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I have both games and play both. SC has a decent AI opponent and is easy to play against another person. HOI has no AI and is difficult to play aginst another person. Don't get me wrong, I like the concept of HOI. Its just a long way from playable. SC was playable straight from the box and has only gotten better. Perhaps Hubert can help Paradox out a little with their AI - for a fee of course!

A true Homeric, um I mean Ciceric ballad of conquest!

Norse, Thanks this is the kind of information I was hoping for. What you are saying is the USSR MPP "bank" increases every turn even before the USSR is at war which should mitigate the effectiveness of my delay strategy? This I did not know. Thanks.

My question is really more of a strategic question than a tactical question. It just seems to me that if the Axis delay Barbarossa to the last possible moment and use the intervening time to build up tech as well as air/tank forces and HQ's on the East Front, there is little the Allies can do. One way to delay the USSR's entry is to not attack many neutrals. This alone buys you a two to four turn delay in a USSR DOW. Or put in simpler terms - 2 Tech advances + 1500 MPP's! Questions: Do experienced players consider this a gamey strategy? If yes, what house rules do you recommend to mitigate the use/effectiveness of this strategy? If not, does anyone else use this strategy? If so, what are your experiences with this strategy? I started Barbarossa in April 42 with +3 Air, +2 Range, +1 Tanks, +5 Industry for the Germans and +2 Industry and +1 Ships for the Italians. Is this typical or was I "lucky" with the Tech advances? Having played often enough, I know what the Russian positions are going to be at the beginning of the Axis Invasion of Russia. I am able to pre-position my units so that I can take Odessa and Tallinin (the Baltic City?) on my first turn in Russia. I finish off all the first line Russian Armies by the end of my second turn. About the only thing I can think of is Allies may want to just disband those front line Armies and trade them for Corps to be deployed and entrenched further back? [ October 16, 2002, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: aaa ]

CVM, I take it by your comment that there is a good allied defense to this strategy?

I am in a PBEM game where I am playing as the Axis. I captured Poland, Belgium, Denmark and France quickly, with minimal losses and then went into a defensive mode in the West. I maxed out on R&D and slowly built up my forces in the East (Always leaving enough in the West to threaten Sealion.) Italians were purely defensive. I took Yugolavia after the coup and then waited until I got the "Russia prepares for War" message and invaded Russia in April 1942. By this time I had +3 Air, +2 Air range, +1 Tanks and +5 Industry along with 8 Air Fleets, 10 Tank Groups and plenty of Corps/Armies on the East Front. The US has declared war but this will make little difference. Russia will fall soon, probably early 1943. Although an interesting outcome for me as the Axis, this cannot be much fun for my Allied opponent. How can Allies defend against this strategy? Is my experience typical or have I just been lucky? [ October 15, 2002, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: aaa ]

LOL, My first wargame was also AH's Luftwaffe, also in the early 70's. Still have it.

No - Germany did not attack Sweden

CVM, Yes, and your name is all over it!

Thanks gentlemen, I will contribute more info if Finland ever enters in my game.

I am playing Axis in a PBEM game. We are in July 42 and Finland has still not entered the game against the Russians. Can anyone explain this? I did not attack Russia until early 1942 and the US entered at the same time. Is this possibly the reason Finland has not entered the war?

Please start/add to a list of the triggers for the Siberian transfer. 1. Axis unit gets within ? hexes of Moscow. 2. ? 3. ?

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Similar question to my previous post. I am in PBEM game and have the opportunity (I believe) to capture Canada before capturing London and the rest of England. (My opponent committed to much to the defense of France and now London.) What happens when Canada falls? Does US immediately enter? What is the affect on Russia's entry? Thanks