Inevitable Defeat - Slovakia '44

[Bullfilter]

Nice to see you back, in very prompt slower-than-real-time . Yes, a Mexican (Slovakian) Wave might require some kind of doctrine research will (of course) not be within the capacity of Slovakian researchers until around 2035

An in reference: T&T are about to make a short (historical) appearance in the 'TT world': I couldn't resist it. How well timed they should also appear here today!

 

[keynes2.0]

I guess that mean the speed of the slovakian OODA loop will match the speed of this AAR.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

TheButterflyComposer/markkur - This may be the only appearance Slánsky makes. Treasure it. Much like you should treasure the considered and majestic progress of the updates.

As we treasure the exotic and the endangered, that they might be enjoyed by our children, and read as a complete story by our children's children.
I am amazed Slovakia confuses to do anything though. At this point, considering how depressed the main leaders of the country are, mass suicide and various great escape style exit plans would surely come into play? What about a hang glider powered by hip flask alcohol?

 

[Henry IX]

As we treasure the exotic and the endangered, that they might be enjoyed by our children, and read as a complete story by our children's children.
I am amazed Slovakia confuses to do anything though. At this point, considering how depressed the main leaders of the country are, mass suicide and various great escape style exit plans would surely come into play? What about a hang glider powered by hip flask alcohol?

Heresy! Heavier than air flight is not possible! This we know! True Slovakian leaders escape by very slowly walking (staggering). Or perhaps by a less litteral eacape by hip flask anto the happy world of sleep.

 

[Bullfilter]

Heresy! Heavier than air flight is not possible! This we know! True Slovakian leaders escape by very slowly walking (staggering). Or perhaps by a less litteral eacape by hip flask anto the happy world of sleep.

Indeed - though if they lapse into a drunken stupor one day and wake up with the Soviets having occupied Bratislava, the happy world of sleep may be administered by a 9mm Makarov 'lead injection'!

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I love that everyone attacked the very idea of fight rather than the idea of a powered hang glider.
"It has an engine on it and therefore it must go!"

But we do agree they need to escape right about now. Become legendary bogeymen for the next generation of competent leaders and such.

 

[markkur]

What an OOB! However, I must say, it is that brigade of Military Police within the 2nd Division that is a bit worrying to me.

 

[nuclearslurpee]

The planned situation of Slovakia's Generals.

I believe the most shocking thing about this battle plan is that somehow, Slovakia can muster as many as eight individuals who have the capacity to command a military unit with even the slightest modicum of something vaguely resembling a loosely-defined form of competence. Truly we are witnessing the coming of a new era!

 

[Galbatorix994]

I believe the most shocking thing about this battle plan is that somehow, Slovakia can muster as many as eight individuals who have the capacity to command a military unit with even the slightest modicum of something vaguely resembling a loosely-defined form of competence. Truly we are witnessing the coming of a new era!

For me the most shocking thing is that Slovakia had the resources to take photographs of all eight of the commanders!

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

It's time to consider drastic and revolutionary measures, like taking this war as seriously as possible, for starters.

 

[El Pip]

So...the chain of command is literally people standing next to one another and relaying orders to the soldiers?

Well when you don't have radios, you have to improvise.

Nice to see you back, in very prompt slower-than-real-time . Yes, a Mexican (Slovakian) Wave might require some kind of doctrine research will (of course) not be within the capacity of Slovakian researchers until around 2035

I admire you're ambition for Slovakia. The way they are regressing they may well be confused by the concept of Mexico, thinking it to be part of the old Spanish Empire. Or perhaps still under the Aztecs. And I don't think anyone wants to see an Aztec Wave, I doubt it would be pleasant.

I guess that mean the speed of the slovakian OODA loop will match the speed of this AAR.

Slovakia might, might, be capable of the first O of that, the rest may require tech they haven't got. But yes, even that would be faster than the pace of this AAR.

As we treasure the exotic and the endangered, that they might be enjoyed by our children, and read as a complete story by our children's children.
I am amazed Slovakia confuses to do anything though. At this point, considering how depressed the main leaders of the country are, mass suicide and various great escape style exit plans would surely come into play? What about a hang glider powered by hip flask alcohol?

I am a pioneer of the generational epic, in years to come this and Butterfly will be considered the founding texts of the genre. T&T had many faults, but they were patriots in their own unpleasantly twisted way. They will stay loyal to Slvoakia until the end.

Heresy! Heavier than air flight is not possible! This we know! True Slovakian leaders escape by very slowly walking (staggering). Or perhaps by a less litteral eacape by hip flask anto the happy world of sleep.

Entirely correct. Pruzinsky approves of your stance on technology and Tiso nods in wisdom at the less literal escape method.

Indeed - though if they lapse into a drunken stupor one day and wake up with the Soviets having occupied Bratislava, the happy world of sleep may be administered by a 9mm Makarov 'lead injection'!

Arguably a better end than a show trial and then the salt mines of Siberia.

I love that everyone attacked the very idea of fight rather than the idea of a powered hang glider.
"It has an engine on it and therefore it must go!"

But we do agree they need to escape right about now. Become legendary bogeymen for the next generation of competent leaders and such.

If T&T were the kind of leaders who escaped when things looked grim they would have done so in the first update of the AAR, they were doomed even then.

What an OOB! However, I must say, it is that brigade of Military Police within the 2nd Division that is a bit worrying to me.

It is sort of justified. The actual Slovak 2nd Division was used for 'Security' operations on the Eastern Front. Admittedly after Stalingrad most of the Slovak Army realised they were doomed and stopped bothering, so the 2nd Division was disarmed and sent to Italy to work as construction labour building anti-invasion defences. However this being Paradox, and the Slovak OOB being copied between scenarios, it still exists for T&T to use as best they can.

I believe the most shocking thing about this battle plan is that somehow, Slovakia can muster as many as eight individuals who have the capacity to command a military unit with even the slightest modicum of something vaguely resembling a loosely-defined form of competence. Truly we are witnessing the coming of a new era!

That did stretch Slovakia to the limit. It only has 12 land officers, and several of those are Czech and/or Communist. I wouldn't be surprise if some of those 8 fall into those categories as well.

For me the most shocking thing is that Slovakia had the resources to take photographs of all eight of the commanders!

Well it has eight photographs, they may not actually be photographs of the correct commanders. Even so, quite an achievement by Slovak standards.

It's time to consider drastic and revolutionary measures, like taking this war as seriously as possible, for starters.

It is very possible that Slovakia already is taking the war as seriously as possible, terrifyingly this could be the T&T regime operating at peak performance, as close to a well oiled machine as Pruzinsky's 19th century tech will allow.

 

[keynes2.0]

the pace of this AAR.

The pace of this AAR just gives us more time to savor.

 

[El Pip]

The pace of this AAR just gives us more time to savor.

More of this sort of comment, it is very much appreciated.

And on that note, we must return to Bratislava.

 

[El Pip]

25th September.

Tiso had decided to take General Kubela's suggested re-organisation under advisement. The advice being from Fritz and Tuka who both agreed "It was a stupid idea, don't do it", confirming Tiso's own thoughts on the matter. That aside there was the minor detail of the war to discuss, so we must return to the Slovak cabinet room.

"General, where are our divisions currently deployed and what are they doing. Please start on the Eastern Front." Tiso carefully ordered.

"The 1st (East) Division is still consolidating their position on the new front line." Kubela replied.

"So they haven't finished retreating into Eastern Hungary yet?" Tuka clarified.

"I suppose you could say that." Kubela replied "If you had no concern for morale."

"And in the West?" Tiso intervened to move the discussion on from the army's morale, or lack of it.

"That is more concerning." Kubela admitted, passing over a report.

The Slovak 2nd (Brackets) Division being bombed along with a couple of high end German divisions. The most alarming part is the presence of RCAF and RAAF squadrons, if Australia and Canada are actually doing something useful in the war this will be a rare triumph for the Allied AI. Worse these forced are combined under Leigh-Mallory and his quite epic hat.​

"You fear the RAF will destroy the division as they did in Italy?" Tiso's voice barely trembled as he considered the implications.

"Worse!" Malar interjected.

"How could it be worse?" Tuka warmed up his vocal chords.

"We fear will be betrayed and destroyed by our German allies." Malar explained.

"What?!" Tuka yelled.

"General Lattmann surrendered to the Soviets at Stalingrad in 1943." Kubela said.

"The only logical explanation for his presence is that he has returned as a deep cover Soviet agent and will betray us at the worst possible moment." Malar added.

While Tuka was too baffled even to yell, Tiso reflected on the wisdom of using a hip flask instead of vocal rage as his preferred support mechanism.

--
Notes:
Major-General Lattmann's fate is indeed OTL, however such matters are of no importance to Paradox so still he stumbles on in German service. In OTL after his surrender Lattmann led a surprisingly exciting life. Plucked from the POW camps he was a founder member of the Soviet setup "Federation of German Officers" who spent the war producing propaganda saying collaboration with the Soviets might get Germany a better deal than fighting to the end. This obviously didn't work out in overall terms, but it did work out very well for those who joined. Not only were they released from the camps early, they tended to end up in senior roles in the DDR; Lattmann got the spectacular title "Deputy Chief for Panzer Matters in the Special Administration Department of the Ministry of the Interior", as well as various very senior roles in the police, planning groups and an industrial export commission.

The lesson is clearly; surrender and collaborate early and Stalin might reward you. He might also shoot you, but at least you'd have some hope.

I'm trying out a Photobucket alternative, seems to be working but let me know if not.

 

[keynes2.0]

If surrender is rewarded, maybe Slovakia should surrender many times in order to be rewarded many times?

 

[Rensslaer]

@El Pip, it is pleasantly astonishing that you still have this going, after all these years. Excellent work!

Renss

 

[Bullfilter]

While Tuka was too baffled even to yell, Tiso reflected on the wisdom of using a hip flask instead of vocal rage as his preferred support mechanism.

He can't try both? It could make for some particularly choleric scenes and some entertaining badinage! Perhaps some drunken Social Realist poetry? Also, would it be worth one or both of the remaining divisions joining the Race for Bratislava themselves? They could use SR ... Slovakia might actually win something (even if it is a retreat)!

You never know, Bratislava could be forgotten (if it has ever been remembered by anyone other than Tiso and Tuka), and even outlast the Germans - perhaps briefly becoming the leaders of the Axis!!

 

[Surt]

Just think of the bonus of all those people standing next to each other!!! It will be glorious!!!!

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Literally the last fight in the game will be a last stand in that room with these deranged and depressed politicians fighting the red army. Is this a sad thing? I think it might be.

 

[markkur]

"General Lattmann surrendered to the Soviets at Stalingrad in 1943." Kubela said.