Soviet troops launch a counterattack against German forces in assault of the city of Stalingrad along the Volga River. By the end of the offensive, nearly 300,000 Germans, Italians, and Rumanians are surrounded in a pocket known as the Kessel. The Red Army pushes west, widening the gap between the nearest Wehrmacht forces able to stage a breakout.
The German Sixth Army, under Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus, surrenders. Over the course of the harsh Russian winter, the Red Army had massed over 750,000 troops around the Kessel. 91,000 Axis troops are marched to prisoner of war camps. Soviet forces begin to advance for the first time in World War Two.
The Wehrmacht gathers more than three quarters of a million soldiers, including nearly 3,000 tanks, 10,000 artillery and anti-tank pieces, and 2,000 aircraft, in the Russian steppes in preparation for one final attempt at halting to Soviet advance. The resulting battle for the Kursk Bulge, pitting almost 2 million Soviet troops plus 5,000 tanks, 25,000 artillery and anti-tank pieces, and 3,000 aircraft against the German forces, is one of the largest battles in history, and represents the last German offensive on the eastern front.
The Soviet Red Army pushes its way through Eastern Europe, forcing the surrender of Rumania in 1944 and eliminating the only oil supply of Hitler's Germany. By 1945, the Red Army is, by far, the most powerful military force in the world.
Winston Churchill orders plans be drawn up for a continuation of the Second World War after the defeat of Germany. His target: the Soviet Union. Knowing full well that Stalin has the capacity, and the knowledge thereof, to continue across the Elbe and only stop at the one barrier capable of doing so: the Atlantic Ocean. The plans call for and depend on the full participation of the United States, juggernaut of the Western Allies. If the United States does not put its full effort into the war, no, more so, then all is lost. In addition, the plans call for the mobilization of all Western Ally nations available, including France and, most importantly, Germany. Though Germany is bound to fall, the Americans and British must put full effort into remobilizing the Wehrmacht and rebuilding the German nation in the midst of war in order to create a sufficient fighting force. The plans are codenamed Operation: Unthinkable.
Rules:
This war will cover what may have been had Operation: Unthinkable been a reality. Yes, it was real. Each person will begin by choosing a nation to play as. Being the GM, I will play as the Red Army under Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov. There will be a few allied nations to play as. If you wish, you may split command of a nation between a few players, though I don't recommend it. The available Allied Powers entities are:
Claimed by CloggedDonkey
The United States is, without a doubt, the juggernaut of Western Allies and champion of the Pacific War. However, in 1941, the United States military was a meager force, one that could hardly be considered a threat to either the Japanese Empire or the mighty Wehrmacht. Even so, Americans had been preparing for war since the very late thirties. Japanese expansion in the far east led to the gathering of the American Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, a Japanese fleet centered around four aircraft carriers launched hundreds of war planes on a massive surprise attack against American warships. The United States was at war.
Inexplicably, Hitler declared war on the US soon afterward. However, American troops knew only defeat for the rest of 1941 and early 1942. The Japanese crushed American forces on multiple islands in the Pacific, including Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines. In mid-1942, the United States dealt a crushing blow to the Japanese navy at Midway, sinking four Imperial Fleet carriers. The tide had turned in the Pacific. The next year, the American advance through the Soloman Islands and the Marianas got underway. In 1944, the island of Saipan was taken. Earlier this year, the Americans overwhelmed stubborn Japanese defenses on the tiny island of Iwo Jima. Even now, in May of 1945, the Americans are locked in a bloody struggle against fierce Japanese resistance on Okinawa. While the war drags on, Japan was doomed from day one. Against the incredible industrial potential of the United States, the small Japanese Empire was, and is as nothing. That potential has since been awakened, and Japan has already paid the price in the blood of its people and the ruins of its cities. Japanese naval and air forces have been nearly destroyed, and American bombers lay waste to the Home Islands at will. It is only a matter of time before Japan falls, but at what cost to the Americans?
Unlike the war in the Pacific, which was active against the Americans right from Pearl Harbor, the European Theater did not see American involvement until Operation: Torch, in November of 1942. While the Desert Rats of the British 8th Army, under General Sir Bernard Montgomery, pressed across Libya against the feared and veteran, though now exhausted and demoralized, troops of Germany's vaunted Afrika Korps under Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, American troops, led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, made dual landings in Vichy French-controlled Morocco and Algeria. Encountering little or no resistance from the French, and even having the armies of Vichy defect form the Axis and join the Allied cause, American troops advanced with high morale. However, the Americans were given a rude shock in the mountains of Tunisia when Rommel dealt them a crushing blow in Kasserine Pass. American forces regrouped, and Rommel lacked the strength to keep up the offensive. In early 1943, the Afrika Korps was crushed by a coordinated offensive from American and British forces. Next came Operation: Husky, the invasion of Sicily. American and British troops quickly pushed through the fragile Italian defenders, finding the only real resistance to be from three German Panzergrenadier divisions from the Luftwaffe. The later invasion of the Italian mainland put American troops up against fierce defenses led by the Luftwaffe's Field Marshal Albert Kesselring.
In 1944, the Americans formed the bulk of Allied forces participating in Operation: Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. By now, American forces were at the very least blooded by combat against the Germans, though many were still green. Fighting in France continued from June of 1944 into 1945. Now, American troops stand ready to guide the Western Allies into the abyss, as the war against Stalin's Red Army will be more brutal than anything seen in the fight against Germany.
In May of 1945, the United States is the greatest industrial power in the world. This trait will come in handy when fighting the nation with the world's largest capacity for military manpower. The United States currently holds between 65 and 70 divisions in the European Theater. These forces include, as a result of being the largest Allied faction against the Soviets in Europe, the majority of Allied armor. American Shermans are the western equivalent of the Soviet T-34, though the armor of American tanks is dangerously inferior to that of Soviet tanks. The Sherman is a renowned deathtrap. Even so, the United States and Britain have the capacity to pump these tanks onto the battlefield via industrial superiority. As far as armament, the Sherman tank, with a 76.2mm main gun, is exactly equal to that of the T-34. Both tanks are mechanically reliable, as well. As mentioned above, Sherman armor is vastly inferior to T-34 armor, however, the front armor of the Sherman is at least capable of solid defense. It is the side and rear armor that is especially vulnerable, even though those areas are usually weak on tanks. The front armor can withstand some damage from a long range, but short and medium range shots from the 76.2mm gun will punch through the Sherman. The advantage of the American M4A3E8 (standard Sherman, mass produced for frontline service, 76.2mm gun) is its simplicity. Is is easy to train men to use it, and replacing losses in the field is not difficult.
The newer American heavy tank which will prove vital in the field for defeating the Soviet armored formations is the M26 Pershing. With the thickest armor at 110mm, the Pershing is able to withstand the T-34 from a decent range, and its 90mm M3 main gun is comparable in firepower to the 8.8cm anti-tank gun of the German Panzer VI Tiger tanks.
American infantry are all around well equipped soldiers. The American Army is the only army of World War II to have semi-automatic rifles as the standard infantry weapon. While this will by no means be the deciding factor of the whole war, the quality of American troops will contribute to the defeat of Soviet forces in the opening stages of Operation: Unthinkable.
In addition to its assets on the ground, both the US Army Air Force and its potential for air superiority provide a huge tool for the Allies to exploit. Together, the USAAF and the RAF hold sufficient firepower to deal a massive blow to the Soviet air forces. The Soviet Union has a considerably larger number of air planes available for deployment to Europe, but American and British aircraft are well maintained and are better armed, armored, and generally designed than Soviet planes, and their pilots are just as capable as those of the Soviets, but even more likely better trained than Russian pilots. While, given Stalin's capacity to maintain Zhukov's frontline strength for an incredible period by reinforcing his air power, air superiority will hardly be achieved by either side so long as both parties have industrial potential left untapped, liberal use of American air power will be necessary to keep the Red Army under pressure. Without air support, there can be no victory.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, American forces are advancing on Japanese forces in two prongs. The two American Pacific War command Areas are the South West Pacific Command Area, led by General Douglas MacArthur, and the Pacific Ocean Area, led by Admiral Chester Nimitz. The South West Pacific Area contains 15 US Army divisions of the American 6th and 8th Armies, supported by the 1st and 2nd Australian Armies. In addition, the US 5th, 13th, and 7th Air Forces take part in this southern prong. In the Pacific Ocean Area, which is the area from which American forces advance in a westward-moving prong from the Central Pacific, Nimitz commands five US Army infantry divisions and six Marine divisions.
In fighting the enemy in Asia, US forces will need to link up with the British 11th Army Group from Burma and join the Chinese in fighting the Soviets, plus 35 Japanese Imperial Army divisions still in Manchuria and China, as the Soviets will almost certainly form an alliance with the Japanese and add their numbers to the Communist ranks.
The United States bears the burden of this whole operation. It must use the sheer overwhelming might of its industry to supply, almost single handed, the majority of all Allied forces in Europe and East Asia. Luckily, the United States has massive amounts of natural resources, including almost 75% of the world's oil (I know, shocker). It is the duty of the US to give its Allies the materials necessary to keep war industries running. Without full American participation, the Allied cause is hopeless.
The United States is, without a doubt, the juggernaut of Western Allies and champion of the Pacific War. However, in 1941, the United States military was a meager force, one that could hardly be considered a threat to either the Japanese Empire or the mighty Wehrmacht. Even so, Americans had been preparing for war since the very late thirties. Japanese expansion in the far east led to the gathering of the American Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, a Japanese fleet centered around four aircraft carriers launched hundreds of war planes on a massive surprise attack against American warships. The United States was at war.
Inexplicably, Hitler declared war on the US soon afterward. However, American troops knew only defeat for the rest of 1941 and early 1942. The Japanese crushed American forces on multiple islands in the Pacific, including Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines. In mid-1942, the United States dealt a crushing blow to the Japanese navy at Midway, sinking four Imperial Fleet carriers. The tide had turned in the Pacific. The next year, the American advance through the Soloman Islands and the Marianas got underway. In 1944, the island of Saipan was taken. Earlier this year, the Americans overwhelmed stubborn Japanese defenses on the tiny island of Iwo Jima. Even now, in May of 1945, the Americans are locked in a bloody struggle against fierce Japanese resistance on Okinawa. While the war drags on, Japan was doomed from day one. Against the incredible industrial potential of the United States, the small Japanese Empire was, and is as nothing. That potential has since been awakened, and Japan has already paid the price in the blood of its people and the ruins of its cities. Japanese naval and air forces have been nearly destroyed, and American bombers lay waste to the Home Islands at will. It is only a matter of time before Japan falls, but at what cost to the Americans?
Unlike the war in the Pacific, which was active against the Americans right from Pearl Harbor, the European Theater did not see American involvement until Operation: Torch, in November of 1942. While the Desert Rats of the British 8th Army, under General Sir Bernard Montgomery, pressed across Libya against the feared and veteran, though now exhausted and demoralized, troops of Germany's vaunted Afrika Korps under Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, American troops, led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, made dual landings in Vichy French-controlled Morocco and Algeria. Encountering little or no resistance from the French, and even having the armies of Vichy defect form the Axis and join the Allied cause, American troops advanced with high morale. However, the Americans were given a rude shock in the mountains of Tunisia when Rommel dealt them a crushing blow in Kasserine Pass. American forces regrouped, and Rommel lacked the strength to keep up the offensive. In early 1943, the Afrika Korps was crushed by a coordinated offensive from American and British forces. Next came Operation: Husky, the invasion of Sicily. American and British troops quickly pushed through the fragile Italian defenders, finding the only real resistance to be from three German Panzergrenadier divisions from the Luftwaffe. The later invasion of the Italian mainland put American troops up against fierce defenses led by the Luftwaffe's Field Marshal Albert Kesselring.
In 1944, the Americans formed the bulk of Allied forces participating in Operation: Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. By now, American forces were at the very least blooded by combat against the Germans, though many were still green. Fighting in France continued from June of 1944 into 1945. Now, American troops stand ready to guide the Western Allies into the abyss, as the war against Stalin's Red Army will be more brutal than anything seen in the fight against Germany.
In May of 1945, the United States is the greatest industrial power in the world. This trait will come in handy when fighting the nation with the world's largest capacity for military manpower. The United States currently holds between 65 and 70 divisions in the European Theater. These forces include, as a result of being the largest Allied faction against the Soviets in Europe, the majority of Allied armor. American Shermans are the western equivalent of the Soviet T-34, though the armor of American tanks is dangerously inferior to that of Soviet tanks. The Sherman is a renowned deathtrap. Even so, the United States and Britain have the capacity to pump these tanks onto the battlefield via industrial superiority. As far as armament, the Sherman tank, with a 76.2mm main gun, is exactly equal to that of the T-34. Both tanks are mechanically reliable, as well. As mentioned above, Sherman armor is vastly inferior to T-34 armor, however, the front armor of the Sherman is at least capable of solid defense. It is the side and rear armor that is especially vulnerable, even though those areas are usually weak on tanks. The front armor can withstand some damage from a long range, but short and medium range shots from the 76.2mm gun will punch through the Sherman. The advantage of the American M4A3E8 (standard Sherman, mass produced for frontline service, 76.2mm gun) is its simplicity. Is is easy to train men to use it, and replacing losses in the field is not difficult.
The newer American heavy tank which will prove vital in the field for defeating the Soviet armored formations is the M26 Pershing. With the thickest armor at 110mm, the Pershing is able to withstand the T-34 from a decent range, and its 90mm M3 main gun is comparable in firepower to the 8.8cm anti-tank gun of the German Panzer VI Tiger tanks.
American infantry are all around well equipped soldiers. The American Army is the only army of World War II to have semi-automatic rifles as the standard infantry weapon. While this will by no means be the deciding factor of the whole war, the quality of American troops will contribute to the defeat of Soviet forces in the opening stages of Operation: Unthinkable.
In addition to its assets on the ground, both the US Army Air Force and its potential for air superiority provide a huge tool for the Allies to exploit. Together, the USAAF and the RAF hold sufficient firepower to deal a massive blow to the Soviet air forces. The Soviet Union has a considerably larger number of air planes available for deployment to Europe, but American and British aircraft are well maintained and are better armed, armored, and generally designed than Soviet planes, and their pilots are just as capable as those of the Soviets, but even more likely better trained than Russian pilots. While, given Stalin's capacity to maintain Zhukov's frontline strength for an incredible period by reinforcing his air power, air superiority will hardly be achieved by either side so long as both parties have industrial potential left untapped, liberal use of American air power will be necessary to keep the Red Army under pressure. Without air support, there can be no victory.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, American forces are advancing on Japanese forces in two prongs. The two American Pacific War command Areas are the South West Pacific Command Area, led by General Douglas MacArthur, and the Pacific Ocean Area, led by Admiral Chester Nimitz. The South West Pacific Area contains 15 US Army divisions of the American 6th and 8th Armies, supported by the 1st and 2nd Australian Armies. In addition, the US 5th, 13th, and 7th Air Forces take part in this southern prong. In the Pacific Ocean Area, which is the area from which American forces advance in a westward-moving prong from the Central Pacific, Nimitz commands five US Army infantry divisions and six Marine divisions.
In fighting the enemy in Asia, US forces will need to link up with the British 11th Army Group from Burma and join the Chinese in fighting the Soviets, plus 35 Japanese Imperial Army divisions still in Manchuria and China, as the Soviets will almost certainly form an alliance with the Japanese and add their numbers to the Communist ranks.
The United States bears the burden of this whole operation. It must use the sheer overwhelming might of its industry to supply, almost single handed, the majority of all Allied forces in Europe and East Asia. Luckily, the United States has massive amounts of natural resources, including almost 75% of the world's oil (I know, shocker). It is the duty of the US to give its Allies the materials necessary to keep war industries running. Without full American participation, the Allied cause is hopeless.
Claimed by Khedive Rex
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Claimed by ThreeWords
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Claimed by boboffire
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Claimed by Fishtie
In September of 1939, Poland became the second nation attacked by an Axis nation in WWII (technically, China was first), and the German invasion sparked the largest war in the history of mankind. Under attack by Germany in the west and the Soviet Union in the east, Poland was fighting a losing battle. The government was able to escape and formed a new army in France. However, in June, 1940, France, too, succumbed to invasion by the Germans. The Polish government was forced to operate from Britain, where it rallied its available forces and, while in exile, cultivated its forces. In 1944, Polish forces, operating under British command, numbered 195,000. After seeing combat in France, the Poles saw their numbers drop to 165,000 total by 1945. By now, Polish forces have increased in number back to 195,000 in total, but they are expected to reach nearly 230,000 by June of this year (1945). Over the course of the war in the west, including the fighting in North Africa against the vaunted German Afrika Korps from 1941 to early 1943, the invasion of Sicily and later that of Italy in 1943, and combat in France in 1944, the Poles have proven themselves a competent fighting force, ready to right the wrongs committed against their nation. Now, however, it is the Stalin that refuses to split Poland into communist and western sectors as agreed at Yalta. Instead of Hitler, the Polish armies are prepared to turn their attention to the Red Army. If their country cannot be liberated correctly by the superpower of the east, then the Poles will simply do it themselves.
While under the authority of the British Empire, Polish formations operate as their own, and are considered their own, for the most part. However, they share much of the same equipment with the British. Their rifles are the same, their machine guns are the same, and their tanks are the same. This means that supply lines from the British for the British are much more efficient, and that provides benefits in efficiency for the Poles and everyone operating under British command.
Similarly, the Polish air forces operate as part of the RAF. The Poles, currently numbering 19,500, have long proven their worth as a part of the air war against Germany, and are prepared to continue doing so against the Red Army.
In September of 1939, Poland became the second nation attacked by an Axis nation in WWII (technically, China was first), and the German invasion sparked the largest war in the history of mankind. Under attack by Germany in the west and the Soviet Union in the east, Poland was fighting a losing battle. The government was able to escape and formed a new army in France. However, in June, 1940, France, too, succumbed to invasion by the Germans. The Polish government was forced to operate from Britain, where it rallied its available forces and, while in exile, cultivated its forces. In 1944, Polish forces, operating under British command, numbered 195,000. After seeing combat in France, the Poles saw their numbers drop to 165,000 total by 1945. By now, Polish forces have increased in number back to 195,000 in total, but they are expected to reach nearly 230,000 by June of this year (1945). Over the course of the war in the west, including the fighting in North Africa against the vaunted German Afrika Korps from 1941 to early 1943, the invasion of Sicily and later that of Italy in 1943, and combat in France in 1944, the Poles have proven themselves a competent fighting force, ready to right the wrongs committed against their nation. Now, however, it is the Stalin that refuses to split Poland into communist and western sectors as agreed at Yalta. Instead of Hitler, the Polish armies are prepared to turn their attention to the Red Army. If their country cannot be liberated correctly by the superpower of the east, then the Poles will simply do it themselves.
While under the authority of the British Empire, Polish formations operate as their own, and are considered their own, for the most part. However, they share much of the same equipment with the British. Their rifles are the same, their machine guns are the same, and their tanks are the same. This means that supply lines from the British for the British are much more efficient, and that provides benefits in efficiency for the Poles and everyone operating under British command.
Similarly, the Polish air forces operate as part of the RAF. The Poles, currently numbering 19,500, have long proven their worth as a part of the air war against Germany, and are prepared to continue doing so against the Red Army.
Claimed by Pandalisk
Having been struggling with the Japanese Empire since 1937, the Chinese National Revolutionary Army is a fairly tired force. The NRA is one of the larger forces likely to join the fight against the Soviets, numbering between 3.5 and 4 million men, but it is also one of the most poorly equipped and trained factions. NRA ground troops use a wide variety of weapons [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_firearms_of_China], nearly all of which are licensed copies of outdated German firearms or weapons given by the Soviets and Americans to help the war against Japan. The same goes for artillery guns, which are essentially all Soviet made howitzers, and anti-tank weapons, which are mostly copies of German anti-tank guns as well as anti-tank rifles and full size anti-tank guns from the Soviets.
Chinese armored forces are made up mostly of American M3 Stuart light tanks, M4 Shermans, and M18 armored cars, as well as Soviet-built BT-series tanks and old T-26 light tanks.
The Chinese air forces operate only 700 aircraft, most of which are older American models and Soviet aircraft given earlier in the war.
Chinese tactics are probably more outdated than the weapons used by Chinese troops, resembling 19th Century warfare rather than 20th. Nevertheless, the Chinese are the only ones on the Asian mainland that the Americans and British can rely on to help stem the tide of the Red Army and, hopefully, bring an end to this new, even larger threat in World War II.
Having been struggling with the Japanese Empire since 1937, the Chinese National Revolutionary Army is a fairly tired force. The NRA is one of the larger forces likely to join the fight against the Soviets, numbering between 3.5 and 4 million men, but it is also one of the most poorly equipped and trained factions. NRA ground troops use a wide variety of weapons [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_firearms_of_China], nearly all of which are licensed copies of outdated German firearms or weapons given by the Soviets and Americans to help the war against Japan. The same goes for artillery guns, which are essentially all Soviet made howitzers, and anti-tank weapons, which are mostly copies of German anti-tank guns as well as anti-tank rifles and full size anti-tank guns from the Soviets.
Chinese armored forces are made up mostly of American M3 Stuart light tanks, M4 Shermans, and M18 armored cars, as well as Soviet-built BT-series tanks and old T-26 light tanks.
The Chinese air forces operate only 700 aircraft, most of which are older American models and Soviet aircraft given earlier in the war.
Chinese tactics are probably more outdated than the weapons used by Chinese troops, resembling 19th Century warfare rather than 20th. Nevertheless, the Chinese are the only ones on the Asian mainland that the Americans and British can rely on to help stem the tide of the Red Army and, hopefully, bring an end to this new, even larger threat in World War II.
Claimed by Icarion
Though by the beginning of Operation: Unthinkable, the German army is a defeated force, the allies plan to remobilize 100,000 German soldiers from POW camps to join the fight against the Soviet Union. While the German forces fought by the Russians in 1945 were increasingly composed of ill trained reservists and conscripts, the Germans captured in France, Belgium, Holland, and along the Rhine were still well trained, experienced troops, just as the Germans had been throughout the war until 1945. Even though the Western Allies were the enemy of Germany, these men will be more than willing to fight for the safety of Germany against the infinitely more ruthless Soviets, even alongside Americans and British. By May 18, these forces will still be a relatively ill-equipped force in terms of armored forces, and there are German aircraft to speak of. The infantry, however, are sufficiently equipped with weapons they know well. The German-made Karabiner 98k, Maschinenpistole MP-40, and Panzerfaust disposable anti-tank weapon all make their returns to the battlefield. In addition, the Germans retain some of their Gewehr 43 semi-automatic rifles, Maschinengewehr MG-34 machine guns, and even a handful of their MP-44 assault rifles.
As far as vehicles, the German troops are badly hindered by their losses in 1944 and 1945. Trucks and halftracks are easy enough for the Allies, though mainly just the Western Germans, to replenish. The important arsenal of combat vehicles available to the Wehrmacht is, as yet, limited. For the most part, armored combat will initially be dominated by the remaining German Sd.Kfz. 234/1 and 234/2 Puma armored cars, each variant designed similarly though armed with a 2cm and a 5cm main gun respectively, in addition to the leftover arsenal of German Sturmgeschutz IV assault guns (StuG IV) and what remains of the Wehrmacht's Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. J tanks.
Similarly, the Wehrmacht is currently underequipped as far as artillery goes, though German forces retain their vaunted FlaK 36 88mm anti-air/anti-tank gun. In addition, the Wehrmacht has many of the anti-tank guns used in the war before its defeat, including the Pak-38, Pak-40, and a few Pak-43 88mm anti-tank guns. For the most part, the FlaK 36 is expected to take a front row seat, as it gives flexible defense against both tanks and aircraft.
The Luftwaffe has clearly taken the largest hit from the war. As yet, there are no German aircraft in operation to serve any real purpose. There are no German bombers left from the war, and the remainder of German fighter command is currently in the hands of the RAF, so that it may be well trained over the course of its reconstruction. At the start of the Allied offensive, the Luftwaffe will consist of two observation aircraft and one squadron made up of a flight of five Messerschmitt Bf-109E fighters and part of another flight of two Focke-Wulf Fw-190D fighters. While more aircraft exist, there are no German pilots ready to fly them. There are three Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighters that can be committed to battle with trained pilots, but the RAF is more willing to wait on the completion of a rebuilt Luftwaffe before handing it over to the Wehrmacht.
Ideally, the Allies will need to push Soviet forces out of Germany. This will allow more efficient reconstruction of the industry of the Ruhr region in Western Germany. Once the German industry is at least partially rebuilt, the Wehrmacht will find itself better equipped to join in against the ferocious Red Army. For this task, the Western Allies have provided a fitting commander: Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein, an accomplished field marshal of the Nazi Wehrmacht, having seen combat in Poland in 1939, in France from May to June of 1940, and, most importantly, against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front from June of 1941 to March of 1944, when he was relieved of command by Hitler. Still, throughout his career, Erich von Manstein proved his worth as one of the Wehrmacht's brightest strategic commanders. Before the total advance of the Soviet Union earlier this year, von Manstein took his family and moved west. At only 57 years old, he is the best choice of leaders for the remobilized Wehrmacht, and has already been contacted by the Allied commanders through his British captors. Already, he is preparing for his assault on the Red Army at the head of all of that remains of Germany's former might.
Though by the beginning of Operation: Unthinkable, the German army is a defeated force, the allies plan to remobilize 100,000 German soldiers from POW camps to join the fight against the Soviet Union. While the German forces fought by the Russians in 1945 were increasingly composed of ill trained reservists and conscripts, the Germans captured in France, Belgium, Holland, and along the Rhine were still well trained, experienced troops, just as the Germans had been throughout the war until 1945. Even though the Western Allies were the enemy of Germany, these men will be more than willing to fight for the safety of Germany against the infinitely more ruthless Soviets, even alongside Americans and British. By May 18, these forces will still be a relatively ill-equipped force in terms of armored forces, and there are German aircraft to speak of. The infantry, however, are sufficiently equipped with weapons they know well. The German-made Karabiner 98k, Maschinenpistole MP-40, and Panzerfaust disposable anti-tank weapon all make their returns to the battlefield. In addition, the Germans retain some of their Gewehr 43 semi-automatic rifles, Maschinengewehr MG-34 machine guns, and even a handful of their MP-44 assault rifles.
As far as vehicles, the German troops are badly hindered by their losses in 1944 and 1945. Trucks and halftracks are easy enough for the Allies, though mainly just the Western Germans, to replenish. The important arsenal of combat vehicles available to the Wehrmacht is, as yet, limited. For the most part, armored combat will initially be dominated by the remaining German Sd.Kfz. 234/1 and 234/2 Puma armored cars, each variant designed similarly though armed with a 2cm and a 5cm main gun respectively, in addition to the leftover arsenal of German Sturmgeschutz IV assault guns (StuG IV) and what remains of the Wehrmacht's Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. J tanks.
Similarly, the Wehrmacht is currently underequipped as far as artillery goes, though German forces retain their vaunted FlaK 36 88mm anti-air/anti-tank gun. In addition, the Wehrmacht has many of the anti-tank guns used in the war before its defeat, including the Pak-38, Pak-40, and a few Pak-43 88mm anti-tank guns. For the most part, the FlaK 36 is expected to take a front row seat, as it gives flexible defense against both tanks and aircraft.
The Luftwaffe has clearly taken the largest hit from the war. As yet, there are no German aircraft in operation to serve any real purpose. There are no German bombers left from the war, and the remainder of German fighter command is currently in the hands of the RAF, so that it may be well trained over the course of its reconstruction. At the start of the Allied offensive, the Luftwaffe will consist of two observation aircraft and one squadron made up of a flight of five Messerschmitt Bf-109E fighters and part of another flight of two Focke-Wulf Fw-190D fighters. While more aircraft exist, there are no German pilots ready to fly them. There are three Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighters that can be committed to battle with trained pilots, but the RAF is more willing to wait on the completion of a rebuilt Luftwaffe before handing it over to the Wehrmacht.
Ideally, the Allies will need to push Soviet forces out of Germany. This will allow more efficient reconstruction of the industry of the Ruhr region in Western Germany. Once the German industry is at least partially rebuilt, the Wehrmacht will find itself better equipped to join in against the ferocious Red Army. For this task, the Western Allies have provided a fitting commander: Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein, an accomplished field marshal of the Nazi Wehrmacht, having seen combat in Poland in 1939, in France from May to June of 1940, and, most importantly, against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front from June of 1941 to March of 1944, when he was relieved of command by Hitler. Still, throughout his career, Erich von Manstein proved his worth as one of the Wehrmacht's brightest strategic commanders. Before the total advance of the Soviet Union earlier this year, von Manstein took his family and moved west. At only 57 years old, he is the best choice of leaders for the remobilized Wehrmacht, and has already been contacted by the Allied commanders through his British captors. Already, he is preparing for his assault on the Red Army at the head of all of that remains of Germany's former might.
Now, your common foe:
Claimed by your benevolent GM, Theodore Roosevelt
In June of 1941, the German Wehrmacht commenced Operation: Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. At the time, the Red Army was made up of over 4.8 million soldiers. Throughout the first half of what was called the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army faced defeat after crushing defeat, losing millions of soldiers and civilians. However, after two brutal winters and one of the largest battles in the history of war, the Red Army began to redeem what had been lost. Hitler had awakened a sleeping giant, and there was no turning back. Beginning in 1943, the increasingly powerful Red Army made its way across Eastern Europe, crushing the determined German defenders all the way to the edge of Germany proper. Now, we come to the fall of Germany in May of 1945, and the Red Army, led by the famous Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov, stands as the greatest military on the face of the earth, with over 26 million soldiers and thousands upon thousands of tanks.
Unlike the disorganized masses of 1941, the Red Army's soldiers of 1945 are brave, determined, and ferocious soldiers, if not as well trained as some of the other Allied forces. Also unlike the defeated masses of 1941 and 1942, the Red Army of 1945, since the victories of 1943, has become increasingly well equipped, if in sufficient quantity of weapons rather than quality of them. Soviet weapons are cheap, and easy to manufacture, and their simple, rugged designs are perfect for the Soviet soldier. Whereas the Red Army of 1941 had large portions of its troops without weapons, many of them following comrades, waiting to pick up a dead man's rifle, the modern Red Army, though not completely armed with new, semi-automatic rifles or sub machine guns, most every man is equipped with at least a simple Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 bolt action rifle. As Germany has known since 1943, the Red Army is a juggernaut of the battlefield.
To tame this mighty beast stands ready the NKVD, Stalin's paramilitary force and secret police. It is their duty not so much to fight the enemy, but rather to enforce the will of the state upon the Red Army's commander and troops. Defeatists, cowards, and fascist sympathizers are shot. Any man who steps back in retreat is shot on sight. Each military formation has an NKVD inspector at its head to watch over the general or other officer in charge.
That isn't to say, however, that the Red Army is not effective with such political men watching so closely its commanders. Fear of Stalin and fear of the NKVD is what drives the Soviet men forward. There is no surrender and no retreat as long as the NKVD holds power in the ranks, though the Red Army has fought for over two years now on high morale as a result of overwhelming patriotism in its soldiers.
Soviet armored forces are a large part of the overwhelming superiority of the Soviet Union. The T-34 is the workhorse of the war effort on the ground. It is fast, well armored, maneuverable, and armed with a potent 76.2mm main gun. Most importantly, it is quick and efficient to manufacture, and each vehicle is mechanically very reliable. By 1945, Soviet industry has been able to pump out upwards of 1,200 tanks every month, and that is only counting the T-34. In addition to the -34, the Soviet Union has its Iosef Stalin IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tanks, though the IS-3 is not yet ready for combat deployment. Both IS-series tanks are armed with 122mm main guns, capable of penetrating the front armor of a German Panzer V Panther or even Panzer VI Tiger I. The newer IS-3 tanks are similarly armed, but with armor capable of giving capable protection against the high velocity 7.5cm guns of the Panthers and 8.8cm guns of the Tigers. Mostly, Soviet forces are still equipped with T-34 tanks, though newer T-34/85 models are being added to the front line order of battle. These tanks use an 85mm anti-tank gun instead of the 76.2mm F-34.
In addition to frighteningly powerful ground forces, the Soviet Air Forces possess many thousands of aircraft of almost as many different types.
Overall, engaging the full might of the Red Army will be suicide for the Allies. Ideally, victory will only come once front line forces are broken up. If the NKVD paramilitaries are struck, it will weaken the Soviet ability to prevent a retreat. Only then will the Allies be able to push back Stalin's might.
In June of 1941, the German Wehrmacht commenced Operation: Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. At the time, the Red Army was made up of over 4.8 million soldiers. Throughout the first half of what was called the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army faced defeat after crushing defeat, losing millions of soldiers and civilians. However, after two brutal winters and one of the largest battles in the history of war, the Red Army began to redeem what had been lost. Hitler had awakened a sleeping giant, and there was no turning back. Beginning in 1943, the increasingly powerful Red Army made its way across Eastern Europe, crushing the determined German defenders all the way to the edge of Germany proper. Now, we come to the fall of Germany in May of 1945, and the Red Army, led by the famous Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov, stands as the greatest military on the face of the earth, with over 26 million soldiers and thousands upon thousands of tanks.
Unlike the disorganized masses of 1941, the Red Army's soldiers of 1945 are brave, determined, and ferocious soldiers, if not as well trained as some of the other Allied forces. Also unlike the defeated masses of 1941 and 1942, the Red Army of 1945, since the victories of 1943, has become increasingly well equipped, if in sufficient quantity of weapons rather than quality of them. Soviet weapons are cheap, and easy to manufacture, and their simple, rugged designs are perfect for the Soviet soldier. Whereas the Red Army of 1941 had large portions of its troops without weapons, many of them following comrades, waiting to pick up a dead man's rifle, the modern Red Army, though not completely armed with new, semi-automatic rifles or sub machine guns, most every man is equipped with at least a simple Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 bolt action rifle. As Germany has known since 1943, the Red Army is a juggernaut of the battlefield.
To tame this mighty beast stands ready the NKVD, Stalin's paramilitary force and secret police. It is their duty not so much to fight the enemy, but rather to enforce the will of the state upon the Red Army's commander and troops. Defeatists, cowards, and fascist sympathizers are shot. Any man who steps back in retreat is shot on sight. Each military formation has an NKVD inspector at its head to watch over the general or other officer in charge.
That isn't to say, however, that the Red Army is not effective with such political men watching so closely its commanders. Fear of Stalin and fear of the NKVD is what drives the Soviet men forward. There is no surrender and no retreat as long as the NKVD holds power in the ranks, though the Red Army has fought for over two years now on high morale as a result of overwhelming patriotism in its soldiers.
Soviet armored forces are a large part of the overwhelming superiority of the Soviet Union. The T-34 is the workhorse of the war effort on the ground. It is fast, well armored, maneuverable, and armed with a potent 76.2mm main gun. Most importantly, it is quick and efficient to manufacture, and each vehicle is mechanically very reliable. By 1945, Soviet industry has been able to pump out upwards of 1,200 tanks every month, and that is only counting the T-34. In addition to the -34, the Soviet Union has its Iosef Stalin IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tanks, though the IS-3 is not yet ready for combat deployment. Both IS-series tanks are armed with 122mm main guns, capable of penetrating the front armor of a German Panzer V Panther or even Panzer VI Tiger I. The newer IS-3 tanks are similarly armed, but with armor capable of giving capable protection against the high velocity 7.5cm guns of the Panthers and 8.8cm guns of the Tigers. Mostly, Soviet forces are still equipped with T-34 tanks, though newer T-34/85 models are being added to the front line order of battle. These tanks use an 85mm anti-tank gun instead of the 76.2mm F-34.
In addition to frighteningly powerful ground forces, the Soviet Air Forces possess many thousands of aircraft of almost as many different types.
Overall, engaging the full might of the Red Army will be suicide for the Allies. Ideally, victory will only come once front line forces are broken up. If the NKVD paramilitaries are struck, it will weaken the Soviet ability to prevent a retreat. Only then will the Allies be able to push back Stalin's might.
As has been pointed out to me, China entered its Civil War in 1946 against the Nationalists and Communists. I have considered what to do about this, and have decided that the Chinese Civil War will proceed, but for simplicity's sake, though this may make our hypothetical war less historically accurate/probable, we will say that Mao loses on account of US, Australian, and Indian support to the Nationalists, as this war will have a Pacific Theater to it as well. In addition, the failure of the revolution will be attributed partly to loss of Communist support when the Chinese people see first hand the brutality of the Soviets in war and many opt not to support Communism. I would allow the player controlling China to make this decision, but I feel that adding another front to the war will be a bit too difficult for this thread, since the level of complexity brought about by a legitimately roleplayed, undecided civil war would hinder the thread rather than make it more interesting.
PM me your choices and I will add them to a list of player nations as well as as much information on your faction as I can give. Also, PM me for any requests to be a nation not listed, though I believe I have most listed that are likely to fight.
The war will begin on May 18, 1945. The Soviet Union will ally itself with Japan at the beginning of this phase of the war, though their inactivity until the Japanese surrender of August 1945 and resulting absorption into the Red Army for fighting in the Pacific renders Japan a non-player nation. On a related note, nuclear weapons will not be used, the explanation for which will be the assumption that the war would consume far too many resources on both sides for the construction of additional atomic bombs by the Americans and development of such weapons by the Soviets to be logistically reasonable.
In this thread, each player will control the military and government of his nation. All actions conducted by either party are acceptable. Essentially everything that is in a post in character and which can realistically be performed by the government or military is valid. There is no direct control over a nation's ultimate successes in industry and the like, though regulations may be imposed. Simply put, everything should be a realistic action by the government/military, or anything in general that such a party could control. Allow conditions in your nation to change over the course of the war as a result of various events.
War industries will work quite the same way. While each player will announce via his post the current situation of his faction, such information is not necessarily something directly commanded from the government. For instance, if Britain puts out 200 tanks in a given month, it probably is because of Britain's capacity to do so rather than the will of the government to do so.
As far as the military goes, all combat will be done in detail on both the strategic and tactical layers of war. Each player will control large scale troops movements and general goals in any given military move as well as the conduct of a battle. While posts should be as detailed as the player can make them, for the benefit of those that need to be able to interpret them, what posts should not include is an announcement of victory. It is never acceptable to make an assault and immediately follow with a report that enemy forces have been routed with so many casualties etc. etc. You may, however, declare what effects your people (meaning strategists, commanders, etc.) believe your attack had. These will not have any real effect on the actual outcome of the battle. Results are entirely dependent upon the decision of the one against whom those actions are made.
The player being attacked, having more knowledge of his own forces than his opponent, will be able to assess the damage. In addition, his response should include what responses his commanders make to the situation, and how his men are situated to fight. Similarly, it is not that player's duty to assume that the attack has been repelled or anything. That duty is that of the person whose turn it is to respond. On a basic honor system, you are expected to follow realistic principles of war, and when a point in the battle has been reached where your forces would be defeated or pushed back, be honest and declare so.
Take into account the equipment of your enemy, as well as his numbers, formation and fighting doctrines, and troop quality.
There is only one time where it is acceptable to illustrate the destruction of enemy units, and that is during a sequence of RP where you may choose to focus on a single character who you have fighting in the war, possibly to help illustrate your fighting styles and the brutality of the war, or maybe just for the sake of writing something akin to a novel. Even so, the enemy troops killed in such segments are not necessarily taken into direct account when looking at total casualties, though your illustrations of the fighting intensity will help the other player to decide what has happened to his forces.
I would also like a posting order to be established. Once one player posts, he should allow all other players a chance to post before continuing. Once a player posts, all previous posts are de facto as the were at the time of the next post. Save for editing typos or adding detail to further clarify that which already been declared (run it by me via PM, just to be safe), no edits will be considered canon. However, if you wish to edit a post and it may take a while, you may double post and declare a placeholder to allow you time to edit. Any players may post a placeholder afterward in order to reserve the next posting spot, but until the player is done editing, no real posting will be accepted until the edit placeholder is removed.
Please avoid double posting. Be polite and respectful. For ease of communication in posts, as I realize there will be a lot of information to process, especially for me, please put all out of character communication in a spoiler box labeled "OOC" with indication of who the out of character speech is aimed at, if anyone in particular at all. Other than that, just have fun and make this thread the best it can be.
War industries will work quite the same way. While each player will announce via his post the current situation of his faction, such information is not necessarily something directly commanded from the government. For instance, if Britain puts out 200 tanks in a given month, it probably is because of Britain's capacity to do so rather than the will of the government to do so.
As far as the military goes, all combat will be done in detail on both the strategic and tactical layers of war. Each player will control large scale troops movements and general goals in any given military move as well as the conduct of a battle. While posts should be as detailed as the player can make them, for the benefit of those that need to be able to interpret them, what posts should not include is an announcement of victory. It is never acceptable to make an assault and immediately follow with a report that enemy forces have been routed with so many casualties etc. etc. You may, however, declare what effects your people (meaning strategists, commanders, etc.) believe your attack had. These will not have any real effect on the actual outcome of the battle. Results are entirely dependent upon the decision of the one against whom those actions are made.
The player being attacked, having more knowledge of his own forces than his opponent, will be able to assess the damage. In addition, his response should include what responses his commanders make to the situation, and how his men are situated to fight. Similarly, it is not that player's duty to assume that the attack has been repelled or anything. That duty is that of the person whose turn it is to respond. On a basic honor system, you are expected to follow realistic principles of war, and when a point in the battle has been reached where your forces would be defeated or pushed back, be honest and declare so.
Take into account the equipment of your enemy, as well as his numbers, formation and fighting doctrines, and troop quality.
There is only one time where it is acceptable to illustrate the destruction of enemy units, and that is during a sequence of RP where you may choose to focus on a single character who you have fighting in the war, possibly to help illustrate your fighting styles and the brutality of the war, or maybe just for the sake of writing something akin to a novel. Even so, the enemy troops killed in such segments are not necessarily taken into direct account when looking at total casualties, though your illustrations of the fighting intensity will help the other player to decide what has happened to his forces.
I would also like a posting order to be established. Once one player posts, he should allow all other players a chance to post before continuing. Once a player posts, all previous posts are de facto as the were at the time of the next post. Save for editing typos or adding detail to further clarify that which already been declared (run it by me via PM, just to be safe), no edits will be considered canon. However, if you wish to edit a post and it may take a while, you may double post and declare a placeholder to allow you time to edit. Any players may post a placeholder afterward in order to reserve the next posting spot, but until the player is done editing, no real posting will be accepted until the edit placeholder is removed.
Please avoid double posting. Be polite and respectful. For ease of communication in posts, as I realize there will be a lot of information to process, especially for me, please put all out of character communication in a spoiler box labeled "OOC" with indication of who the out of character speech is aimed at, if anyone in particular at all. Other than that, just have fun and make this thread the best it can be.
As a closing tip, all of you will be significantly smaller than the Red Army. The only extremely powerful faction will be the United States, and, alone, even that player is as nothing compared to me. Work together to achieve victory. Remember, you are fighting for the entire free world. Let the US be the vehicle of your forces and the heart of your cause. Let your forces support those of your greatest ally and you will have true power. Use your head. My power is in my overwhelming numbers. Victory is possible, and keep in mind that I will guarantee you all the element of surprise in the initial fighting. Use it well, and hopefully you will seize all of Germany and maybe some of Poland from my grasp before I can really hit back.
The Red Army is the most powerful military in the entire world. Success in this war will require the full, unhindered support of the United States of America. Britain as well must hurl herself into the battle. Success also depends on our use of a hastily rebuild Germany and the full capacity of the remainder of her well trained forces. France must remobilize its army to its fullest capacity. This war will be long, it will be bloody, and victory is not guaranteed.
