African Campaign - A surprising Enemy

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tonystowe
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Posts: 462
Joined: Apr 10 2006
Location: Tennessee

African Campaign - A surprising Enemy

Post by tonystowe »

South Africa has been a focal point for me lately as I try various tactics in diplomacy, military and economically to improve my game. Now on to the story.

The game is now towards the end of its fourth year and South Africa appears to be doing very well. It economy is bolstering, has no regional debt, and its military - while not the largest, is certainly the best trained across the spectrum of platforms, and my greatest diplomatic feat has been keeping the peace while all of the other regions maintained states of war. Every region had at least a DEFCON 3 with a few exceptions whose DEFCON 1 seemed to remain constant. South Africa has managed a DEFCON 5 this entire time.

Internal problems exist with high taxes (AI controlled), Inflation flunctuating around 10-12 percent, and unemployment bottoming out at 2.5 percent. Every resource is producing more than the country is using and the surplus continues to grow as I manage the allowable exports. Particular attention is giving to petroleum, uranium, and other "war" necessities.

With this "high horse" lifestyle I am enjoying an excellent R&D department whose work is being realized on a better than average timeline due to a large budget and many research facilities.

During these four years the infrastructure has changed considerably to bolster the economy and supply while also preparing for defensive measures. Natural resources are plentiful and I continue to exploit those reserves.

The military department has maintained a 70-80% approval rating while my popularity with the people has never exceeded 32%. The military department has realigned the regions military bases to improve support of all forces in the event of war. Naval piers and airstrips were added to provide additional support against the immediate threats. Additionally, redeployment of forces, to include reserves, were conducted in order to meet the projected threats along the border.

South Africa's diplomats were extremely busy throughout this time while they established as indepth a relation as possible with each of the regions. At its highest point our Diprelate with most every region was at a level that allowed most any request or trade to be conducted. This was short lived however as Namibia Federation had jolted me with a huge buildup along an oil reserve rich area in the western part of its country and around its capitol. I found this threatening and begin building a complex design of emplacements in which I entrenched defensive troops along with three SP Arty units each along the length of our common border. Prior to the emplacements tensions were low with our CB being roughly 18-25%, however Namibia viewed my actions as a threat and the Belli went to 43% where it remained for most of this portion of the game. With all of the conceding, money given, and everything else that I had done I could not persuade any of the other regions to allie with South Africa! None the less they all had found a common place amongst themselves as they all allied with one another in a spider-web of allegiances.

WAR WOUNDS: At some point early in the second year Morocco and Libya declared war against one another and by the end of the third year most all other regions had also declared war against Libya - yet they were not allied with Morocco. Neither Libya nor Morocco has made any viable gains during this war while both have lost a great number of units.

Around June/July of the four year tensions between Nigeria and the African Federation (AF) broke out into all out war and while both had allies none of them joined the fight. I had invested considerably into AF to acquire Sea Transit & Supply access and other treaties and the war was something that I didn't want to see turn in Nigeria's favor. To assist AF I first sent some anti-ship missiles, several billion dollars, and some technology to assist them in their endeavors. Both had fairly large militaries but Nigeria was slowly gaining ground against AF forces.

During their war I had begun to assemble a rather large naval force comprising mostly of TLCP's loaded with various troops for my planned Nigeria campaign - "in support of" African Federation. My intent was to move this force into AF waters, conduct recon of the Nigerian region and determine when to declare war and where to establish my beach head. Upon declaring war I would immediately take control of Nigerian waters, oil rigs and conduct additional intel operations using my submarines.

My declaration of war against Nigeria had several angles in which I was not sure as to what the outcome would be in terms of the regions being either in favor for or against my actions. I already expected the regions in allegiance with Nigeria to declare war against me - one of them being Namibian Federation. This contingency was already established and I was ready to deal with this threat as necessary. The biggest gamble I was making was in hoping that the AF would see my actions against Nigeria as a sign of my support for them and our relationship would grow. I must tell you that AF and South Africa did not have an alliance and my Diprelate and CivRelate with them was very low (I have no idea why this was the case as I had spent billions on them in both money and technology). AF was allied with several other regions of whom I have continued diplomacy but none will ally with me.

Seeing that my CB against Nigeria was 90% I declared war and quickly seized Nigeria's oil rigs and sea zones and as expected its allies declared war against me. Nigeria was still fighting AF and most of the action was at their border near the Nigeria Sea Pier - which was to be my beach head. Fourteen TLCP's loaded with tanks, AT, INF Light, Engineers, Artillery and some supply units unloaded at the Nigerian pier and slowly pushed the Nigerian military north and east. My limited naval intel assets could not see the real Namibian forces and I was pretty sure that my demise was to be forthcoming quickly once I realized the depth of their forces. However, my forces with-stood the onslaught and I slowly seized a rather large portion of real estate from Nigerian.

The second front with Namibia, while a bother, was taking shape as their forces had practically conducted a blitzkrieg against my forces. My emplacements with entrenched troops had developed supporting defenses causing many of the Namibian forces to look for "easier" routes. This was their demise as I had intentionally established "kill boxes" were Namibian forces simply flowed into and I massed my forces to deal with them. I haphazardly returned to manage this fight when I could breathe a little in my Nigerian campaign.

Returning to Nigeria and after several hard weeks of fighting the Nigerian casualties and loss of land had mounted considerably - although 90% from my forces and not those from AF. In addition, AF had completely pulled its forces back to let me take the brunt of the fight - more correctly, all of the fight! Anyways, I had come to terms that AF was going to let me take this one in the chin while they got themselves back in order after Nigeria's invasion - or so I thought.

While I had taken considerable losses on this successful landing I had taken from Nigeria one airbase, one pier, two military bases, and sizeable chunk of land. The military bases were worth its weight in gold as I counted on them for repairing my forces and they done an excellent job. The pier was critical in providing supplies and with my fifteen or so TLCP's I was constantly pushing logistics for the ground fight. Much to my disappointment I did not have a single aircraft to support my actions and I simply did not have the means of getting my airforces into that theater of operations.

I was pretty much winning the battles surrounding that southwest corner of Nigeria that I owned and was pleased with the progress. My Achiles Heel in this operation is that I had not planned additional forces for reinforceing this mission. Granted, this failure was paramount by all standards but I did not expect AF to quite nor the following events to occur. Once established in Nigeria I had every intention to give AF 80% of the territory and I would simply maintain a beachhead to supply my forces. Simple really - I would take land and then give it to them - a Win, Win situation if you ask me. The problem came about when I heard the all too common "War has been declared" against me sounds and to find out that the African Federation was the one making the declaration! :x

My fight with Nigeria had just gotten to a point of me being able to breathe and plan some skirmishes and now I had to pull forces from that line and move the west to fight AF. When this move occurred Nigeria jumped at the opportunity and retook some land which I later recovered. At this point I am at war with everyone and the very region that I was "helping" is now the focus of my vengence!!!

~~ This game continues more to follow ~~
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