Interesting developments indeed. Denmark mobilizes, just as Switzerland, Sweden joined the Allies, and the inevitable happens one year earlier than history taught us. I somehow feel at your northern border it's the calm before the storm - keep in mind the evil Chaplin-look-alike is fond of architecture and once he's seen enough of Paris...he might want more of that! (Florence, Rome, Pisa, Ravenna, etc.)

I wonder if the unhappy inhabitants at Me'kele will rise up again. Here's a hint: introduce them to Vino and fine Italian cuisine, that should help to smoothen some hard feelings.

That northern border is really a crux of mine.
It's blatantly obvious that the Axis Doesn't like my drifting off to the Allied side or Japan wouldn't be trying to keep me back.

That means that the moment I declare my new found love for Democracy I'm confident I'll be quite in the aim of the painting moustache Dude.
If not for the architecture, definitely for the access to the Mediterranean Sea.

I've got time, but none to waste.

I also don't want to pull a "Maginot" and leave the Swiss or Yugoslavian front devoid of defense...

Essentially I wouldn't fortify too much else and rather rely on the northern plains to absorb the first Blitzkrieg impact with a flexible defense and lightning response thanks to the soon to be built Mechanized Infantry supported by strong Air Support.

In my dreams I even manage a "Yom Kippur" and get most of the Austrian regions...

We will see. My true aim, I just found in the bottom of my pixelated heart, is to save as many italian lives as I can.

Funny perhaps, but I value my Truppixel d'assalto.

Tonight I should be able to post some more...

"Guido!"
"Yes, Duce!"
"This meal tastes like 2 week old horsemeat."
"Duce?"
"Its supposed to be Penne Al' Arribiate."
"Ah, that would be an issue."
"Tell Luigi he's fired! He has failed me for the last time!"
"At once, Duce! Shall I send him in so you can telekinetically throttle him?"
"No, send him to Me'kele, as our 'Gift'"

LOL!
*Clapping hands*

Nice one Comrade!

Sorry for the lack of updates :P

Will be back soon.

EDIT: also sorry if you saw a new post by me and thought it would have been the next AAR part.

Whatever will Duce do?

I wonder what will happen now??

So, all the while Nazi Germany was exporting its very own ideology to them neighbors all of this was happening:

I've noticed that despite Japan trying to hold me back- my efforts to hasten my Allies-leaning is improving.
With 14.51 points of drift against 6.97 of "arm-twisting" I'm accelerating the process...
Avanti!


Promptly I discover I can now twist some arms too, but cautiously- I don't want to kick a hornet's nest just yet.
So I cast an Embargo on the major Axis nations- Japan, Germany and Hungary





Internally the process of improvements proceeds- albeit slowly. Unfortunately there's no way to speed the infrastructure improvements- Yep I've checked the manual too...

I know I should sever the Economical bonds from the Soviets but their energy and precious metals are too good to give up.

Our Industrial Powerhouse is not slowing down



While, from a military point of view, it burns inside that I still can't develop the Mechanized Infantry, at least there's a lot good of advancement soon to come(left hand side, under Current Research).
Mech. Inf. it's just too "futuristic".

What does that REALLY mean in game?
If you notice, on the right hand side- just in the middle- there's the box with Mechanised (sic) Infantry.
The year underneath it, it's a measure of "Difficulty" to research.
The farther the year is from the current one- the longer it will take to research it. Especially if we consider that the inherent difficulty of the topic is factored in (that round number - three in this case- just before the year)

The same "year" time stamp in the following pictures can be used as a good measure of how "current" our expertise in a field is.

As you can see most of our pilots training are quite on-par with the "Modern Warfare" (ugh- I hate that term)
There IS some room to improve, but...

There's the new Multi Role fighter they developed a short while ago.


It needs some improvements and refining...

... but in the meanwhile- on with the factories! Two full squadrons should be an encouraging beginning.

Other improvements includes AAA,



Medium Tanks for my Mech. Inf.




Back to the Horn of Africa-
Italian Air Force is mercilessly showing what Air Power can achieve if unopposed and used in conjunction with Ground troops-


These insurgents Rebel Scum(tm) has lost over 50% of their forces without being able to aim and/or fire a single bullet.

And finally is over- agaaain... *pouting*

I can only hope that the heavy toll they paid can be some sort of moniker for the future "chiefs"...

On the other hand, continuous flying is only improving skill and experience of my troops and Aeronautical Engineers!

Anyway, let's take back our regions and reopen the flow of precious resources...



Before their fall Netherland was made part of the Allies- Casus Belli anyone?


Ireland wants in too- odd, unhistorical, but welcome.


Canda follow suit shortly after,


And Panama too!


All the while my tentatives of easing down the animosity against Yugoslavia fail miserably,


and a threatened Romania is forced to give up on our economical exchange- Germany is breathing heavily on their necks.
It's probably trying to muster all its production capacity- for which, needless to say, electricity is quite necessary.


July the 2nd Germany was busy at chewing Netherlander regions- but France leaders might have gotten an idea or two and all the forces bordering with Italy started moving North for the defense.

They probably hardly managed half the road before Dunquerke happened...

-continue-

"Duce!"
"Rebels?"
"How did?...Anyway, they've surrendered. Again."
"They don't learn do they?"
"No, Duce."
"Any other news?"
"Romainia has ceased supplying electricity, Yugoslavia has rejected a military allinance, Germany, Hungary & Japan, have been told to "Go F**K yourself" ".
"Excellent! However this Romainia situation needs to be resolved, I wonder, would it be cheaper to outbid those Nazi Scum or effect a regime change? Look into it, Guido!"
"At once, Duce!"
"In the meantime we need to look at shoring up our Eastern defences."
"But what about the French and Swiss borders, Duce?"
"We are moving towards an alliance with the chocolate scoffers, they do not concern me, Guido. Start moving our troops eastwards."
"Yes, Duce."
"Now. Leave me! I must ponder Italy's direction!"
"Yes, Duce."
*Guido retires, bowing so low his nose touchs the finely polished marble floor.*

*Duce makes finger pyramid of evil contemplation*
"Mmm what are you upto Herr Hitler? There can only be one ruthless, despotic tyrant in Europe, you will not usurp me, for I am Duce, Lord Duce, I can kill you with a single thought...."
*Muffled*
"You'll need a tray!"

Hehehe... Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

At least the French don't seem to regard Italy as a genuine threat here. I keep my fingers crossed that you can fulfill your first aim to join the Allies. What happens afterwards though... by all means fortify the Alpes and beware of Fallschirmjäger!

Aha, but Duce has researched Level 3 ADA capabilities.

Duce's Ponderings:



I'd keep an eye on how the fight goes in northern France.

If there is an organised invasion from Austria and France, well, we know Hannibal had sucess with that approach.....

Based on my limited experience, I advice to wait with joining any side: immediatly when he joins the Allies he will be at war with the Axis. He shall better have a fully mobilized military at that moment, because his new enemies definately have!
(I have some hope that this circumstance saves me in "my" situation linked above, as the AI may not have followed that sequence of actions, first mobilize, then join the war)

@ Purolator: I'll post some screenshots on the political axis- Luckily Italy and France are positively close. I would have never feared an invasion from France.

The real issue is: What happens the moment I sign for the Allies Party. I'm afraid I'll be an easy target as Poland and Be-Ne-Lux with little hope of help from the other Allied nations. Too far away.
I've considered waiting for the alliance until '42 or '43- but I also have to play something exciting, not just Pussyfooting around.

@Comrade Hedgehog: LOL, but a good analysis nevertheless. Kudos.

An alternative might be to join the Allies immediatly - maybe if you declare war to the Axis, you will automatically shift to the Allies to be able to join them?!
The benefit of that could be that Germany might have to devide its force between you and France - maybe they are not yet strong enough to cope with Italy and France in parallel...

But they may just trounce your butt before moving on to France. I'd continue walking the tightrope and improving my basic economy and military capability has long as possible.

They are already in France, so the more likely order is ignoring Italy while defeating France, and then shifting the full attention to Italy.
Which would be an interesting situation as well, with Italy's border to Vichy France.
This is anyway only a realistic option if the italian forces are already fully mobilized to be a real thread. The benefit is that you have another active ally. The alternative is sitting tight, stay neutral and hope that the axis does not attack at their own discretion for another year or three.

I'm in the "sit tight" camp. Fun AAR so far

WhoCares, you are right. I missed the last screenshot showing them in north France. Thought they were still in Belgium.

Still say hold tight and prepare.

Teaser: What happened just blew my mind.
Twice.

You're going to like it!