BMN/FasterThanRaito's Hoi4/Paradox inspired maps

[FasterThanRaito]

I've played several full games of Hearts of Iron 4, and created some interesting alternative outcomes for WW2. Since the in-game peace conference and screenshot systems are both pathetic, the result is a fun game with a disappointingly lame map at the end. So, at the end of every game, I make my own map of the situation and keep it for myself to remember my most prominent games. Some were made much earlier than others, and as such are presented in no particular order.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

Australia, being more influenced by fascist politics, takes a larger role in the Empire's business in the Asia Pacific region, but with an eye for Australian interests before British interests.

After convincing London to hand over Malaya and Singapore to Australian administration, a fascist coup was plotted in the Dutch East Indies to bring the massive and rich colony into the orbit of Australia. The coup was a partial success, but Dutch-loyalists resisted and a short civil war ensued. Australian volunteers captured Jakarta, ending the ill-fated resistance against the new order.

Meanwhile in Europe, things heated up after the Germans seized the Sudetenland and anschlussed Austria. France and Britain promised to protect the Czecks, and keep to their word when Hitler invaded. Although the double-pronged attack into Germany was successful at first, Italy and Spain surprise invaded France from the south, forcing France to capitulate, stranding dozens of allied divisions in Western Germany with no support. The retreat to Dutch ports where the English escaped back to their country was the most disheartening moment of the allied war effort.

Germany also invaded Poland and annexed it, but then was counter invaded by the Soviets who promised to liberate their fellow slavs with their socialism. Japan quickly entered the war with the Soviets over border incidents in Manchuria and thus the Axis powers were formalized. However, the might of Soviet arms ground them down. After millions perished in Eastern Europe and Northern China, the allies disembarcked back into the Netherlands and from there liberated France and Western Germany again.

As the war drew to a close, the Australians seized Formosa from the Japanese, who could do little to prevent or undo it. Australia also invaded Thailand on the pretext of Japanese involvement there. As the battlegrounds shifted to Iberia, Australia declared war on Portugal, forcing them to seek help from the Axis who were already at war with Australia. The allied Armies that were sweeping through Spain brushed aside the newest Axis member, allowing Australia to seize East Timor without firing a single shot.

In the waning months of the war, Australia supported a fascist revolution in South Africa, which then joined Australia, Malaya, and Indonesia in the Pacific People's Pact. Once Japan signed an armistice relinquishing much of their overseas empire, they joined the Pact; better to stand with fellow fascists than to be slowly chocked under western embargoes.

Having won the civil rebellions against the communist insurgents, China now stands in the difficult position of either being a puppet to London and Washington, striking out on their own yet forsaking foreign investment, or mending bridges with a recently hostile power...

 

[FasterThanRaito]

To stand against the tide of resurgent German nationalism, the Netherlands built forts along the eastern frontiers. The wave of the German military machine crashed and broke before Dutch defenses, but not without flooding the rest of continental Europe. As the fighting wore down the small nation, the Dutch were forced to retreat mile by mile until only the capital remained, a city-fortress under siege from all sides with no British help forthcoming. It was years before the Soviets finally broke the German back in the East, as the Dutch were able to execute a breakout that liberated all of western Europe. The devastated Europeans needed new, strong leadership to guide the reconstruction. Who better than the liberators themselves? Apparently, the French military and government-in-exile disagreed, those socialist traitors.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

The time has come for a new China to rise, free of internal corruption from communists or warlord traitors, free from foreign meddling and humiliation.

The Situation did not start well, China's armies were weak and still in need of reform when the Japanese began their invasion. Many millions were lost to desperate battle and occupation, but China prevailed over the Eastern Barbarians. Korea was brought back to their rightful place under the wing of big brother China.
As the Western Barbarians fought amongst themselves, The Chinese people undertook the great effort of taking back the border regions that Russia had stolen decades before. After more millions of soldiers fertilized China's newest frozen windswept territory, all western concessions were evicted.

Success was achieved at the cost of tens of millions of patriots, but a free and strong China will surely prosper in the new age to come.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

After the Great Depression, it was clear Capitalism was a system the American people could no longer rely on. Socialism was the only way forward. With some help from the Soviet Union, America became a shining beacon for the world's proletariat.

First, the Latin Americans were united into regional federations to best handle the reorganization of their societies and economies. All that extra rubber for the war industry was just a fortunate bonus to distributing freedom to the entire hemisphere.

Then Japan was taken by storm in a surprise invasion, then reeducated and used as a bastion against imperialism in Asia, while our Soviet allies crushed fascism and imperialism in Europe.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

It was clear that too much of the populate would not heed the warning signs of growing German aggressiveness. It would seem only the communists had the will to stand up to the fascists. Perfidious Albion declined to protect the smaller European countries under excuses of not being ready. The English had always been pathetically useless allies anyways, even in the last was they hid behind French manpower and French sacrifices... France would turn to the old ally of Russia, a perfect counter to Germany.

No doubt the Germans would attempt to recreate the early decapitating strike of 1914. With out new line of forts covering the entire border or both Germany and Belgium, France stood at the ready to hold the line. Those forts ended up proving decisive, and after Germany expended all their mobile forces, France was able to effectuate a counter-attack. Once the Germans were defeated, France declared that it would be a country for all Europeans to live together under the principles of socialism. The British cowards, relying on their outdated and outnumbered navy, were quickly brought into the fold, and their empire liberated from its shackles wherever the Franco-European boot marched.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

In order to recreate the glory of the Roman Empire, the Mediterranean and Beyond would have to be unified by Rome once again.

One at a time, the dominoes fell. However, it was apparent that the British naval and air forces would be too powerful to overcome by strength of arms. Diplomacy would be necessary to triumph. Germany, the rabid dog that gave fascism a bad name, had to be put down in cooperation with the English. After that, the Balkans and Middle East had to be liberated from Soviet pressures. After much success on the field of battle, Ukraine and the Caucasus were liberated as well, but then war became a stalemate. An armistice was signed, and the Soviets turned their eyes to China while Italy consolidated their new dominion.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

The Great German Nation never wanted war with fellow whites, only the promise of living space to the East. With that in mind, Germany was careful to avoid conflict with the western powers, even backing down when Bulgaria entered in to conflict with Greece. Some said the concessions were a humiliation and embarrassment, to so easily bow before the British. Most would say it was the stroke of genius that allowed Germany a free hand in prosecuting their war in the East without having to worry about further confrontations with the West.

The Japanese also were wise and pushed for a settlement with Chinese rather than outright invasion, which allowed a Japanese-friendly group to take power.

With the concerted effort of Asians and Europeans leading to the fall of the Soviet Union, the balance of global power has once again shifted.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

Peace and Democracy must be preserved, and to do that, the warmongering German must be crushed. First in Czechoslovakia, the Panzers were broken and the Tommies marched on Berlin. Germany was disarmed and returned to a liberal republican government. As Germany was re-educated to not follow authoritarians blindly into war, Bavaria was made independent.

The Soviets also stood in the way of peace and freedom in Europe, so when Poland was invaded, Britain lent a hand and carred out a counter-invasion.

In the middle of that, Germany invaded Poland from the rear. Apparently, Germans were so bloodthirsty after the first defeat that they democratically voted to invade Poland to recover old territory there. With Poland in the middle of a giant war with the Soviets, they smelled blood in the water. Which was rather foolish of them, since all it took was a few British armored divisions to pull back around from Russia and drive back into Berlin to kindly remind the Germans that being a Democracy means you don't invade your democratic neighbors.

With Russia restored and Germany re-re-educated to not invade people, it seemed peace had finally come.

And then the Germans invaded the Netherlands. At this point, it was obvious that militarism was such an integral part of German nationality, that for there to ever be peace on this godforsaken continent, Germany as a nation must be ended. So everything that was left of Germany at this point went to the Dutch, and Germans were re-re-re-educated to all learn Dutch. Problem. Solved.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

In order to bring revolution to the world, patience was necessary.
The patience for Leon Trostky to return from exile. The patience for Trostsky to rehabilitate the military after Stalin's mismanagement. The patience to wait while spies and agents slowly spread the message of communist throughout the nations of the world. The patience to plans in detail every coup and every revolution. Finally, all hell broke loose and Trostky's carefull laid out plans paid off. The world had embraced socialism.

Unfortunately, not everyone embraced the same strand of socialism. The Soviet Union managed to integrate most of Europe very well, but the Americans made their own form of communism. And the Chinese, although allies against the fascists, stubbornly refused to accept having socialist leadership in their government even when every single citizen cried out for proper representation of their will. That resistance spelled doom for China as two rival orders vied for power in the new civil war, Mao who espoused independence for China under a unique Chinese communism, and Enlai, who supported the Soviet Union with a more moderate style of communism.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

"Conquest, more conquest, again conquest - and the nation is saved!"

-American Senator gathering support for ratifying the trans-pacific alliance with the Japanese to take over the world.​

 

[FasterThanRaito]

Greece sets itself on the path of militarizing in order to restore the glory of Byzantium.

Unfortunately, Larger powers are casting their weight in regions of contention. The Italians, backed up by their axis friends, attempt to invade but are defeated.
Double unfortunately, Germany has been successful on all fronts, occupying Europe from France to Romania, well-equipped German units pass through treacherous Bulgaria, which promised neutrality until they threw in with the fascist dogs.

However, all was not lost, for Greece managed to time their political crossroads just right to turn to Socialism rather than Nationalism to fight the fascist menace. As the Greeks dug in their trenches in the mountains of Macedonia, the Soviet giant was sympathetic to the cause, and joined the war.

As Greek society dedicated itself entirely towards the defense of the country, manpower and womanpower was stretched to the very limits. Still, Greece endured through harrowing bloodshed.
Battle-lines shifted back and forth through Poland and Ukraine, and through the sacrifice of millions on both sides, eventually the German war machine was ground down.
The Western Allies re-invaded though northern France, and Greece invaded Italy and the Balkans.


After the dust settled, it was found to be doubly lucky that Greece had chosen Socialism as their militarist ideology rather than fascism, because Stalin began making moves to annex the Bosphorus straits. Had Greece not preemptively caved to this pressure to join the new internal communist order led by Moscow, Greece would surely have lost everything it sacrificed so much to gain, for there too few soldiers left after the World War.
To address this problem, Greece had to pour its industry and science into few, but new and highly effective weapons to keep its relatively small army ahead of the neighbors.
Byzantium Restored will be guarded no longer by fallible walls or sinkable ships, but the power of the atoms themselves...

However this seemed ultimately unnecessary as the Soviets and Westerners were busy squabbling over other far-flung disputed spheres of influence, that, which paired with the resumption of Japanese-American hostilities after the uneasy summer truce of 1945, would usher in 1946 with a brand new World War, one where common enemies makes for strange bedfellows out of Imperial Japan and Bolshevist Russia...

 

[GodoftheTranses]

Assuming you aren't you should try out road to 56 for these

 

[Deleted member 97083]

These maps are seriously awesome, well done.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

Assuming you aren't you should try out road to 56 for these

I don’t like 56 because the focus trees do too many crazy things

 

[FasterThanRaito]

Hungary, once mighty, brought low by the treaty of Trianon. No more.

Piece by piece, Hungary sought to restore their borders, yet Hitler's armies roving over Europe stood in the way. Neutrality would not last forever.

Once the war escalated, with the Soviet Union's border probes turning into a full scale retaliatory invasion by Germany, Hungary prepared to strike the unguarded German southern borders.

However, without direct access to the Allies, Hungary could not maintain enough equipment for offensives and instead barely endured a grueling defensive war; the Siege of Hungary.

Although Italy was also at war with the communists, they were not at war with the Allies and so did not entirely blockade Hungary.

Through Soviet manpower, Western production capacity, and Hungarian tactical excellence, Germany's armies were ground down and destroyed until forced to surrender.

Because of their German allies' collapse, Italy was forced to make a final push to quickly end the war. The Italians and Soviets fought a decisive battle at Stalingrad, which the Soviets miraculously won despite their war exhaustion.
Soon after this, Italy got a taste of their own medicine when Roman-aligned Iran suddenly switched sides with a communist revolution, collapsing the middle-eastern front in favor of the Soviets and precipitating the ceasefire negotiations.

Although the main fighting across Eurasia is over, tensions remain high across the continent. From Lisbon to Tokyo, war readiness will not end in the foreseeable future.

 

[Faeelin]

Wow this game is implausible.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

Wow this game is implausible.

But that’s part of the fun; if it were too restrictive trying to be historical then things would get boring and repetitive.
I do like that the alternate history possibilities the game offers are a good balance between fun and possible, even if the plausibility gets stretched a bit.

Also, the game is at its best if you hold off on world conquest

 

[FasterThanRaito]

At first, it was hoped that Stalin's strength of character would discipline and whip up the young Soviet Union into a power to reclaim the lost glory Mother Russia. However, this turned out to be a lie. For his harshness was not strength but weakness, born of paranoia. Not even the most competent and loyal were spared his purgings, so, when military officers heard rumors that Stalin was preparing to launch a "great purge" to go beyond the terrors. In 1936, ironically, the very conspiracy Stalin's paranoia sought to prevent was born from his actions.

It would take months to organize, but it was ready, the military staff presented a coordinated and united front, lying to Stalin's face about completing his orders without harming the new structure of the army. When, in 1938, Stalin realized what was happening, it was already too late.

However, loyalists who sought to defend the Bolsheviks organized many regions to fight in the civil war. It cost the lives of three million Soviet soldiers on both sides, but the revolters won and the new military government set out to redraw Russia from the top down.

Luckily, Germany's new Kaiser was pleased the Russia had turned away from radical communism and had settled for a more traditional form of government. Although socialist policies continued, there was talk of reinstating the Czar.

An Alliance with Germany now formalized, Russia set about accomplishing strategic goals for national defense. "Volunteers" comprising over 100,000 men and thousands of tanks helped China expel the Japanese from the Asian mainland. Japan's government collapsed and the new prime minister signed a peace recognizing Chinese soverignty, Korean independence under Chinese guidance, in exchange for permanent revocation of Chinese claims to Taiwan.

The Fist Sino-Japanese War had taught Chinese such as Chiang Kai-Sheck to respect Japan. The Second Sino-Japanese War taught Japanese such Hirohito to respect China. One for one and now even, Japan and China would see a rapprochement to accomplish the common goal of defending Asia from the Western colonial powers.

The war in Asia began with a dispute where Japanese ships were boarded in Indonesian waters, claiming a right to fish there, as those seas were claimed by China and they were delivering the fish to Chinese ports. Tensions escalated and when an escorting Japanese warship sunk a patrol craft to defend on of their own, war broke out.

The Dutch were supported by the British and French. The Americans quickly joined in as well, but the war had very little support as America was not under threat and the press had been constantly cynical of the Presidents aims on economically penetrating China, replacing Japan there.

China invaded Indochina and with the help of Siam captured Singapore. The Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines, "liberating" both. Millions died and the war did not draw to a close until the Western Powers were forced to make peace in order to deal with events in Europe. Because while the rest of the world was distracted, Russia and Germany invaded their neighbors until only France stood in their way.

Although the war was short, modern mechanized warfare produced tremendous casualties on defenders and assaulters alike. Russian paratroopers suffered over 90% losses in the invasion of Britain yet miraculously captured a port long enough to bring in their feared armored divisions across the Channel, where most transports got through as the Royal Navy was distracted by a Second Battle of Jutland, the greatest battleship encounter that saw a victory for the new German and Russian high seas fleets.

Now, the West scrabbles to make sense of their position, having lost much of the globe to the Eurasian League.

 

[FasterThanRaito]

The decades from the 1920's through the 1940's were marked by an extreme degree of political instability and conflict.

The Great War, having toppled the reigning order of the past century, was only the catalyst of more to come. The Great Depression followed, giving rise to radical movements on the far right and far left.
In Russia, the communists took over after the war.
In Germany, a communist insurrection lead to Hitler's reactionary government but was toppled by the military to re-establish democracy.
In the United States and Canada, reactionaries seized top government offices. In Canada the coup was a bloodless affair, but in America many thousands died to preserve their liberty, yet were no match for the armed forces.
In England, fascists attempted a takeover, but after the Siege of London, order was restored.
South Africa took advantage of the chaos to break free from the Commonwealth and turned to their Boer roots, using a form of white nationalism to bring Anglo colonists into the fold.
In Japan, military officers eroded the nascent democracy, until they invaded Manchuria. Preparations for a war with China were leaked however, and the militarists were purged. However, many army groups resisted and a short civil war broke out, the result being that the Kwangtung Army continued their independent control of Manchuria.

Liberia, the only free nation left in Africa, took in Socialist and Black refugees from North America, and used their abilities to create a pan-African revolution. Educated English speakers would prove useful in the new administration of former colonies. The British insurrection in London was an opportunity to liberate British West Africa. Then, an alliance with the British against South Africa to liberate the Africans from Boer atrocities. The British demanded the Liberians turn over the captured colonies, but the Liberians refused. Luckily, Italy had just declared war, giving the Liberians a good excuse to keep occupying African lands due to the war, and the British, distracted in the Mediterranean, did not press the issue.
The war continued to expand.
The Soviets and Americans both declared war on the European powers, the Soviets in order to occupy Poland against a resurgent Germany, having underestimated their new Entente with the French, and the Americans due to European interference in civil wars in Latin America.

The war took a turn for the worse when Spain suddenly joined Italy, surprising everyone with a lightning invasion of France that would see much of Western Europe occupied. Germany, fighting on two fronts, began to buckle. Romania capitulated to the Soviets. The fate of Europe hung in the balance.

Liberians, using French ports in North Africa, having just finished overrunning Italian Libya, invaded Spain through Gibraltar, eventually forcing their capitulation. This was the turning point of the war. The Germans and French regrouped and stabilized the line in Poland.

However, now that the war was coming to a close, the British, although distracted by the Americans, once again began making demands to have their African territories returned. Liberia needed a new ally that could vouch for them, and found one in Germany. Germany would guarantee Liberian territorial gains, in exchange for help against the Soviets in the Eastern Front. Liberian braves broke out through the Ukraine and captured the most Russian territory, impressing the Europeans.

Meanwhile the Japanese and Chinese took advantage of Communist weakness to make land grabs in the Far East. The Japanese took back Manchuria and some, while the Chinese crushed the Maoist rebels, who fled to the far west.

Once the Soviets capitulated in the summer of 1944, the world was mostly at peace, although there would still be heavy fighting in the Pacific as American Marines stocked up their bases in the Solomon Islands for the coming invasion of Australia...

Orange - The American League (USA, Canada)
Blue - The European Entente (Germany, France)
Teal - The British Commonwealth and Allies (UK, Portugal)
Green - The West Pacific Treaty Organization (Japan, Korea)
Pink - Liberated Africa (Liberia)