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Northern Europe has a base capacity of 5 for Russia to start the game but has a foreign station tonnage requirement of 12,000. It is impossible to meet this requirement without going over the basing capacity and having your ships get the dreaded asterisk of maintenance required. Therefore, the Russian player is obliged to swap his garrison ships out every turn or two. The FS requirement is silly in any case since the only thing the Russians control on that sea zone to start is the Russian home territory of Northern Russia.

Best guess would be the Northern Ports, which spend a fair portion of the year closed off due to ice issues.

It is somewhat excessive though, agreed. Not sure what flag triggers this though.

Murmansk is ice-free year-round, isn't it? At least World in Flames thinks so.

Maybe we should have to build icebreakers...

Russia has issues. The best way I've solved them is to increase The Eastern ports to 250, ASAP, so you can refit out there. Meanwhile, improve Murmansk at least 3 times (and pray for Norway/Iceland). This added expense adds to Russian woes, but it's necessary. You will fight with inadequate portage in Northern Europe, but that's the Russian burden throughout.

I recommend, on turn 1, sending all Bs Out East to cover Japan, and defend the West with your (killer) builds. Unless/even if you have a good ally, expect to be fighting yourself out from under blockade (which can be done). The Bs can hold off the weak early Japanese fleet adequately. In one game I managed to stay peaceful with Japan, the other, not so much. But you can win either way.