'Odin' and Stalin's Secret Committee

[Bullfilter]

My, Odin has been busy! How time has flown since I last checked only a few days ago, before my current 'diplomatic trip'. The great test against the forces of fascism is getting closer now.

 

[roverS3]

The 5th of November 1938, Just outside Vologda, -10,6°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 7th of October and the 5th of November 1938,

by 'Odin'

Army:

A new TD Regiment has been deployed to Maj. General Larichev's 7. MSD, XXVIII MSK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya, Armoured Army Group, SATVKA
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 475 / 1.425.000
Support troops: 108 / 108.000
Total fighting troops: 583 / 1.533.000
Headquarters: 52 / 26.000
Total Army Personnel: 635 / 1.559.000
Officers: 53.083 + / 63.650 needed / 83,328 %
Active Leaders: 128 / 35 Reserve
12 TP, the L Arm Regiment of Maj. General Levandovski's 12. TD, II TK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya, Armoured Army Group, SATVKA, has started the process of replacing their BT-5 Light Tanks with T-28 Medium Tanks. Over time II TK will have all it's L Arm replaced with Arm one Regiment at a time.
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
All the embassies of Nationalist Spain released a public statement saying: "We are victorious, we won the Spanish Civil War", it seems they are running far behind the facts on the ground.
In the United States of America, Orson Welles scared the population with his radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel "War of the Worlds".
Somehow this event rounded up both our population's perceived German Threat, and the perceived Japanese threat, to 20, and 30 respectively. This after weeks of no changes in threat. (or maybe I'm seeing a link were there is none? )
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 193 / 255
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 16,50 / 151,33
Reinforcement: 3,38 / 31,03 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 0 / 11,99
Production: 130,06 / 130,06
Consumer Goods: 105,06 / 105,06​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 73.872 tonnes +
Rares: 25.093 tonnes +
Crude: 44.691 barrels +
Supplies: 37.501 tonnes +
Fuel: 89.545 barrels +
Money: 1.919 -
​

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

France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

{ Germany (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 }
{ Japan (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }​

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 9 / 0 / 0 / 0
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 5

Total: 20 / 0 / 0 / 8​

Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,43
Reserve: 7
​

Research:

Significant advances have been made in the field of Combat Medicine (Level 1), our wounded will now have a better chance at living, and crucially, at fighting another day.
The Army doctor's attention is now aimed at improving First Aid (Level 2) practices to reduce attrition within our ranks, and outside them.
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,283 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,91 (-0,1)
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.197.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 149.000 Men
To mobilize(need): 522.000 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

Party Popularity:

- Communist Party: 40 (+1)
- Trotskyite: 14 (-2)
- Bukharinite: 12 =

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

- Tsarists: 3 =
- NTS: 10 (+3)
- POA: 3 (-1)
The news stays good, all those German spies we caught must have had an influence on the popularity gain of the NTS. the ruling parities still have a majority, and Communist factions still have favour with 66% of the population.The fact that both the Capitalists, and the Fascists are still bitterly divided. We have a non-fractured Government this month too!​

Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 51,80 (+0,24)
- Trotskyite: 15,40 =
- Bukharinite: 10,40 =

- Octobrist: 10,90 =
- Trudoviks: 7,60 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 1,00 =
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,70 (-0,02)
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 5th of November 1938, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.
'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The great test against the forces of fascism is getting closer now.

Well they don't seem in too much of a hurry, an in-game month ago I tagged to Germany, just to see their diplomatic events, and they could already trigger the 1st Vienna Award, they still haven't done so though... (Historical date 2nd of November). They still have some time to trigger the event before they derail the rest of the time line so I'm not really that worried, just saying they're taking things slow, it's their loss really.

 

[roverS3]

The 7th of November 1938, Vitsyebsk, 5,0°C, 2pm

Another meeting reviewing our Infrastructure, as current projects have come close to completion, the heavy Civil Engineering teams need new projects to continue improving our infrastructure, and after a dreary 4 hour meeting it seems the apparatchiks have decided on where to build next. The decision was delegated, but the guidelines came straight through Stalin, from the Secret Committee, along with a long wishlist of infrastructure to be built eventually. There were no surprises:

The 20 Infrastructure projects on which only the final touches are still to be done are the following:

-Western White Sea Coast, Archanglesk-Murmansk railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 6' in Kodino and Onega.
​

-Lovat East Bank Railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 6' in Andreapol, Toropets and Velikie Luki. To 'Level 7' in Parfino and Marevo.
​

-Memel Northern Bank, Minsk-Kaunas-Memel railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 6' in Uzda
​

-Southern Bug East Bank, Kyiv-Mykolaiv railroad missing link:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 6' in Arbuzynka
​

-Dniepr East Bank, Mariupol-Dnipopetrovsk-Kyiv-Homel railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 5' in Slavutych, Boryspil and Chernihiv.
​

-Neva North Bank, Finnish border railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Osinovets.
​

-Narva East Bank railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 5' in Kingisepp.
​

-Volkhov East Bank railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Novaya Ladoga, Volhov, Malaja Vishera, and Proletariy.
​

-Vitba North Bank railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Drozdy and Dominikovo.
​

The same strategy has been followed to decide on the next 20 projects which will now start.

In the following 20 provinces work will begin (12) or continue (8), by adding an extra track or another hardened road.

-Western White Sea Coast, Archanglesk-Murmansk railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 6' in Nyukhcha and Kamenka.
​

-Lovat East Bank Railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Andreapol, Toropets, Velikie Luki and Mintzevo.
​

-Memel Northern Bank, Minsk-Kaunas-Memel railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Uzda
​

-Dniepr East Bank, Mariupol-Dnipopetrovsk-Kyiv-Homel railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 6' in Slavutych, Boryspil and Chernihiv.
​

-Narva East Bank railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 6' in Kingisepp.
​

-Vitba North Bank railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Drissa and Rasony.
​

2 entirely new Projects have been started

-Bjaresina North Bank Railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Biesankovicy, Chalopienicy, Bialynicy, Kirovsk, Parycy, and Rahachow.
​

-VItsyebsk-Smolensk Railroad:

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Dubrouna.
​

Luckily the civil service has people clever enough to understand and implement the followed (and imposed) strategy. The goal for now is to bring infrastructure up to 'Level 7' in all the Provinces behind strategic river lines (all rivers that are sort of well oriented to create a good defensive line, and provinces between the rivers, where forts will be built at a later date). Once this is done we will re-evaluate.

Greetings,

'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 15th of November 1938, Just outside Vologda, -10,4°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 6th and the 15th of November 1938,

by 'Odin'

Army:

No changes in Army for the last ten days
Officers: 53.248 + / 63.650 needed / 83,658 %
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

Infrastructure improvement projects were delivered in 20 provinces: Kodino, Onega, Andreapol, Toropets, Velikie Luki, Parfino, Marevo, Uzda, Arbuzynka, Slavutych, Boryspil, Chernihiv, Osinovets, Kingisepp, Novaya Ladoga, Volhov, Malaja Vishera, and Proletariy.
Infrastructure improvement projects were started in 20 provinces: Nyukhcha, Kamenka, Andreapol, Toropets, Velikie Luki, Mintzevo, Uzda, Boryspil, Chernihiv, Osinovets, Kingisepp, Drissa, Rasony, Biesankovicy, Chalopienicy, Bialynicy, Kirovsk, Parycy, Rahachow, and Dubrouna.
Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 193 / 255
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 17,52 / 149,58
Reinforcement: 3,37 / 28,82 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 0 / 12,28
Production: 129,06 / 129,06
Consumer Goods: 105,06 / 105,06​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 74.098 tonnes +
Rares: 25.107 tonnes +
Crude: 45.097 barrels +
Supplies: 36.984 tonnes -
Fuel: 90.450 barrels +
Money: 1.914 -
​

Intelligence:

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

France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

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

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 9 / 0 / 0 / 2
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Total: 19 / 0 / 0 / 7​

Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,43
Reserve: 7​

Research:

The Interception Tactics (Level 3) of our Fighter pilots have been brought up to date.
Research on Fighter Ground Control (Level 1) has started, this research is speculative as it looks into ways for Fighter squadrons to profit from ground radar stations
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,303 (+0,02)
Neutrality: 49,91 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.199.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 139.700 Men
To mobilize(need): 511.500 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

No changes in Party Popularity:
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 52,01 (+0,21)
- Trotskyite: 15,40 =
- Bukharinite: 10,40 =

- Octobrist: 10,90 =
- Trudoviks: 7,60 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 1,00 =
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,70 =
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 15th of November 1938, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.
'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 25th of November 1938, Just outside Vologda, -10,4°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 16th and the 25th of November 1938,

by 'Odin'

Army:

No changes in Army for the last ten days
Officers: 53.458 + / 63.650 needed / 83,987 %
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 193 / 255
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 17,80 / 154,56
Reinforcement: 3,09 / 26,84 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 0 / 12,42
Production: 129,06 / 129,06
Consumer Goods: 105,06 / 105,06​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 74.338 tonnes +
Rares: 25.111 tonnes +
Crude: 45.629 barrels +
Supplies: 36.466 tonnes -
Fuel: 91.321 barrels +
Money: 1.909 -
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us):
France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

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

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 9 / 0 / 0 / 1
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 3
Total: 19 / 0 / 0 / 5
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,43
Reserve: 8
​

Research:

Our Mobile Warfare (Level 3) Tactics have been brought up to date.
Spearhead Doctrine research will now focus on elaborating a better Operational Level Command Structure (Level 3)
The development of 22mm Sloped Medium Tank Armour (Level 2) has lead to the production of strange BT-7 model 'medium' tanks, the BT-7M 'special', a super armoured version of the BT-7 Light Tank with a 45mm Gun. The justification for exchanging the mighty T-28 for the smaller BT7-M 'special' was that the T-28 design could not be modified to use sloped Armour, while this was easy for the BT-7 design. Somehow this BT-7M 'special' is slower than the most recent T-28's while having thinner, but sloped armour, the same engine, gun, and a smaller size. (HOI3 baffling me with the implausibility) Let us hope this mongrel will soon be phased out, it might seem effective on paper, but it is even more questionable as a Medium tank than the multi-turreted T-28. Historically the BT-7M could go twice the speed of a T-28 on the road, both with versions of the Mikulin M-17 Engine (450, and 500 hp respectively), T-28 had 20-30mm Armour, and BT-7 had 6-40mm sloped armour. Off road the BT-7M was still faster (50 km/h compared to 37 km/h for the T-28)

A comparison between the puny BT-7M with it's sloped armour, and the mighty T-28. Left will replace right, and they call that progress...​

After the BT-7M 'special' fiasco the Armour researchers were told to go and design the biggest, baddest, heaviest of Heavy Tanks they could come up with, in the hope to regain some prestige for out Tank Development program.
Our BRDM-1 Armoured cars will finally get some 15mm of Amour (Level 1), this can be fitted to existing BRDM-1's and the process of thickening the armour of all our AC Regiments' BRDM-1's will begin shortly.
The researchers weren't finished however, and continue to look into better Armour (Level 2) for Armoured Cars.
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,313 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,91 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.202.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 129.800 Men
To mobilize(need): 502.000 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

No changes in Party Popularity:
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 52,24 (+0,23)
- Trotskyite: 15,40 =
- Bukharinite: 10,40 =

- Octobrist: 10,90 =
- Trudoviks: 7,60 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 1,03 (+0,03)
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,72 (+0,02)
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 25th of November 1938, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.
'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 5th of December 1938, Just outside Vologda, -10,8°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 26th of November and the 5th of December 1938,

by 'Odin'

Army:

No changes in Army for the last ten days
Officers: 53.668 + / 63.650 needed / 84,317 %
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 193 / 255
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 17,94 / 148,91
Reinforcement: 2,95 / 24,54 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 0 / 12,76
Production: 129,06 / 129,06
Consumer Goods: 105,06 / 105,06​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 74.579 tonnes +
Rares: 25.116 tonnes +
Crude: 46.035 barrels +
Supplies: 36.622 tonnes +
Fuel: 92.173 barrels +
Money: 1.904 -
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us):
France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

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

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 8 / 0 / 1 / 1
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 2
Total: 18 / 0 / 1 / 4
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,43
Reserve: 9
We are slowly losing our British espionage operation due to having stopped sending replacements, but since we have changed their mission priorities to more spy-hunting and less tech-stealing, our spies have taken 3 British spies down for each one we have lost.
Our committee intelligence specialist Yan Berzin, estimates we will be able to reasonably send our first spies to Japan around the start of the new year.
​

Research:

No completed Research projects, no new projects
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,323 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,91 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.206.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 120.900 Men
To mobilize(need): 493.000 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

Party Popularity:

- Communist Party: 47 (+7)
- Trotskyite: 13 (-1)
- Bukharinite: 8 (-4)

- Octobrist: 9 (-1)
- Social-Revolutionary: 3 =
- Trudoviks: 2 =
- Kadets: 8 (+4)

- Tsarists: 2 (-1)
- NTS: 7 (-3)
- POA: 3 =
The Communist parties popularity is at an all time high, and communist factions have together reached 68% popularity, meanwhile no opposition party even reaches 10% popularity. The people of the Soviet Union seem to have durably embraced their rulers, let's keep up the good work...​

Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 52,09 (-0,15)
- Trotskyite: 15,30 (-0,1)
- Bukharinite: 10,30 (-0,1)

- Octobrist: 10,80 (-0,1)
- Trudoviks: 7,50 (-0,1)
- Social-Revolutionary: 1,00 (-0,03)
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,70 (-0,02)
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 5th of December 1938, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​

 

[Bullfilter]

That BT-7 tank switcheroo does seem a bit bizarre - hope it is all well and truly fixed by the time serious combat begins in 1941! Or Odin may need to make sure some tank designer's butt is Mighty Thor!

 

[roverS3]

The 15th of December 1938, Just outside Vologda, -10,8°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 6th and the 15th of December 1938,

by 'Odin'

Army:

No changes in Army composition for the last ten days
Officers: 53.877 + / 63.650 needed / 84,646 %
Active Leaders: 138 / 24 Reserve
As a year's worth of new leaders will be commissioned straight out of our Military Academies in the beginning of January next year, no more new Divisions will be delivered in 1938, and there are more Divisions than Commissioned Maj. Generals in our Army, the committee has issued guidelines to give all the available Army leaders suitable commands. These are the first results:
Special emphasis was given to putting good commanders on the Finnish front as we have claims over Karelia, and Stalin has voiced his intention to press these claims as soon as the international political climate is considered favourable, ie. no significant foreign intervention is likely...
Army leadership end of year changes part 1/2:

New leader Lt. General Kirponos SK3, DD has replaced Lt. General Gerasimov A.V. SK3 as commander of XI SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Lt. General Kondratchev SK3, OD has replaced Lt. General Purkaev M.A. SK3 as commander of XIII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Lt. General Poluektov SK3, FB has replaced Lt. General Dement'ev SK2, FB as commander of XVIII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.​

The leaders that were demoted and without assignment in the course of 1938 were given priority for reassignment at the Division level as a gesture of the continued faith the Red Army (and the committee) still puts in their capabilities. Sadly no adequate Army-level command was found for ex-Field Marshall Meretskov SK3, LW, who refused to take a corps, or Division level assignment after having lost his post as commander of 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ. He will be dedicating himself to improving supply handling within the Army, and to teaching new officers, retaining the honorary rank of General for now. Maybe next year he will reconsider.
All the ex-Lt. Generals accepted the following Division level commands on the Finnish front:

Now Maj. General Gerasimov A.V. SK3 has taken command of 46. GSD, XXII GSK, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Mtnx3)
Now Maj. General Gorbatov SK3 has taken command of 18. GSD, XXII GSK, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Mtnx3)
Now Maj. General Purkaev M.A. SK3 has taken command of 63. GSD, XXII GSK, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Mtnx3)
Now Maj. General Susaikov SK3 has taken command of 28. GSD, XXII GSK, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Mtnx3)
Now Maj. General Tiulenev SK3 has taken command of 104. SD, I SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
Now Maj. General Trofimenko SK3 has taken command of 14. SD, I SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
Now Maj. General Dement'ev SK2, FB has taken command of 23. SD, II SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Infx3, AT)​

Other Division-Level assignments on the Finnish front were given to particularly gifted new commanders:

New Maj. General Kurasov SK3 has taken command of 38. SD, II SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Tjernjakovskij SK3 has taken command of 142. SD, III SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Vatutin SK3 has taken command of 43. SD, III SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ. (Infx3, AT)​

The other new Division-Level assignments will be presented by STAVKA on the 22nd of December, they will be listed in the 25th of December report.
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

The first land fortifications in Moscow and Leningrad have been delivered, guns and communications are still being installed to make the forts fully operational.
Construction of a second layer of fortifications has started in both Moscow and Leningrad.
Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 193 / 255
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 17,98 / 149,92
Reinforcement: 2,73 / 22,81 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 0 / 12,57
Production: 129,23 / 129,23
Consumer Goods: 105,06 / 105,06​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 74.820 tonnes +
Rares: 25.121 tonnes +
Crude: 46.440 barrels +
Supplies: 36.315 tonnes -
Fuel: 93.042 barrels +
Money: 1.900 -
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us):
France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

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

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 8 / 0 / 0 / 1
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 5
Total: 18 / 0 / 0 / 7
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,43
Reserve: 9
​

Research:

No completed Research projects, no new projects
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,333 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,91 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.210.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 112.500 Men
To mobilize(need): 484.500 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

No changes in Party Popularity:
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 52,41 (+0,32)
- Trotskyite: 15,30 =
- Bukharinite: 10,30 =

- Octobrist: 10,80 =
- Trudoviks: 7,50 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 1,00 =
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,70 =
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 15th of December 1938, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.
'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 25th of December 1938, Just outside Vologda, -10,8°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 16th and the 25th of December 1938,

by 'Odin'

Army:

No changes in Army composition for the last ten days
Officers: 54.087 + / 63.650 needed / 84,976 %
Active Leaders: 161 / 1 Reserve
Army leadership end of year changes part 2/2:
Division-Level assignments of new commanders by STAVKA:

New Maj. General Zhmachenko SK3 has taken command of 5. SD, IV SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Kholostyakov SK2, Cdo has taken command of 33. SD, IV SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Kozlov SK2, WS has taken command of 179. SD, IV SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)

New Maj. General Kuznec SK2, LW has taken command of 118. SD, V SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Malyshev SK2, BM has taken command of 235. SD, V SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Morozov V.I. SK2, Cdo has taken command of 118. SD, V SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)

New Maj. General Purkaev S.F. SK2, WS has taken command of 183. SD, VI SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Lopatin SK2 has taken command of 181. SD, VI SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Lvov SK2 has taken command of 182. SD, VI SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)

New Maj. General Podlas SK2 has taken command of 55. SD, VII SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Vinogradov SK2 has taken command of 27. SD, VII SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Oborin SK1, FB has taken command of 56. SD, VII SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)

New Maj. General Ozeryakin SK1, Cdo has taken command of 34. SD, VIII SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Pervushkin SK1, LW has taken command of 37. SD, VIII SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Skvirskij SK1, Eng has taken command of 52. SD, VIII SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Zherdev SK1, DD has taken command of 53. SD, VIII SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA. (Infx3, AT)

New Maj. General Rakutin SK1, Cdo has taken command of 50. SD, IX SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Kiselev SK1 has taken command of 6. SD, IX SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Larionov SK1 has taken command of 19. SD, IX SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ. (Infx3, AT)

New Maj. General Zherdiy SK1, Cdo has taken command of 120. SD, X SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Marcinkevich SK1 has taken command of 61. SD, X SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ. (Infx3, AT)
New Maj. General Vashugin SK1 has taken command of 64. SD, X SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ. (Infx3, AT)

New Maj. General Semenyuk SK1, OG, DD has taken command of 3. GarD, Stalingrad HQ. (Garx3, Art)
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

The first land fortifications in Moscow and Leningrad have been delivered, guns and communications are still being installed to make the forts fully operational.
Construction of a second layer of fortifications has started in both Moscow and Leningrad.
Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 193 / 255
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 18,16 / 149,83
Reinforcement: 2,55 / 20,97 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 0 / 13,04
Production: 129,23 / 129,23
Consumer Goods: 105,06 / 105,06​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 75.061 tonnes +
Rares: 25.125 tonnes +
Crude: 46.846 barrels +
Supplies: 35.661 tonnes -
Fuel: 93.937 barrels +
Money: 1.895 -
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us):
France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

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

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 8 / 0 / 0 / 0
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 2
Total: 18 / 0 / 0 / 4
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,43
Reserve: 10
​

Research:

A new Gun (Level 3) design for the successor to our BDRM-1 Armoured Cars has finished development, a name remains to be given to both the gun, and the vehicle, regardless production has already started. (Armoured Car Gun tech, being up to date, is way ahead of what the Soviets really had throughout the war, the BDRM-1 was launched in 1957 irl, and now with the new gun it's just AC (IV), and AC Armour hasn't even caught up yet) Everyone is encouraged to come up with names for both the new Gun and the cars. The last gun with a name was a 12,7mm DshK Anti-Aircraft Gun
The idea of Special Forces (Level 1) has been formalised by Army Doctrine specialists, this should give an organisation boost to our Mountain Riflemen.
Both teams of researchers started the process of designing critical equipment for our future Engineer Regiments, work has started on both Assault Weapons (Level 1), and Bridging Equipment (Level 1). The plan is to include an Engineer Regiment in every Arm, and H Arm based Division, as well as in some Mot, and some Inf Divisions.
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,343 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,81 (-0,1)
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.215.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 104.800 Men
To mobilize(need): 476.900 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

No changes in Party Popularity:
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 52,53 (+0,32)
- Trotskyite: 15,20 (-0,1)
- Bukharinite: 10,20 (-0,1)

- Octobrist: 10,70 (-0,1)
- Trudoviks: 7,40 (-0,1)
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,90 (-0,1)
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,60 (-0,1)
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 25th of December 1938, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.
'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 28th of December, in the outskirts of Leningrad, near a brand new machine-gun bunker, -8,3°C, 4pm Moscow Time,

There wasn't much to do before the new year. Our rigorous planning, and the extra effort put in by our secret staff and committee members towards concluding end of year business, meant I was done for this year. Most notably validating the year's final Army leadership changes proposed by the Army to Stalin, based on our proposed guidelines took less time than expected. It seems some higher up's in the army know what they are doing as our/Stalin's guidelines were well implemented, and we validated all of STAVKA's Division-level choices, after having pressed for some minor Corps-Level changes.

Seven new Industrial complexes in the Urals have been inaugurated yesterday, and in 6 provinces new Industrial complexes will be added to existing ones, details will be in the next report. We have started expanding some Air Bases (Demjansk and Vitsjebsk, both to 'Level 3') as well, they will be needed as our main bombers will be small short-range CAS Aircraft, like the Su-2 Ivanov.

After all this I have three days of relative freedom from my duties. I decided to go and see the new fortifications in Leningrad, and while I was there I would check in on the Moskva, under construction for close to a year now.

As I arrived at the first modest bunkers to the North of Leningrad, I was joined by a new addition to our cadre of name-less super-spies, he is known to us only as 'Devyat' ' (Russian number 9). Nothing of his background is know, what we do know is that he has infiltrated the new department tasked with 'Military Construction', they are charged with designing and building fortifications, and VVS Air Bases. He seems to have been the perfect man for the job as he had an extensive knowledge of fortification design and construction. Pictures of these new fortifications are still forbidden, but I managed to get a copy of the plan, exclusively for this entry, to be preserved, for its historical value.

The standard plan for a large Machine Gun Bunker, only a few of these have been built, but concrete is already being poured in the shape of more of these...Note, among other design features, the two outer doors, and the fortified 'Inner defence loophole' to effectively foil any intrusion through the back. The vestibule between the two thick steel inner doors is moreover conceived with seals to offer protection against gas attacks.
​

After having listened to a long lecture about the mix of the concrete, and the amount of steel used in the strengthening grids, I had heard enough and excused myself:

From the parts about tactical possibilities, and the visit in person, I gathered that in great enough numbers, and in strategic locations, these Bunkers could potentially be great force multipliers. Making the enemy go around them and into tougher terrain, or concentrated Soviet forces. It was clear to me that a few trained men in one of these could probably withstand quite a bit of a standard Infantry Assault. Against determined air bombardments there wouldn't be very much protection, but a bit further down the road was a massive fixed Anti-Air battery, and considered as a whole AA coverage of Leningrad is pretty impressive (Level 5), but predating the creation of the Secret Committee (Level 1 Heavy AA guns technology). Tanks were another matter, but then again, all Rifle Divisions on the Western Front will soon have a dedicated Anti-Tank Regiment, so whichever Division mans these forts, it will probably bring it's AT weapons to the fight, in a pinch.

I will now get a drink, a nice meal, go to a concert, and tomorrow I will check on the Leningrad shipyards, and the Escort Carrier Moskva under construction.

Greetings,

'Odin'​

 

[roverS3]

The 29th of December, Ordzhinikidze Yard on the Baltic Coast of Leningrad, -8,7°C, 5pm Moscow Time,

Last night was great, I heard the first String Quartet ever written by Dimitri Shostakovich, a promising composed. The piece had been premiered only two months ago in the same room, with the same musicians, the Glazunov Quartet. It was exquisite, and very well played, so I slept well, and was fresh for my day trip.

I went to Ordzhinikidze Yard expecting to hear excuses about endless delays, and the complexity of building an Aircraft Carrier with no prior experience and French Blueprints. I expected nothing much as my previous visit early on had shown that progress would be very slow, but instead I found that construction had reached the stage where they were building the flight deck, and the command and control tower next to it. One of the Engineers said they expected to deliver the ship to the Navy by the end of April, he also said that there had been a lot of correspondence between the Moskva team, in Leningrad, and the Leningrad team, in Sevastopol. It was however hard to estimate how much the insights from the Moskva's construction had helped speed up the delivery of the Leningrad, but we should know when the Moskva is delivered in four months. It seems our advances in the field of Industrial efficiency helped cut down on the cost and construction time of this project as well.

The Moskva-class is to have a 180m flight deck, and with it's small engines it will reach a cruising speed of 18 knots per hour, the same as our WW1 Battleships. This should leave more space for aviation fuel, and ammunition for the planes, not to mention a hangar below the flight deck to store and repair planes, two small airplane lifts will be installed, and the gap in the deck surface to accommodate one of them is already visible. The operational range of the ships will be a mere 2.000 knots, which means combat missions beyond the English Channel, and beyond the Faroe Islands will not be feasible from Leningrad.

The man who took this picture at Ordzhinikidze Yard, Leningrad was a big fan of the Constructivist movement, and focused on the cranes and the dynamism of the framing, rather than on what is being built. This one was taken during the early stages of construction, in the April-May period somewhere, it's a rare picture of Moskva's construction, off limits to the public, or the press, so the world doesn't find out too soon that we are building an Aircraft Carrier. And also, so no one notices that many technical details look distinctly French.​

After these two days I was seeing a bright future for the Soviet Union, here's to a great 1939,

Let's hope history doesn't prove me wrong,

'Odin'​

​

 

[roverS3]

The 4th of January 1939, Just outside Vologda, -10,4°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 26th of December 1938 and the 4th of January 1939,

by 'Odin'

Army:

A new Infx2, TD Unit has been deployed to Lt. General Malinin's IX SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 477 / 1.431.000
Support troops: 109 / 109.000
Total fighting troops: 586 / 1.540.000
Headquarters: 52 / 26.000

Total Army Personnel: 638 / 1.566.000​

Officers: 54.297 + / 63.950 needed / 84,905 %
Active Leaders: 161 / 87 Reserve
Production has started on another Infx2, TD unit to reinforce the headquarters of XI SK.​

86 new officers have been commissioned and are ready for assignments, the most talented of them have been selected to be promoted and assigned very important posts immediately:

New leader, and now Lt. General Malinovskiy SK4, LW, OD has replaced Lt. General Rybalko SK3, BM at the head of I GvTK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya, Armoured Army Group, STAVKA. With 6 Armour Regiments in our only 3 Guards Tank Divisions (yet), this is the most potent Armoured Corps we field.
New leader, and now Field Marshall Tolbukhin SK4, OD has replaced Field Marshall Sokolovskij SK4 at the head of the 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.​

New postings have been found for both replaced leaders, they in turn replace less skilled men, and that's how the waterfall of new talent works...

Now Eastern Field Marshall (a lesser rank than on the western front, don't tell him that...) Sokolovskij SK4 has replaced Eastern Field Marshall Cherevichenko SK3, LW as commander of 10ya Armiya, Far East Theatre.
(This is actually an Army Group Level HQ, but due to range issues I skip Corps Level HQ in the Far East, so 5 Divisions report to an Army level HQ called SK, or Corps, and 3-4 SK report to 10ya Armiya, Far East Theatre)
Now Maj. General Rybalko SK3, BM has replaced Maj. General Khrulev SK3 as commander of 4 GvTD (Armx2, Mot), I GvTK, 2ya Tankovaya Armiya, Armoured Army Group, STAVKA

With so many new recruits, we will have to quickly work our way through them, from the most to the least skilled, while keeping replaced established officers content by not demoting them too far (-1 star when they lose their command, and -1 star if they remained without assignment for a year which I try to avoid ). Even if the army is doing most of the heavy lifting we have to approve every decision, as the army selection committee for promotions, and new commands, is directly accountable to Stalin, who can veto any appointment he doesn't like, and thus supplies guidelines to be followed. (For the Committee's guidelines see page 1 of this AAR, post #17)
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
We have gained many officers here as well,(22 reserve leaders now) but found no better suited ones than those already in command.
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
We have gained some officers here as well,(18 reserve leaders now) but found no better suited ones than those already in command.
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

Seven new Industrial Complexes have finished construction in Kirovgrad, Niznji Tagil, Sverdlovsk, Pervoural'sk, Rezh, Alapaevsk and Tyurinsk. They have already partially geared up, to about half of full capacity, and the process continues. Until we reach full production and 200 Base IC
Construction of 6 new Industrial Complexes has started in Makhnevo, Kirovgrad, Niznji Tagil, Sverdlovsk, Alapaevsk and Tyurinsk.
Work on the expansion to 'Level 3' of Air Bases in Demjansk and Vitsjebsk, has started.
Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 196 / 259
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 18,19 / 149,70
Reinforcement: 2,59 / 20,97 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 2,59 / 13,05 (as we are cutting back on Rare materials sales, we have started producing some supplies of our own, as we will be forced to cut back on our imports of Supplies as well in the near future, or run out of money...)
Production: 129,17 / 129,18
Consumer Goods: 106,44 / 106,44​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 75.287 tonnes +
Rares: 25.123 tonnes -
Crude: 47.376 barrels +
Supplies: 35.198 tonnes -
Fuel: 94.768 barrels +
Money: 1.890 -
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us):
France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

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

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 8 / 0 / 0 / 1
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
Total: 18 / 0 / 0 / 2
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,43
Reserve: 11
In 10-15 days we will send our first 10 spies to Japan.
​

Research:

No new research projects, no completed projects
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,353 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,71 (-0,1)
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.214.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 97.200 Men
To mobilize(need): 471.500 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

Party Popularity:

- Communist Party: 52 (+5)
- Trotskyite: 8 (-5)
- Bukharinite: 6 (-2)

- Octobrist: 9 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 3 =
- Trudoviks: 5 (+3)
- Kadets: 10 (+2)

- Tsarists: 1 (-1)
- NTS: 4 (-3)
- POA: 2 (-1)
The Communist Party Organisation, has clearly paid off, finally, as the Party now has the direct support of the majority of our people. The other party in the Government, the Trotskyite Party lost by an equal amount, so the communist ideology's grasp on the people remains at about 2/3, the fascists lost popularity to the Capitalist parties. The gains and losses almost never add up, probably because of rounding errors in the game. Now, at least the total is exactly 100...​

Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 52,96 (+0,33)
- Trotskyite: 15,20 =
- Bukharinite: 10,20 =

- Octobrist: 10,70 =
- Trudoviks: 7,40 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,90 =
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,60 =
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 4th of January 1939, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​

 

[markkur]

Looking good overall and Infra is a smooth-move. Too bad you can't get the Officer-ratio up a bit more. Do you plan on a little boost at the start of the war?

<imvho> That looks the greatest challenge in playing the SU; in order to get Officers up to a decent level, Research has to be sacrificed and who wants to do that when already behind the looming menace to the West? Not this general anyway.

Good luck and looking forward to a SU with a CV-twist.

 

[roverS3]

Looking good overall and Infra is a smooth-move. Too bad you can't get the Officer-ratio up a bit more. Do you plan on a little boost at the start of the war?

<imvho> That looks the greatest challenge in playing the SU; in order to get Officers up to a decent level, Research has to be sacrificed and who wants to do that when already behind the looming menace to the West? Not this general anyway.

Good luck and looking forward to a SU with a CV-twist.

There is another consideration in this equation, with less units, you need less officers, so what balance do you strike between Infantry and Armour Divisions? Since FTM the Air force also doesn't need LS investment for officers, so you do you build a few tanks, and lots of planes, some forts etc., or a hell of a lot of Infantry, the implications on research and Officer ratio are enormous, as are those on combat.

This (in game) month 13 more regiments will be delivered, meaning we will need 1.300 more officers, making things even worse.

The Soviet Union is also suffering from the 'Disorganized officer corps' (LS -15%) modifier, this will go away as soon as Viipuri is in Soviet hands, so that will be the Red Army's first and last objective until captured in the Winter War. The current investment in Officers should keep the ratio stable, and the lifting of the 15% modifier should give a serious boost.

Thanks for reading,
I'm also following progress of the 'March of the (french) Machines', and it's fun to watch Free France survive.

 

[Bullfilter]

I'd like to see a carrier battle in the Baltic between the Moskva and the Graf Zeppelin! Until that happy day, my own guess is that too few and less well equipped troops with marginally better leadership isn't going to be enough to stop the Fascist onslaught when it comes. Having to cover such a large front solidly in a series of lines just takes a lot of troops, especially when heavy losses and the need to rehabilitate burned-out units is factored in. Plus reliance on autonomous army groups to conduct the defence.

The leadership, as Odin says, will just have to come later. One thing the SU does have is plenty of MP. And if you wind up with excess cannon fodder units later in the war (if Russia survives that long) the least effective ones can always be disbanded: I assume that returns officers as well as MP, or am I wrong in my relative newbieness?

 

[roverS3]

my own guess is that too few and less well equipped troops with marginally better leadership isn't going to be enough to stop the Fascist onslaught when it comes. Having to cover such a large front solidly in a series of lines just takes a lot of troops, especially when heavy losses and the need to rehabilitate burned-out units is factored in. Plus reliance on autonomous army groups to conduct the defence.

I'm sure you are right about the need for overwhelming quantity, I was just proposing a smaller, more armoured army as a hypothetical. As soon as the army gets more up to date, and massively building IC stops making sense, a lot of infantry will be produced. Right now only 2% of my IC is going on actual Armoured Units (upgrading L Arm to Arm in the Tank Divisions, one unit at a time). And until I am content with the amount of infantry, I will not really increase that expenditure. Of course, a lot of TD's are being built, as each infantry corps gets a TD Regiment, so in the end a Western Front Infantry Corps (SK) should have 5 times Infx3, AT, (Art/Eng) and it's HQ will be HQ, Infx2, TD. My whole setup, is thus built on giving the Infantry the means to do a maximum of damage to enemy Armour, and TD's are really a lot cheaper than building more armour to counter small threats along the front. Wait until the start of the Winter War, or around that time, and you will be seeing massive parallel Infantry builds gradually replacing most of my current IC builds. (we will have to see about the officers then...)

I'd like to see a carrier battle in the Baltic between the Moskva and the Graf Zeppelin!

I'm actually slightly worried about the safety of my CVL's as they have a low speed (18), and the Germans have faster BC's, and CA's, this means that I would need more and/or faster Destroyers than the Germans to keep the Cruisers away from the CVL's. Alternatively I could use a combined fleet with 2xCVL, 2xBB, 8-10xDD in the Baltic, this would safeguard my CVL's, even against a faster fleet, unless it has more firepower than 2 CAG's and two WW1 BB's combined, of course. Who knows,maybe the Germans build the Graf Zeppelin, and you might get what you wanted... I'd like to see that too...
Another strategic issue I will talk about in a future update, is access to the ocean. If Germany captures Denmark (very likely), I will have no way to get my ships out of the Baltic (It's ok, until the Germans have no navy left (combined hammering from RN, and Soviet Navy), and then they are just useless pieces of metal for a while), if Turkey joins the Axis, my ships are stuck in the Black Sea (even worse), and basing my primitive Carrier fleets out of Vladivostok seems like suicide in case the Japs go to war with me early on. I'm actually considering a pre-emptive strike on Turkey (they are not leaning towards the Comintern, unlike your Turkey) just after, or during the Finnish Winter War, just for this reason. I had planned not to go on a full on rampage during 1939-1940 (Sweden, Norway, Balkans, Turkey, Persia, Afghanistan,...), because that would be too gamey, as in real life that would have dragged the Allies and/or the axis into the war, but I think I could Justify Turkey, or maybe Persia to gain direct sea access.

autonomous army groups to conduct the defence.

As I'm going to use mostly AG level AI command for Barbarossa, that might be an interesting proposition. I hadn't thought of doing that, but overlapping AG's for Attack, and for second line defence, I'll think about it, just wondering how the AI would handle those, because if it just throws it's units at the front, putting single divisions on the defence objectives (and in the process screwing up the command range), I think it wouldn't really be woth it... I was actually thinking of putting some Infantry corps into strategic locations in depth, putting them under two AG's with no orders at all (STAY PUT), and then progressively adding these corps to the AI AG's once the front gets close to each strategic location. The committee still has time to decide, so we'll see...

 

[roverS3]

The 14th of January 1939, Just outside Vologda, -10,4°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 5th and the 14th of January 1939,

by 'Odin'

Army:

4 new AT Regiments were delivered to 99, 173, and 116 SD of Lt. General Mostovenko's XVII SK, and to Maj. General Petrovsk's 196. SD, XVIII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
A new Infx2, TD Unit has been deployed to Lt. General Malinin's X SK, 6ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ
Together with the existing 237 MSP, the newly delivered 248, and 255 MSP will be formed into 57. MSD, XIV MSK, 1ya Armiya, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ.
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 481 / 1.443.000
Support troops: 114 / 114.000

Total fighting troops: 595 / 1.557.000​

Headquarters: 52 / 26.000

Total Army Personnel: 647 / 1.583.000​

Officers: 54.513 + / 64.850 needed / 84,060 %
Active Leaders: 164 / 84 Reserve
Production has started on 4 Regiments of AT guns, these will be of the new 85mm D-44 Design
Another Infx2, TD unit to reinforce the headquarters of XII SK.,
and another Motx2 have also started training.

OTL 1944 AT guns in 1939, this should be devastating to Panzers... (this is actually a picture of Cubans using WW2 surplus, according to an unverified source several of these are still in use in the
Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias​

The big peacetime start of the year Army leadership circus continues:

Ex Field Marshall, and now, after a whole year without a command, now Lt. General Meretskov SK3, LW has replaced Lt. General Shaposhnikov SK3, DD at the head of V SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.
New leader, and now Lt. General Krasnopevtsev SK3, DD, FB has replaced Lt. General Popov M.M. SK 3, DD at the head of IV SK, 4ya Armiya, 2nd Army Group, STAVKA.​

New postings have been found for both replaced leaders, they in turn replace less skilled men, and that's how the waterfall of new talent works...

Now Maj. General Popov M.M. SK 3, DD has been given command of the brand new 57. MSD, XIV MSK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ.
Now Maj. General Shaposhnikov SK3, DD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 99. SD, XVII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
Maj. General Khrulev SK3 has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 173. SD, XVII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
​

Air Force:

No changes in VVS for the last ten days
​

Navy:

No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

The seven new Industrial Complexes in Kirovgrad, Niznji Tagil, Sverdlovsk, Pervoural'sk, Rezh, Alapaevsk and Tyurinsk. are almost at full production, only the last few factories are putting the finishing touches to their production chain.
Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 199 / 263
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 20,58 / 144,80
Reinforcement: 2,63 / 17,54 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 2,63 / 13,03 (as we are cutting back on Rare materials sales, we have started producing some supplies of our own, as we will be forced to cut back on our imports of Supplies as well in the near future, or run out of money...)
Production: 129,34 / 129,34
Consumer Goods: 107,82 / 107,82​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 75.446 tonnes +
Rares: 25.110 tonnes -
Crude: 47.768 barrels +
Supplies: 34.911 tonnes -
Fuel: 95.629 barrels +
Money: 1.884 -
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us):
France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

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

UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 8 / 0 / 0 / 1
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
Total: 18 / 0 / 0 / 3
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,42
Reserve: 11
In 2-5 days we will send our first 10 spies to Japan (waiting until we hit 12 spies)
​

Research:

New Carriage, and Sight (Level 5) Designs for our Artillery are ready for production.
The researchers were split up between helping with the Destroyer Engine Design, and training more officers.
Leadership:

Research: 15,75 (-0,58)
Espionage: 0,42 (-0,01)
Diplomacy: 0,03 (-0,01)
Officers: 4,80 (24 officers / day) (+0,60)
Total: 20,98
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,363 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,71 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.203.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 89.500 Men
To mobilize(need): 468.600 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

No changes in Party Popularity:
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 53,36 (+0,40)
- Trotskyite: 15,10 (-0,1)
- Bukharinite: 10,10 (-0,1)

- Octobrist: 10,60 (-0,1)
- Trudoviks: 7,30 (-0,1)
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,80 (-0,1)
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,50 (-0,1)
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 14th of January 1939, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​

 

[Bullfilter]

I'm sure you are right about the need for overwhelming quantity, I was just proposing a smaller, more armoured army as a hypothetical. As soon as the army gets more up to date, and massively building IC stops making sense, a lot of infantry will be produced. Right now only 2% of my IC is going on actual Armoured Units (upgrading L Arm to Arm in the Tank Divisions, one unit at a time). And until I am content with the amount of infantry, I will not really increase that expenditure. Of course, a lot of TD's are being built, as each infantry corps gets a TD Regiment, so in the end a Western Front Infantry Corps (SK) should have 5 times Infx3, AT, (Art/Eng) and it's HQ will be HQ, Infx2, TD. My whole setup, is thus built on giving the Infantry the means to do a maximum of damage to enemy Armour, and TD's are really a lot cheaper than building more armour to counter small threats along the front. Wait until the start of the Winter War, or around that time, and you will be seeing massive parallel Infantry builds gradually replacing most of my current IC builds. (we will have to see about the officers then...)


I'm actually slightly worried about the safety of my CVL's as they have a low speed (18), and the Germans have faster BC's, and CA's, this means that I would need more and/or faster Destroyers than the Germans to keep the Cruisers away from the CVL's. Alternatively I could use a combined fleet with 2xCVL, 2xBB, 8-10xDD in the Baltic, this would safeguard my CVL's, even against a faster fleet, unless it has more firepower than 2 CAG's and two WW1 BB's combined, of course. Who knows,maybe the Germans build the Graf Zeppelin, and you might get what you wanted... I'd like to see that too...
Another strategic issue I will talk about in a future update, is access to the ocean. If Germany captures Denmark (very likely), I will have no way to get my ships out of the Baltic (It's ok, until the Germans have no navy left (combined hammering from RN, and Soviet Navy), and then they are just useless pieces of metal for a while), if Turkey joins the Axis, my ships are stuck in the Black Sea (even worse), and basing my primitive Carrier fleets out of Vladivostok seems like suicide in case the Japs go to war with me early on. I'm actually considering a pre-emptive strike on Turkey (they are not leaning towards the Comintern, unlike your Turkey) just after, or during the Finnish Winter War, just for this reason. I had planned not to go on a full on rampage during 1939-1940 (Sweden, Norway, Balkans, Turkey, Persia, Afghanistan,...), because that would be too gamey, as in real life that would have dragged the Allies and/or the axis into the war, but I think I could Justify Turkey, or maybe Persia to gain direct sea access.


As I'm going to use mostly AG level AI command for Barbarossa, that might be an interesting proposition. I hadn't thought of doing that, but overlapping AG's for Attack, and for second line defence, I'll think about it, just wondering how the AI would handle those, because if it just throws it's units at the front, putting single divisions on the defence objectives (and in the process screwing up the command range), I think it wouldn't really be woth it... I was actually thinking of putting some Infantry corps into strategic locations in depth, putting them under two AG's with no orders at all (STAY PUT), and then progressively adding these corps to the AI AG's once the front gets close to each strategic location. The committee still has time to decide, so we'll see...

BTW, thanks for that very comprehensive response to my earlier question

PS: that is one mean-looking AT gun! The barrel on the thing!

 

[roverS3]

The 24th of January 1939, Just outside Vologda, -10,4°C, 10am Moscow Time

Report on the state of the Soviet Union for the ten day period between the 15th and the 24th of January 1939,

by 'Odin'

Army:

A new Infx3, AT division, 78. Strelkovaya Diviziya was delivered to Lt. General Gastilovich's III SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ.
Army numbers (Brigades/Personnel) Reserves included (these numbers don't include regiments being upgraded):

Front line troops: 484 / 1.452.000
Support troops: 114 / 115.000

Total fighting troops: 599 / 1.567.000​

Headquarters: 52 / 26.000

Total Army Personnel: 651 / 1.593.000​

Officers: 54.753 + / 65.250 needed / 83,913 %
Active Leaders: 192 / 56 Reserve
Production has started on a new Mtnx3 Division for Stalingrad HQ
Our first Eng Regiment has also started training​

The big peacetime start of the year Army leadership circus continues, and only DIvision-level appointments are left now:

New leader Maj. General Rodin A.G. SK 3, BM has been given command of the brand new 78. SD, III SK, 1ya Armiya, 1st Army Group, Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ.

New leader Maj. General Kurochkin P.A. SK3, OD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 86. SD, XI SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Odintsov SK3, FB has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 13. SD, XI SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Chibisov SK3, Trck has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 113. SD, XI SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Korshilov SK2, FB has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 189. SD, XII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Bondarev SK2, Trck has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 169. SD, XII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Petin SK2, LW has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 130. SD, XII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Missan SK2, LW has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 87. SD, XIII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Novoselski SK2, BM has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 159. SD, XIII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.
New leader Maj. General Panfilov SK2, BM has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 139. SD, XIII SK, 7ya Armiya, 3rd Army Group, Brjansk HQ.

New leader Maj. General Platonov SK2, OD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 116. SD, XVII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Pliev SK2, BM has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 156. SD, XVIII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Ryazanov SK2, FB has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 106. SD, XVIII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Sobennikov SK2, OD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 47. SD, XVIII SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Shlemin SK2, OD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 51. SD, XIX SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Petrov M.P. SK1, LW, BM has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 74. SD, XIX SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Kuznetsov V.V. SK3 has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 195. SD, XV SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Lutchinski SK3 has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 200. SD, XV SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Malandin SK3 has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 228. SD, XVI SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Egorov E.A. SK1, OD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 199. SD, XVI SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.
New leader Maj. General Garnov SK1, DD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 197. SD, XVI SK, 8ya Armiya, 4th Army Group, Odessa HQ.

New leader Maj. General Pisarevskij SK2, Cdo has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 60. GSD, XX GSK, 9ya Armiya, 5th Army Group, Stalingrad HQ.
New leader Maj. General Dedaev SK1, DD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 69. GSD, XX GSK, 9ya Armiya, 5th Army Group, Stalingrad HQ.
New leader Maj. General Karmanov SK1, DD has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 95. GSD, XX GSK, 9ya Armiya, 5th Army Group, Stalingrad HQ.
New leader Maj. General Karpezo SK1, LW has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 83. GSD, XX GSK, 9ya Armiya, 5th Army Group, Stalingrad HQ.
New leader Maj. General Kirillov SK1, Eng has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 157. SD (Infx3), XXI SK, 9ya Armiya, 5th Army Group, Stalingrad HQ.
New leader Maj. General Kutlin SK1, Cdo has been given command of the, until now leaderless, 101. GSD (Mtnx3), XXI SK, 9ya Armiya, 5th Army Group, Stalingrad HQ.

All DIvisions in Leningrad-Archanglesk HQ, STAVKA, Brjansk HQ, Odessa HQ, and Stalingrad HQ now have commissioned Maj. Generals appointed to lead them, in the next report appointments of leaders for the Far East's leaderless Divisions will be reviewed, as well as the replacement of the least suited leaders across the board.

​

Air Force:

1 KPA, and 2 KPA, the first 2 CAG's have been delivered to the brand new Navy Air Arm at Leningrad Air Base.
Airplane Numbers (Wings/Planes):

Interceptors: 15 / 1500
Close Air Support: 1 / 100
Carrier Air Groups: 2 / 200

Single Engined: 18 / 1.800​

Tactical Bomber: 4 / 400
Total Bombers: 5 / 500

Total VVS: 20 / 2.000
Total Navy: 2 / 200
Total Airplanes: 22 / 2.200​

Active Leaders: 10 / 20 Reserve
Production of a 3rd CAG, 3 KPA has started,
as well as production of another 100 I-16 Fighters to form 9. IAD​

Navy Air Arm Leadership:

New leader Air Commander Zhavoronkov SK4, FD has been given command of 1 KPA
New leader Air Commander Falaleev SK4 has been given command of 2 KPA
​

Navy:

See Air Force
No changes in Navy for the last ten days
​

Politics / International:

No legislative changes
Nothing of note on the international scene
​

Industry:

Industry Numbers:

The seven new Industrial Complexes in Kirovgrad, Niznji Tagil, Sverdlovsk, Pervoural'sk, Rezh, Alapaevsk and Tyurinsk. have reached full production.
Working Industrial Capacity / Available capacity: 200 / 265
IC Usage: ( Allocated IC / Need )

Upgrades: 18,19 / 135,91
Reinforcement: 2,65 / 16,05 (some divisions are reinforcing following the implementation of the 3 Year Draft Policy)
Supplies: 2,65 / 13,93 (as we are cutting back on Rare materials sales, we have started producing some supplies of our own, as we will be forced to cut back on our imports of Supplies as well in the near future, or run out of money...)
Production: 133,13 / 133,13
Consumer Goods: 108,38 / 108,38​

Stockpiles:

Energy: Maximum
Metal: 75.582 tonnes +
Rares: 25.287 tonnes +
Crude: 48.022 barrels +
Supplies: 34.592 tonnes -
Fuel: 96.306 barrels +
Money: 1.851 -
​

Intelligence:

Spy numbers, spies in (active / added / lost / caught by us):
France (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 10 / 0 / 0 / 0

{ Germany (/): 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 }​

Japan (Counterespionage/IncreaseThreat): 9 / 1 / 2 / 0
UK (Tech Espionage / Counterespionnage): 7 / 0 / 1 / 1
Other: 0 / 0 / 0 / 8
Total: 18 / 1 / 3 / 9
Spy training leadership expenditure: 0,42
Reserve: 1
The first spies were sent to Japan, and it was discovered that the Japanese have many more, more effective spy-hunters than the UK, in the first 5 days we lost 2 of our spies, while we caught none. It has been judged more productive to cancel the ill-fated adventure into Japan, and start reinforcing our presence in the UK again. Our remaining spies in Japan will be tasked with taking as many spy hunters with them as humanly possible, and to increase the threat of Japan, if at all possible.
​

Research:

Improved Mass Assault (Level 3) Tactics will boost our infantry's morale significantly
Research of better Integrated Support (Level 3) for our special forces has started.
Mechanised Offensive (Level 1) Tactics have been developed, improving the Organisation of our mobile units.
A better Tactical Command Structure (Level 3) is now being developed for those same Mobile Units.
No changes to LS distribution
​

Statistics:

National Unity: 82,373 (+0,01)
Neutrality: 49,71 =
Dissent: 0,00 =
Manpower:

Available: 2.194.000 Men
To reinforce(need): 80.100 Men
To mobilize(need): 462.000 Men
Monthly gain: 40.100 Men (1 fully mobilised Infx3, AT Division every 8,5 days)​

No changes in Party Popularity:
Party Organisation:

- Communist Party: 53,68 (+0,32)
- Trotskyite: 15,10 =
- Bukharinite: 10,10 =

- Octobrist: 10,60 =
- Trudoviks: 7,30 =
- Social-Revolutionary: 0,80 =
- Kadets: 0,0 =

- Tsarists: 2,50 =
- POA: 0,0 =
- NTS: 0,0
​

This Information is accurate on the morning of the 24th of January 1939, I hope it serves you well in fine-tuning your possible suggestions.

'Odin'​