Barbarossa 42, is it possible?

[trooper76]

Playing against the AI I wanted to explore the viability of a '42 attack on Russia but Russian mobilization always seems to move to fast leading to them being 100% in October '41ish? I moved all my units, (except 4) 10 hexes away from Warsaw and spent 3 chits of diplo to try and slow the Russian mobilization. I did take Spain, Yugo, Greece and the Suez in the meantime does that have too much of an effect?

[PanzerCro]

If you don't attack them, USSR will probably declare war on you until January 1942. at latest.

[fluidwill]

I'm in the Autumn of a '42 Barabarossa in a PBEM game. Bit of a weird one, first the French fought on and moved their Capital to Bordeaux then my opp re-invaded twice (!) in Northern Europe with the Brits so I just couldn't pull my forces together in 41. Then we played a kind of game on the Eastern Front of daring each other to attack through the winter of '41 and then I launched in the first decent weather of '42. I've made no progress in the North against a double line - trench warfare but in the south I've done some classic Blitzkrieg encirclements and might just get to Stalingrad coupled with a panzer charge to Caucasus by Rommell from Egypt and its kind of interesting so in my experience you CAN but I wouldn't necessarily recomend it.

[amandkm]

My guess is, that, if you plan your war based on a '42 invasion, doing everything you can to keep tensions as low as possible with the USSR, possibly even including diplomacy, you could manage it. Even so, you'd be ceding them time to get Infantry weapons to level 2, plus some other research and re-arming done, so not sure it is worth it.

I'd suggest trying that against AI a few times to see.

[PanzerCro]

ORIGINAL: amandkm

My guess is, that, if you plan your war based on a '42 invasion, doing everything you can to keep tensions as low as possible with the USSR, possibly even including diplomacy, you could manage it. Even so, you'd be ceding them time to get Infantry weapons to level 2, plus some other research and re-arming done, so not sure it is worth it.

I'd suggest trying that against AI a few times to see.

I tried it. Put a lost of chits, didn't annex Lithuania, and still in January 1942. they declared war on me.

[LordOfPants]

Yeah, this game wants you to make a 1941 (or 1940 according to some on the forum) Barbarossa. Letting the USSR attack first gives them a bunch of free units since they won't have their 'Germany won't attack us this year' units wiped out at the start of the war, and there's really no way to keep them out of the war long enough to launch a summer 1942 attack first. Other games work differently - in A3R, it was definitely viable to go for a defensive strategy of making the Med an Italian lake, clearing up Europe, and keeping US and USSR readiness low, then attacking (or letting the USSR attack) in 1942 with a focus on lasting past the end date.

[trooper76]

It doesn't seem doable vs the AI which is a shame. Unlike any other game I've played in that regards. Should allow the Axis the strategic flexibility of trying a longer Sealion or taking Turkey/Iran first to open up different gameplay options. Allows SU time to prep for it as well so it's not all gravy for the Axis player. Shrug I can see why the designers might not want to allow a '42 Barb but seems a little inflexible.

[Hubert Cater]

Hi Trooper76,

One thing you can do when you start a new game is to navigate to the OPTIONS->ADVANCED->SCRIPTS screen and turn off the BELLIGERENCE scripts that apply to the USSR, e.g. those that have the USSR declare war on the Axis, and those that have the Axis declare war on the USSR just to be sure none will fire.

I believe this will still have the USSR ramp up its mobilization based on your actions, e.g. it may still reach 100% mobilization, but will not enter the war until you declare war upon them.

If you also want to slow down its mobilization, this is possible too by disabling any desired MOBILIZATION scripts that apply to the USSR.

Essentially we've designed the game to work well in our opinions for single/multiplayer games in terms of balancing the game out for actions/reactions, but there is nothing stopping players to fine tune it after that as they see fit.

Hope this helps,
Hubert

[trooper76]

Appreciate the answer. I guess that's one way of making a '42 Barb happen I'll take it.