I don't like EU games (i admit that EU series are
good games, but dislike the fact that you can conquer the entire universe as a 1 province minor if you play ruthless-mofo tactic and ignore badboy. In my very first playthrough i've established a Polish-China border in something over 150 years.)
As for HoI2 : Poland 1936 with DAIM was hell, but i pulled it off. The beauty of HoI2 is that things are possible. In the case of Poland, we had to use a deep-mouse-trap tactic for German armies, followed by a large, border to border cut off of their supplies.. We were in Luck though, and USSR didn't join the war on their historical date, giving us more time. It wasn't pretty, but it was doable.
In a way, 1944 Japan (if you're using a decent AI mod) is much more difficult than 1936 Poland.
1939 Poland on the other hand is impossible, unless you game the system (Grab a Victory Point province on the other side of the world, or put all your units in Warshau..) but one should never use such tactics. You need the 1936-1939 build up to be made by player in order to pull this one off.
I had something else in mind though. Enemy : 900 division, 700 IC strong Germany that forced Stalin to sign bitter peace in 41', in an alliance with half the known world. Curbstomping Africa and Europe, south America for the most part.. Allied with a mega 5 CTF Japan controling entire Asia, Australia and every single island on every known ocean.
Did i mention that this AI DOES use nukes?
Then we join the fray..
I've started a campaign like that a very, very long time ago, planning to switch to US once the entire world is Axis. I still haven't finished it, but this is total and complete world war.
I wasn't stuck in my play, mind you, i just had to move my instalation files to the new laptop.. and it didn't all go that well..
But yes.. HoI2 may just be TOO long. It's weeks of playtime.
Edit : I'll try pulling the old baby back from the dead, and try to make a few screenshot, showing what exactly do i mean
edit 2 :
Tannu Tuva!
This may surprise you, but Tannu Tuva has the possibility to easily grab enormous chunks of terrain with nearly no retaliation. You can roflstomp Mongolia and with Russian armies engaged mostly by the Germans and Japan.. Cutting USSR land in two, albeit very slow and difficult, can result in the FALL of Motherland.. By the hand of Tannu Tuva. (Wasn't it Tannu Nova?)
Still.. There are so many variables and possibilities in HoI2.. I simply love that game. Played it a lot too. (Unlike Rome Total War, of which you're witnessing my 3rd playthrough
Unless we count Numidia, that'd be 4. ) The AI mods may present you some serious "Knee deep in shit" moments.
One thing always annoyed me with HoI2 though. The absolute, stone-wall NO on any peace offer. United States vs Guatemala?
Offer White Peace : Decline.
Offer 10 of your best provinces, all resources and becoming a puppet country : Guatemala responds with NO.
That's possibly the only down side of the game though.