Matrix Games Forums

I am playing the Soviet Side for the first time...still learning the game...

Q: As a Soviet player you can construct new units by using admin points, as I understand it...I do not see an option to do so...how do you build a new soviet HQ for example? Its early in the game (July '41)...perhaps I do not have enough admin points (I have 170 currently) or perhaps its too early??? Thanks!

Search for reinforcements.

New on-map units may be built after a few months (or weeks) after June '41 and only with a small selection available. In 1941 the costs are prohibitive by the way. Real building (up) doesn't start until spring/summer 1942 and the rifle corps buildup is best delayed until 1943 (if you can). You can find the details in the manual. Unit destroyed before October (I think) are automatically returning for free in a few turns. First real building (up) is creating cavalry corps in december '41, divisions from brigades in april '42, and tank corps from tank brigades in the same period. Of course smaller (support) units can be built all the time, for 1 AP per unit.

During the summer of 41 you get a very large number of scheduled reinforcements and new HQs.  I don't think you need to build any more during that time or perhaps only a small number.  You will have other needs for your AP points anyway.  Also the cost of building new units is much higher in the early weeks of the game.

Later in 41 it will make sense to start building more units.  To do this, click on a large city such as Kiev, Orel, Kursk, Rostov, etc and then enter shift B to get the build menu.

Edit: The above applies to building new on-map units -- rifle brigades/divisions, army HQ etc. To build new support units, you click on the HQ you want and in the "assign/form" menu you can add new support units at a cost of 1 AP for each (also manpower and equipment as appropriate to the type of unit).

Thanks, jwolf! this was exactly what I was looking for...

@Basilhare

You don't have AP to waste in 41-42, so use it efficiently. If you are playing against a human opponent, Morvael's suggestion that you build tank corps in April 42 is premature. You can do it, if you you don't want to hold the front, but you won't have the trucks to support them then and you will have holes in your line. So build only Cavalry and Infantry and assemble them into corps as you feel you can afford to.

One other thought... You will be tempted to use AP to switch out poor HQ leaders in the 41-42 time period. My recommendation is don't do it, unless it is to take a good leader out of command to save him from experiencing "losses". You won't be doing any significant counterattacking because you have no troops to do it with anyway. Burning AP to put good leaders in control of bad troops is just wasting AP and putting your good leaders in positions where they will be penalized for "losing" battles. So use your AP to build troops, and leave your good leaders in the pool or in units where they wont get attacked in 41-42. That way you will start 43 with low negative scores on your best leaders.

Right, keep 100 useles tank brigades that use just as much trucks instead .
If the game could not handle the historical number of tank units, we could really speak of a badly designed logistical sistem .

the tank corps ads the abilty to react to bad situations very fast , no other unit is capable of burning trough 12 enemy hexes in 1942.

Be careful with creating too many cavalry divs too early. Cavalry squads are expensive in armament points and in August(?) 41 there's a squad upgrade to a new type.

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

One other thought... You will be tempted to use AP to switch out poor HQ leaders in the 41-42 time period. My recommendation is don't do it, unless it is to take a good leader out of command to save him from experiencing "losses". You won't be doing any significant counterattacking because you have no troops to do it with anyway. Burning AP to put good leaders in control of bad troops is just wasting AP and putting your good leaders in positions where they will be penalized for "losing" battles.

May be I'm wrong but as SHC I use my best leaders to defend the key areas (Leningrad, West Moscow) with my best troops. It worked several times.

ORIGINAL: STEF78

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

One other thought... You will be tempted to use AP to switch out poor HQ leaders in the 41-42 time period. My recommendation is don't do it, unless it is to take a good leader out of command to save him from experiencing "losses". You won't be doing any significant counterattacking because you have no troops to do it with anyway. Burning AP to put good leaders in control of bad troops is just wasting AP and putting your good leaders in positions where they will be penalized for "losing" battles.

May be I'm wrong but as SHC I use my best leaders to defend the key areas (Leningrad, West Moscow) with my best troops. It worked several times.

Well that's what I initially thought too STEF... that is, until I understood that the game was so unrealistically biased in favor of the German side in the 41-42 time period as to make Russian attempts to defend useless. So... no, I don't see any point in even attempting to defend positions until late 42, when actual combat capable troops can be assembled. As for the use of AP to appoint good commanders to useless defences... that's just a waste... and every "loss" they experience just lowers their usefullness.

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

Right, keep 100 useles tank brigades that use just as much trucks instead .
If the game could not handle the historical number of tank units, we could really speak of a badly designed logistical sistem .

the tank corps ads the abilty to react to bad situations very fast , no other unit is capable of burning trough 12 enemy hexes in 1942.

The tank brigades are only good for maintaining fortified hexes and should be used instead of wasting four AP on building fortification zones (you'll find a use for them in 43). Given the morale and combat ratings of the Russian Forces in 41 thru early 42, the only thing I can see that a Russian tank corps would be good for is surrendering in mass to German encirclement. Completely useless in the early turns of this game.

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

Right, keep 100 useles tank brigades that use just as much trucks instead .
If the game could not handle the historical number of tank units, we could really speak of a badly designed logistical sistem .

the tank corps ads the abilty to react to bad situations very fast , no other unit is capable of burning trough 12 enemy hexes in 1942.

The tank brigades are only good for maintaining fortified hexes and should be used instead of wasting four AP on building fortification zones (you'll find a use for them in 43). Given the morale and combat ratings of the Russian Forces in 41 thru early 42, the only thing I can see that a Russian tank corps would be good for is surrendering in mass to German encirclement. Completely useless in the early turns of this game.

You gotta start somewhere in building up the Russian tank forces or you'll always be playing catch up. I've found Tank Brigades useful in a reserve role (both offensively and defensively). Early Tank Corps can be effective if there are any weak exposed enemy units, Axis Allies especially. Even if sitting idle, the Tank Corps will train and build morale.

ORIGINAL: Schmart

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

Right, keep 100 useles tank brigades that use just as much trucks instead .
If the game could not handle the historical number of tank units, we could really speak of a badly designed logistical sistem .

the tank corps ads the abilty to react to bad situations very fast , no other unit is capable of burning trough 12 enemy hexes in 1942.

The tank brigades are only good for maintaining fortified hexes and should be used instead of wasting four AP on building fortification zones (you'll find a use for them in 43). Given the morale and combat ratings of the Russian Forces in 41 thru early 42, the only thing I can see that a Russian tank corps would be good for is surrendering in mass to German encirclement. Completely useless in the early turns of this game.

You gotta start somewhere in building up the Russian tank forces or you'll always be playing catch up. I've found Tank Brigades useful in a reserve role (both offensively and defensively). Early Tank Corps can be effective if there are any weak exposed enemy units, Axis Allies especially. Even if sitting idle, the Tank Corps will train and build morale.

I think building tank corps in '42 is vital - I generally spend most of my AP on cavalry divisions/corps and tank corps while using 2 rifle brigades a piece to build up rifle divisions. Given the relatively weak state of Red Army infantry in '42 it is vital to have high MP units on reserve...some 4 or 5 CV tank corps can really make a difference here.

I tend to spend very little AP in 41 on commanders or reorganization if I can help it (obviously, some spending is essential)...I will buy units even at high cost to keep myself from going over 500 and wasting APs. Winning is about developing the right mass as early as you can. Of course, you don't want to go overboard either as too much will drain manpower and leave frontline units weak.

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

Right, keep 100 useles tank brigades that use just as much trucks instead .
If the game could not handle the historical number of tank units, we could really speak of a badly designed logistical sistem .

the tank corps ads the abilty to react to bad situations very fast , no other unit is capable of burning trough 12 enemy hexes in 1942.

The tank brigades are only good for maintaining fortified hexes and should be used instead of wasting four AP on building fortification zones (you'll find a use for them in 43). Given the morale and combat ratings of the Russian Forces in 41 thru early 42, the only thing I can see that a Russian tank corps would be good for is surrendering in mass to German encirclement. Completely useless in the early turns of this game.

agree with the Schmart and hfarrish, you really are missing a key tool in 1942 by not building tank corps early. Individually they are of little value but stack 3 and you have 9-10 CV and 50MP, that is a combination that is vital to keep any axis player worried. You have nothing else that can move through multiple ZOCs.

Also they can sit 4-5 hexes back and rested and stacked can hit an exposed Pzr division hard and run away afterwards. So that may force your opponent to ensure they are ending moves with at least 2 mobile divisions stacked - if so they are covering less ground.

its like so much else with the Red Army in 41-42, its a case of threat in being and indirect advantages that you need to leverage,

Interesting exchange...with the constant command flux, I haven't saved back to may admin points to spend anyway...at least in the summer of '41

If a soviet leader has 5 inf skil and 5 initiative , i will keep it, otherwise it has to go , sooner the better .
In 1942 it's all about corps, corps and corps, reorganization needs to be done before that.

ORIGINAL: Basilhare

Interesting exchange...with the constant command flux, I haven't saved back to may admin points to spend anyway...at least in the summer of '41

You are correct when you sense you have NO AP to waste... Do what you like with them, but as for the comments above about building Tank Corp in 42... that is the quickest way I know to get run over by the Germans.

( loki100 = "you really are missing a key tool in 1942 by not building tank corps early... that is a combination that is vital to keep any axis player worried.")
Do you hear that noise ? It's the riotous laughter reverberating all the way from Berlin in response to this quote.

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

ORIGINAL: Basilhare

Interesting exchange...with the constant command flux, I haven't saved back to may admin points to spend anyway...at least in the summer of '41

You are correct when you sense you have NO AP to waste... Do what you like with them, but as for the comments above about building Tank Corp in 42... that is the quickest way I know to get run over by the Germans.

( loki100 = "you really are missing a key tool in 1942 by not building tank corps early... that is a combination that is vital to keep any axis player worried.")
Do you hear that noise ? It's the riotous laughter reverberating all the way from Berlin in response to this quote.

Seriously dude...you are dismissing advice from some of the most experienced players on this board. Your choice, but I wouldn't advise it.

ORIGINAL: hfarrish

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

ORIGINAL: Basilhare

Interesting exchange...with the constant command flux, I haven't saved back to may admin points to spend anyway...at least in the summer of '41

You are correct when you sense you have NO AP to waste... Do what you like with them, but as for the comments above about building Tank Corp in 42... that is the quickest way I know to get run over by the Germans.

( loki100 = "you really are missing a key tool in 1942 by not building tank corps early... that is a combination that is vital to keep any axis player worried.")
Do you hear that noise ? It's the riotous laughter reverberating all the way from Berlin in response to this quote.

Seriously dude...you are dismissing advice from some of the most experienced players on this board. Your choice, but I wouldn't advise it.

"Seriously dude..." Any player (who is playing vs a GOOD German HUMAN opponent) that doesn't understand that, in THIS campaign game simulation, under THIS simulation's programmed combat/logistics/morale/movement models in effect for the 41-42 time period, the German player can crush or encircle anything the Soviet player foolishly leaves within his grasp, cannot remotely be referred to as "experienced". So what I'm rejecting is bad advice from players who have not yet been thrashed by a capable German opponent.

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex

ORIGINAL: hfarrish

ORIGINAL: GamesaurusRex




You are correct when you sense you have NO AP to waste... Do what you like with them, but as for the comments above about building Tank Corp in 42... that is the quickest way I know to get run over by the Germans.

( loki100 = "you really are missing a key tool in 1942 by not building tank corps early... that is a combination that is vital to keep any axis player worried.")
Do you hear that noise ? It's the riotous laughter reverberating all the way from Berlin in response to this quote.

Seriously dude...you are dismissing advice from some of the most experienced players on this board. Your choice, but I wouldn't advise it.

"Seriously dude..." Any player (who is playing vs a GOOD German HUMAN opponent) that doesn't understand that, in THIS campaign game simulation, under THIS simulation's programmed combat/logistics/morale/movement models in effect for the 41-42 time period, the German player can crush or encircle anything the Soviet player foolishly leaves within his grasp, cannot remotely be referred to as "experienced". So what I'm rejecting is bad advice from players who have not yet been thrashed by a capable German opponent.

Did you try playing the germans againt Human?

I'm clearly not the best russian player on this forum but, as I have a good knowledge of the german strengths and weaknesses, I would be happy to give you the opportunity of crushing me as SHC

Any interest?