@AxisBrutality:
Exactly, that’s why Russian FTR has to GO to Egypt, I mean, do you have any other suggestion? Without that FTR, Germany can attack Egypt, and both E-Indies UK strategy, and possibly Meditteranian UK strategy which I will test out this weekend, is going down the toilets. You seem to recognize how Germany and Japan get a LOT stronger if they can’t be checked between Egypt - India, I consider this actually Southern Russian Flank, which is UK’s task to defend so that Russia can concentrate on eastern front.
Either way, that Russian FTR is going down to Egypt, no matter what. UK can’t do squat without that. Germany can sabotage one excellent, possibly two excellent strategies for the UK by allowing an attack on Egypt. Can’t let that happen.
A question of trade-offs. To me having the chance to doing a 66% attack on UK1 may not be worth the 82% risk of a G1 attack on West Russia.
Since Russian FTRs can NOT land on W-Russia on R1 anyway, and since Germany can in theory attack any Russian stack they want, I’ve checked it on the CALC now, then I can’t see how that 1 Russian FTR can do anything good in Russia.
The only thing I see you are against is that you are not sure if Russia will win an attack in Ukraine, they will, I ran the sim on dskelly, 85% chance that Russia will win that.
If Russia just sits and waits with Russian stack on W-Russia or whatever, Germany can attack no matter what, even if you and I concentrate it all on W-Russia only, Germany still wins an attack by 66%.
At least this way, Russia knows that by taking out Ukraine, there is no immediate threat to Caucasus, Germany has 1 less FTR, and then Germany can choose if they want to attack the Russian stack on W-Russia or not. Either way, Germany can attack it as mentioned with 66% odds anyway.
Nothing Russian can do about it, absolutely nothing. Just as Germany and Japan can’t do nothing when Russian FTR goes to Egypt, Egypt is safe and E-Indies fleet most likely dead for Japan.
So it’s a matter of risking your Russian stack, but as I calculated on dskelly, Russian stack is under threat ANYWAY, no matter what you do, lowest odds for Germans at 66% and up to 85% or so, and 85% is the same odds Russians have when they take out Ukraine.
Maybe W-Russia should only be taken BARELY, so that there is no Russian stack there for Germany to attack, saving 1 Tank for Russia and rather lose 1 or 2 extra INF.
W-Russia can be attacked with let’s say 8 INF, 1 Art. That should do the trick. Originally I have 9 INF + 3 INF on Caucasus which take care of Ukraine. So I can use 8 INF, 1 Art and will lose 4 to 5 INF or so. So I have 1 extra Art + 1 Tank “saved”. So it’s up to Germany if they want to attack 4 INF with 1 Art. But at least it’s not a stack.
To sum it up = Attacking Ukraine = 85% Russia win
To sum it up = Attacking W-Russia “barely” - 8 INF, 1 Art = 89% Russia win , 1 INF, 1 Art and 1 Tank saved.
Maybe you never have had the experience before but if the Soviets lose the West Russia stack on G1 then they are knocked out for 2-3 game rounds and an experienced Axis player should be able to conquer and hold Caucasus with Germany on rounds 2-4. with Japanese fighter assistance.
In fact, if the Soviets send their fighter to Egypt then West Russia G1 is even more attractive as a German counter.