Simplified Alternative History for WWII

[Edwin P.]

Here are two (edited to three) simplified player choice events that give both players a way to experiment with changing history and make the game slightly less unpredictable.

I know that this will not be possible in Sc2 in the form presented (with the player having to make a choice in response to the popup).

Popup for USA Player

August 1941 - Does the USA embargo oil and coal sales to Japan?

Yes

- 50% Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor Dec 1941, USA War Readiness increases.

- 20% Japan Agrees to USA terms in Dec 1941, USA War Readiness declines, early Siberian Transfer as Japan withdraws from Axis Alliance, UK gains fleet in Persian Gulf.

- 30% No Effect

No

- 20% Japan Attacks Siberia, No Siberian Transfer for Russia, US gets Pacific Fleet as bonus.

- 80% No Effect

Popup for Axis Player

At end of first turn - "Should Germany ally itself with Italy, Spain or Turkey."

Italy - Normal Game

Spain - Spain becomes Axis Major, Italy becomes Neutral

---------- 50% Spain Rejects Offer and Remains Neutral, Standard Game with Italy as Axis

Turkey - Turkey becomes Axis Major, Italy becomes neutral.

---------- 50% Turkey Rejects Offer and Remains Neutral , Standard Game with Italy as Axis

Event 1: USA Embargos Japan, was included as it is regarded by many as the primary reason for the Pearl Harbor event that brought the USA into the war in December 1941.

Event 2: Axis Choice of Allies, was included primarily for its effect on gameplay. The alternative ally options are relatively balanced. Spain though lacking a Navy gives the Axis easy access to plunder in Portugal and Gibraltar. Turkey with an initial production base smaller than Italy or Spain has a comparable army, easy access to Iraqi plunder and a good strategic position. With Italy neutral either the Axis or Allies may decide to invest in using diplomacy or military force against Italy.

US war readiness will be affected if either side attacks neutral Italy. If Germany attacks then US war readiness increases, if Britian attacks then US war readiness declines.

I was considering a penalty to Italian war readiness if the Axis player offered an alliance to Spain or Turkey and they rejected it.

Note: The primary problem with Event 2 is that the Sc1 AI does not know how to use an Axis allied Spain or Turkey. New AI routines would have to be written.

Popup at French Surrender

Upon the conquest of Paris the Axis player sees this popup: "Should we plunder France, accept their surrender, or welcome France into the Axis?"

Plunder France - Increased plunder, no Vichy, 100% French Navy and French Algeria and French Syria join Allies as Free France.

French Surrender - Normal creation of Vichy France.

Welcome France into the Axis - No partisans, No Free French, no plunder, France becomes an Axis major nation. French Navy joins Axis. Russian war readiness increases.

This third event also has the potential to change the game.

If the Axis welcomes France into the Alliance they may gain a strong navy, at the cost of no plunder from conquering France and causing Russian war readiness to increase.

If the Axis reject the French surrender offer they gain more plunder but cause the entire French navy to join the Allies. This increases the chances of the Allies sinking the Italian fleet and conquering Iraq along with Persia.

Accepting the French surrender results in the creation of Vichy France.

[ January 05, 2006, 04:29 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[Hueristic]

O I like these.

[Codename Condor]

Originally posted by Edwin P.:

Spain - Spain becomes Axis Major, Italy becomes Neutral

Hey, i like this too!, we coulda hit france in her ass as a retaliation for Napoleon's invasion.

[beginner's luck]

Damn talk about holding a grudge!!!

[JerseyJohn]

Condore,

I think she already did that pretty well in 1813, when Wellington led the Penninsula Army across the Pyrranies and into Southern France.

[Codename Condor]

u got it wrong JJ!, they had to flee cos we got tuff guerrilla guys and weapons of mass destruction---> blunderbuss

[ January 06, 2006, 03:31 AM: Message edited by: Codename Condor ]

[Codename Condor]

"Constant Spanish guerrilla activity so drained the resources and diverted the attention of the French military that Wellington was able to advance against and overcome a numerically superior enemy. So many French soldiers were being used to counter the guerrillas and the threat that they posed that less than a third of the French army could be tasked with confronting Wellington."

[JerseyJohn]

True, Condore.

But it's still true that Wellington led a Spanish-Portuguese-British army across the Penninsula and into France in 1813. Combined with the debacle at Leipzig, the Penninsula Army contributed greatly to Nappy's decision to abdicate in 1814.

None of which takes away from the achievement of the Spanish guerilla fighters. While fighting the Frenchmen at every turn and tying up their resources and troops, the Spanish people suffered grievously from angry French generals who ordered villages burnt and hostages executed. Sound familiar, doesn't it?

One of the WWII footnotes is that Hitler, when considering an invasion of Spain in 1941 (to reach Gibraltar) turned out to be well aware of this history lesson and said the Spanish, combined with the qualities of their terrain and their experiences in their Civil War, would be too adept at waging a very costly guerilla war.

That would certainly have been interesting, no doubt the Brits would have landed an army as well and the theater would have been very similar to it's distant predecessor. Only increasing the parellels between Napoleon and Hitler.

-- Napoleon's decision to invade Spain wasn't just senseless (attacking a loyal ally for the ridiculous purpose of installing a brother on their thrown) it was ruinous as well. In one stroke he left Britain with nothing to worry about globally, handed the Spanish fleet to Britain as a gift, and imposed a gaping wound on himself. There's no comparison between Nappy and Hitler as generals, one was a great one and the other wasn't, but his Spanish invasion sure sounds a lot like something Hitler would have done.