I was reading back from the beginning... my Gods the mistakes I made.
But it was funny- I did crack a couple good jokes.

What is happening? Just finished a 2 hours long session...
Uploading pics! >:)

Something that by now only I'm left to feel is the crescendo.
There's a silent hymn playing and its tempo is picking up speed.

The fact that month after month Japan is dragging me down in the Fascist muddy waters means it's progressively getting harder for me to wage war against the Axis powers. I have to hurry up or there will be no aggravated animosity against the Nazi.
It's not a matter of days, for sure- I've got probably three or four months more but...

On the other hands everything seems taking more and more time and resources to produce.
How can I stand a full blown attack if I lack the manpower? What kind of risk can I take?
The approach I picked means my first line of defense is the best chance I have to run any attack into the hard, mountainous, rocky ground.
But it's one line of defense- I sadly went full Maginòt here.
Once that single line is pierced, there'll be little in the way to stop any aggressor.

The ugly truth is I had no resources (or what I had was badly invested) to make any better.
Only history will tell.

o.O Man am I getting deep here...


On with the AAR.

FINALLY!


I can finally build what I needed-- back in 1938.

Man these military Skunk-Works projects can take a lot of resources and arrive late...

There, let's build a loft of armor!




With that out of the way I can start a new research.
I know it sounds odd but...

This is useful to me. Unlike some other things I researched in the past...

Why?
Well there's one real weak spot in the mountainous chain that stands between me and Nazi-Austria.
It can be seen here, at the right of the French/Swiss formation chewing off the German tanks.

That region is a wonderful looking but bad defense-wise gently rolling hills. Inviting anyone to hop-in-the-water-is-just-fine!

Well that area has some of my best forces- with (you got it by now) a lot of Armoured cars. Fast moving, lightly armoured but fantastic to go along with troops and Mech. Inf.

For once I'm doing one thing right.

Also in the same picture some reorganization to reinforce more the regions.

More troops (the last batch, roughly six thousand men) land from Africa. The grand total now is just a hair under the quarter million troops fro the defensive line alone. Not too shabby for a land of farmers. And football players. But I digress...



Good news from the Industry.


Aaaaaand less good. This is another gargantuan effort that's basically result-less.
I don't need it- was just lured in by the splendid name. Man, that's some roleplay here!


Well the song is changing and now every research is aimed to an objective.

Enough just researching the best. I need to tweak and specialize the army for defense.
I know it may sound bad but I need (once more) to stop the attack and THEN smash through their lines.

Which makes me think U.S.A. must have reached the French shores by now. Which is *probably* why Germany can't move a step forward into France.
Are they there? Is is really happening? Maybe next time I'll give a teeeeny tiny little peek? Agree everyone?

More reorganization. Heh, Italian style- everyone running around, some hoping all this will make sense once the dust is settled...


Ah-hà!

This is way cooler than it looks-

As by looking here...

You'll notice that with this Strategy Armoured formations take less width on the front line.

Yeah- but what it means?
Sit down and listen.

Every battle has a frontline. Each unit takes up a bit of space- standing shoulder to shoulder.
With the Spearhead strategy we can concentrate specially armoured formations so they not only take less width but also leave more space to other units, limiting the "too many guys bunched up in a spot" deficit. ( I can't remember the name-- AH! YEAH! Stacking Deficit Bonus!)

A new small bomb for CAS planes and Multiroles... Nice.


After some time I realized all this building new units is taking a toll on our resources. I need a little injection.
We have money- we need to spend it. This is reducing the Supply bleeding


Since we are already there- I noticed that the extreme right flank of the Defensive line is barebone in Fortresses.
On with it, I'll check the bill later. *Sigh*


Ah! GOOD NEWS! More IC to spend- well in this case another little pressure on the Supply bleeding. Every little helps.



This struck me too. Yugoslavia is feeling threatened by me while we are both hoping to never see Germany invading us.
Well, let's be the good guys and maybe by showing some good faith and moving troops away- I hope they'll realize the importance I'm showing them.



And that's it.
See you next time.

Feel free to leave a comment.

It's December 1941...no Christmas gifts for Adolpho? Oh, come on, at least a new year's resolution then?

"Giancarlo!"
"Yes, Lord Duce?"
"All Christmas leave is cancelled!"
"But why Lord Duce?"
"Tomorrow we march on Berlin! Well technically we wait for ze Goose-stepping morons to attack into our carefully laid trap."
"Its a Trap!!"
"Shut up Giancarlo, as I was saying, our carefully laid trap.
Then we hack them into small pieces using large teddy bears as our elite shock troops, then, we march over their lifeless corpses and onto Berlin!"

*Lord Duce makes a sweeping cape flourishing gesture towards the big elaborate wall mounted map with lots of arrows pointed to a large city in in north west Germany.*

"Um, that's Hamburg Lord Duce."
"Yes I know that. Its all part of my elaborate ruse, you see the size of this map?"
"Yes, you could see it for miles."
"Exactly! Any spy with a camera will think we're off to support our French "Friends" when we turn right instead of left, who's in for a surprise?"
"Uncle Adolf?"
"See? You're not as stupid as you look."
"Thank you Lord, I think."
"So, get the men to their tanks."
"At once! Duce!"

Heheh, nice Comrade... I just have to write the report of last night session. A little while.

We keep grinding on.

At the tech tree...










At the production of more fresh Steel


We grind on, for the Gods of War are smiling upon us. *Headbang*


This is that region that's basically the red Carpet to Italy soft belly.

Anxiously waiting to see what surprises are in store for your pixeltruppen when you attack.


Wheels

Ah, exzellent!
Ve vill kome zhis vay to tickle your belly. Do you like your belly tickelt? Yes?
Verry plesent feelink, no?

LoL

From the Diaries of Gabriel Eric Cavaliere.

"Dear Giulia,
I'm finally in the far cold north.

Me and other... well I can't really tell you but... we are nearly twenty thousand.

From all the regions of the warmer south.
I've heard some mean bearded Sargeant that from some islands they pulled similiar numbers.
Some even mentioned veterans from Ethiopia and tanned guys from Cyrenaic regions... I call #%&*$# on that.
I've seen guys from all social classes...

So, don't be angry at your father, I'm sure he did all he could to keep me close to you.

But being a young Count has little benefits in the front. Trust me on this.

I guess then that we ARE truly going to war...

Why otherwise this maneuver?
I love you. It's pretty fresher up here. And while there's no sea in sight (can you imagine that? No sea to see?) the mountains are truly magnificent- yes even in the early hours of the morning- just like you said.

Yep lots of sentinel corveè for me.
Being among the new guys has some clear negative facets.

I wish I could forget your tearful eyes, tge last sight I got of your face as the train sped down the line.

I'm going to see you again.
I know it.

Be true, and pray for me.
Your,
Gabriel E. Cavaliere.
"

----------------


I've found nearly sixty thousand troops just tanning and having some carefree time all around Italian regions.
No reason to fear an invasion, no reason to keep them there.
We're going to war, fer Chrissake!


Promptly moving them up north boosted my frontilen to well over 300k men. I feel better, now I can also prepare some reserve divisions...

So, sorry for all the young guys who thought they could skip this. No slobbering, no snobbery.

*Lord Duce underlines the sentence

and folds the letter neatly in half.*

"Have this man executed on grounds of treason. Giving information, even inaccurate information, without official sanction from this office is to be punishable by death. Do I make myself clear, Giancarlo?"
"Yes Lord Duce, do you want a clean execution or do you want to send a message? Lord Duce."
"Make an example of this bungler."
"At once, Duce."

"Ginacarlo?"
"Yes, Duce?"
"Walk with me a moment..."
*Giancarlo joins Duce by the french doors together they take a walk through the garden.*
Giancarlo, don't execute this man, I have been informed the Germans have placed listening devices in our main conference room here. All matters of state urgency are to be discussed in 'The Shed'"
"But Duce, The shed is a shed."
"Indeed that's why its a good place, anyone hanging around is so noticeable. Listen, I'd like to foster the opinion that we run a harsh punishment regime for the troops, also if we 'execute'" *Duce performs a quotation gesture.* "and secretly transfer enough of our troops for pitiful offenses then perhaps we can squirrel away another division or two of our crack troops to uses as a reserve. Keep it under your hat though."
"Yes, Duce."

OK, I get it now. You are going to proceed at the same pace as actual events so that we will have 5 or 6 years of reading rather than just a couple of weeks.

Very clever.

Oh c'mon now, it was a joke.

You can resume the AAR now.

Please.

You gave ma a good chuckle.

PM incoming.

C'mon Lord Duce, do stuff, run your country!

Italian bambini are crying for vino!

I am in touch with komemiute by PM. He is demanding payment to continue the AAR. We are negotiating the amount. Hopefully my last offer will be accepted and he will continue.