As Russia, is it a good idea to attack Finland?

In my experience, when Germany decides to attack Russia, Finland to Karelia is usually one of the attack fronts. So, Russia going after Finland/Norway becomes a non-issue really.

However, if Germany doesn’t attack in the north, and any attacks further south kind of get stalled, like Germany can’t make any headway toward Moscow, then as Russia I would concentrate most of my units to repell/counter the German attacks in the south and slowly build up my force on Karelia, maybe 1 or 2 men per turn, then when you outnumber whatever Germany has on Finland (1 1/2:1 is okay, 2:1 better) then go for it.
If you are managing to keep the German attacks more or less in check on the European front (in other words he is not rushing to Moscow) then those forces in Karelia shouldn’t be missed and that will be one more place you can put the hurt on Germany. If the Western Allies are wreaking havoc with German navy, odds are you can simply garrison Norway with a couple of guys and send the rest marching back to Russia. If you use any tanks in that assault, they can be back to Eastern Europe in just a couple of moves.
Now, if Germany IS breaking through your lines and rushing toward Moscow, then I wouldn’t send any new units up to Karelia. You will need them all in the capital. Also, if Germany has managed to keep hold of some transports, like after a successful Sealion, then you could end up taking Norway just to give it right back and lose whatever units you used to take it.

Sometimes this is a good idea… Usually it is not.

If it looks open and the German player isn’t doing a heavy push to Leningrad - do it.  You get some extra bones and you cut into his bonus.

i agree with what most others have said so far…

sometimes its a good idea, most times its not. it depends on the baord situation.  in the situation you describe i think it was the right choice, in a differnt situation…maybe not such a good idea. so my final answer…it maybe, maybe not…it depends.

@Herr:

Thank you, gentlemen, for the insightful responses. Reading them, I concur that against good German play, it’s probably something that Russia can’t afford to do under most circumstances. However, if it can be done, perhaps a G2 Barbarossa might just be the scenario where it fits in, strange as that may seem. It all strongly depends on the situation after G1, of course.

Imagine this: Germany prepares for a G2 attack on Russia, and for that purpose, buys land units only on G1. Germany also takes France and kills the British fleet, losing a few planes in the process. In addition, a few German planes are sent to Southern Italy to guard against a British Taranto attack. The Norway infantry steps into Finland, and as many units as possible are generally sent east.

Now Russia puts absolutely everything that can reach it, in Karelia. That’s 11 inf 1 art 2 AA 2 ftr 1 tac � and of course this shouldn’t be done if the entire Luftwaffe can hit it, but it’s quite enough to deter an attack from Finland supported by only a few planes.
If Germany ignores this on G3 and continues the invasion and the drive to Moscow as planned, then Russia can take Finland with relatively small losses. A few British planes can be sent to support the surviving Russian units, if necessary. Next round, the Russians will take Norway. There’s a big German force moving towards Moscow, but the extra income will allow Russia to build more while Germany builds less. Germany may counter by building transports G3, in order to recapture Finland if Russia takes it  - but it would probably need at least three transports, and that would be money not spent on ground troops. Depending on the situation, Russia may then either still go for it, or take Finland with a smaller force and send some units back to Novgorod.

Alright…. it’s probably a dubious plan, anyway.

As a response I would probably push up to Leningrad to trap your units and the SBR Moscow to reduce the income advantage you gained from the attack up north.

Maybe buy a transport R1 and place in sz 127.  That would give u direct access to Finland and threaten Norway at the same time making Germany have to account for it.

@elevenjerk:

Maybe buy a transport R1 and place in sz 127.  That would give u direct access to Finland and threaten Norway at the same time making Germany have to account for it.

The problem is you only have to leave maybe 2 Infantry behind in Norway, and that TT is just going to get picked off by a German bomber for free.

Then u have a better chance at taking Finland if guys are left behind.  I’ve never done it but I missed a perfect chance at doing it once.  Germany had no transports and the whole air force was out of range.  They were busy taking out the uk navy and the us navy.

I was just adding ideas to the thread.  It’s only 7 ipcs and it makes Germany have to think of different scenarios to defend as opposed to pure offensive.