Slitherine

quote:

What I do as Russians...

Turn 1.
Stop the research in Anti-Tank weapons, Production Technology and Industrial Technology.
Buy one chit of Infantry weapons.

Turn 2.
Buy another chit of Infantry weapons.

Turn 7 (if I recall correctly).
Buy a chit of Advanced tanks.

Turn when you get Infantry level 1.
Buy another chit of infantry weapons.

Turn when you get Advanced tanks level 1.
Buy another chit of infantry weapons.

Turn when you get Infantry level 2.
Sell your remaining chit of infantry weapons.

This way, you will have slightly less Russian troops in June 1941, but they will be much, much harder to kill.

With this strategy, even the front-cities (with the well entrenched level 2 armies and the all-important supporting HQs) will be a difficult target for the Germans.

Same for the UK, China and the US: make sure you got two chits in infantry weapons on turn 1
And for UK and China, make sure you buy a new chit when you get level 1 (this is not needed for the US, they'll get level 2 in time when you started with 2 chits).

< Message edited by Yogol -- 1/25/2019 6:06:14 PM >

quote:

Turn 1.
Stop the research in Anti-Tank weapons, Production Technology and Industrial Technology.
Buy one chit of Infantry weapons.

Turn 2.
Buy another chit of Infantry weapons.

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ORIGINAL: codem

I am not encountering the same issue. The Russian and Chinese seem to replace units just as fast as I kill them. Russia also declared war on my early (didn't know about the 18 units event thing ).

I'm able to hold the Russians back for the moment, because I did a large scale invasion of Africa with German troops to help Italy. Currently pushing to South Africa... but now USA invaded North Africa, even though I had U-Boats screening the area, the AI seemed to know where they where and got around them.

And although I'm able to killed 2 to 3 Russian units a turn... there seems to be no end in their numbers. My German troops need rest as their readiness is being worn down but the constant fighting.. (either defending or attacking).

USA seems OP. Encountered at least 4 carriers in the Pacific with various ships for support. In the Atlantic, they had a large armanda of DD, BC, BBs escorting 7 transports (a mix of long and short range) If it wasn't for the few U-boats I had patrolling off of France... they would have landed a a massive force which would have been devastating . I got lucky in that detection.

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ORIGINAL: Kornstalx

quote:

Turn 1.
Stop the research in Anti-Tank weapons, Production Technology and Industrial Technology.
Buy one chit of Infantry weapons.

Turn 2.
Buy another chit of Infantry weapons.

After a dozen or so campaigns, this is definitely my single biggest gripe with the game. You should not feel pigeonholed into making the same exact opening decisions every game just because they are so optimal. There's currently a big balance issue around refunding starting techs and rushing Infantry Weapons for pretty much all Majors. Not doing this in multiplayer is almost guaranteed suicide. Something needs to be adjusted there. I've played a few personal games with tweaked rules like limiting the max chit investment on any tech to 1 (instead of 2), but I don't feel that's a proper solution.

Regardless, this game needs some serious balancing that concerns this optimal opening meta. It's totally discouraging me from wanting to start new games, it's so blatant.

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ORIGINAL: Kornstalx

quote:

Turn 1.
Stop the research in Anti-Tank weapons, Production Technology and Industrial Technology.
Buy one chit of Infantry weapons.

Turn 2.
Buy another chit of Infantry weapons.

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ORIGINAL: elxaime


After about a dozen campaigns, I have to agree on feeling pigeonholed to do the exact same thing research wise in PBEM. Regardless of which country you play, you need to get maximum research in infantry. Then hope the Gods of luck are on your side for research breakthroughs.

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ORIGINAL: Uxbridge

Blimey, this was new. I thought the only effect of placing two chits on the same development, was that the second took up after the first was triggered – not much use, that is. What you're saying is that they work in tandem, with the results of the two accumulated?

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ORIGINAL: Kornstalx

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ORIGINAL: Uxbridge

Blimey, this was new. I thought the only effect of placing two chits on the same development, was that the second took up after the first was triggered – not much use, that is. What you're saying is that they work in tandem, with the results of the two accumulated?

Yes they work together. More chits == faster development. Note this is also why you can put 2 chits in a max-level 1 tech like armored warefare. It's twice the gain and when you finish you can refund the extra chit.

Basically get it twice as fast for 50MPP. This whole system needs some balancing.

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ORIGINAL: Mithrilotter

There used to be a single Research Chit limit to certain critical Techs like Infantry Weapons. I preferred that restriction. But that was changed in beta testing for reasons that I didn't understand.

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ORIGINAL: rogara

The Strategic Command World War II is an ambitious game. It is a good game. It could be much better. The designers did about 2000 things right, however, unfortunately they did about 100 things wrong. I will try to list a few mistakes.

1. Axis supply advances too quickly. It should take months to advance not weeks.
2. The Russian first winter should cripple the German army. Their efficiency should fall by about 50%. The German army should lose about 10% of army units north of the Kiev.
3. Morale should have no effect on combat.
4. Armor should not as effective against infantry.
5. Air units should not be able to reduce land units by more than 10% a turn, their main effect was to slow movement. A heavy air attack should prevent a unit from moving.
6. Allied Supply should advance very quickly. The allies should be able to designate some secondary supply locations to primary supply.
7. Units should be able to reinforce and upgrade in the same turn.
8. Allied heavy bombers should have their range doubled.
9. Carriers should not be able to attack land units.
10. The cost of research for the Russians should be reduced.

I am sure there are things I have missed, but this is a good start.

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ORIGINAL: mineral

I've played a couple of PBEM games as Axis, and yup, rolled up China and Russia. So I tried as Axis against AI. I was able to defeat the axis by 1944. How?
as suggested above, double chit inf. But don't forget Command and Control. level one at least.

Your HQ's build up experience, which makes the units under them better. while not as important as inf level, it becomes so later. When German inf at level 2 fights Russian at level 2, being led by a leader with 3 experience stars, they will wipe you out...

For the russians, don't bother with any upgrades to aircraft, etc, save that for once your inf front stalemates (in 1943 for me). once you have inf research, and command and control, arty is your next priority. The US and Brits holding and pushing into north africa and then italy is what turns it around for the russias, as german strength bleeds out.

So how to survive till 1943? Dig.

I pull back and make a line around Sevastopol and Leningrad. Make sure you have both engineer units making fortresses. And make sure you have Arty (I like rockets) and a general at the heart of it. replace and reinforce, holding on. If your fortress gets close to finishing, then start in front of Moscow (though I never needed to).
In the south, you CAN counter attack the allied Romanian, Italian and Hungarian units. they are typically pretty weak and a Russian Army at level 2, or in winter will do lots of damage.
They are also more expensive for the AI to replace, so if you can, knock them down.

In China, do similar, keep your units in fortresses, behind rivers, with a leader, and dig around chungking. If you can get some arty do so. later, when india is in, I found I had enough str to move into china, and take back burma/thailand.

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ORIGINAL: mineral

oops! I put meant Smolensk, not sevastapol. With Smolensk units dug in and behind rivers, you don't need to defend at Moscow (against AI).
In the south, the AI never makes it to Stalingrad. Chipping away at hungarians, italians, romanians, etc, and holding near rostov seems to do it.