For my part I have a Sweden being at the center of a new Kalmar Treaty. However, not as a so-called Empire but as defensive/economical Union.
I tend to have Norway and Finland in it with the king of Norway heading the Union. If Sweden initiated it, it doesn't intend to rule it on an absolute manner.
I also tend to have Sweden maintaining commercial exchanges with Estonia but that can go a lot further IMO. I wouldn't have the Swedes going in Poland (too much of a mess) but more likely in Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania and Schleswig-Holstein (Germany).
Again, I don't have them doing this with conquest in mind but defense and common-interests. About, their neutrality, I integrated the fight between Sweden and USSR as depicted by "Antenna". I integrated it so fully that I can't say anymore if it is part of cannon or not.
About their means of actions (ships I mean), I consider that they have quite enough especially in regard to the situation in the Baltic.
First, I had the Swedish Navy being joined by surviving vessels from Norway and Finland (These are quite enough in the Baltic Sea with the German, Polish and Soviet navies virtually gone).
Second, their navy still receives replacements as Sweden retains a functionnal industry with quite some ressources at hand. For my part, I have Sweden taking over the Sjkold design from Norway. THerefore, the backbone of their navy are Visby-class corvettes, Göteborg-class corvettes, Sjkold-class Missile Crafts, Spica-class Missile Crafts (including Helsinki-class as a matter of convenience) and Götland-class submarines (with a few German Types).
Third, they have enough landing crafts: 3 LST (may be a couple more from Norway), 60+ LCT and more than 200 Stridsbät 90 (including some from Norway). I agree that these ships are short range but the distances involved are short as well (mostly around 200km with the most being probably 300).
Last, as I don't consider that Sweden conducts invasion but responds to calls from its neighbours, most troops are brought by civilian ferries with very little naval landings involved (in the true sense).
This is for the potential (IMO) but in my timeline I have the following:
- The New Kalmar Union was established in response to NATO (Finland) and Soviet agressions (Norway and Sweden).
- Finland, Norway and Sweden are now one country under the leadership of Haakon VIII with troops heavily involved in Northern Scandinavia. Despite losses within the navy, these losses had been partly replaced and they effectively control the Baltic along with most of the Norwegian coast.
- As in v2.2 I consider that nothing was subjected to nukes. On the other hand, I have the region being more organized with chaos essentially concerning Finland and the mountainous center of the peninsula.
- Access to strategic materials is greatly reduced but not down to zero. Between these three countries, you get about everything you need. As a result, industrial production remains a reality even for a limited amount of civilian goods. I adopted the idea of Antenna about sunthetic fuels but since the drying down of combat, oil is available as well. Oil/Gas rigs had been reopened in the North Sea and production is increasing.
- That's stictly me but I have Denmark being independent and out of the war. Not part in the New Kalmar Union, it maintains commercial relations with Sweden.
- Estonia also maitains some relations with it and Lithuania might see a Swedish intervention. However, I don't have the Swedes entering Latvia and Poland while it is the Danes which are being involved in Schleswig-Holstein after a late and short border war with Germany easily won by the Danish Army (and no, Denmark doesn't invade Germany).