No, that 25 percent malus is wartime modifier. As Soviets didn't enter a large scale war like Germany until June 1941, It didn't have any effect except for short durations of Polish invasion and Winter War. Default value of wartime modifier is 1.0 and Soviets reach that 1.0 with 0.25 bonus. 0.6 bonus makes it 1.35.
Regarding wartime modifier, as you said, even with 0.25, their IC goes to 1.00... so I still wouldn't consider it a buff, but a neutralization of the nerf.
With that 60 percent bonus, Soviets have higher IC than USA which is extremely unrealistic in my opinion.
I agree it's unrealistic. USA IC should be much higher than 600 - it should be ~ Germany + USSR + UK in 1941, even more later on, with a large proportion going to consumer goods + lend-lease for (at least) balance purposes.
BTW, they don't really need ICs for free units as they cost only 0.1 IC. That will affect "natural" divisions built by Soviet AI. When Germany is also AI controlled, Soviets are given that normal 25 bonus.
I realize IC is only for "natural" divisions, so I agree that SOV bonus should be <60% when it's AI vs. AI. In these situations, poor AI queue and gearing bonus management affects both Germany and USSR. Even in this case though, Germany's queue should be less efficient than the Soviet one (historical - for example, USSR prioritized efficient production of a few tank models, while Germany prioritized building newer tank models/ greater equipment variety). The only way to show this (because AI is dumb) is to give SOVs more IC, say, 30-35% instead of 25% bonus in AI vs. AI. (IIRC, Guderian mentions in his memoirs that while he was Inspector General of Armoured Troops, he had wanted the Germans to have a tank like the T-34 compared to the loss of efficiencies brought by constant retooling due to Hitler's preference for new/heavy tanks)
When AI SOV vs. Human Germany though, I support the 60% to compensate for the additional AI disadvantages against an efficient human queue (so, in this case, inefficient SOV vs. efficient GER, opposite of historical) + human tendency to push the central planning slider (costing SOV's 25% relative advantage). In other words, let me do the math:
60%:
25% compensates for wartime malus.
10% compensates for historically more-efficient Soviet que. (see above)
25% compensates for AI inability to use gearing bonus + efficient human German queue (so now SOV queue efficiency is equal)
Not enough to compensate for tendency of human Germany to push the IC slider to central planning faster than Germany would IRL, reducing Soviet's 25% bonus. Free unit spam helps with this.
I think Soviet superiority is already there with higher reorganization rate. When you are bogged down in winter, they don't allow you to reorganize with continuous attacks.
I've never experienced that. When I get attacked, I tend to give ground in a few days unless I can get 5:1+ casualty ratios, or unless I really need the SOV divisions tied, or unless I really need to hold that specific province. What this does is 1: De-organizes Soviet attackers (battle+movement), 2: Keeps my units at high org (loss from battle, made-up during retreat). 3. Exposes Soviets to encirclements because a) Frontline is extended and b) Local SOV front looses rear guard.
Also, regarding Reorg rate, it is a factor of at least morale + province infra + (IIRC, something else, don't remember what (what role does GDE play in org loss?))... SOV units in 1941 have the same morale as German units -> 13; in 1943 -> SOV: 20 vs. GER 18. Not a big difference. There is a difference in that the victor suffers lower Org due to 1) attacking vs. retreating and 2 - re-org on a lower-infra territory; In 1941 the victor is usually Germany...
However, I don't see how that is related to my support for a cold weather boost for Russian troops - I support such a bonus because Russians had superior cold-weather equipment, this is a winter-specific bonus; any reorg benefit from doctrines affects troops all-year-round (unless it's a blizzard move/frozen move/etc, which isn't used in Soviet doctrine). Maybe lock winter equipment tech for Germany until 1942 and give Russia blueprint?
