Beating the Tank Stack

Ok, so it has been decided by many that the following strategy makes Germany win every time:

1.  Use 12 IPC at start to buy a transport, capture leningrad with 4 land units
2.  Build all infantry
3.  On subsequent turns, build all tanks
4.  Kill Russia

I decided to try it- three times- and in the first two times, I was SHOCKED at how effective it was.  All of these games were low luck, to avoid deviancy.  The third time, however, I managed to overcome it.

Here was my counter strategy:

1.  Use 12 IPC to build infantry in Belorussia
2.  Capture the Baltic States and Leningrad at all costs, as well as Vyborg if that fell.  With 4 infantry in Belorussia, assuming Germany used all of its fighters to help in the attacks, you should have favorable odds in every one of those battles.  The purpose is securing Leningrad for building troops and converting allied fighters.
3.  Send initial british fighters to Leningrad, killing German transports on the way.
4.  Every round, USA will be building 1 fighter and sending it east to Leningrad.
5.  Prepare the British to make landings in Norway, Leningrad, or France.  Prepare USA to make landings in France or North Africa.

Unfortunately, bad dice can ruin it, good dice can make it happen, and average dice give you alright odds.  Germany does have an advantage, so I would recommend giving the allies a bid.  There are ways for Germany to fight against this strategy, but all of it means deviating from the tank stack strategy.  Once Russia begins building in Leningrad, it becomes a game of stack wars.  Essentially, if the Russian player is on top of things, Germany and Russia will have stacks unable to counter eachother’s, so they just spend more money into an arms race, as UK and USA invade Western Europe.  After all, one US fighter a turn basically means that Russia has been upgraded to a 36 IPC nation, so it can hold out a little bit longer.  I had to send an emergency care package of infantry from Britain once, in the game I won, but still.

I’m not saying it will work every time, but it does give the allies a fighting chance.

@Imperious:

1.  Use 12 IPC at start to buy a transport, capture Leningrad with 4 land units
2.  Build all infantry
3.  On subsequent turns, build all tanks
4.  Kill Russia

This is a hilarious mockery of the games flaws. LoL!!

lol, unfortunately.  Making Russia 24 IPC against a 40 IPC Germany, with about 5 spaces between the capitals, was just poor game design.

Something else to consider is that, without aircraft, ALL land units defend at 2 in this game.  I played 4 more games with my strategy, the Germans won one.  I figured out why:  Russia gave the Germans a fight in Leningrad.  Instead, when it becomes obvious that the German force is overwhelming, the Russians should probably retreat to Russia.  Then, after the Germans attack, their fighters can not land in the same space as their tank stack- their tanks will be as powerful as infantry, and have no assistance.  At that point, the Russians must swarm the stack from all angles.

It’s pretty much a game of cat and mouse… the Russians must give ground until they are in a position where they can attack the vulnerable stack and win, or at least do enough damage so that most of the forces are destroyed.  If the German stack collapses, it’s game over, as the Germans put their eggs in one basket.