Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

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CommandoSupremo
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Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by CommandoSupremo »

Nation: Ethiopia
Military: Very Hard
Economy: Very Easy (Yeah, I know)
Diplomacy: Normal

Goals:
1: Defeat Italy militarily
2: Ensure the Allies win WW2
3: Encourage African Independence
4: Dominant the African continent politically, all African nations should ally with Ethiopia or have their government's replaced with one that does
5. Modernize Ethiopia and ensure our GDP is comparable to nations of Europe at some point

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

The Year is 1936

Rather than be conquered by the Italian Empire, Emperor Haile Selassie was able to rally his country and drive the Italians out of East Africa. This was done by first upgrading the production capabilities in Addis Ababa and then purchasing designs for superior artillery from the French who were all too eager to stop Italian imperialism. The Ethiopians' new army, consisting primarily of heavy artillery backed by regiments of cavalry, then proceeded to defeat Italy's tanks and infantry, going so far as to take Eritrea and Italian Somalia, securing a coastline for Ethiopia to trade and build a navy.

With internal peace inside his borders, the Emperor proceeded to embark upon a campaign of modernization. Allying with France, Ethiopia began purchasing research infrastructure and new manufacturing techniques from their European friends. The Emperor also began to develop Ethiopia's coal resources to make a profit from trade. Haile Selassie also allied with the young Liberian Republic, wishing to support all independent African states. Things proceeded as normal for the Emperor until Italy once again began to flex it military might. Italy invaded Albania and would have won if not for the Emperor showing Ethiopia's new strength by giving considerable funds and resources to the Albanian monarch, allowing him to stave Italy as Haile Selassie had done.

However, as German aggression grew, the whole of Europe was engulfed in war. France fell quickly and Italy made a land grab to secure North Africa. The Emperor, fearing Italian supremacy in Africa and wishing to show Ethiopian strength again, decides he must attack Italy in North Africa. His initial invasion through British Sudan does not go as planned and while his cavalry makes it to the frontline, Ethiopian tanks (English designs) and artillery must be abandoned in the desert. However, the Emperor had another force bound for Italian Libya. Adopting a training and equipment program from the United States (who are still neutral), Ethiopian Army Rangers land in the Libyan capital and quickly defeat the opposition.

The following months of war are grueling for both sides and the Emperor's new army of Rangers suffers heavily. However, the Italian's reliance on their tanks and vehicles was their downfall, they are slowly starved of fuel and left as isolated and immobile columns in the desert. Eventually, the Libyan tribes join Selassie's crusade and form a United Libyan Federation from the tribal governments. This new nation, however, is largely an Ethiopian province that Haile Selassie must maintain so long as Italy remains in Africa, fearing an independent Libya would fall to Italy.

Now, in 1939, the Ethiopian army must regroup once again and continue to fight against the Italian Empire. Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco are all besieged by Italy and Emperor Haile will fight until they are free!

Long live Ethiopia, Long live a free Africa!
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way2co0l
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by way2co0l »

Oh nice, an AAR. I haven't checked Ethiopia's OOB but it sounds like quite a challenge you're taking on. I'm curious to see how much luck you have.
GIJoe597
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by GIJoe597 »

Good read, I look forward to more.
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Emeg
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by Emeg »

Ah.. :) Being the first SR Ultimate AAR. Playing for Ethiopia, an African region. A nice interesting choice, I shall follow this.
CommandoSupremo
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by CommandoSupremo »

April 1941

The war in North Africa has reached a painful stalemate. Italy's navy, once their main weapon against Ethiopia, has been slowly reduced to nothing by the British warships in the Mediterranean. This should be great for the Ethiopians, they can now move their troops on the ocean without fear of losing their transports. Ethiopian foundries, however, have run dry. During the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, Europe was not at war and military goods were available on the world market en masse. Now, Ethiopia struggles to train and equip a single cavalry regiment, let alone an entire army. The war has also resulted in a decrease in the amount of industrial supplies available, preventing Ethiopia from building new factories to make more military goods. While most of Libya is in Ethiopian hands, only a small amount of small towns in Tunisia have been taken and these are constantly being lost and recaptured because the disorganized Tunisian government refuses to garrison their towns once Ethiopia liberates them. Emperor Selassie has become frustrated to no end, unable to equip more soldiers means that every casualty in North Africa brings Italy closer to victory and Africa farther from freedom.

The tyranny of Germany continues to grow in Europe. Albania, once Ethiopia's great ally against Italy, has fallen to the forces of Bulgaria and Germany. Yugoslavia and Greece have also been conquered, doubling the Bulgarian territory. The Soviet Union has also launched a series of campaigns against its neighbors, helping Ethiopia by at least drawing German troops out of the still mostly occupied Tunisia and Algeria.

Not all is grim for Emperor Haile's campaign, America has finally contributed to the war against the Axis. American armor divisions have fortified the border between Italian Algerian and the resistant Morocco. Their supplies may be limited but their mere presence has halted the Italian march west. The Emperor must now turn to the few prosperous nations not engaged in war. For the tide to turn against Italy, Ethiopia needs to send more troops to North Africa, this requires massive amounts of military and industrial goods to be purchased and used to equip new Rangers and Cavalry.

Long live Ethiopia, long live a free Africa!

(Emperor Haile Selassie in Benghazi, Libya with British military advisors)

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Xbwalker
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by Xbwalker »

Nice man!
Some things...
1. Aren't rangers great?! I love them.
2. I use exactly the same strategy when playing a poor country. Lots of arty and infantry.
3. Have you considered buying lots of indy goods from usa via diplomacy? Same with petrol.

Keep up the good work.
CommandoSupremo
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by CommandoSupremo »

((@Xbwalker: Yes, rangers are fantastic troops that are better at taking down tanks than most anti-tanks units. I did exactly that to get my economy back on track, just wait))

July, 1941

Emperor Haile Selassie rejoices as his military factory workers return to work, building rifles for his new cavalry regiments and constructing several artillery batteries. The Emperor had turned to his Islamic neighbors, purchasing both industrial and military goods from Afghanistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Kingdom of Muscat and Oman. This has allowed his troops in North Africa to be resupplied and more brave Ethiopian soldiers to join the fight!

(The Emperor finalizing a trade agreement with a Turkish diplomat in Addis Ababa)

Image

With his army ready for a new fight, the Emperor begins what is known as the "Tunis Offensive." His goal is to capture the capital city of Tunisia and demoralize the Italian troops. This plan is as follows and is to be spearheaded by Imperial Rangers supported by a small unit of tanks.

1. Secure the port village of Qulaybiyah near Tunis
2. Move troops from Libya into Tunisia
3. Secure the territory south and west of Qulaybiyah
4. Assault Tunis and take the city

The Imperial Rangers fought to the village with savage bravery, holding the village until a contingent of Ethiopian army cavalry and infantry arrive. These new troops move south and west, taking villages that Italy recaptured in order to secure the flanks and rear of the Imperial Rangers. The Rangers themselves march with their battle-beaten tanks behind them. The fighting to and in Tunis was fierce but on August 11, 1941, the flags of Tunisia and Ethiopia replace the Italian flag in all of Tunis; The Imperial Rangers of Ethiopia are the clear victors!

(Italian troops defending the outskirts of Tunis)

Image

The Emperor has won a great victory but the war is not even close to being over. Half of Tunisia remains occupied along with all of Algeria. The Italians still command a considerable host in Africa and have counterattacked many Tunisian villages that the Ethiopian Army must retake without most their Ranger comrades. The battles ahead will be bloody but with God's blessing and the Emperor's resolve, Ethiopia shall be victorious!

Long live Ethiopia, long live a free Africa!
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CommandoSupremo
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by CommandoSupremo »

The war in North Africa has changed dramatically. While at first, Ethiopia looked like it had a decisive win in its grasp, taking the last Italian port with American support on Novemeber 8, 1941. Giving money to the USSR in their struggle against Germany, drawing even more German troops out of Africa. A broad coalition had formed to advance the Moroccan front; troops from America, Canada, Portugal, South Africa, Turkey, and even small contingents from Iran, Netherlands, and Liberia. All was going well until Italy had recaptured a port on New Years, 1942, swarming troops into the territory like flies to a light. Emperor Haile was furious, blaming the disorganized Tunisian government for not garrisoning their own country even though he had given them money to do so.

As for the rest of the world, the war has begun to reach near universal levels. Countries who have faced the fury of the Axis are allying with each other in a mad frenzy to find friends during these dark times. Nations whose people have likely never even heard of their new allies before. All united against Germany, Italy, Japan, and their sinister, allied states. Rebel governments have formed in Poland and Greece to fight against the Axis.

In the early days of January, 1942, Italy counterattacked and pushed the Ethiopian army back into the few bastions of security they had. When attempting to regroup, the Imperial Rangers are ambushed by Italian tank and infantry units and from February 13th to the 17th, they are battered and defeated. Ethiopia has lost her entire army, Italy can now retake all of Tunisia with little resistance. The feudal lords of Ethiopia have refused to give more troops to the Emperor, calling the North African campaign a "lost crusade." The Emperor decided he must take bold action. Defying his vassals, Haile Selassie proclaims that all military matters and all military personnel are now his alone to command in a central Ethiopian Armed Forces. While greatly angering the nobility of Ethiopia, the common people support the Emperor and flock to this new, national army.

The Emperor will not rest until Italy is out of Africa, he is already building his army again and prepares to march upon his enemy. For the glory of Ethiopia!

(Freshly recruited Imperial Rangers during a morning, training hike)

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way2co0l
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by way2co0l »

If at first you don't succeed.... ;)
CommandoSupremo
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by CommandoSupremo »

((Yeah, i'm coming back to North Africa with a lot more infantry to hold the cities I take because the AI is so stupid that it doesn't understand how to garrison cities when I've given them more than enough money to. As much as I love SRU and Battlegoat, the AI is horrendous. The Americans have enough tanks in North Africa to cover a small country but the AI doesn't resupply their armies, they could easily beat Italy with all their troops but lack the supplies to even move!))
CommandoSupremo
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by CommandoSupremo »

February, 1943

At last, after much bloodshed, North Africa is free yet they may have traded more overlord for another. The American army, finally forming a reliable supply structure, steamrolled the Italians in Algeria and Tunisia. However, the land they conquered was not returned to the governments of Algeria or Tunisia. If not for Ethiopia, Tunis would not even belong to the government of Tunisia. While grateful for their help in removing the Italian threat, Emperor Haile Selassie is angry at President Roosevelt for not doing what is best for Africa.

While the Italians may be on the retreat, the USSR had fallen a few months prior and now exists as a ragged, democratic, rebel-state. The vast territory of the Ukraine, Siberia, and Russia has been split by Germans, Romanians, and Hungarians. In addition, China has removed Japanese forces from mainland Asia. This, combined with the North African developments, means that the Allies are now focused on the liberation of France and the Balkans.

The Ethiopian economy is in trouble, the treasury is shrinking ever so slightly every day but thankfully Ethiopia's allies have offered some money to delay bankruptcy. This, combined with the fear of American imperialism, has forced the Emperor to do something drastic. Libya, once a colony-like state, has been annexed by Ethiopia. While this may give the Libyan tribal elders more say in the government and make all Libyans Ethiopian citizens, the Libyans are now less independent than their days with Italy. Many see this as direct hypocrisy of Selassie's stance against African colonization. The Emperor claims, however, that the people of Libya will be safer and more prosperous now that they are apart of the Ethiopian Empire and that the elders of Libya were consulted prior to the decision.
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Xbwalker
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by Xbwalker »

You went for the annex option. Nice. I built some oil fields in libya and waited to take their last city. Once the oil fields were done, I colonized mine so I wouldn't have to worry about the loyalty penalty (mine is on). Interesting turn of events man!
way2co0l
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by way2co0l »

Xbwalker wrote:You went for the annex option. Nice. I built some oil fields in libya and waited to take their last city. Once the oil fields were done, I colonized mine so I wouldn't have to worry about the loyalty penalty (mine is on). Interesting turn of events man!
You could have always built the oil after colonizing them as well though. :)
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D.B. Cooper
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Re: Haile Selassie's Africa (Ethiopian Superpower)

Post by D.B. Cooper »

Nice, i love the historical photos, keep it up.
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