|
brian brian -> RE: AI for MWiF - USSR (8/18/2009 12:22:27 AM)
|
So with the recent re-play of an historically timed Winter War in MWiF, I've been thinking about the Russian AI and a Demand for the Borderlands. I think the question of this basic decision has only been discussed in passing in this thread for the most part. I've been trying to figure out how to shore up the Russians during a 1941 Barbarossa backed by a lot of Italian air, which is a very, very dangerous strategy for the Allies to handle; they should consider this possibility carefully until the fall of 1940 and German intentions are finally known for sure. I have decided the Russians will need to do everything they can to get two factories to Murmansk, and a major way to help that goal is to demand the Finnish Borderlands.
So how do you go about doing that? For me, an historical attempt in 1939 is right out. The biggest downside of all to demanding the Borderlands is possibly losing two US Entry chits, and those are too valuable in 1939, plus the weather will probably be atrocious.
Now, since your real goal is to keep the Axis away from the rail line to Murmansk for just the first turn of war, it works out OK for the Russians to go to full war with the Finns. I would probably definitely make a point of taking a non-Borderland hex so the war could never end. It will then be somewhat unlikely that the Axis can threaten the rail line as they will mostly be in the south defending Helsinki, and the few that aren't can probably be contained easily by cavalry divisions cutting their supply and this just about guarantees the safety of the rail lines. No one says you have to attempt to go all the way to Helsinki.
I looked at Christopher's set-ups back on page 6 or so of this thread, and I think it is do-able to defend the rail line for 2 impulses. The units up there are safe from the air assault on the main front, and I think the Russians do have enough of them; I only commit enough units in Byelorussia and the Ukraine to get the factories out while the rest of the army retreats steadily.
Thus I have come around to wanting to demand the Borderlands in May/Jun of 1940, or perhaps Jul/Aug when you will have the best possible weather. Also in those turns the Germans will be less likely to spare a Combined impulse to send in some peacekeepers, or it will at least hinder them a little in France. All of the Russian planes should be nearby, with some divisions along the shore of the Baltic and Timoshenko somewhere in Karelia to threaten to take a non-Borderlands hex or even the Finnish resource. If the Germans decide to fight, you will need all of your offensive assets; if the threat is heavy enough they might cede the Borderlands without a fight.
So for me the largest question of all goes back to if the risk of losing two USE chits is worth it. To me, it is, but the possible delay in playing US Option 30, Lend-Lease to USSR, makes me think really hard. The Japanese can shut down the potential lend-lease routes in the Far East and even in Persia, irrespective of Russian decisions. Routes through the non-Persian Middle East are also potentially vulnerable to Axis activity, though if the Italians are dedicated to building an air force for Russia, these should be a bit safer, but limited to what can come from India - 2 BPs and some resources. Really the Russians need both routes going to survive past the critical summer of 1942, given a full Barbarossa with lots of Italian support. One problem is that in 1940 you don't know yet if the Axis is planning this.
[And I think as Germany I would just always make the Russians fight and take the USE gains for the good of the entire Axis and their long-term survival.]
So, what have you been thinking lately about a demand for the Finnish Borderlands?
|
|
|
|
