One of the centrepieces of WWII was the epic campaign between Germany and the USSR. In FFO, operation "Barbarossa" starts 17 May 1942, a year later than historical. While there may be refernces to the campaign in the main narrative, the detailed stories will be posted here so that the campaign can be read as a unit if desired.

13 April 1942 - 30 June 1942	Strategic background to the greatest campaign in history.  Background and openning moves of Operation Barbarossa, the German attack on the USSR.  The USSR is aware that an attack is probable and even imminent, but not know exactly what, and can only continue to build and train its forces. When the attack comes, the USSR is better prepared than a few months before, even as the German war machine punches forward. Once the USSR is drawn into the war, the Allies announce their solidarity and support.
31 May 1942 - 18 June 1942	Strategic situation after the first round.  The Battle of the Borders has exhausted both sides, and so they prepare to attack (Germans) and to meet the attack (Russians). At this point, the front has been pushed east from the starting point, almost to the original Polish-Soviet border.  The Soviet command structure is examined, and changes made. Also under debate is the strategy to be adopted in defending the homeland.  The continued supply of weapons is a concern, but Russian production is far stronger than anyone realizes.
	Battle of the borders (May 17-June 1) to be inserted here.
1 June 1942 - 18 June 1942	Both sides are temporarily exhausted, but preparing for the next round. The USSR knows the German attack will continue, and they will have to do their best to blunt and deflect it. Naval forces play a part along the Baltic coast and in the Black  Sea.  Russian air power is brought into play, and both sides manoeuver for every possible advantage in the struggle which they know will only grow.  Russian units encircled or outrun in the initial battles are trying to reach friendly foeces. The Northern, Central and Southern Sectors are discussed separately.
19 June 1942 - 31 July 1942	Central Front: The Soviets are eager to halt the German offensive, and so they counterattack.  This is premature, and they are outmanoeuvered and outfought by the Germans. Minsk is defended bitterly, but the Germans are able to push the Russians out, and eventually move onward to take Smolensk. Losses are heavy, and many Soviet units are completely destroyed, but many of the troops are able to find their way back to friendly forces. The Germans at Smolensk are in a vulnerable salient, facing heavy pressure, but Smolensk is the gate to Moscow, and they look for to use it as a jump-off point for the next stage of their offensive.
19 June 1942 - 31 July 1942	Northern and Baltic Front:  The Soviets are eager to halt the German offensive, and so they counterattack.  This is premature, and they are outmanoeuvered and outfought by the Germans. There are already Soviet troops trapped in Courland, where only the navy can help them, and more units are chewed up or cut off in the fighting that follows the German counterattacks. This is viewed as a critical front, and the USSR throws in heavy air and sea forces, where the latter meet with significant success in protecting the Baltic Sea flank.  Nevertheless, the Germans are too strong, and push on to Pskov.
19 June 1942 - 31 July 1942	Baltic Front:  The Soviets are eager to halt the German offensive, and so they counterattack.  This is premature, and they are outmanoeuvered and outfought by the Germans, despite heavy air support.  German losses are heavy because Hitler is unwilling to allow withdrawals. On the resumption of their offensive, the Germans find that they continue to encounter new Soviet units that they did not expect, and which the Soviets are deploying more skillfully.
1 July 1942 - 14 August 1942	The Black Sea:  The war extends to the Black Sea, with the Soviets vs. the Romanians with their German support. Both sides use coastal shipping to support land operations, and try to hinder the other with any possible means. The Soviets are generally stronger, but they need to keep open the convoy route from the Bosporus to the Sea of Azov, in order to receive Lend-Lease shipping from the USA.
1 August 1942 - 13 August 1942	Thunder on the Dnepr--The Battle of Smolensk.  The Soviets launch an offensive to pinch off the salient, using many fresh units, and surprise the Germans by the power of the attack. Heavy air support pushes the Luftwaffe away from the battlefield. The Germans try to respond without weakening the forces planned for their offensive in the south, but are hard pressed and learn that Russia is more powerful than they had thought. Meanwhile, the Soviets learn that they can face the Germans toe-to-toe, and discover the value of having a powerful and mobile force ready to exploit initial successes.