@bugoo:
Germany can afford planes and they serve a dual purpose at keeping the US/UK honest. Russia cannot afford to waste IPCs on tanks as they have a limited income and should try to maximize build quantity or risk being overran by unit count alone.
Germany can afford planes but not tanks? Why is this? Planes do serve a dual purpose in offense against Russia and deterrant against invasion… but you will never have enough planes to go around for attacking and deterring. Not unless you buy planes at the expense of buying land units… in which case you can’t win anyway. Planes are also way more valuble than tanks, so their commitment to battle will be even more careful. Planes still cost nearly double that of tanks and they cannot hold territory, meaning your infantry units are subjected to counter-attack only rolling on 2s. Not good if Russia has tanks or planes.
Maximizing build quantity has never been enough for Russia, they need quality units just as much as Germany, though in lesser quantity.Traversing the Russian front will require speed, as it is huge, and it will require Germany to bring some firepower along; firepower that can occupy territories: tanks, not planes. While Ivan has to be agressive, he does not have to advance. Jerry has to do both, because if Russia can hold him off, the combined Allied weight will make him crumble. Germany still needs tanks the premier offensive weapon and Russia needs them as important supplements to defense and hit-run attacks.
Unit count alone won’t win the war for Germany… they need more superior units: more tanks, more fighters. But mainly more tanks.