User manual GAMES PC IL-2 STURMOVIK

[. . . ] EDITORIAL NOTES "This simulator was in development for more than 3 years. It was the serious and hard work of aviation engineers, designers, programmers and real pilots - the staff of 1C:Maddox Games. We were in constant contact with the players community during the development period and tried to implement as many player's suggestions as possible to try to satisfy all user groups. We would like to express our thanks to the thousands of players who helped and supported us during those years. [. . . ] The third group was to march towards Kiev in order to gain control of the oil fields in the south. Many historians consider Hitler's insistence on splitting his forces into three relatively weak army groups a first step to Germany's ultimate defeat. The German Luftwaffe had a decisive part to play in this plan, destroying many Soviet aircraft before they even got off the ground. Nevertheless, the initial successes of the Luftwaffe could not hide the fact that it was not equipped for a long-running battle. Over-hasty mass production of machines that had hardly been tested and the adaptation and misuse of proven models meant that many promising aircraft were not used to their full potential. The German army marched in with over three million soldiers, including 75 percent of the field troops and 61 percent of the Luftwaffe. The invading forces counted no less than 153 divisions among their number, including 19 of the total 21 tank divisions. Altogether there were 600, 000 vehicles, 3, 580 tanks, 7, 184 guns and 1, 830 aircraft involved in the Russian campaign. The Soviet forces were represented at the European front by 4. 7 million soldiers. Stalin was unprepared for the German assault and had played down all the obvious signs which suggested that an attack was likely, treating them as "mere provocation". The announcement that the Fascist "monstrous cannibal" had attacked caught him unawares. It was however not a surprise for many Soviet commanders, including some generals of the high command. An order was issued just a few hours before the invasion, warning front-line commanders about imminent "provocation attempts". Nevertheless, although the Germans soon captured Smolensk and Kiev, attacked Leningrad and took 1. 5 million prisoners of war, the Soviet Union as a whole refused to fall in with Hitler's plans and capitulate by the time winter arrived. The non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Japan enabled Stalin to call on reinforcements from the east. Not only that, but the Soviets succeeded in evacuating over 1, 500 production centers and around 10 million civilians to the east. Moreover, the German troops, ill-equipped for the harshness of winter at the Eastern Front and stretched to their limits, were finding it more and more difficult to organize supplies. Hitler had completely underestimated the determination and might of the Soviet forces, their strength in numbers and the potential of their armaments. Hitler ignored the advice of his army's High Command to pool the German forces and finally press on towards Moscow. Instead he ordered the capture of Leningrad and the occupation of the Ukraine. The first German troops did not reach the outskirts of Moscow until 2 October 1941, and Hitler instructed them to hold position. His Chief of Command Walther von Brauchitsch advised the withdrawal of troops to more favorable winter positions, but Hitler again remained firm, showing no hesitation in taking overall control of the army himself. Admittedly, the Germans succeeded in capturing parts of the Soviet supply areas, but this did not lead to a decision in the Caucasus or in Stalingrad during the offensive mounted in summer 1942. [. . . ] 19 "Tactics in combat examples: fighting aviation division" ­ Zimin G. V. 20 "Construction and design of aircraft" ­ Golubev I. S. , Samarin A. B. , Novoseltsev V. I. Vdovin ­ M. : . P Military Publishing House of the USSR Ministry of Armed Forces, 1946 23 "Ground assault aircraft above the Dnieper" ­ Palmov V. V. 25 "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation" - London: Studio Edition, 1993 26 "Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II" - London: Studio Edition, 1995 82 83 47 Piekalkiewicz, Janusz (1998): Luftkrieg 1939-1945. [. . . ]