@weddingsinger:
@Gargantua:
Because Russia faces the “accordion” and the “Can Opener” it’s only real oppurtunites are on it’s turn of attack; or atleast, forcing the enemy to be weary of such attacks.
When building defensively only, the germans don’t have to worry about making missteps or mistakes, they are never caught on them. When you change the game up, with russian offense, suddenly the balance is very delicate.
How about fighters instead of tanks? I usually am Axis, so I haven’t worked out much about Russia myself, but am curious about things like fighters, which can both be used for counter attacks without ending up at risk themselves, and scrambled in SZ 115 and maybe keep Russia’s fleet, or at least force Germany to spend more on navy than it wants. And, as a bonus, help counter the bombings.
But maybe I just think that would be so useful because it would play well against my Germany strategies, which include constant bombings of Russian factories, amphibious assaults of Leningrad with my Sea Lion assets.
I’m also curious about Russia being aggressive into Finland/Norway. I’m thinking next time I’m the Allies, I’ll put pressure on Germany’s navy because, among other things, it means Scandanavia is lost to them easily.
Why build sea lion assets unless you’re going through with sea lion? A straight attack on Scandinavia by USSR is a loser because too many troops are taken out of Moscow’s defence. A small force just dies for no gain.
Anyway, assuming you’re playing allies, if Germany avoids building fleet G1, I like the following:
- scramble to at least one of the fleet battles SZ110/111, assuming he hits both
- block SZ114 with the Cruiser
- stack Vyborg, bringing up the starting mobile units
- mobilise 3 art in Novgorod USSR1
- US1 build 1CV 1DD 2TT 1inf 1ftr all for SZ101, plus move the bomber and W USA fighter over to E USA
- Assuming G3/J2 DOWs, move the US fleet to SZ123 but land the fighters on the airbase rather than the CV. If Germany uses a DD (or the Cruiser) to block at SZ124, use the Soviets to attack and land planes on the US CV.
- USSR will take Finland turn 3.
- USA will take Norway turn 3.
Scoff all you want, but I’m finding this strategy a pretty strong start. Many games I’m finding players avoiding the G3/J2 combination, mostly going J3, which is probably good for the allies.
If the Germans put a CV in the water G1, pursue a more normal strategy of defending Moscow, running 6 inf back from the far east. You don’t have enough as USA to defend against such a fleet with only 1 turn of buys. You can still buy some fleet but don’t buy both the transports. They won’t be getting to Norway without a one way (suicide) trip at least. Also, if you need to spend two turns buying ships, the Soviets are all alone on Finland for too long. Perhaps the British fighters can support them but I don’t really think it’s enough.
There’s a couple of other possible variations, like Germany stacking half the Luftwaffe in Norway. If you can soften this stack up with one power and take it down with the other, do so. In any event, Germany is now fighting a power which isn’t USSR which is what it doesn’t want to do.
Often, you will not be able to hold Norway without a second echelon. It may not be worthwhile to bring in such forces because USA needs to face Japan. Sometimes you can indeed buy a US factory on Norway and start pumping out units. Germany really needs to deal with that. It doesn’t need to worry so much if the USSR ends up with Norway.
