[WarInEur] Balkans Issues

[sgminfo]

Terry Shaw wrote:
> >> / Has anybody ideas on the Balkans issues I raised a while ago? This 
> was Bulgaria surrendering if the Soviets conquer Romania and occupy 
> Bucharest in say 1940. Should this occur and does it impact on the 
> political point level i.e. a violation of Bulgaria by the Soviet 
> player?.../
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the only way to approach this is from a rrealpolitik standpoint, 
and then see if we can arrive at a realistic emulation of this.

How one might givern Bulgarian and Rumanian behaviour?

Effectively, from a political point of view this is governed by two things.
    1.How bad a juggernought the Red army would appear to be
and
    2.What are the prospects of immediate succour for the defenders.

In 1940-41, the Soviets were an unknown quantity, a threat certainly, 
but not an insurmountable one. Conversely the Germans were at the height 
of their game, knocking off whole countries in a matter of days.

In addition the Reich was casting a spell of protection over the balkan 
peoples, covering them against the dark ambitions of the Soviet state.

Logically we want to simulate relatively well equipped (in the style of 
1940) armies defending with a friendly disposed power at their backs.

A not unreasonable assumption at this time is that they would fight 
tooth and nail.

1944. The same armies with mostly the same , now outdated equipment, 
face a battle hardened behemoth not known for its leniency, terrifyingly 
up to date equipment and seemingly in limitless volume, whilst the 
defenders are looking at a German Ally that is not only unstable, but 
being gored to death at the same time. The political ball game now has 
the defenders almost as the flotsam and loose change in the balance of 
power....more to the point, they are all too painfully aware of it. They 
must look to arrange their own salvation, whilst at the same time 
preventing the germans from turning on them and occupying them with all 
the desasters that this might entail for their countries. 1.Occupied and 
looted by the germans, then two, occupied and THEN looted , laid waste, 
as collaborators by the vengeful soviets.

Neither a very entertaining prospect.

The political game being set needs to cater for these two positions and 
circumstances...


-|steve|-