Will SC2 AI Invade Norway?

[Exel]

Originally posted by Edwin P.:

What you are saying is that the consequences for invading ireland (decrease in US war readiness and Unit trapped in country with no way to leave) should be more severe. Such as, invade Ireland and there's a chance that Norway will join the Axis or Invade Switzerland and their is a chance that Turkey joins the Allies. Am I correct?

For example, yes. The decision to invade another country is something not taken lightly, especially in a democracy that must justify their cause by other than just the success of the motherland. The Allies were preparing to invade Norway, but there's no chance of them invading any country just for some added production value if it has no strategic significance.

[Edwin P.]

So you are saying that for the Alliesv (a democracy) there should be limits on what they attack, but not for the Axis ( a facist regime).

Strategic Significance of Ireland -

a. Base for Bombers to spot Germans subs in the Atlantic.

b. Deny country to Axis spies and remants of IRA.

c. Secure port further from Europe.

Strageic Significance of Swizterland

a. Gold

b. Gold

c. Gold

A problem with Switzerland is that some Allied players invade Switzerland when attacking Germany and or Italy, of course though unrealistic it has no effect on the game as by this time the Allies have won.

Germany considered attacking Switzerland but decided not to. You could recreate the value of Switzerland by having Spain, Sweden and Turkey move towards an Allied Alliance if the Axis Attacked Switzerland. Of course, it would require the use of a diplomatic chit to push them to a join the war on the side of the Allies.

Strategic Significance of Sweden

a. For Germany, Ability to supply/station troops in Northern Norway to interdict lend lease transports going to Russia - ie shorter supply lines.

[ June 26, 2004, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[Exel]

And reasons not to attack the aforementioned countries.

Ireland: Great Britain would be stuck in the conflict for a looong time and it would probably drain its resources even more than the conflict in northern Ireland. Plus it would probably mean political suicide for the government. The diplomatic cost would be heavy as well.

Switzerland: The price of conquering Switzerland would most likely be enormous in comparison to the gained benefits and the campaign would be anything but short. The Allies would lose any diplomatic credibility they possessed. German invasion on the other hand might result in dow from USA. There's a reason why Switzerland hasn't been invaded...

Sweden: The Army of Sweden was in a lot better shape than the Norwegian army. Though it was ill-equipped in many branches, its domestic arms production gathered speed as the war progressed. The price of invading the country would probably be heavy in comparison to the gains, especially for Germany. They got part of Sweden's iron ore anyway, and war with them would have compromised their Baltic fleet, supply lines to Norway, and alliance with Finland.

None of that is of course reality in SC1, and all three countries are easy conquests with the invasion having little if any negative effects.

[Edwin P.]

True, but you can change that with the event editor.

As for Switzerland, don't forget its large reserves and for many years the main mountain passes and tunnerls have been seeded with explosives.

Now, back to the Game.

1. Ireland - I will ignore it because conquering it is minor in the grand scheme of things. The only change I would make is adding an event that has the IRA seize Dublin if it is not garrissoned.

2. Spain - Now Spain has a major effect on the game and any attack on Spain would have had a major effect in WWII. The question is what would it have been. The affect on USA readiness would have been minor because it was one facsist state attacking another. More importantly would have been the effect on the thoughts of the Turkish High Command. Would it have encouraged the Turks to ally with their historical enemies - the British and the Russians?

3. As for Sweden would it have really compromised their alliance with Finland? or did Finland view Sweden with suspicsion for not helping them to a greater extent in the Russo-Finish War? I do think that the Axis attacking Sweden would push Spain closer to the Allies and might have also affected Turkish thoughts on the war.

[ June 26, 2004, 03:07 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[Exel]

Originally posted by Edwin P.:

As for Sweden would it have really compromised their alliance with Finland? or did Finland view Sweden with suspicsion for not helping them to a greater extent in the Russo-Finish War? I do think that the Axis attacking Sweden would push Spain closer to the Allies and might have also affected Turkish thoughts on the war.

I don't know. That's why I said "compromise". In any case the Finns would not have been happy with Germany invading Sweden, but on the other hand they'd still have their score to settle with the Russians (and it was the "my enemy's enemy is my friend" logic that brought Finland and Germany together). Sweden did help Finland in the Winter War in many ways, though not directly militarily, and Finns surely were grateful of that. Finland also houses a great Swedish-speaking minority which might have had effect. In game terms there probably should be a percentual chance of Finland not joining forces with Germany if the latter invade Sweden.

[Edwin P.]

bump

A view of an ancient post from June 2004.