• When I play Axis and Allies with friends or family they usually so a full frontal attack on the caucases and Kaleria S.S.R. I got use to this so I put 2 fighters in Kaleria and 2 fighters in the Caucases along with lots of infentry. What other options would I have that would be smart?


  • As a general rule when I play USSR is to avoid defending the caucases heavily and instead work on building a stack in Kaleria S.S.R. If the Germans try to take the caucases, they will be force to draw some of their much needed armor and planes away from where it is needed most. Once they take the caucases, Germany has to take at least three turns for inf. to move from Germany to the caucases to reinforce these divisions. Meanwhile Russia can encircle the caucases by cutting through Ukraine. Worst yet, Russia can attack from both Karelia and Moscow and destroy the caucases in one swoop. The worst thing for Germany is over-extending themselves.


  • This is true.

    Also, consider how your purchases are harming you: looks like you are buying 2 FTR T1, when 8 INF or even 6 INF 1 ARM would be more useful. Think about it: you are playing an essentially defensive game, right? Well FTR’s are the best defensive units in terms of hit likelyhood/unit, but w/ 2 FTR you are likely to hit only about 1 time per round of combat. W/ 8 INF you are likely to hit 2 or more times per round defensively–making it by far the better choice when you are on a budget (as USSR is). Offensively speaking–where are you going to attack? Probably not any Sea Zones after round 1; more likely on land. On land, Armor can attack just as well as FTRs, but cost LESS THAN HALF AS MUCH. ARM therefore are CLEARLY the choice when you are ready to go on the offensive as USSR.

    Just some thoughts…

    Ozone27


  • Yes… I would much rather purchase 8 inf. than two planes. Eight inf. will probably do more damage in terms of defense but their real strength is that fact that they can take an enormous amount of hits. Once Russia amasses a huge amount of inf. in Kerilia, you’ll see huge offensives consisting of nothing but inf. support with few planes and arm. More alarmedly, they usually succeed.


  • i’d like to offer some help if i may. consider germany’s situation. typically they will need to use their fighters to destroy the UK’s transport fleet battle ships and submarine. if they are using all that air power against the russians you need the US and UK to give them a serious dose of reality. the other postings are agreeable to me in most respects. 6 infantry and 1 armor. personally i use my two planes and a sub to wipe out the baltic fleet, (transport goes to british waters for an extra casualty) then i retreat those planes to moscow. I leave one man in the cuacasses, then I’ll put around 8-10 men in karelia. then i pull my men in the far east into the yakut, with it’s armor heading to that “N” country near moscow (to aid in a counter attack) what I try to do is to lure the bulk of the german armor into karelia, where it can’t retreat, but I want to leave a large enough force there to widdle down the infantry (and force the deployment of armor)- if you can trap the german armor there, you have an excellent chance of crippling the germans in turn 2, at best this will put germany out of the game, or at least give you time to build a better defense against both germany and japan. I have had this strategy turn into a battle of attrition in karelia, with neither side willing to commit it’s armor, but time is on the allied side, and the first time I sprung it, it worked great. and remember russia is’nt the key to the game, stopping japan from helping germany conquer russia is. danwatkins01@yahoo.com


  • and remember russia is’nt the key to the game, stopping japan from helping germany conquer russia is. danwatkins01@yahoo.com

    Exactly! I agree fully.
    You wanna try to balance the defence in karelia, and at the same time keep some units for a counter standby in russia, thus you will like our friend SUD here says take out the german tanks, which will set the germans back a great deal. They are most likely gonna loose a great deal of men, and most of the times maybe some tanks before they get Karelia. Best thing is that their reinforcements are 2 turns away, and not too many tanks can be bought by then…. Ambush them in karelia from Russia.

    Another aspect is if UK and US can concquer Norway/finland early, you’ve got more $$$ to spend on countermeassurements, and u can use more $$$ on japan


  • BTW i buy 8 inf two first turns as USSR then i buy as the game progreses


  • wow, someone agreed with me, thanks deathflame. I prefer the armor to the two extra infantry- I guess it is somewhat cool to have a mass of armor…just personal preferece.


  • Heres some advice, and it will make it more fun for the Russian player! Go on the offense. Take Ukraine, take Finland. This will add 5 to your economy, use it for 1 tank per turn. Besides that, build infantry. The germans should be under pressure, so hit them hard when you have the chance.

    Also, plan ahead for Japan. Commit an infantry per turn to the Far east, and you’ll be ready to make a solid defence when Japan attacks the east.


  • Yanny’s is a good idea, but I usually lack the guts to attack 2 territories at once as Russia T1. 1 (preferably Finland, to save your ARM, is sufficient).

    However I take issue with the attack mentioned by Anonymous using 2 FTR & a SUB vs. the German Baltic fleet. If you use the SUB, the German SUB gets a counterattack whereas if you don’t use a SUB it doesn’t. I’d take a risk and deploy the SUB vs. the German Atlantic SUB–you’ve got a 50% chance there (unless he submerges or retreats) and you can pretty much prevent the Gerry’s sinking the USA TR T1 if you succeed. Plus its 1 less SUB. Otherwise, just put the SUB w/ the TR in UK waters T1.

    Just my thoughts.

    Ozone27

    P.S. I consider USSR to be my 2nd weakest country–after USA–when I play: so don’t pay me too much mind! :grin:


  • What are you talking about? USA is the strongest country in the game. Two seperate bodies of water have to seperate them in order to prevent USA from trampling the Axis.


  • …no, I meant that as far as MY playing goes, I am weakest as USA and USSR respectively. Sorry for the confusion…

    Ozone27


  • ozone I’m the anonymous, the reason i use two planes and the sub is because it makes for a gauranteed kill. with only the possible loss of a sub. see the transport still gets to defend at one, if I attacked with planes alone I might loose one, and I need them to trap germany. Where as if i attacked with my transort and sub or just my sub, i only have a very low success rate, and you can’t have the sub or transport get loose. danwatkins01@yahoo.com


  • Oh, well yeah, sorry about the mix up too. But I really thought Russia and America would be the too easiest countries to play. If you’re Russia, just build inf. and the occasional arm. And if you’re America, just build inf. and transports with the occasional ftr. Knowing when and where to attack might be your problem, so it’s good to experiment with an odds calculator.


  • Naah, my real problem is that I play better when I’m “on the ropes” than when I’ve got major momentum behind me. USA has a lot of money through most of the game, so I tend to spend cash willy-nilly and regret my purchases later. As USSR, I play well the first few turns, but once the Allies start going on the offensive I have an annoying tendency to lapse into inertia and continue “building up” against the Axis. I vastly prefer playing the Axis powers beacause of this, but (like everybody) am working to improve my weak areas.

    As far as the attack vs. the Baltic Sea: I can totally see not wanting to risk a downed Soviet FTR on T1, but that German TR only gets a 1 for an attack–in my opinion its worth the risk to be able to put an extra ship in UK waters on Non Com. Just my opinion; everybody brings a different style to the table.

    Ozone27

    P.S. I’d like to mention that a good Germany player never forgets about the retreat option. If USSR has a TON of INF and Germany has a lot of ARM, he/she may decide it is in Germany’s best interest to attack Karelia in the hopes of a couple of good rounds w/ the ARM before retreating. This tactic is particularly devastating if USSR continues to languish in the 24-27 IPC income range while Germany takes over Africa and Japan swallows the Far East. Best defense: invest in a few ARM and stick it to him a few times before he sticks it to you.

    [ This Message was edited by: Ozone27 on 2002-03-02 23:43 ]


  • I think you guys misunderstand me. Thanks Dan for emailing me.

    I dont mean take Finland and Ukraine on Turn 1. This would spread your forces too thin. I would attack Ukraine Turn 1, Finland turn 2, and sometimes even Eastern Europe turn 3.


  • I do what Yanny does: Attack Ukraine first turn. It completely stalls the Germans. I leave like two or three infantry in the Ukraine and leave the rest from where they came from. Then every time Germany counter-attacks I counter-attack. Usually by turn three I can take Finland and East Europe. Then Germany’s fate is sealed as the UK lands in France, then after Japan’s turn, the U.S. lands even more manpower in France. Poor Germany.


  • Its me again. I found a good statagy. on turn 1 send 4 infantry, 2 fighters, and 2 tanks. Attack Ukraine S.S.R. with it then if your fighters survive send them Kaleria.
    Turn 2. Attack Eastern Europe and finland with everything, Then even if Russia falls Germany will be almost defenceless.


  • Russia restricted is a much use house rule. russia can hurt germany way too much in turn 1.

    so, how about strategies for a restricted russia?

    personally, in turn 1, i buy 8 infantry, put them all in karelia, keep one guy in cacasus (spelling!), and put all 4 tanks in Novorbirsk so they can retake karelia, or attack japanese holdings.

    do you think ti would be smarter to put as mucht tanks in karelia, and counter attack against germany in turn 2?


  • Way off the topic but yanny i really like you’re napoleon quote :smile:

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