Axis minor countries

[micheljq]

Good morning,

How Axis minor countries are dealed with? I speak about Finland, Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria, who historically were satellite countries of Germany. Finland was proaxis after the winter war with USSR. The others were proaxis after some coups d'etat from Germany.

Looks like USSR can attack those minor countries without any restrictions, which does not make sense to me. Is there for example, a rule for USSR claiming Bessarabia from Rumania, the borderlands from Finland, and east Poland when Germany attacks Poland. Or is there a limited war option or rule for USSR dealing with Finland or Rumania.

Thank you for your time.

[cpdeyoung]

The USSR cannot attack Romania, Bulgaria, or Hangary without a very good chance of (100%?) going to war with the Axis. Sweden also is off limits. Finland is another story, and the USSR can attack here or allow an event to offer a Winter War. The USSR can decline the Winter War.

Notice that when you hover over the "Declare war" choice it mentions the nation will join the Axis. I am pretty sure this is always the case.

Chuck

[Mike Parker]

Each nation has a sphere of influence that it belongs to.  If you attack a Minor that is in another alliance's sphere of influence.. Mmmm well in Texas we would say "Well son.. ahm afraid ahm gonna have ta whup ya"
 
 

[carnifex]

There is also a Russia Demands Besserabia event of some sort to take account of that situation.

[micheljq]

Hello,

Thank you for all your answers. I will go deeper in my thinking. In 1938 Germany and USSR had a neutrality pact. So I question if USSR would have been willing to attack Germany or a minor country under Germany's influence in 1939-40. In most games on WW2, there is a mechanism who refrain for example USSR from attacking Rumania, or going full war with Finland, at least on the first years of WW2. OK we know that Germany broke the pact in 1941.

So apart from for example Rumania going Axis if USSR attacks it let's say in 1939, nothing will stop USSR from doing it? Like USSR just waits for Germany to be occupied in France and then it just picks and destroy Rumania?

Thank you,

[Mike Parker]

Well Michaeljq, that Neutrality pact also had secret protocols that ceded certain areas (such as Bessarabia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Eastern Poland, and Finland) as lying within the Soviet Sphere of influence.
 
As for your suggestion about Rumania, if the USSR attacks Rumania in 1939, there is every reason to believe the Germans will DoW the USSR.  This is of course AI behavior.  In a human game I might as a German Player do the DoW also.  The USSR is in NO CONDITION to fight a real war in late 39 early 40.  But if I let em gobble up Rumania they will be a ferocious beast by late '40.  It would be very hard to fight both France and the USSR, but I think it could be done.  Rumania isn't a pushover given the forces the USSR has to bring against it this early, and it should be enough for me to bring alot of German Inf to support.  The problem I can see would be very little German Air would be available to divert from France.. at most you could spare 2 Divisions and 2 Armies.. Rumania starts with a half strength army but the Soviets have 12 full strength armies at the games inception if I remember.