How do you survive as Austria-Hungary?

[Driver]

Basically, how do you fend off the Germans when they demand Sudetenland?

I tried to form 48 40 width pure infantry divisions with engineers and recon and tried to build up level 7 forts down into Austria (they got up to 5), but they still still managed to breakthrough into Bohemia and then everything fell apart.

Do note, the divisions were severely lacking in manpower and equipment. Also, because I didn't pick a fascist demagogue, I couldn't change my manpower modifier to the one that increases it to 5% at longer 10% training until the war started. Think my divisions were at 75% manpower and I couldn't fully deploy my air force even though I'm not sure it would be of any help being outdated junk.

Thoughts?

 

[Skoodge]

The best tactic for me was to integrate Czechoslovakia the same time germany's NF is on "Demand Sudetenland" , the AI for Czechoslovakia most of the time will accept the referendum since it is threatened by germany. More over, the moment both NF's are done, Czechoslovakia becomes part of your empire while the demand goes to Czech AI which is non-exists.
So basically you dodge the demand and get easier chance to invite the Czechs to your empire.

 

[bERt0r]

Ugh 40 width pure infantry is awful. You need artillery. The AI is no longer that stupid and will use big divisions with artillery as well. Artillery is also cheaper than infantry equipment in terms of manpower: an artillery brigade fills 1,5 times the front width of an infantry brigade and only uses half the amount of men.

 

[Sanny]

Ugh 40 width pure infantry is awful. You need artillery. The AI is no longer that stupid and will use big divisions with artillery as well. Artillery is also cheaper than infantry equipment in terms of manpower: an artillery brigade fills 1,5 times the front width of an infantry brigade and only uses half the amount of men.

What's the overall defence stat when comparing divisions?

 

[YuriiH]

It was possible to survive as Austria_eating_Hungary, and now even easier to survive as Hungary_into_Au-Hu
7 Inf / 2 AA regimen (for better hard attack) + Recon + Hospitals/Signal Company (if you manage to get some trucks) + any Support other artileries (if your industry is enough).
Engineers are crap because you will be constantly rotating your troops in your hottest provinces.

Put in each province:
2-3 in Mountains;
5-7 in Oberbayern on your side of the river (yes, you need to get it asap);
5-7 in place attacked by 3+ German troops
2-4 along the river as well
3-4 troops in reserves ==> send these manually to the hottest points
TURN OFF any lines. AI is stupid as it does not understand where to defend with your troops against AI attacks.
Unpause.
Wait.
Wait a bit more.
Wait even more.
Wait, wait, wait and wait again.
Win.

P.S. Supperior Firepower => Dispersed Support
P.P.S. Democratic Denmark is a way much harder.

 

[Captured Joe]

I didn't have much difficulty, using 20 widt infantry with line ART and AAA (and even some f**king Great War tanks in some divisions! That was silly but it somehow worked) after integrating Czechoslovakia. Germany went to war with the allies too though, and later on war broke out between Hitler and Stalin (can't remember who started it), so that definitely helped since France did most of the work while I only just held off the Germans. Britain nearly doomed me when they DoW'ed Yugoslavia out of the blue (as they usually do), creating a BIG new front on my southern border, but I managed to survive that as well because at that point Germany was pretty much falling apart.

 

[DicRoNero]

The best tactic for me was to integrate Czechoslovakia the same time germany's NF is on "Demand Sudetenland" , the AI for Czechoslovakia most of the time will accept the referendum since it is threatened by germany. More over, the moment both NF's are done, Czechoslovakia becomes part of your empire while the demand goes to Czech AI which is non-exists.
So basically you dodge the demand and get easier chance to invite the Czechs to your empire.

We had a different experience with precisely the same thing last week in MP; Germany got the Sudets, and Austria-Hungary (my mate) the rest of Czechoslovakia.

 

[Reman]

Just did a WC as Austria-Hungary. The exact same situation happened to me the first time with the Germans plowing through before I was prepared. In my second playthrough I took the fascist demagogue and joined the Axis around 1938. That way the Germans won't demand Sudetenland from you, and you'll be safe from immediate aggression.

Following this, I simply didn't join any of Germany's wars, then backstabbed them when they started Barbarossa.

 

[Driver]

Just did a WC as Austria-Hungary. The exact same situation happened to me the first time with the Germans plowing through before I was prepared. In my second playthrough I took the fascist demagogue and joined the Axis around 1938. That way the Germans won't demand Sudetenland from you, and you'll be safe from immediate aggression.

Following this, I simply didn't join any of Germany's wars, then backstabbed them when they started Barbarossa.

The problem with this is that it seems kind of gamey, and I have aspirations of putting the German industry to work on throwing all of Europe under my banner.

 

[Driver]

It was possible to survive as Austria_eating_Hungary, and now even easier to survive as Hungary_into_Au-Hu
7 Inf / 2 AA regimen (for better hard attack) + Recon + Hospitals/Signal Company (if you manage to get some trucks) + any Support other artileries (if your industry is enough).
Engineers are crap because you will be constantly rotating your troops in your hottest provinces.

Put in each province:
2-3 in Mountains;
5-7 in Oberbayern on your side of the river (yes, you need to get it asap);
5-7 in place attacked by 3+ German troops
2-4 along the river as well
3-4 troops in reserves ==> send these manually to the hottest points
TURN OFF any lines. AI is stupid as it does not understand where to defend with your troops against AI attacks.
Unpause.
Wait.
Wait a bit more.
Wait even more.
Wait, wait, wait and wait again.
Win.

P.S. Supperior Firepower => Dispersed Support
P.P.S. Democratic Denmark is a way much harder.

In theory then, shouldn't engineers be fine as long as I manually control my divisions while building up my army and forts for a year or two?

Also, what are your thoughts on 7 Inf / 2 Art plus AT/Eng/Rec if I set up a line of fighters?

I also noticed that Aus-Hun has free NFs for Blitzkrieg and GBP, and considering my extremely low manpower, shouldn't I go for Blitzkrieg to boost it down the road?

I know that Blitzkrieg gives shit fuck all defensive bonuses unlike GBP, but if I can survive with 20 width infantry, I should technically be building lot of tanks and mobile down the road.

 

[Captured Joe]

Also, what are your thoughts on 7 Inf / 2 Art plus AT/Eng/Rec if I set up a line of fighters?

Lose the Rec, it should be fine as a backbone division.
Alternatively you could go for 6 Inf / 2 Art / 2 AAA plus Eng for some light piercing without having to spend tungsten on AT.

 

[YuriiH]

shouldn't I go for Blitzkrieg to boost it down the road?

Don't be fooled by this free NF
All Blitzkrieg does is giving you more organisation for infantry and moto+tanks (if 5 doctrines are studied). Organisation is how long your group stands attacking or defending. Without good defense, organisation is really eaten quickly. For it you will need to ideally build Moto+Tank divisions (or at least Infantry+Heavy tank Artilery, but it's questionable), and attack-attack-attack.
However, you don't possess time, manpower and resources for it Moreover, your attack is lame, your defense is lame. Besides, without air supperiority, your attacks are even worse. And finally, you are defending, not attacking.

Superior Firepower on the other hand gives tonnnnns of Defense (to have less casualties) and [surprise!] Firepower to eat the attacking Nazi organisation quicker.

Why not Grand Battleplan?
+10 Entrenchment == useless for your constantly attacked troops;
30% Max planning == completely useless; you don't plan, you defend yourself;
10% Def and 10 Org == worse than analogues in SF
5% Breakthrough and 5% Softattack = worse than analogues in SF
Assault +5 org for motorised == you'll generally need elastic defense to counter Nazi Blitz, but Moto org is useless
OR
Infiltration 10% Breackthtrough and 5 Org == is OK, but you get ATTACK Tactics, when you are constantly on def.

6 Inf / 2 Art / 2 AAA

This one is also rather good, but gives you a way less defense and gets hold by your industry.

 

[Captured Joe]

This one is also rather good, but gives you a way less defense and gets hold by your industry.

True, but it'll cost less manpower which is crucial for Hungary.

 

[YuriiH]

True, but it'll cost less manpower which is crucial for Hungary.

On the other hand, it's early 1938, right?
This means Germans don't have enough firepower yet to cut through your 6/2/2 defense, even with their air superiority. So 7/2 will be a bit overkill...
And by 1940, the Nazi power will be already depleted.

 

[Amadeu of Savoy]

And by 1940, the Nazi power will be already depleted.

Famous last words

 

[YuriiH]

Famous last words

In my latest Austria_eat_Hungary campaign (in 1.4.0, I guess), Hitler depleted all its manpower and could not demand Sudetland
Therefore, these are not so “last” words...

 

[_szabadi_]

I've manged to capture Austria early doors, then build up an army of 24 who'd entrench themselves on the Romanian border. They then attacked me, and a year or so in to the war, they crumbled.

Then managed to stay out of any alliances, until all in Europe were divided except for the Czechs for some reason. So when I finally attacked them, the UK invited me to join the Allies. Happy days

I let the UK take Italy, and after the US joined in, I took most of the Continental Reich, Yugo and half of Poland as they split into a fascist Falangalist and a fascist regular Poland...

 

[iquabakaner]

P.P.S. Democratic Denmark is a way much harder.

I had a Denmark game long ago where I built two lvl 10 forts on the borders and Germany couldn't break in at all. Did anything change?

 

[General Pera]

Forts. Lots and lots of forts. Some AA and maybe even RADAR. A straight line from Sudet, trough Austria. Abanndon the western most parts of Austria so as to not risk having troops cut off. Defend and wait... When Germany is on the move, facing the Soviet Union and possibly France, attack and grab as much land as possible. Might also have to guard against Italy. Join Allies if you want to. Grand Battleplan and anti-tanks.

 

[YuriiH]

Germany couldn't break in at all. Did anything change?

I think yes. 10lvl forts get bombarded and you are unable to repair them back. Besides, there are many equipment problems, and without equipment your troops get destroyed.

I'm really eager to find out how's Denmark in the upcoming 1.5.0.