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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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