The Sleeping Lion - Czechoslovakia mod for Hearts of Iron IV

1st run: Fascist/Axis

I played until I finished all the National Foci, and by that time this is how the game looked:

I turned fascist early on, than in 1937 joined Axis and annexed Hungary. The II world war begun with me attacking Romania. In the first half of 1939 I conquered Romania and Poland joined Allies. By the end of 1939 Poland, Belgium and Netherlands capitulated, and Czechoslovak tanks entered Paris. In November 1939 for some reason USSR justified on me and declared war on Axis. Technology and Focus-wise I went with Vojcechovsky, tanks, and mobile warfare theory, and also fighters. I also managed to modify infantry divisions to fill them up wit artillery and to train 16 Rychle Divizie and 4 motorized divisions. The first real problem for my military was the USSR, but as you can see on the screenshot I managed to push them back and make some advances in less than a year.

I really enjoyed blitzkrieging through Europe with very strong Czechoslovak tank divisions.This run was by far the most fun.

2nd run: Communist/Comintern

I played until the Axis (except Japan, which didn't join the war) was defeated, didn't even finish all the National Foci:

I turned communist and joined Comintern as fast as I could and also focused only on infantry, artillery and fortifications, all my army was Infantry Divisions and Mountaineer Divisions. When Germany demanded Sudetenland UK and France didn't help (as always with Historical Focuses on) and I was pretty much left alone, because USSR didn't have any land route to send me their army (they send airforce though). Interestingly, Germany did declare war on me, but didn't attack outright - they were probably scared of massive fortifications (I've read in the patch notes that in 1.2 AI will be more eager to attack fortifications, so that may change when we'll play on the new patch). Stalemate continued until Germany declared war on Poland.

And then all hell broke loose.

Poland joined Comintern, and wars got merged. It was Germany and Italy (later Hungary joined) on one side and Allies (France, UK, British Commonwealth Countries) and Comintern (USSR and their Asiatic pushovers, Poland, and me) on the other side. With a little struggle my artillery-heavy divisions pushed Germans back, USSR kicked out Germans out of Poland, France attacked Italy from the north, and UK invaded Sicily. The offensive in Germany was fueled mainly by Czechoslovak forces, so I got lots of points in the peace conference, managing to take the stuff you see on the screenshot.

With this state of things I could start III World War, Comintern vs. Allies.

3rd run: Democratic/Allies

Similarly to the Communist run I played until Axis was defeated (Japan again didn't join):

Things went similar to the Communist run. France and UK refused to help, so I curled in a ball behind my bunkers and infantry (I went with Infantry army foci and Grand Battleplan doctrine). Once again, focusing on infantry and artillery I got ahead of time in tech. Germans were scared of attacking the "Husarek Line" and I easily defended the border until they declared war on Poland. When Germans attacked Poland I immediately joined Allies. Than I pushed back the Germans, Italy was invaded by France (UK didn't invaded Sicily this time), Poland was still getting its ass kicked though. Hungary joined the Axis by the time I was halfway to Rhine. And then something interesting happened. USSR justified and declared war on Poland. Poles held up exceptionally well, but had no chance. All the Allies joined the war against the Soviets - except me. Poland fell, but so did Axis. And now I'm not in the war with USSR, so I can leave the Allies, and let them handle it themselves or join (since I have a long border with them it would be interesting).

Summarizing: when I went against Germans I did not only defended myself, but stretched Czechoslavakia from sea to sea; when I went hand in hand with Germans I would have stretched to the Pacific Ocean. The new patch (1.2) will probably make things a little bit more difficult, but expect nerfing Czechoslovakia abilities (I talked to the creator and we're working on it) ;)

Here are couple of screenshots from the Democratic/Allies run, which was most difficult.

The war broke out after the Sudetenland Crisis. I curled up in a ball, extending fortifications to Moravia (violet army defense line) and gave up Slovakia - in case of Hungary joining Axis it would be too long front to defend.

Mt counter-offensive started when Germans declared war on Poland, France also attacked in Italy.

Then, out of nowhere this happens. Poland is screwed, and Allies will be drawn into a hard war.

USSR eats Poland, France eats Italy, I eat Germany - everyone is fed.

Last stand of the Axis forces.