Thoughts as Axis

[dhucul2011]

1. Finland joins too early. They shouldnt join until Germany and USSR are at war.
2. Way too many partisans. French, UK and Iraqi partisans should not spawn as often and definately not at 8 strength corps!
3. Denmark shouldnt grant Greenland bases to the USA if they were never invaded.
4. Stalin shouldnt transfer industry to the Urals before at war with Germany.
5. Is there no limit on Italian garrisons? I currently have 40 on the map. Every time I build another I just get the same old full conscription message.
6. After a successful 1941 Sealion the USA sends unescorted transports to the French coast in 1943. Easy to pick them off.

Anyone else find Barbarossa almost impossible? USSR too strong?

Yes I waited until 1942 but I cant even capture Odessa or Smolensk!

[LOGAN5]

In my game the russians abandoned Odessa and I was able to just walk in, Sebastapol seems to be impossible you can only attack with 2 units and they keep reinforcing it, next game I play I will build a lot more tac bombers see if that helps. I have yet to capture moskau against the AI. I don't think they are too strong I think I just need to rethink my strategy

[kvadra]

2. I don't think there are too many. They don't pop up every turn, you know.
3. The USA would probably just take it anyways.
4. Stalin knew Germany would DOW sooner or later.
5. Try to buy corps instead. You'll get to 0 manpower eventually.
6. Are you playing against the AI?
7. Barbarossa is supposed to be almost impossible. USSR is hard to take, unless you're playing against a total n00b allies player.
8. In '41 the Soviets aren't nearly as strong as in '42.

[childress]

Yes, played around with the Barbarossa scenario and the Russians ARE tough. It seems to me that their morale ratings are a bit inflated for 1941, more like at '43-44 levels. Their Northern and Central fronts should essentially vaporize the first few months.
Against an equal opp, the Axis should player should have *some* chance to bring down the Bear the first year. As it stands and turns to quickly into WWI like trench warfare and diminishes both the fun and immersion factors. And no incentive to relive history.
OTOH, it cold be that I suck.

[Peter Stauffenberg]

I really don't understand what kind of game you're playing. When I'm the Russians and I have run, fast, and lost Leningrad, Rostov and almost Moscow in 1941 in one game. When I'm the Axis I have no problems getting to Leningrad, Moscow, Rostov the first year.

The Russians lose 30 efficiency the first turn you attack during fair weather in Russia. It means you have to delay Barbarossa till May 1941 (sometimes April 1941 if fair weather arrived early). If you attack while the weather is fair in northern / Eastern Europe, but still severe winter in Russia then you won't get any efficiency loss at all. That means you will face very strong Russians and won't have a chance to get as far east as you otherwise could. So make sure you wait until the weather is fair in Moscow.

When did you attack the Russians?

[richardsd]

Exactly what Staffenburg said.

Russia is dismally weak in 41 unless you launch Barbarossa in poor weather.

[childress]

After Germany and the USSR partition Poland do the Germans leave the new border with Russia ungarrisoned with no penalty? IOW, from what one gathers from the manual, Russia's entry into the war is not hastened by the absence of German forces on their frontier.

[JimR]

There is no risk in leaving the German-Soviet border ungarrisoned. The timing of Russian entry is not affected by the presence or absence of German units near the border. But if the Germans have not attacked Russia, and Axis units in the Middle East begin to move on Iraq and attack Baghdad, the Soviets mobilize and they might enter the war earlier than May 1942. (I saw this happen once, in April 1942.)

[childress]

I suggest that the Germs should be compelled to garrison the Russian front pre-Barbarossa at the risk of some kind of penalty. For example, at the expense of free Soviet movement within their borders or an earlier DOW option particularly in Human vs Human matches. One assumes this is abstracted now but gives, imo, a less than satisfactory 'feel' to the game.
Maybe grist for an update.

[gerones]

Since this is an expansion that intends to give the game more and more historical bases I think that the game reflects this question well. When Case Blue was launched in 1940 the germans forces in Poland consisted of 20 territorial infantry divisions integrated in territorial corps units (Hoheres Kommando). In CEAW when Poland is conquered by the germans, it is usual to garrison all polish cities (to prevent partisans). These garrisons would represent well what it really happened in WW2 soviet-german border between the conquer of Poland and the german campaigns in the west.