AI for MWiF - USSR

[composer99]

Speaking personally, I've built 1 nav2 in tabletop WiF games against other players, and 1 in a solo game using Cyberboard. So 1 nav2 in 1/4 of games I've played as the USSR - not often. And in both cases its purpose was to defend the Arctic Ocean sea area convoys bringing resources & build points to Murmansk & Archangel.

[composer99]

USSR 4-engine Bomber (lnd4) Production

General Characteristics of USSR lnd4
USSR lnd4 have moderate-to-very good tactical bombing factors (3-5), good-to-very good strategic bombing factors (5-7). They generally have poor air combat and naval bombing factors (0-2).

USSR lnd4 ranges are good for bombers overall, with some lnd4 (Pe-3-designation) having excellent range even for lnd4 (17 range).

Many USSR lnd4 have air transport capability if playing with the pertinent optional rule.

USSR Setup lnd4
The USSR begins the 1939 campaign with 1 lnd4 on the map and, if playing with pilots, 1 in the reserve pool.

Why Build (more) lnd4?
The USSR would buy lnd4 for the same reasons it would buy other lnd units: tactical and strategic bombing of Axis-controlled hexes, and offensive/defensive ground support. In addition, if playing with the pertinent optional rule, many of the USSR's lnd4 can double up as air transports.

USSR lnd4 offer good value for build points spent:
- long range allows them to remain stationary while the land front moves (both on offence & defence) for much longer than other air units.
- long range also allows more flexibility in use due to wider "target profile"
- tactical bombing factors are comparable (or superior) to other USSR lnd units until 1942-1943
- strategic bombing factors are superior to other USSR lnd units

When & How Many lnd4?
The USSR should decide what size of lnd4 fleet it wants on the map in each stage of the game and should produce lnd4 to meet that decision plus have an extra in the reserve pool in case of losses (if playing with pilots - if not extras are too expensive).

lnd4 production should also take into consideration the strategic situation (see below).

Optional Rules
Pilots: As noted above, pilots make lnd4 more accessible (less expensive, can be placed in Reserve pool, if destroyed the pilot may survive thus reducing cost of losses)

(RAW Option 35 - bomber/ATR versatility): This option, allowing certain lnd units to act as air transport units, makes the majority of USSR lnd4 more attractive by adding atr capabilities.

Variable reorganization: This option, makes lnd4 less attractive as they cost more to reorganize and, if the bomber/air transport dual role optional is in play, less effective at reorganizing certain units

Additional Considerations
If the USSR is trying to prevent a 1941 German declaration of war by stuffing the border, it should avoid building new lnd4.

lnd4 are useful as part of the defence against a 1941 or 1942 German attack; their utility is inversely proportional to the Axis (especially Italian) fighter coverage and the strength of the attack (e.g. lnd4 are less useful an "all-out" Barbarossa campaign with massive Italian air support) although there is a minimum utility to lnd4 regardless of the circumstances as their range means they can usually keep up with a rapdily-retreating front line

lnd4 are useful on the offence in Europe or Manchuria because of their long range - they can keep up even with a rapid advance

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: composer99

USSR Setup lnd4
The USSR begins the 1939 campaign with 1 lnd4 on the map and, if playing with pilots, 1 in the reserve pool.

At the start of 24.4.7 The Global war: Sep/Oct 1939 ~ Jul/Aug 1945:
The USSR Force pools contain 5x LND-4 (4x TB-3 (1931, 1934, 1935, and 1936) and 1x Petlyakov PE-8 (1939)).

WiF
Gives 1x LND-4 to the USSR set up.

PiF Aircraft.
Adds 1x LND-4 to the USSR set up.

The player chooses which planes to assign pilots. If the player chooses to not to assign pilots to them the aircraft are then assigned to the reserve pool. The USSR starts the scenario with 6x pilots.



So you're saying that:

The LND-4 should be built if you are at war with Japan.

What about Rumania and Finland?

The LND-4 should not be built if you are "Stuffing the Border". Because they won't count towards the Garrison value (see 9.5 Neutrality pacts) unless they are within 3 hexes of the border?

When it has enough friendly FTR coverage:
The LND-4 makes a good static bomber.
All 4x TB-3 LND-4 can fly ATR/Paratroop missions

[brian brian]

aircraft should be worth more to the AI when you are not playing with fractional odds I think. perhaps that should be one of those decisions that is set the same for all AI games. without fractional odds, fighter-bombers delivering a single point of ground support are worth a lot more, as are planes with good abilities to operate at night, as goofy as that can be at times (and something I believe will be going away in future editions of the game). LND-4 flying in from bases safely far away from the front are good for this.

One thing the Russians should always do is set up both LND-4 at start, rather than one of their weaker late-30s LND-3, though several of those are quite good.

LND-4 are more useful for war in Manchuria or Persia than in eastern Europe, though I do not recommend Russia choosing to operate in either theater. in the mid-war I think I would only build them if I can get enough extra $$$ from the West to pay for them. the anti-tank models of FTR2, LND2, and even LND3 are more valuable at the front.

but overall, the looming paradigm for the USSR is war with Germany, and for that you need ground troops, ground troops, ground troops. I posted before Christopher started this great series about my preference for actual aircraft builds.

I have definitely built NAV-2 for the USSR. they can serve well in the Caspian Sea operating effectively as pure recon to help protect oil convoys threatened by Axis naval bombers, as well as the Arctic Ocean. Later they can deliver benefits in the Baltic or Black Sea as well. Anywhere the Russian NAV can operate is generally unlikely to be enough of a priority for Axis land-based air to counter them, and subtle advantages then accrue to the Soviets, though they can only very rarely afford a Combined Impulse to activate a sea-zone.

[composer99]

lnd4 are good in any theatre (Eastern Front, Far East, &c &c). The USSR needs to decide, based on its strategic planning and forecast Axis intentions, how many lnd4 it wants and when it wants them, and produce them accordingly.

The USSR should not build lnd4 from its force pool while trying to stuff the border because they are hugely inefficient (6 bps for 1 garrison). It should build pilots to fill out its reserve planes (if that option is in play) because that's 2 bps for 1 garrison, which is as efficient as it gets.

The setup I have cited is correct, see 24.1.6:

PiF: If you are playing with Planes in Flames, for each location and type of aircraft [randomly] draw aircraft from your force pool equal to the totals listed in both the WiF column and the PiF column. Go through those and select enough (i.e. you can choose which) to set up just those listed in the WiF column. Put the rest back into your force pools. If you are also playing with pilots (PiF option 28), you use up a pilot for each aircraft you set up and put any spare aircraft into the reserve pool instead.

[composer99]

USSR Twin-Engine Bomber (lnd3) Production

General Characteristics of USSR lnd3
USSR lnd3 in the early game have poor to moderate tactical bombing factors (2-3). In the mid- to late-game their tactical factors improve to good or very good (4-5 factors). As noted in brian brian's post #464 several of them (including a potential US lend-lease bomber) have additional anti-tank capability.

USSR lnd3 air combat factors range from 1-5, with earlier units generally having worse air combat.

USSR lnd3 mostly have poor naval bombing factors (0-1) with some exceptions. They generally have moderate to good strategic bombing factors (3-5 factors).

USSR Set-up lnd3
The USSR begins the 1939 campaign setting up:
- in Europe 2 lnd3 (plus 1 in reserve)
- on any map (USSR-controlled hexes only, of course) 1 lnd3 (plus 1 in reserve)

Why Build (more) lnd3?
The USSR builds lnd3 for the same reason it builds other bombers: tactical and strategic bombing of Axis targets and offensive/defensive ground support.

USSR lnd3 are approximately as effective at tactical bombing as lnd2/lnd4. They have better range and strategic factors than lnd2 but worse range/strategic bombing than lnd4. Their air combat factors are worse than lnd2 but better than lnd4.

Any time the USSR is considering producing bombers, it should consider producing lnd3.

When to Produce lnd3, and How Many?
Keeping in mind the USSR's strategic plan, the overall strategic situation, available production, and so on, the USSR should consider producing lnd3 and lnd2, taken together, to meet the following requirements:
- on strategic offence, 2-3 bombers to ground strike a hex each impulse of a turn (2 bombers firing at 3-5 tactical factors is usually required to disorganize most or all defending units, plus a bomber to soak losses), so a good baseline is 10-12 bombers by the beginning of 1943.
- on strategic defence, 1-2 bombers to provide ground support to 2-3 hexes or to make opportunistic ground strikes (unprotected HQs or vanguard hexes), so a good baseline is 5-6 bombers by early 1941.
- scale up from the defence to the offence amount during the transition from strategic defence to strategic offence

Optional Rules
Pilots make lnd3 more accessible (less expensive, can be placed in Reserve pool, if destroyed the pilot may survive thus reducing cost of losses).

Additional Considerations
As with lnd4, lnd3 are very inefficient to generate garrison and should not be built out of the force pool when the USSR is attempting to "stuff the border" against Germany in 1941.

[composer99]

One optional rule which affects all planes is of course oil (it is an optional rule, after all).

Oil reduces the utility of air units slightly because it costs oil to reorganize them (cvp, lnd2, ftr2, nav2 count as half a unit or 1/10 oil; lnd3, lnd4, ftr3, atr3 count as one unit or 1/5 oil).

[composer99]

USSR Single-Engine Bomber (lnd2) Production

General Characteristics of USSR lnd2
USSR lnd2 have moderate to very good tactical bombing factors (3-5 factors). One lnd2 has excellent (6) factors and one has poor (2) factors (although it is, if playing with the appropriate optional rule, a tank buster).

USSR lnd2 have poor to moderate air combat factors (3-5 factors).

USSR lnd2 have terrible to poor strategic and naval bombing factors (0-2 factors).

USSR Set-up lnd2 & lnd2 Availability
The USSR does not set up any lnd2.

The USSR can build up to 14 different lnd2.

Why Build lnd2?
The USSR builds lnd2 for the same reason it builds other bombers: tactical and strategic bombing of Axis targets and offensive/defensive ground support.

USSR lnd2 are slightly better at tactical bombing than lnd3/lnd4.

USSR lnd2 are less expensive. On the other hand, they have much shorter range (typical range 3 hexes compared to 5/5x to 7 for lnd3 and 11+ for lnd4).

Any time the USSR is considering producing bombers, it should consider producing lnd2.

When to Produce lnd2, and How Many?
Keeping in mind the USSR's strategic plan, the overall strategic situation, available production, and so on, the USSR should consider producing lnd3 and lnd2, taken together, to meet the following requirements:
- on strategic offence, 2-3 bombers to ground strike a hex each impulse of a turn (2 bombers firing at 3-5 tactical factors is usually required to disorganize most or all defending units, plus a bomber to soak losses), so a good baseline is 10-12 bombers by the beginning of 1943.
- on strategic defence, 1-2 bombers to provide ground support to 2-3 hexes or to make opportunistic ground strikes (unprotected HQs or vanguard hexes), so a good baseline is 5-6 bombers by early 1941.
- scale up from the defence to the offence amount during the transition from strategic defence to strategic offence

lnd2 are superior on the offence, compared to the defence, due to their range. During a mobile defence they are at risk of being overrun if used.

Optional Rules
Pilots make lnd2 more accessible (less expensive, can be placed in Reserve pool, if destroyed the pilot may survive thus reducing cost of losses).

When playing with oil, lnd2 are more attractive than heavier bombers because they cost less oil to reorganize.

If playing with tank busters, lnd2 are more attractive as they have more of these kinds of units (6 tank buster lnd2 vs 3 tank buster lnd3 or 0 lnd4). 'Tank busters' receive double factors on ground support, or roll double dice on ground strikes, when firing on ARM/MECH and HQ-A.

Additional Considerations
None at this time

----------
Overall, I would expect lnd3/lnd4 to form a larger portion of the USSR bomber fleet in the first half of the game, and lnd2 to become more prominent later on.

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: composer99

lnd4 are good in any theatre (Eastern Front, Far East, &c &c). The USSR needs to decide, based on its strategic planning and forecast Axis intentions, how many lnd4 it wants and when it wants them, and produce them accordingly.

The USSR should not build lnd4 from its force pool while trying to stuff the border because they are hugely inefficient (6 bps for 1 garrison). It should build pilots to fill out its reserve planes (if that option is in play) because that's 2 bps for 1 garrison, which is as efficient as it gets.

The setup I have cited is correct, see 24.1.6:

PiF: If you are playing with Planes in Flames, for each location and type of aircraft [randomly] draw aircraft from your force pool equal to the totals listed in both the WiF column and the PiF column. Go through those and select enough (i.e. you can choose which) to set up just those listed in the WiF column. Put the rest back into your force pools. If you are also playing with pilots (PiF option 28), you use up a pilot for each aircraft you set up and put any spare aircraft into the reserve pool instead.

I think what your saying is you suggest that 1x LND-4 be placed in the reserve pool.

Then when your pilot that you build comes off the production circle you can bring the aircraft out of the reserve pool.

Which is less expensive than building an aircraft and pilot.



But what I'm saying is that no aircraft starts in the reserve pool as you posted from the rules:

If you are also playing with pilots (PiF option 28), you use up a pilot for each aircraft you set up and put any spare aircraft into the reserve pool instead.

You have 6 pilots you could put one on both LND-4.

[composer99]

See the line from 24.1.6:

Go through those and select enough (i.e. you can choose which) to set up just those listed in the WiF column. [Emphasis mine.]

For the USSR 1939 Global War setup, the 'WiF' column in the set-up chart shows 1 LND4 and the 'PiF' column also shows 1 LND4.

Given the line I have cited immediately above, only one of those LND4 can be set up on the map at the very start of the game (player's choice).

Given the next sentences in 24.1.6:

Put the rest back into your force pools. If you are also playing with pilots (PiF option 28), you use up a pilot for each aircraft you set up and put any spare aircraft into the reserve pool instead.

the other one either goes back into the force pool or into the reserves (depending on whether pilots are in play or not).

To recap, when setting up LND4 in the 1939 campaign in WiF, assuming Planes in Flames units are being used, the USSR:
(1) Randomly draws two (2) LND4 from the force pool
(2) Chooses one (1) LND4 to be placed on the map
(3) The other LND4 is placed in reserves (if playing with pilots) or in the force pool (if not)

Because of the way the rule is worded, the USSR must set up on the map:
- in Europe, 1 FTR2, 2 LND3 and 1 LND4
- on any map (where USSR controls hexes), 1 FTR2 and 1 LND3

If playing with pilots the USSR will end up with 4 FTR2, 1 LND3 and 1 LND4 in the reserve pool.

After placing units, if playing with pilots, the USSR may remove air units from the map and place them in the reserves, and on the Nov/Dec 1939 reinforcement step it may place air units in the reserves (such as the other LND4) on the map.

I know MWiF automatically includes Planes in Flames units. I won't say I'm certain that MWiF will handle set-up identically to WiF:FE, but I'm not aware of there being any variance in the set-up rules. Perhaps Steve can comment?

[composer99]

USSR Twin-Engine Fighter (ftr3) Production

General Characteristics of USSR ftr3
USSR ftr3 have air combat factors ranging from 5-9, comparable to their ftr2, although they have less variance because they do not have poor-quality early-war models.

USSR ftr3 range is either 5 or 7 hexes for USSR national units and ranges of 13, 18 & 20 hexes for lend-lease units (the 20-hex range ftr3 is the P-61 Black Widow).

USSR ftr3 have negligible strategic or naval bombing factors overall unless they are lend-lease units, in which case they have poor to moderate factors.

USSR ftr3 have negligible to moderate tactical bombing factors (USSR-nationality) or even good to very good/excellent tactical bombing factors (lend-lease units; in particular the P-61 has 6 tactical bombing factors, making it as good as the best USSR bombers).

All USSR ftr3 are night-fighters; the majority of USSR ftr3 are high-performance (do not suffer a penalty against ftr2 in air combat).

USSR ftr3 Setup
The USSR does not set up any ftr3.

ftr3 become available in the force pool starting (if memory serves) in 1941.

Why Build ftr3?
USSR ftr3 are comparable to their ftr2, with one notable exception: the P-61s are very useful aircraft (although not as good at air combat as ftr2).

So any time the USSR would build any fighter units, it has no particular reason to prefer ftr2 or ftr3 over the other group. It does have an incentive to build out the ftr3 force pool to ensure the P-61s can be produced if the US lends them.

If the USSR intends on undertaking night missions it should produce ftr3 as these night fighters fight at an advantage over non-night fighters (non-night fighters are less effective, tending to shoot down & abort bombers less and clearing them through more).

When to Build ftr3 and how many?
Anytime the USSR would produce fighters, it could produce ftr3.

The total number of fighters the USSR should have on the map is contingent upon its strategic plans, the presence of Axis fighters (the more Axis ftr, the more the USSR needs, especially since German ftr are 1-2 factors superior to USSR ftr of the same year) in opposition to the USSR, availability of build points, and the strategic situation.

The USSR can't build ftr3 until 1941 (at the earliest). Once ftr3 are available it may wish to build up to 1/turn until the force pool is empty.

Optional Rules
Oil favours ftr2 over ftr3 as the former cost less oil to reorganize.

The tank buster and twin-engine-fighter optional rules (the latter does not add ftr3 to the game, rather it makes them weaker against ftr2) favour ftr2 slightly, as there are 2-3 ftr2 with tank buster tactical factors and 2-4 ftr3 which are weaker against ftr2.

Pilots make all ftr units more accessible in the same manner it makes other air units more accessible, particularly on defence when air combats will tend to occur over USSR hexes.

Additional Considerations
The P-61s are a very strong addition to the USSR arsenal and the USSR should encourage the US to lend at least one to them.

-----
Note:
The above descriptions on aircraft lent from other Allied major powers may not be applicable to MWiF. In WiF:FE there are specific lend-lease air units that the USSR adds to its force pools provided the lending power agrees to transfer a corresponding unit to the lend-lease pool, with the units restricted by the counter mix. CWiF did it differently: the lending power could (if I recall correctly) designate any unit in its force pool for lending to someone else. If MWiF does aircraft lending the way CWiF did then major powers have more flexibility in lending units than might be expressed by these notes.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: composer99

See the line from 24.1.6:

Go through those and select enough (i.e. you can choose which) to set up just those listed in the WiF column. [Emphasis mine.]

For the USSR 1939 Global War setup, the 'WiF' column in the set-up chart shows 1 LND4 and the 'PiF' column also shows 1 LND4.

Given the line I have cited immediately above, only one of those LND4 can be set up on the map at the very start of the game (player's choice).

Right. 12 planes, 6 pilots and only one LND4 that can set-up to start with. Of course this can be reconfigured later on by removing planes and pilots one turn(even SO39) and putting on different planes the next turn. Or building more pilots.

[composer99]

Thanks to Matrix Games' forum login/logout times, I swear I've had to redo 3-4 of these air unit production posts. [:@]

[brian brian]

always copy a long post to the clipboard before you click OK to keep from the logout erasing it. sometimes you can save it by hitting the back button on a browser too.

[composer99]

always copy a long post to the clipboard before you click OK to keep from the logout erasing it

I keep thinking I should do that and then keep forgetting to... alas...

[composer99]

USSR Single-Engine Fighter (ftr2) Production

General Characteristics of USSR ftr2
USSR ftr2 have air combat factors ranging from 3 (pre/early war models) to 9 (late/post war models).

USSR ftr2 range is generally low, typically ranging from 2-5 hexes.

USSR ftr2, with some exceptions, have poor tactical bombing factors and even poorer naval or strategic bombing factors.

USSR ftr2 Setup & Availability
The USSR begins the 1939 campaign setting up 1 ftr2 on the Europe map and 1 ftr2 on any map (on hexes the USSR controls). If playing with pilots, it sets 4 ftr2 up in the reserve pool.

If playing with pilots the USSR has no ftr2 available in the force pool in 1939. Whether playing with pilots or not it adds ftr2 every year, often in significant numbers.

Why Produce ftr2?
The USSR must have ftr units on the map in order to:
- contest enemy bombing/paradrop missions against USSR hexes, enemy bombing missions against USSR naval units at sea, or enemy non-combat missions (air transport/reorganization)
- defend corresponding USSR missions from being contested by enemy ftr units

If it does not produce ftr units, it will not be able to accomplish these tasks, with follow-on negative consequences for USSR strategic situation and operational/tactical considerations.

The USSR will tend to produce ftr2 by default as these are the most numerous ftr units in the USSR force pools.

When to Build ftr2 & in What Quantity?
USSR ftr2 production will vary based on:
- available build points (more == more ftr2 and vice-versa)
- other production requirements (land units, other air units, &c) (more == less ftr2 and vice-versa)
- the strategic situation (some circumstances will call for more ftr2, some less, multiple circumstances may be at work simultaneously)
- quantity and quality of ftr units in the force pool (more and better ftr2 == more ftr2 production)
- quantity and quality of USSR ftr units on the map vs quantity and quality of enemy ftr units in areas USSR will contest in the air (more requirement for more & better ftr2 == more ftr2 production and vice-versa)
- available reserves to absorb losses (more & better reserves == less ftr2 production and vice-versa)

As a rule of thumb, USSR production of ftr2 will tend to be lower (0 or 1 units per turn) in the early game and will tend to scale up (2 or 3 units per turn, maybe more on some turns) in the mid to late game.

Optional Rules Affecting ftr2 Production
Pilots: Pilots makes ftr2 more accessible - see other entries upthread for specific effects of pilots

Oil: Oil tends to reduce the utility of all oil-dependent units (such as air units) slightly; in addition ftr2 become more attractive due to their lower oil cost compared to ftr3

ftr2 can be made more attractive than ftr3 (without necessarily changing overall ftr production) if tank busters & twin-engine (reduced ftr3 performance vs ftr2) fighter optionals are in play.

Additional Considerations
I can't think of any at this time.

(PS this was the last one of these posts, all eight categories of USSR air unit as noted in #456 have been brought up)

[Extraneous]

24.4.7 World in Flames: Global war

In 1939 the USSR starts as a neutral major power. When Germany, Italy, or Japan declares war on the USSR then the USSR becomes an active major power.

USSR Combined action
1x Rail movement (You can rail land units, factories, or aircraft units) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
1x Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation
-- Unlimited Naval transport
-- Unlimited Naval combat
5x Land movement
-- Land moves (a land move is the movement of 1 land unit - see 11.11 Land movement)
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Debarkation
2x Land attacks (a land attack is an attack against 1 enemy stack by any number of units - see 11.16 Land combat)
-- Land attack
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land Attack)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land Attack)
4x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission)
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission and 1x Land movement.
Each Paradrop counts as 1x Land attack.

5.1 Trade agreements
Germany-USSR
USSR and Germany start the 1939 scenario with a trade agreement in place to exchange German build points for Soviet resources.

In each turn, Germany must lend lease 2 build points to the USSR while the USSR must supply Germany with 7 resources (2 of them must be oil).

3x Oil is saved.

Production 1939
13x Oil
20x Resources
29x Factories (7x Red and 22x Blue)
0.25 Production multiple

Total USSR production is 8 BP.
An additional Oil Saved per turn.
7x Factories are unused.

If Japan declares war on the USSR.

9. Japan declares war on USSR (There is a 50% chance a USA entry chit will be added to the USA (Ja) entry pool)

Option 50: (USSR-Japan compulsory peace) If Japan controls Vladivostok during the first war between Japan and the USSR, the Japanese player must agree to a peace if the Soviet player wants one. Similarly, if the USSR controls 3 or more resources that were Japanese controlled at the start of the war, the Soviet player must agree to a peace if the Japanese player wants one.

In either case, the new Russo-Japanese border is established by the hexes each controls. Any pocket of non-coastal hexes wholly surrounded by hexes controlled by the other major power becomes controlled by the major power whose hexes surround them.

Active major powers
5. Lending Stage
You can only give resources (or build points) if you are an active major power and you can only give them to another active major power (exceptions: Trade agreements ~ see 5.1 Trade agreements, US entry options ~ see 13.3.2 US entry options and lending to Vichy France ~ see 17.4 Running Vichy France). Vichy France must also be hostile to lend to other major powers (see 17.4 Running Vichy France).

9.6 Calling out the reserves
Each major power (exception: Vichy France, see 17.3 Units) has reserve units that you can call out when it goes to war with another major power.

You can always call out reserves that have ‘Res’ on the back of their counter. If a reserve unit has a particular major power named on its back, you can only call it out when you go to war with that major power.

You don’t have to call out all the eligible reserves at the first opportunity.

Any you don’t call out are available while you are at war with a major power.

When you call out the reserves:
• move your eligible reserve units from the reserve pool to the map immediately in the same manner as reinforcements (see 4.2 Reinforcements) except that they are set-up face down; and
• put your eligible reserve units that have previously been removed from the game back into your force pools.

From now on, treat these reserves just like any other units.

11.10 Rail movement
Factories
You can rail move any blue factory you control in your home country if:
(a) An enemy in-supply land unit is currently in this home country and on the same map as the factory; or
(b) A factory in this home country was destroyed by strategic bombardment during this or the previous turn.

Factories must always end their rail move at a city hex in their home country. You can never end with more than 2 blue factories in one city.

Use the factory markers to show the removal of factories at one place and their arrival at the other.

The railed factory is not available for production until the 2nd turn after it finishes its move. For example, if you move it in Jan/Feb, it starts producing again in May/Jun.

13.6.3 Production multiples
Increase a major power’s production multiple by 0.25 if there is an in supply enemy unit in the major power¹s current home country (an unconquered UK only in the case of the Commonwealth and not Siberia in the case of the USSR).

Option 49: (Hitler’s war) Replace notes (b), (d) and (e) of the Production Multiples Table with:
(b) +0.25 to China each turn;
(d) +0.25 to the USSR while Germany and the USSR are at war with each other.

Using this option, major powers no longer receive a bonus for an in supply enemy unit in their home country, and the USSR no longer receives any bonuses based on the cities they control.

13.6.6 Gearing limits
On the first turn of any scenario or campaign there are no gearing limits.

Neutral major powers are not subject to gearing limits on the turn that a major power declares war on it.

13.3.1 Entry markers
Regular entry markers
Each turn randomly choose 1 entry marker from the common entry marker pool. From Jan/Feb 1942 onwards, draw an extra marker. Each marker you pick may go into either the Japan entry pool or the Germany/Italy entry pool (your choice).

13.3.3 US entry actions

19.5 The Nazi-Soviet pact
In all World in Flames scenarios that start after Jul/Aug 1939 and before Jul/Aug 1941, the USSR and Germany have a Nazi-Soviet pact in place that regulates their spheres of influence. They signed their pact on the 23rd August 1939 and Germany broke certain of its clauses on the 22nd of June 1941.

26. The USSR controls Eastern Poland (There is a 70% chance a USA entry chit will be removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
The USSR can exercise its Nazi-Soviet Pact rights to occupy eastern Poland during any Allied land movement step. However, it can only exercise those rights if Poland has not been conquered (see 19.5.1 Eastern Poland).

It is strongly urged that 26. The USSR controls Eastern Poland as soon as possible.

27. The USSR controls Nazi-Soviet Pact areas (Baltic States) (There is a 40% chance a USA entry chit will be removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
The USSR can exercise its Nazi-Soviet Pact rights to occupy the Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) during any Allied land movement step after it has exercised its rights to eastern Poland. You can only exercise your rights over those states that are neutral (see 19.5.2 Baltic States).

It has been suggested that 27. The USSR controls Nazi-Soviet Pact areas (Baltic States) sometime in 1940.


19.6 Soviet border rectification
The Soviet Union laid claim to territory held by several of its neighbours. As a result of the Nazi-Soviet partition of Poland, it recovered the land it claimed from that country. Subsequently, with German approval, it absorbed the Baltic States, satisfying further claims. This rule covers its claims over Rumania and Finland.

31. The USSR declares war on:
Poland, Spain, Turkey, or any American country (2 USA entry chits and a 50% chance of another will be removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
Belgium, Finland, Rumania, Sweden or Switzerland (1 USA entry chit and a 80% chance of another being removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
Other minor country or Vichy France (There is a 90% chance of a USA entry chit being removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)

This 19.6 Soviet border rectification means one less resource to Germany and one more resource to USSR production for both Rumania and Finland.

It has been suggested that 31. The USSR declares war on Rumania in 1939. This requires that the USSR have available on map significant LND 4 to threaten the Rumanian oil fields to force the Germans to accept the USSR's claim.

It is considered that 31. The USSR declares war on Finland sometime in 1940 after the USSR has produced more land units. The resource from Finland will offset the loss of the resource that had been received from the USSR. It is to the German players advantage to draw out a war between the USSR and Finland because it ties up a large portion of the USSR's forces. It is easier (and this is not easy) for the USSR to drive on Helsinki, Finland than to chase down a single Finnish unit in the borderlands.

Optional Soviet border claims

The USSR declares war on Persia (Asian/Pacific).
31. The USSR declares war on:
Poland, Spain, Turkey, or any American country (2 USA entry chits and a 50% chance of another will be removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
Belgium, Finland, Rumania, Sweden or Switzerland (1 USA entry chit and a 80% chance of another being removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
Other minor country or Vichy France (There is a 90% chance of a USA entry chit being removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)

Production
3x Oil (1 on rail lines and 2 from ports)

5.1 Trade agreements
Persia
A neutral Persia must supply the Commonwealth with 1 of its oil resources each turn.

Persia Royal CAV 3-4

Reserve
Tehran MIL 3-2

This depends on the USSR start up forces and how quickly you want to conquer Persia

At start place 1x CP in the Caspian sea zone and 1x CAV in the swamp hex in the USSR north of the minor port of Bandar Shah, Persia.

If the USSR gets the SB-2bis (3, 0, 2, 2, 7) or SB-2RK (2, 1, 3, 1, 7) on the Asian/Pacific map place it in Krasnovodsk, USSR.
If the USSR wants they can wait for their LND 4 to rebase to Baku, USSR.
Of course the USSR player could rebase the LND 4 on the first USSR impulse if you want to delay the Soviet border rectification with Rumania.

1) Quick Assault from the east.
Also place the 2nd Siberian INF 6-4 and 3rd Siberian INF 5-4 in the swamp hex in the USSR north of the minor port of Bandar Shah, Persia.
The best defense for the Persian Royal CAV is at Bandar Shah, Persia. Of course this leaves them vulnerable to ground strikes and bypassed.
Persia should be conquered in 2 USSR impulses.

2) Quick Assault from the east and the west.
Place the 2nd Siberian INF 6-4 and 3rd Siberian INF 5-4 in the mountain hex in the USSR east of Tabriz, Persia.
The best defense for the Persian Royal CAV 3-4 is in Teheran, Persia.
Persia should be conquered in 2 USSR impulses.

3) Slow Assault from the east and the west.
Move 1x MEC and 1x INF (the USSR wants at least 12 combat factors) to the mountain hex in the USSR east of Tabriz, Persia.
When they get there the USSR can declare war on Persia.
The best defense for the Persian Royal CAV 3-4 is in Teheran, Persia.
Persia should be conquered in 2 USSR impulses.

Depending on the USSR losses (if any) when conquering Persia the USSR should next consider the conquest of Iraq.

31. The USSR declares war on Iraq.
Poland, Spain, Turkey, or any American country (2 USA entry chits and a 50% chance of another will be removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
Belgium, Finland, Rumania, Sweden or Switzerland (1 USA entry chit and a 80% chance of another being removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
Other minor country or Vichy France (There is a 90% chance of a USA entry chit being removed from the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)

Production
2x Oil (both on rail lines)

5.1 Trade agreements
Iraq
A neutral Iraq must supply France with 1 of its oil resources each turn. If France is conquered, or if a Vichy government has been installed (see 17.1 Creation), Iraq instead provides the oil to whichever major power or minor country controls Syria. A Vichy-controlled Syria will pass it on to the major power that installed a Vichy Government.

Iraq Royal CAV 2-5

Reserve
Baghdad MIL 2-2

Rail the USSR units to Bandar Shapur enter the swamp to the southwest.
Declare war on Iraq.
Follow the rail line north to Baghdad, Iraq.
Iraq should be conquered in 3 USSR impulses.

Force Pools
MECH (1x 5-6, 1x 6-6, 1x 7-5, and 2x 8-6)
INF (3x 3-3, 3x 4-3, 1x 4-4, 5x 5-3, 2x 5-4, and 1x 6-3)
CAV (1st division 1-5, 1x 2-5, and 1x 3-4)
GARR (1x 2-1, 1x 3-1, 3x 4-1, and 1x 5-1)
GUNS (85mm ART 3-2, 122mm ART 4-2, 45mm AT 2-3, 76mm AT 3-2, 37mm AA 2-3, 76mm FLAK (AAA) 11-1)

FTR 2 (1x I-5 (2, 0, 0, 0, 3), I-15 Seagull (3, 0, 0, 0, 2), I-15bis Seagull (3, 0, 1, 0, 3), I-16 Donkey (3, 0, 0, 0, 4), I-16 (10) Donkey (3, 0, 0, 0, 4), I-16 (17) Donkey (4, 0, 0, 0, 4), I-153 Seagull (4, 0, 1, 0, 3))
LND 3 (SB-2 (1, 0, 2, 1, 5), SB-2bis (3, 0, 2, 2, 7), SB-2RK (2, 1, 3, 1, 7), IL-4 (1, 1, 2, 3, 5), IL-4 (2, 2, 3, 4, 5), IL-4 (2, 3, 3, 4, 5), Pe-2 (3, 0, 3, 2, 5))
LND 4 (TB-3 (1, 0, 3, 6, 11), TB-3 (1, 0, 3, 7, 11), TB-3 (2, 1, 3, 6, 11), TB-3 (2, 1, 4, 7, 11), Pe-8 (3, 0, 3, 5, 17))


Europe
Timoshenko HQ-I (5-(2)-2)

1x MECH
2x INF
2x GARR
1x CAV
3x Guns
1x INF division

4(1) x FTR 2
3(2) x LND 3
2(1) x LND 4
4 x Pilots

2x Submarines

Asian/Pacific
Zhukov HQ-A (8-(5)-4)
3x INF
1x CAV
1x Guns
1x CAV division

2(1) x FTR 2
1(1) x LND 3
2x Pilots

2x Submarines


Baltic Sea ports
Battleship October Revolution
Battleship Marat
Heavy cruiser Kirov

Black Sea ports
Battleship Paris Commune
Heavy cruiser Krasnyi Kavkaz
Light cruiser Chervona Ukraina
Light cruiser Comintern
Light cruiser Krasni Krym


Any maps
1x ENG division
1x TRS
5x CP
3x Oil


Reserve vs. Germany
MECH (1x 7-6)
INF (1x 5-3. 1x 6-3, and 1x 7-4)
CAV (2-4 and 3-5)
GARR (1x 5-1)
MIL (Kiev 5-2, Leningrad 6-3, and Moscow 7-2)

Reserve vs. All
INF (1x 4-3 and 1x 7-4)
CAV (2-4)
MIL (Kuybyshev 3-2 and Vladivostok 4-3)


Construction pool
Heavy cruiser Molotov
Heavy cruiser Maxim Gorkiy
1x Submarine


Production circle
Jan/Feb 1940
1x Submarine [fd]
1x Offensive chit

Mar/Apr 1940
Heavy cruiser Zhelezniakov [fd]

May/Jun 1940
Heavy cruiser Chapayev [fd]
Heavy cruiser Voroshilov [fu]

[paulderynck]

deleted

[Extraneous]

If Japan declares war on the USSR.

9. Japan declares war on USSR (There is a 50% chance a USA entry chit will be added to the USA (Ja) entry pool)

Option 50: (USSR-Japan compulsory peace) If Japan controls Vladivostok during the first war between Japan and the USSR, the Japanese player must agree to a peace if the Soviet player wants one. Similarly, if the USSR controls 3 or more resources that were Japanese controlled at the start of the war, the Soviet player must agree to a peace if the Japanese player wants one.

In either case, the new Russo-Japanese border is established by the hexes each controls. Any pocket of non-coastal hexes wholly surrounded by hexes controlled by the other major power becomes controlled by the major power whose hexes surround them.

USSR Land action
3x Rail movement (You can rail land units, factories, or aircraft units) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
1x Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation
-- Unlimited Naval transport
-- Unlimited Naval combat
Unlimited Land movement
-- Land moves (a land move is the movement of 1 land unit - see 11.11 Land movement)
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Debarkation
Unlimited Land attacks (a land attack is an attack against 1 enemy stack by any number of units - see 11.16 Land combat)
-- Land attack
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land Attack)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land Attack)
3x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission)
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission and 1x Land movement.
Each Paradrop counts as 1x Land attack

If the USSR wanted peace with Japan easiest way for the USSR to control 3 or more resources that were Japanese controlled at the start of the war is to take Manchuria (which would be more accurately labeled Manchukuo).

3x resources
2x factories


Reasons why Japan shouldn't DoW the USSR:
1) It will take a lot of Japanese resources for a protracted war in Siberia.
Japan needs to quickly take Vladivostok and hope the USSR wants peace.
If the USSR places Zukov HQ-A (8-(5)-4), a Siberian INF 5-4, and a GUN in Vladivostok that's a minimum of 15 combat factors.
If Japan doesn't quickly take Vladivostok they need a land unit in Harbin, Manchuria (its the capitol of Manchuria).
The USSR starts with 2 Submarines on the Asia/Pacific map to attack Japanese convoys.

2) Bad weather Siberia is in the North Temperate and Arctic weather zones.
This can affect land movement, air combat, shore bombardment, and invasions,

3) If Japan is fighting the USSR it is probably not fighting China.
Remember the Chinese communists are controlled by the USSR. It would be embarrassing to have Chinese communists take some of those 3 or more resources.

4) There are plenty of Japanese targets for USSR strategic bombing.

5) It makes the USSR an active major power.

6) Japan hasn't got the units available in 1939.

7) Japanese production is 10BP saving 1 oil a turn. Not a lot to build ships, land units, and air units.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

Partisans cannot leave their home country.