I might be overlooking something obvious here, but isn’t there a great case for Kiev (Western Ukraine) to be both a Victory City and have a minor complex?
It would look better than having a VC in Poland, which is only one space from Berlin. Kiev seems a nice distance from any other VC and an attainable objective for the southern wing of the German attack which otherwise has a long, long trek to Stalingrad. Conversely, the liberation of Kiev is a viable objective for the Soviets who otherwise face holding onto a defensive line of Lenin-Moscow-Stalin with no major target before they reach Warsaw when the game would be effectively won.
It would also reflect the industrial importance of the Ukraine to the Soviet economy, and give the Germans some benefit for early progress. To balance this loss Novosibirsk could be given a minor factory and more IPC income to use as a secure production base to back up Moscow and Stalingrad.
I also tend to favour Chungking (Szechuan) to Hong Kong as a VC to tempt Japan into the Chinese interior.
Yea I expected Kiev to be a VC. Not sure if it should have replaced Warsaw, I figured it would be added. As far as IC’s go you can build one at either place, they’re both worth 2 ipc (I know you don’t believe in new IC’s). I don’t think Kiev should start with an IC, Germany will end up w/it at some point and use it (and you don’t believe in that either). I would rather see them have to make the investment and buy one. I also thought S Africa might get a VC as well, but at least Cairo made it this time. A VC at Chungking would be good for game play too. We really don’t need two on the Chinese coast, make them fight for it.
They should add Kiev, Johannesburg, and Vladivostok, for a total of 22 VCs
@The:
They should add Kiev, Johannesburg, and Vladivostok, for a total of 22 VCs
Think of it this way though having an IC makes South Africa a vital target, knocking out Russia NO by taking thier territory gives Japan a reason to invade Eastern Russia anyway, and while Kiev would give that spot on the map a little more color it would be an easy grab for a German NO. Also, making Kiev a VC also would force the Russians to try and hold it thus draining more of its units which they need to hold Leningrad. They should have made Tunisia a VC in order to force the Axis to hold it with the same ferocity that they did in real life.
The Soviets would have to give up Kiev early on. The payback is that if they weather the storm it gives them something important to grab back before Germany is beaten. There’s certainly a stronger case for a starting factory here than, say, Stalingrad.
The problem with Vladivostok is that the map places it in Korea. Similarly Cape Town would be in the anomalous “South West Africa”, hence (I assume) the suggestion of JoBurg.
Addis Ababa is another possible for making Africa more valuable, and giving Italy something else to defend.
I also like Peking (a Soviet target in Japanese territory); Novosibirsk VC would be Chelyabinsk (the reverse).
