South Africa

South Africa

---

Capital:

Pretoria

---

Government type:

Democratic, Conservative

---

Faction:

Allies

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

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 so 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

Main article: South African events

National focus

South African national focus tree.

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

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

This branch focuses on independence from the Commonwealth, with a choice of becoming either a Fascist or Communist country.

Support the Afrikaner Broederbond

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

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

This branch focuses on improving infrastructure, expanding industrial capacity, and providing additional research slots.

Special Service Battalion

This branch provides bonuses to weapons, artillery and land doctrine research.

Commit to the Five-Year Plan

This branch provides bonuses to aircraft and air doctrine research.

Seaward Defense Force

This branch focuses on the navy, giving bonuses to ship models and naval doctrine research.

Technology

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, but 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, and "Defense Collaboration Initiative" in particular also requires South Africa to be at war in a faction.

Technology 1936

Army Technology	Naval Technology	Air Technology	Electronics & Industry
Rifle No.4 MkI (Infantry Eq. I) Engineer Company I Recon Company I Vickers II (Light Tank I) QF 18-pounder (Towed Artillery I)	Early Destroyer Hull Basic Torpedo Naval Gunnery Transport Ship	Gloster Gladiator (Interwar Fighter) Hawker Nimrod (Interwar Carrier Fighter) Hawker Hector (Close Air Support I) Fairey Swordfish (Naval Bomber I) Blackburn Shark (Carrier Naval Bomber I) Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (Interwar Bomber)	Fuel Storage
Doctrines
Grand Battleplan	Fleet in Being	None

Technology 1939

Army Technology	Naval Technology	Air Technology	Electronics & Industry
Lewis Mk. III DEMS & SBML two-inch mortar (Support Weapons II) Rifle No.4 MkI (Infantry Eq. I) Improved Infantry Eq. I Engineer Company I Recon Company I Matilda Local Pattern (Light Tank II) Crusader Local Pattern (Medium Tank I) Vickers A1E1 'Independent' (Heavy Tank I) QF 18-pounder (Towed Artillery I) Interwar Artillery	Early Destroyer Hull Basic Torpedo Naval Gunnery Transport Ship	Hawker Nimrod (Interwar Carrier Fighter) Hawker Hurricane (Fighter I) Hawker Hector (Close Air Support I) Fairey Swordfish (Naval Bomber I) Blackburn Shark (Carrier Naval Bomber I) Vickers Wellington (Tactical Bomber I)	Radio Detection Computing Machine Advanced Machine Tools Dispersed Industry II Construction II Fuel Refining I
Doctrines
Grand Battleplan	Fleet in Being	Strategic Destruction

Cosmetic names

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.

Infantry & motorized techs

Type	1918	1936	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944
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

Armor techs

Tech year	Amphibious	Light (TD/SPG/AA)	Medium (TD/SPG/AA)	Modern (TD/SPG/AA)	Heavy (TD/SPG/AA)	Super-Heavy (TD/SPG/AA)
1918		Mark V
1934		Vickers II (Deacon / Birch / Vickers II AA)			Vickers (NA / Gun Carrier Mk. I / NA)
1936		Matilda (Valiant / Priest / Matilda AA)
1939			Crusader (Cavalier / (Centaur / Crusader AA)
1940
1941		Valentine (Archer / Bishop / Valentine AA)	Cromwell (Charioteer / Avenger / Cromwell AA)		Churchill ( Churchill Gun Carrier / Churchill AVRE / Churchill AA )
1942
1943			Comet (Contentious / Sexton / Comet Marksman)		Black Prince (Hector / Black Prince AVRE / Black Prince Marksman)	Tortoise (Iron Duke/ NA / NA)
1945				Centurion (Centurion Malkara / Centurion AVRE / Centurion Marksman)

 

Artillery techs

Tech year	Anti-Air	Artillery	Rocket Artillery	Anti-Tank
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

Aircraft techs

Tech year	Close Air Support (Carrier)	Fighter (Carrier)	Naval Bomber (Carrier)	Heavy Fighter	Tactical Bomber	Strategic Bomber	Scout Plane
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

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

By default, South Africa has no national spirits. However, with the Together for Victory DLC enabled, the country 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.

Ossewabrandwag

• Factory Output: -10.00%
• Dockyard Output: -10.00%

Daily Fascism Support: +0.01

History of Segregation

• Recruitable Population Factor: -55%

Diplomacy

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

Political parties, 1936

Id.	Party name	Popularity	Leader	Ruling
	United National South African Party	74.99%	J. B. M. Hertzog
	South African Communist Party	4.99%	Moses Kotane
	Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party	20.01%	D. F. Malan
	African National Congress	0.00%	Pixley Ka Isaka Seme

Political parties, 1939

Id.	Party name	Popularity	Leader	Ruling
	United National South African Party	99.99%	Jan Smuts
	South African Communist Party	0.00%	Moses Kotane
	Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party	0.01%	D. F. Malan
	African National Congress	0.00%	Pixley Ka Isaka Seme

Staff and designers

These are choices of advisors and design companies for  South Africa.

Political advisors

Advisor	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Sir Patrick Duncan	Democratic Reformer	Daily Democracy Support: +0.10 Has completed focus Support the Policy of Appeasement Is not Supervised State	150
Abram Fischer	Communist Revolutionary	Daily Communism Support: +0.10 Has completed focus Empower the Workers Is not Supervised State	150
J. F. van Rensburg	Fascist Demagogue	Daily Fascism Support: +0.10 Has completed focus Support the Afrikaner Broederbond Is not Supervised State	150
Nicolaas Havenga	Captain of Industry	Infrastructure construction speed: +10.00% Civilian Factory construction speed: +10.00% Refinery construction speed: +10.00%	150
D. F. Malan	Backroom Backstabber	Political Power Gain: +5% Ideology drift defense: +15.0%	150
E.G. Jansen	Silent Workhorse	Political Power Gain: +15%	150

Tank designers

Designer	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Iscor	Medium Tank Designer	Armor Research Speed: +15% Armor: Reliability: +5% Soft attack: +5%	150

Ship designers

Designer	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Naval Company	Ship Designer	Naval Research Speed: +15%	150

Aircraft designers

Designer	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Light Air Company	Light Aircraft Designer	Air Research Speed: +15% Fighter: Agility: +10% Max Speed: +10% Carrier Fighter: Agility: +10% Max Speed: +10%	150
Medium Air Company	Medium Aircraft Designer	Air Research Speed: +15% Heavy Fighter: Reliability: +20% Tactical Bomber: Reliability: +20%	150
Heavy Air Company	Heavy Aircraft Designer	Air Research Speed: +15% Strategic Bomber: Strategic Bombing: +10%	150
Naval Air Company	Naval Aircraft Designer	Air Research Speed: +15% Naval Bomber: Range: +10% Naval Attack: +10% CV Naval Bomber: Range: +10% Naval Attack: +10% Carrier Fighter: Range: +10% Agility: +10% Carrier CAS: Range: +10% Naval Attack: +10%	150

Materiel designers

Designer	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Motorization Company	Motorized Equipment Designer	Motorization Research Speed: +15%	150
Small Arms Company	Infantry Equipment Designer	Weapons and Equipment Research Speed: +15%	150
Artillery Company	Artillery Equipment Designer	Artillery Research Speed: +15%	150

Industrial concerns

Designer	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Industrial Company	Industrial Concern	Industrial Research Speed: +15%	150
Electronics Company	Electronics Concern	Electronics Research Speed: +15%	150

Theorists

Theorist	Type	Effects	Cost ()
J. F. van Rensburg	Military Theorist	Army Experience Gain: +0.05 daily Land Doctrine Research Speed: +10%	150
S.P. Le Roux	Air Warfare Theorist	Air Experience Gain: +0.05 daily Air Doctrine Research Speed: +10%	150

Economy

Laws

1936

Conscription Law	Economy Law	Trade Law
Volunteer Only 1.5% Recruitable population	Civilian Economy 35% Consumer Goods factories –30% Factory construction speed +30% Factory (type) conversion cost -40% Fuel Gain per Oil -25% Fuel Capacity	Export Focus 50% Resources to market +5% Research speed +10% Factory/Dockyard output +10% Construction speed +20% Civilian intelligence to others +10% Navy intelligence to others

1939

Conscription Law	Economy Law	Trade Law
Volunteer Only 1.5% Recruitable population	Early Mobilization 30% Consumer Goods factories –10% Factory construction speed -25% Fuel Gain per Oil	Export Focus 50% Resources to market +5% Research speed +10% Factory/Dockyard output +10% Construction speed +20% Civilian intelligence to others +10% Navy intelligence to others

Industry and resources

Resources 1936

	Type	No.
	Aluminum	0
	Chromium	170
	Oil	0
	Rubber	0
	Steel	8
	Tungsten	0

Industry 1936

	Type	No.
	Civilian factory	9
	Military factory	1
	Naval dockyard	0

Resources 1939

	Type	No.
	Aluminum	0
	Chromium	188
	Oil	0
	Rubber	0
	Steel	8
	Tungsten	0

Industry 1939

	Type	No.
	Civilian factory	11
	Military factory	1
	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

1936

Army

	Type	No.
	Infantry	6
	Total divisions	6

Navy

	Type	No.
	Total ships	0

Air force

	Type	No.
	Fighter	30
	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, but 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

Army

	Type	No.
	Infantry	6
	Total divisions	6

Navy

	Type	No.
	Total ships	0

Air force

	Type	No.
	Fighter	75
	Naval bomber	12
	Tactical bomber	12
	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, however, 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 also 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

These are the military staff candidates for appointment in South Africa.

Chief of Army

Name	Type	Effect	Cost ()
James Mitchell-Baker	Army Maneuver (Expert)	Division speed: +10.00%	150
Leonard Beyers	Army Defense (Expert)	Division Defense: +10.0%	150

Chief of Navy

Name	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Pierre Oliver-Knoll	Naval Maneuver (Expert)	Naval Speed: +10%	150
Cornelis van Zuigenbrogge	Commerce Raiding (Expert)	Convoy Raiding Efficiency: +15.00%	150

Chief of Airforce

Name	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Adolf Malan	All-Weather (Expert)	Bad Weather Penalty: -20.00%	150
Pierre van Ryneveld	Ground Support (Expert)	Air Superiority: +10.00%	150

Military High Command

Name	Type	Effect	Cost ()
Robert Palmer	Army Regrouping (Expert)	Division Recovery Rate: +8.0%	150
C. de Weenburg du Toit	Armor (Expert)	Armor Division Attack: +10.0% Armor Division Defense: +10.0%	150
Marinus van Osterkamp	Naval Strike(Expert)	Naval Bombing: +3% Naval Targeting: +3% Naval Agility: +3%	150
Jeannot de la Tourier	Screens (Expert)	Screen Attack: +10.00% Screen Defense: +15.00%	150

Strategies and guides

In singleplayer , Your nation is prone to fascism and it must go to fascism. Go from research to Basic Machine Tools and Rush to Dispersed Industry, convert all military factories in Pretoria to civilian, and you get the achievement

District 9

The description of the achievements

. Build Military Factories in other regions. Be independent, attack and annex Saudi Arabia. Train a few more divisions and create naval invasion into the Sinai desert and Suez. Fight on two fronts, one in Africa and the other in Suez. Invade Jerusalem and get the achievement named

Crusader Kings

The description of the achievements

, don't forget to get the A King for our people focus. Put the naval bombers in Cape Town and the Suez Canal. Be allied with the Germans. Make the English Sea Lion. And get

Rule Britannia

The description of the achievements

.

In multiplayer, it is very common to see South Africa use her strong chromium deposits to construct heavy tanks. These can play an important role in holding Africa's northern coast from falling to the Italians.

Achievements

Crusader Kings As South Africa, finish the A King for our People focus and take Jerusalem.

Crusader Kings 2 As South Africa, finish the Anti-Colonialist Crusade focus, release all European colonies via the focus, and take London.

District 9 As South Africa, have 9 civilian factories in Transvaal.

I Am the Tong Master As South Africa, break free from the UK and puppet another nation.

Rule Britannia As any British Subject state, conquer all of Britain.

Countries