So, if France were to join the axis as early as possible, would UK be totally screwed or do you think they would still be safe on their little island? 
Axis France?
- Thread starter Heruure
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If this happens, one would hope others would join a faction to stop the Axis giant. Maybe the Soviets grow hostile to Germany very quickly and get ambitous.
Maybe, the US joins the Allies shortly after this Axis alliance, or Italy and Poland join the Allies as a last resort to try and Secure their own independance.
Maybe, the US joins the Allies shortly after this Axis alliance, or Italy and Poland join the Allies as a last resort to try and Secure their own independance.
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UK main island why not. But I am afraid that Axis European Union (Germany, France, Italy) will divide their colonies really fast.
And even trade France for Italy is good deal for Germany too
And even trade France for Italy is good deal for Germany too
As France and Italy focus on Britain, Germany can have a one front war against the USSR.
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If the axis faction evolved into Germany-Italy-France-Japan (which is quite possible if the human player was France and helped to put this in motion, go ahead and count in Spain too) then I think the British Empire could fall quickly, even the home island. Those minor navies combined would wear down British sea power till the UK no longer had a fleet in being, with the colonies being carved up among the Axis powers as Thanik mentioned. That scenario probably ends in a swift Axis victory.
While in a videogame world this is possible (and may well be possible in HoI), it neglects realpolitik. Just like the UK worked hard to keep Europe divided, because united it would be an unstoppable force, the US (and other nations) would be concerned about the same thing happening with a mega-powerful and expansionist bloc of European countries. In a historically plausible world, I would expect the US to do something like guarantee the UK (not unlike how the UK guaranteed Poland) were this to be the case (so the US wouldn't join the UK in attacking the continent, but if they thought there was a plausible risk of the UK being taken down, which the combined fleets of Germany, France, Italy and Japan could do comfortably, then they'd act to ensure Europe isn't dominated by a Fascist bloc.
I'd also expect that the UK might bend a bit and ally with the USSR earlier. They were stubborn in the late 30s IRL because they thought with France they could handle Germany (on paper, they had the edge, after all). Left isolated, they'd have gone the realpolitik option very quickly (the UK has a long history of playing the realpolitik game). There is a chance that if the UK and USSR allied, the US might stay out of it, at least until there was a real risk of them losing.
Tbh, this would also make for a much more interesting game too. Sure, it's nice for a power fantasy trip to waltz to world conquest, but it's much more enjoyable for me to overcome a challenge to get there.
As for what'll happen in HoI, that's anyone's guess. PDS haven't really got the whole 'balance of power' realpolitik thing down yet (no criticism of them, I can't recall any strategy game that did it well), so I'd expect there'll be the possibility that some unstoppable blocs will be able to be put together.
I'd also expect that the UK might bend a bit and ally with the USSR earlier. They were stubborn in the late 30s IRL because they thought with France they could handle Germany (on paper, they had the edge, after all). Left isolated, they'd have gone the realpolitik option very quickly (the UK has a long history of playing the realpolitik game). There is a chance that if the UK and USSR allied, the US might stay out of it, at least until there was a real risk of them losing.
Tbh, this would also make for a much more interesting game too. Sure, it's nice for a power fantasy trip to waltz to world conquest, but it's much more enjoyable for me to overcome a challenge to get there
.As for what'll happen in HoI, that's anyone's guess. PDS haven't really got the whole 'balance of power' realpolitik thing down yet (no criticism of them, I can't recall any strategy game that did it well), so I'd expect there'll be the possibility that some unstoppable blocs will be able to be put together.
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I imagine the odds of an AI France going Axis is quite low and I would say the USA siding with Germany against the USSR or the USA siding with the USSR against the UK is even less realistic but it is entertaining for the game.
Especially through player ahistorical action.
I'm going to play as France and turn Fascist but not join the Axis faction and I will lead my Third French Empire to victory against the German Third Reich. because you're right it's more interesting if you don't form an unstoppable super faction, but I just can't resist this ahistorical sandbox stuff I love it.
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Aye, I really like the way they've put together the national focusses, there's a huge amount of variety in how games could play out. They seem to have a feel for making things a decent challenge, a la the 'Germany and USSR ally, which pushes Japan and Italy away' approach, so I expect a German-French alliance will also have some counter in-game in mind. I really like the range of French options available - from something like you describe, to allying with the USSR (I think) to making the Little Entente work, lots of options
. I'd just like these things to happen plausibly, so that if one bloc forms, it's likely to have a counter-bloc form against it where possible and sensible, makes for better gameplay as well.I agree national focuses look great. look at the UK national focus in the stream and see they've got options to help them maintain their sea power too; destroyers-for-bases for example, which gives them ships also effectively shortens the sea lanes by extending the area the United States will protect with her fleet, helping to secure convoys.
I think "National Focus" is going to be much better for the game than the national goals system it replaced, I am glad they took the time to totally rework that system cause it looks good.
I think "National Focus" is going to be much better for the game than the national goals system it replaced, I am glad they took the time to totally rework that system cause it looks good.
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Well the Germans big advantage will be the 1PP they get extra, so start pushing for the Fascists in France in 1936 and hope you can bring them close enough to make them join.
Then invade Italy.
Then invade Italy.
Axis France : attack Belgium, the Netherlands and their colonies, and annex these. With such a huge bonus to industrial capacity and ressources, France will arise and invade the United Kingdom, if it dares to declare war on a united Europe of course. If it fails, well no problem. I'll just invade their colonies, and with the fleets of Italy and Germany slowly defeat UK. The RN is extremly strong for sure. But it can't deal with the Regina Marina, the Kriegsmarine and the french navy combined, at least in the long term. Or if the RN is too strong, still wait. 'cause UK will never have the capacity to do a big landing in France against a united axis.
I don't think we have had a DD explaining their new version of national unity. If they show the lack of wanting to fight properly, then it would be extremely difficult to get the French population to want to attack their ally from 20 years earlier instead of the country that wrecked a lot of their countryside 20 years earlier and killed over a million of their finest.
For sure, IRL such thing would never happen. Not like that. About Belgium it could be some kind of Anschluss perhaps. But in game, we don't care about what the population want. And I think it would be the best target for a french Axis. Attacking Spain ? A potential ally ? Bad idea. Attacking Italy before it joins the Axis ? Not a good idea too. Other countries that does not border France ? Bad idea, harder to protect or to suppress any uprising.
Invade Iraq first, France has no oil and you already border Iraq with you colony in the Levant. there are several other options in this region as well. Together with your African colonies you could have the biggest stretch of arid, burning sand ever united under a single sovereignty.
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When playing as Axis France i will also have US naval support and lend lease support me against the RN.
Aye! I'm the US player in question. War Plan Red means I'll be helping France take down Great Britain, including tying up and annexing Canada and the Caribbean. I'll let France take British Guyana by marching across Suriname from French Guyana, but otherwise I'll be the dominant force in North America as far as strangling Britain goes.
I like how it is the "Regina Marina" and "Kriegsmarine" but then we just have "french navy". Unintentionally accurate representation of France's military capacity.
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The French Navy was actually pretty solid at the start of the war - maybe a dash better than Italy's and clearly better than Germany's, u-boats aside. There was a reason the Brits shelled them at Mers-al Kabir.
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