Russian moves to start game

I think this helps explain some of the standard moves even though its not 1942 its fairly similar advice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx_eUdiq5fU

Buy: 2 inf 2 art 2 tanks (more offense than any other possible land purchase)

Combat: 1. Ukraine with everyone who can reach (3 inf 1 art 1 tank from Cauc, 2 tanks from Russia, 2 ftrs).
2. West Russia with everyone else who can reach (except leave 1 inf in Karelia to stop German blitz), for a total of 8 inf 1 art 1 tank.

Non-combat: Evenk, Novo inf 2 Russia
Kaz inf to Cauc
Yakut, SFE inf to Buryatia (alternatively, you could move only the Yakut inf to Bury and keep 2 in SFE)
Z4 sub into Z2 to back up the British BB
Land both planes in Caucasus

Placement: 2 inf 2 art in Cauc, 2 tanks in Russia.

That is a solid foundation for Russia to begin the game. You will have to be aggressive in the south and passive up north for a while but when UK has enough for a big landing they will secure the northern corridor for you.

as russia your tactics should NEVER change. buy nothing but infantry. you can afford 8 people that way ( pile everything in casucus and moscow)

Well, basically everyone allows Germany to attack the battleship and transport because there’s very little that can prevent it. The UK’s odds are improved by reinforcing with the sub but that move is pretty much universal. The only prevention is attacking Norway. Attacking Norway with 3 inf, tank, and a fighter(I’m assuming Russia can’t afford to leave the second fighter out to dry) is an unreliable battle. Regardless of success or failure, it will leave either Caucuses or West Russia open to an attack. So, I think letting Germany attack the British battleship is a lesser evil than poor footing in Europe.

@njnets25:

Thanks for all the replys guys…  But I am wondering if Germany attacks the British BB/transport in the first RD ?  It sounds like everyone basically allows Germany to take out the fleet.  Thoughts anyone?

Like Fleetwood Dan said above the odds aren’t that good to attack Norway.

With only 3 inf, 1 arm and 1 ftr Russia has a 69% chance of killing the German fighter and 47% odds of taking Norway.

And you’ll be risking a counterattack on either Caucasus or WR.

do the A&a battle calculator. only conquer 2 territories a turn and put all focus on germany.

I recommend attacks on Belorussia and Westrussia, Ukraine leves your armour exposed for counterattack…

Also usually roll with a 3 inf, 3 arm buy

Hi,

Very new to the game so just looking to learn. My question revolves around what a number of you have said but I’ll quote SAS:

“Standard attacks are 9 inf, 1 art, 1 tank to West Russia”

If you send 9 infantry into WR, are you leaving just one fighter in Karelia? I assume it will die on G1? Also, nothing is left in Archangel to counter on R2?

Thanks for your help.

The idea is usually to have enough stuff remaining in WR after the fight to prevent a counter-attack. Having a good “stack” there also gives you options for R2.

@DREAMING:

Hi,

Very new to the game so just looking to learn. My question revolves around what a number of you have said but I’ll quote SAS:

“Standard attacks are 9 inf, 1 art, 1 tank to West Russia”

If you send 9 infantry into WR, are you leaving just one fighter in Karelia? I assume it will die on G1? Also, nothing is left in Archangel to counter on R2?

Thanks for your help.

after your attacks… during noncombat land your karelia Fighter in caucasus with the fighter from Russia…

@Nix:

I recommend attacks on Belorussia and Westrussia, Ukraine leves your armour exposed for counterattack…

Also usually roll with a 3 inf, 3 arm buy

i Disagree… attacking Ukraine takes a german fighter out of play.  and also takes a tank out… even if russia barely takes ukraine with 1 or 2 units … its worth it for position and killing that german fighter

Russian moves to start game:

Твои глаза поразили меня   :wink:

Yeah baby yeah!  It’s like a Russian Austin Powers!

Generally, move sub to UK battleship; in case of German sub/fighter/bomber attack, do not submerge the Russian sub until the German sub is dead.  Either put 6 inf at Buryatia, or move all Asia infantry west, except leave 1 infantry at Buryatia to pressure Manchuria.  You will usually want to put the AA gun on West Russia.

3 inf 1 tank 1 fighter to Norway, remainder to West Russia:  60% to take Norway, killing German fighter and saving the UK battleship.  You can do 3 inf 1 tank 2 fighter to up the odds to 85% or so, but you lose a Russian fighter as it has to land on Karelia, so this is not recommended.

3 inf 2 fighter to Belorussia, remainder to West Russia; this depletes German’s forward infantry (always nice when you can do it), so reduces the chance of Germany smashing WR next turn.

2 inf 2 fighter to Belorussia, remainder to West Russia, (edit . . . nm!)

Everything that can hit Ukraine EXCEPT one fighter to Ukraine; remainder to West Russia:  The idea is that when you send a Russian fighter to West Russia, you kill Germans faster, so preserve your infantry - usually means a difference of an infantry or so.  Some people send 2 fighters 2 tanks to Ukraine (instead of the 3 tanks 1 fighter recommended here), but imagine you have Russian tank/fighter attacking German fighter.  If you had 2 Russian fighters, you would retreat; you can’t risk the Russian fighters. If you had fighter/tank, though, you press on, and if you win, you can claim the 3 IPC territory (which a fighter can’t do.  Some skip all that and just do 3 tanks 2 fighters at Ukraine for the “lock”, at the expense of 1-2 Russian infantry at WR.

I notice the sub buy was already mentioned; this is used to try to whack the German battleship on R2.  This is NOT my preference, I prefer to get ground or air with Russia, nothing else.  Even on R2, Russia will probably want its air to trade territory with Germany.  There are a bunch of ways to whack the German battleship/transport by UK2/US2, which often does quite nicely.

–
One more option is the Russian triple; it’s 3 inf 1 tank 1 fighter to Norway, 2 tanks 1 fighter and assorted inf/art to Ukraine, and everything else to West Russia.  Failure means German Turbo Tank Dash.

–

Oh yeah - what IS German Turbo Tank Dash?  It’s when Germany controls Caucasus at beginning of G2, and built on G1 with that expectation.  All Germany does is build infantry at Caucasus and tanks at Berlin, it forgets about Africa and everything else, and drives hard on Moscow, while Japan builds tanks in the east and presses like crazy.  The plan is to whack Moscow before UK/US can get a transport chain going to reinforce Russia.

@Bunnies:

Generally, move sub to UK battleship; in case of German sub/fighter/bomber attack, do not submerge the Russian sub until the German sub is dead.

One important addition: if the German sub hits, choose the Russian sub as a casualty rather than to the battleship, to try to have a 2nd shot against the planes.

Oh yeah - what IS German Turbo Tank Dash?  It’s when Germany controls Caucasus at beginning of G2, and built on G1 with that expectation.

Germany controlling Caucasus at the beginning of G2?

@Hobbes:

Germany controlling Caucasus at the beginning of G2?

To be clear, this involves a massive Russian screwup, either a failed triple, or a triple not involving UKR, combined with leaving valuable attack units like fighters at Caucasus.

If Russia royally screwed up, Germany can both take Anglo-Egypt and take and hold Caucasus.

Germany may forgo Anglo-Egypt (sacrificing Africa, even pulling units out on G1 for transport) to hit Caucasus harder. This drops the Med fleet on UK1, but the idea is that with Caucasus in German hands at beginning of G1, and 8+ tanks incoming (Japan doing heavy tank builds as well), Moscow should fall before UK/US can get their transport system in place.

(edit) - oh, yes, and quite correct about taking the Russian sub as a casualty.  I should have mentioned that.  :lol:

@DREAMING:

Hi,

Very new to the game so just looking to learn. My question revolves around what a number of you have said but I’ll quote SAS:

“Standard attacks are 9 inf, 1 art, 1 tank to West Russia”

If you send 9 infantry into WR, are you leaving just one fighter in Karelia? I assume it will die on G1? Also, nothing is left in Archangel to counter on R2?

Thanks for your help.

The fighters attack Ukraine and land in Caucus. I did screw up with the tanks. My standard opening is 2 tanks on WR and two on Ukraine. Others like to put 3 on UK but I think thats overcommitting.

@Col.Stauffenberg:

The fighters attack Ukraine and land in Caucus. I did screw up with the tanks. My standard opening is 2 tanks on WR and two on Ukraine. Others like to put 3 on UK but I think thats overcommitting.

It depends on how much of a risk you are willing to assume: 2 armor gives you 85% odds of winning, but since usually people want to take Ukr (to prevent the German armor on Balkans from hitting WR), then the odds are 68% with 1 armor. With 3 armor the odds of taking Ukr with at least 1 armor left are 84%.
The risk is also dependent on how the WR attack goes and how many Russian infantry the Germans manage to kill. Losing 3 inf is the standard but if R loses 5 or 6 infantry then the remaining pieces might be vulnerable to a German counterattack. Taking Ukr reduces that chance by blocking the German armor on Balkans.

@Hobbes:

@Col.Stauffenberg:

The fighters attack Ukraine and land in Caucus. I did screw up with the tanks. My standard opening is 2 tanks on WR and two on Ukraine. Others like to put 3 on UK but I think thats overcommitting.

It depends on how much of a risk you are willing to assume: 2 armor gives you 85% odds of winning, but since usually people want to take Ukr (to prevent the German armor on Balkans from hitting WR), then the odds are 68% with 1 armor. With 3 armor the odds of taking Ukr with at least 1 armor left are 84%.
The risk is also dependent on how the WR attack goes and how many Russian infantry the Germans manage to kill. Losing 3 inf is the standard but if R loses 5 or 6 infantry then the remaining pieces might be vulnerable to a German counterattack. Taking Ukr reduces that chance by blocking the German armor on Balkans.

Yeah but then they just wipe out three of your tanks no problem and with two tanks on WR, it also helps Russia win faster in WR and helps protect against the counter. Besides, it’s a risk for Germany since there’s so many missions for those german fighters. Either way is good. I think that division comes down to personal preference.

Re:  using 2 tanks vs 3 tanks at Ukraine / Ukraine attack

@Col.Stauffenberg:

Yeah but then they just wipe out three of your tanks no problem and with two tanks on WR, it also helps Russia win faster in WR and helps protect against the counter. Besides, it’s a risk for Germany since there’s so many missions for those german fighters. Either way is good. I think that division comes down to personal preference.

Take a R1 sub buy.  You want to land your Russian fighters at Caucasus to threaten the German battleship unless it sails west and takes Gibraltar with transport (to prevent UK air from whacking the battleship and transport) or spends IPCs on a defensive navy and stays at Southern Europe.
Failure to take Ukraine means an additional 2 German tanks that can hit Caucasus.  If Caucasus is hit, Russian fighters will be lost, and the threat to the German battleship eliminated. Russia can safety and abandon Caucasus, but then the Germans whack Anglo Egypt and grab Caucasus with 1 inf (or whatever minimal forces), making the R1 sub buy fairly useless.

Assuming UK recaptures Caucasus on UK1, Russia can land fighters on Caucasus on R2, to threaten the German fleet for R3, but on J2, a Japanese BB and AC can join the German Mediterranean fleet, and/or Germany can take countermeasures. True, Japan might not be in a position to reinforce, but if that were the case, US2 would be able to threaten the un-reinforced German battleship with 2 fighters 1 bomber anyways.  (UK1 aircraft carrier/2 destroyer buy; US1 flies 2 fighters to UK carrier, US bomber to Archangel, R2 reinforces US bomber with 3 infantry, UK2 moves carrier to Algeria, US2 moves fleet to Algeria; US fighters on UK carrier in range of Mediterranean, joined by US bomber).  This hits the entire Mediterranean.

(Hobbes mentioned in another thread the UK2 attack - UK bomber into position, UK fighter to French West Africa, UK1 India carrier southwest plus fighter for 2-3 fighter plus bomber, but contingent on Japan and German moves.)

So the strong point of the R1 sub buy (threatening German battleship before G2) is undermined if Ukraine is not taken, esp. considering the possibility of J2 reinforcements.

As far as risk - of course it’s all risky; an early German attack on a 6-7 unit Caucasus is risky, dropping the G1 Anglo Egypt attack is risky, if the German attack on Caucasus succeeds, the UK counter is risky, if the UK counter is not taken, the weakening of Japan’s J1 attacks is risky, if Russia attempts to recapture Caucasus, that will also be risky, and if Russia does not attempt to recapture, that will be riskiest of all!

There are dangerous behind every dice pip.   :-o

“Remember what Bilbo used to say: It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to."

@Col.Stauffenberg:

Yeah but then they just wipe out three of your tanks no problem and with two tanks on WR, it also helps Russia win faster in WR and helps protect against the counter. Besides, it’s a risk for Germany since there’s so many missions for those german fighters. Either way is good. I think that division comes down to personal preference.

One of the best targets for the German fighters can be West Russia. Kill all Russian units there and Germany gets the upper hand on the Eastern front for a few turns and might even push Russia to the ropes. If you can do it and still attack SZ15, SZ13 and Egypt then the Allies will have some major headaches at start.

It was more likely to do this on Revised, since the Germans could place their bid on E.Eur/Belo but it is a situation that Germany should take it if R1 goes bad for the Russians.

Attacking a moderately defended West Russia or Caucus is risky. In most cases, I don’t think the odds would be favourable. A likely scenario is that Germany burns all their inf and doesn’t take anything, leaving Russia to walk all over them (possibly giving them Norway). It’s not worth the risk on round 1. Egypt attack, and sinking UK boats are more important on rd 1. Plus it puts planes out of range since a lot of them won’t be able to land in France to threat Atlantic waters- something I know you like to do Hobbes.