That what I mean seems like they lot of time and energy. That GDW apparently not keeping track on where they had placed units by various dates as far as some of the NATO units.
Like I state before a Soviet Division with 3000 - 8000 would mean that the division was at worse off third of the strength starting off, up to three-quarters of their strength at the upper end. Many of the ones I remember being at 4000-5000 range were effectively at half strength. Now contrast this against the US Divisions were if they were lucky enough to have 5000 troop they were still at third of their authorized strength if it was Mechanized/Armored and 3500 - 4000 for the Light Infantry and Infantry units.
As for looking at the AFVs they have listed, by 2000 on both side many kept tracks in front line even if they had parts of the equipment that needed to desperately repair. Such as tracks where the main gun was non operational, due to damage or lack of resupply of ammo. Even M2 or BMP could wreck havoc on locality if show up unexpectedly. The HMMWVs and similar vehicle at this time, which were never meant to be front line fighting vehicle were pressed more and more into those roles to make up differences.
Granted a T-72 that has only MG operational at this time would make a grand impression upon the opposing troops, especially those lacking any AT weapon to counter it.
What I have trouble with is by all writings by GDW. The Soviets power and control had faded and was fading away quickly in Eastern Europe by the end of 2000. Even reading the Middle East stuff in Iran it seemed that the chains of the centralized control from Moscow or where ever Stavka was located at were waning fast. Even the civilian side the Interior Minister and KGB units were same could be said to lesser degree. The writers more or less stated that Soviet war in Europe would be over by then end of 2000.
So was the 4th Guard Tank Army rush to stop the US XI Corps a knee jerk reaction? I don't think this Tank Army was part of any planned offensive the Soviet had for against NATO. There were too many problem in the Ukraine that needed to be sorted with. Ukraine as well as the Transcaucasian Military Districts, were in stages of having open rebellion.
The 22nd Cavalry Army seem to be of more use where they were to. The Baltic were themselves in varying states of open rebellion and could of been used up to the north.
What the Soviets 1st Southwestern Front and 2nd Southwestern front as I remember seemed more than large enough to handle push into Germany by themselves without having to reinforcements sent from the Soviet Union itself. I think what was left of NATO (the Germans) had been quite impress with the speed that the Soviets were able to move the 22nd Cavalry Army and 4th Guards Tanks Army enough, that even if they had the means to continue the war, they would always have to wonder what rabbit was Stavka could pull out of the hat.
the 38th Army and the 3rd Guards Tank Army, located in the Bucharest-Ploesti area would have to stay put for the Soviets to have any chance of regaining control of the Ukraine and further into the Soviet Union.
It is one of the thing that GDW were to obsess with figuring out what happen to the US and the front lines in Europe. They seemed to ignore everything else, even the Middle East stuff they published was more or less influence by the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and efforts the Soviet previous operation against Iran in the past, which ironical also foreshadowed the future to a bit too.
From what I remember reading the GDW actually 'played' the game out, to get the story-line for the start. One of the things I found lacking was their Far East was rarely touched upon and the internal working of the Soviet wasn't touch at all. Same with Norway and Sweden they aren't reference much, and Spain and Portugal seem to be missing except for reference in certain modules. Same with most of Africa, South America, and South Pacific, many of these locals seem to be largely ignored which is sad since when they started out they had full head of steam that seemed to have lost track some where after they had published the first 5 module or so dealing with the destruction of the 5th Mechanized Division and the pulling out of US Forces from Europe. Then when they shifted to CONUS seems things seemed to have gotten lost. I don't know, I would of love to see a more diverse line up in the original product. Getting off my soap box of a rant.
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