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1938

It was cold again. In Lithuania, summer is so enjoyable, yet so short for someone born in Southern Germany…
Mindaugas thought for a moment, and then leaned out of his tribune to see his people.

- TWENTY YEARS! It’s been twenty years, since Lithuanians have been living in freedom and equality, developing their own country, free from Russian despotism. And we shall never give our sovereignity away!
- Neveeeer! – roared the excited crowd.
- Witness the glorious march of the Lithuanian Army! – screamed Mindaugas. He was pretty excited himself.

The gates to the central square of the city opened and inside flowed a column of tanks. They were old, but re-coloured to shine and each given a Lithuanian personal name.

lithuanianarmyrenaultft.jpg


FT-17 of Lithuanian Army. "Kerštas" means "Vengeance" in Lithuanian. Who exactly Lithuanians plan to avenge and what for shall remain unknown for now.

Tank engines roared, spewing black smoke into the air. The crowd looked shocked – Mindaugas found the right thing to impress them. In the East, barely anyone has heard about the tanks during Weltkrieg, even less saw them in real.
- What? What’s the meaning of all this… - stuttered Prime Minister Tubelis.
- In the land where I came from, mister Tubelis, we call them Panzer!!! – His Majesty explained, keeping a wide grin.
- But, but you can’t have them! We don’t have the industry to sustain…where did you…
- Off Germans. These are old French FT-17s, received as trophies during the war.
- What did Germans want in return?
- Oh, just some energy… scoffed the King.

The tanks rolled to the other side of the square. Infantrymen followed. Mindaugas went back into the palace.

Meanwhile, the whole Cabinet was preparing the emergency meeting, everyone but the King was present. His Majesty didn’t make the ministers wait long.
- I want all the information about what the hell happened in Weissruthenien.
Mindaugas peered across the room. Minister of Foreign Affairs stood up and opened his file.
- Right here, Your Majesty.

It seems, that Sigismund, younger brother of late King Vladimir, nephew to the Kaiser, organized a vile plot, an explosion that ripped the National Theatre apart. Vladimir and a hundred other people, ministers and members of the royal family among them are dead.
Sigismund, being the head of the National Security Service, took charge immediately.
He is also known to have strong ties with the nationalist opposition in White Ruthenia and other extremist groups. He was crowned yesterday, and this morning he cut ties with the Mitteleuropa alliance.
- Just like Krushev in Ukraine?
- Yes, Your Majesty, completely isolated themselves, sending the whole German diplomatic and military councilor offices out of the country.
- Disturbing. – the King scowled.
- Quite, sir. It seems that we are now the bastion of Mitteleuropean influence in Eastern Europe, good call buying those tanks.
- Do we have a report on the size of their army?

It was time for Minister Smetona to talk.
- Indeed, and quite precise reports, due to White Ruthenian Army being a part of Mitteleuropa as of yesterday. They posess 12 infantry divisions, all complying with the ’36 directive, and three artillery brigades of various strength. No airforce.
- That means…we can’t really go to war with them, yet?
Unless we call for German assistance, no, sir. Even with three new infantry divisions deployed in January and the tank brigade, Ruthenians would still outnumber us greatly. I would also like to underline that it’s currently winter, harsh weather would only require us to exert more and more effort, which, at the current moment, we cannot spare.

Mindaugas sighed. Such a good time to strike…
- Show me the Asian map.
screensave87.png

The map of Asia was unrolled before the King. The Minister of Foreign Affairs cleared his throat.
- Uh, the Central Asian war is finally over. The Russians have crushed the Turkestan Kaliphate and are now in effective control of the whole Central Asia. Mongolians surrendered and handed Khan Ungern von Sternberg over. Russians promised to “wake him up”, ergo, have him shot.
- Bleak prospects for such a genius madman – smiled Mindaugas.
- As for the Chinese War…
- Remind me the sides, again?
- Sure, Your Majesty.
In the North, we have Japan and their allies, Fengtien Republic (Manchuria) fighting the Quing Chinese Imperial forces. Germans, finally waking up to smack someone on the head, declared war on Japan and entrenched themselves in Quingdao.
In the South, the pro-German regime of AlgOsAsien Company fell apart due to bankruptcy, and was quickly devoured by the Legation Cities group. Now that Germans meddled in the Far East, they decided to declare war on them as well.
- But China isn’t in the Mitteleuropa, right?
- No, it isn’t. Neither are the Legation Cities in alliance with the Japanese. It’s…complicated.
- I can damn well see it’s complicated. Say, can we spare them some military aid?

Up stood the Chief of Staff, General Kubilunas.
- I am afraid, Your Majesty, it is absolutely impossible.
- But why, it’s not like White Ruthenia will attack us?
- No, they probably won’t. – nodded the General. – However, we and the Baltic Dutchy are now the easternmost border of Mitteleuropean influence, and thus, are surrounded by potential enemies. If you count White Ruthenia with their half-a-million soldiers on active duty, please be aware of the syndicalist Ukraine. We have no idea about how many soldiers are in the Red Army of Ukraine, but should they declare war on us or Ruthenians, we will require every soldier we can. We would have to call for German, or, hell, even Cossack help in such case.
- Cossack?
General Kubilunas came up and pointed at the map.
The Don-Kuban Cossack Union may prove very useful to our interests in the region. They’re the only conservative country left around, with Georgia and Ukraine having gone Red, Russia gone Menshevik. Russia actually tried to press them into submission earlier this month, but Cossacks refused. They’re not part of the Mitteleuropa (and I’m not sure their all-cavalry army can comply with ANY directives of the Alliance), but they are still a formidable force.

- Remind me again, what does “Menshevik” mean?
- Uh, it’s a faction of the Russian Socialists. The word derived from Russian “меньшинство”, which means “minority”. – explained Minister Smetona.
- Ah, so they represent the national minorities? Kazakhs, Tatar, Bashkir…how wonderful.
- No, sir.
- What, they represent THOSE minorities? OPENLY?
- N-not really, Your Majesty.
- You’ve got me all startled, mister Smetona. Who the hell do they represent?
- It’s..complicated, sire…
- It’s the second time you say that!
- It’s…well, Your Majesty…before the Weltkrieg, the Russian socialists split into Mensheviks, led by Julius Martov, and the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin. Mensheviks advocated freedoms and less governmental regulations, while Bolsheviks favoured a dictatorship of the “people’s party”. Then, when the Civil War started, Mensheviks took a neutral position, and eventually managed to survive. They ended up representing the whole working class instead of the crushed Bolsheviks. The Bolshevik idea still lives, though, the American Reds follow it…

screensave84.png

And quite successfully. The Civil War was almost over by June'38, with USA and American Union State annexed by the Reds. Pacific States of America were still neutral, but the New England declared war on the Commies. All alone. Canada remained uninvolved.


P.S. The tanks are actually a Tankette division which I managed to buy off the Germans with almost all the energy I had. Took me a long time, provided that the chance for successful trade was 3% and I didn't want to cheat.
If anyone has any questions, or requests for screenshots of industry or tech tree, please ask. I'm just afraid to overload the AAR with gameplay pictures, it's not in my style. :D
 
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to Enewald:

Legation Cities may get an event where they can extend their influence over the whole Southeastern coast of China down to Cantong, and AlgOstAsien Company then can choose whether to accept this or go to war with the Legation Cities. In this case, they went to war, and somehow lost to the puny army of the Cities.
I think they only have cores for that initially annexed coastal part, not the in-land China, although, given the new circumstances of them having to fight (a teeerribbbly slooowpoooke) Germany, I'd give them cores for the rest of the land they have, too.
 
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- Uh, the Central Asian war is finally over. The Russians have crushed the Turkestan Kaliphate and are now in effective control of the whole Central Asia. Mongolians surrendered and handed Khan Ungern von Sternberg over. Russians promised to “wake him up”, ergo, have him shot.

Brilliant.
 
This is VERY fun. I would love to see that Bratwurst eating Swabian King lead Lithuania to glory!! Lithuania gets way too little attention anyways, usually only when a Syndie or Entente Kaiserreich AAR is about to end and the player mops up the leftovers of the Mitteleuropa alliance.

But how comes Weissruthenien as such a large army?? 12 divisions? What about your army? Can't your tanks crush them like flies?

I would actually not mind more gameplay pictures. :)
 
Help!

Gentlemen, I'm facing a small problem here.

I need to mode in a new military leader, and I've managed to do so via the editor, and "Leaders" button. It is possible to choose him while starting a new game, but loading my current savegame doesn't show him in the list of available leaders, so I can't choose him. How can I change it, and can I?

Thanks in advance.
 
Allright, until I finally manage to mod the military leaders, I can still make a few posts...


1939


On January 15th, 1939 the historic Treaty of Lomza was made. Poland was integrated into Lithuania. There were long discussions on how the new country would be called, but they calmed down when champagne was brought in and everyone made a toast to King Mindaugas’ long life.
The King himself was particularly happy, due to being published in the “Time” journal and so on. More, The Kaiser himself called Mindaugas and congratulated him with this delightful addition to Mitteleuropa, especially these days with the war in China.

screensave93.png

Yay, Lithuania now looks as if it's going to bite a piece off White Ruthenia.

The next day, the Government was reshuffled to include Polish politicians. The new Chief-of-Staff, a Polish General Władysław Sikorski, stepped out with an offer to send an Expeditionary Corps to China, now that the united Lithuania-Poland has much more military power.
His Majesty liked the proposal, but still had questions.
- General Sikorski, just how many Polish divisions and brigades stand now at our disposal?
- Uh, zero, Your Majesty.
- What do you mean?
- Well, following the proclamation of a united Lithuania-Poland, the Polish Army self-disbanded.
- Completely?
- Now that there is no danger of Germans overrunning Poland, the Army decided it would be best to no longer strain the economy and disbanded, sir. To the very last man.
- And the equipment?
- Oh, the supplies are here for us to use, Your Majesty.

screensave116.png

The current IC and construction queue. Previously, six more infantry divisions have been created.

The King slapped his forehead.
- Who’s going to guard the country now if we send a corps to China?
- Oh, do not worry, Your Majesty. Our new industrial possibilities allow us to deploy a large and modern army worth any self-respecting European power in but a half-year.
- Allright, send the Corps to China, then. Who do you propose as the Commander, then?
General Sikorski smiled.
- I propose General Popeliucka, sir. He is a skilled Military Engineer and already commands a division within the Lithuanian Army.

klemensaspopeliuckagene.jpg

General Popeliucka was chosen solely because of his funny surname.

- The Expeditional Corps, consisting of the FT-17 tank division and two infantry divisions, all with Military Engineer brigades, will enter the transport ships at Memel, and then proceed all over the world, through Suez, into Indian Ocean, and then load off at Quinzhou, it's in Southern China, on the border with German Vietnam.

...and thus begins the ...

campaign1sm.jpg
 
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Polo-lithuanian adventures in China, that's going to be fun! :p
 
General Popeliucka's Chinese Campaign - Chapter 1

lith.jpg

March 14, 1939
Dear Marta!
It is with great haste I write you from Quinzhou, the German port on the shore of Tonkin Gulf.
It is currently the closest port to the front with the Legation Cities. We haven’t yet seen combat, but in a few hours, we will march out east, along the shore, to spearhead the Mitteleuropean offensive there. German forces, commande by General von Witzleben, have currently entrenched themselves all along the Pearl River to the north of here, never managing to gather enough forces and cross it. Our ultimate aim is to take the cities of Macao and Cantong, the industrial capital of Southern China, which was overrun by Legationists two years ago. Hopefully, the Chinese will fear our tanks and run away. There are only 50,000 of us and millions of Chinese…

Yours,
General Popeliucka



polishftbrestlitowsk.png


April 2, 1939
Dear Marta!
Yesterday, The Lithuanian Expeditionary Corps has fought their first battle. We were deployed as a part of the eastern offensive, and tasked with capturing the town of Maoming, on the Tonkin Gulf shore. We were facing a Legationist China army of three divisions. And, what was most surprising, the enemy commander was a Russian! We caught him prisoner, by the way, and sent to General von Witzleben. If the Russian Republic is actually in some vile plot with the Legation Cities, we could have so much trouble back at home.
We lost some of our tanks yesterday, to Chinese artillery. It was such a shame, Marta. I remember the independence anniversary parade, and those FT-17 shined on the cold February sun. It’s so muddy in here that we couldn’t even evacuate a broken tank. This is all very worrying and I wrote General Sikorski about possible upgrade of our tank brigade. He answered that in a month, new tanks will arrive, this time, made in Lithuania!

Yours,
General Popeliucka


screensave109.png

Sino-German front on April 15.
 
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Is Lithuania going to keep any of its Chinese conquests?
 
Interesting plot with Russian general...
 
macao3.png


June 3rd, 1939.
Dear Marta!


Answering your question: No, I really don't believe I can buy you anything "pretty" here, despite the fact that I'm in rather civilized part of China now.

You see, China is pretty messed up country. And I'm using that word on purpose, because it's a very strange place, and it's getting stranger with every day the Lithuanian Expeditionary Corps spends here.
The city our Corps has captured is called Macao, it's situated in the delta of the Pearl River, which still remains the frontline between us and Legationists. We've taken it a week ago, and are currently waiting to strike on our main target, the industrial city of Canton to the north of the delta.

Macao used to be a Portuguese colony before the Colonial War in 1936, when German Mittelafrika captured the African colonies of Portugal. Macao was then transferred to German China Company, the AlgOstAsien Gmbh. In 1938, Legationists captured it without much fighting.

screensave93.png

I cannot say I understand China and Chinese, my beloved Marta. China is a very big country, much bigger than Lithuania was before or even after the moment we annexed Poles. Noone knows precisely how large the population is, but Quing sources state there are more than a billion Chinese scattered over all the Chinese states and Japanese protectorates. It's one god-damn big number, Marta, and I really don't want to fight a billion of those Chinese with my three divisions.

Yesterday, we received guests at Makao, the Germans led by General von Witzleben. He is a Thuringian noble and all in all a very interesting person. I can sense his exhaustion, though. He's been commanding the whole Southern Chinese front for a year now, and only since we arrived, were there any success.

General von Witzleben told me about the Russian commander we've caught. The Transamur sources, that's the Japanese puppet government in Primorye, denied that general having any connection with them.
The St. Petersburg government, the Republic, said that this General, Vladimir Kosmin, was commanding a cavalry division (Cossacks, I presume) during the Mongolian campaign, but then misteriously dissapeared.
It turned out General Kosmin became a mercenary at Legation Cities' expense, that is, if we trust the Russians, and noone should trust Russians anymore, now that they captured the whole Central Asia even though they promised Alash Orda help...
Well, it may be true that he is a mercenary. Every single Legationist unit we crush, Marta, every single, is commanded by a foreigner. The highest post a Chinese can have in their army is a Captain, no higher. All the brigade and divisional leaders are English, Canadian, American, French, Thai, even German! Can you imagine, a German fighting against Germans for money?

It is a strange war, Marta, but I am sure we Lithuanians will show those pesky Asians what the true meaning of glory is. We've received brand new tanks for the Panzerdivision, they're of Canadian origin, but heavily modified at the ANBO factory in Kaunas. Some of them are armed with machineguns only, but some are now fitted with new guns!
I feel very enthusiastic about our forthcoming offensive on Canton, Marta. With these new tanks we will crush the Legationist forces in no time, and soon be home, in Joniškis. Joniškis...I haven't seen a town so small as Joniškis here in China. All towns are so large, so dirty, and so busy with life. They fall silent for the few hours a battle rages, and as soon as we enter them, victorious, crowds of Chinese children run out on the streets, to look at the strange white men in green uniforms.

Yours,
General Popeliučka.


P.S. I've sent you a picture of our new machinegun tanks. I hope I still look as handsome as I used to when I married you?
lithuaniantanks.jpg
 
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