United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (more commonly “the United Kingdom,” “the UK,” “Great Britain,” or simply “Britain”) was the principal power of the Allies in World War II. In 1939, the UK honored its guarantees to Poland by declaring war on
Germany. After the fall of
France, the United Kingdom was the only Allied nation left in Europe until
Italy's surprise invasion of
Greece led the Greeks to fully join the Allies. It remained the only one of the “Big Three” (Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States) in the war until 1941 when the German Reich invaded the
Soviet Union. The United Kingdom was heavily engaged in the Western European, Atlantic, Mediterranean, African, and Southeast Asian theaters.
Contents
Geography[edit]
The country lies in Western Europe and consists of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. The United Kingdom also owns a lot of overseas territories and colonies around the world. This includes huge parts of Africa, Newfoundland and Labrador and direct control of the strategic locations of Gibraltar, Malta, and the Suez Canal and the rich colony of British Malaya. The United Kingdom directly borders Ireland to the west, but is otherwise separated from European nations by seas. The North Sea lies to the North East, while the English Channel separates mainland Europe. To the west lies the Atlantic Ocean. The United Kingdom indirectly borders a lot of countries through overseas territories like
Canada to the west, which borders Newfoundland and Labrador. It also borders
Spain through Gibraltar, and
France and
Italy through the African colonies. The United Kingdom is dominated by the Scottish highlands in the North. In the south hills, plains and urban areas dominate. The United Kingdom has a lot of urban areas including London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Liverpool.
Historical background[edit]
After the dust settled in Europe following Napoleon's short-lived reign the United Kingdom emerged as the global superpower, integrating Ireland into the Union and establishing a new continental order. The independence of the Thirteen Colonies forced the empire to shift its focus eastward and, after taking Dutch possessions during the Napoleonic Wars, the British Empire now controlled India, Egypt, the Cape of Good Hope and the straits of Singapore. These new possessions were vital to British control of global trade and only furthered Britain's rapid industrialisation. This new empire, larger than any before it, combined with a huge level of indirect control globally and the largest navy in existence, led the United Kingdom to take its place as the most powerful empire in history resulting in the "Pax Britannica" - literally "British Peace": an informal era of 99 years from 1815 to 1914 in which the European balance of power, despite various smaller armed conflicts, remained somewhat stable with no major wars.
However, the rise of the German Empire would challenge the British. The ascension of Wilhelm II to the throne of Germany would turn Germany's huge industrial capacity and military against the British, with an aggressive foreign policy and a naval arms race between the two empires. In the British Parliament debates raged as to whether the empire should maintain neutrality or actively intervene to ensure the continuation of British dominance; Parliament chose the latter when Belgium was invaded by German forces in 1914. Britain's entry into the First World War helped secure an Entente victory, especially with the arrival of the US Army into the war in late 1917; however, the Pax Britannica was nothing more than an informal state of world politics by this point. Russia had fallen to Communism, Germany and Italy to Fascism, and the Japanese Empire slowly diminished British influence in the east. With the massive costs of the First World War and the loss of Ireland, Britain is no shape for a new war.
Due to its situation, a division has arisen in Britain; one side calls for the maintenance of the Empire's status quo by avoiding war and making an ally of the Third Reich, while the other calls for the Empire to defend the continental order and stop both Fascism and Communism in their tracks. The UK's army is experienced but small, and its navy, while numerous, now faces a new threat from down below. The current Conservative Government calls for appeasement with the true intention of postponing a war with Germany until it has re-armed. More staunch interventionists under Churchill have called for an end to appeasement. Yet with a constitutional crisis, the rise of independence movements in colonies and the threat of Germany, Italy and Japan on all corners of the British Empire, many argue Britain's reign over the world has ended and it's better to preserve what the UK has rather than fight what doesn't concern it.
Events[edit]
- Main article: British events
National focus[edit]
- Main article: British national focus tree
The British national focus tree can be divided into 5 main branches and 6 distinct sub-branches:
- Cryptologic Bomb/Limited Rearmament Branch
- This branch gives technology research bonuses, factories and an extra research slot.
- General Rearmament Sub-branch
- This sub-branch gives air and naval research bonuses along with providing a collection of air bases and dockyards.
- Reinforce the Empire Branch
- This branch is centered around the industrial development of the colonies and the fortification of key territories, with the ultimate end goal of creating an Imperial Federation, which will have the United Kingdom annex all the colonies and gain cores on their territories.
- Encourage Colonial Elite Sub-branch
- The "Fortify East Asia" side of the sub-branch focuses on developing in Asian colonies, influencing
China and gaining a war goal against
Japan. The "Commonwealth Ties" side focuses on developing the Dominions, Autonomy or Independence for the
British Raj and forming the Imperial Federation.
- Mediterranean Bastion Sub-branch
- This Sub-branch focuses on the development of the Mediterranean colonies, coercion of Balkan countries and
Turkey, and gaining a war goal against
Italy.
- Steady As She Goes Branch
- The
Democratic branch of the Focus tree. The UK will stay democratic and maintain the current government structure.
- Home Defense Sub-branch
- This
Democratic sub-branch focuses on intervening against (and puppeting) the Scandinavian and Benelux countries, securing
Iraq and
Iran, and eventually war with the
Soviet Union and
Germany.
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Available only with the Man the Guns DLC enabled. |
- Revisit Colonial Policy Branch
- This Branch focuses on decolonization, which effectively amounts to dismantling the British Empire, with some colonial territory kept as puppets, in exchange for getting more manpower and industry in the British homelands, and allowing the UK to concentrate on dealing with European affairs.
- Global Defense Sub-branch
- This
Democratic sub-branch focuses on placing Winston Churchill into power early, ending appeasement, eradicating pacifism and mobilizing the country for war followed by gaining war goals against countries with oil, Major European countries who caused World tension, and allowing justification against other
Democratic countries.
- A Change in Course Branch
- This branch focuses on changing the government structure of the UK by switching the ideology of the government to
Monarchist,
Fascist or
Communist.
- The
Monarchist path focuses on setting up King Edward VIII as an absolute monarch, allying with
Germany and gaining war goals against
Italy and the
Soviet Union. This path also allows the United Kingdom to gain a war goal against the
United States to reinstate British rule by installing an American monarchy.
- The
Fascist section focuses on securing alliances with other European fascist nations against
Germany. The "God Save The King" section is shared with the Monarchist path and focuses on retaking the Dominions after they gain independence and gaining a war goal to annex the
United States.
- Concessions to the Trade Unions Sub-branch
- The
Communist sub-branch will cause the United Kingdom to become communist and opens up the choice between allying with the
Soviet Union or forming a new faction and then moving on to turn other European nations to
communism, with the end goal of going to war with
Germany and the
United States and installing puppet regimes in each. It also forces the
United Kingdom to take the decolonization focus and complete it within 2 years of becoming communist as otherwise a civil war will break out.
Technology[edit]
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This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
Without Man the Guns |
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Decommissioning the O/P/R submarine is recommended since the Stealth and Engine upgrades just cancel each other out.
Politics[edit]
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This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
National spirits[edit]
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This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
The UK starts with three national spirits.
With the Man the Guns expansion enabled, the United Kingdom starts with an additional national spirit:
Ideology[edit]
UK starts 1936 as a democracy, with elections every four years, with the next one in 1939. The ruling party is the Conservative Party led by Stanley Baldwin.
The UK has no national focus that allows it to change ideology without Man the Guns; Only fascist or communist political advisors could reverse the ideology. With Man the Guns, the Change in Course branch grants focuses to change the ideology to non-aligned, fascist, or communist. The AI controlling other countries can attempt to promote other ideologies. Because of the UK's national spirit British Stoicism this will be much slower than normal as it grants ideology drift defense: +50%.
Diplomacy[edit]
The Commonwealth
The United Kingdom maintained close ties with the Commonwealth countries of Canada,
South Africa,
Australia and
New Zealand. These countries were formerly part of the British Empire, but are now independent. They have their own governments, economies and armed forces and the UK player cannot control these unless they provide an expeditionary force to the UK. But they start the game as members of the Allies faction, led by the UK. Certain UK focus choices affect them (e.g., construction of factories).
Note: With the Together For Victory DLC, all the Commonwealth Realms are British subjects to various degrees.
Puppets
Their colony of India has some local autonomy. It is represented in the game as a puppet called British Raj. It is possible for the UK to release British Raj as an independent country. The colony of Malaya is also represented as a puppet under Britain. With the "Together For Victory" DLC active, India is represented as a Colony, more autonomous than a puppet, while Malaya is represented as an Integrated Puppet, which is less autonomous than a puppet.
Colonies
The UK starts with direct control over many colonies across the world. These include the strategic locations of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal.
The Allies
The UK is leader of the faction called the Allies. The faction's starting members are the Commonwealth countries (Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand) and the British Raj and British Malaya. It's the most powerful faction in the game in the start.
The UK has very friendly relations with France, but the latter isn't a member of the Allies in start, nor is the United States. France normally joins the faction early in the game, but it might not — its National Focuses could steer it elsewhere. The U.S. normally joins the Allies later, but it can also form its own faction.
Diplomatic rules[edit]
Rule | Whether it applies | Reason |
---|---|---|
Can declare war on country of the same ideology group without a war goal | No | Democracy |
Can Guarantee other Ideologies | Yes | Democracy |
Can join Factions led by another Ideology | Yes | Democracy |
Can create Factions | Yes | National Spirit |
Lowers World Tension with Guarantees | Yes | Democracy |
Can puppet a country | No | Democracy |
Can justify war goals against a country that has not generated world tension | No | Democracy |
Economy[edit]
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United Kingdoms economy in 1936 has good access to all resources except oil which is easily accessible through trade for the UK as its mostly in the hands of democracies. There is also plenty of territory for construction of new factories. Many resources come from the far reaches of the United Kingdom by convoys, so ensuring that the Royal Navy has superiority along the trade routes is of importance to ensure that these make their way to Britain.
Laws[edit]
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Conscription Law | Economy Law | Trade Law |
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Industry[edit]
1936 state: The U.K. has a moderate production ability when it comes to military factories and a great shipbuilding one.
![]() 14 Military Factories |
![]() 19 Naval Dockyard |
![]() 30 Civilian Factories |
Resources[edit]
![]() Oil |
![]() Rubber |
![]() Steel |
![]() Aluminum |
![]() Tungsten |
![]() Chromium |
8* | 30 | 373 | 64 | 32 | 53 |
These numbers represent the available resources, depending on the trade law a certain amount may be traded away.
*Note: With man the guns The UK gets half of Mexicos oil in 1936, and with battle of the Battle for the Bosporus it gets all of Iraq's.
Staff and designers[edit]
These are the unique companies and individuals that are available for the British to use.
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Vickers-Armstrong | Tank Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Cammell Laird | Atlantic Fleet Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Harland & Wolff | Pacific Fleet Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
John Brown & Company | Coastal Defense Fleet Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Yarrow Shipbuilders | Escort Fleet Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Avro | Heavy Aircraft Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
De Havilland | Medium Aircraft Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Fairey Aviation | Naval Aircraft Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Hawker Aircraft | CAS Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Supermarine | Light Aircraft Designer |
By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. |
150 pp |
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Royal Arsenal | Artillery Designer |
|
150 pp |
RSAF Enfield | Infantry Equipment Designer |
|
150 pp |
Vauxhall | Motorized Equipment Designer |
|
150 pp |
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
AIOC | Industrial Concern |
|
150 pp |
English Electric | Electronics Concern |
|
150 pp |
Designer | Type | Effect | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Bernard Montgomery | Grand Battleplan Expert |
|
250 pp |
Harold Alexander | Military Theorist |
|
150 pp |
James Somerville | Grand Fleet Proponent |
|
250 pp |
Tom Phillips | Naval Theorist |
|
150 pp |
Hugh Dowding | Air Warfare Theorist |
|
150 pp |
Arthur Harris | Victory Through Airpower |
|
250 pp |
James Chadwick | Nuclear Scientist |
|
150 pp |
Frank Whittle | Rocket Scientist |
|
150 pp |
J.F.C. Fuller | Blitzkrieg Theorist |
|
Military[edit]
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The United Kingdom starts with a world-dominating fleet across the globe, and a sizable air force. Its army nevertheless, is stretched thin because of the Empire's extent. The nation has a decent amount of manpower at the start of the game but juggling this will be a major concern. Careful planning should be used for the manpower pool given the Empire's broad geographic commitments; newly made ships and planes will require their part of manpower for crewing. Though manpower demands for the army's preparations for coming war are pressing, they're not urgent for Britain by 1936 and could wait for a while.
Type | No. | |
---|---|---|
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Infantry | 32 |
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Cavalry | 3 |
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Light tank | 1 |
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Total divisions | 36 |
Type | No. | |
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Destroyer | 128 |
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Light cruiser | 31 |
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Heavy cruiser | 16 |
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Battlecruiser | 3 |
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Battleship | 12 |
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Submarine | 42 |
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Carrier | 5 |
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Total ships | 237 |
Type | No. | |
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Close air support | 304 |
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Fighter | 689 |
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Naval bomber | 144 |
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Tactical bomber | 240 |
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Total planes | 1377 |
- Army
- Most of the British Army's forces are concentrated in England, Wales, and Scotland, with the remainder in small garrison units around their colonies. The British isles are home to 16 infantry divisions, of which five are full-strength, regular-quality of 9 regiments each with engineer and artillery companies. The rest of the divisions are similar in size, but at a 'trained' level and with equipment shortages. They're coupled with two cavalry brigades and a light armor brigade. Overseas divisions are 16 trained and green infantry brigades, made of six regiments that share a shortage of equipment. The British Army is expected to be hard pressed from the extent of territory that needs to be defended when war breaks out. The player will have to decide wisely how to split its originally limited divisions to defend the Empire and allied nations.
Name | Type | Techyear |
---|---|---|
Rifle No.1 MkIII | Basic Eq. | 1918 |
Rifle No.4 MkI | Weapons I | 1936 |
Sten MkII | Weapons II | 1939 |
Sterling MkI | Weapons III | 1942 |
Name | Type | Techyear |
---|---|---|
Motorized | Motorized | 1936 |
Bren Carrier | Mechanized I | 1940 |
Universal Carrier | Mechanized II | 1942 |
Churchill Kangaroo | Mechanized III | 1944 |
Name | Type | Techyear | Variants TD / SPA / AAA |
---|---|---|---|
Mark V | Great War Tank | 1918 | |
Vickers II | Light Tank I | 1934 | Deacon / Birch / Vickers II AA |
Matilda | Light Tank II | 1936 | Valiant / Priest / Matilda AA |
Valentine | Light Tank III | 1941 | Archer / Bishop / Valentine AA |
Crusader | Medium Tank I | 1939 | Cavalier / Centaur / Crusader AA |
Cromwell | Medium Tank II | 1941 | Charioteer / Avenger / Cromwell AA |
Comet | Medium Tank III | 1943 | AC IV / Sexton / Comet Marksman |
Vickers | Heavy Tank I | 1934 | None / Gun Carrier Mk. I / None |
Churchill | Heavy Tank II | 1941 | Churchill Gun Carrier / Churchill AVRE / Churchill AA |
Black Prince | Heavy Tank III | 1943 | Hector / Black Prince AVRE / Black Prince Marksman |
Tortoise | Super Heavy Tank | 1943 | Iron Duke / None / None |
Centurion | MBT | 1945 | Centurion Malkara / Centurion AVRE / Centurion Marksman |
- Navy
- The Royal Navy is the largest in the globe by 1936. The UK starts with all tier I ship techs and tier II destroyers, cruisers and carriers. Initial naval production is extensive: Four Leander-class light cruisers, five Town-class light cruisers with improved armor and weight of fire compared to the Leanders, two S Class early submarines, nine E/F/G/H-class destroyers all scheduled for completion by the end of the year, and the HMS Ark Royal, the first "modern" aircraft carrier in the fleet.
Ship classes of the Royal Navy without Man the Guns Type Class Amount In production Tech CV Courageous Class 4 Carrier I BB Nelson Class 2 Battleship I* BB Queen Elizabeth Class 5 Battleship I* BB Revenge Class 5 Battleship I BC Admiral Class 1 Battlecruiser I* BC Renown Class 2 Battlecruiser I CA County Class 13 Heavy Cruiser I* CA Hawkins Class 3 Heavy Cruiser I CL Amphion Class 2 3 Light Cruiser I* CL Emerald Class 7 Light Cruiser I* CL C Class 21 Light Cruiser I DD G/H/I Class 18 9 Destroyer II DD A/B/C/D Class 34 Destroyer I* DD V/W Class 76 Destroyer I SS O/P/R Class 21 Submarine I* SS S Class 9 2 Submarine I* SS L Class 12 Submarine I Convoy 800 * marks a variant with increased base stats to symbolize ships that are not modern enough to warrant a full 1936 tech level but too modern to fit into the1922 tech level.
- Air Force
- The United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (or R.A.F) by 1936 is the largest air force in the globe, with a number 30% larger than the USAAF, 50% than the Luftwaffe, and twice the size of the French Armée de l'air. There are 96 "Nimrods" and "Sharks" operating from the aircraft carriers.
Tech Year | Close Air Support (Carrier Variant) | Fighter (Carrier Variant) | Naval Bomber (Carrier Variant) | Heavy Fighter | Tactical Bomber | Strategic Bomber |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1933 | Gloster Gladiator (Hawker Nimrod) | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | ||||
1936 | Hawker Hector (Hawker Osprey) | Hawker Hurricane (Gloster Sea Gladiator) | Fairey Swordfish (Blackburn Shark) | Bristol Blenheim | Vickers Wellington | Handley Page Halifax |
1940 | Hawker Typhoon (Blackburn Skua) | Supermarine Spitfire (Fairey Fulmar) | Fairey Albacore (Blackburn Roc) | Bristol Beaufighter | Bristol Beaufort | Avro Lancaster |
1944 | Hawker Tempest (Hawker Sea Fury) | Supermarine Spiteful (Fairey Firefly) | Fairey Barracuda (Blackburn Firebrand) | de Havilland Mosquito FB | de Havilland Mosquito B | Avro Lincoln |
Jet Engine Technology | ||||||
1945 | Gloster Meteor | de Havilland Venom | ||||
1950 | de Havilland Vampire | English Electric Canberra | Vickers Valiant |
Strategies and guides[edit]
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Achievements[edit]


North America |
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South America |
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Asia |
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Africa |
Oceania |
Europe |
North America |
South America |
Asia |
Africa |
Oceania |