I would think the long range missiles (V1/V2) would be more useful against the Japanese.
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Definitely do this! Also, maybe another corps in Romania to control the chaos there?
This month the researches have been very busy! Good job for them and allocate a dacha for each of them!
Among the FTR, INT and TAC techs how many are left that are not current year's?
After puppeting Germany, supporting them with some rare materials would be a good idea.
About the supply production stuff, I think it was a bit evident a lot would come back from the network so producing that much was probably unnecessary and might have resulted in some wasted IC but no big deal. We seem to be getting quite ready for the big thing!
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That air force upgrade is a huge IC drain but will really help when total war kicks off assuming you can keep air superiority. Looking forwards to seeing how it goes.
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It really helps that the fascists are crippled by missing rare materials.
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Interesting that the Spanish Communists are doing so well, let's hope it stays that way until the next election, or until you launch a coup...
The supply expenditure is through the roof. With so many supplies being sent to the far east, and back to Moscow, maybe you could target something around the 30k-50k mark, so the stockpile doesn't max out too much when the wave comes back... It's not a massive problem to have temporary supply deficits during peace-time. Of course, when you build up for war, maxing out the stockpile during that last week/month does make sense, as it does during war time, of course.
The supply expenditure is through the roof. With so many supplies being sent to the far east, and back to Moscow, maybe you could target something around the 30k-50k mark, so the stockpile doesn't max out too much when the wave comes back... It's not a massive problem to have temporary supply deficits during peace-time. Of course, when you build up for war, maxing out the stockpile during that last week/month does make sense, as it does during war time, of course.
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The humble 9mm round, in the domestic context, is a Consumer good in this Stalin's Russia. The shameful peace shenanigans by the capitalists clearly so enraged the Soviet People many millions of extra rounds had to be "consumed" to quell the passions of the people. Just as soon as the people realise that Comrade Stalin had a plan all along they will become more quiescent again.
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The "neutrality" shown in the diplomatic window is the effective neutrality, which is the country's base neutrality minus the largest threat against them. The tooltip explaining why you can't invite them to the faction references this invisible base neutrality value.
That manpower stock is a bit concerning, given all the other usual advantages Germany has in this game. Still, most of that is likely to be lost on mobilization.
Marshall Zhukov is a "Military Entrepreneur" in Stalin's Russia. Top work by Paradox there.At this time, Marshal Georgiy Zhukov was made Armament Minister, even as supply demand was finally almost zeroed out. Stalin should probably have done it a bit earlier, but his predecessor had been assisting jet and nuclear research. However, as those branches were now established to the Soviets’ satisfaction and supply demand was bound to escalate once war came again, Zhukov should be able to assist in that regard once mass movements were once more afoot.
I'm unsure as I've never managed to have a successful coup, but it seems like you need about 20% party support in the target nation to attempt one, in addition to the listed cost in Covert Ops points.
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So, if Stalin orders mobilization right away on June 1st, we can be just about fully reinforced by 22 June I think, which is a perfect time to launch an invasion, kicking down the door and all that, nothing can possibly go wrong. Looking forward to kicking off the man show at long last - Quick and Dirty, they said, and yet still I wait...
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The Gloster Meteor is famously not a jet engined aircraft as everyone at Paradox knows. Reminds me why I was so pleased to nuke Stockholm in Furious Vengeance as Paradox deserve no less. That said they've done a good job in capturing the engineering incompetence of the Germans in having such a wide variety of jet engines, none of which actually work properly or are any good.Stalin’s agents sought commonly available information on the key Allied air forces in Europe to ascertain whether they were converting to jet engines and, if so, how far they seemed to have progressed.
The Germans had switched to jet propulsion, but their conversion was patchy as yet. Some wings were fully converted, while others were at various stages. Later analysis determined this was due to industrial shortages preventing full upgrades programs. Neither the French Air force nor the RAF had begun to adopt jet propulsion as yet.
Others have covered the mystery of who this strange man is and what has he done with Stalin.
Unironically that is actually top work by Paradox. Just on that cabinet shot - MoS Panfilov is a Tank general who was never in GRU/NKVD, CoS Meretskov's main experience of 'School of psychology' is being tortured by the NVKD till he signed a confession to get his fellow generals purged, CoA Voroshilov was an utter idiot who would have been purged but they had named a tank after him (the KV series) so he was kept as a PR figurehead not allowed to control anything, Intelligence chief Proskurov is a corpse (purged by Stalin, obvs) as is CoAF Alksnis (also purged by Stalin). Picking someone who wasn't dead and could actually serve in that role, even if with the wrong skill, frankly counts as above average, which admittedly does tell you more about how low Paradox's standards are.
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As ever, thank you for the comments on the previous pre-war chapter. The next one will be out shortly and I'll endeavour not to spoil through feedback to the comments below.
. As for Romania, I think it may qualify as a black hole! I'm loathe to send anything more down there. I think the slim path to victory lies (as ever) through Poland to Germany in the first case.
2. I'll have to check that after the next chapter, as I forgot to do it before I played through. Maybe as an annex after I post it.
Yes, I was a bit late reacting to the supply flow-back, but it can be difficult to predict and I wanted a full stockpile as the decision point for war neared. You will see how those timing efforts worked out soon ...
Indeed. But in this case, he needs those workers working, rather than getting drunk or lazy and messing up the next Five Year Plan! The bureaucrats will do a good enough job of that without any assistance from the workers.
So, thanks once more to you all, new ep up in a little while.
Heh, he's worried about the effect of dissent (which at low levels could be the equivalent of non-Stakhanovite enjoyment of the national pastime - of drinking copious amounts of vodka and thus taking the edge off IC. I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest he cared about the proletariat masses on a personal basis: they are, after all, just a part of the State and there to do its bidding (for the 'greater good', of course).
More on that next chapter. The problem in the Far East (with current dispositions) is their short range, which those typically being far closer to possible targets in the West, as it stands.
1. See next chapter1. Definitely do this! Also, maybe another corps in Romania to control the chaos there?
This month the researches have been very busy! Good job for them and allocate a dacha for each of them!
2. Among the FTR, INT and TAC techs how many are left that are not current year's?
After puppeting Germany, supporting them with some rare materials would be a good idea.
About the supply production stuff, I think it was a bit evident a lot would come back from the network so producing that much was probably unnecessary and might have resulted in some wasted IC but no big deal. We seem to be getting quite ready for the big thing!
. As for Romania, I think it may qualify as a black hole! I'm loathe to send anything more down there. I think the slim path to victory lies (as ever) through Poland to Germany in the first case.2. I'll have to check that after the next chapter, as I forgot to do it before I played through. Maybe as an annex after I post it.
True words, but more on that in the next chapter.
Very much. Full-strength industry in Germany (especially) would make it even harder than it already is.
I think the spies influencing local politics in Spain must have backed off after the final defeat of the Axis. More on political and covert missions in the next chapter.
Yes, I was a bit late reacting to the supply flow-back, but it can be difficult to predict and I wanted a full stockpile as the decision point for war neared. You will see how those timing efforts worked out soon ...
Indeed. But in this case, he needs those workers working, rather than getting drunk or lazy and messing up the next Five Year Plan! The bureaucrats will do a good enough job of that without any assistance from the workers. Ah, thanks for explaining.
Yes, and in this case the plan is to try to grab some VPs first (not that easy to do quickly from the east) then nuke'em till they surrender, rather than wearing down their MP. Will see how that works (or not) when the time comes).
Right, thanks again. Will see if I can ever get to that magical theoretical launching point!
This is the calculation I've been going off too. Next chapter will show what transpires.So, if Stalin orders mobilization right away on June 1st, we can be just about fully reinforced by 22 June I think, which is a perfect time to launch an invasion, kicking down the door and all that, nothing can possibly go wrong. Looking forward to kicking off the man show at long last - Quick and Dirty, they said, and yet still I wait...
It's funny (both humorous and peculiar) how the build files don't discern between jet and prop types at this transition point. For the major powers, I'd have thought some either/or triggers could have been done, though I haven't examined the code in that area to see if its possible. Woulda been 'too much trouble', no doubt, even if possible.
Ah, the world of Cabinets with zombies, idiots etc etc. At least with the Soviets there don't seem to be a lot of poets occupying slots because they were the only names they could turn up in a Google search ...
So, thanks once more to you all, new ep up in a little while.
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Chapter 36 – June to August 1947
Chapter 36 – June to August 1947
Introduction
As June began, Stalin’s broad timetable was to begin the invasion before the end of the month, as soon as the front line VVS wings had completed their conversion to jet power. As things transpired, alternate reality (mainly a game crash and AI shenanigans) got a bit of a mugging …
******
June 1947
The Soviet armed forces began to mobilise at midnight on 1 June.
The initial impact of mobilisation on industrial capacity was soon felt. It was decided to risk a degree of dissent to keep the mobilisation on track.
By 10 June, the reinforcement requirement had dropped radically to 26.85 IC, allowing extra to be thrown back into consumer goods to begin reining in dissent (now at 1.4%). Around 40 IC kept the highest priority production projects ticking along.
13 June saw the reinforcement demand greatly reduced, with a temporary surge in consumer goods applied to get dissent (and thus any economic penalty) quickly cut back.
So, at this point (midnight on 18 June) I decided to hit the button. All the Army HQs’ settings and objectives were reviewed and updated. The wings in the west that had been withdrawn from Army (AI) control because it kept moving them around and disorganising them was restored so they could, as they had in the Far East campaign, manage themselves autonomously in support of the AI ground commanders. War was declared on the UK, and thus the 60-odd countries of the Allies. I saved just before the DoW, and there was an autosave at midnight on the 18th as well – so all sweet, I thought.
Then, I had a crash (or so I thought) on the declaration of war. I believe in retrospect it was just the size of the DoW on my poor old laptop (which I now have to play HOI3 on) was too much for its little electronic brain to cope with. It froze for some minutes and was ‘not responding’ and I couldn’t get out of HOI3. In the end I had to detach the battery to get it to stop. I then reloaded the ‘pre-war’ save, DoWed again and this time let it run (walked away and left it). It just took a very long time but did actually resume properly.
The war was on – but I soon noticed a few things had gone haywire. Wondering why a few of the crucial fronts weren’t doing what they were meant to after a day or so, I checked and found the pre-war save had missed some later order/objective changes, meaning a couple of the key fronts were still in prepare rather than attacking or blitzing settings. Oops. And the AI had switched a large number of the wings in the west three times between bases in the first few hours, reducing many of them to almost zero organisation.
And even after about a week of combat, some fronts on blitz with light opposition had not launched an attack, while other on defensive were making bloody attacks in East Prussia. The Air Force was quickly rendered useless, many of the wings never even getting into combat, while the Luftwaffe pulverised several provinces. There were still some reasonable air battles, but the lack of several groups of interceptors due to the initial relocations was decisive. Even the Hungarian, Polish and Greek bombers were often striking at will.
Also, it became clear that the way the objectives were interpreted by the AI in the Far East had scrambled their layout, separated the Army HQs from the bulk of their troops and concentrated them strangely in large pockets and left Mongolia wide open. The whole thing was a dogs breakfast. I also realised I’d need to take a more general and different approach to recording progress on the battlefield and recording all the battle and air raids details as I had for the Far East was going to be unworkable for a supposedly ‘quick and dirty’ AAR.
Back to the drawing board then. I reverted to the midnight 18 June save, but some of the wings had already been shifted around by then, so were badly disorganised. I didn’t go further back so as not to lose more time, and also as a kind of self-imposed ‘penalty’ for having to scum-save. For the same reason, I decided not to restart from 1 June, pre-mobilisation, though perhaps I should have for selfish reasons.
All the wings in the west were withdrawn from AI control and I resolved to operate them myself in the coming conflict. It would take months of game time for some of them to recover to even approaching full organisation again. Also, the Army HQ orders were all revised again and a different approach taken to objective setting, giving them a bunch of specific initial attack objectives as well as those in depth, in the hope that next time they’d actually attack!
The air units in the east were left under AI control, as they had largely performed properly in the ‘wargame’ (as I have determined it to be) of 18-25 June. But the objectives there were thoroughly revised to make the start more balanced and realistic there too. And all this would take some time. This is the context for what follows.
Then, I had a crash (or so I thought) on the declaration of war. I believe in retrospect it was just the size of the DoW on my poor old laptop (which I now have to play HOI3 on) was too much for its little electronic brain to cope with. It froze for some minutes and was ‘not responding’ and I couldn’t get out of HOI3. In the end I had to detach the battery to get it to stop. I then reloaded the ‘pre-war’ save, DoWed again and this time let it run (walked away and left it). It just took a very long time but did actually resume properly.
The war was on – but I soon noticed a few things had gone haywire. Wondering why a few of the crucial fronts weren’t doing what they were meant to after a day or so, I checked and found the pre-war save had missed some later order/objective changes, meaning a couple of the key fronts were still in prepare rather than attacking or blitzing settings. Oops. And the AI had switched a large number of the wings in the west three times between bases in the first few hours, reducing many of them to almost zero organisation.
And even after about a week of combat, some fronts on blitz with light opposition had not launched an attack, while other on defensive were making bloody attacks in East Prussia. The Air Force was quickly rendered useless, many of the wings never even getting into combat, while the Luftwaffe pulverised several provinces. There were still some reasonable air battles, but the lack of several groups of interceptors due to the initial relocations was decisive. Even the Hungarian, Polish and Greek bombers were often striking at will.
Also, it became clear that the way the objectives were interpreted by the AI in the Far East had scrambled their layout, separated the Army HQs from the bulk of their troops and concentrated them strangely in large pockets and left Mongolia wide open. The whole thing was a dogs breakfast. I also realised I’d need to take a more general and different approach to recording progress on the battlefield and recording all the battle and air raids details as I had for the Far East was going to be unworkable for a supposedly ‘quick and dirty’ AAR.
Back to the drawing board then. I reverted to the midnight 18 June save, but some of the wings had already been shifted around by then, so were badly disorganised. I didn’t go further back so as not to lose more time, and also as a kind of self-imposed ‘penalty’ for having to scum-save. For the same reason, I decided not to restart from 1 June, pre-mobilisation, though perhaps I should have for selfish reasons.
All the wings in the west were withdrawn from AI control and I resolved to operate them myself in the coming conflict. It would take months of game time for some of them to recover to even approaching full organisation again. Also, the Army HQ orders were all revised again and a different approach taken to objective setting, giving them a bunch of specific initial attack objectives as well as those in depth, in the hope that next time they’d actually attack!
The air units in the east were left under AI control, as they had largely performed properly in the ‘wargame’ (as I have determined it to be) of 18-25 June. But the objectives there were thoroughly revised to make the start more balanced and realistic there too. And all this would take some time. This is the context for what follows.
But before the final order for war was issued, Stalin used the week of 18-25 June 1947 to ‘game out’ a possible offensive war and to exercise commanders and units in what they would face. The results were a mixture of reasonable performance with chaos, mis-orders, negligence and lack of revolutionary zeal. After a series of purges, demotions and ‘re-education’, he Soviet Union went about refining its plans, dispositions and waited for the badly disorganised air wings in the West to reorganise – a time-consuming process.
The wargame process indicated that due both to current range limitations (especially with the older V1 Flying Bombs) and for tactical benefit, they might be best used initially to strike enemy airfields to damage runways and facilities and thus put pressure on the repair and recovery of enemy wings in a coming air war. On 21 June, four more V1 and two V2s were deployed from the stockpile along the Western Front, so they would be fully ready in time of war.
By midday on the 21st, dissent had been reduced back to zero, allowing a major boost to production (159 IC), while supply production (already reduced to low levels) was halted completely (stockpile at 97,000) to ensure any surplus in the system was absorbed before it was resumed.
That day, the spy teams in Spain were ordered to split their efforts 50/50 between communist party support and covert operations. With Turkish domestic spy levels remaining quite high (three teams), Soviet agents remained 100% devoted to counter-espionage.
And a survey of TAC wings showed that all had now been fully equipped with jet engines.
On 24 June, another fighter wing was deployed to Brzesc Litewski. That day, a Turkish spy was neutralised, then another on the 27th, but at the cost of a Soviet spy lost there on the 28th in a bloody escalation of the Secret War. It was also noticed Allied spy activity in the Soviet Union had also seemed to increase since the mobilisation on 1 June.
Just three new research projects were completed in June. The gradual improvement of primitive AA defences in the Red Navy continued (the main role of the surface fleet really being to help guard invasion forces from attack by land and sea-based aircraft). Serious effort was also being directed into extended the range of the V2 rockets.
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July 1947
The rockets were now being updated to the SS- 3 ‘Shyster’ model with ever longer range: ten were put into production on 3 July and sent straight to the top of the queue.
A range of airbase improvements were started along the Western Front on the 16th and also given high production priority, while supply production had been resumed with the stockpile falling (down to 93,200).
On 20 July, a survey of one of the disorganised TAC wings in Nowogródek showed it was up to a little over 1/3 effectiveness [27.9/68.6 org]. Their fighter escorts were at about the same level. More recovery would be needed if they were to have any endurance on the outbreak of war.
New STRAT and fighter wings were deployed in Vladivostok and began work-up on 23 July to provide a nuclear strike capability against Japan. Escorted bombers would be able to reach all of Japan’s principal centres from there.
The latest Series XIV sub flotilla was deployed in the Far East on 30 July. It would be updated to the latest peripheral equipment to bring it up to ‘Level VI’ standards, but now had the longest range of any of the models (a mix of 1,700 and 2,500 km in the current longer-range squadron). Eventually, if enough were produced, a new squadron with these later models would be formed to operate at longer ranges.
July saw five research projects completed. Work on the V2 range extension continued, with both land doctrines and air force training being extended.
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August 1947
Yet another Soviet spy was neutralised in Spain on 2 August. Another would fall on 11 August, leading to a change in mission priorities: counter-espionage was resumed (25%), party support kept at 50% and covert ops reduced to 25%. Another Turkish spy was neutralised on 7 August.
On 9 August, the nine new V2s were completed and distributed to based along the Western Front. On the 12th, a new DD flotilla was deployed to the Red Banner Pacific Fleet. It was at least superior to the old Norvik class destroyers, some of which still served, even if they remained far behind their counterparts in the main Allied navies. The AA and radar equipment began upgrade on launch, as these had advanced after they were laid down.
On 19 August, more provincial AA was completed at Brzesc Litweski. At that time, supply was continuing to run down (stockpile to 76,900), so supply production was increased from 70 to 80 IC, at the expense of general production (down to 94 IC). Consumer goods remained at about 100IC, with only small amounts spent on upgrades and reinforcement.
Two major new builds were delivered on 21 August, a powerful and fast tank division in the west (near Lwow) and a fourth transport wing to increase the lift capacity for airborne divisions, in the Far East.
Four projects were completed during the month, most in the last week. All the work came in air-related disciplines and mostly continued in them. Air to air missiles (which would be a big bonus when fully equipped) were introduced for the fighter wings and the research team switched their efforts to developing acoustic torpedoes for the submarine arm.
As September 1947 dawned, the Soviets had a stockpile of six nuclear devices. The supply stockpile was still running down a bit daily and both upgrade and reinforcement costs had risen, but Stalin was unwilling to reduced the production queue any further. The air base infrastructure improvements begun earlier in the quarter were nearing completion, hopefully to help the air force stay in the air a little longer in the coming air war.
Little had changed on the Iraqi border, where the Soviets still planned on an aggressive advance with the forces available there. The Pakistan border would be left as a defensive frontier to start with: it could prove difficult to hold if Indian forces mobilised and came west to aid the Allied cause.
In the north, both Soviet armies had now been massed on the northern Finnish border with Norway. The Norwegians had been reinforced with some powerful British formations and were present in great numbers, so an offensive to take the sole port supplying them at Kirkenes would be desirable (and probably disastrous for the Allies), but given the difficult conditions had no guarantee of success.
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So it begins. World War Three.
Yes, the sheer number of units produced by a human-run Soviet union can be quite the burden on older computer hardware... Glad to hear, you managed to get through the DOW eventually without losing the game file.
Yes, the sheer number of units produced by a human-run Soviet union can be quite the burden on older computer hardware... Glad to hear, you managed to get through the DOW eventually without losing the game file.
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oh this has been really unlucky
Seems like we're filling in the secret techs one by one
We're getting ready for real this time, it's really exciting! I wonder how it will go, the debacle with the failed military exercises should've taught a lot to Soviet commanders and planners
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Getting close again now, after a false start. I think it was the mechanics of about 60 Allied countries going through the DoW process! I hadn’t moved anything yet - unless it was the added complication of the AIthen reacting to the start of the war as well.
This one seemed a logical path given our side-project of building up the submarine arm. If we can’t have nuclear attack subs, then this seems the next best betSeems like we're filling in the secret techs one by one
Yes, it approaches. Part of me wanted to push forward, but I need to keep the chapters to a reasonable length.We're getting ready for real this time, it's really exciting! I wonder how it will go, the debacle with the failed military exercises should've taught a lot to Soviet commanders and planners
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Stalinist revisionism at it's finest. "There was no war comrade, you were imagining it."
It is at least reassuring that you remember this is supposed to be Quick and Dirty. We don't need two massively detailed Soviet AARs going at once, how on earth would anyone find the time to keep up?
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Purges, excellent, the Soviet way remains as it always has. It is good to know that some still keep to the old ways.
In another ATL, the Turkish intelligence services wonder why all of these "Japanese" agents look awfully Russian in complexion.
Took me a bit to work this one out, largely because Paradox misspelled Novik to the surprise of none present I am sure. At least it did exist, though interestingly the reference as "Novik class" seems idiosyncratic depending on which language sources one consults - English sources seem to consider each sub-class a distinct class while Russian sources seem to use the overarching term freely. A curious little fact to enlighten your day, I suppose.
The solution of course is for this one to become slower than real time. 'Odin' is already basically so, thus Q&D2 may as well take the plunge. What, after all, is in a name?
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See - such shenanigans is why the State must devote considerable resources to maintain the 9mm consumer good stockpiles!
Seriously though, glad you were able to get it all sorted.
Seriously though, glad you were able to get it all sorted.
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Very well then, next instalment all not oo far off publishing, so here follows feedback on the last few comments:
Maybe this will be the second!
To All: next ep to publish when I can get it written up! [Images all done]. Shouldn't take too long.
Let's hope so! Whether I choose wisely ... or poorly.
Quite so. Either that or (for the old hands) like that whole season of Dallas that was just a dream sequence.
Massively detailed on this one would break me, let alone the dear readAARs! Q&D it must be (well, by my standards anyway)
Quite - tradition!
Another Paradoxian situation.
No, no - I have to get one of these AARs finished, and Q&D1 is the only one I've finished in the last four-and-a-half years!The solution of course is for this one to become slower than real time. 'Odin' is already basically so, thus Q&D2 may as well take the plunge. What, after all, is in a name?
Maybe this will be the second!The Makarov solution. Should be all OK from here: next throw of the dice will not be recalled, whether things work or not.
To All: next ep to publish when I can get it written up! [Images all done]. Shouldn't take too long.
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Chapter 37 – September to October 1947
Chapter 37 – September to October 1947
Introduction
The Soviet build-up to WW3 continues after the hiccups of the ‘wargames’ conducted a month or two back. When will Stalin think his war machine is as ready as it is likely to be for the next stage of the World Revolution?
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September 1947
The month began with STAVKA trying to re-balance the lop-sided Vladivostok Sector. Too many forces were concentrated in the south, opposite a formidable range of mountains that would slow combat and movement on the way to the immediate objective of Harbin, the taking of which should knock Manchuria out of the Allies and force them to join the Comintern. The territory around Khabarovsk and to its south was more open and may provide a quicker route to Harbin. At 1900 hr on 1 September, 6ya Armiya was ordered to march north to occupy this area.
The other issue that would delay a declaration of war against the Allies was the roll-out of air-to-air missiles to all Soviet fighter wings, currently just in its early stages (around 7.2% in front-line INT wings at that point, less in others). The crucial combat bonus these would give was considered critical for the chances in the coming air war, in which the Soviets would be considerably outnumbered in the West.
By 0500hr on 2 September, the new objectives for 6ya and 15th Armies had been decided and by 2000hr divisions were on the moves to their new positions.
The radar station in Vladivostok was improved to level two on 16 September and building began for level three.
21 September saw A2A missile upgrades at 52.2% in one sample Yak-15 INT wing in the West.
During September, five research projects were completed. Follow-on projects continued to concentrate on the Air Force and improving land doctrine.
******
October 1947
A2A missile progress was up to 70% in some wings by 1 October.
On 10 October, another new longer-range sub flotilla was deployed in the Far East. While the boats were worked up and given their final ‘Romeo Class’ peripheral improvements after launch, the long range squadron was split into three, each according to the maximum range of its boats. A second heavy bomber wing was added to the strategic group based in Vladivostok.
On 22 October, the latest range improvement for the Soviet rocket arm (the SS-6 model – see monthly research summary below) was completed. As current models were upgraded, four new batteries were put in production. They would now be able to reach 580km.
The Air Force advised that A2A upgrades for the multi-role Mig-15s had been significantly slower than the INT. A sample wing in the Far East was at 86.4% completion as at 24 October, while another in the West was only at 82.8% a day later.
A new sub class was introduced on 26 October with the first Whiskey-class flotilla deployed, with a maximum range of 4,400km. It’s organisational build-up and peripheral equipment upgrades were begun immediately.
The next round of five Western air base expansions was completed on 28 October and the workers rolled straight into the next level (always left near the top of the production queue).
Research advances for October numbered four, including the rocket engine advance mentioned earlier. New research maintained the focus on improving the rocket and Air Force equipment and training.
******
Intelligence Report – September-October
The Turks neutralised a Soviet spy on 6 September and a second on the 19th, prompting a change in mission emphasis there, with 1/5 of the effort put on counter-espionage, even though no active local enemy spies were known to be operating.
Intelligence Summary for September-October 1947
******
1 November 1947
With disposition adjustments completed and the A2A missile conversion process virtually complete, Stalin gave the coded order for movement to be in battle positions by 0200hr on 1 November 1947. Even though it would mean a winter campaign, his impatience would not let him wait any longer.
All objectives and stances were reviewed and confirmed.
Far Eastern Theatre (the East)
The 1st FE Front had about 440,000 ground troops in three armies, with objectives stretching from Yongjin (Korea) in the south to Hegang in the north. 6ya and 15th Armies were both set to a blitzing stance, 1st Army to an attacking stance. Most of the air support was concentrated in Vladivostok.
The defensive objectives would be removed once war was declared: they had been necessary to get the troops to move to their required starting points and not bunch up too much. Depth objectives, such as Harbin, would be added later – I found some of them had been causing deployment problems along the way.
The 2nd FE Front now had just 7th Army (193,000 men) under command, defending the rest of the border with Manchuria and Mengukuo (which had been boosted by a number of Chinese EFs). They would be supported by the Mongolian Army. Their mission was purely defensive, at least in Mongolia. Their divisions on the northern Manchurian border may be brought into and advance south on Harbin if necessary.
The north would be another purely defensive theatre for now. The Norwegians had been heavily reinforced by some capable Allied (especially British) divisions and it was felt the 220,000 troops assigned in a single Front with two armies would be necessary to keep it quiet – and perhaps advance subsequently.
The Baltic Theatre had two Fronts assigned (about 620,000 men in total). The South West Front, with three armies, had a defensive mission and was tasked with keeping Prussia contained. They could switch to the attack later if called for.
Polish Front – northern sector.
Polish Front – central and southern sectors.
The Hungarian Front had two armies (244,000 men) assigned and also had blitzing orders, with Kosice and Debrecen being the intermediate objectives. But they had higher concentrations of Allied troops facing them and in wargames had shown some reluctance to advance, even with these aggressive orders. Not even threats of purges and penal battalion postings had been enough to change this, though it was hoped they might be more aggressive this time.
The Pakistan Front had a defensive mission and only around 80,000 men assigned in the 19th Army.
World War III
The gauntlet was thrown down at 0200hr on 1 November 1947: the orders were preceded by the phrase “This is NOT an exercise! The Red Storm Rises!”.
I only confirmed this now, with an experiment, having noticed the nuke button was present on more than the STRAT bombers – but greyed out when not at war. I conducted some practice runs with V2s and TAC – and confirmed both can deliver nukes to target. So I have short-range nuclear ballistic missiles. But TAC can carry them as well, and even NAV if necessary. So STRAT may have the longest range, but are not required to deliver nukes.
This IS a drill! Consider it a couple of tests in Siberia.
Endnote: A Special Surprise. Knowing how long everyone (including me) has waited for the Big Day, I tried to include the first day of the war, in rather more detail than will be done for the rest of the adventure, in this single chapter, but it was a bit too big. I want the extra detail at first to illustrate how a range of sample air and land battles in both east and west (mainly) would pan out at first in a more tactical way. Also to see how the AI acted in the initial onslaught, plus to maybe get some tips, advice etc if any occur to those more used to using the AI at army level than I in this higher intensity setting.
So the next chapter, covering just 1 November 1947 – the first day’s fighting – will come out shortly. The pictures are all edited, just need to write up and publish, hopefully in another day or so.
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Wow, the day has finally come! I feel so bad for you trying to guide your AI generals into position, but I suspect all that work is about to pay off! If I remember right, HOI3's nukes are unity crushing weapons rather than destroying units. I know you had discussed the need to take out Germany quickly, so I suspect they will be getting a fair share of nukes?
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