Konstantin V. Kotelnikov

I truly hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. Have a safe and happy new year! Konstantin Ghost from the Past

Wow! That was a long time ago. Back when I was a regular. LOL Just dropped by to check on the progress of SC2 and say hello that remember me. Nothing like a walk down memory lane! Da sveydana tovarischi! Konstantin P.S. A special howdy to Jersey. Good to still see you around.

I too have read both those books. Clark is ok, and I can't stand Beevor as half his book deals with nothing but atrocities. German ones in his Stalingrad book and Russian ones in his Berlin Book. David M Glantz is the cutting edge of Red Army research. The man knows his stuff. He is constantly getting NEW information from the old soviet archives as it opens up. Last time I got an email from him he was editing a book on the structure of the red army that was currently sitting at 1000 pages. LOL In his books he provides overwhelming evidence that the red army was fully gearing for war with Germany in 1942. I would tend to believe it, as Hitlers failure to subdue England and the entry of the United States into WWII in Dec would have had signnificant influence on the decision to go to war or not. To truly understand the Red Army on the eve of Barbarossa you really should read Stumbling Colossus by Glantz and Stalins Reluctant Soldiers by Reese. A lot more material is coming out about the Red Army pre-barbarossa and it is truly fascinating. Totally debunking the myth of the purges being the reason for the poor showing by the red army in 1941. Better late than never.

Setting Russia as Neutral is not correct. According to vast amounts of materials coming out of soviet archives the Soviet Union was planning on attacking the Germany in the Spring/Summer of 1942. Then of course there was Zhukov advocating attack in 1941 only to be brushed aside. A couple of good sources for Soviet intentions on starting a war with Germany exists in Dave Glantz's Books "Stumbling Colossus; The Red Army on the Eve of World War" and "When Titans Clashed; How the Red Army Stopped Hitler"." Also some additional material can by found in Overy's book "Russia's War; Blood Upon the Snow" All good reads. Want a fun game against the AI, play as the allies and set the USSR neutral. Makes for some very odd situtations. Peace [ June 17, 2004, 11:21 PM: Message edited by: Konstantin V. Kotelnikov ]

Bravo, The T-34's bring tears to my eyes. They look so awesome. Can't wait. Especially with an expanded Russia on the map. LOL I'm biased.

Prep Fire Phase. LOL AH Squad Leader would rock for the PC. I got taken and bought a PC Game off Ebay that claimed it was Avalon Hills Squad Leader. Was nothing like it. It was more like Victory Games Ambush. Which wasn't a bad game, but no squad leader. Of course the computer game was way too buggy. Glad I only paid $10 for it new. Sold all my squad leader stuff on ebay years ago. Never had time to play the table top games anymore. It was a huge collection. If BF is looking for old board games to do for the PC, I think TSR/SPI's WWII European Theater game would be awesome. The revised edition. That game made Third Reich look weak. That was a great game. Perhaps BF should look at it, cause they could get some great ideas for SC2. EOT had everything. Perhaps they already have.

JJ, The book entitled "Man is Wolf to Man" by Janusz Bardach has some information on life in Poland at the time you are looking for. Found it interesting that he fled the germans to the russians. Ended up as a T-34 driver and then was convicted of semi-desertion and sent to a gulag. Even better was the man lived a half hour from me in Iowa City and just passed away a few years ago. I would have loved to talk to him before his passing. I am sure he would have been suprised to know there was a red army reenacting unit in his area. LOL

Ok here it is again for those that may have missed it. Plus I am sure if the moderators didn't see it the first time, they would get a kick out of it. I did not create it, just lifted it from another board were someone posted it after they lifted it from another board, and on and on. How many Forum Members does it take to change a light bulb? 1 to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed 14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently 7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs 1 to move it to the Lighting section 2 to argue then move it to the Electricals section 7 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs 5 to flame the spell checkers 3 to correct spelling/grammar flames 6 to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb" ... another 6 to condemn those 6 as stupid 2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term is "lamp" 15 know-it-alls who claim they were in the industry, and that "light bulb" is perfectly correct 19 to post that this forum is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a lightbulb forum 11 to defend the posting to this forum saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant to this forum 36 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty 7 to post URL's where one can see examples of different light bulbs 4 to post that the URL's were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL's 3 to post about links they found from the URL's that are relevant to this group which makes light bulbs relevant to this group 13 to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers and signatures, and add "Me too" 5 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy 4 to say "Didn't we go through this already a short time ago?" 13 to say "Do a Google search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs" 1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again. 1 to post a photo of the light bulb that was changed; 3 to post photos of their own "variant" light bulbs; 2 to proclaim that the first lightbulb is in fact a "textbook" bulb ; 7 to contest the "textbook" designation and to proclaim the changed bulb "suspect"; 4 to say that they are not experts on light bulbs, but that the changed bulb just doesn't look "right" to them, and that they wouldn't want that bulb in their sockets! ; and... 1 to definitively determine the changed bulb to be one of the new generation of bulbs being produced in Latvia 1 moderator to lock the entire string down, saying 'enough is enough!'

I just figured mine got dumped for being OT. Nothing major as I figured it would. It was fairly clever and humourous. If you want I can find it again. It's over on the WWII board that I co-moderate. Really kinda funny, I should move it to another site to preserve it.

Welcome Back JJ. Place hasn't been the same without you. We needed someone to dust. LOL

JJ, Heal fast and get out of there soon. God speed.

JJ, Get a rom with internet access. LOL Happy 2004 and get well.

Ah a trip down memory lane. Some names I have all but forgotten. But were they truly the good old days? P.S. Anybody got any spare cash and want to form a buyers group? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2450501898

Ok, things have mellowed out. Good to see. Peace and Quiet return. Along with a little insanity. Now on to discuss what was the best ice cream of WWII. That's important stuff.

WOW JJ, Overnight and still no lock. Even after you mentioned the special word. Moon and the gang must be on holiday break. I see chaos on the horizon. So continuing with the off topic. I have your official 2003 holiday season party approved non-secular joke. A husband and wife are walking in red square. When they feel something wet land on their faces. The wife says; "Oooo it's snowing" The husband; "No dear, it's definately raining" They argue back and forth about whether it's snowing or raining. Finally they see a local communist party official and decide to ask him. "Comrade Rudolph? Is it snowing or is it raining?" "It's definately raining" he replies. Walking away the wife says; "I think he's wrong and it's snowing." The husband looks her in the eyes and says; "Rudolph the Red knows Rain dear!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA That should get it locked.