'Odin' and Stalin's Secret Committee

[Eurasia]

What are our long term plans, if any, for the Japanese Empire Comrade? I can't picture us carrying out a massive invasion of their home islands any time soon. Cutting them off from Southeast Asia and its resources would be a more...reasonable...goal. We could free so many Enslaved Asian Proletarians from the Japanese and also from the influence of the European Imperialists.

 

[serutan]

If an attempt is made to do anything w.r.t. Japan in the near future, the Committee might as well paint a bull's eye on its
back with the caption "Stab Here" w.r.t the Germans.

 

[Bullfilter]

If an attempt is made to do anything w.r.t. Japan in the near future, the Committee might as well paint a bull's eye on its
back with the caption "Stab Here" w.r.t the Germans.

From my limited experience, I think I agree. Japan seems to attack the SU most of the time (my suspicion is that it's a result of not being at war with Nat China) and in considerable force. To stop it, I think the forces diverted from the main game in Europe just aren't worth it.

Probably better to take them down later if/when Germany is in the bag. But that's more hunch than by much experimentation

 

[roverS3]

Yes, Italy joining in seems to be the real killer. Once that happens, my own (limited but reasonable) experience is the AI just can't cope with it. And it took a few goes at it before I was able to do it as a human French leader.

The AI already has trouble with manning the Maginot line and the Belgian border decently without constantly pulling too many troops from one to assist the other, and then the other way around.

Once Italy attacks, I think you want to make sure your defensive plans are all dusted off, as the French won't last much longer (whether because of or heralded by the Stab in the Back), and the Germans may come for you early!

Egro, the in depth reviewing of the Red Army Leadership (of which you see but the tip of the iceberg...).

What are our long term plans, if any, for the Japanese Empire Comrade? I can't picture us carrying out a massive invasion of their home islands any time soon. Cutting them off from Southeast Asia and its resources would be a more...reasonable...goal. We could free so many Enslaved Asian Proletarians from the Japanese and also from the influence of the European Imperialists.

If an attempt is made to do anything w.r.t. Japan in the near future, the Committee might as well paint a bull's eye on its
back with the caption "Stab Here" w.r.t the Germans.

Well, the problem is that we cannot declare war on Japan without automatically dragging the rest of the axis in too, this also makes a preemptive strike on Germany extremely unlikely. As doing so will guarantee immediate Japanese involvement, at least on paper.

From my limited experience, I think I agree. Japan seems to attack the SU most of the time (my suspicion is that it's a result of not being at war with Nat China) and in considerable force. To stop it, I think the forces diverted from the main game in Europe just aren't worth it.

Well there are 20 Infx3, Art Divisions (Vladivostok and north of it...), and 5 Mtnx3 DIvisions (Reserves in the mountains north of Mongolia, still on their way there) in the Area to try and contain the problem. This might seem like a lot, but compared to the amount of Japanese units on the Manchurian border, or to the size of the Red Army it's just a drop in the bucket. Our guesstimate is that our Far East Theatre is outnumbered almost 2/1.
What could theoretically really help our cause in the East, is a Cavalry Corps (5x (L Arm, Mot/Mechx2, AC/Eng)), as it doesn't seem the Japanese have any Armour to speak of.

Probably better to take them down later if/when Germany is in the bag. But that's more hunch than by much experimentation

Later down the line, we should also have a decent CTF to block their navy... and anyway attacking them now is a non-starter (see above)

The Red Army is considering both a stab directly at the Japanese homeland, once the Germans have been dealt with and the Japs are at war with the USA, or a dash to capture all of the Japanese ports on the Pacific coast of mainland Asia, encircling whatever units the Japs could have in the interior of China / Manchukuo.
Or if our Nuclear programme works out, we could also go sort of the historical route... only with the Soviets dropping nukes...

Thank you all for commenting and asking questions, it keeps the AAR lively with debate, making both the content and the actions taken richer, especially if you bear in mind that I never play more than 10 days ahead. (Which is the reason the postings will never be regular, as every time I play ten days, I write the next update before playing on...) You have a real input, and I will try to keep it that way.

Greetings,

RoverS3 / 'Odin'

 

[roverS3]

The 8th of June 1940, Kaluga, 7,8°C, 12am Moscow Time,

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 30th of May and the 8th of June 1940,

by 'Odin'

Army:

3 new Infx2, TD units have been delivered to XVIII SK HQ, XIX SK HQ, and XXIII SK HQ.
4 new Art Regiments have been deployed to 3. TTGvD, 191. SD, 8. SD, and 142. SD Priority for an added Art Regiment (5th Brigade) is given to the units digging in in fortifies cities behind the front.
2 new Infx3, AT, Art Divisions, 102. SD, and 105. SD have been deployed to the new XXXI SK in Riga, no commanders have been assigned yet, this will be dealt with during the ongoing leadership reshuffle...
Now you see the problem...
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 563 / 1.689.000
Support troops: 181 / 181.000

Total fighting troops: 744 / 1.870.000​

Headquarters: 56 / 56.000

Total Army Personnel: 800 / 1.926.000​

Officers: 68.125 + / 80.690 needed / 84,428 %
Active Leaders: Under advisement, will be updated after the leadership reshuffle.
Our first Parx3 Division (Vozdushno-Desnataya Diviziya) has started training, with the recently delivered Li-2's of 1. TrAD ready for training jumps.
4 Eng, TD units have started training, with Su-85's being produced, these should give our regular Tank Divisions of II. TK some extra punch.
2 Art regiment's worth of 152mm howitzers are now being produced
2 Eng regiments have started training, these should reinforce our four GvSD's and add to their river crossing and digging in abilities.
Another Regiment of Su-122 SP Art with 152mm guns has started production.
A single Infx3, AT, Art Division has started training.
​

Air Force:

100 Lisunov Li-2 Transport planes forming 1. TrAD have been deployed, they have been placed into the brand new I TrAK. (no leader has been assigned yet)
Aeroplane Numbers (Wings/Planes):

Interceptors: 18 / 1800
Multi-Role Fighters: 1 / 100
Close Air Support: 3 / 300
Carrier Air Groups: 4 / 400

Single Engined: 26 / 2.600​

Tactical Bomber: 4 / 400

Total Bombers: 6 / 600​

Transport Planes: 1 / 100

Total VVS: 27 / 2.700
Total Navy: 4 / 400
Total Airplanes: 31 / 3.100​

Active Leaders: 12 / 18 Reserve
Production continues, on another 100 Li-2's, they will form 3. TrAD and also join I TrAK
Production of another 100 LaGG-3 Interceptors has started, they will form 56. IAD and join V. IAK when finished.​

Navy:

No changes in the navy for the last 10 days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes for the last 10 days.
The Norwegian Front

Norway (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,00 / 85,4
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,7

The Germans have taken back Drammen, west of Oslo, otherwise no changes here.​

The Western Europe Front

The Netherlands have finally realised that they lost both Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and are now officially a 'Government in exile' governing only their colonies across the globe...
Belgium (Surrender Progress / NU): 62,0 / 73,3 loss of Gent.
France (Surrender Progress / NU): 3,00 / 49,5 loss of Sedan, recapture of Sarreguemines.
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,7

The Germans have broken through Gent to the Belgian Coast (Brugge), will this be a breakthrough? Will they try to cut the front off from British reinforcements and supplies by taking the French side of the Channel?
The Wehrmacht has also crossed the river Meuse into Sedan, France, this could also be a potential breakthrough.
The Germans have been chased out of Sarreguemines, probably at a heavy cost to the the French army...but at least the Maginot line is entirely French again...
​

Industry Numbers:

Construction of Machine Gun Bunkers (Level 1) has started in Kaunas.
Working Industrial Capacity / available capacity: 236 / 318
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 28,67 / 28,67
Reinforcement: 5,60 / 5,60
Supplies: 0,00 / 35,76
Production: 250,44 / 250,44
Consumer Goods: 28,62 / 28,62​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum tonnes +
Metal: 82.230 tonnes +
Rares: 29.933 tonnes +
Crude: 89.560 barrels +
Supplies: 30.131 tonnes +
Fuel: 99.991 barrels -
Money: 1.982 +
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us)
France (Covert Operations / Counterespionage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

{ Germany (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 }
{ Japan (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }
{ UK (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }​

Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Total: 10 / 0 / 0 / 2​

Reserves: 6
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,35
We have so far recruited 2 like-minded Covert Operatives in our French sleeper cell...
​

Research:

Our top secret Nuclear Research programme has reached a breakthrough, the researchers will now be used to train even more officers, as this is more pressing than the research of Isotope Separation.
LS DIstrubution:

Research: 18,60 (-1,0)
Espionage: 0,35 =
Diplomacy: 0,09 =
Officers: 10,00 (+1,0) (50 officers / day)
Total: 29,03 =
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,873 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 0,00 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 1.946.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 14.000 Men
To mobilise(need): See above
Monthly gain: 45.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 7,5 days)​

Party Popularity

- Communist Party: 48 (-1)
- Trotskyite: 4 (-5)
- Bukharinite: 7 (+1)

- Octobrist: 7 (-4)
- Social-Revolutionary: 4 (-2)
- Trudoviks: 4 (+3)
- Kadets: 8 =

- Tsarists: 8 (+1)
- NTS: 3 (+1)
- POA: 6 (+4)
This must be the job of German spies, convincing 4% of our people that National Socialism is the way to go, while driving 6% away from the ruling parties. The opposition, is very fragmented, however with the Capitalists split mostly between Kadets and Octobrists, and Japanese and German spies slogging out the war of ideas between Monarchism and National-Socialism on the right. So, with the slimmest of Majorities, our government is not fractured for lack of a plausible alternative...​

Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 66,90 (+0,70)
- Trotskyite: 11,80 (-0,1)
- Bukharinite: 6,90 (-0,1)

- Octobrist: 7,40 (-0,1)
- Trudoviks: 4,20 (-0,1)
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,00 =
- Kadets: 0,00 =

- Tsarists: 1,00 (-0,1)
- NTS: 1,70 (-0,1)
- POA: 0,00 =
Despite falling popularity, the organisation of the Communist Party keeps improving inexorably... you would think people like organised parties, but that seems to be a minority point of view now...
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 8th of June 1940, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 18th of June 1940, Sevastopol Naval Base and Shipbuilding Yard, 16,6°C, 10am Moscow Time,

I had flown to Sevastopol for several events, and had taken 'Piat' ', our navy man, with me. The first 5 Sevastopol-Class Destroyers have been launched, 2. Flotiliya Esmintsev will soon start off on their training trip in the Black Sea before being commissioned in ten days time. Production of the fast Destroyers will continue in Sevastopol's smaller Dry docks. Meanwhile, work on the Kiyv is moving along nicely, our first Carrier of the Kiyv-class, which will be able to carry two KPA's and is comparable in size to the French Carrier Bearn. A second Carrier, the Minsk, also of the Kyiv-Class, has been laid down. Once the Kyiv is built, we will see the experience gained during it's construction have a real effect on construction time and cost for Minsk.

A blueprint of a new Sevastopol-Class Destroyer. It's essentially a Kiev-Class Destroyer with more powerful 60.000 HP engines giving it a maximum speed of 31 knots(less than the original Kiev-Class project 48) and a larger fuel tank, giving it a range of 2700 km. It thus has the same armament setup: 3 twin 130mm Gun Turrets, 5 twin 22mm AAMG's (Worse than in the original project where 4 twin 85mm AA Gun turrets and a single automatic 38mm AAMG were planned), a bunch of lighter 12.7mm MG's can be mounted, and the ships can carry up to 76 mines each. The Armour also remains the same at 20mm (so close to nothing...). The first five ships of the grandly named I. Avianosets Flote (Carrier Fleet) are leaving the port tonight for exercises in the Black sea.
(Considering the Kiev-Class was never built and I invented the Sevastopol-Class because no Destroyers were planned for construction during ww2 after the Kiev-Class, this is a blueprint for the never built Kiev-Class)
​

The list with Leadership changes at the Corps level has come in from 'Dva' as well, now changes at the Division level will be discussed, one Army at a time, starting with 2ya Tankovaya Armiya:

New Lt. General Rodin G.S. SK2, DD, WS will take command of the new XXXI SK, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

Lt. General Krasnopevtsev SK3, DD, FB will replace Lt. General Cherevichenko SK3, LW as leader of XXX MSK, Armoured Army Group, STAVKA.
Now Lt. General Bagramian SK3, LW, OD will replace Lt. General Zakharov G.F. SK3, Trck as leader of II KK, Armoured Army Group, STAVKA.

New Lt. General Ivanov I.I. SK2, DD, WS will replace Lt. General Malinin SK3, LW as leader of IX SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
New Lt. General Kashuba SK2, LW, WS will replace Lt. General Reiter SK3, OD as leader of VIII SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
New Lt. General Katkov SK2, DD, WS will replace Lt. General Meretskov SK3, LW as leader of V SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

New Lt. General Selivanov SK2, LW, OD will replace Lt. General Sandalov SK3, OD as leader of XVII SK, 1ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

New Lt. General Fomenko P.I. SK2, WS, Trck will replace Lt. General Kirponos SK3, DD as leader of XI SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New Lt. General Kirichenko SK2, LW, WS will replace Lt. General Kondratchev SK3, OD as leader of XIII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.

Lt. General Cherevichenko SK3, LW will replace Lt. General Krasnopevtsev SK3, DD, FB as leader of IV SK, 4ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
Lt. General Terekhin SK2, OD, DD will replace Lt. General Shumilov SK3, FB as leader of VI SK, 4ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
Lt. General Meretskov SK3, LW will replace Lt. General Zakharov M.V. SK3, FB as leader of VII SK, 4ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.

New Lt. General Biryukov SK3, LW will replace Lt. General Poluektov SK3, FB as leader of XVIII SK, 8ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New Lt. General Belov P.A. SK3, LW will replace Lt. General Sofronov SK2, DD as leader of XIX SK, 8ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New Lt. General Zakharov G.F. SK3, LW will replace Lt. General Zakharov G.F. SK3, Trck as leader of XV SK, 8ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Odessa HQ.

New Lt. General Zyrianov SK3, Cdo will replace Lt. General Potapov SK2, WS as leader of XX GSK, Far East Theatre.
New Lt. General Osade SK2, OD, Cdo will replace Lt. General Terekhin SK2, OD, DD as leader of XXVI SK, 10ya Armiya, Far East Theatre.

Lt. General Malinin SK3, DD will replace Lt. General Klyuchko SK2, DD as leader of XXI GSK, 9ya Armiya, 5th Army Group, Stalingrad HQ.
​

My Report on the state of the Soviet Union is around here somewhere... I'll send it out as soon as I find it in my chest of Committee documents, which seems to have been shaken up during the Aeroplane flight into Sevastopol this morning. No one opened it as if anyone had tried without my key, it would have exploded, and it was marked as experimental explosive ammunition anyway, which begs the question: What would have happened if the chest had really been filled as labelled. The VVS seems to have been quite sloppy with this one...the Li-2 crews are probably still a bit too green and unorganised, let's hope they learn and organise before an accident happens...

That's it for now, once I find my report, I'm going to go enjoy our Black sea beaches before returning to Vologda tomorrow, by plane via Kharkov to Moskva, and then by rail and car to Vologda and our compound in the woods...

See you soon,

'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 18th of June 1940, Sevastopol, 18,6°C, 11am Moscow Time,

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 9th and the 18th of June 1940,

by 'Odin'

Army:

2 new Art Regiments have been deployed to 43. SD and 78. SD, part of Lt. General Gastilovich's III SK, 3ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA, which is stationed in Kaunas.
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 563 / 1.689.000
Support troops: 183 / 183.000

Total fighting troops: 746 / 1.872.000​

Headquarters: 56 / 56.000

Total Army Personnel: 802 / 1.928.000​

Officers: 68.625 + / 80.890 needed / 84,837 %
Active Leaders: Under advisement, will be updated after the leadership reshuffle.
​

Air Force:

No changes in the VVS nor the Navy Air Fleet for the last ten days.
​

Navy:

Our first five Sevastopol-Class Destroyers have been delivered and they will form 2. Flotiliya Esmintsev, part of the new I. Avianosets Flote
Navy Numbers (Flotillas / Ships)

Transports: 2 / 10
AG-boat Class (I): 11 / 55
Series II Class(II): 9 / 45
Series V-bis Class(III): 3 / 15

Submarines: 23 / 115​

Norvik-Class (I) : 3 / 15
Gnevnyi-Class (II): 2 / 10
Kiev-Class (IV): 1 / 5
Sevastopol-Class (IV+): 1 / 5

Destroyers: 7 / 35
Light Cruisers / Profitern-Class (I): 3
Escorts: 10 / 38​

Heavy Cruiser / Krasnyi Kavkaz (I): 1
Battleships / Gangut-Class (I): 3
Escort Carriers / Moskva-Class (I): 2

Capitals: 5
Total combat ships: 15 / 43
Total Navy: 41 / 168
Leaders: 12 / 8 Reserve​

In the Sevastopol shipyards, work has started on 10. Flotiliya Esmintsev, another flotilla of Sevastopol-Class Destroyers.
Another large dry dock in Sevastopol has been mobilised for the construction of the Minsk, our second Kyiv-Class Carrier.
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes for the last 10 days.
The Norwegian Front

Norway (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,00 / 85,4
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,6

The Germans have lost Drammen, South-West of Oslo, but they have taken Honefoss, North-West of the Norwegian Capital. Nothing else has changed, and it seems that without reinforcements, the best the Germans in Norway can do is maintaining a stalemate...Maybe all they wanted was Heavy Water...​

The Western Europe Front

Belgium (Surrender Progress / NU): 61,9 / 73,4
France (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,00 / 49,4 recapture of Sedan
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,6

The Allies seem to have stabilised the front, they have taken back Brugge, and Sedan, and thereby countered two potential breakthroughs.
The Wehrmacht has taken Aalst and Philippeville, meaning Bruxelles (Brussel) is under serious threat from three sides, and our analysts believe that the Fall of the Belgian capital would be the end of Belgium in Europe.
​

Industry:

The Machine Gun Bunkers (Level 1) in Riga have been delivered,
Construction of Machine Gun Bunkers (Level 1) has started in Kyiv.
The Air Bases in Novomoskovosk, Berezan, and Homel have all gained a third Runway (Level 5)
The Air Bases in Berezan, Homel and Demjansk will now get additional hangars and some concrete taxiways (Level 6) to allow even more Aircraft to be stationed and maintained there.
The Air Base of Rezekne is now operational (Level 1) as an Airfield, now the Runway will be paved and basic maintenance facilities (Level 2) will be installed.
The Runway of Lwow Air Base has now been paved (Level 2) and now a concrete control tower will be added, as well as a second, dirt runway. (Level 3)
Industry Numbers:

Working Industrial Capacity / available capacity: 236 / 318
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 14,88 / 14,88
Reinforcement: 7,33 / 7,33
Supplies: 16,59 / 34,80
Production: 251,28 / 251,28
Consumer Goods: 28,62 / 28,62​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum tonnes =
Metal: 82.682 tonnes +
Rares: 29.964 tonnes +
Crude: 90.665 barrels +
Supplies: 28.984 tonnes -
Fuel: 99.863 barrels -
Money: 1.982 +
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us)

France (Covert Operations / Counterespionage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

{ Germany (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }
{ Japan (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }
{ UK (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }​

Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0

Total: 10 / 0 / 0 / 0​

Reserves: 6
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,35
We have so far recruited 3 like-minded Covert Operatives in our French sleeper cell...
We have proof of foreign spy activity in the Soviet Union, yet our Spy hunters seem incapable of catching them...
​

Research:

The VVS has come up with better Interception Tactics (Level 3), the new manuals have been delivered to all our Fighter Divisions.
Now they have started to pursue Rocket Tests, this new technology could in the medium term provide added propulsion power to our Aircraft, and long term there are all sorts of potential applications. One of the reasons for this development, is that Germany seems to have a fully operational Rocket Test Site near Schweinfurt.
No changes to LS DIstrubution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,883 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 0,00 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 1.947.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 5.700 Men
To mobilise(need): See above
Monthly gain: 45.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 7,5 days)​

No changes to Party Popularity
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 67,40 (+0,50)
- Trotskyite: 11,70 (-0,1)
- Bukharinite: 6,80 (-0,1)

- Octobrist: 7,30 (-0,1)
- Trudoviks: 4,10 (-0,1)
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,00 =
- Kadets: 0,00 =

- Tsarists: 1,00 =
- NTS: 1,60 =
- POA: 0,00 =
There is definitely something going on on the right side of things, as both the National-Socialists and the Monarchist didn't lose any comparative organisation compared to the Capitalists. This indicates that spies are actively propping up their organisation.
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 18th of June 1940, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​

 

[markkur]

I enjoy seeing you making the effort to "hold the east". Now, if only "your generals" will give you some satisfaction.

What are your plans for telling the story of the great war? Will there be a staff of party-officers representing the various regions?

 

[roverS3]

I enjoy seeing you making the effort to "hold the east". Now, if only "your generals" will give you some satisfaction.

It consider it gamey to just let the Japanese walk into Siberia. Vladivostok is a priced city of the Soviet Union and it's proletariat must be shown the same courtesy as that in the Western cities... Hanging on in the east will also make it easier to take Japanese territory in Asia after the Great Patriotic War in the West is wrapped up...

In the east right now: 4 x (5x (Infx3, Art) ) , 1x (5x (Mtnx3) )

What are your plans for telling the story of the great war? Will there be a staff of party-officers representing the various regions?

The sheer number of battles will make a full tale of every battle, as I did in Finland, unmanageable and probably untenable in the long run. I am therefore thinking of alternatives:
What is certain is that the Battles will be grouped per region, so your suggestion seems interesting, except that I would call them Secret Committee assets masquerading as party-officers, same, but different, but still same... I'm also toying with following a few units through their commander's diaries/letters and thus going in depth for those battles where these units were involved and not for others. Right now the rough plan looks something like this:

• Select a few Commanders to follow and go into detail about their battles or insights
• When a battle is sufficiently large in scope (number of units, number of casualties or duration limits to be determined)
• Other battles would only get raw stats in a standard format, as I've done with the "state of the soviet union" with numbers involved, start, finish, casualties, and maybe commanders, tactics only when a tactic has been countered...
• All of this would be grouped per Theatre or region and over the standard period of 10 days. Possibly through different correspondents/assets posted in these respective regions/theatres.

All of this is pretty rough and I will have to try things out a bit before I get the right balance between detailed stats, analysis, descriptions so it doesn't become a list of numbers, nor a small novel every ten days... If you or other external members have ideas about this, feel free to comment about it, it might enrich the experience for both me and you.

 

[markkur]

What is certain is that the Battles will be grouped per region, so your suggestion seems interesting, except that I would call them Secret Committee assets masquerading as party-officers, same, but different, but still same... .

Sounds the correct twist to me.

I'm also toying with following a few units through their commander's diaries/letters and thus going in depth for those battles where these units were involved and not for others. Right now the rough plan looks something like this:

• Select a few Commanders to follow and go into detail about their battles or insights
• When a battle is sufficiently large in scope (number of units, number of casualties or duration limits to be determined)
• Other battles would only get raw stats in a standard format, as I've done with the "state of the soviet union" with numbers involved, start, finish, casualties, and maybe commanders, tactics only when a tactic has been countered...
• All of this would be grouped per Theatre or region and over the standard period of 10 days. Possibly through different correspondents/assets posted in these respective regions/theatres.

All of this is pretty rough and I will have to try things out a bit before I get the right balance between detailed stats, analysis, descriptions so it doesn't become a list of numbers, nor a small novel every ten days... If you or other external members have ideas about this, feel free to comment about it, it might enrich the experience for both me and you.

I like it and I think any/all of it will work well. One thought did come to mind, Maybe you could have a double story "here and there" with the agent and a truth-teller reporting on the same event, unit etc. Might be a lot more work but could be fun if reduced enough to be manageable. I don't envy your coming workload even without frills. So, I'm for anything you choose to do.

Anyway, carry on Supreme Comrade.

 

[roverS3]

The 22nd of June 1940, Vologda, 18,6°C, 4pm Moscow Time

On the 20th I had been retained by an over-eager NKVD official wondering why I was flying experimental explosive ammunition into Moskva and not out to the Navy's bases. Masquerading as a Navy Captain of a small troop transport had allowed me to blend in really well with the crowd in Sevastopol. Once in Moskva, however, I stood out, and I had hoped to get through the Airport as quickly as possible but it was not to be... The situation was only resolved when 'Tri' called the Moskva Airport NKVD office, as he had news for me. Having all sorts of powerful cover identities, he easily outranked the commanding officer and ordered for me to be released and handed the telephone.

"Well 'Odin', and I thought you were invisible to non-committee members, guess I was wrong... Everyone makes mistakes... To the matter at hand, the inevitable end of France. Italy has declared war on the Allies, impatient for the spoils of a war it thinks only the Axis can win... The Italian Army is reputed to be quite a bit smaller than on paper, with many Divisions less than 2/3 of one of ours ... Mussolini's talk of 8 Million Bayonets is a running joke throughout the Red Army, which, counting just shy of 2 million men, is one of the largest armies on the planet (if not the largest). A regional power like Italy cannot possibly have trained half as many, making 8 million seem entirely ridiculous... Nevertheless, Italy's entry into the war should be a real headache for the Allies, as it will probably tilt the fragile balance in France decisively in the Axis' favour. Indirectly it will make the UK even more unwilling to send a significant portion of it's army into France, as it's colonies in the Mediterranean are now threatened... The Italians also bring a large and powerful navy for their size, meaning that the UK will have to keep several fleets in the med to contain the Regia Marina... Pressure on the Kriegsmarine will lessen significantly... This is a game changer, making the possible invasion of the Soviet Union more likely in the short term rather than the medium short term...Brussels has fallen, so this is obviously not the Allies' day, nor their year ... We could be under attack by spring next year...well that's it, now you know, and you're free to go..."

Well 'Tri' had a lot to say about these Italians, I'm sure they will prove a nuisance to the Allies, as soon as they have taken care of their Albanian revolt in Durres...

Bruxelles / Brussel has fallen, but it seems the Belgians have laughed this off as less crazy than their own political intricacies and then relocated the Government to Charleroi, which seems to have made running the country somewhat less complicated somehow. The Belgae are still hanging on after losing all of their VP's in continental Europe. We'll have to see how long it take the Belgians to see beyond the surrealism of the situation, stop making fun of their own predicament, and retreat to exile in the king's Congo... maybe they could find something to do with all of that Uranium... actually let's hope they don't...
​

Well that's the big news, until the next update,

Greetings,

'Odin'

​

 

[Eurasia]

Comrade "Tri" is totally right about Italian Navy. And while the Italian Army may be a joke among the rank and file it will not be a joke to the British Middle-Eastern/African Forces if they get cut off from supplies and reinforcements by a Italian Mediterranean. May I suggest we keep an eye on Malta?

Also protecting our Far Eastern ports, including Vladivostok, will be very important when we start the war with Germany. Those ports may be the only ports still open for trading with the rest of the world when the Germans slam into our border and their submarines start hitting our conveys.

 

[Bullfilter]

We'll have to see how long it take the Belgians to see beyond the surrealism of the situation, stop making fun of their own predicament, and retreat to exile in the king's Congo... maybe they could find something to do with all of that Uranium... actually let's hope they don't...

I've read an HoI4 AAR where Belgium does just that and ends up nuking half the world. Another reason for looking askance at HOI4, if a G-I-E Belgium can develop a large nuclear program and arsenal etc.

 

[roverS3]

Comrade "Tri" is totally right about Italian Navy. And while the Italian Army may be a joke among the rank and file it will not be a joke to the British Middle-Eastern/African Forces if they get cut off from supplies and reinforcements by a Italian Mediterranean. May I suggest we keep an eye on Malta?

We will surely keep an eye on Malta, and the RM. A possible action plan for our new CTF's would be to help the RN sweep the Eastern part of the Med as soon as the Italians decide to join Barbarossa... It's not as if there will be a lot to do in the Baltic or Black sea for that matter... and based in Murmansk our ships use 2/3 of their range to get anywhere close to the action...not to mention the supply situation and added attrition. So for our main Carrier fleets it will be Sevastopol or Vladivostok... and we hope Turkey doesn't join the Axis...
Talking of Malta, I was thinking of Capturing a small Island (possibly using some paratroopers) in the Med as a backup base and to possibly increase our reach into the med, Soviet Malta, it shall be renamed...
The RBBF will stay in the Baltic to destroy whatever German ships are to be found there...

The problem is that the way the Axis is set up robs us of our initiative. It's a waiting game, as the fewer enemies you're fighting at any one time, the better. If Germany declares limited war, maybe the Japs and/or the Italians won't join right away... If we strike pre-emptively, the entire alliance will be on our both our doorsteps... As soon as we have enemies we can unleash our millions upon them... until then... we wait, anxious to see who will be the first fools mad enough to take us on...

Also protecting our Far Eastern ports, including Vladivostok, will be very important when we start the war with Germany. Those ports may be the only ports still open for trading with the rest of the world when the Germans slam into our border and their submarines start hitting our conveys.

Well, resource-wise the Soviet Union is pretty self-sufficient for now, we trade away quite a lot (especially Energy) and buy supplies so we can spend the saved IC on other things (Military things...), but being cut off from the rest of the world would mean that we can keep our huge industry running without running any deficit, well, after total economic mobilisation or more IC builds, maybe a small metal deficit. Of course this is subject to change if the Germans capture large swathes of Soviet territory... In any case, the Germans should run out before we do... Lend-lease is another matter of course, and if we get some it would probably be coming through Vladivostok unless it is captured of course...
If we are at war with Japan, Vladivostok-bound convoys (Lend-lease, if the US will give us some...) will probably get hit quite hard as well regardless of the SU holding the ports (unless the US Navy already destroyed their navy) and if Japan is not at war with us, our eastern ports are safe anyway... Still, there are plenty of reasons to keep our Far East ports, the most fun one is to be able to hit the Japs with our CTF's...and maybe invade mainland Japan once the Germans are dealt with... Go straight for the dragons den so to speak... all theoretial of course...

I've read an HoI4 AAR where Belgium does just that and ends up nuking half the world. Another reason for looking askance at HOI4, if a G-I-E Belgium can develop a large nuclear program and arsenal etc.

Well I see someone gets my reference. You are referring to Bastion of Democracy - a Belgium AAR | Paradox Interactive Forums
As a Belgian I had to read it, it's a fun tale, especially the 'Belgium nukes the Axis into Surrender' part.

Well if all of our competent scientist had been sent to Elisabethville, (You know, in the Congo, there where the ground is mostly Uranium,...) and all our limited resources were dedicated to it, plus some Allied support (You know, they want the weapon, but they don't want to be seen using it or even having it, we also have the most Uranium, so why don't we develop it...), who knows what could have happened, Belgium had some pretty clever scientists and engineers back in the day... Building the reactor would have been even tougher of course, and that's where it seems less plausible, with little industry to speak of it's hard to see how they could have pulled that off... especially in a couple of years... (IIRC in the AAR IC is used from regions won through peace negotiations once the Allies knocked out Nat Spain, which was part of the Axis...still pretty implausible...) I would say that they could have maybe managed a Nuke or two with a small reactor built with Congolese manual labour (I know it's not a pretty picture) but nothing on the scale of that AAR...

This is all speculation of course, we will have to be patient and see where the game leads us...
Will the AI be able to stem the Japs with a full Army?
Will the Italians watch from the sidelines?
What will happen in the Balkans, Roumania especially?

Long term questions with no answers... I guess we'll find out... not in the next update.... but eventually... That's why I'm here... so we can all find out... eventually.

Sorry if that was a bit too dramatic,
thanks for your input, until the next update,

RoverS3

 

[Bullfilter]

Well I see someone gets my reference. You are referring to Bastion of Democracy - a Belgium AAR | Paradox Interactive Forums
As a Belgian I had to read it, it's a fun tale, especially the 'Belgium nukes the Axis into Surrender' part.

I thought it might have been that one you were hinting at . Yes, an interesting read, but a bit strange too.

 

[roverS3]

The 28th of June 1940, Vologda, 6,4°C, 10am Moscow Time,

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 19th and the 28th of June 1940,

by 'Odin'

Army:

A new Infx3, AT, Art Division, 90. SD has been deployed to Lt. General Rodin G.S.'s XXXI SK, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. Based in Riga.
2 new Eng Regiments, 13. GvIP and 14. GvIP, they will reinforce 1. GvSD and 72. GvSD in Minsk.
A Garx2 Division has finished training. 5. Garnizon DIviziya, consisting of Finnish soldiers and Soviet Officers will keep the peace in Viipuri.
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 568 / 1.704.000
Support troops: 187 / 187.000
Total fighting troops: 755 / 1.891.000
Headquarters: 56 / 56.000
Total Army Personnel: 811 / 1.947.000
Officers: 69.125 + / 81.650 needed / 84,660 %
Active Leaders: Under advisement, will be updated after the leadership reshuffle..
Production of BT-7M tanks and Su-85 Tank Destroyers has been stepped up, as to form a new Arm, Motx2, TD, Eng Division, 8. Tankovaya Diviziya​

Army Leadership:

XXIX GvSK:

Maj. General Vatutin SK4 will be replacing the recently promoted Lt. General Bagramian SK3, LW, OD as leader of 3. TTGvD, XXIX GvSK, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
​

2ya Tankovaya Armiya:

Now Maj. General Berzarin SK3, OD will replace Maj. General Levandovski SK3 as leader of 12. TD, II TK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Now Maj. General Romanenko P.L. SK3, BM will replace Maj. General Boldin SK3 as leader of 64. TD, II TK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Now Maj. General Grebionnek SK3, OD will replace Maj. General Kazakov M.I. SK3 as leader of 81. TD, II TK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Now Maj. General Reiter SK3, OD will replace Maj. General Gordov SK3 as leader of 6. TD, II TK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Now Maj. General Sandalov SK3, OD will replace Maj. General Moskalenko SK3 as leader of 39. TD, II TK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya

Now Maj. General Kirponos SK3, DD will replace Maj. General Gerasimov M.N. SK2, Eng as leader of 163. MSD, XXVIII MSK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Now Maj. General Kulik SK3, DD will replace Maj. General Bochenkov SK2, DD as leader of 198. MSD, XXVIII MSK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Maj. General Shaposhnikov SK3, DD will replace Maj. General Trufanov SK2, Eng as leader of 163. MSD, XXVIII MSK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
New Maj. General Antonov A.I. SK3 will replace Maj. General Kachalov SK2, DD as leader of 82. MSD, XXVIII MSK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Maj. General Moskalenko SK3 will replace Maj. General Larichev SK2, DD as leader of 7. MSD, XXVIII MSK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya

Maj. General Rodin A.G. SK3, BM will replace Maj. General Pavlov D.G. SK2, BM as leader of 29. KD, II. KK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Now Maj. General Kondratchev SK3, OD will replace Maj. General Melnik SK2, OD as leader of 5. KD, II. KK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Maj. General Levandovski SK3 will replace Maj. General Marchenkov SK2, Cdo as leader of 7. KD, II. KK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Maj. General Gordov SK3 will replace Maj. General Novikov V.V. SK2, BM as leader of 16. KD, II. KK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
Maj. General Boldin SK3 will replace Maj. General Vivtorov SK2, Trck as leader of 12. KD, II. KK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya
​

I KK:

Maj. General Chibisov SK3, Trck will replace Maj. General Tamruchi SK2, OD as leader of 6. KD, I. KK.
Maj. General Kurochkin P.A. SK3, OD will replace Maj. General Primakov T.S. SK2, OD as leader of 3. KD, I. KK.
New Maj. General Koroteev SK3 will replace Maj. General Saladze SK2, Cdo as leader of 32. KD, I. KK.
New Maj. General Sharokhin SK3 will replace Maj. General Kutyakov SK2, OD as leader of 9. KD, I. KK.
Maj. General Kazakov M.I. SK3 will replace Maj. General Petrushevskij SK2, OD as leader of 24. KD, I. KK.
​

Air Force:

100 LaGG-3 Interceptors, forming 54. IAD have been deployed, they have joined Air Lt. General Rychagov's IV. IAK
100 new carrier-based planes (both LaGG-3's and Il-2's) have been delivered to the Navy Air Arm, they will form 5. KPA (Leader not yet assigned)
Aeroplane Numbers (Wings/Planes):

Interceptors: 19 / 1900
Multi-Role Fighters: 1 / 100
Close Air Support: 3 / 300
Carrier Air Groups: 5 / 500
Single Engined: 28 / 2.800
Tactical Bomber: 4 / 400
Total Bombers: 6 / 600
Transport Planes: 1 / 100

Total VVS: 27 / 2.700
Total Navy: 5 / 500
Total Airplanes: 33 / 3.300​

Active Leaders: 12 / 18 Reserve
Production continues, on another LaGG-3's, they will form 73. IAD and be the first Division of a new VI. IAK
Another 100 carrier planes will also be built, these will be formed into 6. KPA and join 5. KPA in a 100 plane formation for operations on the Minsk.
​

Navy:

No changes in the Navy for the last 10 days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes for the last 10 days.
Italian diplomats have been overheard saying that "This is our time" and something about only needing a couple of thousand Italian corpses in order to have influence at the Axis victory negotiating table. But do they know about Hitler's "Drang nach osten"? A couple thousand seems a bit conservative, and an Axis victory is far from guaranteed...
The USA have called out Italy for their "Stab in the Back", this is about both the Allies' back, and the USA's as the Italians had pressed the fact that all Italy wanted was peace with American diplomats. Some of our analysts are saying that the Americans will use this as an excuse to step up their Military expenditure and increase conscription levels, but we can't be sure this is actually the case...
The Norwegian Front

Norway (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,00 / 85,4
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,5

The Germans have lost Honefoss, North-West of the Norwegian Capital. Otherwise they have made sudden progress in Norway, capturing Bergen, and seemingly aiming to go even further north towards Trondheim...Did the reinforcements arrive, or did they get lucky?​

The Western Europe Front

Belgium (Surrender Progress / NU): 98,90 / 73,6 loss of Bruxelles /Brussel
France (Surrender Progress / NU): 3,00 / 49,3 loss of Wissembourg
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,6
Italy (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 79,6

The Germans have taken back Bruxelles / Brussel, and the rest of Belgium as well, except for the Forests around Philippeville.
Belgium has moved it's capital to Elisabethville in their king's Congo, one of the two most Uranium-rich provinces in the world... (what are they planning?) Somehow they still haven't recognised their European defeat, and their Army seems to be helping the Allies hold the Germans back at the Northern French border, officially they still aren't a Government in exile...
The French have lost another Maginot line province, Wissembourg, which must mean their men are spread really thin on their famed fortified line..
For now the Italians haven't managed to cross the French border.​

Brithish North Africa Front

United Kingdom (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 77,8
Italy (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 79,6

The Italians seem to have just walked into British-controlled Egypt, they are already 80km into British territory along the Mediterranean coast, having reached Sidi Barrani, and El Dab'a.​

French North Africa Front

France (Surrender Progress / NU): 3,00 / 49,3
Italy (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 79,6

With France under serious Attack I don't think the Italians can expect that much resistance here either, and indeed, they are 62km into French controlled Tunisia, having reached the outskirts of the Mediterranean port town of Gabes.
The going seems so easy that Italy is pushing East and West at the same time...
​

Industry:

Working Industrial Capacity / available capacity: 236 / 318
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 17,10 / 17,12
Reinforcement: 3,10 / 3,11
Supplies: 17,90 / 34,74
Production: 251,28 / 251,28
Consumer Goods: 28,62 / 28,62​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum tonnes =
Metal: 83.045 tonnes +
Rares: 29.996 tonnes +
Crude: 91.770 barrels +
Supplies: 29.366 tonnes +
Fuel: 99.558 barrels -
Money: 2.002 +
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us)

France (Covert Operations / Counterespionage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

{ Germany (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 }
{ Japan (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 }
{ UK (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }​

Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Total: 10 / 0 / 0 / 4​

Reserves: 7
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,25
We have so far recruited 4 like-minded Covert Operatives in our French sleeper cell...
Finally. Maybe this will stem this annoying foreign political meddling... Our spy hunters seem to be back from their vacations...
​

Research:

Our logistics specialists have come up with new and improved guidelines for Supply Organisation (Level 3), as well as lighter and standardised packing crates, allowing more supplies to be carried per truck (Throughput)
They are now looking for ways to make Supply Transportation (Level 3) cheaper with better cargo handling procedures and by making better use of the railway network along with new locomotives. All this would mean less Supplies are lost and used up along the way.
The VVS has developed a new 100kg Light Bomb (Level 1) that should improve the ground attack capability of all our single engine Aeroplanes.

A VVS schematic showing how 6 of these new 100kg bombs can be carried in the wings of an Il-2 Shturmovik after some light modifications of course...​

A decent Basic Fuel Tank for our Twin Engine planes is now being designed, as their largest advantage should be their operating range, and 400km is a bit short, especially considering both our CAGs and our Ftrs have a longer range now...
LS DIstrubution:

Research: 18,75 (+0,15)
Espionage: 0,25 (0,10)
Diplomacy: 0,04 (-0,05)
Officers: 10,00 (50 officers / day)
Total: 29,03 =
Having no more dangerous missions, the KGB and GRU budgets as well as those of our diplomatic service have been revised in order to speed up our research efforts
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,893 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 0,00 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 1.944.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 9.850 Men
To mobilise(need): See above
Monthly gain: 45.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 7,5 days)​

No changes to Party Popularity
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 67,40 =
- Trotskyite: 11,60 (-0,1)
- Bukharinite: 6,70 (-0,1)

- Octobrist: 7,20 (-0,1)
- Trudoviks: 4,00 (-0,1)
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,00 =
- Kadets: 0,00 =

- Tsarists: 1,00 =
- NTS: 1,50 (-0,1)
- POA: 0,00 =
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 28th of June 1940, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 8th of July 1940, Vologda, 6,4°C, 10am Moscow Time,

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 29th of June and the 8th of July 1940,

by 'Odin'

Army:

A Garx3, Art Division has finished training. 6. Garnizon DIviziya, consisting of Finnish soldiers and Soviet Officers will keep the peace in Helsinki.
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 571 / 1.713.000
Support troops: 188 / 188.000

Total fighting troops: 759 / 1.901.000​

Headquarters: 56 / 56.000

Total Army Personnel: 815 / 1.957.000​

Officers: 69.624 + / 81.840 needed / 85,073 %
Active Leaders: Under advisement, will be updated after the leadership reshuffle..
Training of another Garx2 Division has started​

Army Leadership:

XIV MSK:
Now Maj. General Poluektov SK3, FB will be replacing the recently promoted Lt. General Popov M.M. SK4, DD as leader of 57. MSD, XIV MSK, Armoured Army Group, STAVKA.
Now Maj. General Shumilov SK3, FB will be replacing Maj. General Remezov F.N. SK2 as leader of 81. MSD, XIV MSK, Armoured Army Group, STAVKA.

XXX MSK:
Now Maj. General Zakharov M.V. SK3, FB will be replacing Maj. General Kazakov V.I. SK3 as leader of 103. MSD, XXX MSK, Armoured Army Group, STAVKA.

For the rifle corps on and near the German border no more than 2 leaders per corps will be replaced every 10 days to keep up combat efficiency and to spread out decent leaders over all of these Divisions.

6ya Armiya:
Maj. General Kazakov V.I. SK3 will be replacing Maj. General Gidov SK2 as leader of 24. SD, IX SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
Maj. General Bochenkov SK2, DD will be replacing Maj. General Rakutin SK1, Cdo as leader of 50. SD, IX SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

New Maj. General Petrov I.I. SK3 will be replacing Maj. General Ershakov SK2 as leader of 217. SD, X SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
Maj. General Gerasimov M.N. SK2, Eng will be replacing Maj. General Starostin SK1, FB as leader of 89. SD, X SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

New Maj. General Pokrovski SK3 will be replacing Maj. General Ponedelin SK2 as leader of 85. SD, VIII SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
Maj. General Kachalov SK2, DD will be replacing Maj. General Pervushkin SK1, LW as leader of 37. SD, VIII SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

Now Maj. General Klyuchko SK2, DD will be replacing Maj. General Golubovskij SK2 as leader of 16. SD, V SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
New Maj. General Bakunin SK2, Eng will be replacing Maj. General Eliseev SK1, FB as leader of 3. SD, V SK, 6ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

1ya Armiya:
New Maj. General Bolotnikov SK2, BM will be replacing Maj. General Nikolaev SK2 as leader of 190. SD, XVII SK, 1ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
Maj. General Trufanov SK2, DD will be replacing Maj. General Shaposhnikov SK3, DD as leader of 99. SD, XVII SK, 1ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

XXXI SK:
New Maj. General Cheremisov SK2, OD will be taking command of 102. SD, XXXI SK, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
Maj. General Kutyakov SK2, OD will be taking command of 105. SD, XXXI SK, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.

7ya Armiya:
New Maj. General Primakov T.S. SK2, OD will be replacing Maj. General Kurochkin A.G. SK3, OD as leader of 86. SD, XI SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New Maj. General Baranov V.I. SK2, BM will be replacing Maj. General Chibisov SK3, Trck as leader of 113. SD, XI SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.

4ya Armiya:
Now Maj. General Sofronov SK2, DD will be replacing Maj. General Kotlyarov SK1, BM as leader of 180. SD, VI SK, 4ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.

Maj. General Larichev SK2, DD will be replacing Maj. General Mishanin SK1, BM as leader of 121. SD, VII SK, 4ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
Maj. General Novikov V.V. SK2, BM will be replacing Maj. General Oborin SK1, FB as leader of 56. SD, VII SK, 4ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
XVI SK:
Maj. General Vivtorov SK2, Trck will be replacing Maj. General Egorov E.A. SK1, OD as leader of 199. SD, XVI SK, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
​

Air Force:

No changes in the VVS nor the Navy Air Fleet for the last 10 days
​

Navy:

Another five Sevastopol-Class Destroyers have been delivered and they will form 6. Flotiliya Esmintsev, part of the new I. Avianosets Flote
Navy Numbers (Flotillas / Ships)

Transports: 2 / 10​

AG-boat Class (I): 11 / 55
Series II Class(II): 9 / 45
Series V-bis Class(III): 3 / 15

Submarines: 23 / 115​

Norvik-Class (I) : 3 / 15
Gnevnyi-Class (II): 2 / 10
Kiev-Class (IV): 1 / 5
Sevastopol-Class (IV+): 2 / 10

Destroyers: 8 / 40​

Light Cruisers / Profitern-Class (I): 3
Escorts: 11 / 43
Heavy Cruiser / Krasnyi Kavkaz (I): 1
Battleships / Gangut-Class (I): 3
Escort Carriers / Moskva-Class (I): 2

Capitals: 5
Total combat ships: 16 / 48
Total Navy: 41 / 168​

Leaders: 12 / 8 Reserve
In the Sevastopol shipyards, work has started on 11. Flotiliya Esmintsev, another flotilla of Sevastopol-Class Destroyers.
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes for the last 10 days.
Mustafa Kemal aka 'Ataturk' has died, we are all saddened by this, but mostly we hope Turkey will maintain the strict neutrality of before his demise...
The Belgian Government in Elizabethville has finally admitted to itself, and the world that Brussels and Antwerp have irrevocably fallen, they are now officially a government in exile, and all their troops in continental Europe have been disbanded...
The Norwegian Front

Norway (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,00 / 85,3
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,4

The Germans have now lost Rollag, pushing the front further away from Oslo. They have made however captured the insignificant province of Gulen, north of Bergen. This doesn't look like reinforcements have arrived at the front lines, it just seems they were lucky last time, or maybe the Norwegian high command is just, successfully, throwing most of it's Army into Oslo and it's surroundings.​

The Western Europe Front

Belgium is now a government in exile, their troops are no longer active in this theatre.
France (Surrender Progress / NU): 16,90 / 49,0 loss of Dunkerque, Sedan, Cattenom, Sarreguemines, and Nancy.
Germany (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 86,5
Italy (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 79,6

The Belgians have pulled out, and now the French are really in trouble...
The Germans have taken Dunkerque along the Channel coast and Sedan, south of the Meuse river.
Wissembourg seems to have been the start of a serious German Breakthrough, they have now taken both Sarreguemines and Cattenom on the Maginot line and have already reached the city of Nancy more than 80km from the border and on a straight path between their initial breakthrough and Paris. The fragile stalemate is clearly over, it's only a matter of time now before the French surrender.
Our spies in France have confirmed the presence of a single 'Belgian' unit on the front, it is not clear why the British didn't ask Belgium to return the 4th Royal Marines Division to them after the Belgian Army stopped fighting, there is now an entire Belgian command structure in northern France, just for this one British unit... with those levels of efficiency, why should we even be surprised the Allies are losing this war...
The Italians still haven't managed to cross the French border.​

British North Africa Front

United Kingdom (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 77,8
Italy (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 79,6

The Italians have made spectacular gains here, they have reached El Hammân, 280km from where the border was, on the outskirts of El iskandarîya, the city with the largest British Naval and Air Base on this side of the Mediterranean, let's hope they have at least some men defending it...
If the Italians can capture this city, it will only be a matter of time before they manage to take over the Suez canal, cutting the British empire in half, and making the Eastern part easy pickings for Japan, if they ever decide to enter the war against the Allies...​

French North Africa Front

France (Surrender Progress / NU): 16,90 / 49,0
Italy (Surrender Progress / NU): 0,0 / 79,6

Surprisingly, the Italian advance was slower into French held Tunisia, they captured the small Mediterranean port town of Gabès and quite a bit of Desert. But along the coast, on the way to Tunis, where it really matters, they have reached 'only' 180km into Tunisia, up to the province of Shikra, just North-West of Gabes.
Did the french foolishly keep troops in North Africa while the homeland was under serious attack?
Now only two real question remain: Will the Italians capture Tunis, and maybe even Alger before the French surrender, and what will happen with these gains once the French surrender?
Well, in about a year's time we should have a Mediterranean Carrier fleet to mess with the Italians if they come asking for it...
​

Industry:

Working Industrial Capacity / available capacity: 236 / 318
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 14,80 / 14,84
Reinforcement: 1,95 / 1,96
Supplies: 24,84 / 34,07
Production: 247,79 / 247,79
Consumer Goods: 28,62 / 28,62​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum tonnes =
Metal: 83.419 tonnes +
Rares: 30.009 tonnes +
Crude: 92.875 barrels +
Supplies: 28.799 tonnes -
Fuel: 99.753 barrels +
Money: 1.994 -
There has been a slight change in Trade policy... as we have everything we need, we have started buying out Swedish Metal stocks regardless of price. This many benefits: For our long term metal supply as our IC is using very close to all of the Metal we produce and trading with Sweden requires no convoys.
Reparation of very low relations due to our annexation of their neighbour, and most importantly, every ton of Metal we buy is a ton of Metal the Germans can't buy...
We have already concluded our first trade agreement along these lines...
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us)
France (Covert Operations / Counterespionage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

{ Germany (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }
{ Japan (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }
{ UK (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }​

Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 0

Total: 10 / 0 / 0 / 0​

Reserves: 7
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,19
We have so far recruited 5 like-minded Covert Operatives in our French sleeper cell...
No spies caught by our spy-hunters this week, again...
​

Research:

The Ground Crews assigned to of our Fighter Divisions will now be receiving even better Training (Level 4) than before, something that will surely boost our pilot's morale...
Now the Training for Fighter Pilots will be revised and improved (Level 3), this should mostly yield organisational benefits for these formations...
LS DIstrubution:

Research: 18,75 =
Espionage: 0,19 (-0,06)
Diplomacy: 0,10 (+0,06)
Officers: 10,00 (50 officers / day)
Total: 29,03 =
Having no more dangerous missions, the KGB and GRU budgets have been revised down again, in order to beef up our diplomatic service this time...
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,903 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 0,00 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 1.948.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 7.180 Men
To mobilise(need): See above
Monthly gain: 45.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 7,5 days)​

Party Popularity:

- Communist Party: 58 (+10)
- Trotskyite: 1 (-3)
- Bukharinite: 8 (+1)

- Octobrist: 4 (-3)
- Social-Revolutionary: 3 (-1)
- Trudoviks: 3 (-1)
- Kadets: 10 (+2)

- Tsarists: 4 (-4)
- NTS: 0 (-3)
- POA: 10 (+4)
Organised parties are clearly back on the menu, with a welcome jump in popularity for the Communist Party. Both the Capitalists, and the Fascists have both lost in overall popularity, but both seem to have chosen a single faction to represent their political thinking, the Kadets for the Capitalists, and no doubt with a small nudge from German spies, the National-Socialist POA for the Fascists... This means that both of these now feel they have the support to demand a seat at the Government's table... our government, very popular once again, is also fractured again...​

Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 67,99 (+0,59)
- Trotskyite: 11,60 =
- Bukharinite: 6,70 =

- Octobrist: 7,20 =
- Trudoviks: 4,00 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,00 =
- Kadets: 0,00 =

- Tsarists: 1,00 =
- NTS: 1,50 =
- POA: 0,00 =
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 8th of July 1940, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​

 

[Bullfilter]

Sad to see Mustapha Kemal once again succumb to his drinking habit. If Turkey can't join you in this time line, let's at least hope they do stay neutral.

Those Italian gains in Libya are dangerous - it wouldn't be very good news for the Soviet Union, either, especially in the mid term. You at least want the Allies competitive for the next couple of years ...

 

[Eurasia]

What happens in France will decide everything. What happens in Africa. Even Norway. The fall of France would free up a lot of German units AND push back the French Fleet, weakening the Allies in the local sea-lanes, and maybe allowing the Germans to land more troops in Norway. France is the key.

Who would waste troops in Africa? How silly.

 

[roverS3]

Sad to see Mustapha Kemal once again succumb to his drinking habit. If Turkey can't join you in this time line, let's at least hope they do stay neutral.

Fingers crossed...

Those Italian gains in Libya are dangerous - it wouldn't be very good news for the Soviet Union, either, especially in the mid term. You at least want the Allies competitive for the next couple of years ...

If Suez falls, the Royal Navy risks losing supply in the far east (SIngapore etc.), which means they would be much less of a thorn in the side of the Japs. Which, theoretically makes it more likely to attack the Soviet Union, and if they were going to anyway, more troops would probably be dedicated...

What happens in France will decide everything. What happens in Africa. Even Norway. The fall of France would free up a lot of German units AND push back the French Fleet, weakening the Allies in the local sea-lanes, and maybe allowing the Germans to land more troops in Norway. France is the key.

Well, Spoiler Alert, France isn't going to last very long anymore, the Germans will probably have enough with Paris and whatever they capture on the way to make them Surrender...looking at their 49 NU...

Who would waste troops in Africa? How silly.

Well, the Brits need Suez for their resource convoys, but the French... I don't see a good reason for them to stick around in the desert with Germans in their homeland...

More on this in the next update, because things are really moving now... it will be up tomorrow, probably...