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I'm not very experienced with the game but I've played 2 Human v Human games now (2nd still in progress), and in both games the USSR has declared war on the Axis in mid-late 1941 - before it is attacked.

In the first game, the Axis conducted a successful Sea Lion and took over all of the British Isles minus Ireland/Northern Ireland.

In the second game, after conquering France and taking Egypt/Palestine, the Axis also conquered Spain and took Gibraltar. Germany was NOT massing on the Soviet border.

It feels a little unrealistic for Stalin to declare war so early (surely he would want to have made sure the USA was in first).

What are the factors affecting this happening that I might not understand?

This is due to factors that are largely under the Axis control, e.g. depending on the number of units the Axis have in the east prior to war (details of which are explained in the Strategy Guide), or what other actions they take such as invasions of neutral countries, and Sealion.

While the Axis have a fair amount of freedom to do what they want after the Fall of France, this has to be balanced so they are not given unlimited freedom, and as one example, the fall of the UK could make Stalin's position significantly worse, so having the USSR mobilize to a degree in response to Sealion is an action taken directly to protect Soviet interests.

ghosttrails wrote: Wed Apr 02, 2025 2:59 am
In the second game, after conquering France and taking Egypt/Palestine, the Axis also conquered Spain and took Gibraltar. Germany was NOT massing on the Soviet border.

It feels a little unrealistic for Stalin to declare war so early (surely he would want to have made sure the USA was in first).

What are the factors affecting this happening that I might not understand?

My bold.

That will do it, if you undergarrison Poland Soviet readiness will go up. If you OVERgarrison it, readiness will ALSO go up. The thresholds are a minimum of 4 units and a maximum of 18.

A Sea Lion will typically get the USSR to join pretty quickly, so beware.