South Africa
South Africa is a Dominion and member of the British Commonwealth, so it is a starting member of the Allies. It is a minor regional power in southern Africa.
Historical background[edit | edit source]
Eight years after the Second Boer War (1899-1902) the British Parliament created the Union of South Africa and granted it nominal independence. After the Statute of Westminster in 1931 the dominion was granted full sovereignty and got a new democratic regime. The National Party and the South African Party merged to be called the United Party and was elected into office.
When the war came in 1939, the Prime Minister didn't want to join the war. He was replaced and South Africa joined the war on the side of the allies on the 4th of September 1939. Although the Afrikaans-speaking White population was substantially anti-British, a very large percentage of the "English" population served in many different theaters of the war (most notably North Africa) and aided in the war in the air.
Events[edit | edit source]
- Main article: South African events
National focus[edit | edit source]
- Main article: South African national focus tree
South Africa, along with other nations of the British commonwealth, gets a unique national focus tree as part of the
Together for Victory expansion. Without the expansion it utilizes the Generic national focus tree instead.
South Africa's unique focus tree has 6 main branches and 2 sub-branches:
- War Measures Act/Support the Policy of Appeasement branch
- This branch focuses on war preparations, mustering
South Africa's industrial capacity as well as constructing strategic defensive forts. The other half of the branch reinforces cooperation with the rest of the Commonwealth.
- Abandon Westminster branch
- This branch focuses on independence from the Commonwealth, with a choice of becoming either a
Fascist or
Communist country.
- Support the Afrikaner Broederbond sub-branch
- The
Fascist sub-branch. This branch opens the possibility to switch to fascism by starting a civil war. The player can go for greater cooperation with the
German Reich, which comes with substantial benefits, or start a faction of its own, with a policy of revanchism targeting the
United Kingdom. In either case, former British king Edward VIII can be selected as the head of state.
- Empower the Workers sub-branch
- The
Communist sub-branch. One path aligns
South Africa with the
Soviet Union. The other is the most unique of the focus tree, Anti-Colonialist Crusade:
South Africa declares war on the colonial powers to liberate Africa from their rule.
- South African Railways branch
- This branch focuses on improving infrastructure, expanding industrial capacity, and providing additional research slots.
- Special Service Battalion branch
- This branch provides bonuses to weapons, artillery and land doctrine research.
- Commit to the Five-Year Plan branch
- This branch provides bonuses to aircraft and air doctrine research.
- Seaward Defense Force branch
- This branch focuses on the navy, giving bonuses to ship models and naval doctrine research.
Technology[edit | edit source]
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South Africa starts out with many of the 1936 technologies. While strong on ground, they only start out with Early Destroyer Hull, Transport Ships and some basic armaments researched. Fortunately, the nearest threats are the distant Italians and Japanese and these destroyers suffice for engaging any convoys passing off South Africa's coast. They start out with the Grand Battleplan land doctrine and the Fleet in Being naval doctrine.
At the beginning of the game they only have 2 research slots. 3 more can be obtained by respectively completing the national focuses "Fund the University of South Africa", "The Cape Defense Institute" and "Defense Collaboration Initiative". Note that the latter two focuses requires South Africa to be fully independent. The "Defense Collaboration Initiative" requires South Africa to be at war in a faction.
Army Technology | Naval Technology | Air Technology | Electronics & Industry |
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Army Technology | Naval Technology | Air Technology | Electronics & Industry |
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Cosmetic names[edit | edit source]
South Africa, being a British dominion, shares most of their technologies and equipment with the United Kingdom, but still fields equipment that separates it from its mother country. Note that generic names are not listed.
Type | 1918 | 1936 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 |
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Support Weapons | Vickers MG & Stokes mortar | Lewis Mk. III DEMS & SBML two-inch mortar | Bren Mk. I & ML 3 inch mortar | Bren Mk. III & ML 4.2 inch Mortar | |||||
Infantry Equipment | Rifle No.1 MkIII | Rifle No.4 MkI | Sten MkII | Rieder SMLE-CAR | |||||
Infantry Anti-Tank | Boys Anti-Tank Rifle | PIAT | |||||||
Motorized | Austin K5 | ||||||||
Mechanized | Bren Carrier | Universal Carrier | Churchill Kangaroo |
Tech year | Anti-Air | Artillery | Rocket Artillery | Anti-Tank |
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1934 | QF 18-pounder | |||
1936 | QF 3-inch | QF 2-pounder | ||
1939 | QF 25-pounder | |||
1940 | QF 40 mm Bofors | RP-3 HE/GP | QF 6-pounder | |
1942 | BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun | |||
1943 | QF 3.7-inch | RP-3 HE/SAP | QF 17-pounder |
Tech year | Close Air Support (Carrier) | Fighter (Carrier) | Naval Bomber (Carrier) | Heavy Fighter | Tactical Bomber | Strategic Bomber | Scout Plane |
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1933 | Gladiator (Nimrod) | B-18 Bolo | |||||
1936 | Hector (Osprey) | Hurricane (Sea Gladiator) | Swordfish (Shark) | Blenheim | Wellington | Halifax | |
1940 | Typhoon (Skua) | Spitfire (Fulmar) | Albacore (Roc) | Beaufighter | Beaufort | Lancaster | |
1944 | Tempest (Sea Fury) | Spiteful (Firefly) | Barracuda (Firebrand) | Mosquito FB | Mosquito B | Lincoln | |
Jet Engine Technology | |||||||
1945 | Meteor | Venom | |||||
1950 | Vampire | Canberra | Valiant |
Politics[edit | edit source]
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South Africa is a minor nation whose main feature is its unique position. Far away from Europe, it is the only African country with a national government other than tiny Liberia (unless a player-led Ethiopia pulls off a miracle). Although South Africa is not affected by the Great Depression, it suffers from History of Segregation, which inflicts a crippling -55% recruitment factor on an already limited manpower pool. The nation has a small industry by Western standards, but it is far more developed than the rest of the continent. Once Europe has been engulfed in the flames of the World War, it will fall upon South Africa to protect the colonial empires - or destroy them.
National spirits[edit | edit source]
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By default, South Africa has no national spirits. With the Together for Victory DLC enabled, South Africa will have the Ossewabrandwag and History of Segregation national spirits at the start of both the 1936 and 1939 scenario. These national spirits can be modified depending on which national focuses South Africa chooses throughout the course of a game.
Diplomacy[edit | edit source]
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In both start dates, South Africa is a member of the allies with particularly strong diplomatic ties to the United Kingdom, but because of domestic politics it is not certain that South Africa will join the war.
With Together for Victory, South Africa starts as a
Dominion of the
United Kingdom and at 40% of the progress towards independence. This almost guarantees being brought into the war unless drastic action is taken to break away before that happens.
Political parties[edit | edit source]
Staff and designers[edit | edit source]
These are choices of advisors and design companies for South Africa.
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Iscor | Medium Tank Designer |
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150 |
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Naval Company | Ship Designer |
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150 |
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Industrial Company | Industrial Concern |
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150 |
Electronics Company | Electronics Concern |
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150 |
Economy[edit | edit source]
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Laws[edit | edit source]
- 1936
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Conscription Law | Economy Law | Trade Law |
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- 1939
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This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
Conscription Law | Economy Law | Trade Law |
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Industry and resources[edit | edit source]
Type | No. | |
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Aluminum | 0 |
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Chromium | 170 |
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Oil | 0 |
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Rubber | 0 |
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Steel | 8 |
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Tungsten | 0 |
Type | No. | |
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Civilian factory | 9 |
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Military factory | 1 |
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Naval dockyard | 0 |
Type | No. | |
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Aluminum | 0 |
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Chromium | 188 |
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Oil | 0 |
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Rubber | 0 |
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Steel | 8 |
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Tungsten | 0 |
Type | No. | |
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Civilian factory | 11 |
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Military factory | 1 |
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Naval dockyard | 1 |
- Industry
- South Africa starts with a small industrial base with limited room for further growth.
- Resources
- The seemingly large potential for chromium exports should not be allowed to impair economic growth by trade policies that allocate too much steel for export and require active steel imports. This is particularly a concern if South Africa does not remain loyal to the British Empire.
Military[edit | edit source]
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1936[edit | edit source]
Type | No. | |
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Infantry | 6 |
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Total divisions | 6 |
Type | No. | |
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Total ships | 0 |
Type | No. | |
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Fighter | 30 |
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Total planes | 30 |
In 1936 South Africa has a very small and poorly equipped military consisting of only three six-Infantry battalion divisions (Cape Force), three three-Infantry battalion divisions (Cape Brigade), and a single air wing of 30 Gloster Gladiator interwar fighters stationed in Transvaal.
The army itself only has 30% of the equipment needed to operate at full capacity. Due to its small size and South Africa's steel industry, its divisions can be fully equipped with domestically produced rifles by the end of October, if a second military factory is built. South Africa lacks a navy in 1936 and only has a small convoy fleet of 25 with no naval dockyards. However, by far the greatest hindrance to South Africa fielding a powerful military early on is their History of Segregation national spirit, present in both the 1936 and 1939 scenarios, which effectively reduces the nation's recruitable population by 55%. Despite this large penalty South Africa still has the largest recruitable population of all of the British Dominions, second only to the British Raj.
1939[edit | edit source]
Type | No. | |
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Infantry | 6 |
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Total divisions | 6 |
Type | No. | |
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Total ships | 0 |
Type | No. | |
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Fighter | 75 |
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Naval bomber | 12 |
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Tactical bomber | 12 |
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Total planes | 99 |
In the 1939 scenario South Africa's army has not increased in size compared to 1936, is still poorly equipped, and the country has not yet developed a navy. The South African Air Force has grown significantly, and now consists of four air wings: one wing of 45 Gloster Gladiator interwar fighters, one wing of 30 1936 Hawker Hurricane fighters, one wing of 12 1936 Fairey Swordfish naval bombers, and one wing of 12 1936 Ju 86 Tactical Bombers.
Vickers Wellington 1936 tactical bombers are available to be manufactured, but with only one military factory in the entire country, their production would divert resources that might be put to better use strengthening the army.
If campaigning in low infrastructure/high attrition areas, (almost anywhere in Africa or the Middle East) it is recommended to use Field Hospitals and Maintenance Companies to conserve limited manpower and equipment.
Military staff[edit | edit source]
These are the military staff candidates for appointment in South Africa.
Name | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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James Mitchell-Baker | Army Maneuver (Expert) |
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150 |
Leonard Beyers | Army Defense (Expert) |
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150 |
Name | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Pierre Oliver-Knoll | Naval Maneuver (Expert) |
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150 |
Cornelis van Zuigenbrogge | Commerce Raiding (Expert) |
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150 |
Name | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Adolf Malan | All-Weather (Expert) |
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150 |
Pierre van Ryneveld | Ground Support (Expert) |
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150 |
Strategies and guides[edit | edit source]
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Crusader Kings (also, District 9 and I am the Tong Master)
To start out, do the focuses Abandon Westminster, Support the Afrikaaner Broederbond, Support Ossewabrandwag and Support Nazification of South West Africa. Build up your Industry, Civilian Factories first, especially in Transvaal, as that will give you another achievement, District 9, as well. Do not build an army, but do produce a variety of equipment to build one later, I usually add at least a few factories on Artillery and Support equipment as those are very useful. For political advisors, get the Fascist Demagogue, the Silent Workhorse and the Captain of Industry. Around mid to late 1938 do the Focus Support the German Coup, (followed by A King for our People) this will trigger the South African civil war. To win this, rush for the supply depots and encircle your out of supplies enemies and destroy them where possible. Going for Grand Battleplan will be very useful as it grants you both Command power to use Force attack more often and Breakthrough, however, Superior Firepower should also work just fine. Win the civil war by mid 1939 at the latest and join the Axis. Build up an army of at least 10 Divisions, add whatever you like to add, I went with 7 Inf, 1 Art, 1 AA with Art, AA, Engineer support, later adding Logistics as well. When Italy joins the Axis, set up a Naval invasion order from Taranto to Tel Aviv and the two tiles above it. Wait until the Axis gain Naval supremacy, you probably won't be able to help a lot with this but it will happen anyways, then launch your naval Invasion. Once these three Tiles are secured, you will get the Crusader Kings Achievement.
By this point, the year should be 1940 or 1941. If you have been building your industry as described above, you will have gotten the District 9 achievement as well, and releasing any 1 Subject, such as Namibia, while independent will also grant you the I am the Tong Master achievement. Unless your Invasion of the Levant gets crushed like mine was, you can probably also go on to win the War and potentially get the Rule Britannia achievement.
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