Matrix Games Forums

I've not played the Soviets (hope to against NOSB) and am messing around with some stuff, but it seems that a key to Soviet sucess is the ability to make forts. And I am frustrated. I find that whether I have a unit less or more than 25 hexes from the front, whether I have them stacked, whether I have them next to a)Corp or b) Army HQ, and whether they have sapper or construction SU's attached to HQ's I can't create more than a level 2 fort, 10 % unless they are in a city after 10 turns ??? What an I doing wrong ??? A complete NOOBIE !!!!

I think playing the Soviets well is more of logistics and strategy and less of tactics thru "42. ??

Level 3 is built only when enemy is close (and you won't get more from regular troops). The alternative is to use fortified regions, they are able to build up to level 5, but this costs a lot of supplies.

Forts cannot be increased in size to greater than 2 if the hex is more than 25 hexes from an enemy unit.

Requirement to build up to Fort Level 5 - Only will be built in port hexes that have a fort unit. Once built, the fort unit is not needed to keep the level 4 fort. Not possible in a swamp hex.
Requirement to build up to Fort Level 4 - Must have a fort unit in the hex. Once built, the fort unit is not needed to keep the level 4 fort. Not possible in swamp hex.
Requirement to build up to Fort Level 3 - Must be adjacent to an enemy hex, be an urban or city hex, or be in or adjacent to a fort unit. Once the level 3 is reached, the condition does not have to continue to be met to keep the level 3 fort.
Fort levels that have reached their maximum fort level for the hex may continue to build up to 10% towards the next fort level.

On turn 1 + 2 near Moscow I put down a dozen + forts a hex apart so you get a nice carpet of high level forts by September.

Moscow

Clear row----------------------------------------------------------
clear Fort clear clear fort clear clear fort clear clear fort clear.
Clear row-----------------------------------------------------------
clear Fort clear clear fort clear clear fort clear clear fort clear.
Clear Row---------------------------------------------------------

I add in four more. you will see where needed based on rivers and city. Keep Stalin in middle of pile.

By the time September comes around you will have a 120 wide 50 mile deep carpet of level 3 forts (50 morale units) not counting Moscow and close hexes and the rivers to north and south of city. Plus the lvl 4's holding ZOC. This carpet I left in plase during 42 in my SHC game. Wall of Steel that can't be punched through.

GHC is forsed to go far to north and south to try and take Moscow. Not going to happen, because of distance to railheads and time.

It does cost some up front, but its more then worth the cost of losing Moscow.

I be tring something near Leningrad my next game.

4 forts one HQ with 8 construction units in it and 8 units. Add water and watchem grow quickly. Should be a blanket of lvl 3's by turn 8.

I'd like to add the suggestion that the Soviet player disbands fortified regions that will be nothing but speed bumps in order to move equipment to the production pool for the Moscow forts to use.

ORIGINAL: Wally Wilson

I'd like to add the suggestion that the Soviet player disbands fortified regions that will be nothing but speed bumps in order to move equipment to the production pool for the Moscow forts to use.

You do remove them when needed that goes with out saying.

I generally put units in the FZ hex also.

Its a bad idea for SHC to build more then 15ish FZ's