July, 1941
War preparations continue, even though the Germans did not attack. We are currently researching ways to break Enigma as part of a long-term strategy to gain better information on the German dispositions on our border. We have brought our carrier technology to 1940 levels, as part of our eventual long-term plan. Doctrinal research continues for both the army and the air force, and we are investigating ways to improve the speed of our infantry production.
We have upgraded our production of interceptors to the new Yak-7 model. 10 T-34 divisions with tank destroyer brigades are currently being produced, alongside 20 motorized divisions; our pre-existing armored divisions are being upgraded to newer models. EuchreJack's 6th Tank Division recently received the BT-7M, and production of T-34s for it are in progress. Alongside air and mechanized production, we are continuing our run of infantry production, and in the past years have added more than 60 infantry divisions to the Soviet Army.
August, 1941
The Far East Fleet has reached Leningrad, where it will remain to support the Soviet attack on the Third Reich, by gathering coastal intelligence and possibly supporting amphibious landings on the north coast of Germany.
Research has begun on basic mechanized divisions, and another division of T-34s rolls out of the factories.
September, 1941
We are nearing the limit of our metals industry to support our overall industry. Soon, we'll be digging into stockpiles; our stockpiles are, however, massive, at nearly 100,000 (1 IC of production for 1 day costs 2 energy, 1 metal, and 1/2 rare materials).
October, 1941
We would require more than 400 IC to make progress on upgrading every obsolete division in our inventory every day; we are currently dedicating some 45 to that task. This is a deliberate choice--an obsolete division is still a division, and new production grows the size of our armed forces while our older divisions upgrade. It seems to me that the combat calculus works out more in our favor this way.
November, 1941
Last month and this month, winter settles over Russia.
Coastal intelligence suggests a naval invasion of Germany is unlikely to succeed: they have a greater number of heavy naval units than we do, and more modern ones. An operation against Romania in the Black Sea may be possible, but that would require a significant investment in transports and a strategic baiting operation to draw Romanian forces away from their single coastal province.
December, 1941
We have begun to run a slight negative production in metal. We should run out in approximately... 134 years.
December 7th passes with no Japanese attack on the United States, leaving Japan and its conquests in China entirely to us following our war with the Germans. While I am unhappy that we'll be the only ones fighting the Germans, the lack of an American presence makes the Allies significantly less formidable, and permits us to defeat the Commonwealth and then the Americans one at a time.
Our supply stockpile recently passed 100,000 units, which will make it possible to supply our units for month-long offensives at will for a good part of the early war. Additionally, the army has now crested 250 divisions.
Research into atomics begins.
January, 1942
Motorized divisions redeployed from the Far East Military District arrive in the West.
Research is focused on two areas currently: air doctrine, so we can establish and maintain air superiority to make it possible to employ our tactical bomber force, and rocket artillery. Rocket artillery is a good alternative to standard artillery for a power like Russia--it is less costly in terms of industrial capacity, but more research-intensive and more expensive in manpower.
February, 1942
My long-term strategy for gaining military intelligence on the Germans finally pays off as advanced decryption devices are completed. We now have relatively accurate force estimates for each German province adjoining ours, and exact data on the Axis' minor allies.
March, 1942
There are three doctrines in the Human Wave tree (Pocket Defense, Defense in Depth, and Large Formation SOP) referred to as the 1941 doctrines--all three have the 1941 date, but it's rare to finish them all in 1941 without a heavier research focus on land doctrine than we have employed. Two or all three are very nearly necessary for victory against the Germans. We had one done at the historical date of the German invasion, and have now finished a second. The third is comparatively easy. With a little bit of good fortune, research will be completed before offensive operations start in earnest.
The war in China proceeds at a painfully slow pace.
Poland is beginning to thaw. It's time to plan our attack.
War Planning
We have the following resources deployed on the Western Front:
- Infantry divisions: 147
- Motorized divisions: 32
- Armored divisions: 13
- Headquarters divisions: 4
- Total: 196
- Interceptor wings: 19
- Tactical bomber wings: 14
- Battleships: 3
- Battlecruisers: 1
- Destroyer flotillas: 3
- Submarine flotillas: 11
- Transport flotillas: 11
And here's the map:
Dark green is forest, light green (around Pinsk in the center of the map) is marshland, yellow/brown is hills, and lighter yellow is plains, which affect the performance of soldiers in the ways you'd expect them to.
Owing to the number of headquarters units we can field (four), we probably shouldn't pick more than two or three lines to make primary attacks along. Otherwise, command limits will get in our way. On top of that, we only have two formations like Zhukov's below, which will probably be our primary breakthrough units. Beyond that limitation, I don't have any real plans. It's up to you guys.
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Topic: Arsenal of Democracy LP (1 October, 1944: Vperyod!) (Read 95139 times)