US Air Land on East Russian Territories

@the-spaceman said in The Sneaky Russian:

Hey Everyone,

I corrected some of your numbers since they were off.

Just came up with an oddball idea and am wondering if anyone has tried it or whether it would make sence, ruleswise and competitively.

In OOB trying to gain extra Russia income in this way is a longtime and widely accepted strategy. Most Axis Players will do their best to deny this outcome. In BM3 they removed the possibility for Africa and the Middle East income as most Players felt this was kind of a cheesy rule for Africa and the Middle East and meant more for Europe.

The Goal
Russia gets 3 IPCs for every Italian/German or Pro-axis territory.
Persia IPCs +3
Iraq IPCs+2 +3
Tobruk.IPCs.+3
Lybia IPCs +1 + 3
Ethiopia +1 + 3
Italian Somalialand + 3

22 IPCs for Russia

Finland + 2 + 3
Norway +3 + 3

11 IPCs for Russia

Total + 33 IPCs for Russia

Methods.
Group 1 (depends on German DOW)
The forces in and around Leningrad should be able to take out the Finland/Norway forces maybe with some extra tanks/planes built in Leningrad.

Pretty unlikely. Most Axis Players are going to bring two additional units to Norway on G1 giving the Axis 9 ground units. Add in German and Italian planes and only a major push by the Russians would have any chance to taking Finland and Norway. If the Russkies tried this, one of two things are going to happen, 1) Moscow is going to fall with so many troops in the north or 2) the Germans will divert their army north and wipe out the Russian Army Group North on the cheap.

Group 2 (Turns 1-2)
The 2 mobile units in Stalingrad go south activating Persia and then taking Iraq by about turn 2-3, with help of Iraninan infantry and maybe a aircraft. 2 inf from caucasus go south also.
(not sure if tanks can blitz through empty neutrals? It states friendly or enemy but is pro allied counted as friendly?)

Armor cannot blitz through a friendly aka pro-allied neutral. Most commonly you will see UK take Northwest Persia to open this route south for the Russians. In addition, the UK will strafe or try to clear Iraq for Russian capture. This one is a given if UK is willing to give it up. There is a LOT of debate if this is a wise move or not. Helps Russia in the short run and hurts UK in the long run.

Group 3 (Turns 3-5)
A short hop from Iraq is Tobruk/Lybia. The single tank might be all you need to grab both of these if the UK player has been helpful by clearing the med of Italian Shipping and strafing any Italian units in africa.

Again, the Axis Player is going to be doing their best to make sure Tobruk, Libya and possibly Tunisia do not fall into Russian hands. This is definitely a legitimate strategy for UK to try and clear those territories for Russian occupation. Very powerful if successful.

Group 4 (Turns 3-5)
Another part of this strategy involve the UK now really going fully pro communist. The British use their transport in the persian gulf to send 1-2 Iranian (now Russian) infantry to Africa to land in Italian Somalialand by about turn 4-5. If the UK hasnt already grabbed Ethiopia as well they can pick this one up too. On T1 the UK should pull units out of Anglo Egytian Sudan and then counter attack the Italian units in UK coloured territories. We dont want UK getting 1 IPC for ethiopia when its worth 4 to the russians.

If the Italian Player allows the UK to clear Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland easily they are doing a piss poor job. Taking one of the two is a very good possibility for the Russians and if the UK is willing to risk losing a plane or two possibly both are up for grabs.

Group 5 (Turns 6-7)
Bulgaria +1/4 Albania +1/4 Rumania+3/6. If the Strategy is working so far keep it Rolling with the Russians advancing through Southern Europe for +14 IPCs. If these areas are lightly defended UK can Can-opener them with bombers flying out of bases in the med

Never going to happen. No matter what happens in the Middle East and Africa the Germans are going to be on the doorstep of Moscow so no Russians are heading west.

Results.
The additional 30 IPCs for Russia will counter any losses Germany has inflicted. Maybe keeping Russias production around 40-50 even when the Germans are at the gates of Moscow.

Group 2 and 3 are easily taken if UK agrees to standard cooperation and Group 4 if a higher level of cooperation is achieved.

Group 1 requires a tough fight and will probable result in heavy losses of men and territories as well.

The Group 5 is the fantasy scenario and represents a “winning More” strategy

Conclusion.
The kicker for me in this strategy seems to be the ablity to turn zero IPC territories into 3 IPC territories. This includes Tobruk and Italian Somalialand. There is no reason that the British would want these as they gain no benefit.

The other practical benefit is that bumping russian IPC output puts boots on the ground where they are most needed.

The main questions are around the speed in which Russia can move to capture these territories vs the speed that Germans can attack?

Secondly does the benefit to Russia outweigh the cost in units lost and the cost to UK of not capturing these territories?

In summary, I would say it is very easy for the Russians to get $3 out of Africa and very possibly $6. If they get $9 or $12 that is great though unusual. The Middle East for $5 is a given if UK is willing to give it up and risk a plane or two. Europe is never going to happen unless in the end game and Norway/Finland is a lot more difficult and risky than you may realize.

Excellent strategizing and thinking!

It’s the same reason why China doesn’t have its own fighter or artillery. They were just being cheap which is why I bought five artillery and the old p40 from the original AnA and painted them Chinese Green.

Thanks guys!

I don’t have setup charts in front of me for Global 40. In my games we have British Commandos, Marines, Germany Air borne and others. You could have it were you buy paratrooper troop just for air transport like you suggested. Give it a few. Other guys will be posting too with there ideas.

There is a reason why I strongly prefer to play the axis.

My last live game I was like, “I will give you a Russian bomber, 5 usa inf anywhere in mainland america, a sub in sz 98, and an infantry on new guinea. If I get to be the axis.” He was like “that sounds like a really good deal.”

It was a close game.
~

It is like America’s economic system, it will crash then money will be reallocated based on the social security system. That is the game plan. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense, sure the people who start out with the most monetary wealth in this new system will be the ones who paid into social security the most (makes sense to me). Everyone has other wealth, land, possessions etc so wealthy people will be fine.

I do not see why anyone would be afraid of the dollar collapse.
~

Just try that 5 inf USA, bomber russia, sub 98, inf new guinea. Like if you are good with the axis you should be fine with the allies getting all that stuff.

didn’t have time to read all of it, but one thing that has probably not been mentioned;

when germany is capable of taking moscow, then, it is time to retreat, if you alow his stack to kill you in moscow, and then turn south, it is hard to defend cairo, if you retreat from moscow, and force him to keep his stack there, then that stack will not turn south. at this point you will prolly only collect like 8 ipc anyways, while your army should be worth at least 250 IPC, prolly like 300, do not let him kill it for half the number of IPC, then it is far better to let him get moscow, and keep retreating, forcing him to either build a completly new army to attack cairo over land, or to alow you back into moscow at some point.

@Stefano1189:

India Crush? Did you play with monkeys? :-)

A veteran player can stop a naval J4 DOW, we made bloody battles and Japan advance in every global with slowness

How do you manage that?

Just to be clear, nobody said anything about alpha.  We’re talking about the official game?

The monkeys in my games tend to favour a strong Mediterranean attack over a strong Indian defense, but I think J4 vs India works either way - just a question of how much Japan loses.

What stops US or UK placing 4-5 fighters in Gibraltar. Each would roll a 2 vs a 1 the escorting fighters if any(lack range i think) might get. Each Bombing raid would cost the attacker 1-2 bombers from defending fighters before you roll AA.