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Crusader Kings III Available Now!
The realm rejoices as Paradox Interactive announces the launch of Crusader Kings III, the latest entry in the publisher’s grand strategy role-playing game franchise. Advisors may now jockey for positions of influence and adversaries should save their schemes for another day, because on this day Crusader Kings III can be purchased on Steam, the Paradox Store, and other major online retailers.
Your comment about gambling is well taken! This whole AAR has been one long game of Texas Hold-'em to date. If the Allies were run by a human player none of this would have lasted but it clearly fails the Turing Test. KUTGW and remember the words of Ali: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!"
A lot of interesting developments here, I am really impressed by the large amount of territory you have been able to conquer with Portugal. It seems like Australia will soon follow and become part of your empire as well. It is kind of interesting that the AI isn’t able to send more naval forces around to stop you from sending your troops from one island and one country to the other, but for the sake of the story it is great. I wonder what people in Australia will think when they have to start speaking Portuguese!
Edit: My post number 5000, huzzah
Edit: My post number 5000, huzzah
Indeed!
I've been to Canada, and it's beautiful, but can be quite bitter in winter, I'm sure.Yes, as you'll see in the next update, probably, we have a couple of new heavy cruisers on the way. It'll be months before they're ready, though. Somehow I doubt the Australians have reduced their east-coast garrisons. There are one or two divisions against me at Port Moresby, but otherwise I see no huge influx of troops. I'll definitely be watching for an opportunity, but I'm not hopeful. It may be that Australia's AI does not have the confusion of multiple priorities to trick it into denuding its valuable target cities, like the UK and some others suffer from. On the subject of Italy....
The gadfly/attrition model!
Not a bad description. Yes - your obsession with the USSR must keep you playing them all the time! And those aren't small battles, as I know from various playtesting. How can you stand it? Thanks! I've been burned by sneaky enemies enough to have learned that this can help sometime (the "canaries"). I don't know that the central deserts are impassible, but they take longer, for sure. Honestly, I'm not sure how active the Australian Navy is in New Guinea anymore - I don't remember seeing them recently, except for their invasion, which I don't think is their whole force. I remain wary!
Glad to have you on my side! I didn't know you were Shi'a!
Yeah, I've pretty much been gambling everything from the front. But that's what we aggressors do in war, yes? I agree -- a human player would have caught on. And the AI should be able to understand some of these principles, even if it doesn't "learn" from my exploits. Oh well.Oh, I can just imagine.
A lot of interesting developments here, I am really impressed by the large amount of territory you have been able to conquer with Portugal. It seems like Australia will soon follow and become part of your empire as well. It is kind of interesting that the AI isn’t able to send more naval forces around to stop you from sending your troops from one island and one country to the other, but for the sake of the story it is great. I wonder what people in Australia will think when they have to start speaking Portuguese!
Edit: My post number 5000, huzzah
Yaay!
What an honor, Lord E -- and congratulations to you. You added up quite a tally with your Norwegian AAR! And... now that I look at it, I was your last poster in Lillies of France, urging you to pick it up again, back in 2007 -- any hope of dusting off your magnificent writing credentials again? Thanks again, everybody! I appreciate the time you've taken to read and comment.
I should have an update on this within the week. Locarno was just updated. Kriegsgefahr is up next (Friday? Saturday?). Onward!
Rensslaer
After you have taken out those couple of divisions, the Australians will have to take troops from somewhere. I rather doubt they can build troops faster than you can kill them.Eventually, they'll have to denude their garrisons to retake Port Moresby or take back an increasing amount of Australia that you're Perth forces are going to be taking.
2 heavy cruisers ought to make things hotter for the canadians. Why are you smiling about the Italians (It's no way to think about your allies!)?
What news on the Kuwait front?
2 heavy cruisers ought to make things hotter for the canadians. Why are you smiling about the Italians (It's no way to think about your allies!)?
What news on the Kuwait front?
I hope you're right! I feel like it's S. Africa all over again, and even in retrospect, I can imagine all kinds of ways I could have lost everything there.
Thanks, Thandros! And Welcome! I think you're right -- they can take me. On their own territory, at least. It's a big island to chew.
Well, the heavy cruisers are a ways off yet. Somehow I think I might really, really need them by the time they're put into service!
I'll probably cover Kuwait in the next update.
...which, by the way, is due this week! I'm super busy, but probably by Wednesday at the latest I'll have something to post.
Updated Kriegsgefahr last night...
Rensslaer
By the beginning of May, Portugal was two months away from launching her second Heavy Cruiser, NRP Figueira da Foz. Another subron was on the way also, and a third Heavy Cruiser which would be due for launching toward the end of 1942. Portugal was also struggling to try to create more Industry, making up for a tremendous deficit compared to her outward appearance of power. Less than 50 IC was available for production, and it was too little.
Portugal was also still struggling to construct convoy freighters, enough to keep up with the continual sinkings along her far flung trade routes. Below is one of the most interesting screenshots I think I've ever taken, showing graphically the complicated net of trade routes which Portugal's empire now required. The apparent disorder is because the game engine shifts convoy routes to avoid areas where the enemy has been raiding shipping, and so each convoy ends up setting its own route in a way calculated to take it away from harm's way. Unfortunately, there is not much anyone can do at certain choke points, such as the Cape of Good Hope.
There was one other need which went unmet, besides cruisers and more small units to garrison the Empire. Portugal needed a division with mobility (like the Armored Cars which had proved so valuable), but which had the staying power to survive and surpass enemy units in open combat. Not having been able to develop her own, Portugal turned to Germany for her expertise in creating Motorized Infantry divisions.
Any heavier units would take too long to build. Anything smaller would just duplicate capabilities Portugal already had. This would do fine.
By now, Portugal's cruiser was handling things in the Caribbean, which freed her fleet of FW-200 Condor long-range bombers for reconnaissance duty over the vast stretches of Australia. A series of overflights, from Port Moresby to Perth, showed that most Australian army units were still at the major cities and ports of the north and east, but a scattering of enemy units was making its way toward Perth to contain the Portuguese invasion.
Meanwhile, Portugal's army was completing a slow, comprehensive occupation of southwest Australia, making sure to secure each region before moving on, so they could present a solid front when those Australian divisions arrived.
Portuguese technology improved during this period. The naval design boards developed a Portuguese-native design for a Battlecruiser, which would be placed in production as soon as room was found in the yards. And Portuguese military units began to have a new, improved primary rifle introduced into service, and it was slowly distributed, as it became available. This would greatly improve our ability to inflict casualties upon the enemy.
Improvements in developing and recruiting manpower were made, too. Finding enough troops to fill the ranks, both for new units and replacements for casualties, was a constant struggle for Portugal.
Around the world, the big news was that the Italians and Greeks had turned the Turks back, over the spring months, and by the 1st of June, Istanbul threw in the towel.
Turkey surrendered, and a new government was placed. New target cards were distributed to Portuguese aircraft so they would now no longer attack, but rather protect, Turkish shipping. This had the overall effect of redeeming Italian pride, as they could now claim (justly or not) to be on par with Portugal as a world power.
Canadian attempts to land in the Bahamas continued, just as Australian attempts to land near Port Moresby continued. It was interesting how the Dominions of the British Empire had overtaken their master country in relevance.
The Portuguese defenders were holding their own, and no serious worry that Australia might succeed was yet entertained. Though, over time, this might change. Meanwhile, progress continued in taking the interior of New Guinea for Portugual, and isolating the Australian survivors more fully.
In Egypt, sniping along the perimeter of Alexandria continued, as, further south, the isolated British divisions were furthre corralled and starved.
On July 1st, Figueira da Foz was launched. Many admirals argued that she should be sent to the Caribbean to settle things there. But another plan was foremost in the minds of the General Staff, which was (of course) dominated by Generals.
Another attempt was to be made to conquer Gibraltar. It was felt that if Hong Kong could be taken, so too could Gibraltar. The defenses were, theoretically, approximately equal.
Two heavy cruisers (Vila Nova de Gaia having been brought in, suddenly, from the Caribbean) provided naval bombardment support. The Terrain modifiers, though, at "the Rock", were higher. And the likelihood of being chased away by British naval forces was infinitely greater.
Would this most recent invasion (the third) succeed?
Lastly, in case you've been wondering about the British Isles, so have I. There don't appear to be any major changes on that front.
The only exception, perhaps, is that the Royal Air Force seems to be very beleaguered, such that they almost don't matter any longer.
Portugal was also still struggling to construct convoy freighters, enough to keep up with the continual sinkings along her far flung trade routes. Below is one of the most interesting screenshots I think I've ever taken, showing graphically the complicated net of trade routes which Portugal's empire now required. The apparent disorder is because the game engine shifts convoy routes to avoid areas where the enemy has been raiding shipping, and so each convoy ends up setting its own route in a way calculated to take it away from harm's way. Unfortunately, there is not much anyone can do at certain choke points, such as the Cape of Good Hope.
There was one other need which went unmet, besides cruisers and more small units to garrison the Empire. Portugal needed a division with mobility (like the Armored Cars which had proved so valuable), but which had the staying power to survive and surpass enemy units in open combat. Not having been able to develop her own, Portugal turned to Germany for her expertise in creating Motorized Infantry divisions.
Any heavier units would take too long to build. Anything smaller would just duplicate capabilities Portugal already had. This would do fine.
By now, Portugal's cruiser was handling things in the Caribbean, which freed her fleet of FW-200 Condor long-range bombers for reconnaissance duty over the vast stretches of Australia. A series of overflights, from Port Moresby to Perth, showed that most Australian army units were still at the major cities and ports of the north and east, but a scattering of enemy units was making its way toward Perth to contain the Portuguese invasion.
Meanwhile, Portugal's army was completing a slow, comprehensive occupation of southwest Australia, making sure to secure each region before moving on, so they could present a solid front when those Australian divisions arrived.
Portuguese technology improved during this period. The naval design boards developed a Portuguese-native design for a Battlecruiser, which would be placed in production as soon as room was found in the yards. And Portuguese military units began to have a new, improved primary rifle introduced into service, and it was slowly distributed, as it became available. This would greatly improve our ability to inflict casualties upon the enemy.
Improvements in developing and recruiting manpower were made, too. Finding enough troops to fill the ranks, both for new units and replacements for casualties, was a constant struggle for Portugal.
Around the world, the big news was that the Italians and Greeks had turned the Turks back, over the spring months, and by the 1st of June, Istanbul threw in the towel.
Turkey surrendered, and a new government was placed. New target cards were distributed to Portuguese aircraft so they would now no longer attack, but rather protect, Turkish shipping. This had the overall effect of redeeming Italian pride, as they could now claim (justly or not) to be on par with Portugal as a world power.
Canadian attempts to land in the Bahamas continued, just as Australian attempts to land near Port Moresby continued. It was interesting how the Dominions of the British Empire had overtaken their master country in relevance.
The Portuguese defenders were holding their own, and no serious worry that Australia might succeed was yet entertained. Though, over time, this might change. Meanwhile, progress continued in taking the interior of New Guinea for Portugual, and isolating the Australian survivors more fully.
In Egypt, sniping along the perimeter of Alexandria continued, as, further south, the isolated British divisions were furthre corralled and starved.
On July 1st, Figueira da Foz was launched. Many admirals argued that she should be sent to the Caribbean to settle things there. But another plan was foremost in the minds of the General Staff, which was (of course) dominated by Generals.
Another attempt was to be made to conquer Gibraltar. It was felt that if Hong Kong could be taken, so too could Gibraltar. The defenses were, theoretically, approximately equal.
Two heavy cruisers (Vila Nova de Gaia having been brought in, suddenly, from the Caribbean) provided naval bombardment support. The Terrain modifiers, though, at "the Rock", were higher. And the likelihood of being chased away by British naval forces was infinitely greater.
Would this most recent invasion (the third) succeed?
Lastly, in case you've been wondering about the British Isles, so have I. There don't appear to be any major changes on that front.
The only exception, perhaps, is that the Royal Air Force seems to be very beleaguered, such that they almost don't matter any longer.
This installment shows Portugal as a little 'fish' swimming in very big waters. You deserve kudos for all of your hard work to date, but it does feel as if you are on the edge of a razor and about to experience its bad side.
Looking through my files, btw, it appears my first invasion of Gibraltar was Dec 1939, the second was Dec 1940 and it's been 1 1/2 years since then. So I guess I was overdue!
Rensslaer
Rensslaer
you may still be a small fish ... but look how far your IC has come from the early days .. I mean 67 is pretty impressive
at least this time with Gib its unlikely the RN will intervene to upset your assault so you can always break off, regain org and start again later
at least this time with Gib its unlikely the RN will intervene to upset your assault so you can always break off, regain org and start again later
australia frowns upon a portugese invasion...
naa but seriously look up the australian states n such it will help your classification of occupied territorys. also it would help to look to the fact that the australian infantry are considered the best in the world (even by other armys) so saying that australia is a cake walk is not giving this story its true potential
naa but seriously look up the australian states n such it will help your classification of occupied territorys. also it would help to look to the fact that the australian infantry are considered the best in the world (even by other armys) so saying that australia is a cake walk is not giving this story its true potential
Canada challenges that statement, but in the spirit of Commonwealth cooperation, I'll say that we're best when we work together.
Two heavy cruisers!? Simultaneous military actions against mainlaind Austrial and Gibraltar!? My, how Portugal has risen through the ranks! I'm impressed. Either I had missed your invasion of Australia, or I had forgotten about it (other things have occupied my time lately ), but it's a bold gamble. How many divisions did you land?
PS: As far as the battlecruiser development goes, wouldn't it make far more sense to license that design from the Germans as well? Or perhaps from the Italians? Theirs should be far more advanced than your first stab at it. <Pictures a Portuguese Invincible-style ship from WWI - and remembers how she fared during Jutland>
), but it's a bold gamble. How many divisions did you land?PS: As far as the battlecruiser development goes, wouldn't it make far more sense to license that design from the Germans as well? Or perhaps from the Italians? Theirs should be far more advanced than your first stab at it. <Pictures a Portuguese Invincible-style ship from WWI - and remembers how she fared during Jutland>
Interesting to see that you try to conquer Gibraltar again. It is a little strange that you have allowed for the enemy to keep hold of a strongpoint like that just next to your home land, but then again Gibraltar is a strong position so you really need a strong force to capture it. It seems like the fight will be very hard this time as well, and I am not sure that you will be able to win this battle, although you have stronger forces the British have a stronger position and that is very important as well…
Looking forward to see how this battle turns out
Looking forward to see how this battle turns out
STOP! COOKIE TIME