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Hungarian tanks seen moving across the Croatian border

SUMMARY

Yesterday near server reset, the nations of the former PEACE GC launched a massive attack across the globe. The invasion was preceded by harassment attacks by the United Kingdom that were aimed to drain allied damage before the main effort. As of right now, Croatia is under attack by Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia. In Scandinavia, Russian forces are moving deep into the underground in two regions. In South-east Asia, Malaysia is under heavy Indonesian assault, and has lost the region of Sabah, as well as their Capital; Peninsular Malaysia. In South America, Brazil has launched an attack of its own against Peru now that Poland’s attention is turned elsewhere. All has not completely gone awry for the Allies however, as Flanders was secured in Belgium despite some last moment tanking by the UK and their Allies.


CROATIA

Croatia is nation not blessed with good neighbors. To the east is a Serbia that still entertains notions of reforming a Serbian based Yugoslavia. To the North of Croatia is Hungary, arguably the strongest individual country in the New World. It has since become a habit of these two countries to attempt to breach the Croatian border. Both have attempted many times over the course of World War 3, usually when they think they have sufficiently distracted the Allies enough to get away with it. Even so, Croatia has emerged victorious every single time and its borders have gained a reputation for being impenetrable.

To try and fix this problem, many of citizens of the former PEACE nations moved to Serbia in an effort to dramatically increase that nations damage output. No doubt you have all noticed the population of Serbia hanging around 20,000. You can be certain such a large number is not native. It is the hope that the mass of Serb/PEACE citizens attacking in Slavonia will be enough of a drain on Allied efforts for the powerful Hungarian Military to be able to push into North-West Croatia. Couple this with an attack near Server Reset time, and draining actions elsewhere in the world, and if it were not for Indonesia and France fighting each other in Malaysia, Hungary and Serbia would have made this their best effort yet.

Since most of the raw numbers are present in Serbia, Allied forces focused on Slavonia until the wall was put up near the secure line. Because damage is so spread around, neither side is able to do any significant wall building or crashing without great risk, so the Allies are unlikely to try and do much else in Slavonia until the time runs short. North-west Croatia will now be the biggest issue, though the Allies have advanced to within 400k points of forcing the fight between the lines. In order to win, both sides will have to carefully coordinate their damage. The size of the unsecured zones in both Slavonia and North-west Croatia (around 425k each) makes the possibility of a protracted over-time battle in Croatia highly likely. For those who are unfamiliar with how battles work, the defense wins if the red area is in No Mans land, and the Offense wins if the red area is in Underground. If the red area is between the two, the battle will go on indefinitely until one side or the other hits their goal (sudden death).


UNITED KINGDOM

The UK is desperately juggling attacks on Maine and Rhode Island, and has so far been successful in holding initiative. Its initiative they will be able to hang on to indefinitely since they have three attack options (Massachusetts being the third) should they wish to keep shelling the gold. If however, the Allies decide to invade; this initiative can be swiftly removed by an attack from either Belgium or Canada. The likelihood of such an invasion has become all the more likely due to the UK’s complicity in what is clearly a plan to destroy Croatia. The attacks on the USA drained significant amounts of Allied damage prior to main effort by Hungary and Serbia. Furthermore, the border the UK has with the United States puts it in the position of having a permanent initiative lock. Removing the UK from the map (if even temporarily) would give EDEN and the USA maneuvering room to deal with other issues. An Invasion of the UK would also greatly distract the current belligerent powers. They would have to choose whether to continue their invasions, or defend the United Kingdom. Without Allied help, the USA could solo the UK in the space of days. Which is exactly what will happen if Hungary, Serbia, Russia and Indonesia decide their own wars are more important then Britain.


MALAYSIA

Malaysia is about to pay a very heavy price for its ideals. This is the country that took neutrality to the point of religion, even when granted 29 MPP’s and assurances of assistance from the major powers on that list, Malaysia refused to decisively resolve its conflict with Indonesia. They could have done amazing things, such as region swaps with their Sol Allies, sending those MPP’s into the High Resource heartlands Indonesia has been ruling in India, and the incidental regions in China. Malaysia could have removed Indonesia as a threat to China all together, and given India back Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. All without once triggering Indonesia’s MPP list. And even then, triggering the MPP’s might not have been so bad after all is said and done, considering how many MPP’s Malaysia had of their own. They could possibly have taken over Indonesia in its entirety, and would have been certain to have gained Allied help in keeping it down while a Peace treaty was hammered out. Sure, Indonesia might be able to win a resistance war, but those regions in South Africa would have insured the MPP list would never close. The Indo’s would have been stuck, never being able to regain their full territory without extreme effort (unless they abandoned South Africa, another Sol Ally of Malaysia).

But as I said, neutrality was a religion to Malaysia, and now they will reap the whirlwind of their decision not to act, even after Indonesia assured the Malaysians they were intent on the countries annihilation. The Allies who could have provided significant offensive power weeks ago are now very busy now in Croatia, as well as contemplating a possible invasion of the United Kingdom. There simply is not enough resources available to sustain Allied operations and defend Malaysia. At the most Malaysia can call upon their Sol Allies, who I should point out have remained economically stunted because they lack control of many off their High Resource regions. Instead the only major support Malaysia has received has originated from France and Australia, with both countries Armies being ordered to support the Malaysians. This of course, was not enough. Sabah fell, and as of publication, the Malaysian Capital of Peninsular Malaysia and its Q5 Hospital have been occupied by Indonesian forces.

I will however, give credit where credit is due. The final over time fight in Peninsular Malaysia was an amazing spectacle to watch, as Sol and France tanked against Indonesia. The over time lasted about 10 minutes and hovered within a few thousand points of the secure line the entire time. At one point it went underground before going right back up again before Indonesia closed the deal. Malaysia definitely fought bravely, it is just a shame they never took that determination towards the first maxim of war. The only good defense is an offense. And in eRepublik, the country that attacks will invariably win eventually given enough tries.

*EDIT* Last ditch tanking in Sarawak saved Malaysia from complete occupation.

FINAL ANALYSIS

The battle in Croatia can swing either way, as it has invariably always been close every time Hungary and Serbia have attempted. A victory in both Northwest Croatia and Slavonia will prevent further enemy actions for 24 hours. During that time, the USA could move to invade the United Kingdom, who will be largely undefended due to their allies Berserking in Croatia. The American two clickers would be more then enough to make the first advance. After that it gets harder as the heavy hitters finish the 48 hours of healing, but with such a large list of MPP’s the USA would be in a position of strength. This action will require a blocking attack by Canada, Belgium, Sweden or Norway due to the UK keeping the USA initiative locked by its triple attack options. If the USA does not choose to invade, it will most likely be in order to provide more focus on reclaiming Finnish territory from Russia, as the Finns are once more forced to sacrifice territory in order to focus Allied damage elsewhere.

Should the Allies lose in Northwest Croatia, Hungary will retain initiative and be able to advance on Central Croatia, the last major population center for the Croats (though they have a Q5 in South Dalmatica). The shape of Croatia’s geography will inevitably force either Hungary or Serbia into do or die battles with no hope of retaining initiative if they lose. It is unlikely that either country will be able to force their way solo through all those MPP’s and actually take over the entire country. To then hold onto the Croatian territory they do manage to take in the face of the inevitable counter attack will be almost impossible.