@Cmdr:
In 1941, I have found that Russia’s best option is to liberate Karelia and pull everything else back to Moscow. Couple this with an all Armor build (or 1 fighter, the rest armor) and you are in a strong position on round 2.
I have played 1941 version my last 2 games, and both times I was Russia. First off, I really think that 1941 is a hard fight for the allies. However, in both my games, Gibralter was a staging ground for US/UK air strikes against Italy and Germany. As Russia I played an entirely defensive strategy, stacking infantry in my big 3 and retreating all infantry from the East while Germany was stacking offense in Eastern Ukraine, Baltic States, and East Poland. On R1 I built 2 subs in SZ 16, and on R2 I built 4 subs in SZ 16, and the rest of the game continued to make subs there. These subs were a great threat to the Italian navy, even when they would build 2-3 destroyers a turn, I would make it out of my fights with 1-2 subs leftover. Italy was a waste and my huge amount of infantry in my big 3 were solid. (Germany did, late in game take Karelia, by that time I had started building tanks instead of infantry since I had so many and I liberated Karelia) In the end the Axis failed to reach Moscow by the time US and UK were in france, and Italy did nothing all game. I think subs are a GREAT play for Russia in SZ 16!
One of these games US had heavy bombers and was IPC bombing Italy and Germany with UK Jets defending at Gibralter. The other game, Germany got Heavy Bombers, and got greedy building bombers and not enough land forces to attack/defend which was his undoing. In that game, Russia was knocking on Berlin’s door with tanks/inf.
I have played 1941 version my last 2 games, and both times I was Russia. First off, I really think that 1941 is a hard fight for the allies.
Russia buying subs? Doesn’t sound like a very difficult fight for the Allies to me…
Every time I try to hold up the north and Moscow at the price of pulling out of Caucasus I pay for it. Its easy for Germany and Italy to tag team in there on you. I think its more critical to hold that factory as well since it provides 4 build and protects your entire underbelly.
Don’t know how well this will work in the future, but I just tried something and it worked out fairly well. Germany did a standard attack to get there 1 NO but left Karelia alone. I purchased 1 inf, 3 art, 3 armor. I stacked 10 inf/1 art on Caucasus, everything on Moscow I could, and pulled back to archangel with Karelia forces. On R2 I pushed into Ukraine with 11 inf, 4 art and 4 armor, plus an AA gun (i shifted my AAs so Karelia was left empty) and purchased another 4 arm 1 fig. I pulled my archangel force back to Moscow for protection. UK/US was kind enough to grab Norway, Finland, and hit Karelia to weaken the Germans there. This would have allowed me on R3 to trade Romania for my NO, but the game ended before then (other player was tired) so I didn’t get to see how it would pan out. I think me turn 2 purchase should have been inf instead of armor, maybe with a second plane to let me do more trading though. Was looking forward to collecting all those IPCs too :evil:
Nice, I’m glad that people are finding ways to beat the “German Ogre.” I also realized that Italy can help Germany out in Caucasus, but every game I’ve played the Italian player is to greedy for land in Africa and cares little about Germany’s position in Russia, though they themselves depend on it.
I played out my strategy of building 1 transport and 1 destroyer on turn 3, but as predicted the Italians laid waste that small fleet with their cruisers, the turn before the British came in and annihilated their fleet. Though I think it would have been quite effective if I hadn’t jumped the gun. As it was though it was a wasted investment and cost me dearly. Germany was able to take Caucasus and I failed to take it back turn 5, then we ended the game because it was getting late, and some of our players are horribly indecisive and take 20 minutes for their turn.
The Russian Black Sea navy seems like a decent Idea, but you can only pull it off if:
A) the Italian fleet is gone
B) you have the $$$ to spare, which means the das Germans are reeling
and if both of these things are happening your on the road to victory anyway……
I agree with letter A, the plan is hardly feasible with Italian Battleships and cruisers cruising around the Med, but to B I say, not necessarily. If you wanted to buy a fighter, you could perhaps get a transport instead, so that way, Germany would have to leave at least 2 infantry behind in Bulgaria/Romania, and Italy would have to garrison the Balkans and Italy itself, which ultimately pays off on the Eastern Front in my opinion.
that trn alone would be german bomber fodder
Hmmm, so it would be, perhaps if you buy a destroyer one round, then a transport the next, that why the Germans have to decide if they want to risk losing a bomber for some Russian ships.
@Ó:
Hmmm, so it would be, perhaps if you buy a destroyer one round, then a transport the next, that why the Germans have to decide if they want to risk losing a bomber for some Russian ships.
IMHO I’d rather have 3 tanks opposed to a 15IPC navy in the black sea, which will probably get sunk
Naturally, but that is boring and un-dynamic, we need to keep things fresh, and the enemy will be thinking “What the hell is he thinking?” Which can be an advantage, because he will not know how to react. If you know a bit about actual World War II, then you’ll know that Mussolini really threw Churchill and the Brits off balance by being so unpredictable, he attacked in Greece, and in Egypt, and other places, and the British stretched themselves thin trying to counter that. In fact, if Germany had intervened decisively in Africa after the evacuation of the British from Somalia and Greece, they would likely have knocked the Brits right out of the Med. So the same applies to this game, if your opponent is not sure what you are doing, he as to guess, and has to place forces to counter what he thinks you are going to do. Comes in handy sometimes, whereas with 3 tanks, he knows precisely what you’re going to do with them, and be easily able to counter it, as long as he has money.
@Ó:
Naturally, but that is boring and un-dynamic, we need to keep things fresh, and the enemy will be thinking “What the hell is he thinking?” Which can be an advantage, because he will not know how to react. If you know a bit about actual World War II, then you’ll know that Mussolini really threw Churchill and the Brits off balance by being so unpredictable, he attacked in Greece, and in Egypt, and other places, and the British stretched themselves thin trying to counter that. In fact, if Germany had intervened decisively in Africa after the evacuation of the British from Somalia and Greece, they would likely have knocked the Brits right out of the Med. So the same applies to this game, if your opponent is not sure what you are doing, he as to guess, and has to place forces to counter what he thinks you are going to do. Comes in handy sometimes, whereas with 3 tanks, he knows precisely what you’re going to do with them, and be easily able to counter it, as long as he has money.
I think that you have a valid point about being unpredictable, but there’s a difference between being stratigically unpredictable, and being upredictable just for the sake of it
I do see what you mean though…… :wink:
If the Soviets build ANY naval while the Germans continue to hold Soviet territory, then the Soviets will surely lose. They need tanks and planes and not transports or destroyers.
They used to have a guy back in 98 ( on MSN game zone) who always bought a Battleship for 24 IPC on turn one and went on to win some victories, but i think he was fluffing up his results so he can tell his grandson how he won games with Soviet Battleships.
Buying naval for the Soviets is like claiming you found the lock ness monster
ive played several times as Rusia, i have never really finished agame (somebody always has to leave) but what I usually do is buy a mix of soldiers and tanks, soldiers for karelia and caucasus and tanks for moscow. I like to use what i call a “guerilla” strategy with Rusia. I usually hit the german frontline where i can kill more tanks than the ones ill lose. I always keep my units out of reach of tanks in germany then pull out and leave several territories controled by only one soldier to stall. This is usually my firts turn.
For the rest of the turns I attack the german frontline only to thin them down then I retreat from the atack and regroup on the territory my units have retreated to. in the best case you would leave germany with a single soldier in the territory o just a few units, useless ofr a counter attack, out of reach od the german capital and within reach of your new tanks un moscow.
The roll of the UK player in this strategy was also importan, the player understood my plan and helped me take finland and norway and made attacks on the german sides and in france to distract.
The point of my strategy y to causa damage, retreat, stall, basically frustrate de german player.
I think the Russian Strategy is pretty simple, but hard to execute. Russia needs a good mix of tanks as the forces need to be nimble to attack muliple positions within the Russian territory as Germany advances. In order to slow Germany’s push into Russia, a player needs to be able to take advantage of gaps in Germany’s trail from Berlin to Moscow. I would advise to go 2 tanks instead of a fighter anytime of the week.
Also, looking at the map and seeing the amount of men Russia starts with, the first purchase should be tilted toward armor as compared to men. I typically go all tanks, but that may be extreme for some players.
I like the 3 tanks 4 infantry R1. It has served me well every time I use it. Then I normally cut tank production to two and buy art for the inf.
Also depending on what is left defending Ukraine I may make a R1 assault on it with 5 inf and 1 tank? maybe if they are really weak, 1-2 tanks 1-2 in 1 art. Only if they are weak 3-4 or less units.
Also I like to move the karila art to Arch with the Moscow art and 2-3 inft in Arch.
Russia starts with plenty of infantry in 1941, the first two purchases should be mostly attacking units, I like to buy a bomber first turn with two artillery and two tanks, this allows for several R2 counters. No the bomber doesn’t defend well but its range is critical for trading territories with Germany. There’s just so much you can do with that bomber on all fronts. If you are playing with NO’s you may even be able to buy a second and then if you happen to get paratroopers (not unlikely since Russia has to go with chart 1) you can cause serious problems for the Axis. Never push too far ahead, let the Germans come to you and then slide in the back door with the UK and US.
I can’t be the only one executing The Russia bomber strategy?
Its really boring, but effective. The strategy is based on that Germany never will take Russia. If you feel unsure of it try it with fighters instead as they can defend russia in worst case scenarios.
What you do is, you buy one Bomber each round. Fill the rest of ipc with mainly infantry and if it adds up, 1 or 2 tanks. This way your bombers will stack up and become a powerful weapon, ready to strike wherever its necessery. Together with infantry you dont lose that valuable tanks to counterattacks and you still have great attacking power.
And even in the 5th round when you find yourself with 4 bombers, buy another one. Stay consistant. Someone said that attack is the best defence. Was it right or wrong?
Go for it, I’d love Russia to be putting 4 less Inf down each turn as Germany. I don’t think you would have enough fodder to trade territories for very long and Germany would start to get the upper hand as far as the Income balance goes. By round 5 Japan should be showing up from the South as well.
I don’t think buying a bomber a turn is a good strategy at all. I’ve seen Russia buy a few fighters to help in trading along the front and I could understand a bomber but not 1 a turn.
Well of course it depends on the situation. If germany is threating Moscow then you wont build a bomber, that turn. But lets say both Germany and Japan is in safe distance, you will never be disappointed with your Bomber. The Vision with the Russia Bomber Strategy is to gain air supremecy with Russia. 1 bomber every turn is maybe to exaggerate but its something you should always strive for. And believe me, it pays off.
