So, now I have Hearts of Iron II...

[Strategos' Risk]

How about "Esoteric Chauvinism"? "Occult Jingoism"?

Awesome ideas. Though was a Baltic German state ever in the cards? I guess I'm thinking of the omnipresent United Baltic Duchy.

What motivates Syrian nationalism?

 

[Ofaloaf]

How about "Esoteric Chauvinism"? "Occult Jingoism"?

Awesome ideas. Though was a Baltic German state ever in the cards? I guess I'm thinking of the omnipresent United Baltic Duchy.

What motivates Syrian nationalism?

Oh, I like Occult Jingoism... and yeah, a big part of the chaos in 1917-1919 Baltics was the fight between the old, aristocratic Germans still trying to hang on to power, pro-Soviet (or at least just Communist) agitators, and non-communist anti-German nationalists. Here, the Germans won, possibly through Allied support or something, I dunno.

Syrian nationalism is another go at revitalizing Pan-Arabism, I guess-- if a player can somehow reach Baghdad without dying, he/she suddenly gains cores on all of Iraq. Get peace with the Ottomans, and he/she scores cores on Hedjaz/Najd/Arabia. I just kinda wanted to toss Syria in, honestly.

 

[Ofaloaf]

Okay, okay, last double-post/boasting/whateverthingy for the year, I promise, but I'm extremely proud of this reskinning work... I redid the US player's UI skin and changed some tech teams to either reference Lovecraft's works or just feel a bit different somehow... Bradford College was Lovecraft's inspiration for Miskatonic University, apparently, and Marsh Refinery is an oblique reference to a jolly cheerful story.

 

[charl]

I love the background on that skin, I have to say. The raven gives me a bit of a Poe feeling, as well as Lovecraft's face being there.

Thought about giving ships, tanks and aircraft Mythos-themed names? USS Miscatonic, USS Dagon...

 

[Ofaloaf]

I love the background on that skin, I have to say. The raven gives me a bit of a Poe feeling, as well as Lovecraft's face being there.

Thankee. I was trying to aim for a bit more of a dour feeling to it all, and that seems to work here.

Thought about giving ships, tanks and aircraft Mythos-themed names? USS Miscatonic, USS Dagon...

Thought about it, but I think I'll avoid overt references like that at the beginning, at least-- perhaps naming ships after the genus of various fishes, or levels of the ocean at first, but as the game progresses and players build more vessels, names like USS Dream Witch and USS Pnath start to pop up here and there. If the player's been building a reasonable navy throughout the game, then by 1945 he'll have ships like the USS Black Goat, USS Celephais, USS Nameless Mist and of course the great battleship USS Crawling Chaos, which will be followed by the USS John Tyler or something equally inane.

 

[charl]

Thankee. I was trying to aim for a bit more of a dour feeling to it all, and that seems to work here.

Thought about it, but I think I'll avoid overt references like that at the beginning, at least-- perhaps naming ships after the genus of various fishes, or levels of the ocean at first, but as the game progresses and players build more vessels, names like USS Dream Witch and USS Pnath start to pop up here and there. If the player's been building a reasonable navy throughout the game, then by 1945 he'll have ships like the USS Black Goat, USS Celephais, USS Nameless Mist and of course the great battleship USS Crawling Chaos, which will be followed by the USS John Tyler or something equally inane.

Heh.

I have to question some of those names though. In the spirit of this site I have to think that President-for-life HP Lovecraft (which is how I interpret him anyway) would not name ships things like Crawling Chaos (I mean seriously, there's a line where things just go incredibly stupid and that's it!). USS Miscatonic for example is not all that obvious, or well it might be but it's not as implausible at any rate.

That may be something to keep in mind.

 

[Ofaloaf]

Heh.

I have to question some of those names though. In the spirit of this site I have to think that President-for-life HP Lovecraft (which is how I interpret him anyway) would not name ships things like Crawling Chaos (I mean seriously, there's a line where things just go incredibly stupid and that's it!). USS Miscatonic for example is not all that obvious, or well it might be but it's not as implausible at any rate.

That may be something to keep in mind.

I suppose-- this was more of a 'into the mouth of madness' sort of idea, though. Like, start off the game as a rather straightforward autocratic government with straightforward no-nonsense events and straightforward no-nonsense ship names like USS Perspective or USS Benthic, but as the years go by things just start to go a little crazy, you know? It's not a proper tale of fascist government if party leaders don't slowly succumb to madness.

 

[Nietzsche]

I suppose-- this was more of a 'into the mouth of madness' sort of idea, though. Like, start off the game as a rather straightforward autocratic government with straightforward no-nonsense events and straightforward no-nonsense ship names like USS Perspective or USS Benthic, but as the years go by things just start to go a little crazy, you know? It's not a proper tale of fascist government if party leaders don't slowly succumb to madness.

There's plenty of human names in Lovecraft. USS Herbert West anyone? USS Wilbur Whately?

 

[Strategos' Risk]

USS The Black Man

 

[Maur]

Uh. I've got to write about it somewhere.


So, i started up 1936 USSR. Scrapped the navy, disbanded army apart from 23 mountain and motorized divisions, and embarked on huge industrial program. I was going to break 300 base IC in 1939.

(I actually built most of it in western parts of the country. Nice juicy target for Germany, but why would they attack me? )

Well, to make the story short, 1939 comes around, everything historically, industry booming, Czechoslovakia gone, China puppeted by Japanese.

Comes June, 1939. Nomonhan incident. Japanesed declare War!

Oh shit I have totally nothing in the far east, and to add insult to injury, they are going to annex Sinkiang soon. I'm royally fucked (my army was about 25 divisions, as i started 2 serials of mountaineers). Really, first time i saw this, i thought it wasn't possible (apparently, there is 2% chance)

Well, i started delaying actions, (and the Tuvans and Mongolians were very helpful!), and... well, after 1,5 years i stopped the Japanese, and the army expansion program (one division a day keeps Hitler at bay) started year later (waited for 1941 inf tech), made a big push southward and by spring 1941 i was approaching southern China and captured Korea (meanwhile i lost Leningrad. Japanese landed 20 divisions there simultaneously on 3 beaches. Maybe AI can't pull Overlord but it has no problem with wildly ahistorical invasions).

Well, it's not end of the fun. As i was going to annex China, Japanese peace offer came, offering Sinkiang and Korea mostly. So (after saving), i annexed China, accepted the offer, and before quitting i tried to coup Japan (well, 2% chance)

There is Stalinist Japan who's member of Comintern now. I wonder if it's going to drag me into war with USA. Anyone wants the save?

(seriously, crazy game. Reminds me of my peaceful Germany one where i sat on my ass and watched world war of Allies vs. Comintern vs. Japan vs. USA)

 

[Frige]

I made an option in a Molotov-Ribbentrop event to go with borders closer to the original treaty terms.

I also changed the 1945 UK election event to fire soon after whenever the war has ended (but no earlier than 1940) and wrote an event tree a while ago for Britain intervening in the Winter War and blundering into a war with the USSR.

 

[Ofaloaf]

Whoa, what happened to Lithuania? I thought the Soviets took over the country, not Germany.

 

[Nietzsche]

Whoa, what happened to Lithuania? I thought the Soviets took over the country, not Germany.

The original terms of the Moltov pact was to have Lithuania in the 'German Sphere'. Which would've been annexation, more or less, by any other name.

 

[Ofaloaf]

It's the New Year, so now I can post another mod thing! I think I've completed most of the Old World portion of the map and some basic events leading up the alt-WW2.

(click it)
​

...question for you all. In this mod, Great Britain's been taken over by the commies, but I don't want to perfectly mimic Kaiserreich's Union of Britain or FabR's Worker's Republic, so old George V is still on the throne but just barely, in a King Michael of Romania-sort-of-way. How much of the British Empire should this Britain retain and how much should be seized by France and other non-communist Allies? I haven't messed with Gibraltar, Malta, etc. as of yet, but it's easy enough to do.

 

[Thande]

...question for you all. In this mod, Great Britain's been taken over by the commies, but I don't want to perfectly mimic Kaiserreich's Union of Britain or FabR's Worker's Republic, so old George V is still on the throne but just barely, in a King Michael of Romania-sort-of-way. How much of the British Empire should this Britain retain and how much should be seized by France and other non-communist Allies? I haven't messed with Gibraltar, Malta, etc. as of yet, but it's easy enough to do.

From that brief description I say the situation is somewhat similar to FaBR - the dominions will all recoil in horror and act with full independence, while the colonies and outposts will stay in line, except perhaps Rhodesia and Nyasaland which will probably cleave to South Africa and maybe even want to join it.

 

[charl]

It's the New Year, so now I can post another mod thing! I think I've completed most of the Old World portion of the map and some basic events leading up the alt-WW2.

...question for you all. In this mod, Great Britain's been taken over by the commies, but I don't want to perfectly mimic Kaiserreich's Union of Britain or FabR's Worker's Republic, so old George V is still on the throne but just barely, in a King Michael of Romania-sort-of-way. How much of the British Empire should this Britain retain and how much should be seized by France and other non-communist Allies? I haven't messed with Gibraltar, Malta, etc. as of yet, but it's easy enough to do.

Looking good, my man.

As for Britain I am not all that sure on the particulars of it going Red. Maybe the revolution or whatever spreads to some of its dominions as well, which then become independent communist states in close association (not quite puppets, but close) with the main British state? It'd give you some nations to fill out the Internationale with.

Although what Thande said is probably true. Most dominions are likely to turn away from Britain and take the colonies with them.

 

[Ofaloaf]

From that brief description I say the situation is somewhat similar to FaBR - the dominions will all recoil in horror and act with full independence, while the colonies and outposts will stay in line, except perhaps Rhodesia and Nyasaland which will probably cleave to South Africa and maybe even want to join it.

Looking good, my man.

As for Britain I am not all that sure on the particulars of it going Red. Maybe the revolution or whatever spreads to some of its dominions as well, which then become independent communist states in close association (not quite puppets, but close) with the main British state? It'd give you some nations to fill out the Internationale with.

Although what Thande said is probably true. Most dominions are likely to turn away from Britain and take the colonies with them.

Well hmm. How's this for a potential division:




Staying with Red Britain:

• Australia (Batshit crazy Stalinists)
• South Africa (delayed Rand Rebellion, issues reconciling a white-only policy with being communist)
• East Africa (like Britain, has a figurehead monarch as a means of legitimising rule-- in this case, the current Sultan of Zanzibar)
• Egypt (But Britain proper still retains the Suez-- this is still the Empire in a way, after all)
• Arab Federation (I smashed Yemen and Oman together and also handed them Kuwait)

Splitting away from the rabble:

• India (Democratic but royalist, can join Britain's communist/federalist alliance if Britain keeps the monarchy after George V's death. Includes Burma because I said so)
• Nepal (no one plays as them anyways)
• Rhodesia and Nyasaland a.k.a. "Greater Rhodesia" (batshit crazy fascist assholes dedicated to a "White Rhodesia"-- probably the USA's best bet for an ally in Africa)
• New Zealand (Democratic, kind of nervous about those commies in Australia)
• Canada (Democratic, forced into isolation by rejecting both Communist Britain and Fascist America. Will ally with Democratic France shortly before Lovecraft orders troops to cross the border)

I don't know what to do with:

• Malaysia. Independent, or seized by France, Netherlands and/or Siam?
• Ghana/Gold Coast. Independent (Democratic or Communist) or seized by France?
• British Gambia. Seized by France, Portugal (well why not?) or kept British?
• Somaliland. If the Brits (or a proxy) still have the Suez, would Italy or France seize Somaliland?
• The Caribbean. Indepedent state(s) or seized by the United States, France and/or Netherlands?
• Those pesky little islands in the Atlantic and Pacific.

Since it isn't like the British Empire violently implodes but rather just undergoes a bit of a forceful regime change at home, I dunno if other powers would consider stealing their overseas territories or not.

Iraq isn't mentioned anywhere because it's part of the Ottoman Empire, which survives the war by not participating in it as part of the general POD of Germany losing earlier and harder to France. The Ottomans also get Cyprus, Rhodes and Docawhachawhosit back because of wizards or something.

If the rationale to any of that seems shaky I'm going to clap my hands over my ears and scream "LOVECRAFTIAN CULTISTS DID IT" over and over. Maybe.

 

[Thande]

I don't see the other powers intervening. Based on that division, the minor African colonies would stay with Britain, Malaya would be contested by India and Australia--toss-up who wins--and Canada would grab the Caribbean colonies with American approval.

 

[Ofaloaf]

I don't see the other powers intervening. Based on that division, the minor African colonies would stay with Britain, Malaya would be contested by India and Australia--toss-up who wins--and Canada would grab the Caribbean colonies with American approval.

Oh, how about giving Malaysia to the White Rajahs? Or at least an independent Sarawak. Oh... give Sarawak events that lead them to become the focal point of nascent political movement covering either all of Borneo, all of Malaysia, or maybe even all of Indonesia. Yessss.


In other news, I'm sorely disappoint Susano went when he did. I'm nearly done modding in all the minor German states that France can split Germany into if it wins another war against Berlin at any point. I've been basing a lot of this work off of the New Nations mod tbh, but I've been making extensive changes, completely redoing some country tags outright-- Hanover (U22) used to be Silesia, Wurttenberg-Baden (U51) used to be the Indian Ocean Federation, Danzig was Kiribati I believe, and so on.

Check it, I removed all the German cores from the 1936 scenario so I could show off all the releasable states:

• Prussia (white, also has cores on Saxon Cottbus, bits of Poland, and Memel)
• Hamburg (dark green)
• Hanover (orange)
• Rhineland (light blue)
• Hesse (pale green)
• Württenberg-Baden (off-pink, had to smash Württenberg and Baden together to be reasonable on the map, put the Kingdom ahead of the Grand Duchy in the name)
• Bavaria (tan, has more cores so it can also double as a "South German Federation" if a victorious French player choses a two-state division of Germany)
• Saxony (French blue)

Yes? No? There's still a few kinks I need to work out of it all-- Hanover's capital isn't quite in Hannover, Prussia doesn't seem to want to have a capital in Berlin even when I tell it to, I need to replace more of the Nazi heads of states with former aristocrats, and some appropriate tech teams need to be implemented.

 

[Ofaloaf]

Is this bg_start screen going overboard with the Lovecraft thing?