Dunedein,
Thank you for the report.
"Italy - Sid - v2.4
I started the game with the hopes of forming a New Roman Empire, one that would eventually incorporate places like North Africa, Spain, Southern France, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Egypt.
And in the beginning, things seemed to be going my way.
I started out by industrializing the major cities including: Rome, Milan, Torino, and Bologna. During this time I also dealed with Germany and the Soviet Union, getting rubber from Germany and oil from Russia."
Dunedein
Sounds like a good starting strategy for Italy.
"Nearing the end of 1939, I launched the attack on Marseilles, which was met with great success. After only two turns of siege, it fell to Italian Armed Forces. My next target in France was Toulouse.
After waiting for a couple more mountain infantry, my forces took the small city, giving The Italian Empire complete control over southern France.
It was at this point, in late 1939 and early 1940, that I noticed the oil and rubber supplies that could be brought under my control if Bordeaux and Lyon were captured. Taking these cities would alleviate the necessity to pay the Germans for their rubber, and the Russians for their oil (and since wars were quite common between the axis and Russia, their oil was often off limits).
And it was during the siege of Bordeaux that the greatest blow of the war came to Italy.
You see, my fleet had been stationed in Sardinia(Cagliari), from which it harassed the French and British. And I assumed that the city was safe from allied landings. But apparently I underestimated the AI, because the Americans and British launched a coinciding invasion of the city.
After being weakened by British marines, the Americans came through and took the city, and every ship in my fleet was destroyed, including my two remaining battleships."
Dunedein
It seems like AI always at some point in the scenario will
try to invade Sardinia.
"I yelled, I screamed, I slammed my fists on my computer desk. I considered quitting. But some force within me prevailed. If I can just take Bordeaux then I may be able to rebuild my fleet, and build a tank force to exact my vengeance upon the allies! And take Bordeaux I did.
The next target of my then veteran ground forces was Lyon. With its capture,
The Italian Empire would be independent from German rubber."
Dunedein
This must have been very frustrating.
"After several turns of siege, Lyon became yet another city within the ever-growing Italian Empire.
At that point, it was about week 22, 1940. And I was ready to get my feet wet again. So I built a couple transports, and sent a fairly large invasion force to Corsica, to remove the French. The actual taking of this city went off without a hitch, but I had again underestimated the AI. The week after taking Corsica, I rushed an army over to Sardinia(Cagliari). The next turn, the British and Americans crushed all my forces that I had left in Corsica, save for one heavy artillery, with an amphibious assault.
This meant that the invasion of Sardinia could not happen, so I withdrew the men I had sent there, as well as the one remaining artillery unit in Corsica.
So now the Americans were in control of both Corsica and Sardinia. Great, so now instead of having a weakened, destroyed France in control of the island the supremely powerful Americans were in control."
Dunedein
Its hard, very hard to play as Italy.
"This defeat kept me out of the water for a good time. And so I looked eastward, to the Balkans. My plan was to take over Yugoslavia, connecting Albania(Tirana) to the rest of the empire by land, then move south into Greece.
The war started around week 34, 1940, and my armies met little resistance. In short order, Zagreb and Belgrade fell. When many of my forces were moved to positions surrounding Dubrovnik, the British landed a force of six units (One Canadian infantry and the rest Cruiser Mk (?)) one tile west of Belgrade. This forced me to pull my units out of what remained of Yugoslavia to protect my newly conquered territories from the British.
That delayed the taking of Dubrovnik by a week or two, but that city fell to my soldiers soon enough, and Yugoslavia was no more.
After the war with Yugoslavia, I rested for a bit, and built up some flack AA protection in Rome and Palermo and generally expanded the armed forces (I had not even attempted to rebuild the fleet). Some time in here, about week 45, 1940, the British declared war on Greece (sub bug). This, of course, forced all of her allies into the war as well.
The Greeks sent about 13 infantry through my territory to who-knows-where to attack some allied cities, and I took advantage of the situation to destroy their army.
With their army neutralized, I went on to Athens. My soldiers crossed the borders of Greece on week 52, 1940 (I'll say Christmas Eve). And although this force suffered from the bombardment of the newly created Lancaster bomber, they took Athens on the second week of 1941. Since the Americans had taken over Crete, Greece was dissolved as an individual entity.
Around here, the British landed another force of two Matilda 2s, and four British infantry 1939. They were dealt with in short order, and Yugoslavia was, once again, safe.
And this is where I am now. Week 2, 1941."
Dunedein
Very active play from AI in this playtest.
"The AI in this game seem particularly active when it comes to amphibious landings. I don't know what it is, but something is compelling them to launch amphibious assaults.
Another thing of note is that the British have built 42 King George V battleships. Perhaps an increase in price is needed? I mean, 42 battleships created in less than two years? This huge number of British battleships made me throw building a new fleet out the window, because no fleet I could possibly build could stand up to that number of KGVs.
*Addit: I looked in the editor and realized there is a 999 shield cost limit
A very fun WW2 Global run, and the fact that it is not nearly over makes it all the sweeter! Definitely the longest I have stuck with any one game in this scenario."
Dunedein
It seems like the industrial capacity of Britain have become to
strong. I will look over the problem.
Thank you and welcome back.
Rocoteh
