[East & West by Imp Games] Soviet strategy playtest

I developed these opening moves for the USSR, and I figured I would test them out on these boards. Check the Imp Games website for info and a link to the map :) If you have questions about the game, feel free to post, or PM me.

Here are the objectives I had in mind with this strategy:

• Destroy as much NATO equipment as possible on turn 1

• Throw as many offensive units as possible into the attacks

• Position aircraft to aid in potential naval attacks on turn 2; start shifting heavy armor towards China

• Eliminate NATO footholds, limiting their ability to strike back

• Keep constant pressure on Italy

• Funnel troops towards Indochina to circumvent the India stack

• Divert US attention from Siberia to SE Asia

• Tech for Nuclear Weapons to counter NATO naval supremacy

I’m going to play NATO specifically to try and counter this strategy; while the “element of surprise” could work in practicality (and I will play the Soviets to that effect) I really want to stress test the strategy to see how well it holds up.

Here are some of the possible drawbacks of this strategy:

• Relatively weak positioning in Turkey (possible deadzone?)

• Not many places left to attack/expand income after turn 1

• Large amounts of placement in Asia may leave Europe vulnerable

• Extremely reliant upon Chinese support, with little or no “Plan B”

Attached is a map of the basic Soviet “supply chain” I’ll be using. If things go bad, I may shift production to Turkey and Georgia, to push through Iran onto India. This isn’t really the objective though; I want to threaten India to keep the British turtled there (and not expanding out) but the Soviet thrust will be towards Indochina and Burma.

USSR 0

Purchase: [20 IPCs]
10 inf [20 IPCs]
Save [0 IPCs]

Placement: [10 inf]
3 inf – Poland
2 inf – Romania
3 inf – Georgia
2 inf – North Korea

USSR 1

Technology:
1 free @ Nuclear Weapons
Rolling 1d6:
(4)

Purchase: [52 IPCs]
26 inf [52 IPCs]
Save [0 IPCs]

Combat Movement:
West Germany [8 inf, 4 arm, 2 ftr, 1 bmb]
• 10 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr, 1 hrm – East Germany
• 3 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr, 1 hrm – Poland
• 1 arm, 1 ftr – Yugoslavia
Total: 13 inf, 4 arm, 2 hrm, 3 ftr vs. 8 inf, 4 arm, 2 ftr, 1 bmb

Greece [4 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr]
• 6 inf, 2 arm – Romania
• 1 inf – Yugoslavia
• 1 ftr – Ukraine
Total: 7 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr vs. 4 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr

Turkey [6 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr]
• 7 inf – Georgia
• 2 inf – Ukraine via 1 trn Black Sea
• 1 crz – Black Sea
• 2 arm, 1 ftr, 1 hrm – Russia
Total: 9 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr, 1 hrm, 1 crz vs. 6 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr

North Sea [2 trn, 1 crz]
• 1 trn, 2 sub, 1 crz – Komi SZ
• 1 sub – Baltic Sea
• 1 bmb – Russia
Total: 1 trn, 3 sub, 1 crz, 1 bmb vs. 2 trn, 1 crz

Japan SZ [1 sub, 1 crz, 1 BB]
• 1 ftr – Kamchatka
• 2 trn, 2 sub, 2 crz – East Siberia
Total: 2 trn, 2 sub, 2 crz, 1 ftr vs. 1 sub, 1 crz, 1 BB

South Korea [4 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr]
• 7 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr – North Korea
Total: 7 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr vs. 4 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr

West Germany
Attacker: 13 inf, 4 arm, 2 hrm, 3 ftr
Rolls: 13@1 7@3 2@4; Total Hits: 813@1: (5, 3, 5, 6, 4, 1, 3, 3, 5, 2, 2, 6, 6)7@3: (1, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 4)2@4: (6, 2)

Defender: 8 inf, 4 arm, 2 ftr, 1 bmb
Rolls: 1@1 12@2 2@4; Total Hits: 81@1: (6)12@2: (6, 2, 2, 1, 6, 3, 4, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1)2@4: (5, 2)

West Germany
Attacker: 5 inf, 4 arm, 2 hrm, 3 ftr
Rolls: 5@1 7@3 2@4; Total Hits: 45@1: (4, 1, 1, 2, 6)7@3: (6, 2, 5, 5, 6, 5, 5)2@4: (6, 4)

Defender: 1 inf, 4 arm, 2 ftr
Rolls: 5@2 2@4; Total Hits: 65@2: (2, 2, 2, 3, 1)2@4: (4, 4)

Ouch.

West Germany
Attacker: 3 arm, 3 ftr, 2 hrm
Rolls: 6@3 2@4; Total Hits: 56@3: (2, 3, 6, 1, 2, 2)2@4: (6, 5)

Defender: 1 arm, 2 ftr
Rolls: 1@2 2@4; Total Hits: 21@2: (3)2@4: (2, 3)

Greece
Attacker: 7 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr
Rolls: 7@1 3@3; Total Hits: 47@1: (5, 2, 1, 3, 6, 1, 4)3@3: (6, 1, 3)

Defender: 4 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr
Rolls: 5@2 1@4; Total Hits: 15@2: (4, 4, 5, 6, 4)1@4: (3)

Greece
Attacker: 6 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr
Rolls: 6@1 3@3; Total Hits: 16@1: (3, 6, 2, 4, 2, 3)3@3: (5, 2, 5)

Defender: 1 arm, 1 ftr
Rolls: 1@2 1@4; Total Hits: 11@2: (5)1@4: (3)

Greece
Attacker: 5 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr
Rolls: 5@1 3@3; Total Hits: 25@1: (6, 5, 4, 5, 1)3@3: (6, 6, 2)

Defender: 1 ftr
Rolls: 1@4; Total Hits: 11@4: (1)

Turkey
Shore Bombardment: 1 crz
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 11@2: (2)

Turkey
Attacker: 9 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr, 1 hrm
Rolls: 9@1 3@3 1@4; Total Hits: 59@1: (1, 3, 6, 1, 6, 2, 1, 2, 3)3@3: (3, 3, 4)1@4: (5)

Defender: 5 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr
Rolls: 6@2 1@4; Total Hits: 36@2: (5, 6, 1, 1, 6, 3)1@4: (1)

Turkey
Attacker: 6 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr, 1 hrm
Rolls: 6@1 3@3 1@4; Total Hits: 36@1: (4, 6, 5, 3, 6, 1)3@3: (5, 4, 1)1@4: (3)

Defender: 1 arm, 1 ftr
Rolls: 1@2 1@4; Total Hits: 21@2: (1)1@4: (2)

North Sea
First Strike: 3 sub
Rolls: 3@2; Total Hits: 13@2: (1, 4, 4)

North Sea
Attacker: 1 trn, 1 crz, 1 bmb
Rolls: 1@2 1@4; Total Hits: 11@2: (6)1@4: (2)

Defender: 1 trn, 1 crz
Rolls: 1@1 1@3; Total Hits: 01@1: (3)1@3: (6)

North Sea
First Strike: 3 sub
Rolls: 3@2; Total Hits: 13@2: (6, 4, 1)

Japan SZ
First Strike: 2 sub
Rolls: 2@2; Total Hits: 02@2: (3, 5)

Japan SZ
Attacker: 2 trn, 2 crz, 1 ftr
Rolls: 2@2 1@3; Total Hits: 12@2: (2, 6)1@3: (4)

Defender: 1 sub, 1 crz, 1 BB
Rolls: 1@2 1@3 1@4; Total Hits: 21@2: (1)1@3: (2)1@4: (6)

Japan SZ
First Strike: 2 sub
Rolls: 2@2; Total Hits: 12@2: (5, 2)

Japan SZ
Attacker: 2 crz, 1 ftr
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Defender: 1 sub, 1 crz, 1 BB(hit)
Rolls: 1@2 1@3 1@4; Total Hits: 11@2: (5)1@3: (1)1@4: (5)