Best way to puppet Romania as the USSR?

[eastcoastceojam]

With Historical focuses on, events give away some of Romania's starting states. Specifically, the 2nd Vienna Award transfers Transylvania to Hungary, and the Treaty of Craiova transfers Dobrudja to Bulgaria.

In my USSR game, after a 1936 war with Romania, I thought I could annex those states, puppet the rest of Romania, and be immune. My goal is to (a) shorten front lines for Barbarossa, (b) deny oil to the Axis, and (c) allow my puppet to build with their own focus tree. In early 1941, I planned to transfer these states back to Romania, after the relevant events have bypassed. Then I don't lose them when Germany invades. I would likely not call Romania into the war, which should let them get stronger until/if I need them.


However, to bypass the 2nd Vienna Award on the German focus tree, Romania must not own North Transylvania, Crisana, or Transylvania. And it also seems that the Bulgarian event for Dobrudja will not fire if Romania didn't accept the 2nd Vienna award.

Did I mess up by annexing the wrong states? I think the historical AI usually only gives away North Transylvania, which they don't presently own. From the below event, it looks like the option for Romania to refuse the Germans ("Transylvania shall remain in Romania") is only available if Romania owns Dobrudja, Crisana, and Transylvania. I guess I screwed up that path by annexing Dobrudja.


Anyone experimented with making a Romanian puppet that doesn't give it's land away to everyone who asks?




Second Vienna Award

Recognizing that a new order has been established in Europe, we have been asked by Hungary and Romania to arbitrate in a territorial dispute between the two countries. Transylvania was taken from Hungary and incorporated into Romania in one of the many ill-conceived changes forced upon the world at Versailles. Should Northern Transylvania be returned to Hungarian control?

Collapse

Trigger conditions None

Is triggered only by German focus "Second Vienna Award"

Give Hungary Northern Transylvania.  World tension is increased by +2 (Second Vienna Award) Hungary: Set country flag GER_second_vienna_award_HUN_north Gains opinion modifier towards Germany: Second Vienna Award ( +10 Opinion) Romania gains opinion modifier towards Germany: Second Vienna Award ( –10 Opinion) Romania gets the country event "Second Vienna Award" Transylvania shall remain in Romania. Hungary: Set country flag GER_second_vienna_award_noland Gains opinion modifier towards Germany: Second Vienna Award ( –25 Opinion) Gets the country event "German Arbitration" Romania gets the country event "Germany Mediates Dispute"  Enabled if: Romaniacontrols the states: Dobrudja (77) Crisana (83) Transylvania (84) Give Hungary all of Transylvania.  World tension is increased by +3 (Second Vienna Award) Hungary: Set country flag GER_second_vienna_award_HUN_all Gains opinion modifier towards Germany: Second Vienna Award ( +20 Opinion) Romania gains opinion modifier towards Germany: Second Vienna Award ( –20 Opinion) Romania gets the country event "Second Vienna Award"

 

[Mr_Dimento]

That is so ugly

 

[desphorin]

If you want to check how events work, it is better to check directly from the game files, as the wiki doesnt show you the chance and modifiers that the options have. For the Second Vienna Award event,

# Second Vienna Award - Northern Transylvania

country_event = {

    id = romania.2

    title = romania.2.t

    desc = romania.2.d

    picture = GFX_report_event_second_vienna_award_pact

  

    is_triggered_only = yes

  

    option = { # Accept demands

        name = romania.2.a

        ai_chance = {

            factor = 80

            modifier = { # Don't accept if in a faction that can protect them

                factor = 0

                OR = {

                    is_in_faction_with = ENG

                    is_in_faction_with = FRA

                    is_in_faction_with = SOV

                }

            }

        }

        HUN = {

            country_event = { days = 1 id = hungary.2 }

        }

        set_country_flag = second_vienna_accepted_north

    }

    option = { # Refuse

        name = romania.2.b

        ai_chance = {

            factor = 20

            modifier = {

                factor = 0

                is_historical_focus_on = yes

Both accept and refuse now have a factor of 0, which I dont know what it actually means But surely I would imagine the refuse option makes more sense to happen, right paradox...?

 

[KubiG37]

To trigger a bypass in the german focus tree you'd have to take states: 76 83 and 84 , not just Northern Transylvania.

Not sure at all what will happen, despite looking at all the files. Maybe it will just timeout and select a first option.

But I'd say if Option 1 is chosen, Hungary will steal your Transylvania anyway, without any kind of approval from you, because there is no "if Romania actually owns it" check in the code.
If option 2 it will probably give Germany a Conquer wargoal against Romania, which is your puppet, so declaration will call you to war, but Germany might decide to not push it.

 

[pheonicia]

Maybe try puppeting Romania as a whole? If war starts early over romania, then you only have to defend their border (plus Baltic and black sea coasts) and it would screw with Germany's buildup by denying them access to your and Romania's resources. The allies would join soon enough, especially with the spiked world tension, and poland is impassible until then.

 

[eastcoastceojam]

Thanks for the comments. Since the outcome of the Second Vienna Award is uncertain, I guess the only bulletproof way to prevent land transfers from the USSR puppet is to ensure that this focus is bypassed.

Here is how the bypass reasons look in game, and the code is below. It appears that if the USSR directly annexes the states of North Transylvania (76), Crisana (83), Transylvania (84), and puppets the rest of Romania, this focus will be auto bypassed.

It's unfortunate this has to be done. I would have expected this focus to be auto-bypassed if Romania is no longer independent, but we can't expect the code to anticipate every possible situation.

    focus = {
        id = GER_second_vienna_award
        icon = GFX_goal_generic_cavalry
        prerequisite = { focus = GER_czech_friend focus = GER_end_of_czechoslovakia }
        x = 0
        y = 3
        relative_position_id = GER_czech_friend
        cost = 10
        ai_will_do = {
            factor = 10
        }
        available = {
            is_puppet = no
            has_army_manpower = { size > 749999 }
            has_capitulated = no
        }
        bypass = {
            OR = {
                AND = {
                    OR = {
                        HUN = {
                            NOT = { has_government = fascism }
                            is_friend_or_potential_friend_of_GER = no
                        }
                        ROM = {
                            OR = {
                                AND = {
                                    NOT = { controls_state = 76 }
                                    NOT = { controls_state = 83 }
                                    NOT = { controls_state = 84 }
                                }
                                has_war_with = HUN
                                AND = {
                                    is_in_faction_with = GER
                                    HUN = { NOT = { is_in_faction_with = GER } }#GER should not want to give territory to Hungary if Romania joined the axis early.
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                    OR = {
                        BUL = { is_friend_or_potential_friend_of_GER = no }
                        ROM = {
                            OR = {
                                NOT = { controls_state = 77 }
                                has_war_with = BUL                   
                            }
                        }                   
                    }
                }
                HUN = { exists = no }
                ROM = { exists = no    }
                HUN = { has_capitulated = yes }
                ROM = { has_capitulated = yes }
                HUN = { is_subject_of = ROM } #just rude
            }
        }
        completion_reward = {
            if = {
                limit = {
                    HUN = {
                        is_friend_or_potential_friend_of_GER = yes
                    }
                    ROM = {
                        controls_state = 76
                        NOT = { has_war_with = HUN }
                    }
                }
                country_event = { id = germany.20 }
            }
        }
    }

It also looks like Bulgaria won't be able to fire the Treaty of Croavia event unless the Second Vienna Award was successful. So bypassing the above focus should kill two birds with one stone.

Let me know if you think I misinterpreting anything.

# Treaty of Craiova - Hungary gets land. So should we
country_event = {
    id = bulgaria.4
    title = bulgaria.4.t
    desc = bulgaria.4.d
    picture = GFX_report_event_vienna_award_negotiations
    
    trigger = {
        tag = BUL
        NOT = { has_country_flag = bulgaria.4_fired }
        BUL = {
            NOT = { is_in_faction_with = ROM }
        }
        BUL = {
            NOT = { is_subject_of = ROM }
        }
        ROM = {
            OR = {
                has_country_flag = second_vienna_accepted_north
                has_country_flag = second_vienna_accepted_all
            }
        }
    }

    mean_time_to_happen = { days = 5 }
    
    immediate = { set_country_flag = bulgaria.4_fired    }

    #make demands
    option = {
        ai_chance = { factor = 10 }
        name = bulgaria.4.a
        GER = { country_event = germany.106 }
    }   
    #dont make demands
    option = {
        ai_chance = { factor = 0 }
        name = bulgaria.4.b
    }
}

 

[eastcoastceojam]

Just remembered the "Befriend Romania" focus exists in the Italian tree, and is usually selected by Italy in early 1940.

I wish this focus had a bypass condition like the similar one on the German tree, where Romania has to be independent in order for the focus to be selected. At least this one won't grab states from Romania, though I'm not sure if they will be able to flip the government type on a puppeted nation.

I guess this is why those decisions exist to boost your own government popularity in your subject nations.

    focus = {
        id = ITA_romania_friend
        icon = GFX_goal_generic_improve_relations
        prerequisite = { focus = ITA_bulgaria_friend }
        x = 3
        y = 1
        relative_position_id = ITA_bulgaria_friend
        cost = 10
        ai_will_do = {
            factor = 1
        }
        available = {
            country_exists = ROM
            NOT = {
                has_war_with = ROM
            }
            has_government = fascism
        }
        bypass = {
            ROM = {
                OR = {
                    NOT = { country_exists = ROM }
                    has_capitulated = yes
                }
            }
        }
        completion_reward = {
            ROM = {
                add_opinion_modifier = { target = ITA modifier = ita_diplomacy_focus }
                if = {
                    limit = { ROOT = { has_government = fascism } }
                    add_timed_idea = { idea = fascist_influence days = 1095 }
                }
                if = {
                    limit = { ROOT = { has_government = democratic } }
                    add_timed_idea = { idea = democratic_influence days = 1095 }
                }
                if = {
                    limit = { ROOT = { has_government = communism } }
                    add_timed_idea = { idea = communist_influence days = 1095 }
                }
                country_event = { id = generic.1 }
            }
        }
    }

 

[Mr_Dimento]

Perhaps, instead of forcing war on them, get them to join via spies and boosting/diplo pressure. You could organize a coup and get them in the faction

 

[desphorin]

it is too late now but you would've annex Romania entirely at the first place. If you need it to be a buffer state later on, just release before Germany declares on you.

 

[KubiG37]

Another thing is, I don't think annexing/puppeting Romania cripples Germany too much anyway.

They can still get a lot of safe oil from Iraq and Iran, then there's the Venezuela and Mexico, AND of course the United States, which are completely fine with supplying Oil to Axis until the very moment of being at war with them themselves. (Thanks Paradox, there used to be a Focus blocking that in the USA focus tree!)