Fighting with General Winter Front line Commanders Guide to Adverse Winter Conditions During Combat

Commissioned and approved by Stavka

Commanders of the Western Front! As we are pushing the German swine back toward their pits it is clear that the end of the road is still a long way ahead! Because of this the Stavka has issued preparations for the upcoming winter, and as part of these preparations you have been issued with field manuals so that you, and your men, can continue to fight the Fascists! Failure to adhere to these guidelines can result in loss of equipment and men, leading to your swift arrest commanders! Serve the Motherland with absolute devotion, but do not needlessly sacrifice what it has given to you! After our crushing victory at Moscow the German war machine has faltered, their strength exhausted! While the fight in Stalingrad continues we must prepare for the upcoming counter attack and liberate our homes from these invaders. While Winter alone has greatly stalled the Germans it was only thanks to our resolve that victory was won that day, and more victories are rapidly approaching! Take heed, our Winter is treacherous, and even the hardiest of men can succumb to its grip.

For the Motherland!

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What to expect from the Winter During the Winter on the Western Front temperatures have usually gone down to around -20 degrees Celsius, but they may go even lower. Some recorded temperatures noted a drop to -60 degrees Celsius. That is enough to freeze a man in summer clothing with ease. German machines are ill prepared for such freezing temperatures and reports from the Battle of Moscow showed that German tank crews would have to light fires under their tanks in order for the fuel to melt, and engines to start. Aside from freezing temperatures the deep snow can limit a man's movement greatly, unless skis are used. German weapons lacked proper lubricants and it was noted that their basic rifles and even artillery would be unable to fire. Tanks would sometimes be unable to fire. The Germans have suffered greatly during their first meeting with General Winter, but it is certain that this time they will be prepared. While we are more accustomed to the winter it is folly not to make appropriate preparations. Firstly, soup kitchens with warm food must be available to your men. Without a way to warm their food morale may drop. Secondly, we have mass produced specialized winter clothing for all of our soldiers. It is much warmer, and better insulating from the cold, than what the Germans are using. Our shoes are also better prepared for the deep snow and ice. Unless you are provided with fresh
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conscripts, who were not yet given basic equipment, your men will be as prepared as they can be for the winter. That is not always enough however, and while you may stay warm in your headquarters you must make sure your own soldiers are just as dry and warm.

After snowfall the ground will be frozen, making it possible for bogs and rivers to be driven and walked over with little problem. However, especially closer to the Spring, when all the snow and ice is melting, most country roads may be impossible to traverse over. During an ordinary winter day there will be freezing temperatures but your men's equipment should keep them warm and safe. However, General Winter is often unpredictable. One
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should always anticipate a possible snow storm, which would sweep over the battlefield, stalling any fighting. Snow Storms are very dangerous to your men. If they are not in cover, or close to a source of heat, they will freeze outside. There are usually tell-tale signs of an incoming storm so you should have plenty of time to prepare your front for it. Your engineers, as well as conscripts, can be instructed to gather any wood, be it twigs, lumber or furniture, and light it. That should be enough to keep the men warm, for a short while. In an emergency fuel may be used to rapidly start a fire, instead of more traditional methods. Alcohol only gives an illusion of warmth. As such inform your men that they cannot remain warm by drinking large quantities of it. While rare there have been cases of people freezing to death despite feeling warm inside from high percentage alcohol.

Front line Preparations While building defences is important, reinforcing local structures, placing mines and setting up barbed wire, it is also important to remember about lighting numerous fires close to the front line. If a storm begins the large blazing fires will allow your soldiers to remain at their posts, maintaining the front. Failure to provide your men with adequate warmth may result in death and desertion. If you are forced to take your men off the front, due to lack of preparations, the enemy might take advantage of that and roll over your defences.

It is not always possible to build up defences, or your current front might be passing through a village or town. In such cases finding refuge inside buildings is better than struggling with the cold outside. Instruct your men to keep watch for enemy movement close to their occupied building, but also tell them to, especially during a
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storm, close off larger windows and doors, so that snow will not pile up inside the building, thus making it uninhabitable. Your infantry will be the most effected by the snow, ice and storms. Ensure that they are kept warm, especially if you rely on your men to do the fighting, rather than any vehicles you might have. If your tank and vehicle crews manage to turn on the engines of their machines they should have no problem maintaining stable temperature, thus allowing them to operate normally. Smaller or lighter vehicles might have some problems travelling in deep snow but your tanks should not. Their tracks should also be able to clear a path for your infantry, if necessary. During a heated battle artillery fire or flame-throwers may also clear out deep snow and ice.

On the Attack with General Winter! Your men are safe inside transport vehicles. Use that fact to transport your force straight into the enemy front line, then disembark en mass. If your enemy had a poorly planned out front then most of their troops might be huddled near a fire some distance away. Furthermore tank and vehicle crews, during combat, will maintain their vehicle's heat and operability, meaning that the chance of mechanical failure is minimal. You can harass the enemy by sending your tanks or lighter vehicles to destroy any fires or defences, thus pushing the enemy back with minimal losses. It is not a bad idea to use artillery, such as mortars, to harass the enemy if you are aware of where they might be hiding during the storm.

You may even choose to destroy any buildings the enemy

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could be using for cover, thus not only reducing the number of potential strongholds, but also taking away cover from snow storms. Since enemy vehicles will not be affected by the cold you always have to take into account that even though the enemy infantry was forced to flee their tanks might still be close by and ready to counterattack. If you lack transport vehicles, or if the distance from your front to the enemy's is relatively small you may decide to attack without vehicles, with a large infantry wave. Take into account a few things however. Firstly, deep snow may form. Deep snow will greatly restrict the movement of your men, as well as vehicles though to a lesser degree. Secondly, snow storms greatly reduce visibility. You may find, once reaching the enemy front that what you assumed was an empty front is filled with machine guns and tanks, waiting to mow down your men. However, this limited visibility may be used to your advantage, sending a fast moving force from the flank, straight into the enemy's rare, destroying their artillery and supply chains, then retreating before they can react. You must be aware of the exact enemy positions however, or otherwise you will spend a lot of time searching for ghosts. Deep snow may still be a problem after a storm finishes. Not only will it slow down your troops but they may also
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freeze in it, if they remain in it for too long. Deep snow may be melted with fire, blown away by artillery or flattened with tanks and vehicles. In general, if there is deep snow you may use it to your advantage, as a form of buffer against enemy attack from a specific direction. If you are tracking fleeing enemies then their foot and track marks will be clearly left in the snow.

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On the Defensive As stated previously, lighting numerous fires, and using buildings for cover from the storm and cold, are the basics of maintaining your front, and similar rules apply to your own front. There are a few more points to cover however. Firstly, when moving troops to or from the front, to resupply, or to reinforce certain segments of the front, you MUST remember about one of two things. Firstly, resting points for your infantry. The further away the front moves from your headquarters the more difficult it will be for your troops to help in the fighting without freezing to death. Especially during a storm your infantry could find itself walking blindly forward, and losing their way without fires to act as local beacons. Start up fires along your main traffic routes, so that more of your men may reach the front safely. Alternatively you may opt to organise some form of transportation for them. Since your men can travel safely inside a half-track, and they are relatively cheap, you can use them to quickly move men and equipment to the front. When it comes to defending rivers you should remember about two things. Firstly, open ice offers very little cover. While your men may try to hide among larger chunks of it, in general the enemy and you will stand out, and
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be easy targets for machine guns and anti-tank guns, Most importantly, if you have explosives or artillery, you may use them to crack the ice upon rivers. If the Germans begin a massive tank attack, bomb the river as soon as the majority of their tanks are upon it. Thus you can ensure that at a cost of just a few shells they will lose many of their precious tanks. The river will freeze quickly though, so be prepared that the enemy might potentially force your hand early, and once your guns finish their salvoes will the actual attack commence.

Because of limited visibility during storms you should post sentries at the front to alarm your main force of impending attack. If the enemy manages to cut the distance and ends up fighting up close your artillery
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fire might cause friendly casualties. In general during winter conditions be wary of deep snow and ice on any body of water. You can use both to limit enemy movement, or use them to prepare ambushes. During a storm remember that the enemy will have lesser visibility but so will you. Do not forget about using transport vehicles, houses or fires to keep your men safe from the freezing cold. Additional Notes Due to limited visibility it may be hard to identify German soldiers from Red Army comrades at a glance, especially during a storm. This is made worse by the fact that German soldiers often steal equipment from our own men, since their own winter clothing is much inferior. During the first winter German soldiers also stole our weapons, since their own would fail to fire. Establish a code phrase or word for your men to identify each other, and ensure that any guards are aware of outgoing or incoming patrols. During a large battle, especially during a storm, it is possible that German patrols will get lost and approach too close to our lines. Keep out an eye for them!

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Our tanks are far superior in winter conditions to what the Germans have. However, you should not underestimate the power of the German guns. Even though their tanks are not moving their guns can still cause serious damage to your own vehicles. The Germans may also create improvised defences by using ice and snow. While not nearly as dense as proper sandbags such cover may allow some degree of protection. Digging in these freezing temperatures is near impossible. In order to make any progress the earth needs to be defrosted. Use controlled fires to soften the earth, but this will only resolve a small part of the issue. It will be very difficult for your soldiers to dig proper fox holes and defences in frozen earth. Explosives may also be used, but this is not always the most accurate way of building proper defences.
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Final Word While the Germans will most likely be greatly hampered by the winter again do not take it lightly yourself. Make all the necessary preparations to ensure your men may continue to fight during the harshest of colds and storms. We cannot afford to wait for the Germans to flee! We must put pressure upon them, pursue them as they flee, and run them down with our tanks or mow them down with our machine guns! The fate of the war lies in your hands commanders! Do not fail your Motherland!

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