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delatbabel, gids, timmyab, and Hagleboz are standing ready to receive anything the Germans can throw at us.

What do you think, gentlemen?

Stavka planning: I plan to let the Front commanders have overall say over their commands with as little interference from me as possible. However we need to agree on some overall goals and play mechanisms:

* I suggest I receive the game file from the Axis, send it to timmyab as north commander, then have timmyab send it south to Hagleboz and then south again to gids. Then gids sends it back to me and I forward it on to the Axis command. That allows me to organise air force and do some initial rail unit movement, hand it on to the front commanders for organisation of their fronts and use of any rail capacity that they absolutely must have to rail important units back, and then back to me to use up any rail capacity left for factories.

* By turn 3 I want the majority of the rail capacity directed towards factory withdrawal. It will be important to do a fast pullback in turns 1 and 2 to avoid any worse pocketing than we already have, but after that please use your legs (and trucks).

* I am inclined to pull the VVS and PVO back to national reserve on turn 1, and allow the front commanders to reorganise their empty air units as they see fit. Then, from turn 3 or 4 onwards, front commanders can be responsible for assigning air units back from national reserve in areas of the front that must have air cover. Be aware that flying a biplane against a Fw-190 doesn't always count as "cover".

The strategy guide here is coming along well, I suggest we read it in depth:
http://witewiki.com/index.php/Soviet_Ground_Tactics

Personally I think that using a lot of APs to disband corps HQs is a lot of lost APs. Also we are short on HQs early, use what you have. The corps HQs will go anyway, let them rust in peace.

Beefing up the front commands will be important. I suggest Zhukov to Leningrad/North West, Konev to South West and we will see who we have left for Western.

Other than leaders the priority for early AP usage will be construction SUs, and organising front line army commands. Don't sweat too much about rear area units, I will mostly assign these to Stavka anyway and try to release the army HQs for use at the front. Our most important weapon is the shovel. If we have many SUs spare after that then disbanding the motorcycle units will be the next priority.

Comments?

Sounds like a plan,lets hurt em

That all seems pretty sensible to me.
The main problem I can see is going to be the allocation of forces.I.E, who controls what.Have you given this any thought?This is one of the areas that a purpose designed team game would make so much easier.In the early stages, with units strewn all over the place, you may need to allocate control of units with little regard for which front it belongs to.Could be something like "anything North of the Dvina is yours" etc.
I think you'll also need to tell us where to plant our flanks if we are to avoid gaps.Might also be an idea to hold back a small strategic reserve which you can rail at the end of turn into any danger spots.Would only need to be two or three divisions strong.This strategic reserve would be very valuable I think in terms of added flexibility.It could also be handed over on request to commanders in particular need.

Sounds interesting, but rather ambitious. How quickly do you think you'll be able to do turns? Will the Germans also be commanded by a team? Also, how do you plan to determine what parts of the front, if any, are controlled by Stavka (given the numerous Stavka armies)? And I can imagine coordinating defenses along the seams between the Fronts, could be tough.

Interesting, but rather ambitious is about right I'd say.
To answer your questions in order:
Redmarcus thought we could manage a turn a week which seems reasonable.Should be quite possible with dedicated players.Trouble is that just one less than dedicated player out of the eight could hold it up for ever.I do think that we should be quite organised in this respect and say that if anyone has the game for more than say a couple of days that it's assumed that they have resigned and hopefully someone else can take over.
The German side also consists of four players with redmarcus in command.
Stavka doesn't get to control any front line units, that would only create confusion, there'll be enough of that as it is.The Stavka armies get allocated to front commanders as and when needed.
Defending the seams should be interesting.The Stavka commander will need to be on the ball here I think.

Stavka is responsible to see the gaps and warn commanders and if needed send resources that way,with the current plan we follow the thought they will go leningrad moscou,what if they go al the way industrial?the only thing we can do is keep track of their panzer divisions do en masse recon and send all our findings and thoughts towards Stavka commander,so he can filter the most urgent out,we will be hurt no mistake about it,some dam good commanders in the german team
so ok a small reserve army is fine but tbh in the first weeks every front commander will think hel need those reserves,im sure Stavka will get everyweek a message "MORE troops ":p so 76mm is right,we will be facing communication probs,misunderstandings and here and there chaos
ill try to send stavka every turn an update of my current forces ,armies,isolated and what my thoughts will be on their strategy at my part

Well, best of luck, but it really sounds like too much work to me!

Are you starting in 1941? If so, My guess is that having several people in command will doom the Soviets, but will be interesting to watch. I think it might be more feasible from 1942 on...

Have fun!

Well if being run by a team is going to doom the Soviets, then being run by a team will also doom the Axis. So we're all doomed. Doomed, doooomed, doooooomed I say!

ORIGINAL: delatbabel

Well if being run by a team is going to doom the Soviets, then being run by a team will also doom the Axis. So we're all doomed. Doomed, doooomed, doooooomed I say!

You might be right, but I was thinking that in 1941 the German army groups are a bit more autonomous. and moreover, they are working to some kind of preset plan, while the Sovs will essentialy be reacting to German moves. At least in my limited experience, I think it will be harder for the Russians, but it will be interesting to watch.

Well I have not seen too many sources saying the Russians were at the top of their game when it came to organization and efficient C&C in '41.  I see our difficulties with these issues to be rather realistic which is one of the reasons I wanted to play a game like this.

Each commander should be aware of his flank to make sure egregious gaps don't form. As the man in the middle I will be tied to my fellow commands on both sides and will have to be especially cautious. We will each have to react to how the other is positioning his forces and it should be delatbabel's job to give us all an outline at the outset of each turn of what he expects from us. Our job will be to not only repel the Fascist Pigs, but also to work cohesively as a team. I expect it to take a few turns to iron out the wrinkles but again that's what the Russians had to do IRL.

there you go plus we will not have the issues the real russian commanders had(staying in stalins eye in good favor trying not to get shot hehehee),

I think its an excellent idea

You will need a fairly hefty STAVKA reserve though, and a lot of e-mails!

ORIGINAL: gids

there you go plus we will not have the issues the real russian commanders had(staying in stalins eye in good favor trying not to get shot hehehee),

You think you're not going to get shot if you perform badly?

That's misplaced optimism if anything is!

You think you're not going to get shot if you perform badly?

That's misplaced optimism if anything is!

[:D]