TriplePlay: Commintern

[gwgardner]

Wow. Nothing like putting your head in a meat grinder.

I intend to take a page from the USSR AI, which tends to setup strongpoints around cities. That delays the Axis advance, because it really must take those cities for supply. Hopefully that tactic will allow me time to build a front.

The front is forming in the north, but those are weak infantry divisions for the most part, and the line cannot hold. It will break up into festungs and attempt to fall back.

[gwgardner]

And just between you and me, I wouldn't be so sure about Chuck's assurances that the Western Allies and the Commintern can live in amity once we have defeated the Axis (if, I should say). Oh sure, we'll communicate and share intelligence now, but in the words of a great American General, it's all about 'who gets there fustest with the mostest.'

[gwgardner]

Two weeks into the Axis invasion:

[gwgardner]

In the South:

[gwgardner]

Mid July:

In the south, we have fallen back where we can, leaving festungen (sp?) to slow the enemy advance upon railheads like Kiev.

The Red Air Force concentrated it's entire power against the spearhead of the German advance, and was able to inflict some serious damage on both the tank corps and the Luftwaffe, which attempted interception, with the loss of 4 strength points, to no losses by the Red Air Force.

[gwgardner]

In the North, we were able to pick off that mech corps south of Riga, but took some heavy losses to the encircling forces. The northern front holds, but the enemy is advancing upon Minsk.

[gwgardner]

The enemy is relentless, and as summer advances, has finally taken Minsk. They have broken through at four separate points along the front.

[gwgardner]

In the south, before and after the turn. While the enemy is on the offensive here too, we saw an opportunity to cut off the nothern flank.

[gwgardner]

January, 42:

The winter has been mild so far, and the Germans have weathered it with apparently no loss in efficiency. They continue to have their armor dispersed along the front, so have been relatively unsuccessful in any breakout attempts. We keep adjusting our lines, which are definitely thin, but hopefully resilient.

In the North we still hold Riga - barely.

[gwgardner]

We have a reserve of 379 PP right now, and are researching in tank technology.

The Southern front is relatively stable, but again we're ready to adjust the lines should the enemy force a breakthrough. As in the north, he has failed to concentrate his mobile units, and thus is less effective than he could be.

As far as we can tell, he has not pulled any of his armored units out to send to fight the British around Naples.

[gwgardner]

July 24, 1942

Dateline Tehran

The Iron Curtain of silence that has fallen over Eastern Europe for the last six months has caused doubt, consternation, and suspicion around the world.

News about the war between Germany and Russia has been sketchy and uncertain. The most oft-heard rumors are that the German invading forces have met with defeat all along the Eastern Front, and have retreated towards their own borders in panic.

A recent report from Moscow indicated that Comrade Stalin is intent upon solidifying Communist control of all territories given up by the Germans.

Also reported out of Moscow: a new government of cooperation and peace-loving goodwill has taken control in Finland, and similar efforts at a mutual accomodation are reported from the capitol of Turkey.

[gwgardner]

August 42

Dateline Moscow
Pravda
The Kremlin today announced that the workers of Istanbul have welcomed Red Army and Navy personnel into their city with open arms. Both by land and by sea, Red Army construction crews have made their way into Turkey to further the socialist revolution in that country. Crews are enroute to Ankara, ready to begin construction projects there also.

[Chocolino]

Cool! How did you do it? Amphibious into Istanbul and on land via the Caucasian mountains? Those Pravda messages are very brief. Is there a chance that Comrade Stalin could loosen the complete withholding of graphical information on the event?

[gwgardner]

Comrade Stalin will take under advisement the request of the bourgeious Chocolino, however it must be understood that for the security of the revolution, safeguards must be taken against manipulation of information by the capitolist West.

[gwgardner]

In the interests of construction history, the censor has allowed this image to be released showing the entry docks for crews east of Istanbul.

[Chocolino]

Congratulations. What a bold move.

Please submit my regards to Comrade Stalin. He certainly knows how to wield the hammer and sickle in the former Osman empire. But - well - security does seem to be tight these days.

[gwgardner]

Dateline Oslo
December 12

Rumors out of Moscow are that in a speech to wildly cheering crowds who braved freezing winds of Red Square Politburo strongman Joseph Stalin denounced the recent spate of complaints from the capitols of the West. "They say we are not doing enough in this war! We say that the united peoples of the worldwide Commintern do not exist to rescue the capitalists out a fire of their own making! The defeat of Fascism is but a minor part of our goals compared to the victory of workers around the world!"

Analysts are puzzled by these statements from the very gates of the Kremlin. What do they portend for the fight to the death that is underway in Italy and Spain even as we write this?