My guess is that Nato wasn't expecting a Soviet offensive, or that they felt their own offensive would blunt any drive in the south. It's fairly obvious from the unit descriptions in the books, especially the Pact units, that they'd been well and truely put through the wringer in the last few months after sitting in cantonments for the prior year or two. Up until mid 2000, it looks like the war could still have been "won" by either side but the summer 2000 campaigns drained every last resource either side had left.
The way I see it, the vast majority of units were still in good order up until late summer (a few rogue units behind the lines the rare exception). PCs therefore would still be very used to operating within a structured military environment with an active and relatively capable higher command.
By 2000, almost any nationality can be found almost anywhere with just a little thought and creativity. However, I can't see units larger than individual Plattoons being "out of area" for their nations main units. Take B Coy of the 116th ACR for example. Numbering just a handful of members with maybe a dozen vehicles all told, they are specifically mentioned in several books as a unique situation.
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If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives.
Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect"
Mors ante pudorem
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