• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Whenever and however Portugal finds herself at war, her forces have to march somewhere and that somewhere is her first target. There has to be a first target. Stands to reason.

Portugal probably could attack Liberia without provoking the USA, if that neutrality could be reduced quickly enough. And that seems unlikely
 
Seems like there's few ways the SCW can turn out that's advantageous to Portugal. Either the Nationalists win, cutting of your potential for expansion in Iberia, or the Republicans win, leaving you with a hostile neighbor. At least if Spain ends up going fascist then you can concentrate on overseas adventures and only worry about invasions from the coast.
 
Definitely lurking and definitely excited to see how things turn out. I haven't had a real chance to play with 1.2 since i don't want to risk screwing up my own AAR, so this is also a fun way to see some of the changes.

Portugal has always been the second or third country I play as in Paradox games. There's just something about them...
 
What exactly are the benefits for you for joining the axis now instead of after Vichy, or so?
Will you get some licensed runs from Germany?
Immediate expansion in Africa once Poland gets attacked?

Because now you will have to garrison all the beaches in Portugal, and are dependent on Germany once war start.


Beeing an axis member gives the opportunity to wage a limited colonial war, doesn`t it?
 
nice reading again.
Hope you'll make it now you allied yourself with the axis. But seeing the last screenies the nationalist are kicking ass. So maybe you will be lucky. I thought that finding enemy spies was time consuming. The great thing if the nationalists win you only have to defend your harbor(s). And then there will be a great possibility that they wont attack. So you can have your few soldiers kicking ass in africa.

keep up the good work
 
Joining the Axis this early might turn out to be a bad move, but it might also be a very clever one. Unfortunately you didn’t manage to convince the Spanish to join as well; some battle experience for your units would have been great. Still you can always get them to join next year…
 
Since you've got a pretty good idea of how I'm playing the resources game, I'll speed up the presentation a little bit so one update doesn't just blur into another. This one has a fair amount to do with changes in laws...

In July, we increased to the 3-year draft, which is critical because it brings our reserve units up to nearly full strength. Later, in August, I increase the civil laws to "repression" for one, and only one reason -- counterintelligence. Foreign spies were starting to really bug me. Otherwise, I honestly see little reason why you'd want to take this step. If my spy situation ever improves, I might actually shift it back. We'll see.

July37.jpg


Having a little balance in cash on hand, I chose to draw it down to improve my resources situation. In July, we did a large purchase with the USA for a variety of things. Later that month, I decided to use my extra energy supply to pay for the earlier expansion (giving Italy my surplus in exchange for half the cost of the other stuff). It's always necessary to have a 4:2:1 ratio between the three primary stockpiles (Energy, Metal & Rares), and it's a good idea to keep Energy ahead of the others because of your extra draw from oil conversion. But I can afford this for a while, and when I can't afford it anymore, I'll drop the trade.

You remember in my first game I started building forts all over the place. I decided the forts in Goa were a complete waste of effort. It got me nothing. I think that would have become apparent to me if I'd looked at the strategic situation -- that there's a definite difference between trying to hold Macao vs. trying to hold Goa. What about the Azores? We're about to find out....

AugSep37.jpg


I believe the Azores are important, because they're close enough to Lisbon to offer mutual support, and it's also the best placed of all of my possessions to hit trans-Atlantic convoys. A light cruiser might not be a bad idea either, even if I despair of having the resources to produce one. But I want at least one level of fort at the Azores, to keep from losing it. If they try to launch an all-out assault upon it, I can attack with planes from Lisbon while they try (and vice versa if they try Lisbon first). The Bf-109 is a long-term plan, and it's really the only thing available right now I want from the Germans which I also really intend to build. I may not finish that fighter unit for a long time, though. But I have it if I want it (the only thing Portugal can build on its own, airwise, is tac air).

In early October, the inevitable happened -- the Republicans fell, and the Nationalists were finally at peace, victorious but bloodied. They weren't interested in more war, alliances, etc. They were out of the foreign policy business for a while, while they recovered.

Oct37SCWOver.jpg


My Coal-to-Oil situation improved. This is a deceptively important issue for me, as without trade, my Crude Oil is sapped at an incredible rate from refining. I won't complain, because I can trade or even use that Fuel later. But the conversion of Energy to make up for it is drawing my Energy stockpile down at a similar rate, and I can't have that either. Improving this ratio improves my overall situation with two stockpiles. It might not be as important for other countries.

A proper "4:2:1" ratio of primary stockpiles would put me at 6400:3200:1600, so for now I'm ahead in both energy and metal (or maybe I'm way behind in rares!). I like my stockpile of Oil, but I'm not about to let that go without some serious shortages elsewhere. If I do, the whole thing will disappear, and I need that resource.

Oct37Prod.jpg


For now, now that most of my important colonies have at least some protection from garrisons, I'm working on forts. I may not complete these forts right away, but I want to progress each of them to a point where if I pick them up again it's not going to take forever to complete them (it normally takes 9 months I think). I do want to finish those 2 infantry divisions -- that's my offensive weapon when the war starts, along with those cavalry divisions you see further down the queue.

Mark January 9th on your calendar...

Oct37Rsch.jpg


That's when I'm finally able to start building Convoy Escorts, which are vital to my plan to run a maritime empire during war. I don't know what kind of threats I'm going to face in that respect, but I know this will really be my only defense on that front, so I'll be purchasing quite a few of them, as I can afford to. The improvement in supply production will be welcome, also, as I'm definitely going to need to spend less of my IC on supplies at some point, and direct more toward production of units, etc.

In December, I move another newly constructed (obviously I got to where I wanted on one of the forts and back-burnered it) infantry division into Macao. That's 2 brigades of garrison and 4 brigades (in 2 divisions) of infantry. Some heft, if I get attacked, or offensive forces? Could be either.

Dec37Macao.jpg


At the very beginning of 1938, I find that the Germans have advanced their naval bomber tech and developed the FW200. What can I use those for? Hmm... Oh, yes! The story!

But more than that, I can use them to attack enemy shipping, to attack enemy convoys, and to serve as my eyes and ears. That one unit can also be used in other roles. It's really a very versatile plane, which is the only reason I choose it (I can't afford to have one of each type, so I must be choosy).

Jan38FW200.jpg


You'll notice that I have basically 3 brigades defending Cabinda. I'd prefer more, but that's sufficient for now, even if I do have both French and Belgians facing me there. If it must remain a defensive position, so be it.

In January, the Sea Lane Defense tech allows the Escorts, so they're in the queue first. I'll probably keep one unit building at all times, to build up a surplus for wartime. The cavalry is set to be ready by mid-year, when I expect there is a possibility for war. Tensions are rising -- you can sense it. The FW200 is moving along, but I can't devote all my attention to it. Maybe it won't be ready quite in time for war. But with wartime production I'm hoping I'll be able to get it ready soon after.

Jan38Prod.jpg


Did I mention, by the way, that I'm making money off of the Energy trade? I'm purchasing 50 units from Germany, and selling 30 of them to Italy for a very slight profit (relational differences).

I've done another of those trades, like with Italy, where I ask THEM if they want to buy my stuff. I looked for who might need Supplies, and hit Nationalist Spain up for whatever they would buy. I had to try a couple of other countries before I found one willing to make the purchase, which is a necessary task if no one is coming to me for sales.

Jan38Rsch.jpg


You'll notice I've moved some Militia techs into the research queue. Before war starts, I want to have time to increase their stats in order to defend better (support weapons) and hit better (soft attack from the small arms).

Argh! Look at those spies! That's really hurting me -- 10% reduction in research? Time to ramp up the counterspy again (soon after this, I actually increased my espionage budget from zero so I could raise a couple spies in foreign enemy countries, who could do counterespionage on the ground there -- increasing my total counterespionage effort).

Feb38Spies.jpg


Once I do switch my efforts to counter the spies, they start dying like flies. The response in v1.2 is relatively quick. Soon, the enemy was barely affecting my research, and I could switch my efforts back to reducing neutrality (which remains important, to allow me free options). At some point, I notice the enemy AI gives up in attacking my research (it seems to happen at once for everybody -- I'm not sure if the AI collectively decides to stop every country from hitting research, or if every country's AI decides suddenly I'm not a good place to counter research -- dunno).

As my Metal stockpile falls below the 3200 target I'd set for it, I decide to take action to keep it where it needs to be. The deal with Austria will end soon, I expect, when the Germans take over. In the meantime, it'll be a good deal for me.
 
It's one entire juggling act, between resources of various sorts, spies, divisions, forts, ships, planes, you name it! You seem to be doing very well so far, though. Let's hope you can keep this up once war begins and foreign belts start tightening and saving their stuff for themselves.
 
Nice to see the nationalist have won. So atleast it wont be a short AAR.
My question which country are you going to war first. Or do you wait until germany declares war.
Because if you DOW France or Belgium , the germans wont be pleased havening most of there troops elsewhere. Should give the game a nice touch that germany is in war before poland tnx to you :rofl:
Keep up the good work
 
Thats quite an emphasis on forts you (still) put up there. Is this realy wise? A single fort will reduce the attacker to 90% of his abilities - or give your forces a 10% advantage on that front.

However would the same Industrial effort be directed into bulding new units for that front or improving their equipment, then a much larger benefit for our troops could be achieved. Additionally those forces could be shifted over theaters in the future to adapt to new strategic situations, while the forts will always remain right where they are.

Forts have their place when other means are not available due to frontage or supply capacity, and can be very effective when build to a high level (building from level 9 to level 10 will double the effectiveness of our forces, as compared to a 10% improvement of the first level).
 
I have not played HoI 3 yet thanks to a lack of time, but I find your AAR very informative. Wish you good luck. Are you actually planing to expand during the war or just be the decisive factor in bringing the UK down?
 
Nice, some Airpower! Hopefully you get those Nav's done in time!:)
 
Is it really worth it to defend your African provinces? :confused:

Actually, I think the goal is to expand the African holdings.
You could knock South Africa out of the war, link up with the Italians in Horn, divert British and French troops from the European, Middle Eastern, North African and Indian theaters, at the same time bringing in some nice resources, denying air bases and ports to the allies, which might help the convoy-raiding German subs a bit.

How I see the strategy, Portugal is that one last small push that topples the tower over.
 
Does the capture of hostile spies lead to an increase threat level from that country?

I hope Macao is not going to be a Singapore in reverse. A very strong land fort taken by maines storming ashore.

Offensive actions against the Clique or a help yourself to Hong Kong. Chinese takeaway coming up?
 
Thats quite an emphasis on forts you (still) put up there. Is this realy wise? A single fort will reduce the attacker to 90% of his abilities - or give your forces a 10% advantage on that front.

However would the same Industrial effort be directed into bulding new units for that front or improving their equipment, then a much larger benefit for our troops could be achieved. Additionally those forces could be shifted over theaters in the future to adapt to new strategic situations, while the forts will always remain right where they are.

Forts have their place when other means are not available due to frontage or supply capacity, and can be very effective when build to a high level (building from level 9 to level 10 will double the effectiveness of our forces, as compared to a 10% improvement of the first level).

Forts are more powerful in HoI 3 than in 2, as I understand from Chilango's AAR - its a 10% reduction of the attacking force instead of a 10% defensive bonus. As the attacker invariably will have more strength than the defender (more units/divs/whatever) this will hurt them alot more than the defender.
Code:
Given a 70% bonus to defenders
2 divisions defending, 20*1.7 = 34 strength
5 divisions attacking, 50 = 50 strength
= huge attacker advantage

Given a 70% malus to attackers
2 divisions defending, 20 = 20 strength
5 divisions attacking, 50*0.3 = 15 strength
= significant defender advantage

Taken from a poster in his AAR as an example.
 
Wow!

Just finished an exhausting play session starting shortly after the war started, and reaching about a month or two in. Game slowness isn't an issue for me -- I was moving slowly because I had to plan things out and very carefully issue orders that won't sacrifice temporary advantages which can be built into longer-term advantages. Lots of challenges, lots of opportunities, lots of the unexpected, and having to deal with those...

The AAR updates on that month or two will be fascinatingly complicated! :D

I'll try to do feedback later. Just wanted you to know I've been busy!

Rensslaer