Loading the Barbarossa dice

OK, this is soemthing that's been rolling around in my mind for a while. Every time there is talk about Barbarossa POD we get arguments that it couldn't start earlier because of fuckton of reasons.

But WI we remove all of those reasons? How far back can we push it and what does that mean? I mean no Bug flooding, no Balkan campaign, no airfields delay etc. Axis start with forces they had OTL though, so they don't get 10 more panzer divisions and 5.000 trucks out of thin air. But everything else, weathere, situation etc goes their way.

So, how soon can it kick off and what does that mean in terms of being at points sooner, i.e. earlier drive on Moscow etc.
 

Deleted member 1487

So if everything works right, then the initial invasion play of May 15th goes. That gives the Axis forces about 5 weeks more than IOTL. Assuming no Balkan campaign they get another 2 Panzer divisions (2nd and 5th) that were delayed until October due to damage they took during redeployments. Whatever forces were used for the Balkans are instead all ready for Barbarossa, a lot more preparedness of the forces that IOTL did both, paratroopers are available as are a lot more aircraft and transports. I'd say we'd see a para drop on or near Riga which would effectively decapitate the Northwest Front from day 1 and prevent the retreat of significant Soviet 8th army forces.

The weather issue around Moscow will be pretty important as the rains IOTL during Taifun caused mud during most of it that seriously impeded the advance. Without that supply is a lot easier throughout the campaign. So if we just move things up it would be then in late August/early September so the culmination of the campaign would come well before the weather turns and 2nd air fleet won't be moved out until much later than that decisive campaign (it transferred to the Mediterranean IOTL in November leaving AG-center with 3 operational aircraft by December 8th IOTL). This might be enough to get Moscow to fall.
 
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