Matrix Games Forums

I love playing War in Russia, mostly as axis. I also enjoy, using the scenario editor, to
change deployment and alter orders of battle.
But I think, the axis never had a chance to complete a total victory over the Red Army, in
my humble opinion, even if they did take Moscow, as Napoleon did before, the Red
Army would fight on, with the out come being the same.
But what if, Hitler, decided to limit his campaign in Russia? To take the Baltic States and
the Ukraine, for whatever reasons, maybe he was worried about over stretching his lines,
or not wishing to fight a winter war so far from the fatherland, or he realised that he
would have to take the whole of the USSR to crush resistance, and Stalin, agreed to a
cease-fire, hoping to rebuild his forces, and giving up land for time. So at the end of 41,
the axis forces occupy the Baltic States and the Ukraine. I would assume that Stalin
would not counter attack until spring of 43, under pressure from the allies, and his forces
rebuilt, and maybe seeing the Axis weakened, by the losses in North Africa.
What do you guys think? Would this make an interesting scenario, what would the
victory conditions be, and how would all of this affect weapon development, would the
Germans have gone on to produce the Tiger and Panther?

Darth

Frankly, I don't think Stalin would agree to cease fire after lost the two of most important economic areas. Also the Russian people wouldn't agree either.

My "what if" scenario is, what if Germany mobilized its manpower as well as its war industry before 1941, to make its war manchine fully running, as Germany did after 1943. (Actually, if I didn't misremember, German war industry didn't fully run until it's about to lose the war.)

Thanks DiRaC for your comment, and I agree, its a big IF, but the Red Army had received a huge hammering, and maybe Stalin may have been worried about further losses, including Moscow itself. Stalin was willing to negotiate with Hitler pre Barbarrosa, to gain time to strengthen the Red Army, and he had already lost the Baltic States and the Ukraine to Hitler. He could only loose more ground, to the advancing axis forces. I don't think he would be worried about what the russian people where thinking, they only new what he told them.
I my humble opinoin, I just think it would make an interesting campaign, the Axis forces defending, the Baltic and Ukraine, in 43, with a rebuilt Red Army attacking. I was just wondering what other gamers opinions where, about Army OB,s, and equipment, and the effect this would have on the other two fronts. Personnally, I don't think it would have any great effect on the other fronts in general, however equipment and manpower levels, would be a harder to call, but I would be interested to here some comments.

Darth