I think that the dissenters to “Russian Basics” have a strong case. However, I do believe attacking only West Russia is a very strong move for the USSR.
1. The army attacking West Russia is both too large and too small. Medium sized attacks on the Eastern front are a terrible strategic mistake. Either the attack must consist of a mimimal attacking ground force to minimize losses to a counterattack, or it must consist of all forces that can be spared to hold the territory to inflict maximum casualties in a foolish counterattack. Therefore, I see absolutely no point in keeping 2 tanks and 2 infantry that could attack in reserve, at Karelia or Moscow. Indeed, no infantry should be left in Karelia.
2. Germany can counterattack at West Russia in the after scenario of “Russian Basics” and inflict far graver losses on Russia than losses it would suffer. By sending 6 planes, 3 tanks, 1 artillery and 6 infantry, Germany can expect to capture the territory, lose a plane to AA fire, and lose all land units in a Soviet counterattack, but would inflict losses of 9 inf, 2 art, 2 arm. The simple truth of Revised is that Germany outbuilds Russia but the Allies outbuild Germany (at the beginning at least). There is no reason why Germany (with Japan’s help) cannot defeat Russia because it has vast superiority in tanks and planes, plus rough parity in infantry and artillery, plus economic superiority, unless Germany takes its time. If I were Germany I would always make this attack if Russia played this way; I could land 4-5 planes in Ukraine with 4 infantry and 3 tanks, which is more than enough to resist the counter of 6 infantry, 5 tanks, and 2 planes that could follow (and don’t forget the Russians must retake WRus).
3. The fact of the matter is that if Germany and Russia are both taking very large and roughly equivalent losses early in the game, Russia is losing badly. The whole point of attacking only WRus is to kill the most you can while losing only a couple of infantry for the entire first turn. By making this mid-sized attack, you are allowing Germany to essential recreate the losses as if Russia had attacked all three of WRus, Bel and Ukr, except this time Germany ends up with WRus by the end of its turn. It is usually worth it for Germany to lose a fighter to AA fire, as German loses in EXCESS of Soviet loses in IPC value, after taking into account all lands units lost to the Soviet counter and the 2 IPCs gained through capture is precisely ZERO. Besides, on the Eastern front, which should be Germany’s top priority, a fighter to Germany is worth only slightly more than a tank: similar firepower, similar flexibility, different uses (one takes territories, the other flies back to defend well after the fight). I know Germany needs all the fighters it can spare against the UK/US, but if Russia falls a turn before Berlin is seriously threatened, the loss of the entire Luftwaffe doesn’t matter; it can be rebuilt as easy as taking Karelia.
In sum, as Russia I would build 4 inf, 3 art or simply 8 inf. I would attack WRus with 4 inf, 1 art, 2 fig, that’s it. Although I appreciate that the Russian main army’s best position is WRus, I do not think that is has the ability to move there en masse and survive for the first turn and sometimes the second.
I would usually end with (assuming 4 inf 3 art purchase):
WRus 1 inf, 1 art
Cau 10 inf, 3 art, 4 arm, 2 fig
Rus 7 inf, 1 art
Yak 6 inf
Persia 1 inf (if India should fall, it plus 1 tank retake it and UK goes again before Japan)
Sinkiang 1 inf (fighters may follow on turn two if necessary)
Notice the incredible strength poised to muster at WRus for good on turn 2 or 3. If 8 inf were purchased, there would be 11 inf in Russia and 11 inf but only 1 art in Caucasus, which is also strong. The case for the artillery placement at Caucasus exists because an all-too-common mistake for Germany is to retake WRus with a small force, mass prematurely at Ukr without sufficient forces to counter on Germany’s first turn; in that case the USSR can give Germany a rough beating at Ukr the second turn, always ready to have its grand union at WRus and stay put until the US/UK are ready to attack.