[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by Webstral

I wonder, though, whether the troops will be involved in distilling fuel and growing food. The transfer of administrative functions to civilians so that able-bodied troops can be freed for combat duties seems likely to extend itself throughout the CSS specialities and perhaps some CS specialities.

It does seem the logical thing to do, but it doesn't appear to have occurred in T2K, at least not on a wide scale. The 2000 offensive was after all delayed because the troops hadn't been able to sow their crops for the year because of the later than expected rains.
A unit on the move also needs it's administrative support networks to do exactly as they're told, when they're told - civilians aren't exactly reliable enough, especially when there's a chance of combat. What commander wants their support network to flee the area right when they're needed most?

Originally Posted by Webstral

(This begs an interesting question. Do the MPs move to Boston as a platoon, then send smaller groups out from the patrol base?)

My guess? Absolutely. There's strength in numbers, and it's beneficial to have a base, even just a temporary one, to return to between forays.

Originally Posted by mikeo80

I think that the summer offensive of 2000 with the German III corp and the US V ID took the Russians, Poles, etc. by surprise. The Russian IV Army with it's gasoline was probably slated for a late fall/early winter offensive. Once the crops were in. I would imagine that the Spetnaz attached to IVth Army were conducting scouting/recon/road inspection for the tanks, that sort of task. They were probably looking at a drive to the west directed at the junction of the American and British Armies. This is the area the Spetnaz was concentrating on, vs the German III Corp.

The evidence does seem to back up a planned Pact offensive, but I'm not so sure it would have waited until autumn/winter - harvesting has to be done before the crops simply rot in the fields.
What the evidence doesn't show us is whether or not the Pact was taken by surprise. It's certainly possible, but even without aerial and satellite surveillance they'd have to know something was on the cards. Nato hadn't carried out any significant action in the north of Germany for approximately two years and those units there had for the most part done nothing but train, reorganise and build up supplies during that period (down south it was a bit different).
It's possible the Pact 2000 offensive was delayed, either because of weather conditions preventing reinforcements being brought up in time, or because the commanders "smelt a rat" and decided to hold their units for the probable need for a counter attack.