I think a very important component to strafing is understanding how it can rapidly move units beyond their normal movement range - which has been displayed in the G1 Yugoslavia to Romania example in prior posts.
It would be impossible to get the units from Greater Southern Germany to Romania on G1 without understanding strafing.
Of course, the units could simply step into Hungary and still be in position to strike at Eastern Poland. However, you sacrifice the utility of clearing out much of Yugoslavia and thereby helping Italy by not understanding the mechanics of the “Strafe”.
Russia can also employ a Strafing strategy that would trade resources (generally Russian infantry) with Germany in a way that blocks a German blitz or denies the Germans the use of a minor IC.
In example:
Russia withdraws its stack to Bryansk in response to a German stack in Eastern Poland, inviting a German blitz of
Armor and some Mech into the teeth of 30 infantry, and another half dozen armor and artillery supported by Ftr and Tac.
Germany, unwilling to risk its Armor without protection, elects to blitz a single armor to Ukraine, waiting on a stack of Mech to arrive as reinforcements in Eastern Poland.
On the subsequent Russian turn, the Russians strafe into Ukraine, which is currently owned by Germany with 2 Infantry, 2 Ftr and 1 Tac. Russia prevails, losing 1 Inf. Effectively, Russia has denied Germany the use of the Ukraine IC, and traded a 3 IPC INF for a 6 IPC ARM.
On the subsequent German turn, Germany claims Ukraine for good, losing 1 Inf in the process.
Total cost for the Russian strafe: 6 IPC for Russia, 9 IPC for Germany + losing a turn of production out of Ukraine that can immediately threaten Moscow.
That, is the value of a strafe from the Russian perspective.
The list goes on, but understanding the strafing technique helps develop the early round strategies to keep pressure or alleviate pressure depending on the nation you play as.
Later in the game, understanding the strafing strategy can completely ruin your opponent and potentially tilt the scales in your favor to an economic stalemate or quickly end a game for a player not cognizant of the strafing applications. From experience, this becomes a significant strategy to understand in the Pacific theater in application during the mid to late game.
A final input, is a variant of the strafing is a can-opener applied by Italy. Italian units, due to their turn in a round, can open a door for a German blitz that Russia planned on having blocked. Italy typically accomplishes this with Mech/Armor and a Bomber whereby opening a flank can ruin Moscow’s day.
The US has a variant of this if Germany leaves Berlin undefended whereby the US seizes Denmark, and the UK sails through the straights to land on Berlin.
Neither of these are true strafes, but they employ the same strategy of taking territory or denying territory in unconventional ways.
