ORIGINAL: paullus99
Seeing the OOB totals - scary to think that the Russians still have almost 5 million soldiers available, even given the losses taken to date.
Actually it's worse than it looks. Here are some things to bear in mind:
1) Axis forces in general and Germans in particular have more support in their units than do Soviet forces. In the long-run that's a benefit since support makes everything else work better but in the short run it means that there are fewer men with guns on the Axis side than the Soviet side or put another way, there are a lot more Russian units out there than Axis units.
2) The AFV totals are exactly that, AFVs which on the Axis side includes tank destroyers, armed halftracks and armored cars. On top of that the Italian total includes a lot of AFVs that aren't even on the Eastern front but garrisoning Yugoslavia. By contrast, although the Soviets also have armored cars in their total, most of their AFVs are tanks including by now lots of T-34s and KV-1s.
3) For all intents and purposes the Finnish totals can be ignored. Unless elmo can take Leningrad (and that's looking questionable) the Finns are now of almost no benefit, perhaps tying down at most a Russian force 10% their size.
When you consider the above points you have to think elmo's situation is at least worrisome if not as you say down right scary.
