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Due to a wild stroke of luck, Russia surrendered to me during the 1st blizzard of 1941. However I did use the maximum advantage option. What is the point in defending Italy or other "distant" areas as I have read was being done on the message board? I won by pulling almost all of the air force out of these areas and using them in the main arena. Also what is the procedure for obtaining reinforcements from the main headquarters? I found that by destroying as many enemy headquarters as possible, it all but eliminated their airforce and this seemed to be the reason i won. I captured Leningrad, Moscow, and Rostov to win. Even though I won, am I using an incorrect strategy? I would enjoy hearing about some of your strategies!

I've spent whole month playing my first Babrarossa campaign. But all attempts to summarize my knowledge lead me to general (and obvious from the very begining) conclusions.
1)KEEP MAIN RAILROADS CONVERTING.
2)USE PANZERS TO CUT OFF ENEMY SUPLIES
3)MAKE ENEMY SURRENDER RATHER THAN WITHDRAW/SHATTER
4)KEEP YOUR UNITS SUPLIED

Simplicity of these rules makes me think that anyone can beat AI.
I've learned a lot of tactical tricks but did not test them on inteligent opponent yet. Attacking HQs is good, but AI surely cheats with them moving zillions of tank divisions instantly in or out of there. Interdiction can show you that there are several infantry divisions, but you can find dozen of tank divisions there in your combat phase and lose 200+ precious panzers.

Beating the AI with human playing Soviets is so easy as to not merit comment. The AI is so lousy as German as to make the game unplayable. I never play Soviet Union any more.

Playing Germany its by superior tactics you can beat the AI, strategy does not seem to matter very much. The critical factor is to surround and destroy as many Soviet units as possible and to maintain air superiority. I usually spend the two first good weather turns of 1942 exclusively on regaining air superiority. I withdraw the level bombers to AG HQs at 100 replacement during the 1941-1942 blizzard and snow turns and move them back when the spring thaw comes. In this way the huge bomber groups escorted by elite fighter groups can savage the Soviet airfields in the first two turns of good weather.

The strategy I usally follow is similar to Hitlers: I do not try to hard to reach Moscow in 1941 and dig in front of Moscow as soon as the Rasputitsa sets in. I go all out for Leningrad, and usally manage to surround the city by attacking north along the east bank of the Volkhov river. This also results in huge Soviet losses. I also like to repeat the Kiev cauldron battle. I take Rostov if I can but do not try to hold it and build my winter line on the Mius-Donets line.

In 1942 I try to break the Don line and roll up the Soviet forces from Voronezh to Moscow. After I capture Moscow I go for Gorki, Stalingrad and Saratov (I have to capture all of them to win since I have reduced VPs for Moscow to 1).

Originally posted by RUDMINAT:
Due to a wild stroke of luck, Russia surrendered to me during the 1st blizzard of 1941. However I did use the maximum advantage option. What is the point in defending Italy or other "distant" areas as I have read was being done on the message board? I won by pulling almost all of the air force out of these areas and using them in the main arena. Also what is the procedure for obtaining reinforcements from the main headquarters? I found that by destroying as many enemy headquarters as possible, it all but eliminated their airforce and this seemed to be the reason i won. I captured Leningrad, Moscow, and Rostov to win. Even though I won, am I using an incorrect strategy? I would enjoy hearing about some of your strategies!

The best advice I can give you, if you want a challenge, is to find a human opponent. The AI in this game, as in most games, is incompetent. Defeating the AI is pathetically easy.