I've been playing Darkest Hour for ages and decided to do a little research in order to improve Bulgaria. My goal is to modify the tech teams in a historically accurate way (as much as possible). Most of the information is available only in Bulgarian and despite that I had trouble with finding accurate pictures of teams from the same historical period with 1 or two exceptions.
Note that the changes are about the 1933 scenario. All the names are translated in English because it's better for non-Bulgarian gamers to understand them (try to pronounce Darzhavna aeroplanna rabotilnitsa
)
First things first - a few words about the current techteams.
Some of the teams in 1933 are available for the 1914 scenario and some are for some pre 1914 scenario (they may be useful later).
There are also those which should stay from 1914 onward and those which shouldn't.
This is the old CBSA team. It's abbreviated from Caprоni Bulgaria SA. No changes to the specialties (as I think they are correct and have no basis for change). Pic is from one of their models in 1935. Established in 1930 after Caproni di Milano bought the Czech AERO factory in Kazanlak. Caproni Bulgaria goes bankrupt and is nationalized in 1942. In 1947 production is discontinued.
Darzhavna aeroplanna rabotilnitsa - or DAR Aircraft Workshops. The aircraft workshop was well known as just DAR. I've seen the company's logo but it's too small to be visible so again - another model. No changes (the same reasons as before). Established in 1925 in Sofia. In 1940 production was moved to Lovech (State Aircraft Factory). Over 1000 models produced.
State Aircraft Factory. Created in 1938 to supply the Bulgarian Airforce with planes. Equipment from DAR in Sofia moved to Lovech. Production starts in late 1941. Development of fighters and tactical bombers as well as testing. Pic - one of their most successful models.
* Many companies had no official logos back then as they were state-owned.
All Bulgarian aircraft production was discontinued in 1954 and planes were bought from the USSR.
Atanas Burov. Bullgarian banker and politician. Involved in industry, railroad construction. Occupied several ministerial posts. In 1912 already a solid public figure he volunteered to the army (the only active member of parliamnet to do so) and took part in the First Balkan War. Almost got killed but his metal lighter saved his life. Awarded the order For Bravery. Active in the period 1910 - 1944. Arrested in 1944. Later sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Communists. Died in 1954. Just added a better pic. Also available in 1914 scenario.
Military Academy. The oldest military institution of higher education in Bulgaria. Established in 1912 but opened in 1915 due to the Balkan Wars. Nearly all generals graduated here. Still exists. Actual namer is just Military Academy. After 1951 is named after Bulgarian revolutionary Georgi Sava Rakovski. Pic is from a photo in 1928. Replaced general Ivan Vulkov (wrong picture and time period) who was active as a military officer until 1929 when was appointed as an ambassador to Italy. Specialties are the same as his but added +1 skill. This is the only land doctrine team in the period 1933 - ~. Also available in 1914 scenario.
Rear Admiral Sava Ivanov. Graduated from Sofia Military Academy and later the Cadet Corps in St. Petersburg. As a lieutenant he is credited with establishing Bulgarian naval aviation after in 1916 attacks a Russian storehouses in Sulina. Interested in naval aviation, oceanography and commander of destroyer division. Head of Varna Naval School (Then Navy Mechanics School) in the period 1928 - 1935. Chef of the Bulgarian navy 1935 - 1939 when is succeeded by rear admiral Variclechkov. In 1944 he was forced out of Sofia but returned and died in 1958 . Author of many books about oceanography, naval history, naval manuals etc. Specialties - seamanship, naval training, small unit tactics. Wanted to add bomber tactics because of his naval aviation interest and work but it would be the only naval doctrine team with aircraft doctrines so I decided to leave it as it is. Pic from his personal photo album. Active period 1928 - 1944.
Bulgarian Red Cross. Established in 1885. Developed medical science in Bulgaria, involved in relief activities during all wars in which Bulgaria took part. Trained volunteers, established field hospitals, built hospitals and many other activities. OK for medical researches. Still active. Pic is from a volunteer badge in 1935. Also available in 1914 scenario.
Bozhurishte Airfield. Replaced Vasil Boydev as he was cheif of the air force but not an air officer. In fact he is on the picture with some graduates from the air force academy in Sofia which used the airfields in Bozhurishte. Bozhurishte Airfield was a major air force base since 1912, a flying school, repair facility and training center. After the defeat in WW1 it was stripped of most of its equipment and even hangars but later rebuilt and was a civil aviation center. DAR factories were also bult and prototype planes were tested. Young pilots had their training here too. In 1937 it was reestablished as a air force base. It remained so until 1948 when new planes required longer airstrips and improved facilities. Fighter tactics tech. Also available in 1914 scenario (although not sure about the specialties then).
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Established in 1896 still exists. The oldest and largest science institution back then and now. No changes except for the pic from 1927. Also available in 1914 scenario.
Kazanlak Military Factory. No changes except for the pic - a marking on a m 35 rifle produced there. Officialy State Military Factory. During Communist rule in 1964 was transformed and expanded as "Arsenal" Kazanlak. Exists today. Note that during WW1 the factories were in Sofia and moved to Kazanlak in 1924 for strategic purposes. Also available in 1914 scenario.
Pernik State Mines. Renamed the Pernik Complex. Pic is from the mining facilities in 1928. Mining in Pernik started even before 1878. In 1891 the first mine of the state company opened. It works since then. Expanded and modernized in the interwar period. Also available in 1914 scenario. No changes to the specialties.
Stoyan Stoyanov - maybe the best Bulgarian fighter ace in WW2. Graduated from the military academy in Sofia and later from fighter academy Werneuchen. Awarded the German Iron Cross 2nd class three orders For Bravery. The only air force officer to be awarded such an award. Credited with 14 air victories. Continued to serve after the Communists took power until 1954 when was dismissed for "political unreliability" despite being in charge of pilot training on the new Soviet planes as well as Air Defence. Available period 1939 - 1954.
Added better pic. Zakhari Zakhariev was a Bulgarian officer credited with the creation of the modern Bulgarian air force. Studied in Bozhurishte air academy. Forced to flee Bulgaria because of his leftist views. Went to the USSR where was appointed instructor in Tambow air academy. Held high posts there including chief of the academy. Volunteered to participate in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Republicans. Bomber pilot who flew every day on the Madrid Front. Became Hero of the Soviet Union in 1936. Later awarded the "Golden Star" award. First foreign citizen to receive it. 2 times representative in the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. After 1944 returns to Bulgaria where held many higher offices as chef of the air force, deputy defense minister etc. Retired in 1973.
VMZ Sopot. This comes from Vazov Machine-builidng Factory in the city of Sopot. Established in 1936 and starts production in 1940. Still exists. During Communist rule expanded significantly. In 1940 - 1954 main production was shells, bullets, mortars, machine parts and tools. Later production was expanded to the non-military sector. Now is the biggest ammunition factory in Bulgaria.
The predecessor of Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy. The Navy school undertook many changes since it's establishment in Ruse. It was moved to Varna and expanded. After WW1 it was renamed and again reorganized. The cadets were trained according to the program of the Sea Cadet Corps in St. Petersburg. Practical training was done on torpedo boats, machine factories and on board some small vessels. In 1929 it was renamed to just Varna Navy School. Later it was reorganised as a Naval Akademy in 1956 and certified as a higher education institution. After that year a new team should be added - Varna Naval Academy with + 1 skill and centralized execution but this is not the purpose of this post now.
Skill is 3. Specialties allow basic naval doctrine research but centralized execution, large/small unit tactics are missing as Bulgaria didn't have large military ships and studying was strictly theoretical. Pic is from a collection of navy insignia published in 1932. Also should be available in 1914 scenario but I can't get the game to include it as another tech team.
Fleet Arsenal Varna was the only shipbuilding and reapir facility until 1944 when the naval base in Burgas was established. The fleet arsenal was part of the naval base in Varna and cooperated with the navy school. There was the primary base for Bulgaria's Black Sea Fleet. The six French torpedo boats were assembled in the arsenal as a covered berth was built in 1906 for that purpose. A floating dock was ordered and in 1917 the arsenal expanded. In the interwar period it was not destroyed but saw no development. During WW2 the arsenal was again operative and there were built many small vessels as well as repairs to foreign and Bulgarian ships. During Communist period it was expanded and remained the biggest shipyard in Bulgaria. Also should be available in 1914 scenario. Skill is 2. Specialties should allow research of destroyers, transports and maybe some larger ships. The arsenal was not capable of naval artillery research or large engine production. Its docks were medium sized and was used for repairs and building of small naval vessels.
Those are all the tech teams I've researched and done. Starting in 1933 those are the only ones there should be as Nikola Jekov (land doctrine) retired from military service, other generals like Vulkov and Bakurdjiev had no real military or political role in the period. Atanas Shalapatov was chef of Navy school for just 3 months so I removed it. Vasil Boydev was not a pilot just chef of the air force and worked to aquire planes for it. Vereinigte Rottweiler Pulverfabriken which was a WW1 tech team is removed as I can't find even one mention of it in Bulgarian or English or German.
Everything I know about it is from the old forum where Royaliste wrote:
Maybe it was just an exporter or licensed Bulgarian-made ammunition. If someone can give me some sources or documents it will be appreciated.
Sorry for the long post, feel free to discuss the newly proposed teams. This is the first part as there are like 6-7 more. Currently testing the pics and editing the two tech files in dh and dh full.
If asked will provide sources for each team.
This is the final list. Red is 1933 scenario. Green - 1914.
Note that the changes are about the 1933 scenario. All the names are translated in English because it's better for non-Bulgarian gamers to understand them (try to pronounce Darzhavna aeroplanna rabotilnitsa
)First things first - a few words about the current techteams.
Some of the teams in 1933 are available for the 1914 scenario and some are for some pre 1914 scenario (they may be useful later).
There are also those which should stay from 1914 onward and those which shouldn't.
* Many companies had no official logos back then as they were state-owned.
All Bulgarian aircraft production was discontinued in 1954 and planes were bought from the USSR.
Skill is 3. Specialties allow basic naval doctrine research but centralized execution, large/small unit tactics are missing as Bulgaria didn't have large military ships and studying was strictly theoretical. Pic is from a collection of navy insignia published in 1932. Also should be available in 1914 scenario but I can't get the game to include it as another tech team.
Those are all the tech teams I've researched and done. Starting in 1933 those are the only ones there should be as Nikola Jekov (land doctrine) retired from military service, other generals like Vulkov and Bakurdjiev had no real military or political role in the period. Atanas Shalapatov was chef of Navy school for just 3 months so I removed it. Vasil Boydev was not a pilot just chef of the air force and worked to aquire planes for it. Vereinigte Rottweiler Pulverfabriken which was a WW1 tech team is removed as I can't find even one mention of it in Bulgarian or English or German.
Everything I know about it is from the old forum where Royaliste wrote:
Maybe it was just an exporter or licensed Bulgarian-made ammunition. If someone can give me some sources or documents it will be appreciated.
Sorry for the long post, feel free to discuss the newly proposed teams. This is the first part as there are like 6-7 more. Currently testing the pics and editing the two tech files in dh and dh full.
If asked will provide sources for each team.
This is the final list. Red is 1933 scenario. Green - 1914.
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