Russian Strategy

@Cmdr:

@bbrett3:

@Cmdr:

Oh, oh! I know!

Russia: Cruiser, Carrier, Infantry, Save 1 IPC
England: Land 2 fighters on Russian Carrier

(Assuming you build it in SZ 4 with your Submarine so the British Fighters Can land there!)

Now I know your probably a waaaaay better strategist then me, but this just sounds like too much of a risk to me.

Yea, it was a joke. :)

But just imagine how funny it would be done IRL!  Betcha I could take off my shirt, pull this stunt, and still have a slightly decent chance to win the game (since my opponent would be staring at my chest - I hope - I could pull all his tanks off the board without his knowing it!  Thus, I would have a slightly decent chance to win! hehe.)

LOL :lol:

i wasn’t sure if you were joking so I didn’t want to completely bash this idea  :-D

Humor and sarcasm do have a tendency to be hard to discern on the internet, yea. :lol:

The deadpan is leading to trouble!

After 10 games '41 as either the sole Allied Commander or a consultant to Russian Player, I’ve seen developments on the Axis side that are just plain scarry.  Personally, I play the Allies KIF.  I feel the first capital that falls should be Italy, not just for realism, but this is an attainable goal for the Allies, closest I’ve got is E4.

Now I’ve played Russia aggressive and defensive, and never focused on airpower.  The best I’ve seen is slugging it out with the Germans and then looking at a one-two when Japan shows up.  I have given up any hope for supporting India.

Tactically if Russia backs up, then Germany backs up to Karelia and then starts buying for a UK/US invasion counter waiting for the unimpeded Japan.  I typically spend the first two American rounds in the Atlantic and quickly catch up in the Pacific after that.

Russia is spending a lot on defending Caucasus and the Capital, hoping their Allied relief is strong enough to hold Italy.  Unfortunately, I’m having trouble advancing Russia, as the infantry is too precious to attack with, but I need Russia to wake up when Italy falls.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the critical R4-R5.  Do you go after Japan or Germany?

@Imperious:

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

One transport in SZ16 can help you hit your NO if you play them.  With right circumstances……

@KindWinds:

One transport in SZ16 can help you hit your NO if you play them.  With right circumstances……

Too easy for the Italians to pick off with their fleet or even just a fighter.  The Russian NO only really shows up in the endgame if the allies are winning I’ve found.

@Ó:

My thoughts exactly. I’ve seen some people play foolishly with both Russia and Germany, with Germany exhausting it’s momentum prematurely, then the Russians launching an all out offensive only to be thrown back with terrible losses, putting each back at square one.

Exactly what happened in WW2

I think the best thing the russians can do (round one) is to buy ALL INFANTRY.In later rounds you can have a little offence like a tank or art per turn .Your infantry will soak up many germanand jap tanks if they choose to attack.

6 inf, 3 rt isn’t a bad play.  You get close to the 10 units of an all Inf buy but you get A LOT more firepower.

5 inf, 3 arm is good if you’ll need the two movement points right away to help deter a Ger move to Kar.

I don’t know about all infantry, because particularly in a dice game, it’s best to have some offensive units for counterattacks in case Germany attacks and gets lucky at Karelia or Cauc.  My most common first round buy is 7 inf 1 art 1 arm, 2nd most common is 4 inf 2 art 2 arm.

My normal R1 buy is 2inf, 1art, 2arm, and 1ftr. I usually like having 2 fighters or 1 fighter and 1 bomber with russia because it makes trading territories much more efficient. Otherwise russia ends up wasting a lot of artillery and armor when making trades. The trick is to buy the planes early so you get enough use out of them to recur their cost. Although if Germany is super aggressive with an all tank buy then I usually skip the fighter and go with 2 extra tanks.

Am I the only one who considers a t1 bomber? It can help keep some japanese shipping honest, helps with an offensive unit in the east if you are sending any troops to china/persia, can be used for a counter attack on Jordan (which is one reason why I like to put tanks on the Cau), it can helps to “perserve” offensive units when going against Germany (especially if you think you can get away with building another fig on R2 or 3).

@dondoolee:

Am I the only one who considers a t1 bomber? It can help keep some japanese shipping honest, helps with an offensive unit in the east if you are sending any troops to china/persia, can be used for a counter attack on Jordan (which is one reason why I like to put tanks on the Cau), it can helps to “perserve” offensive units when going against Germany (especially if you think you can get away with building another fig on R2 or 3).

Nope, it’s a good buy if Germany is not too agressive G1.

Bomber = Range and Power…just what is needed for Russia with her vast motherland.  And only $2 more than a ftr.

@dondoolee:

Am I the only one who considers a t1 bomber? It can help keep some japanese shipping honest, helps with an offensive unit in the east if you are sending any troops to china/persia, can be used for a counter attack on Jordan (which is one reason why I like to put tanks on the Cau), it can helps to “perserve” offensive units when going against Germany (especially if you think you can get away with building another fig on R2 or 3).

I almost always (probably 99% of the time) purchase a bomber on R1 and put it in Caucausas.  Then if Japan lets me, I will usually pick off an unprotected sz38 transport.

The R1 bomber buy in my opinion is a key round 1 purchase for the Allies.

Thats what I love about forum surfing on this website, it gives me more insight into playing this game and being able to win with the Allies.  A bomber first turn would make Japan sweat a bit on rushing headlong into India with unprotected units and the same with leaving anything in the Med. open for bomber sniping.  I don’t want to give up on the 41 scenario cause I think Allies can win, just that their mistakes are more costly if made where as the Axis just have to take ground and not give up big IPC gains for Allies while waiting on the Japan war machine to come rolling in.  Russia has always been the key to winning and losing in this game.  I am starting to wonder if instead of walls of infantry in the east, why not put one per territory after you put a few dudes in bury.  You could effectively stop a blitz and make it like 5 turns to go north, and make it another turn or so through China as well.  But of course, how do you stop the southern thrust?

Stopping the India attack isn’t impossible to accomplish.  Unless Japan is investing in a couple factories early (rd 2 or 3), they have a long trip to send any troops on to reach India and Persia.  A few infantry a turn with the odd artillery and armour can be spared to push Japan back or at least hold the line.

Combine these forces with retreating British forces and your set.

a good Russian strategy depends on what the Allies are doing overall. everything i post is assuming Dice because dice allows the probablity factor unlike Low Luck.
Also it is important that the Brittsh will kill the Itlian fleet R2 or R3
KGF
Buy 4 tanks 1 fighter you have enough inf for turn one not to buy any.
A basic strategy I like is to give up Karelia leaving one man behind and regroup in Arch(with AA gun from Kar) then R2 counter
As well as take back the Ukriane R1.
my buy round two varies but if i can one figther that  being the last one i will buy for Russia heres how i would get the money if going for a fighter buy R2, on R1 i attack Finland with Kar if doable and take ukraine. leaving baltic states and East Poland to the Germans + getting your bouns  for no allies in your country which is a given R1, giving Russia 35 Ipcs on hand. then buy my 4inf 2 art 1 tank 1 fighter giving me two fighters to swap territories with. Fighters act as permanent tanks and don’t die when the territory you just took is recaptured, From R3 out i buy twice as many inf as i do art or tanks and i try not to buy more than two tanks that way i get the most units down so i can hold my capital and still have enough boots to swap with, when The Japs arrive on scene i pick my battles wisely. now at this point the Brittish and the US should be set and start destroying Germany by round 4 which means less pressure against Russia,R5 should be the last German push then you focus mostly on the Japs. russia’s goal now is to swap persia and kill the intial Jap force that will be coming north which won’t be there in force until Round 6. All they have to do by R7 is survive swap novo, persia, Kazak, and Evenki there shouldn’t be any German/ Italian Offense at this point and if there is your done for.

KJF
I do the bury stack and along with a India IC (KJF) is going to be built by the Britts I would go with 4tanks and a fighter(or 2inf 1 art) 3 tanks in Caucus R1 then R2 back the inda IC with those three tanks, so India has 4 britt inf 1 britt art and AA gun and 3 rus tanks. versus 4 jap planes and 4 inf Defender wins 73% with 2.78 units left (three tanks). If at all possible I bring those three tanks back R3 by then jap should be buying navy to fight the  U.S.  A KJF means to me three tanks a turn by the britts in India and the Britts killing the Itlian fleet, along with the Britts fighting for Karelia via SZ 4. I then try to back chinghai with one inf a turn from russia.
My Russia KJF then starts to look more like my KGF but now there is no Japs and all you have to do is just swap one teritory away.

In all Russian Strategies it is Key that all of your offensive battles take place at least three teritories away from Germany that way you don’t get your guys killed by a spawning tank/German airforce combo.

Also, Reading this I see alittle bit about a navy and I know for a fact that no surface ships that Russia builds will stand to a german airforce. and subs seem like a waste to me.

I have yet to try to the bomber strat because I like the fighter defence over the bombers because russian offense isn’t always an option especially if the Italians try a one two punch with the germans and stop the Russian one man blitz blockades.