Russian status after updates to supply / air

[stjeand]

Wondering what everyone's experience is around Russia now...

As Axis...

I think Russia is easier than before due to air changes.
River crossings are almost trivial with air support.
Supply still goes past Moscow by October of 41.

As Russians...

My tests are abnormal so far.
One test I build mountain troops which are poor defenders and so they did not work and number far to few.
Other test went in 1942.

Not sure what others have seen.

Perhaps too soon to tell.

Thanks

[redrum68]

I dunno... USSR invading Germany in 1942 seems too strong to me! (and yes this is mostly a joke but from a current game)

[sveint]

Too soon for me to say but it looks a little better.

Is it good enough? I think the Axis are still probably too strong, the extra manpower Germany got is huge.

[boldairade]

What were the changes?

[stjeand]

Rail Repair reduced to 2 hexes rather than 3...to slow down German supply.
And the air changes but that was to make air useful.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: stjeand

Wondering what everyone's experience is around Russia now...
...

Perhaps too soon to tell.

Too soon for me. I am already concerned by the % of overrun units now. Because, if Russian rifle corps are just overrun, it means they can't form half army afterwards. At the end of the day, this is again less rifle armies for Russia.

I was already saying that there were not enough reserve armies... Will see if the rail repair rate is helping to keep up the pace of destruction vs creation.

[sveint]

One serious issue with the latest version is that Germany has far too much manpower. No matter the casualties or builds I always end up back at 99%.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: stjeand

As Axis...

I think Russia is easier than before due to air changes.
River crossings are almost trivial with air support.
Supply still goes past Moscow by October of 41.

You are really a master of Barbarossa not like me. I am really struggling now. I was not very prepared for my attack due to Yugoslavia in 1941. Effectiveness was not that good. But now, Russia is hard.

[ncc1701e]

Another thing to note due to the change in the rail repair rate, I am now doing a mobile defense as Russian against my opponent. The problem is that he can't catch up without losing too much effectiveness.
What missing imo is an incentive for the Russian to fight. The incentive for me is not developed enough in the current patch. This is PP.

There are not enough cities to fight for. I would suggest to add more PP in cities like Kiev, Smolensk, Kharkov. If these cities are taken before a certain date, then, no PP transfert to the Oural.
This is a very good thing to oblige Russian player to fight even losing units instead of just withdrawing.

[sveint]

ORIGINAL: ncc1701e

Another thing to note due to the change in the rail repair rate, I am now doing a mobile defense as Russian against my opponent. The problem is that he can't catch up without losing too much effectiveness.
What missing imo is an incentive for the Russian to fight. The incentive for me is not developed enough in the current patch. This is PP.

There are not enough cities to fight for. I would suggest to add more PP in cities like Kiev, Smolensk, Kharkov. If these cities are taken before a certain date, then, no PP transfert to the Oural.
This is a very good thing to oblige Russian player to fight even losing units instead of just withdrawing.

Wait, you want to make things worse for the Russians?!

[ncc1701e]

I don't know so far. I surely failed my German attack. The rifle corps in garrison mode are super hard in my game. Don't know the secret of my opponent.

Me, as Russian, I can just fallback.

[ncc1701e]

Well, I spoke too soon, the Russian fallback strategy is collapsing. [:D]

[redrum68]

You pretty much have to fight some as the USSR to gain base ground experience, otherwise, you'll never be able to stop the Axis...

[sveint]

In stjeand and my game the Germans are at full manpower while the Soviets are running out. The world is upside down.

[canuckgamer]

We were in to 1940 in our latest PBEM game when patch 1.00.15 was released. We both updated but were disappointed to find out that the change to advancement of converted rail did not change. I asked about it in the forum and was told that it would only take effect in a new game but we decided to continue anyway. I assume that the discussion about the change in air is referring to interdiction. In Russia our experience after the patch is that there were a lot more overruns and so far we have not seen one shattered result for the Allied or Axis anywhere. One comment was it was because retreats are now 3 hexes.
In our first PBEM game the Russians collapsed in 1942 with the Axis taking Moscow and the Caucasus oil fields. This time I limited Russian attacks in the winter to odds of at least 3-1. We'll see how it plays out this time.

I have a couple of suggestions for the Russians which I will repeat. The Siberian reinforcements should automatically have the winterization specialty. After all, they were transferred from Siberia. Russian armour and mech should pay less of a movement penalty in snow and blizzard turns. The wider treads on the Russian tanks made them more mobile than the narrower treads on the German tanks. Maybe these two changes along with the reduced rail advancement will give the Russians a chance.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: redrum68

You pretty much have to fight some as the USSR to gain base ground experience, otherwise, you'll never be able to stop the Axis...

You are right. It was a try with the new patch. One miss.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: canuckgamer

The Siberian reinforcements should automatically have the winterization specialty. After all, they were transferred from Siberia.

I have tried in the editor. This is not possible in the current game engine. You can't add a specialty to something inside the Deployment queue. I also would like to see this but... just not possible.

Perhaps add more specialty points by an event but again, not possible in the current editor. There is not this option. I have also think about giving a specialty to a given unit. Again, not a possible option for event. A development must be added for this.

No really, only more reserve infantry armies will do it for USSR to stop Germans.

But one question for the German expert (not me!), when are you starting Barbarossa? In May? In June?

[redrum68]

I'm not an expert but I would generally start as soon as the weather clears so May or earlier (assuming you aren't trying some sort of Sea Lion or invasion Egypt).

[stjeand]

ORIGINAL: ncc1701e

ORIGINAL: canuckgamer

The Siberian reinforcements should automatically have the winterization specialty. After all, they were transferred from Siberia.

I have tried in the editor. This is not possible in the current game engine. You can't add a specialty to something inside the Deployment queue. I also would like to see this but... just not possible.

Perhaps add more specialty points by an event but again, not possible in the current editor. There is not this option. I have also think about giving a specialty to a given unit. Again, not a possible option for event. A development must be added for this.

No really, only more reserve infantry armies will do it for USSR to stop Germans.

But one question for the German expert (not me!), when are you starting Barbarossa? In May? In June?

What I think you can do is have an event that builds a unit...though not sure if you can put a specialty on it.
Not seen that ability.

I start the moment it is fully clear normally May...but I have had clear April's before.
Hadros attacked me beginning of April...it was clear in the north...then the second half of April it was clear in the south. A nearly 2 month advantage is big...then to add to that...


C O L D
This should cause half movement for not winterized armor / mech.
The Germans said the worse time was...mud then suddenly cold. Everything was frozen after sinking. Took forever to move around and the roads were destroyed.

But Cold is a clear for the Germans and in my game with svient I think I lost 10 to 15 more armies / corpos in two cold turns. So the Russians are toast.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: stjeand

What I think you can do is have an event that builds a unit...though not sure if you can put a specialty on it.
Not seen that ability.

Indeed, it is not there.