( My playthrough of Germany, starting 1936, normal/easy [my first time with HOI3 so thats why its on lower settings] )
I will be writing this in the form of a radio broadcast to present thing's (screenshots will just explain them in brief)
The Germany empire, has expanded rigourously since 1936. The nations of Czechloslovakia and Autstria, were absorbed into Germany, while the nation of Slovakia was created out of the ashes of it.
In the early summer of 1939, Operation Vigilant Justice was launched. This was Germany's planned assault on Poland, and its subsiquent Occupation.
Not long after, Operation Northern Aggression (The German occupation of Denmark and Norway was set in motion. Airborne and ground attack operations ceased key ports and locations in both nations, causing the government's of both to capitulate and surrender to the Germany Wehrmacht.
After the Winter War was over, Operation Reciprocity was carried out in the spring of 1940. Germany Army Group West pushed through Belgium and into France, encircling the French 2nd and 5th Field Armies, and capturing Paris in under 4 weeks of combat. After the major Western threat was neutralized, the Germany Army marched north and captured Holland as well. In 2 months, Britain seemed alone.
(drawn up after the battle of France, but shows the route of attack taken by the German Army)
As the German Army began to demoblize, The British Expeditionary force in North Africa, captured Tripoli, causing the Italian allies to have a major set back. German High Command had plans drawn up for the invasion of North Africa, but a port would be needed to get there. Operation "Lighting the Torch" was put in motion where German Army Group South would invade Yugoslavia and Greece and then move to capture Crete. From these area's, the German's would send a small field army to attack the British in the desert.
Yugoslavia soon feel to Italian and German infantry. The italian forces, being heavly built up in the south near the former state of Albania, attacked Greek and British forces. The italians meet with initial sucess and then retreated back to Italy. The small german southern army group was sent in to fight for greece. What seemed like a quick operation, soon turned into stalemate.
Greek forces managed to muster an Army of 100,000 soldiers, and had several British Royal Marine divisions. The first two months of the siege of Athens also included greek forces holding the southern peninsula of greece, however German Paratroopers sized the area's, pushing the greek and british back to a small corridor. Eventually, 6 months into the siege, German forces pushed into the city, pushing the Greek and british troops to an island off the coast of Athens. (I would post more pictures however I am unable to upload them to my steam account at the moment.)