• Now maybe this has been spoken about elsewhere but I’ve not stumbled on it.

    Is it worth letting Russia go without her NO at the beginning if the Allies can actually really help? Like if you get a shuck going from the UK-Karelia and you can reliably dump 8 units per turn for a while then is it worth not doing this just to protect 5 IPCs worth of Russia income?

    Is this glaringly obvious? Because I keep trying to hold up the Axis as long as possible with nothing but the little red guys and after a while they usually get in. After all once Japan is on 50+ and Germany has 40-50 poor Russia seems to be under enormous pressure.

    Not to say that the allies haven’t on occasion won while avoiding ‘contaminating’ russia, I’m just wondering if I’m making it harder for myself in the long run.

    Initially the Russians may lose their first NO. But if the allies can help take Bulgaria/Poland, Finland and Norway then Russia gets a 10 IPC boost that way - maybe earlier than they otherwise would on their own…

    I’ll stop labouring the point. What do people think?


  • If the Allies can effectively help russia and in the process saving russia for 5 IPc or more AND if the Allies couldn’t use their forces with better result tjen yes. Unfortunately it would be very individual when those requirements are met, and it would change from time to time obviously. Personallly I have done so on a number of occations e.g. taking out japanese navy units with US bomber and landed in eastern russia etc.

  • Moderator

    This is a good question, I’ve always wondered if there is a “standard” time when you should forgo this NO.

    I’ve been all over the board, I’ve landed UK ftrs in Kar/Belo as early as Rd 1, with option to leave in Rd 2, but you do miss the NO on Russia 2, but I’ve also had games where UK focuses more on Afr, so I might not get to Kar until Rd 5.

    Certainly game circumstances can make a difference but I think as long as you are dropping more than 2 units (and have the ability to continue to shuck troops) into Russia it should be fine.  Assuming you can protect your fleet, the sooner you can shuck troops directly to Kar the better.

    Now I’ve been shooting for about rd 3.  Figure either UK/US take Nor in Rd 2, that means you could negate the NO in Rd 3 if Russia took Fin (or armor blitz to Kar) or in Rd 4 once you get to Kar.

    But as I said I will also land planes in Russia for a turn if I want/need to get them to somewhere like the Middle East, or if Germany had a great start and 2-3 Allied ftrs are needed immediately for defense of a key territory.


  • I think this can be a case of the typical A&A response to strategy questions:

    IT DEPENDS……

    ……alot on what the axis are doing.

    Sometimes you HAVE to put UK/USA ftrs in Karelia to hold it one round (keeps Germany from taking, so in a strictly IPC sense, only costs you $3, plus other opportunity costs like not having to take it back, conserve units, etc)

    However, over several rounds, if USSR can hold her own, then it can add up…


  • I honestly prefer buying 1 ac, 3 trannies (or 2 and a DD depending) into SZ2 on UK1 and dropping into Kar on UK2, with a grab of finland/norway.  This allows Russia to focus on the south and allows the UK to build up a large force to push toward Poland.  Only stinker is the turn before you go for the push 'n drop into Poland you will not be able to drop directly into Kar, but that is usually the turn I stack NWE with US/UK anyway so its not a big deal.  And with your fleet in SZ 4 you have awhile till G air can truely threaten you, unless they land most of there figs in Baltic which is rare.  Also, the only way G will take Kar is if she leaves her armor there to get smashed by the UK on G2 (which is actually a really nice thing).  Doing this along with a US push into africa on US3 + SBRs on G, you really wear down germany fast, as with a 2 bomber per turn buy with the US (easily done) by turn 3 or 4 G is looking at 6ish bombers bearing down on her.  The bombers being purchased in LA also helps to keep Japan honest with her transports when taking away your 2nd US pacific NO and are always nice to use against Italy’s fleet.  Just make sure with the US you start your shuck in LA and focus mainly on sending over armor to meet with the russians to stack the crap out of persia (you’d be surprised the effect 2-4 US armor a turn has on defending persia from Japan).

    The really funny thing about this method is that by turn 3-4 russia is fighting Japan, the US is fighting all 3, and the UK is fighting Germany, but it does work even if it is a bit…wrong.

Suggested Topics

  • 8
  • 7
  • 4
  • 5
  • 13
  • 24
  • 29
  • 4
Axis & Allies Boardgaming Custom Painted Miniatures

29

Online

17.0k

Users

39.3k

Topics

1.7m

Posts