GR/D wants to stress that "Operation Groza" is not our vision of Grand Europa on the East Front. It is only what it professes to be: an alternate history, "what-if" scenario based on the hypothesis put forth in the Viktor Suvorov book, Icebreaker.

Our view on the plausibility of Viktor Suvorov's assertions are summed up nicely by the review of the book written for The Journal of Soviet Military Studies by David M. Glantz:

"As well-constructed as Suvorov's arguments are and as credible as the individual facts may be, the whole of Suvorov's case regarding the Soviet intentions in 1941 is incredible for a number of reasons ... which indicate that any Soviet offensive operations contemplated in 1941 would have bordered on the lunatic. Stalin may well have been an unscrupulous tyrant, but he was not a lunatic."

So a likely Grand Europa treatment might see the Soviets attacking with negative modifiers applied to their combats, no enhanced exploitation benefits, no artillery modifier, no negated river hexsides, and full ZOCs for the Axis. This might then be followed by an Axis surprise turn as outlined in SE, with the added benefit of the entire Soviet Army going U-2 on their half of the Jul II 41 turn, simulating a near-collapse of their logistical support due to incompetence.

What's that you say? A Soviet player would never attack given those restrictions? I suspect that is why Charles designed "Operation Groza" as he did.

Operation Groza Stalin's Thunderstorm

Introduction and Rules
Axis Order of Battle
Soviet Order of Battle
Designer's Notes
Developer's Notes
A Few Disclaimers More
From the Editor