We, the People -- A USA Interactive FTM AAR

Avindian · Jan 8, 2012

Welcome to my new Interactive AAR! This is my first HOI AAR, although I've played it quite a bit in the past.

Approved by Qorten

I will need four players, ideally with some familiarity with the game and the US, to take the following spots: Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Staff of the Navy, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Armaments Minister (who for our purposes will be responsible for province constructions, like radar, etc.).

The Chiefs will determine the following:
-- OOBs
-- Deployments
-- Construction
-- Techs for their particular branch.

The Minister will determine:
-- All non-military techs
-- All non-unit construction.

When/if the war starts, we'll also look for theater commanders.
Every six months, the Big Four, so to speak, are up for review, and can be replaced. They are free to resign at any time, provided we find a replacement.

So what about everyone else, you ask? You're Congress! Each other player can make up a character, naming the state, political party, and position your character has. (Only Senators/Representatives; remember, AK and HI aren't states yet.) What do you vote on?

-- Foreign policy plans
-- Budgets for IC, including total distribution and which of the four gets what for construction purposes.
-- Budgets for leadership, including total distribution and which of the four gets which techs.
-- Declaring war/signing peace treaties
-- Which faction we align ourselves to, if any
-- If one of the Big Four needs to be fired/replaced
-- Input on our general deployments overseas
-- All decisions and law changes
-- Nukes!
-- Etc.

I will serve as de facto President, VP, Head of Intelligence, and Foreign Minister. I will only vote to break ties (as VP). All army groups and below will be on AI control when/if the war starts. There are a couple of specific exceptions:
-- Marines are the property of the Navy.
-- Transports planes are under the control of the Army.
-- All invasions will be handled manually; once ports and/or airbases are seized, control must be handed over to the AI.

For the navy and air force, it'll be up to the respective chief.

Peace time updates will cover a six month period; war time updates will be approximately two to four weeks, depending on events. I'd like votes to last no more than 72 hours.

If you want to ask a general question that's OOC, please use these (( )). Finish most communications with your job/title/etc. so we know who is who.

Bills and voting: When time comes to submit budgets and other bills, any Congressperson is free to submit a proposal, but it must be co-authored. This is to prevent, say, 10 people voting over 9 bills. When a minimum of three bills have been submitted, I will officially kick off voting for that particular area of concern. All votes must be bolded so I can count them.

Political Parties: Republican, Democrat, or Independent. Since parties don't matter much for the purposes of this game, I probably won't allow new ones, but that's at my discretion.

Factions: We will not join a faction until WWII has started, unless of course we are declared upon. If I am invited to join, it will be put to a vote.

Trade: Trade will be automated.

Production: Consumer goods will be locked at the maximum to ensure zero dissent; I will use automated options for the rest (i.e. Production, Upgrades, Reinforcements) based upon your votes during peace time.

Espionage: I will allocate available spies first to the US until we have ten; subsequent spies will be based upon our foreign policy.

Foreign Policy: I'm responsible for executing it, and we won't DOW anybody we don't have a legitimate threat against (i.e. sticking within game mechanics). However, we'll take votes on faction alignment and general policy. Again, must be supported by two Senators/Representatives.

Characters: Nothing against Forum rules. Other than that, you can pick whatever you want. We'll only have 2 Senators from each state, and I'll make a roster so people know how many spots are open. Again, we'll need name, state, and party affiliation.

Filibusters: Any party leader has the power to filibuster a bill to enact certain changes he'd like to see. He may do this once per session. The filibustee has the option to withdraw the bill, amend the bill, or ignore it, in which case we vote to overturn the filibuster. 2/3s must vote to overturn.

Quorum: Any Senator may request a quorum at any time, if the President (me) approves it.

I'll post a save, hosted by another site, so you can download it and follow along. I'll also take plenty of screenshots, of course!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in-thread ((with these, of course)) or by PM.

Here's the initial save (all settings on normal; this is the default setup, no changes made):

Beginning save

Current Roster:
Chief of the Army and Air Force: Gen. Marshall
Chief of the Navy: Novatheorem
Secretary of War: Matt Adler

Atlantic Theater Commander: son of liberty

Pacific Theater Commander: Novatheorem

Senators
Unlisted states are fair game
California: full
Arizona: full
New York: full
Florida: full
Pennsylvania: full
Louisiana: full
Ohio: full
Massachusetts: full
South Carolina: full
Virginia: full
Illinois: full
Indiana: full
Washington: full
Georgia: full
Wyoming: 1 spot left
Texas: full
Mississippi: full
Oregon: full
Maryland: full
Tennessee: 1 spot left
Idaho: full
Maine: full
Michigan: full
Rhode Island: full
Minnesota: 1 spot left
Kentucky: 1 spot left
Wisconsin: 1 spot left
Nevada: full
Colorado: full
West Virginia: full
North Dakota: 1 spot left
Missouri: 1 spot left
New Jersey: 1 spot left
Nebraska: 1 spot left

Current Senators (listed by seniority or when they joined the AAR)

* denotes current party leader

Independents

Jake Manson, AZ (Socialist): Jake Manson
Henry Heidelburg, CA (German-American Bund): Tallfellow
Alvin Carl Miller, AZ (Communist): Cephalos
John Sarigis, SC (Left-wing radical): Greek HOI3*
John Davis, IN (Socialist): EU3NOOB
Franz Vormüller, WA (Left-wing radical): tyriet
Randall McGeehan, Jr., MD (Fascist): mrfinns
Prescott Bush, TX: zombiejase
Jack Rimbly, VA (German-American Bund): oskar-kar
Eric Anderson (Social Liberal), MN: pathfinder
Steven Hyde (Socialist), WI: Annex the Web
Vincent Surov (America First), CO: Panzer4Life
Kurt Fischer (Non-partisan league), ND: jjstinson

Democrats

William Fitzgerald Kenzington, D-NY: Derahan
John Linton, D-FL: Sethanon
Charles Beckendorf, D-MA: Vrael_1492
George Coleman, D-PA: Clophiroth
Cornelius Frederickson, D-VA: Imperator1993
John Baker, D-IL: whitesox
Gordon Sinclar, D-IL: Jos Ballenbak
Thomas de Brink, D-WY: Chimina
Stephen McCarthy, D-TX: TankofMidgets
Vernon "Pappy" O'Daniel, D-MS: Madman564323
Sarah Quentin O'Hanahan, D-OR: Saithis
Mary Phillips, D-CA: Sakura_F*
Richard D. Sharpe, D-WA: Chimpanzee That
Paul Jaeger, D-TN: uberbyford
Marcus Jefferson, D-LA: Caezaire
Peter Dawson, D-MD: CSS Hunley
Sebastian Lender, D-GA: wzhang29
Keon Monniset, D-NV: Novatheorem
Joseph A. Burns, D-SC: PvtPrivate
Peter G. Gerry, D-RI: robw963
Alexander Anikin, D-UT: jeeshadow
Ryan Marshall, D-NV: Gen. Marshall
John Andersen, D-CO: thekonkoe
Frank P. Briggs, D-MO: dresdor
David Worth Clark, D-ID: shierholzer
Joseph Shulz-Fisher, D-NE: Zealuu

Republicans

Nathan B. Mount, R-NY: NotFuchs
Clark Gable, R-FL: Terraferma
Elizabeth H. Danner, R-PA: Moonstruck
Alistair Canseliet, R-LA: Lyonessian
Thomas Rudolph, R-OH: arosenberger14
Elexis Sinclaire, R-MA: SovietAmerika*
Wilhelm Tiffany Winklebottom, R-OH: VagabondLMG
Richard Newman, R-GA: son of liberty
Elijah Combas, R-OR: Sirce
Michael Collins, R-TN: Sparta141
John Williams, R-MS: Wsoxfan86
Carl Stephen Englund, R-ID: Mr. Sometimes
Wallace H. White, R-ME: VonMudra
Andrew Ryan, R-MI: Plutonium95
David Osborn, R-MI: awesomesauce47
Henry Asquith, R-ME: Uliono
David Heuwi Anderson, R-RI: Fire and Ash
Frederick M. Sackett, R-KY: Staf_de_Clercq
John G. Lennox, R-WV: NikoHOI3
Sam G. Ecossais, R-WV: Dadarian
Raymond E. Willis, R-IN: ChargingPickett
Anthony Crawford, R-NJ: Civilwar803

War plans
1941
Operation Fortitude (Invasion of Norway)
Operation Tinderbox (Allied invasion of Italian ports and North Africa)
Operation Buckler (Response to Japan)

1942
Operation Ascendant (Offensive action against Japan)
Atlantic Theater plans, second half, 1942

1943
Operation Hannibal: Invasion of France
Operation Catalyst (island hopping)
Atlantic plans, July and August 1943
Pacific plans, September and October 1943
Atlantic plans, September and October 1943
Pacific plans, November and December 1943
Atlantic plans, November and December 1943

1944
Pacific plans, January and February 1944
Atlantic plans, January and February 1944 (part 1)
Atlantic plans, January and February 1944 (part 2)
Pacific plans, March and April 1944

Current budget
Fiscal Year 1942
Fiscal Year 1943 (Option A)
Fiscal Year 1944 (Army/Air Force/Other) [revised]
Fiscal Year 1944 (Navy)

Other Important Bills
Freedom for Europe Act [overall US strategy from 7/42 on in Europe]
Pacific-Asia Defense Act [fate of Japan post WW-II]
Romanian and Hungarian Transition to Peace Act
Democratical Operational Planning Evaluation Act [requires all plans to be submitted to Congress before acceptance]
Liberation of Vichy France bill
Sinclaire Nuclear Weapons Act

Important note: This AAR will continue until we have accomplished all fifteen victory conditions set by the AI and liberated Poland, per this vote. To do this, we must defeat the Soviet Union, after the events here.

EDIT 2/17/12: Added filibuster and quorum procedures.
4/2/12: Added war plans section.
4/11/12: Added latest save link.
5/6/12: Added link to the latest budget.
5/8/12: Clarified AI control of army.
6/4/12: Added important bills section.
8/12/12: Added section on Senate Armed Services Committee.
8/19/12: Disbanded above committee; will not be revived unless there is interest.
11/28/12: Added note re: end of the AAR.
12/12/12: Updated final note.

Avindian · Jan 8, 2012

Table of contents

Saithis · Jan 8, 2012

Alright, you've got my interest in taking part. I'd be interested in the post of Chief of Navy, given Naval combat is the area I have the most experience and success with in HOI3, but if someone else is interested I'm willing to bow out.

Avindian · Jan 8, 2012

Saithis said:
Alright, you've got my interest in taking part. I'd be interested in the post of Chief of Navy, given Naval combat is the area I have the most experience and success with in HOI3, but if someone else is interested I'm willing to bow out.

The post is yours! Let me know which in-game character you'd like to be (must be available in '36) and send along your preliminary OOB via PM.

Saithis · Jan 8, 2012

Avindian said:
The post is yours! Let me know which in-game character you'd like to be (must be available in '36) and send along your preliminary OOB via PM.

Excellent.

I think I'd like Standley well enough, IIRC he's the default Naval advisor and he suits what I want to achieve.

I'll send you an OOB by tonight, hopefully.

Sethanon · Jan 8, 2012

This looks mighty interesting, I will def. be following! I have played a great deal of HoI2 but Im afraid I am too inexperienced to play a character in this Interactive AAR!

PS: How (if) are readers supposed to react without spamming the topic

?

Sakura_F · Jan 8, 2012

I'll join!

Avindian · Jan 8, 2012

Sethanon said:
This looks mighty interesting, I will def. be following! I have played a great deal of HoI2 but Im afraid I am too inexperienced to play a character in this Interactive AAR!

Since when did inexperience ever stop anybody from being a Congressman?

You might not be suited for one of the Big Four, but I'd love to have you along in votes and such; you just need a state, position (senator/congressman) and some kind of name!

Avindian · Jan 8, 2012

Sakura_F said:
I enlist, and wish to be a female senator from California who is part of the Leninist Party!

What's your name? I'll put you down as Independent for now; if there's enough people who want to be Leninists, then we'll make it an actual party.

Saithis · Jan 8, 2012

Sethanon said:
This looks mighty interesting, I will def. be following! I have played a great deal of HoI2 but Im afraid I am too inexperienced to play a character in this Interactive AAR!

Playing in Congress would still be a fair way to go, even if you don't feel confident playing a Chief!

Sad that there's no female Chiefs of the Navy for myself. D:

Cybvep · Jan 8, 2012

It looks like the idea of the interactive HOI3 AARs is spreading

If I may make a suggestion, I think that you shouldn't recruit many players. It's much easier to control a small group. Also, any potential player should realise that interactive AARs require player ACTIVITY to work properly. In case of Influence Wars, we've already had several player changes during the course of the game and the number of players dropped from 8 to 4. Players need to be reliable and the larger the group, the harder it becomes to control it.

If you intend to start in 1936, then I think that updates covering just 3 months won't work. There is not that much activity during peace-time in HOI3 and this is especially true in the USA Vanilla game. With the current rules in place, you will need 4 updates to cover ONE year, so if the game ends up being remotely historical, that means about 16-20 updates of peace.

I also don't think that you should use the AI for aircraft and ships. It isn't very reliable here.

I see the potential of this if it becomes a role-playing AAR with the focus on conflict between congressmen/senators having various goals. IMO you need to rely on outside factors besides the game mechanics in order to make this work

.

Derahan · Jan 8, 2012

I would like to play as Chief of Army, if i can

Sakura_F · Jan 8, 2012

I'll defy all means of logic and be a Communistic female senator from California who's skeptical of the Party's current influences from Moscow (Leninists ! = Stalin's lapdogs)

So my character might cross the floor if she grows dissatisifed (meaning she'll probably move to the Social Democrats in 1937, when the Purge begins)

--- Here's my character sheet, btw --
Name: Senator Mary Phillipps
Born: 1897 (age 40)
Party: Leninist Party (or Independent)

Policy ideas:
-- Foreign policy plans: Isolation

-- Budgets for IC, including total distribution and which of the four gets what for construction purposes: Only to help the people of the United States

-- Budgets for leadership, including total distribution and which of the four gets which techs: No military developments until necessary

-- Declaring war/signing peace treaties: Absolutely not!

-- Which faction we align ourselves to, if any: Comintern

-- If one of the Big Four needs to be fired/replaced: All right-wing ministers

-- Input on our general deployments overseas: Withdraw all

-- All decisions and law changes: Institute high education and no military

-- Nukes!: No

Avindian · Jan 8, 2012

Cybvep said:
It looks like the idea of the interactive HOI3 AARs is spreading

If I may make a suggestion, I think that you shouldn't recruit many players. It's much easier to control a small group. Also, any potential player should realise that interactive AARs require player ACTIVITY to work properly. In case of Influence Wars, we've already had several player changes during the course of the game and the number of players dropped from 8 to 4. Players need to be reliable and the larger the group, the harder it becomes to control it.

If you intend to start in 1936, then I think that updates covering just 3 months won't work. There is not that much activity during peace-time in HOI3 and this is especially true in the USA Vanilla game. With the current rules in place, you will need 4 updates to cover ONE year, so if the game ends up being remotely historical, that means about 16-20 updates of peace.

I also don't think that you should use the AI for aircraft and ships. It isn't very reliable here.

I see the potential of this if it becomes a role-playing AAR with the focus on conflict between congressmen/senators having various goals. IMO you need to rely on outside factors besides the game mechanics in order to make this work .

I've been a devoted follower of your AAR; it's part of the reason I started this one!

As far as characters, I see four "full time-ish" members and the rest may come and go as they please. I will take your suggestion on update length; six months seems more reasonable then, so there's enough time for things to develop (unless, of course, something important happens and requires a vote.) Thanks for your comments!

Derahan said:
I would like to play as Chief of Army, if i can

You certainly may! (Love Polandball, by the way!) Give me your in-game character (available in '36) and send along the OOB via PM.

Sakura_F said:
I'll defy all means of logic and be a Communistic female senator from California who's skeptical of the Party's current influences from Moscow (Leninists ! = Stalin's lapdogs)

So my character might cross the floor if she grows dissatisifed (meaning she'll probably move to the Social Democrats in 1937, when the Purge begins)

Very good

Derahan · Jan 8, 2012

Should i send with the OOB where the units will be placed and who is commanding them?

Avindian · Jan 9, 2012

Derahan said:
Should i send with the OOB where the units will be placed and who is commanding them?

Yes; that's I what I mean by OOB.

EDIT: Derahan informed me via PM he is relinquishing his spot; therefore, Chief of the Army is open again.

Terraferma · Jan 9, 2012

Cybvep said:
It looks like the idea of the interactive HOI3 AARs is spreading

I'm hoping on it. I too will follow this. Good luck folks!

Saithis · Jan 9, 2012

I submitted my starting OOB, we need fewer followers and more players!

Jake Manson · Jan 9, 2012

I would be proud to represent the interests of the great state of Arizona in the Senate of these grand, united States of America!

Jake Manson · Jan 9, 2012

Jake Manson said:
I would be proud to represent the interests of the great state of Arizona in the Senate of these grand, united States of America!

Name: Jake Manson, Senator for Arizona.
Born: 1900 (age 37)
Party: Socialist Party.

Policy ideas:
-- Foreign policy plans: Mass intervention overseas, maintenance of American hegemony over the Americas.

-- Budgets for IC: Expansion of naval infrastructure, manufacturing facilities in the Western CONUS, massive expansion of the United States Navy, for the purposes of power projection and enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine.

-- Budgets for Leadership: The United States must maintain its primacy in matters of industrial production and naval dominance. To these ends, any advances that strengthen leadership, IC, and our proud navy, must be prioritized.

-- Declaring war/signing peace treaties: War should be declared when victory is guaranteed to be swift, peaces signed when they are in the best interests of the American people.

-- Which faction we align ourselves to, if any: The People of the United States will not be the puppets or servants of foreign powers. We will align ourselves to the existing powers, as we need.

-- If one of the Big Four needs to be fired/replaced: The assignment of military staff members is the perogative of the executive branch, not the legislative. Leave such matters to the President to decide.

-- Input on our general deployments overseas: Maintain and strengthen our holdings overseas, though not to the extent of unduly endangering the security of CONUS.

-- All decisions and law changes: Education must be the primary priority of this administration. America is unique among the great empires of history in its love of technology. It has served us well, and will continue to do so, as long as our people remain educated enough to ensure it. Besides education, I would encourage the expansion of the military-industrial complex, for the purposes of strengthening our nation.

-- Nukes: Any and all weapons must be made available to our armed forces, for the protection of the Republic. Arizona will gladly play host to any advanced testing facilities that may be required for these ends. Hoover Dam will provide plenty of power, while the abundant copper mines should provide plentiful materials.

-- ETC: ((OOC: I put the Socialist and Nationalist back in National-Socialist. XD))

We, the People -- A USA Interactive FTM AAR

People's Commissar of the Navy

People's Commissar of the Navy

Lady of the North Star

People's Commissar of the Navy

Lady of the North Star

Captain

Stadtholder of Turin

People's Commissar of the Navy

People's Commissar of the Navy

Lady of the North Star

Field Marshal

Ever doubtful

Stadtholder of Turin

People's Commissar of the Navy

Ever doubtful

People's Commissar of the Navy

General

Lady of the North Star

Corporal

Corporal