Yeah, the basic strategy for Russia - build infantry and more infantry. However, you can postpone the German offensive for a good few turns to give your allies time to help re-enforce Karelia.  That is - on the opening turn, throw everything that can reach into Eastern Europe.  Leave one guy in Caucuses. (move the rest into Karelia) and build all infantry in Karelia. Reason being - if you have at least 1 guy standing in E Europe after the battle, you nullify Germany’s tank advantage. (Hence, they cannot blitz through).  If you build in Karelia all infantry, you’d have a very sizable force to withstand a couple German attacks. (And if you’re lucky, maybe able to take EEurope a couple of times afterwards. )

I posted an article on Japan’s opening move you might find interesting.

You would die very fast spreading out too much.  Better to focus on defenses first (with expendable infantry).  This is the basic strategy for both Russia and Germany throughout much of the game.  (Russia needing to dump most of its resources in Karelia, Germany needing to re-enforce East Europe and prepare for a British / US invasion of West Europe. )

Keep in mind that when you attack (as an allied power) anywhere on the European mainland, if you dont have much in the way of numbers, Germany will more than likely be able to counter-attack you right back off the continent (thus forcing you to waste at least 2 turns going back to your respective supply base and back) - while in the meantime, you’re giving Germany 2 full turns to re-enforce his borders.

Build a base in French Indo-China Burma and a transport in Japan.  Do a pearl harbor with everything you got. (1 sub, 2 battleships, a carrier, and 2 planes).  Attack India with 3 men (this should buy you time to build in Indo-China) and attack China with all but 1 man in Mancuria … (of course everything from Kwangtung and planes from Japan proper.

By doing this, you’ve delayed (if not crippled the British) in Asia permanently, but you’ve also taken out 2 major obstacles against your conquest of Asia - The US navy in Hawaii, and that annoying plane in China.

On turn 2, you can place 3 tanks in Burma and build another base in Manchuria, (hence potentially making 6 tanks per turn after that) …

(and at the end of turn 1, land your planes in Burma to prevent the Americans from counterattacking from Sinkiang… )

Just my 2 cents…