@WILD:
If the Russians are at war with Japan by the rule you quoted they would have no movement restrictions on the Pac side. Russia DOW on Japan in many games to send units into China to help prop them up. The UK has some restrictions about moving units into China if not at war w/Japan, but isn’t a neutral power so there are no restrictions stopping Russian planes from landing in India. So I see no problem with Russian units migrating to India through China.
Thanks Simon and Wild Bill for the answers and discussion. I learn more about the rules now.
I would like to try sending Russian units to help China in my next game. I am thinking the following Russia+China+UK defense strategy against J1 attack:
Turn 1
R1: Moscow fighter, Volgograd tank+mech => Sikang
C1: take Yunnan with minimal force, build 4 inf in Szechwan
UK1:
India 1 tack+fighter to Middle East (Middle Earth strategy)
Sz39 transport 1 inf to Persia
India 5 inf, 1 art=> Burma
Burma fighter=> India
Malaya 3 inf => Shan state
India build 5 inf
ANZAC1: Malaya inf => Shan state
Turn 2
R2: Sikang fighter => India (there will be R+UK fighters in India to intercept J2 st. bomber SBR)
C2: take Yunnan with minimal force, build 5 inf in Szechwan
UK2: (consider the case J1 take Borneo, build 3 transports; J2 build MIC and NB in FIC; move 3 transports to sz36)
Burma 7 inf => India
Shan state 3 inf => Burma
India build 4 inf
(if no Sealion, build Persia factory)
ANZAC2: Shan state inf => Burma
At the end of turn 2, the following units will be available to retake Yunnan from Japan:
Szechwan: China 5+inf, 1 fighter
Burma: UK 3 inf, 1 art
Sikang: Russia 1 tank, 1 mech
I think the two strategic keys for Russia is to help defend against st. bomber SBR, and prevent J3 take and hold Yunnan, hopefully these can delay Japan by a turn.
Such strategy tries to utilize Russia’s units before Germany/Italy DoW. Of course, it might invite Germany to start Barbarossa in G2 (or normal G3). If this is the case, I will fly the India fighter back to Samara in R3/R4. But this also means that the UK Persian factory can start pumping tank+mech to India, and arrive India by UK5. Again the key is not to let Japan hold Yunnan in J3.
(If Germany goes for Sealion, then Russia builds tank+mech in Volgograd, and pump the UK-Persian factory equivalent amounts to India from R3 onwards.)
Do you have any comments on how to improve the strategy, or kindly point out things I miss/drawback? (Perhaps a lot of experienced players have tried this before.)
PS. Mr.GeneralHandGre’s UK “Middle Earth” strategy: http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=39611.0