Hello, just a quick explanation before I proceed with the AAR. I started the '36 scenario, using HSR, and have played till October 20, 1945. I've written a timeline, which should explain the events prior to the present date. I originally intended to write a SU AAR, starting in '36. However, I got my ass handed to me so badly by the AI in the beginning, that I re-played it. Two times. I didn't bother taking screenshots etc each time, and so, there are very screenshots from the 36-45 period. The AAR will continue until the scenario ends. I'm about to start WW3.
Also, do note, since I didn't keep careful track (by making notes) of divions, research etc I've probably missed a lot and so, the early numbers (36-41) are probably very wrong. I can't remember how many divisions I had back then. I regret it now. Oh well.
Settings:
Doomsday 1.2
HSR
Normal/Normal
Soviet Union
---
1936 -
1936 passed without anything significant to report. The Red Army was re-organized into fewer, but larger, armies and troops were pulled from the Far East to reinforce Eastern Europe. The entire Soviet production was focused towards upgrades. You can't win a war with 150 obsolete infantry divisions.
Our research teams focused on defence doctrines, artillery and infantry and fighters.
Aid was sent to Spain.
1937 -
Spanish civil war ends. Nationalist Spain prevails.
The planned purge was stopped in the last minute by Stalin, having changed his mind, decided that his officers were much more valuable alive. Their freedom would be severely limited, however. The director of the NKVD didn't like this unexpected change of plans, but still welcomed the larger influence the NKVD now exercised on the Red Army.
The Red Fleet was allocated no resources beyond oil and repair material. The army and airforce would be prioritized until '43.
Aid was sent to China in Operation Zet.
1938 -
Political fuss about Germany's expansionist behavior. Stalin refuses to trade oil to Germany. All trade deals cancelled, an unofficial embargo ensues.
The Red Army does not expand, but the entire army has recieved modern weaponry and training. New divisions are being trained, finally.
1939 -
War in Europe. The Anti-Comintern pact was signed between Italy, Japan and Germany. Stalin still welcomes the opportunity to occupy Finland, the Baltic States and parts of Poland, however, and the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is signed.
In November, Soviet forces attack Finland. The Finns put up a stubborn defence, and the Red Army didn't breakthrough until late December. Invaluable lessons in winter warfare and combined arms were taught.
1940 -
Finns surrender in January, and their nation annexed by the Soviet Union.
The Red Army fields 160 divisions. 10 armored, 130 infantry and 20 motorized.
Major breakthroughs in defence doctrines made. The Red Army sure knew how to make a stand.
The Baltic states were occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.
1941 -
January, Germany declares war on the Soviet Union! Fortunately, the Red Army had had time to re-deploy from the Finnish theatre and every division (except for a few local divisions) had been pulled from the Far East to reinforce Europe.
Germany strategy, or rather the lack there of, made it possible for the Red Army to hold their ground. Only a few provinces were lost, the fortificated defence line from Memel to Stryj held together. Each time a Germany army broke through, there was an immediate counter-attack by the Red Army. At the time, however, 6 Germany divisions could beat 40 Soviet when the Germans were defending. Their superior organization made it very difficult to win battles, however, counter-attacks were always more successful.
When Spring came, and the winter was over, the Germans had suffered extremely high manpower losses. They also had nearly 100 divisions committed to other theatres of war, and the Luftwaffe with nearly 100 flottilas was nowhere to be seen on the eastern front.
The war so far had been good to the Soviet Union. With millions of men in reserve, an ever increasing industrial capacity and a much higher resource production than any other country besides the United States, the war was relatively easy to sustain.
It was decided that the Red Army would hold its ground for another year, and continue the very successful counter-strike strategy which made the Germans lose so many men.
1942 -
By Spring 1942, Germany had no more reserves to use. Their forces were stretched thin, most divisions only had 30-40 % of their original strength left. Their manpower losses were so huge, that Germany couldn't reinforce half of their army to maximum strength even if they focused all of their resources on it.
They'd beaten themselves bloody against the Russian lines for 2 winters now.
It was time to move. Russian technology advances, a study of German tactics (The effects of Op Barbarossa wore off sometime this year), made it possible to launch a major counter-offensive. The army fielded 20 armored and 30 motorized divisions. In June 1942, the Red Army was put on the offensive.
Much of Poland, Slovakia and Romania were in the hands of Stalin by Autumn 1942. Winter came, and the offensive stopped.
1943 -
The Germans, having been beaten so badly and with irreparable losses, were unable to stop the massive offensive of '43. Russian mechanized armies swept over Europe, liberating Romania, Poland, Austria, Berlin and by the end of '43, also Yugoslavia and Greece.
1944 -
By the end of '44, all of Europe except for Brest, Bordeaux and Pax were in Russian hands. Instead of surrendering any provinces, Stalin decided to go with total occupation of Europe. Only the British Islands, Norway, Sweden, Spain and Portugal were still free.
Early '45 -
Portugal and Spains joins the Axis (!), and allies with the remaining Italian forces on Sicily.
Field Marshal Zhukov, the Soviet Union's most skilled field commander, took the lead and invaded Spain. But first, they allowed Spanish forces to take the Allied provinces in southern france. Then the Russians came, and took over. Niw there were no Allies left on the European continent, with the exception of Brest.
Spain was annexed, the Portugese government fled to their colonies abroad.
Soviet domination over Europe seemed secure.
The USA holds Greece, Norway and Japan with their Chinese possessions. The UK and France dominate the entire North African continent.
And this is where we're at now. The year is 1945, the date, October 20.
World War 3 is about to commence.
Also, do note, since I didn't keep careful track (by making notes) of divions, research etc I've probably missed a lot and so, the early numbers (36-41) are probably very wrong. I can't remember how many divisions I had back then. I regret it now. Oh well.
Settings:
Doomsday 1.2
HSR
Normal/Normal
Soviet Union
---
1936 -
1936 passed without anything significant to report. The Red Army was re-organized into fewer, but larger, armies and troops were pulled from the Far East to reinforce Eastern Europe. The entire Soviet production was focused towards upgrades. You can't win a war with 150 obsolete infantry divisions.
Our research teams focused on defence doctrines, artillery and infantry and fighters.
Aid was sent to Spain.
1937 -
Spanish civil war ends. Nationalist Spain prevails.
The planned purge was stopped in the last minute by Stalin, having changed his mind, decided that his officers were much more valuable alive. Their freedom would be severely limited, however. The director of the NKVD didn't like this unexpected change of plans, but still welcomed the larger influence the NKVD now exercised on the Red Army.
The Red Fleet was allocated no resources beyond oil and repair material. The army and airforce would be prioritized until '43.
Aid was sent to China in Operation Zet.
1938 -
Political fuss about Germany's expansionist behavior. Stalin refuses to trade oil to Germany. All trade deals cancelled, an unofficial embargo ensues.
The Red Army does not expand, but the entire army has recieved modern weaponry and training. New divisions are being trained, finally.
1939 -
War in Europe. The Anti-Comintern pact was signed between Italy, Japan and Germany. Stalin still welcomes the opportunity to occupy Finland, the Baltic States and parts of Poland, however, and the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is signed.
In November, Soviet forces attack Finland. The Finns put up a stubborn defence, and the Red Army didn't breakthrough until late December. Invaluable lessons in winter warfare and combined arms were taught.
1940 -
Finns surrender in January, and their nation annexed by the Soviet Union.
The Red Army fields 160 divisions. 10 armored, 130 infantry and 20 motorized.
Major breakthroughs in defence doctrines made. The Red Army sure knew how to make a stand.
The Baltic states were occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.
1941 -
January, Germany declares war on the Soviet Union! Fortunately, the Red Army had had time to re-deploy from the Finnish theatre and every division (except for a few local divisions) had been pulled from the Far East to reinforce Europe.
Germany strategy, or rather the lack there of, made it possible for the Red Army to hold their ground. Only a few provinces were lost, the fortificated defence line from Memel to Stryj held together. Each time a Germany army broke through, there was an immediate counter-attack by the Red Army. At the time, however, 6 Germany divisions could beat 40 Soviet when the Germans were defending. Their superior organization made it very difficult to win battles, however, counter-attacks were always more successful.
When Spring came, and the winter was over, the Germans had suffered extremely high manpower losses. They also had nearly 100 divisions committed to other theatres of war, and the Luftwaffe with nearly 100 flottilas was nowhere to be seen on the eastern front.
The war so far had been good to the Soviet Union. With millions of men in reserve, an ever increasing industrial capacity and a much higher resource production than any other country besides the United States, the war was relatively easy to sustain.
It was decided that the Red Army would hold its ground for another year, and continue the very successful counter-strike strategy which made the Germans lose so many men.
1942 -
By Spring 1942, Germany had no more reserves to use. Their forces were stretched thin, most divisions only had 30-40 % of their original strength left. Their manpower losses were so huge, that Germany couldn't reinforce half of their army to maximum strength even if they focused all of their resources on it.
They'd beaten themselves bloody against the Russian lines for 2 winters now.
It was time to move. Russian technology advances, a study of German tactics (The effects of Op Barbarossa wore off sometime this year), made it possible to launch a major counter-offensive. The army fielded 20 armored and 30 motorized divisions. In June 1942, the Red Army was put on the offensive.
Much of Poland, Slovakia and Romania were in the hands of Stalin by Autumn 1942. Winter came, and the offensive stopped.
1943 -
The Germans, having been beaten so badly and with irreparable losses, were unable to stop the massive offensive of '43. Russian mechanized armies swept over Europe, liberating Romania, Poland, Austria, Berlin and by the end of '43, also Yugoslavia and Greece.
1944 -
By the end of '44, all of Europe except for Brest, Bordeaux and Pax were in Russian hands. Instead of surrendering any provinces, Stalin decided to go with total occupation of Europe. Only the British Islands, Norway, Sweden, Spain and Portugal were still free.
Early '45 -
Portugal and Spains joins the Axis (!), and allies with the remaining Italian forces on Sicily.
Field Marshal Zhukov, the Soviet Union's most skilled field commander, took the lead and invaded Spain. But first, they allowed Spanish forces to take the Allied provinces in southern france. Then the Russians came, and took over. Niw there were no Allies left on the European continent, with the exception of Brest.
Spain was annexed, the Portugese government fled to their colonies abroad.
Soviet domination over Europe seemed secure.
The USA holds Greece, Norway and Japan with their Chinese possessions. The UK and France dominate the entire North African continent.
And this is where we're at now. The year is 1945, the date, October 20.
World War 3 is about to commence.
