GPW v6a

[Mehring]

South and South-West orders are out, the rest to follow in the morning.

[Mehring]

All orders sent.

[TheArchduke]

NW Front has answered.

[TheArchduke]

Final orders acknowledged and accepted, I am ready to make my turn anytime.

[Mehring]

Post here that you're executing your orders, then nobody else can do theirs without receiving your file.

[TheArchduke]

Executed and sent.

[Mehring]

Excellent. Just post here before executing next time, then the procedure will be error proof

[Ccr]

SW turn executing now

[Ccr]

SW turn now done. Nothing of note to report to STAVKA

email sent to all sov players

[Mehring]

Nice, fingers Xed we can finish all Front moves in a day...

[RufusTFirefly]

West front executing now.

[Mehring]

and if mavnb comes on late like he said he does... we're done [:)]

[RufusTFirefly]

West front turn done and send to mavnb and Mehring.

[mavnb]

filed I received is on german side so someone did my front[&:].
I will therefore remind that if we start anew "for real"
I am suppose to have command of NW front.

[TheArchduke]

Ah, and which front do I command?

[Mehring]

Yes, and no. I don't think anyone did South Front Moves but errrr South front and STAVKA have not finished the turn. All the same, watch the History Screen and an entire army disapear before AG South's eyes.[:D]
 
In the real game, there will be NO REPLAYS. If goofs happen, big or small, we have to live with them. We do not close the game and re-open. No no no no no no. Neither do we re-do a turn if someone fires off without any orders. As well as for delays, that's why it's so important to know and follow the turn procedure.
 
As for who get what Front, I've suggested to the other side that we lose either TheArchduke or Ccr as the two of you are to experienced at this game to reflect the Russian command of early 1941. We would then get a less experienced player from the other side.
 
Otherwise, if you both REALLY want to stay- nobody can force you to change sides, we will open with a really severe handicap like no retreat for maybe 4 turns or no strategic movement to the east. Just suggesstions at the moment, and let me know your thoughts on this.
 
Before taking any commands, and while we're sorting out the next step, ther will be a short examination in turn procedure[:D] which I will forward to you all shortly. You cannot fail it, you just keep taking it until you pass.

[TheArchduke]

Hmm, doesn´t the SU have a hard time enough already.

In the worst case I will retreat from participating, would be a shame though.

[RufusTFirefly]

I think TheArchduke is right. It is quite hard for SU in the beginning. Lost of units get killed and retreating is the only possible way. So, giving SU a handycap might enable the other side just to overrun SU.
 
And in case it is too heavy for axis, we will see how we do as axis in case we do a replay with sides changed.
 
Concerning the retreat from participation of The Archduke I want to keep you in mind, that I was the last one to come. So I should leave, if anyone has to. It does not mean that I dont want to take part here, but it wasclear from the beginning that the last to come is the last to get a slot.

[mavnb]

We could give a "junior" HQ to Rufus.
Therefore he could be army X of the West
front. It brings another level of communication
for you "europe guys"[:D]

[Mehring]

Historically, I don't think much survived from the frontier armies. This was for a number of reasons.

1. Germany, at this stage, had high quality operational leadership with little interference from their "great one." Russia had appalling operational leadership and any talents it might have had were compromised by orders from the other "great one," to not retreat, on pain of death.

2. German troops were relatively experienced, their combined arms/inter-sevice co-operation doctrines were well practiced and effective for the period. Russian troops hadn't a clue how to fight this type of war and would spend years learning.

3. The Russian army's dispositions were inappropriate and in spite of numerous warnings which generally earned a bullet to the head in the Lubyanka, surprise was total.

4. Obsessed by quantity at the expense of quality, the massive nominal numerical superiority enjoyed by Russia in many fields turned out to be illusiory as the products of Russian industry were of sub-standard manufacture. This contributed to and was exacerbated by a lack of spare parts. More vehicles were lost to breakdowns than to enemy action. The general level of culture in Russia was so low, there were not sufficient people educated to the necessary levels in maths, for example, to adopt artillery systems comparable to those of western armies.

How does this find expression in the game?

If you haven't played this before, your experience will be coloured by this one, but it is not the whole story. For the first 4 turns, (ie all the turns we've played plus 1) Germany enjoys movement and combat advantages. This is what has made the German advance possible and our losses so heavy. From turn five, Germans cease to be Aryan super-men or even enjoy the advantages they did have historically. They fight with the same qualities as us.

From a solo game I played, the loss of these advantages really turns the game around. If on top of this, Germans lose time and killing opportunities in this game from inexperienced handling of their forces in the first crucial weeks, I fear they will never get much past Smolensk.

The ways I can think of reflecting these historical conditions are-

1. Modify the game, giving the Germans research level advantages.
2. Ensure that Gemany has an advantage in commander experience.
3. Enforce a "no retreat" order on the Russians for a certain period to reflect our leader's great wisdom.

It's not my intention to push players out of our side, far from it. I'm just interested in evening up the sides and reflecting history.

I would also propose that until May 1942, the Germans are not allowed to use their rail capacity east of Estonia, Minsk and Ternapol, or some mechanism be developed to reflect their logistical problems due to rail gauges.