Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: Chernobyl

I was doing some hotseat playtesting and experimented with declaring war on Spain as Entente.

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ORIGINAL: Ktonos

Is it really that easy to surrender? We talk about 2 turns easy?
Because if it takes more than this, Germany (I assume Spain goes as a German minor) would easily max out the corps, maybe even upgrade them, and entrench them in key positions in the mountains. From there all the CP player has to do is stall and he himself enjoy the 200 mpp boost to his economy.

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ORIGINAL: Ktonos

Is it really that easy to surrender? We talk about 2 turns easy?
Because if it takes more than this, Germany (I assume Spain goes as a German minor) would easily max out the corps, maybe even upgrade them, and entrench them in key positions in the mountains. From there all the CP player has to do is stall and he himself enjoy the 200 mpp boost to his economy.

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ORIGINAL: Chernobyl

Yeah I do feel Spain has too many MPP. It has a high number of both cities and towns.
I also agree it could use a HQ for defense. And perhaps an alternate capital or two as well. Although really the entente have enough spare units by 1916 and Spain has too many areas to defend so it only delays the inevitable.
Also perhaps increase the diplo cost for Spain from 50 to 75 or 100.

Most historical of all would probably be just not allow Entente to declare war on Spain USA or Romania. Ideally with a game option "ahistorical war declarations on/off"

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ORIGINAL: hottegetthoff
as the CP

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It's crazy that the Germans get this boost without any connection to Spain and Spain should probably be a major for this reason only.

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ORIGINAL: Tendraline

Speaking from experience, I have to disagree with the assertion that France would necessarily have enough troops to actually execute the conquest of Spain.

In one of my AI games, the AI managed to botch Schlieffen, leaving the corps in Brussels quite healthy (I left, though) and just barely managing to take Reims. However, the pressure intensified, and by mid-1915 most of my troops were half-health, there were gaps in the Champagne sector, and I almost lost Verdun and Nancy for good. I also had the Italians, who reached Lyon, on my back and sent, yes, five corps to deal with them. I was saved by Russia, which managed to take Oppeln and secure every town in Galicia except for Tarnow, and Romania.

In a human game, the pressure would be even more intense because there's no way Schlieffen would be botched like that and, as a result, everything up to Amiens would be indefensible and France would be even more mauled. Italy's neutrality would allow you to send troops elsewhere, but you would have less to send. Not the five as planned.

That said, Spain has three major problems: its army is terrible, its troops are dispersed, and strikes. Indeed, Spain's army being terrible is historical, but it knew about it; during the war it increased its army to 180,000, an increase of 40,000, or two in-game half-strength corps. And meanwhile, if Spain is to join the war, it would also move its armies to the borders, not the weird in-game distribution with a third of the army in Madrid. The equivalent is moving three corps from Lorraine to Orleans or from Galicia to Hungary, which is ludicrous at best. And, apparently, there is no one leading all of these forces or planning the war. But it gets worse, as every time Spain is attacked the UGT and CGT cast their vote for French domination by devastating supply along Spain's most defensible feature, the Pyrenees.

So yeah, Spain needs buffing, but it would be amazing to see France pull a proper defense during a historical-esque playthrough. The idea of Spain being a neutral major is good, but it would also need to go to war in a semi-ready state and a certain amount of tech just to survive. And if Spain favors one side initially and goes to the other, it might result in one player spending MPPs for their opponent.

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ORIGINAL: Chernobyl

The 1898 war would be termed a "colonial war" in Europa Universalis or Victoria. Viewed much differently from conquering and annexing the homeland of a european power.

I don't really see any historical reason anyone would have attacked Spain in WWI except possibly to use it as a base to (re)conquer France or Gibraltar. Conquering Spain also wouldn't have provided much economic or manpower benefit, too. It wasn't nearly as industrialized as compared to how many MPP per turn you get in game, and Spanish manpower wouldn't have willingly fought in the trenches for a country which conquered Spain.

It should probably have its MPP cut in half and only give a reduced output (50%) if conquered. Reduce the number of towns (it has almost as many towns as France), change a few cities (Cordoba, Granada) into towns, possibly delete one of the mines.

USA should swing 25% towards Central Powers if Entente attacks Spain. Probably all of Europe should be disgusted too. Switzerland as a neutral power should be highly alarmed and swing sharply. The other small countries like Netherlands Denmark Sweden Norway Bulgaria and Romania should give a mild diplomatic (10%) reaction.

As far as diplo-annexing Spain, the cost of diplomacy chits should probably be higher (75? 100?) for Spain instead of 50.

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The 1898 war would be termed a "colonial war" in Europa Universalis or Victoria. Viewed much differently from conquering and annexing the homeland of a european power.