Year 1926 - Update 25.
Global Events:
Arabia continues to profit from the Suez Canal (+2 Economy).
Nothing important, really, but World War Three just begun (see spotlight).
As soon as the DU and allied forces landed in Italy (see somewhere below), (probably) Germany started strategic nuclear warfare (an action condemned by numerous neutral governments, and even by a few Comintern members). Their nukes devastated Sarinosko, Ivangrad, Toliara, Lichinga, Makarovsk (-3 economy for Madagascar), Freetown, Monrovia, Bissau (-2 economy for Liberia), Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Charleston, Richmond (-5 economy for DC - heavy industrial area hit. DC is brought into the war), Lisbon, Madrid, Malaga, Valencia (-2 economy for Iberia, Iberia is brought into the war).
DU submarine corps tried to destroy German nuclear silos, but were too late. They DID knock out Italian and one of Israeli nukes, though.
(-2 Italian A-Bombs, -1 Israeli A-Bomb)
As soon as WWIII begun, the North American Communist nations executed Operation Rommel. Using the fact that DC was not anticipating an attack, that it’s armies were spread out, with some of them still in Indonesia, Aztecs and Sioux attacked first. The Sioux offensive did not go as well as planned, but it did secure several Dominion Colonies west of the Great Lakes. However, their generous spending of manpower and rather backwards doctrine (there still were two cavalry divisions...) prevented the offensive from going much further. Aztecs do better (perhaps because that their offensive was timed to be just after the German nuclear strike, so their enemies were much dismoralized). Having crossed the Mississippi at six points, it advanced up to the Strongman Line, encircling and capturing many DC units. Some of the Aztec forces even managed to meet up with the Sioux farther north. Unfortunately, the superior (numerically and training-wise) DC air force managed to react and achieve air superiority. And finally, the Cuban forces landed in eastern parts of Florida, advancing rapidly northwards along the coast.
(-24 DC divisions, -14 DC air wings, -3 DC task forces, -15 Sioux divisions, -9 Sioux air wings, -6 Aztec divisions, -12 Aztec air wings, -4 Cuban divisions, -4 Cuban task forces)
Aztec fleet attacked the undergarrisoned Hawaii, provoking an uprising of local nationalists who were promised independence. The nationalists secured most of the smaller islands for the Aztecs after a bitter fight with loyalists and the garrison forces sent there, but their offensive capabilities are tired out.
(-1 DC division, -1 DC task force, -1 APR task force)
Perhaps alittle unexpectedly, the Incans attack Panama Canal in full force, with the assistance of the Incan contingent of the Canal Guard (as per the treaty). Panamese forces attempted to destroy the canal when the defenses faltered, but the explosives failed to do any irreparable damage. The core of the Panamese army was caught offguard by the attack and the air bombardment, and so, in the result, Panama has been forced to capitulate (especially hit by the supply situation, which rendered their relatively large numbers ineffectual). Due to supply problems of advancing through the jungle, Incans failed to attack the Aztecs yet.
(-27 Incan divisions, -16 Incan air wings, -Panamese military)
In Brazil, the communist activities in Northern Brazil are lowering, with many warbands disappearing. Many believe this to be either due to Russian withdrawal from the country, either due to disappointment with their cause. Some resistance continues in Incan territory, but it is localized and contained. Meanwhile, the official democratic government of Brazil is established. It has large problems keeping control over the rest of Brazil (save for the southern and some coastal parts), where anarchists, bandits and “warlords” as Brazilian “Black Army” generals and their forces are labeled reign.
The Peninsular Campaign begins. Using the fact that Iberia was devastated by nuclear weapons, Occitania sided with the few remaining Basque guerillas, and invaded via France. Utilizing their superior weaponry, Occitanians mowed down determined Iberian troops, but were stopped at Ebro due to supply problems and partisan activity.
(-9 Iberian divisions, -3 Iberian air wings, -5 Occitanian divisions, -3 Occitanian air wings)
BLA started a desperate offensive, "the march to Dijon". As most desperate offensives go, it failed. Albeit the Germans did not put up much of resistance in the area, France and Occitania acted differently. As the BLA mechanized vanguard and the main forces were advancing, France and a small Occitanian contingent executed a flanking move, using specialized new "Revolution" Anti-Tank Tanks (ATT), and decimated the BLA forces. Auvergne nevertheless managed to fall back in an orderly formation, and thus saved Brussels from a counter-attack.
(-4 French divisions, -1 Occitanian division, -5 BLA divisions)
DU invasion of Italy did not go as smoothly as planned - far from all the expected forces showed up, and there were some MINOR logistic and supply problems. Nevertheless, the Madagascar-led invasion force has assembled in Libya, which suddenly allied with the DU (supposedly, after having noticed the DU forces approaching) and landed in Sicily (where it was supported by local fascists and democrats) and in Genoa (its Occitanian garrison was recalled for the Peninsular Campaign). Italian forces were taken by surprise, and lost Naples as well as Sicily. However, the German military advisors and modern weaponry allowed Italians to halt any further advances (with large casualties for DU), for now. Italy is no state to launch a counteroffensive, though.
(-17 Italian divisions, -10 Italian air wings, -9 Madagascaran divisions, -7 Madagascaran air wings, -9 unknown coalition divisions, -2 unknown coalition air wings, -2 Lybian divisions, -1 Cypriote division)
Finland is desperate. It's government, save for the president, and five divisions tried to escape to DC, escorted by the entire Finnish navy, but were intercepted by the British with large losses. Meanwhile, nearly everybody Finland could get it's hands on (almost regardless of age and gender) is conscripted - on the paper, that is, as much of Finnish population is in enemy-held territory (+30 divisions). The population is losing faith rapidly, especially after the Finnish military detonated the bomb on the largest enemy troop concentration - in Helsinki (read just alittle below) (-2 culture), and the propaganda isn't too effective. Desperate Finnish terrorists bombed government buildings and captured several enemy civilians hostage, threatening to kill them unless their governments withdraw.
(-5 Finnish divisions, -9 Finnish task forces, -6 British task forces)
The real war goes even worse for Finland, albeit somehow it still survived. The Ehre Korps withdrew elsewhere, thus letting Scania handle Sweden. The nuclear bombs used on that theatre slaughtered many Finnish civilians, and while the Scanian losses are heavy - but only for the Scanians. The Finns did manage to exploit the situation in Sweden, and made a counteroffensive, nearly reaching the border, but the local population is opposed to them (farther advance is rendered impossible due to the lack of supplies). Norway, meanwhile, utterly surrendered, and allowed the British to occupy it with minimal losses. Russian forces broke into Helsinki, to be greeted by a Finnish nuke, which also destroyed the capital and its population and industries (-1 Economy). The Finns did retake some territory in ensuing confusion, but the army was dismoralized, desertions frequent, and the conscripts weren't even properly trained on how to hold a rifle. Resulting casualties are horrific. Russia lost Torku, but otherwise, managed to mop up most of the Finnish pockets. Government support deteriorates for Finland.
(-39 Finnish divisions, -5 Finnish air wings, -3 Finnish A-Bombs, -Norwegian military, -21 Russian divisions, -20 Scanian divisions, -1 Scanian air wing, -1 British division)
Russia begins clearing up the nuclear wreckage in its cities. Meanwhile, 30 more divisions were conscripted from all over the nation.
Israeli marines, securing the local population support, invaded Cyprus, crushed what little forces were loyal to the government and purged the Greek Mafia there. They state that Cyprus will be occupied by Israel until the end of the war. Cypriote forces in Italy laid down arms as well, apart from five loyalist divisions that joined Madagascar.
(-entire Cypriote military, -1 Israeli division)
In Africa, Liberia spread out its army, a fairly bad decision as it turned out. Their campaign on the British Front was faced by superior British numbers, quickly transported to Africa from Scandinavia. British also had superior technology, and fended back the Liberians. More then that – the British launched a massive counter-offensive, seizing fairly large parts of the coast and Timbuktu before stopping due to fierce guerrila resistance and some of the Liberian forces attempting to hold their positions to the very end – not helped them too much as the British naval and aerial bombardment allowed them to easily take care of these in most cases. The British also landed behind the enemy lines, where the Liberian forces were particularly dismoralized by the nuclear attack, and failed to stop the British from landing, albeit preventing them from doing any further advance. Liberians didn’t even have time to attack Congo – Congo attacked first, and its military got somehow better then in the Brazilian War, learning from its lessons. The Congolese forces reached the Niger River. Liberians, however, found a wonderful opportunity, landing troops behind Congolese lines in Cameroon, which practically had no garrison.
(-21 British divisions, -2 British task forces, -5 British air wings, -21 Congolese divisions, -8 Congolese air wings, -33 Liberian divisions, -2 Liberian task forces, -11 Liberian air wings)
In South Sudan, at least, things go right for Liberia and North Sudan. As the FES and South Sudan announce their merge into East African Federation, ten South Sudanese divisions (garrisoned mostly in the new border fortifications) rebelled and joined the North Sudanese. North Sudan and Liberia quickly seized former South Sudanese capital, and secured over half of the nation, acquiring population support in the process.
(-3 North Sudanese Divisions, -2 Liberian divisions, -3 Liberian air wings, -5 East African divisions, -2 East African air wings)
The Ehre Korps, operating from Congolese territory to which it was hastily redeployed, attacked Madagascar’s mainland territories. Albeit having problems with supplies, Ehre Korps employed superior weapons and numbers, routing the Madagascaran forces from most of the territory.
(-7 Ehre Korps divisions, -1 Ehre Korps air wing, -6 Madagascaran divisions)
Arabian space program is finished. Two men (an Indian and an Arabian) and one woman (Arabian) were sent to the moon. Growing ties between India and Arabia, and the odd decision of letting a woman fly to the moon, worsen the relations between the theocratic elite and the Caliph.
Is India up to something? Rumors spread of secret weapon research, but nobody quite knows what it is. Figures.
Korea entered the war on Madagascaran side. It’s overall command gave some rather odd orders (telling its troops to captured cities in Western Russia and consolidating them, and THEN attacking Eastern Russia. While apparently leaving Manchuria and Far East in Russian hands) and hoped to “coordinate with Chinese troops”, an unrealized hope as China joined the war on the Comintern side. Nevertheless, the local commanders, primarily General Kim il-Jaen decided to formulate their own plan. Starting with a carpet-bombing campaign (something that, well, made the propaganda stating that Korea is here to liberate the people rather useless) and the capture of the undefended Sakhalin, the Korean generals ordered a push towards the Amur river. Strangely, they encountered no resistance until entering far enough into the territory, almost reaching the river itself. It is then that an equal (in numbers) Russian force entered the territory. Albeit its leadership was slightly worse, but it’s training and technology were superior, and they had the advantage of surprise. Russian forces soon encircled and crushed several Korean armies, and Kim il-Jaen only barely coordinated the retreat. Russian counteroffensive seized some ground in Korean Manchuria, but failed to advance beyond that.
(-15 Korean divisions, -7 Korean air wings, -19 Russian divisions, -4 Russian air wings)
China’s capital was moved to Chengdu as a security measure (and for historic propaganda).
China and Communist Oceania launched an attack against numerically-inferior DC naval forces in Indonesia. These forces did have better leadership, training and organization, though. In fact, the Oceanian fleet had to retreat soon after. Nevertheless, the Chinese fleet managed to use cruise missiles and submarines, and despite taking high casualties, defeated the DC fleet in the Battle of Borneo. This provided Chinese fleet with relative freedom of action for the time being. As a result, the Chinese forces landed in and secured Northwestern Borneo and North Philippines. Promising liberation from “DC occupation”, the Chinese did attract the support of some elements, albeit the majority is leaning more towards DC. Nevertheless, Chinese forces, equipped with newest German technology, managed to secure the beach heads (albeit the initial landings were costly, in part due to lack of Chinese experience in such operations) and advanced farther inland. Oceanian forces secured some small islands in the south of Indonesia without much of a fight.
(-21 Chinese divisions, -15 Chinese task forces, -2 Oceanian divisions, -8 Oceanian task forces, -14 DC divisions, -12 DC task forces)
Russia promised independence to Papua New Guinea after the polls showed that pretty much everybody agreed on a pro-Russian independent state as the best compromise.
Arabia creates a new Islamic theocratic state in Java-Sumatra, which joins the Islamic League.
The reunified communist Oceania at first wanted to agree to the polls in Indonesia, but WWIII pitted them against DC, thus the polls are being delayed. Oceanian forces launched a sudden attack on the DC forces in western Oceania in their Roeuborne base, wiping the force out after an intensive struggle.
(-3 DC divisions, -5 Oceanian divisions)
Random Events:
As Congolese and British forces invade Liberia, numerous volunteers join the Liberian army (+10 divisions).
Disillusioned after the disastrous "march to Dijon", several BLA divisions desert (-10 divisions).