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---
title: Austria
---
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[Country guides](/wiki/Country_guides "Country guides")
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[Major powers](/wiki/Major_power "Major power"){.mw-redirect}
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------------------------------------------------------------------------

::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}
[France](/wiki/France "France")\
[Germany](/wiki/Germany "Germany")\
[Italy](/wiki/Italy "Italy")\
[Japan](/wiki/Japan "Japan")\
[Soviet Union](/wiki/Soviet_Union "Soviet Union")\
[United Kingdom](/wiki/United_Kingdom "United Kingdom")\
[USA](/wiki/USA "USA")
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Regional powers
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------------------------------------------------------------------------

::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}
[Argentina](/wiki/Argentina "Argentina")\
[Australia](/wiki/Australia "Australia")\
[Belgium](/wiki/Belgium "Belgium")\
[Bulgaria](/wiki/Bulgaria "Bulgaria")\
[Brazil](/wiki/Brazil "Brazil")\
[Canada](/wiki/Canada "Canada")\
[Czechoslovakia](/wiki/Czechoslovakia "Czechoslovakia")\
[Guangxi Clique](/wiki/Guangxi_Clique "Guangxi Clique")\
[Hungary](/wiki/Hungary "Hungary")\
[Manchukuo](/wiki/Manchukuo "Manchukuo")\
[Nationalist China](/wiki/Nationalist_China "Nationalist China")\
[Nationalist Spain](/wiki/Nationalist_Spain "Nationalist Spain")\
[Netherlands](/wiki/Netherlands "Netherlands")\
[Poland](/wiki/Poland "Poland")\
[Republican Spain](/wiki/Republican_Spain "Republican Spain")\
[Romania](/wiki/Romania "Romania")\
[Sweden](/wiki/Sweden "Sweden")\
[Turkey](/wiki/Turkey "Turkey")\
[Yugoslavia](/wiki/Yugoslavia "Yugoslavia")
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::: {style="font-weight: bold; text-align:center;"}
[Minor powers](/wiki/Minor_power "Minor power"){.mw-redirect}
:::

------------------------------------------------------------------------

::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}
[Austria]{.mw-selflink .selflink}\
[Chile](/wiki/index.php?title=Chile&action=edit&redlink=1 "Chile (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Colombia](/wiki/index.php?title=Colombia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Colombia (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Denmark](/wiki/Denmark "Denmark")\
[Finland](/wiki/Finland "Finland")\
[Greece](/wiki/Greece "Greece")\
[Ireland](/wiki/Ireland "Ireland")\
[Mexico](/wiki/Mexico "Mexico")\
[Norway](/wiki/index.php?title=Norway&action=edit&redlink=1 "Norway (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Peru](/wiki/Peru "Peru")\
[Portugal](/wiki/Portugal "Portugal")\
[Shanxi](/wiki/Shanxi "Shanxi")\
[South Africa](/wiki/South_Africa "South Africa")\
[Switzerland](/wiki/Switzerland "Switzerland")
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::: {style="font-weight: bold; text-align:center;"}
[Micro powers](/wiki/Micro_power "Micro power"){.mw-redirect}
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------------------------------------------------------------------------

::: {style="columns:105px 3; column-gap: 5px;-webkit-columns:105px 3; -webkit-column-gap: 5px;-moz-columns:105px 3; -moz-column-gap: 5px;"}
[Afghanistan](/wiki/Afghanistan "Afghanistan")\
[Albania](/wiki/Albania "Albania")\
[Bhutan](/wiki/Bhutan "Bhutan")\
[Bolivia](/wiki/index.php?title=Bolivia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Bolivia (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Communist China](/wiki/Communist_China "Communist China")\
[Costa
Rica](/wiki/index.php?title=Costa_Rica&action=edit&redlink=1 "Costa Rica (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Cuba](/wiki/Cuba "Cuba")\
[Dominican Republic](/wiki/Dominican_Republic "Dominican Republic")\
[Ecuador](/wiki/index.php?title=Ecuador&action=edit&redlink=1 "Ecuador (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[El
Salvador](/wiki/index.php?title=El_Salvador&action=edit&redlink=1 "El Salvador (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Estonia](/wiki/Estonia "Estonia")\
[Ethiopia](/wiki/Ethiopia "Ethiopia")\
[Guatemala](/wiki/Guatemala "Guatemala")\
[Haiti](/wiki/index.php?title=Haiti&action=edit&redlink=1 "Haiti (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Honduras](/wiki/index.php?title=Honduras&action=edit&redlink=1 "Honduras (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Iraq](/wiki/Iraq "Iraq")\
[Latvia](/wiki/Latvia "Latvia")\
[Liberia](/wiki/Liberia "Liberia")\
[Lithuania](/wiki/Lithuania "Lithuania")\
[Luxemburg](/wiki/Luxemburg "Luxemburg")\
[Mongolia](/wiki/Mongolia "Mongolia")\
[New Zealand](/wiki/New_Zealand "New Zealand")\
[Nepal](/wiki/index.php?title=Nepal&action=edit&redlink=1 "Nepal (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Nicaragua](/wiki/index.php?title=Nicaragua&action=edit&redlink=1 "Nicaragua (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Oman](/wiki/index.php?title=Oman&action=edit&redlink=1 "Oman (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Panama](/wiki/index.php?title=Panama&action=edit&redlink=1 "Panama (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Paraguay](/wiki/index.php?title=Paraguay&action=edit&redlink=1 "Paraguay (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Persia](/wiki/Persia "Persia")\
[Philippines](/wiki/index.php?title=Philippines&action=edit&redlink=1 "Philippines (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Saudi
Arabia](/wiki/index.php?title=Saudi_Arabia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Saudi Arabia (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Siam](/wiki/Siam "Siam")\
[Sinkiang](/wiki/index.php?title=Sinkiang&action=edit&redlink=1 "Sinkiang (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Tannu Tuva](/wiki/Tannu_Tuva "Tannu Tuva")\
[Tibet](/wiki/index.php?title=Tibet&action=edit&redlink=1 "Tibet (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Venezuela](/wiki/index.php?title=Venezuela&action=edit&redlink=1 "Venezuela (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Uruguay](/wiki/index.php?title=Uruguay&action=edit&redlink=1 "Uruguay (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Xibei San Ma](/wiki/Xibei_San_Ma "Xibei San Ma")\
[Yemen](/wiki/index.php?title=Yemen&action=edit&redlink=1 "Yemen (page does not exist)"){.new}\
[Yunnan](/wiki/Yunnan "Yunnan")
:::
:::

Austria is small, poor and underdeveloped. Furthermore it is seen as
little more than a pawn by Italy and Germany, two of your neighbours.
You need to plan each step wisely if you want to survive.

::: {#toc .toc aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading" role="navigation"}
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## Contents {#mw-toc-heading}

[ ]{.toctogglespan}
:::

-   [[ 1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Walkthrough for 1936 Scenario
    ]{.toctext}](#Walkthrough_for_1936_Scenario)
    -   [[ 1.1 ]{.tocnumber} [ Modding Activity to Consider
        ]{.toctext}](#Modding_Activity_to_Consider)
    -   [[ 1.2 ]{.tocnumber} [ War From the Beginning
        ]{.toctext}](#War_From_the_Beginning)
    -   [[ 1.3 ]{.tocnumber} [ Turning the Tide in the Alps
        ]{.toctext}](#Turning_the_Tide_in_the_Alps)
    -   [[ 1.4 ]{.tocnumber} [ Balkans ]{.toctext}](#Balkans)
    -   [[ 1.5 ]{.tocnumber} [ The Austrian Navy
        ]{.toctext}](#The_Austrian_Navy)
    -   [[ 1.6 ]{.tocnumber} [ The Great War
        ]{.toctext}](#The_Great_War)
    -   [[ 1.7 ]{.tocnumber} [ Beyond This ]{.toctext}](#Beyond_This)
:::

## [ Walkthrough for 1936 Scenario ]{#Walkthrough_for_1936_Scenario .mw-headline}

I have played several games with Austria, and each one has played out
very similarly.

### [ Modding Activity to Consider ]{#Modding_Activity_to_Consider .mw-headline}

You may (as I have done) consider modding the HoI2 files a little to
give Austria more options later in the game. One thing you can do is to
make Austria the \"true owner\" of Hungary, which means you will inherit
all Hungarian units when you annex Hungary. It is also not a bad idea to
make all provinces of the defunct Austro-Hungarian Empire \"national\"
provinces. You should add at least two tech teams - a naval academy and
a naval arsenal. I made them to appear in 1937, as by this time you will
have access to water again.

You could also consider giving Austria some basic naval technologies and
doctrines. They had a navy until 1918, so this is not ahistorical by any
means.

### [ War From the Beginning ]{#War_From_the_Beginning .mw-headline}

As soon as the game starts, become more interventionist. Research better
infantry, and whatever else you see fit.

Move all your troops to the east, and declare war on Hungary. You should
be able to reach the Danube and occpy everything up to it easily.

At some point in this campaign, Italy will most likely declare war on
you. Germany then usually declares war on Italy, since they guarantee
your independance. This is your chance for Austrian world dominance -
enter the Axis and try to assume full military control of Germany. This
has always worked for me.

### [ Turning the Tide in the Alps ]{#Turning_the_Tide_in_the_Alps .mw-headline}

Now, you govern tiny little Austria, but command the entire German
Wehrmacht. This means that for your frustrated field commanders in
Hungary and your panicking civilians in western Austria (who are
probably being overrun by the Italians) a dream has come true - a real
army can save Austria.

Move the entire German army into Austria except for 8-10 divisions to
guard the French border (this will be important later!). Split off maybe
6 German divisions and send them to Hungary to help cross the Danube and
annex Hungary. The rest should enter the Alps, and begin the offensive
into Italy.

Since the conquest of Italy begins from Austria, all of Italy will fall
under Austrian control. The conquest of mainland Italy should not prove
too difficult, as the Germans are enormously strong, and can be
supported by the Austrian army and the German expeditionary force from
Hungary if you run into difficulties.

### [ Balkans ]{#Balkans .mw-headline}

Once Italy is under your control, you need to build some sort of navy,
especially [transport
ships](/wiki/Transport_ships "Transport ships"){.mw-redirect} . This is
where modding the game comes in useful, as Austria otherwise has grave
difficulties doing this. Well, you can get
[transports](/wiki/Transport "Transport") anyway.

The snag so far is that Italy is merely Austrian-controlled, it is not
part of your territory and you can\'t deploy any ships there. So you
need a port, and quickly. Array your combined Austro-German army around
Yugoslavia and attack. Leave enough troops as a garrison on the
Franco-Italian border in case the Allies declare war on you. This can
happen.

Annexing Yugoslavia should not take long, or be difficult. Greece and
Turkey (or other Balkan states) may declare war on you, if they do,
onwards with your conquest of the Balkans.

### [ The Austrian Navy ]{#The_Austrian_Navy .mw-headline}

Sooner or later, your first transports and destroyers will be ready, and
for the first time in twenty years an Austrian ship will sail to sea!
Use the navy to invade Crete, Libya, and if necessary also Ethiopia, to
annex Greece and Italy.

By now it should be early 1937 or so, and Austria rules the Balkans and
has access to numerous naval bases in the Mediterranean.

### [ The Great War ]{#The_Great_War .mw-headline}

You should keep checking whether the Germans are building new units
(they are, obviously!). They will invariably deploy them in Berlin. Send
them to the French border (north and south of the Alps). It is only a
matter of time now, before the Allies declare war.

When they do, it should be common sense to attack south of the Alps, so
France becomes Austrian territory as well. This fight will be incredibly
hard. You may suffer some setbacks in the beginning, but persevere and
all will be well.

After that, you can try attacking Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Romania,
although once again some modding will be useful unless you want to see
the entire \"Sudetenland\" in German hands after a bloody war in which
primarily Austrian blood was spillt.

### [ Beyond This ]{#Beyond_This .mw-headline}

Now everything is up to you. You have a powerful European base from
which to launch further campaigns of your own, or with which to support
the Germans (especially against the Soviet Union, even more so if you
happen to be in control of Turkey).

An option to consider is releasing Ethiopia, Somalia and Libya as
independant states, as they can raise hell in Africa and provide at
least some research or units. The colonies as they are are merely sand,
when they are released they get 5 IC from \"Heaven\".
:::