Soviet Preparation

[Hitlers Left Hand Pinky]

I was just wondering how you guys prepare. If you have something else in mind please, do share.

[Stalingradski]

I used to buy one air unit per turn until Germany attacked, and combined with infantry.

Now, I feel that Russia needs to concentrate completely on mixed builds, weighted heavily toward infantry. 37 IPCs could be an armor, artillery, 9 infantry, for example. Without aircraft, you absolutely have to keep a sharp set of teeth.

[Benerfe]

I played my first game of AAG40 A+3

Me and buddy were allies, and I had the Atlantic side.

And what I did  with the soviets my initial plan was to stack everything in eastern Poland. But I decided too make a solid line starting from Leningrad too the IC in ukraine. I would put infantry in Leningrad and all the other ics. and make tanks in ukraine ic and 2 mech infantry in the caucases ic.

But Germany was pushing hard most of their forces was in the north since germany has that 11 infantry they start with, my plan was to have tanks hit his southern part but he was just too powerful, he landed his planes in Belgium too safeguard the english channel, so thank god i didnt have the luftwaffe in russia.

But at one point i had to pull back to the key cities ditching my idea of a solid line because he managed to stack his guys so he could attack both north and south forces (That territory to the left of pripet marshes) and that was a mistake. Soo any analysis for me?

[Young Grasshopper]

I build infantry and a fighter every round, place infantry blockers where tanks can blitz (remember that facilities can also block a blitz) and I pull back and build 70+infantry and 7 fighters to defend Moscow. If Germany leaves Russia alone with a sealion attempt, I build fighters, carriers, destroyers and transports in the Baltic while defending my own territories. I never take the fight to Germany on the ground, I make them come to me, because Russia can’t win an attrition war with Germany, so I won’t jump into that meat grinder, but the Baltic battle might be valuable for the Americans and UK when they liberate London.

[Enigmatic_Decay]

Infantry and alternate between a fighter and tank/artillery combo!
If Germany goes Sealion than less infantry more tanks!

[otahere34]

Infantry and Artillary combo, while pulling back to a secondary line for counter attack. I would play similar to I play china, which is to not stack everything on the front line, so you can destroy his ground forces without worrying about an airforce. Just my thoughts.
34

[fanofbond]

When you guys are playing to you hit Germany where he is weak at all or do you guys just keep falling back.

[Young Grasshopper]

@fanofbond:

When you guys are playing to you hit Germany where he is weak at all or do you guys just keep falling back.

I hold my front after sealion, or fall back after Barbarossa (just my opinion).

[lnmajor]

keep falling back with main armies,but leave inf. to block blitzs. Draw Germany in deep. Take advantage and attack hit and run territories where Germany might leave alot of tanks and little infantry. take out tanks where ever possible. always retreat from attack before you take territory. dont give Germany oppertunities to counter attack and kill a large amount of your army in one shot.
Choose your battles wisely. You probably are not going to be able to defend the entire Russian front sucsessfully. you will have to give up either the north or southern front to save Moscow anyway. by making germany commit all their resources to take moscow. hopefully russia can hold it long enough for the allies to start landing troops in western or southern Europe. It will be quite a few turns for Germany to turn her tanks back to defend the motherland. As soon as Germany turns her tanks, pull the trigger and use you main army out of moscow, which should include a good amount of offence( tanks and artillery) and go nuts. May the dice be with you. :wink:

[anderb]

you cant upgrade the two minor IC’s, due to the law that states that a territory must have atleast a 3 ipc-value. I think it all depends what germany does. all sealion = move everything to the front, all barbarossa = have enough to punish the germans. (or delay them from taking moscow till u get help from UK and US).

[knp7765]

I picked the first option (buy mostly inf/art) and the last option (move siberian troops west).  Those seem to usually work best for Russia.

However, I have to admit, I’ve tried a number of strategies with Russia and none seem to work.  Unless the Brits and/or USA do a lot in the West to disturb Germany, I’ve found that Moscow just about always falls.  Once that happens, it is usually an Axis victory, but not always.  Sometimes the USA and Britain are strong enough that they overcome Germany even with Moscow falling.
I’ve tried putting heavy defense on the border.  Once Germany breaks through it, even at a high cost, Russia doesn’t have much in reserve and Germany seems to be able to produce more and take them out.
I’ve tried setting up a strong reserve for counter-attack.  Usually, Germany attacks Russia with four main groups:  Finland > Karelia, Poland > Baltic States, Slovakia/Hungary > E. Poland, and Romania > Bessarabia.  While Russia is ususally somewhat successful, meaning they might wipe out 2 of the 4 groups and even whittle down a 3rd, it also costs the Russian a LOT of units and they are often left with just a few tanks having lost all lesser units in the battles.  It sets Germany back some, but they seem better able to send more units, usually armor and mechs, to wipe out the Russian tanks and push on.  Meanwhile, Russia is severly depleted with a lot of open territory for Germany to gobble up.
One other tactic I’ve tried with Russia is continuous purchases of infantry.  Put some in the Leningrad,Stalingrad and Ukraine factories so Germany has to fight some for them.  Put at least 1 infantry in each other territory to keep Germany from blitzing and slow them down some.  All the rest put in Moscow and let them pile up.  By the time Germany gets to Moscow, there is a ton of men there.  Only problem with that is Germany will surround Moscow and keep building new units in the Russian factories.  The German force keeps building while Russia is not making much money because Germany has most of it’s territory.  Furthermore, German bombers can now bomb the Moscow IC at will, costing Russia more to repair the damage and leaving them less money for more defensive units.  It may take an extra 2-3 rounds, but eventually Moscow will fall.
Basically, I just don’t see any way that Moscow doesn’t eventually fall to Germany.  Unless Germany really screws up somewhere and Russia is allowed to go offensive.  Or if USA/UK somehow takes away some of Germany’s income so that Russia gets back close to even.

[otahere34]

When the Germans start going around moscow, push a small amount of your units around to attack, or begin pushing back west. If Germany spreads out, that leaves an opprotunity for you.