A research interlude
The next set of screenshots give some idea what I'm trying to do in terms of equipment and training for the Soviet armed forces.
First up is infantry:
Here the 1940 focus is on the infantry division (each new tech costs me about 28-30 IC to implement, and another real gain over HOI2 is this load is at least better spread).
I've started with integral AT and am now on defensiveness, then will implement the two more offensive upgrades - obviously the idea is to get them as 'panzer-proof' as early as I can. For Garrisons, the only tech I'll take is in terms of defensiveness - I just want them to hang around and irritate an attacker, not to engage in anything else. Since 1941 looks like a quiet year (in terms of Inf research), I might improve the cavalry - if I do I'll grab the soft attack and toughness techs, so they can get stuck into isolated Inf units, and keep my research going by picking up a few Eng techs:
2nd screen is armour and Art.
2 teams are working over the armour and I really need the whole lot as I've got masses of LArm brigades. Anyway T-34 first, then LArm, then do what I can with the HArm - less critical, its more a way of making some Tank Divs more annoying to German Pzrs. My overall operational logic is that the best AT weapon is a tank.
For Art, I'm doing both conventional Art and Rocket Art (3 SA has rocket brigades for a change) - good thing about rocket art is its a cheap way to build up your rocket theory.
I'll keep the AC up to date, but thats a probelm for next year:
3rd is a view on training for the Red Army.
As you can see I'm ignoring the Superior Firepower branch - theres some nice things but its just too much. Have only just started on the v expensive (if you start with no practical) "Schwerpunkt" so have no doubts the Pzrs will outperform my armour in combat. Hopefully this will be offset by v low operational delay (it'll be 2 days once the new tech is in place) and pretty good infantry training
Final one is on air disciplines. For CAS and TAC - its stuff that helps them in their army support role, I've grabbed some stuff that reduces stacking penalties etc. For INT/FTR I'm keeping to the top 3 as I want them just to be hard to knock out the air, not really fussed about specialisation beyond that.
In terms of air hardware, I'll have all the 1940 techs in place by the end of the year. In terms of Industrial etc, will try to keep up to date, esp with the critical ones - but no urge to incur the 'ahead of time' penalties.
I hate to think what the German AI is able to do - from what I've seen by spying its well ahead of time, and seems to be concentrating on tanks and aircraft. Big question is whether its funding upgrades.
Like everyone, I'm plagued by spies and am sort of ignoring them - just doing a 2 week stint on counter-espionage every now and then - I want NU up and Neutrality down more than ultra-fast research.