AAR-kinda-blog Finland

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Meisseli
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AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Meisseli »

While I'm excited about this game I've only tested Italy campaign couple times and got overwhelmed because of the war efforts on Africa and just being one of the semi-major players in WWII. So maybe focusing on smaller country and writing this blog-thingy might kick my butt to clock more hours to the game

So, I'll pick Finland. Why? Because it's my home country and it's play in the war is challenging. I know USSR is going to hit hard on me so my primary goal is simply to survive, secondary goal is to grow my economy and make it such welfare state as it's today. The ultimate goal is to conquer USSR but with my military skills it might be little too hard to achieve, but I'll certainly try it. Game is set with all default options. So, let's hit it

First impression is a bit of a shock. 20$ M in treasury, 4$ M income, very low social services and fairly low level in technology. I also lack electricity and CG's, but only way is up. After quick scanning I develop my strategy. First I'll stabilize my need for power, after that CG's, and last it's just preparing for war

First the coal plant. I buy bunch of IG's and the construction can begin. I also start to stockpile MG's. To repel the USSR offensive I need some serious firepower. I don't possess any tank designs or arty designs and I'm not able to research either of those. I certainly don't belive that my reserve arty will hold. So, while the coal plant is constructing I start to scan possible trade partners. I'll quickly learn that to construct some decent arty I need "artillery bore improvements" tech. Because my treasury is what it is only option is to research that tech myself, so better put those scientist to work.

Now the tanks. Couple clicks later I found that Poland is diplomaticly pleased towards me, and has a design I can afford. Money change hands and now I'm happy owner of TKS-tank design. I really don't know if that is even a decent tank but it will have to do, at least it cheap to produce
Image

Coal plant is complete, so next step is mid-CG factory. Again I buy bunch of IG's because demad greatly exceed producing capabilities. I'm also able to ramp up my infrastructure spendig but still keeping my balance positive.

CG-factory is complete and now I can match the demand. But oh no, I realize I don't have enough power so work on coal plant #2 starts. It's a bit of a challenge to produce maximum amount of goods with limited amount of electricity so it's a challenge to keep max possible output from CG and MG factories and without causing a blackout, and to maintain positive treasury, but I'll manage.

Now I have enough power, I'm self-sufficient on critical goods and my bank account looks like this
Image

Next step is to build up an army, acquire some techs, grow up my economy more and destroy evil soviets for good. But that is a story for another day. Stay tuned for more
Hullu Hevonen
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Hullu Hevonen »

Would recomend looking into possible german artillery :wink: they will be a life saver when Russia invades
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Meisseli
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Meisseli »

Today kept playing and this is what happened

All four fabrication plants started to produce SKS-tanks. I also commence build up of D.XXI -type interceptor, maybe those will drop any possible commie-planes. In capital city Helsinki Valpo-agent* Hullu Hevonen hints that Germany may have kick-ass artillery designs that we could use. I take quick look on those and agree, those units could be a life saver when USSR attacks. On minus side they have pretty hard tech requisites, but I basically don't have other options but to research those techs and buy that design. I tune up my social services so I don't lose all my tax payers due emigration, and I'm still maintaining a positive trade balance
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valtiollinen_poliisi

I also start to build oil plant. I produce 5k barrels daily but civ's are draining oil 12k barrels daily, so new plant would ease up my need for foreign oil. During the build project my treasury starts to drain 0,5M daily, but I have almost 100k surplus, so I don't cancel the project, it's something I think must be done.

While the oil plant is coming the Arty tech research completes. I need five more techs so I can purchase the german arty design. Work starts on "Grenade fusing" tech.

Oil plant is complete and now I'm only 2k barrels short daily, but I have almost 1,5M oil reserve so it's not a real issue.

Grenade fusing completes too, work begins on "Improved gun barrel manufacturing"

Now it's Q4 of 1937 and I start to stress a little. I've already built 40 TKS-tanks and several interceptors, but I don't know if thats enough. I should consider some recon units and maybe bombers too. What really stresses me is that I have only 2 years to acquire 3-4 techs, the arty design AND to build some artillery units. I have only 60M $ in treasury and I can't spend it all on techs IF I can even a get one with so tiny sum, and I'm making only 200k surplus daily. I think I can't really reduce my social services and taxation is already pretty high. I could export some stuff but that requires some constructing. My inflation and unemployment both are around 4.5% and new facilites won't certainly ease the inflation, so it's good time to save and quit and think the situation over night.

Stay tuned for more economical challenges!
Hullu Hevonen
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Hullu Hevonen »

You could try to sell designs to China and other countries that like you to raze money, that german artilley, especially the longrange one is good, because they decimate the soviets before they reach your defensiveline :-) ... In one game I managed to get mutualdefence treaties with Denmark, could help :D
I like my new job as Valpo agent 8)
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Jakt80
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Jakt80 »

Another thing to consider is the future need for military goods. Especially artillery uses alot of those when they start firing. And dont forget to build infantry and garrisons in your towns. While tanks are good at capturing territory, a few garrisons can easily repel a few tanks (at elast in the tries i've made with tanks vs towns.) Tanks also put quite a drain on your oil, i'f you're not producing enough now, you'll lose alot more when those tanks start rolling. Best would probably setting them in a defensive line?
Meisseli
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Meisseli »

Hey, got back from hiatus and played a good chunk a total of one year game time


I'm still stressing the artillery situation so Valpo-agent Hullu hevonen tips we could sell some technology. "That's genius" I think, and because Poland is friendly, it might buy some for nice sum of cash. But oh no, it won't. Actually it won't even accept a free tech and dares to request a 1M$ in addition of the tech. (see: http://www.bgforums.com/forums/viewtopi ... 69&t=22020) I'll just have to get on my own.

After finishing "improved gun barrelling" I find a nice little bug. For some strange reason I'm able to research SU-152 model 1944 -arty design. Because I'm such a opportunist of course I start to research that.

I've made 50 TKS-tanks, so now it's time for some infantry units. Because of my poor tech level,
oner fabrication plant starts producing normal infantry. So far I have made ten interceptors. I think it's not enough so air fab continues its building process

Economy advisor Jakt80 advises to build third oil plant. I agree, it's better to be self-sufficient than 3000 ballers short on daily basis. In my oil plant hex the oil reserve is too small, so I must build a new complex and plant to adjecent hex. The building project won't hurt my treasury, I'm making almost a whole million profit, but industry complex drains my reserve IG's so I have to buy almost 6k units of IG's but it's worth it. Now I'm making almost 3000 barrels excess and I start to stack up my petrol reserve

SU-152 design is complete. I immediately start to produce such things. It has high MG requirement, so I can produce only one at the time but it's allright. At least now I have some artillery at disposal

Because I aim to the future, scientists starts to research "improved power grid"

It's January of 1939 and I start to mobilize my army. Most of my units goes to Karjala defendig the only cities there are. I have also an airbase there wich is handy. I also put couple inf- and tank divisions on northside of lake Laatokka if soviets try to invade from there.
Image

Due the mobilizing my treasury starts to fall. Taxes are high but it must be rised for little higher and reduce my already low social services. I'm still losing money so I have to decrease research spending, which isn't nice. But hey, at least we're making surplus

It's April and tensions starts to rise. Italy is fighting in Africa. Surprisingly France declares war on Italy

I suddenly realize I don't have any recon units. I quickly build eight motorized recon units and put them to my main defence sites in Karjala. One unit starts to scout whats happening on the otherside of the border (and there is nothing)

Sep. 1st. Germany attacks Poland

Sep 3rd France and UK declares war on Germany

Sep 6th South africa declares war on Germany. Now this is new...

Sep 9th Canada declares war on Germany. I sense serious conspiracy (now I'm just kidding)

Sep 17th USSR declares war on Poland. Now this is real conspiracy

Oct 8th Poland falls. Now Germany can focus on France. Italy is still messing around in Africa but is also fighting against France and situation looks like this
Image

It's first of november and winter (war) is coming and it's getting pretty tense. I don't know where the enemy is coming, I don't know if I have sufficient units or resources to repel the attack nor don't know if my defensive positioning is good at all and I haven't yet micromanaged a single combat in SR series so it's really tense. In fact, it's getting so tense that it's save and quit. Alea iacta est as Julle the keisari would say...

Stay tuned for more defensive challenges!
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Zuikaku
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Zuikaku »

It would be nice thing if you could just buy decent tanks and other weapons from someone :evil: :D
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Meisseli
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Meisseli »

Played a bit again.

30 November USSR starts its attack. As I predicted it tries to attack trough Karjala. What I didn't predict was how small USSR's attack force is, only couple tank battalions and infanry divisions.
Image

I start to lose territory in northern Finland. I don't have any units stationed in there so I'll have to send some units to a long trip. Later I realize the territory loss is due lack of supply, but now I have some units there guarding the border so illegal immigrants don't cross it :P

Dec-Jan defending borders is very, very easy. Maybe because my futuristic cheat-like superior artillery. Also AI tends to send couple units at the time which I cripple or destroy. If AI were to sent a massive rush I would be in a lot of trouble. But it's better this way

Second I said that in Jan 22 I suffer my first casualty. Perkele.

In start of february the combat silences. It's time for counter-offense. Leningrad would be a realistic objective to achieve.

At first the offense goes well. I'm able to surround Leningrad but resistance is too much
Image

I'll have to retreat. I've lost almost 20 units during the attack
Image

It's back to square one: repelling any incoming threats

Feb 29 Italy DoW's UK. Everybody is going nuts. Many african nations DoW's Italy, Italys colonies Dow's african nations. UK DoW's Italys colonies and Italy DoW's UK's colonies

May 19. The attacks have stopped. I still have plenty of units, almost 7k of Military goods and for the first time in war I'm making money. USSR won't accept peace offers which makes me :sadface: In reality winter war ended in 13th of May, but appearently not this time. I'm not afraid of the attacks but it's exhausting to watch two-three units march to their death every now and then. Now I'm lost. I don't have capability to defend AND build offensive units at the same time but on the other hand USSR won't accept peace so I don't know what to do. So it's good time to save & quit and think my next move.

Stay tuned for more wartime challenges
Hullu Hevonen
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Hullu Hevonen »

Can't recommend attacking cities with Tanks, they are good for work in the field, industrial and military complexes. I would use Infantry to take cities, preferably Elite Guard if possible :-)
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Meisseli
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Re: AAR-kinda-blog Finland

Post by Meisseli »

Under those tanks and tank-looking-artilleries I had some regular infantry. But thanks for the tip :P
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