View attachment 17411 (Images don't work the way they used to!) A Hearts of Iron 3 (Semper Fi/For The Motherland/Their Finest Hour) unmodded AAR as the USSR. A Custom-Game-Mode starting on January 1st, 1936. Major Changes: -Removed All Soviet Naval Techs -Used Pts. from removal of Naval Techs to upgrade Practicals and Doctrines, along with starting Techs for Bombers and Fighters -Removed Entire Western Front OOB -Removed all Soviet Ships from OOB -Replaced with Infantry Divisions (3 x Inf + 1 Artillery per Division) -Added 1 Mountain Corps (3 x Mtn Infantry per Division) on Finnish Border -Simplified number of Theatres (see image) -Set Far East and Southern Theatres under AI Control to Defensive Positions (Is it possible for images to be posted in original size, like in my original AARs?)
Prelude: Thoughts and Objectives Initial Thoughts and Plans: I have never played as the USSR before. I have only ever played as Italy or the USA and mostly in my MP games with Joe. Our current MP game has me playing as Germany for the first time (Joe as Japan) though Joe screwed up the events that fire by starting WW2 in 1938, shortly after the Anschluss of Austria. Combat in the Low Lands is intense though Belgium and Holland have fallen, progress into France along a narrow front is quite tricky (but that is another story). My first impression of playing as the USSR is RESOURCES! Lots of resources, but no Supplies! I have 116 IC available to me from the start. Pretty good, until you consider that 74 IC has to be spent on Consumber goods and 48 IC needs to be spent on Supplies. That leaves no left over IC for upgrades or production, and does not quite cover the usage of Supplies. Almost immediately, I was informed that I have 30-days of Supplies left before the pile is gone. Not good. Luckily, the AI controlled countries are willing to trade Supplies for Money with me, which fixed the whole. The money I export is returned for payment of Rare Materials that I export, so I am making a handy $3 - $4 a-day. I am hoping that more trades can reduce the amount of IC I need to spend on Supplies, letting me spend the IC on Upgrades (I need about 60 IC worth of Upgrades for my AirForce and Militia/Garrison Units). The Great Purge will occur in 1937, so I have only equipped my Archangel Theatre Forces with leaders, given that a lot of them will die in just under a year and cause quite the commotion. The new Intelligence Options should make things interesting as well. I have set my domestic spies to High Priority (so I will always have 10 at home) with their tasks focused on Counterspionage and Raise National Unity (most countries start with National Unity at 80 or above, the USSR starts with it at around 55!) I have also set High Priority to getting Spies into Finland, Germany, and Japan. Germany, of course, being my greatest threat. I am hoping that, once the network has been established, I can start stealing techs and start building up Commando Points (NEW FEATURE of TFH) so that, when the time comes, I can slow down their Panzers by conducting Sabotage and the like. I am also hoping that I can add WarGoals once the Winter War starts and (hopefully) conquer Finland. I think I will Puppet it actually as I don't need the resources and its additional units could help plug up some holes when the time comes. Technology wise, I am focusing it on general Doctrine Upgrades (for better quality troops) along with upgrading my Infantry and Armor . My Fighters and Bombers have a head start compared to a 'Normal' start thanks to switching my Techs around. I have no plans on even researching Naval Techs as I have no plans of having to go to war via the Ocean. If I can defeat the Germans, however, I shall perhaps start investing in Naval Techs (or if I am running out of other techs to research) in the hopes of launching an invasion of Japan. I will possibly need said Navy if all goes well and I take on the Allies after the Axis is defeated, but no point thinking THAT far ahead. Of course, I am hoping that I gain more IC for Production and Upgrade purposes by the end of 1936, otherwise I may be screwed. Also, my plans for my Infantry Corps - once I research Superior Firepower Doctrines, I shall add an AT unit to my current Divisions (3 x Inf, 1 x Art, 1 x AT) and will add two more divisions to each Corps (to total 5) that consist of 3 x Inf, 1 x Art, 1 x AA - which should give a pretty good balance and ability to tackle every German Unit. Armored Divisions will consist of 2 x Arm, 1 x Mot, 1 x SPART, 1 x SPAA (Self Propelled Artillery, Self Propelled Anti-Air). My 'Special Forces' Divisions will consist of 3 x Guards, 1 x Art, 1 x Super Heavy Arm. I am also considering some sort of Mobile Units (Motorised/Mech with L. Arm and SPART) for breaking through lines though if I can not produce these in times for the onset of war, it is not the end of the world. I am also doing something new (for me) and pairing 2 Fighters/Interceptors with 2 Bombers (Tactical) to form the core of my Bombing Command while I shall continue to use 4 x Fighters/Interceptors as my main Air Superiority forces makeup. I will update this with pictures tomorrow (hopefully some one can explain how to post full size images!).
