The beginning of the End.
October…
October was the pivotal month for the non-choice.
Despite my initial confidence, as the month progressed, I realized I was only fooling myself. Italy was not ready to attack.
Yet.
All the estimates and projection kept on leading to the one outcome: not a clear defeat but simple resource exhaustion.
Whether basic manufacturing resources, food, or men- six months from the attack our war machine was on its knees.
It all revolved around the weak link of my army “belt”- north east, where the Italian border meets the (former) Austrian and Slovenian.
To be honest, and by the smallest margin only, there were a couple of projection showing us holding up long enough to be recognized among the Allies and eventually getting enough help to break through.
As luck would have it, the tipping point is few Mechanized Divisions. Easily within our grasp, if the Industry was lead correctly.
The one resource that we might not have is Time.
Unfortunately, in fact, the Soviet Bear was giving up- not without a fight- to the German war machines…
Its collapse would free an awful lot of teutonic divisions to be re-directed to the Western Front and/or to the South.
It was more and more looking like an exact copy of World War I- and I didn’t like any of it.
So then, October…
Dragging along, useless, damp, annoyingly cold and windy.
The occasional sunny day casting an odd and grim light among the soldiers scattered between the mountains peaks…
If we are to attack we need to make sure that the HQs are always going to follow closely the fighting troops.
To that aim I rearrange slightly some of the mid-level ones.
Approaching November the eastern front is as bleak as always, losing region after region.
And the fighting is just as deadly as it’s stale on the western front too.
The same two or three regions changing hands as some sort of sinister juggling.
Eventually the early weeks of November see some more Industry being delivered to the Verona region…
Finally, as my Industry advisor promised me, the first week of December brought two brand new Armored Brigades.
Ready and deployed to the north, reinforcing were needed…
Funnily the USA think they need to keep an eye on me.
Uuh… ok?
France and Germany keep on wrestling few unlucky regions…
Still, more and more Germany advances into the Russian steppe, colder day after day.
Their advance threatening Finland as well…
Fate is a cruel mistress…
Like too many times before in the past, as soon as I felt I was reaching the proper readiness state something happened.
Boy it did.
Uhm… why this sudden change of heart?
Uh-oh…
The might bear that resisted so many years in the past- finally was crushed. Some days after Christmas.
Not pictured here is Russia turning into an Hungarian Puppet state.
Few weeks after Finland capitulates too.
But refuse indeed to lie down and die.
My situation just before saving the game and leaving the PC…
Strong but brittle.
Production
This is my production queue.
At the almost top you can see the two Armored Brigades that were completed in December.
This was taken right after one Industrial Plant was finished (in fact the next one is first on top).
Internal Politics
I needed pretty badly new units, new brigades, more troops.
I had to cut somewhere; either the fundamental training or the unnecessary commercial goods.
Apparently my choice wasn’t settling well among a small percentage of the population.
Alas, I couldn’t let this go- send the Police in full riot gear.
Expired our previous effort to join the Allies, we renew it.
So far my ideas are holding.
As it can be perceived in the next screenshot I’m still amply whithin reach of the Allies.
Declaring WAR to the Axis is going to give me freedom from the Fascist regime and tip the scale towards Democracy.
I hope.
Tech Research Initiated
Tech Research Completed
Usually I’ll just leave these uncommented unless I research something interesting…
- These are actually good from a strategic point of view.
Being a total noob at the game I neglected them too long, I now know I should have put way more importance on these…
World Politics
More Nations embrace the Democratic ideals of the Allied forces.
Sadly some go for the Axis- whether by choice or by fear it’s all to be seen…
Luckily our Politics is paying off…
Worried, here…