The most effective russian players I’ve encountered are the ones that are able to build up a force that is able to threaten a counter on a german stack. If a good german player wants to go for Moscow they are able to get it, however I’ve seen plenty games where the UK/USA are putting enough pressure on the German player for him to stop just in front of Moscow. If the Russian player only has bought inf at this point there is not much of a threat for the German player to keep russia contained and slowly kill it economically. However if there is a stack of paired inf/art the pushback power is a lot bigger and thus Germany can be challenged and Russia may be able to break the German wall.
Russia Strategy
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When you are Russia and Germany doesn’t attack until G3 or G4, do you build inf/art for better defense or mech/tank/planes for more flexibility?
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As Russia with that kind of time I build inf and a tac to pair with my two fighters. Second round depending on Germany’s move I build inf, tanks and fig , if they are going sea lion then inf and art with a tank or two. Third round inf and tanks (if sea lion) if not inf and figs.
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i start with artillery and a bomber in the first 2 turns (maybe even 2 bombers if i feel agressive/lucky).
No tanks.
I will probably send the existing tank/mech east for fast help in China or Siberia.Artillery (obviously) because Russia has a lot of infantry, so that doubles their (counter)attacking power cheaply this way.
These cheap units are easily combined with the power and range of the bomber, which you won’t need to lose. Tanks are great, but also expensive and when they take a territory, you’ll probably just lose them in the following german assault there. pity for the money.
A bomber costs double as a tank but you won’t lose it (and it has a higher attack), so in the long run i think you got a good deal.
they can also be used on the other side (they can even reach Yunnan from Moskou in 1 turn, land in Sikang or India).
Expensive unit, but great reach.Edit: later on i’ll also consider a tactical bomber
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I build almost all artillery/infantry and position them in 2 or 3 main sectors one space from the border so as to do a quick counter attack, usually one north of the marshes and one south. Although I am toying with the idea of a large russian stack in Bessarabia because it is worthless for the germans to take it and if they ignore it they are facing the loss of Romania.
I also put a moderate amount of units in Leningrad if the Germans have transports in the baltic.
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@Weezer:
I build almost all artillery/infantry and position them in 2 or 3 main sectors one space from the border so as to do a quick counter attack, usually one north of the marshes and one south. Although I am toying with the idea of a large russian stack in Bessarabia because it is worthless for the germans to take it and if they ignore it they are facing the loss of Romania.
I also put a moderate amount of units in Leningrad if the Germans have transports in the baltic.
Moving the battleship 1 seazone (to SZ114) blocks a sudden attack on leningrad through the Baltic. Although once in SZ112 the german fleet (threatening for a Sealion) can go around and snag leningrad going via SZ127.
I wondered, has anyone ever bought a destroyer in turn 1 (and move it to SZ126 in turn 2) to block that possible route? (i’m thinking it is probably not worth it)
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I haven’t ever bought Navy as Russia…everything Russia needs to do can be done without a Navy. Given time I would pour some troops into China to slow Japan down. As for builds I build a mix of guys tanks and atrilley for the guys. And depending on the situation if Germany doesn’t attack turn 4 I would strongly consider attacking them. Also I put my guys and aterilly on the border with Germany and put my tanks one back so that I can move them up with the attack if I get to attack first but also so I don’t lose them if Germany attacks first. Honestly every turn that Germany doesn’t attack is a gift to Russia because it allows them to build up more forces which makes them tougher to take.