use of rightfull troops in each specific conditions too...
spend of MP must be limited and use of troops must be more effective u can, etc...
i mean: NO offensive with classic INF ! or less u can, onlyto support MEC/ARM, if necessary... if u spend ur "gunflesh", MP go down too much quickly, thats clear... etc, etc...)

but its true, its really hot ! (the first real challenge of the game, no doubt about it)
u must absolutly try to have a short war and prevail against USSR quickly (all attrition war against SU will create MP issues, thats sure... and make u loose the eastern war, in following 2 years after started, of course).

... and destroy ennemy forces in first 6-12months of the eastern war and be peacefull next (or reaching a good forward defense line in soviet lands, and stop moving forward + hold the line on defense, there...)

but its sure, moving marge is limited and there will be many issues and complex matters to rule, no doubt about it.
personnaly (i am still neutral with SU as i said above, but i will attack them soon as i can and ended UK islands matter first),
i have 54.5MP more per month, 250MP unused in my reserves and always 400MP more to have from 2 events soon as war against USSR will start... so, approximatly 650MPs sure, i will try to have 750or800MP ready for eastern front but it will also depend on others factors, etc..
(i mean, i will not cancel the eastern war and wait 1 year more to have some hundreds MP more, etc... i hope to start it with around 800MP ready to absorb losses from eastern front. it should be enough... i hope...?)

++

 

[_karl_]

but anyway, it was just a previous failure,
this last try since augustus2015 is really well started and war between USSR & Allies help me a lot (since april1943)
(even if they have quite limited confrontations together... except in seas, but even there, its not decisive for any of both, of course)

It's not an "even if", it's actually the best scenario for you. You want them to stay stucked in their war, and you certainly don't want one faction to quickly win on the other and become twice as powerful.
As long as they are in war the USSR won't attack you, so you have time to launch a massive Sealion operation without worrying to be stabbed in the back.

 

[kilen2015]

It's not an "even if", it's actually the best scenario for you. You want them to stay stucked in their war, and you certainly don't want one faction to quickly win on the other and become twice as powerful.
As long as they are in war the USSR won't attack you, so you have time to launch a massive Sealion operation without worrying to be stabbed in the back.

oh yeah, fully agree
i am just quite worry about Finland coz my 26divs there could be few to hold the line if SU attack as i dont have support from Finland troops (coz i destroyed them here, in sept/oct1945... usually, they are ally with Axis, etc).
it could be tempting for them (even if its not enough for SU to attack me, i think ?)...

i see Finland lands as "confines", used to slow down/manoeuver/trap(etc) SU forces.
so, its not really high if i loose some parts but i could have issues to hold Finland after some months of fights there...

specilly coz i saw a MASSIVE reorg from USSR after i declared war on Finland.
a big part moved around Leningrad and more far till Murmansk, etc... (a few more to Persian-SU border too)
it could be hard to defend there.

but it makes me breath on the main front !
thats the great news (declare war on finland and extend the eastern front was a good idea, outside small intrest to conquer Finland).
as main part of my land forces (144 divs + 50 more from allies) are between Narva/Tallinn and Odessa/BlackSea, it could really change the deal there...

but before those possible evolutions, its already cool right now, i agree.
things are well started...

SeaLion will follow in Jan/Feb1946 with 13 divs (5x PARA + 4x MAR + 2x MEC + 2x MediumARM).
theoricly there was 4x INF more but i sent them on fortresses above Leningrad to reach 26 divs in Finlander front, etc...

but normaly it will be enough with 13.
main risk are in the sky with initial drop operations on Aberdeen (from Norway) with PARA and next to translate land forces by sea along the NorthSea, etc...
if i can land all 13 divs on UK lands without issues on travel, it should be ok. (y)

i will see...
++

EDIT: YESSS !!! i am really really glad !
Spain & Turkey accepted to join Axis...! (y) (y)
21nov1945 for Spain, 22nov1945 for Turkey.
(Spain refused easally 25or30 times to join Axis in last 6or7 months, Turkey accepted immedialty right now in 22november like Persia some months ago, etc)
now, i own all shores of MedSea ! (exept Gibraltar for now -i am in 23nov45 actually- but it will be ruled in December1945 by Spain without issues)

a good step forward done, i am really happy ! (y)
and i can complete eastern front support from my Allies (Spain will cover 3 baltic states borders with mines everywhere and a part with Italy too... the rest of support is already shared/assumed between all my other allies from Murmansk to Odessa...)

i just need Afghanistan, Argentina and Siam yet, and all countries i aimed will become a diplomatic success !
but its still uncertain for them three, i will see in 1946...

anyway, the more important was clearly Turkey & Spain.
with conquest of British islands in starting 1946, absolutly ALL EUROPE (!!!) will be mine...
(plus also including all middle-east & all african shores of MedSea with !)

only that is already a victory and the purpose i aimed as Germany to reach my own victory conditions: "control all europe"...
(plus all the rest of the world right now, already conquered by Japan in Asia and in black Africa by italy too, of course)
its really really cool...

after i will can load the ultimate bet (kind of "quit or double") against USSR...
BUT IN BEST CONDITIONS EVER !
...free from threats coming from USA, etc (i think specialy about B-STRAT & Nukes).

it will be awesome !
...may, if all works as i want, it still possible to conquer all the world (or close) before reach 1956... (?)
i will see, but its already so cool like this... (y)

++

 

[Afganitia]

When I play comitern, if I invade persia they dow me. It's quite surprising.

 

[_karl_]

I don't worry about doing diplomacy with Turkey, they're just too easy to invade
You just take Constantinopolis that's already half-won. To finish them you can either continue two-three provinces further (if you are quick or have marines for the strait), or simply launch amphibious assaults on unoccupied VP like Izmir+Trebzond (they don't have a big army and they have to keep a garrison with SU, so they will try to bring all their western armies in front of the straits and stay naked on their backs).

 

[kilen2015]

oh yeah, sure.
and its the case with 90% of all medium/small countries
specialy all of those not ready to fight (unmoblized) and not concerned by main historical events of ww2, etc...
conquer stay the more direct & easy, no doubt.

but i think the real intrest is outwhere/different:
in HoI2, it was so easy to play Axis leader and have giant forces by alliances...
u just needed to convert new allies and u owned immediatly (after 1or2 diplo actions more) their armies for ur own (even with their low quality forces), etc.
it was unrealistic and a rookie job to conquer all u wanted after...

here u just have ur own and maybe some exp corps here or there (for now, i have 4 "units" from ITA as exp corp, nothing more: 1x INF, 1x MOT + 2x ***HQs, also... quite limited ).
but anyway, its always really few and not really intresting to enhance ur basic own forces and wait something from.

i am really glad to have Turkey & Spain coz i really need new fresh troops to face USSR, in fact
like that, i give Persia & Turkey (and Afghanistan, next, too maybe ?) all the new front in "South Caucase till Himalaya western border" to them,
i create a new theater for mine and send some unit more (what i can, not a lot) there soon as possible... and i can threat USSR by a new way with some forces to hold the line there....
even if they will have few chances to be more stronger than USSR (normaly, i expect few, basicly...?),
first real intrest is to force USSR to dispatch their own forces there and minimize defense on the west between Narva & Odessa...
thats why i aimed really Turkey first, in fact...

and for Spain, it was to hold all Iberian Peninsula (i directly declared war on Portugal and let Spain conquer them all + defend the Portugese islands in mid-atlantic too, next)
and, after, watch all south-west front of europe but without need to use my own elite GER forces to do, etc...
...pretty logic and usefull, in fact. (y)
...and necessary if u want to have enough forces to fight everywhere else (specialy on main front against USSR).

i will also ask Spain some forces to finish the baltic state border with USSR and have 1or2 allies with me everwhere facing USSR on the main front between Narva & Odessa...

if i chose to conquer all by my own, i should quickly been out of troops.
and i am already short now, in fact,
my strategic reserve, after conquered UK islands, will only have a SS Pz Corps (2x HARM + 2x MEC), no more...
all the rest is on the fronts.
so, i could never conquer far in the east without help (even basic/poor help) from all these small nations.
having intresting locations and able to join Axis (and give some gunflesh more to help me next), etc...
even if Turkey/Persia/Afghanistan are defeated in Caucasian front by USSR and more far in the east,
it fix some Red forces there and thats already usefull ! (y)

i add some sceenies about...
i did some removes about my theaters too: i just need also the new "North-West front"(theater: i call them "fronts" in my nomenclatura), for all UK islands & Iceland,
but i must do it in january1946 (after received some new generals with new year and hope some will correspond to what i need for new theater & group HQs commanding, etc).

...but after, all my fronts, as i wanted them at start, will be ok & ended !
thats really cool it corresponds such closer to what i imagined around 1936-1940 +/-: the organization of europe is great like that, i like it. (y)
...about colors on screenshot concerning theaters, dont mind there are 2 "yellows": its 2 different fronts ! ...just a mystake by the game, color arent enough different to clearly see its 2 different fronts, unlinked together... the "South-West front" for south France & Iberian Peninsula has no links with the other yellow front concerning central asia & india, etc.
its quite frustrating but i cant do nothing about, i already tried... (even if its just a detail of course, it changes few things about the game)

remark: i also add the screenie who made me laugh this morning: i called it "the adventure of Lawrence of Arabia grand son" lol...
u will see, u will understand (y) (quite stupid but typical from AI militia, i am curious to see how much time it will takes for ITA to clear this damn alone militia and recover full territory...? )

anyway, a really fun scenario, i enjoy it a lot and, no doubt, my best perf in TFH since i started ! (y)

cya
++

 

[_karl_]

When I say invade Turkey I mean as a way to puppet them, of course
So you still have their armies, they still just your faction. And since you only need to attack three provinces, they will have kept all of their armies (I hate when one of my puppet/allies try to encircle to army I'm trying to puppet).
Annexing Turkey is a pain. I've done this once in my first game, I've quickly had regret. You don't want those partisans in mountaineous hinterlands. The only reason to annex Turkey is if you want a good supply system to continue through Iraq (but I have the feeling some patch has improved the supply system through puppets, compared to my first game, in my last game everything is going fine on this side).

In Caucasus, despite the annoying mountains, you can easily make more than "holding the line". It's a very good use of your troops (especially if you have mountaineers, which will not be useful on the main front). USSR is typically very weak on this front and you can make a devastating advance, easily trap and eliminate a few divisions, and capture nice provinces up to Stalingrad. You just have to keep in mind that USSR usually has a ton of reserve troops in the back, and eventually you'll become stuck in Caucasus too.

On Spain I have mixed feelings: their are weak and far from the front, so the real advantage is that you'll be able to easily take Gibraltar. Plus it's probably a good thing for convoy raiding, as many Brit convoy/sub will come around Galicia and Gibraltar. On the other hand, on the long-term it's another, easier, land for the US to land their transports. And since that's not your land you won't have a "storming your beaches" alert so it might be too late when you notice they're here.

 

[kilen2015]

ah ok sorry (y) (yes, of course)

for annexing, i never did about Turkey (but anyway, it seems clear puppet them seems highly better than occupy). (y)

about Caucase, i am still not sure for now...
there are few troops on 1st frontline facing Turkey & Persia but, as u say, i saw many troops get back from Poland main front and some 10to20(?) more go to Caucase without see them now on the front facing Turkey/Persia... so, they should be behind, i presume... (?)

anyway, i would already be glad if Persia or Turkey could take Baku (and maybe Grozny too ?) for some months or 1 year.
that could help against USSR about oil supplying and also force them to foccus there and maybe send more troops, retreated from main western front or from Finland, etc...
but i will see

about Spain, their Navy seems limited about what i saw (and they lost a big part during spanish civil war against Republicans, like it often happens: Nationalists AI prevail on the ground but are slaughted on seas, etc...).
i expect few help there from Spain and my own Kriegsmarine is "unexisting" or close, except invasion/transport ships.
(i never invested in, i only believe in B-Nav to prevail on seas... Navies cost too much/long and are too much weaker if u fight Allies, i think. its more rewarding to resign GER navy -except far later, after UK fall- and foccus on B-Nav... i always get great results with B-Nav, i have big trustfull to them, since always... (y) )
but its true, soon as UK felt down, my B-NAV could be more free and i could maybe try to attack convoys around Carribean Seas, concerning USA, etc (?) ...i will see there.
on Iberian lands, its sure Spanish units will be few/poor to hold all the lines (i ordered Italy to send some divisions too, like all MedSea is safe now -except about Partisans-, it will always be that more to secure those coasts),
but it will stay few if USA try a serious landing on these shores... (and i will must protect UK islands soon as they are conquered too, with my own GER forces, etc)

so, i will see at that time (also)...
maybe dispatch some german units defending Belgian & Dutch coast actually, soon as all UK islands are mine, etc... (?) seems possible about limited risks to do it.
but, anyway, i will have a limited marge if i need some GER elite forces to face Caucase & Central Asia and also defend seriously UK/Ireland/Iceland (wich also could be a direct path for USA to counter-attack after fall of UK and try to invade EU, etc...)

but there are many unknows about politic/diplo before too: if UK surrender (become puppet, accept it, etc...?)
how things will evoluate about USA, etc...
it will be a massive diplomatic removing and i am not really sure conquer UK islands will be enough to make peace with all Allies, etc... (?)
it should be but i still have doubts about how it will happen...
but if its the case, then its great and i can send 80% back to easter front(s) and have all i need there !
and if USA/UK still my active ennemy after fall of UK homeland, Iberian lands could be a weakness in my Atlantic Wall, sure...

but i will see, "step by step" anway, like always... (y)
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