How to defend Russia (No castor troy please!)

[Miller]

Hi, its May 43 and my opponent is about to invade Russia. Given that I am clueless at the best of times when it comes to ground combat, could anyone advise on the best defensive strategy?

Is it better to defend at the front lines or fall back to key bases? He will no doubt be using all his available armoured units that bulldozed through India and Northern Aus to get as far into the place as quickly as possible. We are playing on the stock map.

The Russian airforce is a joke tbh, the only fighter capable of matching the Zero and Tony performance wise has a gun value of 4.....and most of my bombers have a range of 2-3 hexes max, and all are flown by pilots with 50's exp compared to his 80 exp......so basically useless.

I have two weeks to get my ground units where I want them to be.......any advice?

[stuman]

I am curious, had you started training the Russian pilots from the very beginning ? I only ask because if you did , and they are all still in the 50's after 18 months then something is wrong. They should be higher I think. My Russians average about 58 in 9/42, except for a couple of new groups recently arrived. Also I think the Yak 1 has a gun value of 8, and the LAGG 10. And the Mig 3 seems like a decent plane. The PE2 is an ok bomber. But anyway I am really asking because I wonder if there is some glitch keeping your pilots from training.
 
Protecting Borzya is imperative. Also I think consideration should be given to withdrawing most all forces to Blago.......and beyond.  I am not sure how far you can move forces in 2 weeks, and I would try to hold Vladivostock as long as you can, even though he should eventually get it.

[RUPD3658]

Having lost Russia mytself (See AAR The Repenatant Samurai) I would advise pulling everone back to Irkustsk and digging in. You may be able to hold out until 45 when massive reinforcements arrive and you will be supplied the whole time. Try to defend anyhwere else and you will get cut off, starved out, and defeated piece by piece.

If nothing else it will delay the final fall and tie up Jap units that could be used elsewhere.

[wernerpruckner]

Retreat to Irkustsk......try to delay him on river crossings......be careful, Castor will try to outflank you with his tank regiments when ever it is possible.
 
you may study the AAr Jumper vs Panzerjaeger Hortlund:
here is Jumpers AAR: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1733319&mpage=1&key=

[stuman]

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658

Having lost Russia mytself (See AAR The Repenatant Samurai) I would advise pulling everone back to Irkustsk and digging in. You may be able to hold out until 45 when massive reinforcements arrive and you will be supplied the whole time. Try to defend anyhwere else and you will get cut off, starved out, and defeated piece by piece.

If nothing else it will delay the final fall and tie up Jap units that could be used elsewhere.

Do you think it it worth trying to keep some units in Vlad, just to deny the port for a while ? Or just move everythinig to Irk as fast as possible ? Holding Boryza and Blag is important, at least while you are retreating otherunits to Irk.

RUPD3658, what is your opinion of the Russian airunits ?

[Miller]

I have had all the air units set to training 60% all game......most are mid to high 50's exp (I don't think you can get higher than 60 training this way). It is a nik-mod so gun value of fighters has gone down somewhat.

Up to now it looks like I am facing around 12 Divs plus support units in the South, destination Vladivostok. I am guessing he will use his tank units plus move divs to move on the northern bases.

I have about 20 full strength Divs and 10 Brigades to play with, where should I position them?

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: stuman

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658

Having lost Russia mytself (See AAR The Repenatant Samurai) I would advise pulling everone back to Irkustsk and digging in. You may be able to hold out until 45 when massive reinforcements arrive and you will be supplied the whole time. Try to defend anyhwere else and you will get cut off, starved out, and defeated piece by piece.

If nothing else it will delay the final fall and tie up Jap units that could be used elsewhere.

Do you think it it worth trying to keep some units in Vlad, just to deny the port for a while ? Or just move everythinig to Irk as fast as possible ? Holding Boryza and Blag is important, at least while you are retreating otherunits to Irk.

RUPD3658, what is your opinion of the Russian airunits ?

Run for the hills. Any unit left behind will be little more than a speed bump for the Jap land death star. The region forts will slow him down so I would move everyone to Irkutsk.

The Mig 3s did ok but everything else got slaugtered. In massed formations they will kill 1 Jap AC for every 2-3 that you lose. Make sure to turn replacements off. No need to lose more AC that you are already going to. The way to look at the bright side is to remember that every pilot that you kill is one less that the Allies have to face elsewhere.

[Historiker]

Strange tipps... [X(]

Why should he reduce his fighter numbers deliberatly? Castor Troy will bomb his airfields to reduce the number of Soviet planes - so he should help Castor by not using them?
Why should he run for irkusk and give all of russia as a present?


Defend Borzya - that the Key to the North. You MUST hold it! If he flanks you with his tanks - let him flank you! He won't recieve any supplies by land as long as you control the base. Consequently, he'll have to fly supplies in. So put LR-CAP over his tanks.
Moreover, the more he moves into your backyard, the fewer planes can defend his tanks. So let your bombers attack them at 1000 ft as tanks don't have enough AAA to defend them.

Defend Vladivostok. The units there should be finally lost, but it delays him for a long time. Moreover, this gives you an airfield in striking range for Japan. Move all available AA into Vladivostok to make him pay for closing the airfield!

Move smaller units off the road into woods and mountains. Either he'll be forced to follow you what weakens his offensive power or he ignores you. If he ignores you - fine! Move the units out of the wastland onto the roads again when he's passend - and no more supplies will arrive.

Move in every long ranged bomber you have and strike Japan and Manchuria. Don't just strike the industry - it can be repaired - strike his ports. Every ship sunk is gone, forever! After one strike move all bombers out of this base and concentrate every Fighter you have there. Maybe that's enough to make him pay a lot for his strikes. Especially as long as the base hex isn't entered by his troops, yet, he'll loose plenty of pilots!

Use the shore bases for every unused PB unit. Let them fly night attacks on Japan - he can't knock them out as their "runway" can't be crated.

Don't care about the gun value. His Zeros are unarmoured as well as his Bettys. A well aimed burst from a 7,62mm MG is enough for such a paper plane. You don't have do down enemy 4es, so two MGs are enough!

But most important: Make him play YOUR game, don't play his game! Take the initiative and stick to your plan! Don't do a little bit of everything because then, all is lost! Either run with all you have for Irkutsk or defend everywhere but don't do a little bit of both.

[Miller]

Thanks for the tips guys. I wish I had the confidence to stand and fight and hurt his forces in some way but the russian AF is useless. I think run away may be the best course of action[:'(]

[Historiker]

Coward [:D]

Good Luck [;)]

[USSAmerica]

He's not running away.... it's a tactical maneuver!  [:D]

[Mistmatz]

Elasitc defense is BS. Draw your line on the ground and die! Errr, fight I mean. [;)]

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: Mistmatz

Elasitc defense is BS. Draw your line on the ground and die! Errr, fight I mean. [;)]

Isn't that the same for a russian soldier?

[stuman]

ORIGINAL: Miller

I have had all the air units set to training 60% all game......most are mid to high 50's exp (I don't think you can get higher than 60 training this way). It is a nik-mod so gun value of fighters has gone down somewhat.

Up to now it looks like I am facing around 12 Divs plus support units in the South, destination Vladivostok. I am guessing he will use his tank units plus move divs to move on the northern bases.

I have about 20 full strength Divs and 10 Brigades to play with, where should I position them?

I forgot about the Nik modded numbers. But whatever, good luck !

[Japan]

ORIGINAL: Miller

Thanks for the tips guys. I wish I had the confidence to stand and fight and hurt his forces in some way but the russian AF is useless. I think run away may be the best course of action[:'(]

Nah, the Soviets are massive (Evan in 42) so use the situation to your advantage, and crush your opponent, use the Soviet Advantages and supirrior men, material and formations and push him into Korea.

[bigbaba]

god damnd historiker. you speak like "von clausewitz". i get realy scared when i think about our game when i see you speaking this way.[:D]

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

god damnd historiker. you speak like "von clasewitz". i get realy scared when i think about our game when i see you speaking this way.[:D]

As I told you... I know what to do. My problem is rather that I don't follow my own advices [;)]