Soviet research slots vs German research slots.

[Sunforged General]

Apart from the other rebuttals, one also shouldn't forget that Germany has a navy to care about, which is something you can't really say about the Soviets. The costs of naval research and naval doctrines more than makes up the one additional research slot Germany may have early on.

A Navy isn't irrelevant to the Soviets. I love taking Turkey and building up a fleet in Crimea to send out into the Mediterranean to bully the Italians. The Soviets start out with a bigger Navy overall than Germany, and with more Battleships and Submarines than Italy.

 

[Viper1989]

Source? This says the B-29 had a range of 3,250 miles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-29_Superfortress#Specifications_(B-29)

The B-29 had a further ferry range, which means it can fly farther while carrying no bombs, but any bomber can do that if they aren't carrying bombs. Weight burns fuel.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the biggest, most expensive gamble by the United States during World War II, built with incredibly high expectations on a tight deadline. Read about the big advances in aviation technology brought about by the B-29.

science.howstuffworks.com

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

Page details technical specifications, development, and operational history of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress including pictures.

www.militaryfactory.com

Ordnance: Boeing B-29 Superfortress Game Changer

By Gregory A. Henry The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was a game changer. First rolling off the assembly line as a production aircraft in July 1943, the Superfortress was the answer to America’s need for a high-level long-range strategic bomber. Conceived in 1938, the Superfortress was designed to...

warfarehistorynetwork.com

It appears that the 4100 is using an auxiliary fuel tank:

The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: B-29 Superfortress, U.S. Heavy Bomber

pwencycl.kgbudge.com

Either range is far beyond what the OP is claiming.

 

[Alpha2518]

In a strategic sense, perhaps, on a tactical level 1vs1 I dont think any amount of FCE will save a Panzer III that simply cannot penetrate a T-34s armor from any side at any range. A hard stat tank isn't necessarily worse than a soft stat focused tank.

Also, since you are bringing up Strategic bombing of Germany, we also have to consider how much production the Soviets lost while having to move most of their factories to the Ural mountains. Sure, maybe without allied bombing Germany gets more production, and maybe without Finland in the war, the Soviet submarine force can stop German imports of iron ore from Sweden, causing German war production to collapse due to no steel.

"Grand Admiral Raeder, head of the German navy, declared that it would be "utterly impossible to make war should the navy not be able to secure the supplies of iron-ore from Sweden".

But the FCE did save the Panzer IIIs, how else do you explain the T-34s getting destroyed by Panzer IIIs in 1942 when they are still the majority of German Tanks and you don't have many Panzer IVs with long barrel 75mm guns? Let us also remember T-34s rolled up to Pak 37s, a 37mm gun, at point blank range for the ATG. And the one time a Pak 37 fired 23 times at a T-34 before bigger AT guns appeared and killed it, and those bigger guns did rapidly appear. T-34 proponents will point out the vaunted armor. But this ignores the real question of why is a ATG allowed to get off 23 shots on your tank and your still not able to find and destroy it because of your poor FCE? Both German and Allied Tank crews would be appalled to let any enemy ATG get off a second shot before they took any defensive action, because unlike the T-34, they have good FCE along with other components and subtleties of design that they both considered essential. The only problem is the Germans just could've mass produce enough due to various reasons.

Now while true the Soviets did lose production, but every T-34 that is irrecoverably lost is also lost production, of which 82% of T-34s could not be sent back to the factory and fixed. You cannot just make a tank with good armor and good gun and expect that to compensate for poor FCE because it doesn't work. Your tank needs to be able to kill more tanks then are lost as opposed to, dying so fast that you can't make enough to cover your own losses in a one on one fight between nations. But I already covered how the Soviets did have help.

 

[MagnusStultus]

Wasn't the Panther just a T 34 that the Germans to the best of their ability removed the flaws from?

 

[sekelsenmat]

The pro-Soviet revisionists strike again. Even Stalin thinks Russia was backwards! But no, let's rewrite history:

The entire Stalingrad factory was bought from Americans because USSR had no technology to build advanced factories. The Christie suspension in their tanks was bought from Americans. The entire idea of using an Aluminium engine in the T34 was .... Bought from an American!

Bringing up Pe-8 as a Hugh achievement is also beyond the pale. Just read the operational history section in wikipedia, it was so unreliable that on every attack usually half the bombers crashed with engine problems, it was useless, which explains why only 92 were built.

USSR was only ahead in rockets, and in the same level in tanks, which was achieved by buying tech ideas and focusing only on military tech while the civilians were ignored. It had inferior aircraft, navy (They were buying naval guns from Germany!) and had basically to import everything in terms of machine tools and production techniques from the USA. The game lacks this kind of weapon and machine tool commerce that existed and was paid for in gold

The only thing I agree here is that Italy was also backwards and should have their research slots decreased by 1. But Germany, UK and the USA were far ahead from USSR.

Here are actual words from Stalin:

"The history of old Russia... was that she was ceaselessly beaten for her backwardness. She was beaten by the Mongol Khans, she was beaten by Turkish Beys, she was beaten by Swedish feudal lords, she was beaten by Polish-Lithuanian Pans, she was beaten by Anglo-French capitalists, she was beaten by Japanese barons, she was beaten by all - for her backwardness... We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. we must make good this lag in years. Either we do it or they crush us."

 

[him_15]

Gameplay balance.

 

[Sunforged General]

The pro-Soviet revisionists strike again. Even Stalin thinks Russia was backwards! But no, let's rewrite history:

The entire Stalingrad factory was bought from Americans because USSR had no technology to build advanced factories. The Christie suspension in their tanks was bought from Americans. The entire idea of using an Aluminium engine in the T34 was .... Bought from an American!

Bringing up Pe-8 as a Hugh achievement is also beyond the pale. Just read the operational history section in wikipedia, it was so unreliable that on every attack usually half the bombers crashed with engine problems, it was useless, which explains why only 92 were built.

USSR was only ahead in rockets, and in the same level in tanks, which was achieved by buying tech ideas and focusing only on military tech while the civilians were ignored. It had inferior aircraft, navy (They were buying naval guns from Germany!) and had basically to import everything in terms of machine tools and production techniques from the USA. The game lacks this kind of weapon and machine tool commerce that existed and was paid for in gold

The only thing I agree here is that Italy was also backwards and should have their research slots decreased by 1. But Germany, UK and the USA were far ahead from USSR.

Here are actual words from Stalin:

"The history of old Russia... was that she was ceaselessly beaten for her backwardness. She was beaten by the Mongol Khans, she was beaten by Turkish Beys, she was beaten by Swedish feudal lords, she was beaten by Polish-Lithuanian Pans, she was beaten by Anglo-French capitalists, she was beaten by Japanese barons, she was beaten by all - for her backwardness... We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. we must make good this lag in years. Either we do it or they crush us."

The problem with your quote is Stalin said that in ~1928, by 1936 the Soviets had already caught up and gotten ahead.

 

[Sunforged General]

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the biggest, most expensive gamble by the United States during World War II, built with incredibly high expectations on a tight deadline. Read about the big advances in aviation technology brought about by the B-29.

science.howstuffworks.com

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

Page details technical specifications, development, and operational history of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress including pictures.

www.militaryfactory.com

Ordnance: Boeing B-29 Superfortress Game Changer

By Gregory A. Henry The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was a game changer. First rolling off the assembly line as a production aircraft in July 1943, the Superfortress was the answer to America’s need for a high-level long-range strategic bomber. Conceived in 1938, the Superfortress was designed to...

warfarehistorynetwork.com

It appears that the 4100 is using an auxiliary fuel tank:

The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: B-29 Superfortress, U.S. Heavy Bomber

pwencycl.kgbudge.com

Either range is far beyond what the OP is claiming.

Alright I edited out the incorrect information, the Pe-8 does not have a range greater than a B-29, but it does have a greater range than any German bomber produced in WWII.

 

[Crecer13]

2. The heavier soviet tanks (KV 1 and T34) had in 1941 were overall inferior combat systems than their opponents, despite what a quick look at the numbers like armor, gun caliber, speed etc... suggests. One key thing was basically negating these advantages : poor ergonomics, as well as poor optics and reliability. When the americans studied an exemplar of the T34, a technician said that the guy who designed the tank's interior deserved to be shot.

3. Germany didn't focus on four engines bombers because they couldn't, but because of a choice to focus on tactical two engines bomber (tied to the death of Walther Wever). The Germans did work on several advanced strategic bomber designs later in the war, and even the troublesome He 177, when it matured, was a very advanced design. The Germans didn't lack scientific knowledge to deploy a large strategic bomber force, but they did lack industrial power and resources.

6. The T34 was a far less impressive weapon that its legend suggests. One clue is to look at the massive numbers of T34 destroyed/broken down during the war, surprising for such a "superior" tank. https://www.operationbarbarossa.net/the-t-34-in-wwii-the-legend-vs-the-performance/

7. And massive slave labor

Every new tank that appeared has childhood illnesses, the T-34 is no exception. Moreover, in 1941, there should be a T-34M in production with a three-man turret and a command cupala. With 60mm frontal armor. And torsion bar suspension. But the war thwarted these plans. The USSR was not going to enter the war until at least 1942.

https://i.redd.it/wtouzdoomf351.png

 

[CrazyZombie]

I think that research wise USSR is ok to be where it is now. You can ignore the navy completely until war ends - and license naval stuff from puppets under your boot after to speed up further development.

On the other hand, current Italy with its research slots alone is a joke. Sure, their industry was fine in terms of production quality, but engineers who designed stuff to be produced by that industry were NOT. What offends me most of all is the amount of armour research bonuses, Italy gets from its focuses. Like, can anyone remember ANY decent Italian tank that wasn't obsolete even at the stage of project? In game, playing your cards right, you can get yourself to having modern tanks in 1944-1945. Meanwhile USSR needs some beelining to get it's historical armor in the historical time and is quite dependent from RNG of ahistorical German focus which gives Soviets (and Germans themselves) buff to armour research.

I really want to see joint Soviet-Italian rework to show historical cooperation between the two countries in the sphere of naval tech and potential expansion of that alt-historic possibility to make another "Unholy alliance". Or to be correct let's say I wanted to see it as I already don't care now. HOI4 for me now is just an engine and set of assets for the great mods like Kaiserreich, Fallout, quite the promising TNO.

 

[Zauberelefant]

At no point? In 1941 Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist called it "the finest tank in the world"[6] and Heinz Guderian affirmed the T-34's "vast superiority" over German tanks.[7][8]

Are you calling the German generals liars?

Yes. Because they were. Their memoirs are notoriously unreliable.
But even in 1941, the T34 was a Welcome excuse for the Generals duped by soviet resistance, because kicking in the door didn't Bring down the whole rotten structure.
Remember, the same Guderian that called the T34 the best Tank in the world adcocated not building the panther and Tiger, but concentrate on Panzer IV.

 

[Hoi Neuling]

2. The Germans had the Neubaufahrzeug as an upgrade for the big Traktor-called Vehicle. It was used for Training and the Denmark- / Norway Invasion as well as in some occupied Earas (like Tshech or so). There weren´t much build, because of saving Ressources which get needed for better Tanks like the Tiger, Ships like the Bismark and more mass producing Tanks.

But it had the same Disadvantages like the KV-1. Yes the KV-1 had thick armor but it was to heavy, to slow and not useable in every terrain, like the experimental Mouse-Tank from Germany later.

3. / 4. Yep, Hermann Göring was very impressed about the heavy high level Bomber of the Russians, which attacked German Mainland behind the big Eastern Frontline as well as the Bombs Russia had at this time. That Bombs were from what I read the Heavyest ever used in WW 2 for Airplanes until the USA / UK get the same Level with the Bunkercrackers.

Germany get the Heinkel He 177 heavy Bomber, but there is no Contrast to the Russian-Version.

5. Absolutly, Germany get late the Rocket-Launcher-System. 1941 the first Versions of them got on Half-Tracks and as towed versions. How many "Katyuschkas" the Russians had already historians never will find out. That´s a top Secret from the Russians, as many Facts from Ljudmila Michailowna Pawlitschenko or Katharina the Great and many others.

6. Yep, the T-34 was the best Tank on the Russian Front. The German 3,7 cm AT´s, 5 cm AT´s and 3,7 cm / 5 cm Tank Guns as well as the 7,5 short Tank Guns were not able to destroy the T-34 from Front and from the Side from normal distances. Only in near Ranges they could Penetrate the Side-Armor from T-34´s.

The only Guns were the Heavy AA-Guns 8,8 cm where get later a seperate AT-Version and the new 7,5 cm AT-Guns which could crack the T-34´s Front.

Only the upgraded Tank IV´s with the adapted 7,5 cm AT-Guns were able to fight the T-34´s in short ranges from Front and on medium Ranges from the Side. The better suited Tank V´s (Panthers) and VI (Tigers / King-Tigers) get the T-34 on medium and long ranges from all sides.

7. / 8. Russian get more Industry, but the Output was not good. 3 Soldiers and 1 got a Rifle, underpowerd Fighters etc. is not an industrylevel that get expected from the improvement from agriculture to industry-state. Point 8 can´t be, because German Bombers, Fighters etc. won everything in the flight performance events.

If Russia get a record in that it was only an act of desperation to get an positive announcement, like with the T-34 medium Tanks, KV-1 heavy Tanks and the high range level Bombers which get all from the secret collaboration with Germany Weimar Republic in the 1920 and beginning 1930´s. The bad news about Stalin, Trotzki and so on were much more and the internal secret civil War reduced the Industry Output until Stalin did the Massacres, Improssionings etc. in 1938 / 1939.

1. To that Point I can´t say something. I only know that Russia have much raw Metals and much Oil, why Germany attacked them.

 

[CrazyZombie]

2. The Germans had the Neubaufahrzeug as an upgrade for the big Traktor-called Vehicle. It was used for Training and the Denmark- / Norway Invasion as well as in some occupied Earas (like Tshech or so). There weren´t much build, because of saving Ressources which get needed for better Tanks like the Tiger, Ships like the Bismark and more mass producing Tanks.

But it had the same Disadvantages like the KV-1. Yes the KV-1 had thick armor but it was to heavy, to slow and not useable in every terrain, like the experimental Mouse-Tank from Germany later.

There are no tanks to be usable at EVERY terrain. If you really want to get your tank stuck, you'll succeed, no matter what tank it is.

In other aspects KV can't be compared with NbFz at all. KV didn't have just "thick" armor, KV had armor impenetrable to everything but high-caliber AA guns and heavy corps-level howitzers at the time of its entrance at the service. Yes, tank got obsolete and wasn't adequate for 1943 already, but in 1941 with all its design flaws it was weapon, Germans had no counterpart in their own armoured forces.

5. Absolutly, Germany get late the Rocket-Launcher-System. 1941 the first Versions of them got on Half-Tracks and as towed versions. How many "Katyuschkas" the Russians had already historians never will find out. That´s a top Secret from the Russians, as many Facts from Ljudmila Michailowna Pawlitschenko or Katharina the Great and many others.

8 launcher systems on chassis for the testing. "Top Secret" which took me 1 minute of googling and reading...

If serious,Germans got their analogue to the functioning state and mass production faster than Soviets, while at the research and design state of rockets they were going toe to toe. Probably, Soviets got their delay of entering serial production due to the fact that their rockets were designed for aerial use first.

7. / 8. Russian get more Industry, but the Output was not good. 3 Soldiers and 1 got a Rifle, underpowerd Fighters etc. is not an industrylevel that get expected from the improvement from agriculture to industry-state. Point 8 can´t be, because German Bombers, Fighters etc. won everything in the flight performance events.

If Russia get a record in that it was only an act of desperation to get an positive announcement, like with the T-34 medium Tanks, KV-1 heavy Tanks and the high range level Bombers which get all from the secret collaboration with Germany Weimar Republic in the 1920 and beginning 1930´s. The bad news about Stalin, Trotzki and so on were much more and the internal secret civil War reduced the Industry Output until Stalin did the Massacres, Improssionings etc. in 1938 / 1939.

FFS, where do you all get this bullshit with 1 rifle for 3 soldiers? It isn't even funny at this point.

"Underpowered fighters" are still better than no fighters. That's the difference between industrialised and agricultural state for you. The latter was Russian Empire which had no production of own plane engines at all.

And, yeah, about new (and last pre-war) generation of Soviet tanks. Would you be so kind to point out WHAT exactly in their design was "borrowed" from German technical solutions of 1920-s and early 1930-s?

 

[Vlad123]

Industrial culture means established educated well-paid working class put in decent working conditions and being able to pump products of good quality to make own living off that.

I could have given many various definitions (as one could generally do towards any 'culture' itself), but in strictly practical sense that boils down to what I suggested.

Slaves work poorly, that's what the Germans themselves experienced with their V-weapons and those fighters produced at same sites (like Dora-Mittelbau I once visited).

Implying that Russian industrial workers reached their potential peak during WW2 would be a huge underestimation and an outright humiliation of their human dignity. What they indeed achieved through their sacrificial labor by no means suggests their education and background were not lacking still, and they wouldn't have produced yet more or of better quality if properly fed, taught and otherwise treated. To make the point clearer: Sherman [in theory] was no match to T-34, yet Sherman [practically] was made with the American quality which more than made up for its original design flaws. [That 'multi-bank' engine alone!.. The Germans with their He-177 engines were not that weird, then!]

Slaves also *fight* poorly, and that is something often overlooked at the history of WW2, but that's a bit of a different story for this thread.

---
I know I probably had too much World of Tanks in my life, but each time I see T34 written as that I honestly for the first instance can't help thinking of the American heavy tank with this precise name. It's T-34 you should be saying, why is it that difficult for people? )

Historically the T-34 was a HORRENDOUS tank! If there is an English channel that does "reviews" of ww2 tanks and weapons, I would post it (I only know 1 Italian). The T-34, it is said, a copy of it was hit 24 times without being destroyed. But hit 24 times because he DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE SHOTS COME FROM! The crew was totally Czech! Often the wagons stopped in the middle of nowhere because they didn't even know where the hell they ended up! The Germans were not surprised by the T-34 ... the Italians "yes" because the P40 has as its hull ... that of the T-34! That is! But this is because FIAT often did not want to produce a new wagon because it was terrified that the new orders were not as well paid as the old ones!
Going back to the T-34 it was really hideous and in games it's good, just because you have the view either outside or "inside the tank". But if you go inside and do a test drive you won't see anything. Conversely, the Sherman tanks had the best optics of the war (the Germans themselves loved it for this reason). In addition I want to remind you that without ALL the resources sent by the USA to the USSR (fuel for aircraft, planes, tanks, prefabricated industries, weapons, ammunition, cannons, engines, etc.) the USSR would have collapsed. Before the start of the Cold War, in the USSR, there was a very interesting book, in which Stalin himself participated if I remember correctly. Where Stalin himself says, that without all the stuff from the USA they would LOST!

 

[Sunforged General]

Historically the T-34 was a HORRENDOUS tank! If there is an English channel that does "reviews" of ww2 tanks and weapons, I would post it (I only know 1 Italian). The T-34, it is said, a copy of it was hit 24 times without being destroyed. But hit 24 times because he DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE SHOTS COME FROM! The crew was totally Czech! Often the wagons stopped in the middle of nowhere because they didn't even know where the hell they ended up! The Germans were not surprised by the T-34 ... the Italians "yes" because the P40 has as its hull ... that of the T-34! That is! But this is because FIAT often did not want to produce a new wagon because it was terrified that the new orders were not as well paid as the old ones!
Going back to the T-34 it was really hideous and in games it's good, just because you have the view either outside or "inside the tank". But if you go inside and do a test drive you won't see anything. Conversely, the Sherman tanks had the best optics of the war (the Germans themselves loved it for this reason). In addition I want to remind you that without ALL the resources sent by the USA to the USSR (fuel for aircraft, planes, tanks, prefabricated industries, weapons, ammunition, cannons, engines, etc.) the USSR would have collapsed. Before the start of the Cold War, in the USSR, there was a very interesting book, in which Stalin himself participated if I remember correctly. Where Stalin himself says, that without all the stuff from the USA they would LOST!

If you're going to bring up lend lease, we have to bring up the Soviet-German commercial agreement of 1940. The USSR gave Germany

• 1,600,000 tons of grains
• 900,000 tons of oil
• 200,000 tons of cotton
• 140,000 tons of manganese
• 200,000 tons of phosphates
• 20,000 tons of chrome ore
• 18,000 tons of rubber
• 100,000 tons of soybeans
• 500,000 tons of iron ores
• 300,000 tons of scrap metal and pig iron
• 2,000 kilograms of platinum

Without these resources, especially the grain and oil, Germany probably could not have taken France. No food, no fuel, not blitzkrieg. And if the Soviets had kept these resources for them selves it would partially replace lend lease.

 

[Vlad123]

If you're going to bring up lend lease, we have to bring up the Soviet-German commercial agreement of 1940. The USSR gave Germany

• 1,600,000 tons of grains
• 900,000 tons of oil
• 200,000 tons of cotton
• 140,000 tons of manganese
• 200,000 tons of phosphates
• 20,000 tons of chrome ore
• 18,000 tons of rubber
• 100,000 tons of soybeans
• 500,000 tons of iron ores
• 300,000 tons of scrap metal and pig iron
• 2,000 kilograms of platinum

Without these resources, especially the grain and oil, Germany probably could not have taken France. No food, no fuel, not blitzkrieg. And if the Soviets had kept these resources for them selves it would partially replace lend lease.

I know it, but i have read much on land lease. The oil for airplane, are special and URSS not know how to produce.

 

[Harin]

If you're going to bring up lend lease, we have to bring up the Soviet-German commercial agreement of 1940. The USSR gave Germany

• 1,600,000 tons of grains
• 900,000 tons of oil
• 200,000 tons of cotton
• 140,000 tons of manganese
• 200,000 tons of phosphates
• 20,000 tons of chrome ore
• 18,000 tons of rubber
• 100,000 tons of soybeans
• 500,000 tons of iron ores
• 300,000 tons of scrap metal and pig iron
• 2,000 kilograms of platinum

Without these resources, especially the grain and oil, Germany probably could not have taken France. No food, no fuel, not blitzkrieg. And if the Soviets had kept these resources for them selves it would partially replace lend lease.

Good information, thanks for sharing it.

One thing to remember though, is that the USSR was very capital starved due to the goal of transforming an agriculture nation to an industrialized nation. Farms do not produce the funds necessary for such large capital intensive endeavors such as factory and city building. They could not print money to buy what they needed, because what they needed came from the West and they had to be paid in international currencies such as pounds and dollars. That meant that the USSR had to sell raw resources to get international currencies then use that money to purchase the necessary components and expertise to industrialize. That being the case, those raw resources would not be available to offset lend-lease. They were actually a form of currency that bought the factory tools and machines that saved the USSR during the war.

In the end, Germany and the USSR used each other for their own means and I suspect they knew full well what they were doing. I also suspect both sides were surprised with how much each side accomplished with the proceeds from their mutual business.

 

[Sunforged General]

Good information, thanks for sharing it.

One thing to remember though, is that the USSR was very capital starved due to the goal of transforming an agriculture nation to an industrialized nation. Farms do not produce the funds necessary for such large capital intensive endeavors such as factory and city building. They could not print money to buy what they needed, because what they needed came from the West and they had to be paid in international currencies such as pounds and dollars. That meant that the USSR had to sell raw resources to get international currencies then use that money to purchase the necessary components and expertise to industrialize. That being the case, those raw resources would not be available to offset lend-lease. They were actually a form of currency that bought the factory tools and machines that saved the USSR during the war.

In the end, Germany and the USSR used each other for their own means and I suspect they knew full well what they were doing. I also suspect both sides were surprised with how much each side accomplished with the proceeds from their mutual business.

While what you say is true regarding the Soviet need for funds, Between January 1940 and date of the German invasion, the USSR exported goods of a total estimated[by whom?] value of 597.9 million Reichsmarks to Germany. German deliveries amounted to 437.1 million Reichsmarks.[1]

So as you can see, the deal as it panned out was not in the USSRs favor, because the Germans invaded the USSR before they fully paid for the goods they got. The soviets would have been better off selling it to some one more trustworthy, who would actually pay for the goods.

 

[Alpha2518]

While what you say is true regarding the Soviet need for funds, Between January 1940 and date of the German invasion, the USSR exported goods of a total estimated[by whom?] value of 597.9 million Reichsmarks to Germany. German deliveries amounted to 437.1 million Reichsmarks.[1]

So as you can see, the deal as it panned out was not in the USSRs favor, because the Germans invaded the USSR before they fully paid for the goods they got. The soviets would have been better off selling it to some one more trustworthy, who would actually pay for the goods.

This ignores the fact that Stalin was aware of what happened in WW1 to Russia. He did not want to end up fighting the Germans while the Allies did nothing while they built up. So what better way to avoid this then have a truce with your ideological enemies and give them what they neeed, and dividing eastern Europe between the two of you which also facilitates expansion without Germany necessarily opposing you. Also gives you time to cover for the Great Purge which did horrendous damage to the officer corps.

 

[HugsAndSnuggles]

Also who would call a weapon system that can not achieve better then a 3:1 loss to kill ratio a good weapon system.

I just want to note that tanks at the time, in their majority, were not designed to fight tanks - they simply lacked the punch for that. It was the job primarily for AT guns (or AA in a pinch) and their mobile variations. Ratios like that hardly paint a proper picture, if any. Percentage of tanks lost on monthly basis would do a better job, I think.

If there is an English channel that does "reviews" of ww2 tanks and weapons, I would post it (I only know 1 Italian).

There's this one, for example.