Russia's fight against Japan

[Jennifer]

I prefer to focus 100% of Russia’s attention on Germany.  By the time Japan’s attacking Novosibirsk, England should be set up to take it back.

[Magister]

For the mid-game I found very effective two slow (inf+arty) Soviet stacks in Caucasus and Novosibirsk with a good tank reserve built in Moscow threatening 5 approaches !

The Novo hedgehog has the advantage of keeping separate the Siberian and Chinese approaches.

Still don’t know a good way to defend against a Japanese southern main approach (India-Persia) combined with major German pressure, both with flank harassment on other approaches.

[Guest]

Initially the Southern route is blocked with a 3-way attack/defense using the remaining Middle Eastern UK forces (plus AF flown in from UK), the 2 USA INF salvaged from Sinkiang (pluse AF flown into Russia) and the Russian forces.

If you are playing a North African Dominance Strategy with the US (and possibly with UK assistance), then by the time pressure becomes too great on Caucuses and the early US and UK units are dead, the replacement US/UK units are arriving from their long march from Algeria, Libya, Egypt, T-J to hit Persia and break up the Japan advance.

[Jennifer]

I’ve never known what to do with the Americans in N. Africa.  I can easily get them to Persia, but the problem comes in that Germany is on the verge of taking Caucasus and Japan is building a stack in Novosibirsk.

Best solution I’ve thought of is to make a run for the Industrials in India and FIC and hope to get a beach head in Japan’s homeland and force a retreat, allowing England and Russia to push the Germans without threat from the rear.

[a44bigdog]

If you are feeling very bold stack the 6 infantry in the east in Bury and send the 2 Moscow tanks to Yakut. This will require Allied assistance but it gives Russia the option of attacking Manchuria on round 2.

As has been stated above the eastern territories are only worth 1 IPC and 3 together add up to 1 Infantry per turn. Also trying to hold or fight over these territories will end up getting the Soviet air force out of position to attack German targets not a good thing.

[newpaintbrush]

@a44bigdog:

If you are feeling very bold stack the 6 infantry in the east in Bury and send the 2 Moscow tanks to Yakut. This will require Allied assistance but it gives Russia the option of attacking Manchuria on round 2.

As has been stated above the eastern territories are only worth 1 IPC and 3 together add up to 1 Infantry per turn. Also trying to hold or fight over these territories will end up getting the Soviet air force out of position to attack German targets not a good thing.

You put 6 inf 2 tanks in Manchuria on R2, and I kill them on J2.

Works for me.  :-D

There should be around 2 fighters 1 bomber plus minimum 6 transported units (I buy 3 transports on J1, so you’d see 8 with me) plus surviving units from China.

[Antholin]

I have sent one tank and a couple infantry from Moscow and surrounding territores into Sinkiang to help bolster the American defenses. On the Soviet Far Eastern territores I push my infantry into the only two territores that seemed the most likely spots for Japanese offensives. Sorry, but I do not know the names of the territories, except for the Soviet Far East.

From the games that I have played, it seems that Russia really should not focus too much attention on Japan. Instead just set up defenses and send all available units to the Western front.

[Jennifer]

I’ve seen 7 infantry, 3 armor and a fighter in India for Russia on R3 before.  Guess that might slow down Japan, but not by enough to stop Germany’s rapid expansion. :P

[a44bigdog]

So mojo on J2 ALL of Japan’s land units are now sitting in Manchuria. That is not exactly a bad thing for Russia. As a matter of fact it has just bought Russia some time to focus completely on Germany. In your example it will be J5 before a Japanese Infantry sets foot in Novosibirsk. That is plenty of time to allow the Allies time to start relieving Russia on the German front.

[newpaintbrush]

@a44bigdog:

So mojo on J2 ALL of Japan’s land units are now sitting in Manchuria. That is not exactly a bad thing for Russia. As a matter of fact it has just bought Russia some time to focus completely on Germany. In your example it will be J5 before a Japanese Infantry sets foot in Novosibirsk. That is plenty of time to allow the Allies time to start relieving Russia on the German front.

I agree that all of Japan’s land units in Manchuria is good for Russia, particularly when thinking of India.

Losing 6 Russian infantry for 3-5 Jap infantry tops, though, is bad for Russia.  First, there’s nothing to oppose Japan’s advance unless you’ve sent out even more infantry.  Second, those Russian infantry would have been valuable at the western front against Germany.

Japan often doesn’t see serious pushing in Asia until J3 anyways, as fighters return from Pearl.  Unless Germany and Japan are doing some serious tank dashing, and given a competent Russia player, Japan should not have seen a take and hold of Novosibirsk by J3-4 anyways.  J5 Novosibirsk is inconvenient, but given the price paid in Russian blood, acceptable.

All in all, as Japan, I would rather kill 6 infantry early at favorable odds, than have to deal with 6 more infantry potentially used as fodder with fighters and tanks backing up the punch, or an infantry stack sitting on Novosibirsk as I approach Moscow.  Russia receives one infantry in compensation for taking Manchuria but loses 6; Japan loses 3-4 infantry but the Japanese infantry push backed up by 4-5 transports is strong.

[Jennifer]

You know, I have to admit.  I’ve been cooling it a lot with Japan lately.  Racing out to take over the world looks great on paper, but you have no security on your lines of supply.

I’m also growing to like the Sinkiang or even Novosibirsk Industrial Complex with Japan.  Especially if Germany is getting hammered. (Since it helps you rebuild after an assault on Moscow.)

The idea being, Moscow falls to Japan, Berlin falls to America on the same round.  If Germany owns Caucasus, the allies would be silly to liberate it.  That means Japan could really use the extra 2 units right there in the red zone, and when they DO get Caucasus (if ever) it only helps them more.

Remember, you can always shut down your factories in the rear if they are no longer needed.  No rule that says you MUST use all your factories to their full output capacity, eh?