Hearts of Iron 3

Well, this isn’t exactly a review, but it sure fills my need for original content. I just haven’t been that interested in writing about anime the last few weeks — none of the shows are exciting me right now. I’m watching plenty, but nothing’s really worth it, except maybe Sword Art Online — and last weeks episode was pretty meh.

So anyway, HOI3 is the (obviously) 3rd installment of Paradox’s WWII grand strategy game. Like other Paradox titles, it continues to be supported as long as the public is interested in buying add-ons; I’m current through the For the Motherland (USSR) expansion, and plan to get the new expansion when it comes out, whenever that is. Once nice thing about the game is that it’s very customizable, and there’s an active mod community making alt-history versions (South won the American Civil War, etc.), technology mods, or even randomizers. The mod I’ve been playing uses all the countries involved in WWII and a few post WWII nations, but generates random country borders, governments, resources, population centers, technologies, histories, fortifications, infrastructure, air bases, ports, and leaders (both military and civilian). Certain objectives retain their importance, but otherwise, you can have high populations and industries north of the Arctic Circle, or Los Angeles can be a barren wasteland. I mean, besides culturally.

In the world the randomizer has generated for me, I am playing a communist-ruled Japan (faction: Comintern), which is located in the eastern Siberia. (See map 1). I did a little editing of the starting files — Japan had individually prospered but in four tries, its faction had gotten trounced within two years, so I boosted its manpower, starting force levels, and leadership to help. I also used a cheat code to allow me to attack as soon as I was able.

Map 1: Shaded areas are conquered by various parties. Japan is at the north edge, and controls everything shaded with light orange. (North and East of Netherlands.)

I hadn’t intended for it to be the case, but this is a huge article, because I got “in character” while summarizing the state of my game, and that got… wordy. So to keep from killing everyone with a wall of text, I’ve broken this article down into multiple parts and will post it, one part a day, for the rest of this week. Tonight was this introduction. Tomorrow night will be the global geopolitical summary, Later articles will include the naval, air force, army, industrial, and research developments. They may include interfaces and discussion of the game itself.

The date is March 31, 1941. The world is now a struggle between the forces of the decadent running dogs of Uruguayan capitalism, and the forces of revolution led by the glorious People’s Republic of Nihon (PRoN), — as ruled in his infinite wisdom by Comrade Emperor Hirohito. The crusade to liberate the world from slavery to capitalism and bring the enlightenment of Bolshevism to the masses has begun….