Tukhachevsky's Army and the Politburo (Interactive TFH 4.02) -- Admin thread

[red_KLG]

Its good to know the priorities of NK of Defense for the future planning. 75% are already integrated in the submitted plan. There are several issues with the general plan which indicates a long-term plan and not a 6 month update.

For example, the supply production at the moment is an irrelevant tech. Probably when we are at war it will be significant since we won't be able to trade and we will have to produce. But now we are not producing much of it. I intend to catch up with this tech in the beginning of 1939.

I also do not understand the use of the multi-roles. It was mentioned that we will not focus on the medium aircrafts and I have taken this into consideration by not researching any medium air doctrines. But if we have CAS and INTs, what will be the use of the multi-role aircraft? In any case, it is one research project which will be allocated in the middle 1938 plan.

Also I noticed that in the NK Defense's plan the doctrines have very low priority. I strongly disagree with this practice. If we flood our army and airforce with new equipment we will need all the nations' of the world IC to catch up with it. My intention is to provide steadily upgrades so our IC can catch up with it and maintain the best doctrines of our military.

A final point is the AT/Art techs. In the 1937 planning they were given the lowest priority. Now they are given almost the highest. What will it be?

I believe that the current plan is sufficient, and the NK Defense's ideas will be implemented steadily in the future.

Signed,

A.Y.

 

[shierholzer]

I also do not understand the use of the multi-roles. It was mentioned that we will not focus on the medium aircrafts and I have taken this into consideration by not researching any medium air doctrines. But if we have CAS and INTs, what will be the use of the multi-role aircraft? In any case, it is one research project which will be allocated in the middle 1938 plan.

CAS for hard targets, INT for air targets, MR for soft targets and CAS/CAG for naval targets. AI will use MR on ground attack / interdiction missions.

For example, the supply production at the moment is an irrelevant tech. Probably when we are at war it will be significant since we won't be able to trade and we will have to produce. But now we are not producing much of it. I intend to catch up with this tech in the beginning of 1939.

The priority plannings were more of a general overhead. If we've no supply production going on, no supply tech is going to be researched and so on.

Also I noticed that in the NK Defense's plan the doctrines have very low priority. I strongly disagree with this practice.

For a country like SU (huge manpower) it's better to get the equipment up-to-date first. Doctrines aren't that important if you've enough manpower. Also remember, that there are several doctrines around, which don't matter at all, if you're playing on AI control like we do (Operational Level Org/Command are of those - Mobile Warfare is only in because of the (Materful) Breakthrough chance increase - the increased HQ speed is totally irrelevant beyond lvl3 (which you need anyways, thanks to Spearhead Doctrine), it's a leftover from SF (as the other techs, which add combat stats to HQ's), where HQ's had frontage).

A final point is the AT/Art techs. In the 1937 planning they were given the lowest priority. Now they are given almost the highest. What will it be?

Well, it's pretty simple on this:
Equipment research cost is heavily driven by the regarding practicals - in '37 we had little to no artillery practical.

I believe that the current plan is sufficient, and the NK Defense's ideas will be implemented steadily in the future.

Just two requests for the first half's planning:
(1): Kill Radio Detection Equipment ((We'll never have a use for RADAR, therefore, there will be no on-map RADAR and subsequently no use for that tech))
(2): Replace Industrial Production with Industrial Efficiency ((the effect of Industrial efficiency is some 5 or 6 times bigger than the effect of Industrial Production - even two years ahead Industrial Efficiency is slightly better than Production))

There are several issues with the general plan which indicates a long-term plan and not a 6 month update.

Unless our goals drastically change (invade the Americas is the only change I can think of), that plan should stay more or less till the end. It's more a paper depicting the tech priorities I deem as most effective for the OOB and strategy I've in mind.

 

[red_KLG]

Comrade NK Defense I have replaced IC production with IC efficiency as requested. As for Radio Detection it ends at at 12 Jan so there is no need to cancel it. I will be aware that there is no intention for further research ((I was thinking doing some research in Encryption/ Decryption, do you think we need to?)).

I think we can vote for the plan now.

As for the general discussion regarding upgrades they way I think it is as following:
If we research new equipment we will need 250 IC to upgrade all units, that is why I gradually implement research upgrades and mix it with doctrines (so we do not flood the production).

Signed,

A.Y.

 

[Davout]

I vote in favour of the Technology Plan.

NF Vatutin

 

[Gen. Marshall]

So do I: I vote in favour of the tech plan.

 

[Avindian]

To clarify, Comrade Yakushev, the Politburo is voting on both plans, correct?

Stalin

Current poll:

Aye: 4 (Yakushev, Vatutin, Sokolov, Yagoda)
Abstain: 1 (Yagoda - tech plan only)

 

[son of liberty]

I am not a big fan of the current proposal, but I don't hate it enough to fight about it. Abstain

 

[red_KLG]

To clarify, Comrade Yakushev, the Politburo is voting on both plans, correct?

Stalin

Current poll:

Aye: 3 (Yakushev, Vatutin, Sokolov)

Yes, for both plans.

A.Y.

 

[son of liberty]

To clarify, I fully support the LS plan. I abstain on the tech plan.

 

[Avindian]

To clarify, I fully support the LS plan. I abstain on the tech plan.

Noted.

 

[shierholzer]

Comrade NK Defense I have replaced IC production with IC efficiency as requested. As for Radio Detection it ends at at 12 Jan so there is no need to cancel it. I will be aware that there is no intention for further research

Well, it would make for an easy future mechanical enginnering theory gain if we cancel it (progress never disappears, even if you cancel).

((I was thinking doing some research in Encryption/ Decryption, do you think we need to?)).

Encryption/Decryption are also viable for non-radar building coutries (at least in theory). Their bonuses apply also to adjacency based intel. However, since the AI is pretty bad in using intel it usually not worth for all AI games.

If we research new equipment we will need 250 IC to upgrade all units, that is why I gradually implement research upgrades and mix it with doctrines (so we do not flood the production).

As previously stated: The overall difference should be neglectable for us - Upgrades also grant practicals (more or less the same amount as their respective units - effectively), so it's more a thing of shifting practicals right.
Also a thing: doctrines do influence the new unit cost (1% as usual) however, they cost nothing to upgrade. So in theory it's best to stop them on their very last day before completion and complete them as soon war started.

I think we can vote for the plan now.

Since my remaining issues are rather minor, I approve both plannings.

 

[SirkTheMonkey]

I trust the opinions of those who should know best on these matters so I shall vote to approve the plans.

 

[Avindian]

Comrade Yakushev's leadership budget is approved.

One more vote will guarantee passage of the technology plan.

 

[shierholzer]

Comrade Yakushev's leadership budget is approved.

One more vote will guarantee passage of the technology plan.

Assuming the technology plan will also pass (a possible nay faction will need all remaining votes to force Stalin's decision - quite unrealistic on a tech plan), that leaves Yagoda and me for phase B (also assuming, that there's no need for a foreign policy change, and therefor no new foreign plan to vote upon).

 

[Vrael_1492]

I trust the opinion of men experienced in this matter, and vote in favour of the plan.

 

[son of liberty]

NVM, see below

 

[Davout]

Comrade Yagoda

I see that there has been a change to a more benign head of the FBI. Whilst I will leave it to your judgment, might we not also consider returning to the USA with a view to seeing if there is any technology worth stealing. Also France seems to be leaking like a sieve so that if we have the agents to spare they may turn up the odd tech gem. You will have the best appreciation of what can be achieved with the assets allocated to the NKVD so I will understand if you conclude these are unnecessary diversions of resources.

Yours fraternally

NF Vatutin (Lt Gen)
NGSh

 

[son of liberty]

Comrade Yagoda

I see that there has been a change to a more benign head of the FBI. Whilst I will leave it to your judgment, might we not also consider returning to the USA with a view to seeing if there is any technology worth stealing. Also France seems to be leaking like a sieve so that if we have the agents to spare they may turn up the odd tech gem. You will have the best appreciation of what can be achieved with the assets allocated to the NKVD so I will understand if you conclude these are unnecessary diversions of resources.

Yours fraternally

NF Vatutin (Lt Gen)
NGSh

((That is odd that there have been 2 changes in such a short time))

This Briefing is most secret upon pain of death for any who leak it's contents and for their closest family members.

Greetings Comrades. our focus will shift slightly this year. We will still concentrate most on raising national support for the party, and increasing the apparent threat posed by Germany. Additionally, we shall start sowing the seeds of Communism in our future puppet of Persia. With our current laws, and Japan's wars, there is no need to continue spending NKVD assets in Japan.


Our Targets and missions will be:

1)The USSR
Special USSR instructions:Maximize NU increase. *
10 spies, max recruiting((lvl 3))
Current orders should be: counterintelligence((lvl 0)) and raise NU((lvl 3))


2)Finland
10 spies, medium recruiting((lvl 2))
Current orders should be: counterintelligence((lvl 0)) and lower NU((lvl 3))
((By late 1939 Finnish NU will be ~40% making conquest very easy and fast especially with amphibious assaults on important coastal cities.))

3)Germany
10 spies, max recruiting((lvl 3))
Current orders should be: counterintelligence((lvl 3)) and raise threat((lvl 3))

4)USA
10 spies, max recruiting((lvl 3))
Set orders to: counterintelligence((lvl 3))
As soon as American spies are reduced to 3 or less, switch to:
counterintelligence((lvl 1)) and Tech Espionage((lvl 3))

5)Japan
0 spies, No recruiting((lvl 0))
Current orders should be: counterintelligence((lvl 3))
We will have our current agents continue to force Japan to spend it's budget replacing losses until our current agents are no longer able to do so.
((I wish we could recall those spies and reassign them))




*((Basically we would drop the counter intelligence level from 1 to zero while keeping an eye on enemy espionage in the USSR. When enemy spies start getting troublesome again kick the CI missions up to level 1 or 2 until they are gone then back to zero. That usually only takes a few days each month. That gives us an extra 30-35% increase in NU growth))

 

[shierholzer]

((That is odd that there have been 2 changes in such a short time))

Pretty simple. Hoover got shot by scandal event, while a bunch of new minister get's available in '38.
((AI had to choose a replacement to Hoover, and did so, however in '38 a better guy entered the stage and AI selected him.))

5)Japan
0 spies, No recruiting((lvl 0))
Current orders should be: counterintelligence((lvl 3))
We will have our current agents continue to force Japan to spend it's budget replacing losses until our current agents are no longer able to do so.

((Unless that's for role play purposes, it's useless. Defending spies never get killed - their efficiency is reduced to zero if foreign counterintelligence is high enough. However, the only thing it takes to replace them is time (if you're only interested in defending, get 10 spies and never worry about intelligence (or their LS) again.))

1)The USSR
Special USSR instructions:Maximize NU increase.

((The very best way to maximize NU increase is to set Civil Laws to the worst available (so Open Society or Legalistic Restrictions), while pulling all spies to Increase NU.))

((I wish we could recall those spies and reassign them))

((Well, a spy in game terms is a (high) ranking local official who's paid by you to forward his countries secrets to you. Basically that's how espionage worked back then (apart from the lady trick). Imagine sending a Jap to the US and think about the possible information he could get for you from there.))

[[Revised Plan]]

((Nice to see, that you replaced Persia with something important. The game has some generic revolution events, however they're even impossible to trigger if you try to force it (basically the thing is, that they require a single party to achieve 60 popularity and 10 dissent - either a country never gets 10 dissent, or it never gets a non-ruling party to have >60 popularity).))

 

[Avindian]

I trust the opinion of men experienced in this matter, and vote in favour of the plan.

Technology plan passes.

We do need reports from Comrade Petrova and Rakobolskaja.