Mark L's Strategy For Red Front
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Author: Captain Nemo
Strategic Comment: Mark L
Date Submitted: 5/17/00

* General tips:

Use cruisers or aircraft against the Karls and Tigers.

Build cities with Anti Tank Defences on the Ruble and Fortified Battery units and make that the home town of those units to strenghten their defences and keep from getting disband when certain cities are taken. I only did it in 3 places, but it really worker wonders.

* Summer 1941:

The Germans will seem unstopable in this part of the scenario. Therefor the key is not to stop them, but to slow them down.

What to build:

Have your cities in the east and cities with a low production build Cossack Cavalry units. Although they seem obsolete they are they have the best price-performance ratio in the early part of the game. They are almost as strong as Light Tanks, but they also ignore ZOC, treat all squares as roads and are a lot cheaper. They are strong enough to take on German light tanks and infantry units and fast enough to get to key cities in time (movement: 6 in summer, 4 in winter regardless of the terrain). Behing Anti-Tank defences they can defend themselves pretty well. Build lots of these units and use them in large numbers in defence and counter-attacks.

Your cities with a higher production should build tanks, tank hunters, howitzers, aircraft, and other high performance units.

What to defend:

Concentrate your defenses in certain key cities with a high production (like Kiev, Minsk, Zaporozhye, etc). Of course, you will still loose most of them but the Germans will be slowed down a lot. The AI will concentrate it's attacks on your well defended cities and leave the others alone. Because of this I still had possesion of Daugavpils in summer 1942 while it was only defended by 1 Red Army unit.

What to attack:

Don't attack any German cities just yet. Wait with that till the winter comes.

Key areas:

There are 3 places in this scenario that are very important to hold: Smolensk/Vitebsk, Sevastopel/Kerch, Rostow. Try your utmost to hold these three places to make sure Moscow, Stalingrad and the Caucasus are secure.

Holding both Smolensk and Vitebsk is probably impossible, but losing both will put Moscow and the cities around it at great risk. Try your best to hold at least Smolensk (I did it) by keeping it constantly supplied from the east (trough Moscow). Cavalry units are very handy here.

Sevastopel is relatively secure thanks to the fortified batteries, but if you loose Kerch these will be disbanded. Keep Kerch well supplied from both Sevastopel and the Caucasus. When Perekop falls make sure you have a few Cruisers standing by to take care of those Karls easely.

Rostow won't be under heavy attack in this part of the scenario just yet, but better start building up lots of defenses in advance.

Leningrad is probably safe because of the fortified batteries defending it, but if you do loose it at some poin in the scenario it isn't a major disaster since the city doesn't have an extremely high production.

* Winter 1941:

The Germans will slow down in the winter, but they are still quite strong. You can try to launch your first counter-offenses now.

What to build:

Still the same as in the summer of 1941. Cavalry is even more usefull now, also when attacking.

What to defend:

Again, concentrate on the important cities.

What to attack:

Now you can try your first counter-offenses. Try to retake or destroy Smolensk/Vitebsk, Sevastopel/Kerch, Rostow if you have lost them. I still had control of Smolensk but lost Vitebsk in the summer. In the winter I tried a counter offensive from Moscow and Smolensk to Vitebsk and reconquered the city. In the summer it was destroyed though, but it was enough to keep the Germans away from Moscow.

Key areas:

Build up massive defences in Smolensk/Vitebsk, Sevastopel/Kerch, Rostow or try to reconquer them if you lost any of them. If you can hold these cities for another year then you have won the war.

* Summer 1942:

The Germans will be back on the offense, and will (again) seem unstopable. Try to hold the three key areas at all cost.

What to build:

Cavalry, AA Bateries, Tanks and Tank Hunters. Those units are the most important in this part.

What to defend:

Concentrate only on the 3 key areas (and Leningrad).

What to attack:

Don't attack anything now. Wait until the winter for a massive counter offensive that could win the war.

Key areas:

Try your utmost to hold Smolensk/Vitebsk, Sevastopel/Kerch, Rostow. Losing Vitebsk and Sevastopel isn't crucial, but holding Kerch, Rostow and Smolensk is. If you do lose any of those cities concentrate your defenses on the cities directly behind them. Especially Rostow is very important, but very difficult) to hold. Keep it well suplied from Stalingrad.

* Winter 1942:

Now is your time to strike! If you can take some important cities now there is a big chance you will win.

What to build:

Cavalry is still very handy. Tanks also do well when moving on roads.

What to defend:

Try to hold all cities if you can now...the Germans won't try any massive offenses now.

What to attack:

First secure the three key areas. Especcially Rostow. If you have all of them, and destroyed the German army near Rostow (with the Hedgehogs), just take the cities closest by. I managed to take Kharkov and all cities close to it. Could have easely taken Minsk too.

Key areas:

It is very important to secure those three key areas now. If you don't the Germans will be all over you in the summer again, but if you can secure them you will almost surely win the scenario. Especially try to secure Rostow. That's the key.

* Summer 1943

The Germans will try to launch a counter strike, but they won't be as powerfull as in 1941/42. If you can continue your advance, if not, consolidate in your main cities.

What to build:

Anything you want. Aircraft will do nicely, but Cavalry units are still usefull.

What to defend:

Try to hold all (main) cities. This is the point were you can see if you will win the scenario. If you keep on loosing lots of cities you will probably loose the scenario. If you still don't have Rostow and Stalingrad and the Caucasus are not VERY heavely defended then you are almost sure to loose.

What to attack:

If you can keep the momentum going you can be in Germany by 1944. If your advance is slow, but you are not losing any major cities then you might get to germany in 45/46.

Key areas:

If you still don't have Rostow then it will be very difficult to win. Also, the Kursk event will really mess up your defences if you are barely holding on.

Can you still win?

At this part of the scenario you can see if you are going to win or not. If you are still capturing quite a number of cities then you can be in Germany by the end of 43/44. If you are only capturing a few cities without losing more then you will probably reach Germany in 45. If you are just holding your ground without losing any important cities you might be still able to beat the germans...maybe you can get to Germany in 46? If you are still losing ground, even just a few cities, then you will probably lose. Later on the Germans will get weaker because of (for instance) American attacks but don't expect to beat the Germans on your own.

* Winter 1943 and onwarths

If you can't get a massive counter offensive on it's feet now you will lose. Otherwise: happy hunting!

What to build:

Heavy Tanks, Katyusha, aircraft...use Cavalry for scouting (all as road, ignore ZOC)

What to defend:

If you are still defending now then you are obviously doing something wrong :)

What to attack:

Anything German.