Soviet Purchase Strategy

[nicbizz]

Hey you guys! I haven’t posted for a long long time, but I’ve found myself checking this forum daily, so I figured I’d join back into the fray that is AA. I’ve built a clone of Younggrasshopper’s table for my basement and am looking forward to finding players and getting back into playing this awesome game.

Anyway, the last two weeks while at work, I’ve utilized down time and found myself often wondering: what is the optimal purchases for the Soviet Union? I’ve parsed through YG’s videos, and every time I run through a Triplea game myself, I cringe when I buy a tactical bomber. I wondered if maybe the best bang for your buck would simply be infantry and artillery. 7 infantry and 4 artillery is 37, gives an equal defense (11 units defending at 2), and at the end of a few rouunds there’s many units and fodder. Another buy I’m fond of is 5 infantry, 4 artillery, and a tank.

I guess I’ve just been fascinated with trying to defend the onslaught of the Germans into the USSR with the least amount of help from outside sources (fighters flown to Moscow from the UK and USA), and I Guess It Gets Incredibly more difficult if the Japanese invade the east, but that’s another story.  Which leads to another question. When the time comes that the USSR attacks the german main army stack in a major showdown, it always seems that the battle is barely won, or won with minimal troops left over, what is the best solution to this? After that, should the soviets go on the offensive, or turtle in Moscow?

Anyways, thanks for reading my post! If any of you think ive left something obvious out, please point it oit to me. I love this forum and look forward to further participation!

[Bravehart]

Well Nicbizz, welcome back to the forum!

I too have watched many video’s and really , stuck to YGH advice video’s on Russia vs Germany. All is well if Germany doesn’t attack the Soviets till rnd 4, but what if they go and attack Russia in rnd 1 and Japan strikes through to Far East Russia straight away…? I’d do more mechs than air I think as they are cheap and can move.

The Soviets don’t have much chance to recover but one thing I learnt from YGH, is to pull your Soviets back to form a line in Ukraine, Western Ukraine, Bryansk, Belarus and Novgorod. It has worked well. But you know, if Germany has bad dice rolls, then you playing Russia is laughing.

Not sure if this advice convinced an answer, but the early rounds are fishy and either you attack or defend.

BH

[AldoRaine]

I like 6 artillery, 1 mech and 3 inf in round 1.  If Russia buys only inf or a small number of art then all they can do is defend and not even reasonably project any offensive fire power.  I have said in the another post I think Russia should try to get at least 25+ art by round 5.  This will allow them to go on the offensive if needed.

I almost always declare war on Japan as Russia though since i feel it is going to happen at some point anyways and Russia can use its fast moving units to bolster the Chinese defense in the early rounds with out sacrificing any thing.  This can really pay off if China can hold the burma road open and buy artillery.

The only reason for the lone mech is so that it can be placed in Stalingrad and used to try to capture either an empty Iraq or some of the original axis territory’s in Africa.  In the end though i am buying more artillery then inf for the early rounds.

[Private-Panic]

Initially as many art and MI as I feel able to get away with, so as to offer an attacking threat to as many territories as possible. As the game goes on the proportion that are inf will increase, but if/when I reach the stage of almost all inf I know things are bad!

On the other hand if R are holding up well I will buy a fighter if I can. Usually doesn’t happen, but a big boost when it does. Increases the attacking threat and also the defence of Russia against SBRs.

[Private-Panic]

@ShadowHAwk:

Why on earth would the USSR buy mechs?

To allow a threat to be posed to more territories, without excess inf in the front line waiting to be killed.

Edit - I don’t mean shedloads, just enough to combine with existing tanks as a credible threat. A couple per turn, say.

[Boondock]

I like mechs for USSR but only in later rounds, and that’s if/when the momentum shifts in favor of the allies and fast units are needed during a breakout from the Moscow defense.

[Nippon-koku]

I like to go 9 inf and a fighter the first two Russian buys.  From there it’ll depend, but usually a heavy artillery buy on turn 3 or 4.

Having the extra planes really comes in handy.

[Arthur Bomber Harris]

I also fell in love with the fighter + inf purchase.  I like to be able to send out a lone infantry + planes to take out advanced Axis troops, protecting your backside.  It is also good to protect Russia from devastating bomber runs.

[Nippon-koku]

@Arthur:

I also fell in love with the fighter + inf purchase.  I like to be able to send out a lone infantry + planes to take out advanced Axis troops, protecting your backside.  It is also good to protect Russia from devastating bomber runs.

100%  Normally, I’ll do inf and a fighter the first three turns (as always, depends on the board) before doing that artillery buy.  By the end of R3, the Soviets should have, at minimum, five fighters in Moscow.  Definitely makes the prospect of a bombing raid harder for the Germans.

[cyanight]

@Nippon-koku:

@Arthur:

I also fell in love with the fighter + inf purchase.  I like to be able to send out a lone infantry + planes to take out advanced Axis troops, protecting your backside.  It is also good to protect Russia from devastating bomber runs.

100%   Normally, I’ll do inf and a fighter the first three turns (as always, depends on the board) before doing that artillery buy.  By the end of R3, the Soviets should have, at minimum, five fighters in Moscow.  Definitely makes the prospect of a bombing raid harder for the Germans.Â

Id rather have +10 inf than +3 fighters.  The difference in the percentage chance is around 50%.

[SubmersedElk]

@ShadowHAwk:

Why on earth would the USSR buy mechs?

because having more options is worth more than 1 IPC in almost every circumstance

[Nippon-koku]

@cyanight:

@Nippon-koku:

@Arthur:

I also fell in love with the fighter + inf purchase.�  I like to be able to send out a lone infantry + planes to take out advanced Axis troops, protecting your backside.�  It is also good to protect Russia from devastating bomber runs.

100%�  � Normally, I’ll do inf and a fighter the first three turns (as always, depends on the board) before doing that artillery buy.�  By the end of R3, the Soviets should have, at minimum, five fighters in Moscow.�  Definitely makes the prospect of a bombing raid harder for the Germans.�

Id rather have +10 inf than +3 fighters.  The difference in the percentage chance is around 50%.

There’s an argument to be made for that, but you have to look at the other benefits of the planes.  ABH mentioned the lone inf and planes that can be used to hit German troops, as well as the protection against raids, which can be huge.  If those early fighter buys dissuade Germany from early bombing raids, the extra IPC’s not spent fixing a factory can easily lead to infantry that may not have been purchased otherwise.

[Maddog77]

Personally, I’m a big fan of tanks. My 1st round purchase for Russia is 3 tanks, 5 inf. & 1 art. If Germany stays out of Russia I’ll do it again on round 2. Only w/ 3 art. & 2 inf. Turn 3 might see the same unless buying a tac-bomber or two seem prudent. A stack of tanks paired w/ any available Tac-bombers give Russia great offense strike power if an opportunity presents itself once Germany invades.

When I play Germany, I always buy 4-6 tanks every round if I’m not doing the Sea Lion thing.

[simon33]

I tend to think the major reason for buying tanks would be to threaten a take down of Ukraine and/or Stalingrad. At least you can stop unit production for a turn. Is that it? Otherwise, I struggle to see the advantage.

[Maddog77]

@simon33:

I tend to think the major reason for buying tanks would be to threaten a take down of Ukraine and/or Stalingrad. At least you can stop unit production for a turn. Is that it? Otherwise, I struggle to see the advantage.

Really? You struggle to see the advantage of a stack of tanks rolling through the country side paired w/ tac-bombers? The offence & defensive power speaks for itself I think. Add that to a stack of infantry for fodder and you’ve got a pretty good chance of wiping out opposing forces then possibly blitzing the whole countryside on the next move. Can’t do that w/ a stack of more expensive air units. Jmho.

[Nippon-koku]

Hmm, gotta say Maddog: I’m all about ignoring the conventional wisdom in A&A, and I love to see something different.  But the heavy tank buying from Russia has me befuddled.

I get the idea of keeping your options open for a counter attack if Germany presents the opportunity.  But then you have to protect those tanks, which means you’d have to bring a large force to any attack, leaving that force open to a German counter attack.

I’m definitely curious to see how this would look (and I’ll probably give it a try), but I feel like the end result is an under-defending Moscow.

[Dafyd]

My friend Larrie buys heavy on infantry and a fight er or tac early on and then starts switching to tanks.  Maddog has a good point.  I like to play Germany but i it is really challenging against Larrie’s Soviet forces.  I need to pay more attention to what the actual buys are but it is always a large stack of infantry with a few artillery pieces and backed up by tanks and fighters.  As for the defense of Moscow, you have to get through the Russion horde in the Ukrain and Leningrad first.  It is always alot of fun trying to manuver around each other to get the advantage.

[Nippon-koku]

@ShadowHAwk:

But that russian horde is a lot stronger if you buy ART iso ARM since you dont want to dash forward with your tanks alone.
Tanks can be good if they are the only units that can get to the front next turn and they swing the tide of war for just 1 turn so germany cannot advance but that is about it.

When you dont have to move far and you got plenty of inf art adds just as much punch then arm does but at 66% of the price.

My thinking exactly.  Tanks would still need the protection of infantry, so why would you buy six tanks for 36 when you could buy 5 inf and 5 art for the same (save a buck)?

[Maddog77]

Just so I’m being clear…as Russia I buy tanks on the 1st few rounds as long as Germany isn’t invading just yet. Even at that, once Germany steps off, it’s at least 3 more rounds before she’s knocking on Russia’s capital.  Russia can purchase 10 units of inf & art anytime. In two turns she can have 20 units + what ever original forces can turtle back to the capitol. By having the tanks I purchased in the beginning turns along with tac-bombers and any original starting units I have a decent chance at attacking or counterattacking Germany if the opportunity presents itself. (Especially if the dice Gods turn on Germany.) I have successfully used this strategy more than a few times. All it takes is one weak link in Germanys advance (such as not properly backing up the advancing front lines to counter attack a Russian counter attack) to stop dead Germanys advance. But as we all know…the best laid plans…if the dice are cold… ;-)

[variance]

Build what Germany builds.

If they build inf/art, navy or nothing on G1, then you build infantry, infantry, infantry, infantry, infantry….

If they build tanks and mechs on G1, you build mechs on the first turn so you can make a stand at Belarus and buy time.  After that you build infantry.  The stand at Belarus buys you time and time means more infantry.

INFANTRY.