@Shiftone85:
As the axis i often have trouble countering a conservative russia. ON R1 russia takes WR with 8-9IF, 2RT, 2FIG. Then stacks all IF in Cauc,WR, leaving 1IF in Karelia and 6IF in YAK. It buys 6IF and 1ARM and places 4 IF in Cauc. ON G1 there is no way to assualt the eastern front without losing an unhealthy amount of FIG and ARM. And even if there is a counterattack on G1 it is easily recapped on R2, putting Germany in a even worse state against Russia. It seems like Germany is placed on the defensive immediately. Worse yet on R2 he almost always attacks UKR with both WR and Cauc stacks. giving him about 15ish IF 2RT 3ARM. Assuming on G1 i buy all land and air, i will have a large enough force to win this battle. However, on avg i will only have 5-6 fig and 5-6arm left on the whole front. Russia on the other had is still racking in 20+ IPCs and stacking 6IF and 1ARM per turn in WR. that combined with the 2 fig in cauc and arm in moscow, those 5-6 arm i have left are toast, and i basically end up just trading units with russia until I am the US/UK lands troops in Kar. Now Russia can slow japan and UK and US can put the squeeze on me. I would be greatly interested in strategies that but russia on its heels early or at least leave germany in a better position on the easternfront for G2.
Russia starts with many land units, and there land units are mostly focused upon Eastern European theatre
it can make you(Ger) withdraw a bit, in the beginning, but the Russia will soon find itself thin with its onslaught upon Germany, since it will simply be torn apart on many sides, and will fall like a tower of cards
Russia faces battles with Ger in Kar, Belo, Ukraine/Balkans
then Persia
Yakut( Evenki, Novo)
Sinkiang, Kazakh
as what i am trying to say,
Russian onslaught can in the begining look a bit frightening, when put the UK and USA forces which also prepare for the landfall on Germany, but its more an impression then the real gameboard situation inf favor for the communists
as i see it, USSR is simply not an attacking nation, especially in the beginning
so when you see next time USSR starts with an early onslaught, dont turtle( for too long, or dont turtle at all, simply withdraw when you see its better in the mid/long run) just think how to counter it, however frightening this Russia looks like, in fact its (defending) position isnt even close good as it seems to be
hope i helped at least with something
but its just my opinion
all the best