HOI4: What's The Point of Expanding Soviet Aid?

Today in Spain, to ensure their survival the Republicans will request aid from the Soviet Union. But this attempt to make certain of victory will lead Spain down a dangerous road towards integration into the USSR. This'll mean one more fight to ensure Spanish independence once and for all.
Along the way we will explore the expand Soviet aid tree, to see what it's all about, what's good and what's bad. All to see if there is a point to this tree, or if it's something you shouldn't do.
Music used from:
A Hat in Time:
Hearts of Iron IV:
All copyright is reserved to it's respective and or corporations as need be.

[@BubblesZest]

I've gotten requests to do a What's The Point on Democratic Spain before, the problem with that is historical paths have a pretty understandable reason to exist so they aren't really allowed to be in this series. So I went with this instead, still it gave me an excuse to play Spain again so it worked out fairly well. Schedule for future videos: I don't know when the next will be, but I want to know from you what you see want see, that can be What's The Point, Guides, Challenges, etc. Do let me know.

[@dobi2236]

Have you considered doing some Victoria 2 videos, assuming you know how to play the damn game lmao. Been learning it myself and it's super fun, would be cool to see some smaller guides for Byzantine Greece or whatnot

[@dobi2236]

@@darkphoenix2745 I beg to differ, I'd say it's the hardest to learn because of it's pretty bad UI and unfriendly menus but is pretty easy once you learn it. I think it can be daunting but the AI in Vicky 2 is worse than hoi4 so

[@dobi2236]

@@darkphoenix2745 Germany I sometimes think gets free buffs or something, they consistently destroy all of Europe alone at the same time it's crazy what Prussia can do

[@maxstirnersego]

Bubbles, I know it's 2 weeks late but there was a peace out with soviets event. The only problem is it's broken, the Soviet Union is supposed to get an event to either end the war or continue it, but they never get the event

[@liammozza2330]

In the latest Ethiopian dev diary there are more peace options by decisions, hopefully making peace will be easier in the future and you wont have to be stuck in endless wars with nations far away if it's a grind or stalemate

[@legalduidriving]

They should add an event for Spain when they push the Soviets out of the mainland to ask for peace like Japan has when China pushes them out the continent.

[@dominickmaddox9576]

Its always irked me in this game how theres a lack of war time diplomacy between enemies, once youre in a war in this game its literally a fight to the death, there should be more nuance where you can request peace deals and maybe offer land in exchange for peace etc

[@aidenbooksmith2351]

In other Paradox games that is possible. But in this particular one, it's a reflection of the total "victory or death" mentality during WW2. Before WW2, historical wars would be the Clausewitzian way: you make a demand, attack and wait until they think accepting the demand is worth more than continuing the war. You get your demand (territory, political loyalty, money, concessions, resources, etc whatever you asked for) if you win. But in WW2, Poland, Germany, and all the rest actually fought to the death and were not willing to do ANY concessions. It was a victory or death scenario for them.

[@enricovangelderen6464]

@@aidenbooksmith2351 factually false

[@aidenbooksmith2351]

@@enricovangelderen6464 I do not claim to know everything and I appreciate if you could point me in the right direction om how to fix my knowledge

[@enricovangelderen6464]

@@aidenbooksmith2351 France surrenderd the Netherlands surrendered after Berlin fell Germany basically surrenderd many more

[@anonymous-mi8su]

@@enricovangelderen6464 you only need to look at Germany,UK and the USSR to see he's right

[@Laza10426]

Actually joining Axis after declaring independence using focus "Deal with the devil" could be a good way to beat the Soviets

[@BubblesZest]

Neither that focus or Enemies of our Enemy allow you to join the axis, the former only gives a small attack/defence bonus. This also assumes the Axis AI is competent enough to beat the Soviets with you, which isn't always the case.

[@legalduidriving]

I find it funny how Democratic Spain has no option to join the Allies, but Franco's Non-Aligned/Fascist Spain can.

[@luk-128]

Yeah , its incredibly dumb , Franco literally can befriend the Allies while having wargoals on them

[@Nyarlschannel]

if you contest a province that's already at level 1 or 2 and currently has the bad guys going for the next level you get to negate a level 2 or 3 influence while paying the lower level cost, it puts AI into a situation where it'll continuously try to up their influence that gets continuously bonked down for cheap

[@pepeperez5000]

Thanks to your guides and a lot of micro I manage to beat the nationalist in the 12 of september 1936, going anarchist btw.

[@cloudyones]

D'you think you could do one on the Polish Intermarium path? I never see any youtubers go down into making that way, and it looks quite fun.

[@deumevet]

this is just a small part of the overall shitty diplomacy in this game, specially in war diplomacy where you can do nothing.

[@nono_Hoi4]

another whats the point potential idea: Whats the point of: Italy first in italy's focus tree before it's gone

[@luk-128]

I think It is so people wont stay at War with Ethiopia till 39/40 and grind generals, if you do you get locked out of the Focus tree

[@Roatsky]

I think they didn't add the peace out event because if the soviet decide to not occupy catalonia than the peace deal will fire without any fighting which is a little weird for the soviet to go to war than 1 day later just give up. Also there's a higher chance soviet won't occupy catalonia and let you peace out peacefully if they are at war

[@BubblesZest]

I don't think it's that indepth, Paradox likely either forgot or never bothered to make it. Cause they probably could make it work with all of that if they tried.

[@gamebro65productions68]

hey nice vid.

[@janys6502]

Tip: let them take the northern provinces, then they get 4 mils which you inherit

[@BubblesZest]

That's a really bad tip, lend-lease could make up for any extra mils you'd gain. Not to mention the potential for equipment/manpower loss while you flush out the nationalists and their volunteers.

[@janys6502]

@@BubblesZest well you dont exactly attack across the entire line. I usually make a breaktrough and encircle their volounteers by removing the debuff and then finish off the part where their vps are

[@DrewPicklesTheDark]

idk why they can't white peace like China and Japan, or Italy and Ethiopia.

[@jillfizzard1018]

I'd like to see a "What's the point of the Balkan League (on Turkey)

[@BubblesZest]

Takes too long to get there, you can't expand and then the axis streamrolls you. I've heard it's good for MP but that wouldn't work for a video. Pretty much every Turkish path has some variation of this, which is why I haven't and probably won't do them anytime soon.

[@popfox2195]

@@BubblesZest not true I did it with cella bayer, no civil war and got everyone even Bulgaria in on Ironman, very lucky but I lost everyone and had to retreat to behind Dardanelles strait, paradrop encircled and pushed all the way to Hungary and allies and soviets beat germany

[@Potatotenkopf]

I don't really see the issue with becoming the ussrs puppet, I did it and they released me when I did the appealing for autonomy focus. I never noticed though... does being a puppet cost you?

[@BubblesZest]

We have no access to that focus you muppet. You can only do that as Republican Spain if you do Communists in Government but that means if you want to stay democratic your stuffed.

[@christiandevey3898]

What's the point of democratic independent New Zealand

[@petesperandio2572]

In-game observer mode.

[@Mikhka]

What's the point of new Zealand?

[@robland3253]

Eh just trick the allies