[WarInEur] Realpolitik in WIE

[Hansen]

I think the 'realpolitik' view is a key element for the political game.
Taking it a step further, the cost to declare war on a country should be a
variable. 

As an example, in CWIE, I would often declare war on Yugoslavia as I am
wrapping up the Polish campaign. In game turns, this makes sense. 

1) After one turn to shatter the Polish front lines, the German has lots of
unit who are idle.
2) I am likely to take out Yugoslavia anyway, so why not do it now and
collect the loot points longer.
3) If I decide to take out Greece (a big if), taking out Yugoslavia in fall
of '39 means I can repair the rail to more efficiently get the troops from
the fall of France to Greece.
4) It also provides me with the opportunity to do some partisan hunting.

Now the unit attrition in CWIEII may change some of these calculations, but
the essence is the same.

But think about it from a political standpoint. Would the little three
(Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria) have happily smiled while Germany took over
a neighbor who was no threat to them?

Yugoslavia was invaded (if I remember correctly) because of internal
politics/coup within Yugoslavia. So the timing was not for Germany's
benefit, but events outside of their control.

Prior to the fall of France, the prevailing view was that France and England
would be able to fight Germany to a stalemate (ala WWI). Bloody, but
balanced. With the fall of France, the prevailing view was that Germany had
an unstoppable army and you had best not mess with them.

So having the same political costs and the same political interactions for
invading Yugoslavia in Fall of '39 and Summer of '40 doesn't make sense.

How to fix this without even more fun and games in regards to the code is
beyond me.

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|-


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End of WarInEur Digest, Vol 36, Issue 3
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