This time, I will discuss the Soviet forces received monthly throughout the game, in the order presented on the "Soviet Other Forces Chart".

NKVD

These are unquestionably the most important regiments in the Soviet Army and probably the most frequently misused by beginning players, who are tempted to commit them too early in the campaign. There are only 11 of these units available, and they can only be replaced one per month, so they must be carefully positioned.

Because of their ability to force exchange results instead of retreats, they are often used with a few infantry divisions to garrison "Hero Cities" in an attempt to delay the German advance. This is usually a mistake because the Germans are usually able to safely bypass such blocks, wait until they go to a U-2 supply state, and then obtain a DE result which negates the forced EX on a DR result. If this tactic is used on all the major cities that are lost (Minsk, the Dnepr cities, etc.), the Soviet commander will find himself short of these key units when the crucial battles for Tula, Kalinin, and the cities in the Donbass begin.

A major exception to the above guidelines is if holding a position would be sure to delay a German regauged railhead for a turn. Otherwise, save these units for the critical hexes on your Main Line of Resistance (MLR).

A city whose flanks are secure, such as Leningrad or Rostov, can be made almost invulnerable to capture by the Germans. Build a fort to negate any engineer modifier, station lots of AA (preferably position AA, and at least 7 flak points), add plenty of defensive air support and any extras such as river flotillas, add an NKVD regiment, and most importantly, have three divisions with a combined cadre strength of at least 5 factors in the garrison. A DE result should be very difficult for the German to obtain, and any other result leaves the overrun-proof cadres in possession of the city.

Such true "Hero Cities" will usually fall to the Axis in one of two ways: he is able to flank the defenses and cut the supply line to the garrison, or (more usually) the defender runs out of reserves to feed into the battle. This is why it is vital to husband your NKVD units, as they are the weakest link in the reserve chain (if playing with the optional cadre replacement rule in TEM #21 Rules Court, you also need to be aware how many of your Guards infantry divisions are tied up in the replacement pool).

Once the tide has finally turned and you are advancing in 1943, be sure to have the NKVD regiments ready to advance into captured terrain that you want to hold. The prospect of a few large exchanges ought to deter all but the most desperate German counterattacks. This tactic is further enhanced by the fact that the NKVD regiments are combat/motorized, thus facilitating the compilation of full- ATEC stacks, making Axis counterattacks even less palatable.

Security Troops

These little "ants" are some of the most versatile units the Soviets have. They are ideal for "scorched earth" work: they can break three rail hexes, or they can demolish the airbase and rall line if placed in a dot city. If a unit is lost early, it can be one of the odd winterized REs replaced that month (because they are winterized, they should try to operate as far to the rear as possible; let the tank cadres work in the front-lines and then run away!). In a pinch, they can help screen the front lines and provide the rail-movement rear guard (using the Urals AA garrison rule severely curtails the availability of position AA for such work).

During the first winter, they can provide some winterization effects in the quieter sectors of the front line.

In 1942, these ants can garrison the rear areas against both Partisans and Brandenburgers, provide escorts for 0-strength units and river flotillas, and help beef up the second line in the front, as well as carry resource points behind the front.

In 1943 they can take over garrison duties in the Arctic from the disbanded ski brigades. If only they could be disbanded their usefulness would be complete, as it gets harder to find good uses for them later in the war. Of course, by that time there may not be many of the hard-working little critters left!

Punitive Troops

What can I say, except use them for dangerous work near the front, since they are replaced for free (at a limited rate, of course).

Artillery/Mortars

The key to these units is the Artillery Division Assembly Chart. The bottleneck units there are the 3-6 Artillery and the 2-1-8 Mortar Brigades. You receive barely enough of these units to assemble the divisions when they become available.

Replacing these units may be difficult, since you receive a maximum of only 125 artillery replacement strength points through the end of 1942 (in reality somewhat less, due to factory displacements) for all of your AT, AA, and Artillery needs. Therefore, BE CAREFUL with your use of these units. Since the mortar units provide so little effect on either offense or defense, they should probably be used to provide support for reserve line or garrison troops. The 3-6s are great for beefing up the defenses of key cities/terrain, just don't get carried away with exposing them (after all, replacing just two of them consumes an entire month's replacement capacity!).

Rocket Artillery

"Exchange" cannon fodder par excellence! You receive 87 of the non-motorized variety through the end of 1942, and if you can burn a good portion of them in exchanges you will be doing very well. The Soviet artillery situation is usually pretty grim in 1941, but these reinforcements change the picture dramatically when they begin pouring in. Try not to expose them needlessly on the front line, where their defense factors count for little; follow Soviet doctrine and save them for your counterattacks, where their massed firepower can have maximum effect.

Your motorized rocket units are another story. They are ideal for supporting groups of tank brigades on independent missions; any losses due to exchanges here should be taken from the armor, since it is much easier to replace. These units should rarely be left in the front line, retreating to safety after combat. Should any be lost early in the war, they should be replaced as soon as possible.

Guards Rocket Divisions

They pack a tremendous punch, but they are fairly brittle: when you lose one of these units, it can be difficult to replace. Try to shield them from counter attacks at the front, and think twice about choosing them for losses in exchanges.

Anti-tank Brigades

A 2-3-8 AT Brigade, 2- 3-6 Arty Brigade, and two 4-6 infantry divisions gives 14 defense factors with 1/7 AT effects. Stacked in the Valdai's wooded-rough terrain, it can blunt any early armored thrust into the area.

Similar stacks (without the artillery) should be used in poor terrain out of the reach of German infantry, as they largely negate the fearsome AECA modifiers. This tactic can be used either to screen sections of the front away from the "landsers", or can be used very effectively to hold fortified sections of the front primarily vulnerable to the Panzer Korps (two 5-6 Guards infantry divisions, two 2-6 artillery brigades, and a 1-2-8 AT brigade in a fort yields 16 defense strength points with a -2 modifier against attacking armor). As always, defensive air support can be used to enhance the defensive capabilities of key hexes in such situations.

In 1942 the reinforcement rate of these units picks up considerably. Until then, a good portion of your factory production will probably have to supplement the new units (unlike the artillery units, the AT production never reaches "flood stage").

Antiaircraft artillery

Early in the war the 1-6 AA regiments are your least numerous support units.

You start the campaign with 23 of them, many of which will die on the border, and receive only a dozen more through September 1942. After that point your problems disappear with the arrival of the 1-2-6 brigades, but until then you will have to use some of your factory production to replenish this force.

While the Luftwaffe runs (flies?) rampant during the early months, your AA units will often be your only available defense against German air attacks. It may not be much of a defense, but any factors that deny the enemy a "sure thing" must be fully exploited.

Watch the "break points" on the AA chart: 3 points are as good as 5, and 7 as good as 10, in causing planes to fail their mission. It's usually far better to spread your AA assets than spend them trying for the extra abort result.

Position flak comes in at a fairly good rate for the first year, then falls in half. Many players burn them up rapidly at the front, and there are times they can be used to good advantage to screen a hex or provide a rail rear guard.

However, they have many other valuable uses. Since they do not count against stacking, they should be massed in the true "Hero Cities" to help negate enemy ground support missions. Light AA units can be flown in at night to replenish the AA defenses of remote garrisons such as Odessa.

Another little trick to remember: position AA units can provide air protection without compromising the armor effects of a stack (remember that a single 1-6 or 1-2-6 AA unit reduces a c/m stack from full to half AECA/ATEC!).

On the front lines, one point of position AA and a 1-6 AA unit will give the most cost-effective AA coverage for key stretches of your MLR. Note that position AA is necessary to achieve the optimum "break points" on 75% of the AA table columns.

Finally, using position AA is the most cost effective means to garrison the Arctic against the Brandenburgers during the first summer, but you have to keep an eye on the 22nd Air Landing Division and what it's doing. After the German Parachute units arrive in September 1941, and when the Brandenburgers upgrade in 1942, no functioning airbase in critical areas should be garrisoned solely by position AA.

Engineers

The Soviets can never have too many engineer units on the board. Their numbers are critical during the first year of the war, when they are called upon to build fort lines, maintain temporary airfields, repair rail breaks, etc.

Because most of the resource points will be badly needed for other purposes, the Soviets should build few (if any) permanent airfields during the first years of the war. The 0-1-5 and 1-6 units should build and maintain temporary airfields behind the front line (at least they can't be overrun by a mere "ant" in the event of a mishap!).

Critical rail lines, such as the ones leading into the Valdai or the Arctic during the first few turns, need to be manned by engineers so that they can be sure of immediately repairing rail breaks due to bombing. Having 1-6 engineers every 7 hexes will ensure that they can repair any two broken rail hexes between them; other units should be "sprinkled" in the gaps as their availability and the tactical situation indicates.

The combat engineers will spend most of their time doing construction during this period, as they will rarely have a chance to perform their primary role. As perverse as it sounds, they should perform rear-area work and let the 0-1- 5s work in the front lines. This is for two reasons: the first is that a combat engineer unit can rail up to 7 hexes next to a rail break, then move into the hex and repair it by itself, which a 5-movement point unit cannot.

The more important reason is that construction engineers can be freely replaced, while their combat brethren are limited to one RE per month. The Soviets start the campaign with 16 combat engineers and generally receive one new unit per month until late 1942: if you lose most of them early, it will be a very long time before you get them back. For that reason, 1-6 AA units should generally be used for the border deployment when that extra factor is called for. They are much easier to replace.

Speaking of replacements, the Siberian and Transbaikal MDs are ideal for keeping those odd small units (such as engineers and security troops) in the pipeline. If the situation calls for it, however, don't be shy about bringing in a large group of construction units right at the front. Time is of the essence in getting the early fort lines built, and time lost in this area can rarely be made up.

Since time is so important, quick construction should be used whenever possible; it is almost mandatory in poor terrain. City workers can be a great help in this regard, and the placement of your fort lines should keep this factor in mind.

Whenever the Soviet player goes on the offensive, the combat engineers will finally get to perform their primary function. During the course of the game 86 combat engineers will enter play, with the bulk of them received by mid-1943. This should ensure sufficient numbers to tackle the German fort lines successfully, and assault engineers also become available in mid-1943, in time to help with recapturing cities. Both tasks should become progressively easier as the German forces are eroded away in the big attrition battles.

Finally, the most important engineers of all-the railroad engineers! Before you snicker, consider that your late-war counteroffensives are going nowhere without them to regauge the rail lines to supply your army. They are the only absolutely indispensable units on your order of battle, and you only get 10 of them (3 in the last year of the war).

These units should always be busy, but having them merely repairing rail breaks is a waste of their crucial abilities. There are always roads that need upgrading early in the war, and rail hexes to regauge later. Upgrading is considerably faster and easier in clear weather, but the strategic situation usually dictates that it occur during poor weather.

Your Kiev MD unit should be resurrected at Stalingrad immediately to upgrade the road just to the east. The Petrozavodsk road should also be upgraded, provided of course that you defend the line from the Finns first. This rail line will almost guarantee Leningrad's survival, as the German should rarely be able to put the city out of supply with this line operating.

Two road upgrades may be key to Moscow's fate in 1942. If the Germans break through in the center and swing north behind Moscow, upgrade the Ivanovo-Yaroslavl road to provide a 3-city supply net. As a last resort, there is a road delineated in The Urals module which runs from Kotlas to the Arkhangelsk-Vologda rail line. Now the Germans can no lonber place the entire northern theater out of supply by capturing Vologda, which used to be one of the two key rail junctions on the map (the other still being the one just east of Saratov which will cut the Baku oil line to the factories).

The only other road upgrade that the Soviets might possibly consider is the short link just north of Voronezh. If the Germans cut the Tula line and invest Voronezh from the southwest, any units west of the city could escape by railing away over this link.

Resource Points

The main limitation on many of the engineering activities mentioned above is the lack of resource points. The Soviets start the campaign with 25 RPs and receive a dozen per month through the end of 1941, with the rate increasing very slightly in 1942. The problem is that many of these arrive in the latter half of the year, meaning that for the crucial first six months of 1942 you only receive about 9 per month to build your fort lines, upgrade roads, increase rail capacity, etc.

Since you only receive 189 RPs through the 1942 campaigning season (at the end of September: 72 in 1941, 117 in 1942), you must be very careful how you spend them. 189 may sound like a huge number, but the demands made upon that limited supply will be even more enormous.

Generally, your priority in spending your RIPS should be as follows: forts, road upgrades, rail cap increases, and Arctic attacks. Permanent airfields are a luxury you can almost never afford.

Isolated forts built in forward locations are usually a wasted asset. As a matter of fact, trying to build your main fort line too far forward in 1941 can be disastrous; it not only has to be completely built, but adequately manned. You don't have the resources to build two main lines in 1941, and building one you cannot hold will have serious consequences in 1942 when you have no base to build on.

Use the terrain as much as possible, especially on the flanks: swamps and forests in the north, rivers and cities in the south. The prime function of forts is denying the Panzer Korps their powerful AECA modifiers. Therefore, don't waste RPs in terrain that already negates armor effects, including wooded rough terrain and dot cities (major cities that become part of the front line, such as Tula, are an exception: here you are negating the engineer modifier). There are too many clear hexes in the middle of the board that need forts before you can consider beefing up already defendable terrain.

RPs should be spent on rail cap increases only at critical times, such as the opening turns, during periods of extremely heavy reinforcement, or if a disaster at the front demands it. Strategic movement of reinforcements should be the primary traffic on your rail net; purely local tactical moves should be avoided unless the payoff is well out of the ordinary. Baku and eastern/southern Lend-Lease RPs are the best candidates for this use.

C/M and cavalry units consume rail capacity very quickly. Since many of these arrive from the east, this should present no problem. It is better to let a cavalry division sit in the eastern MDs for several turns, until it can arrive within the 30 RE limit, than to spend an RP for it. Other ways can be found to reduce the rail movement of such units already on the map to a minimum, such as shipping brigades and cadres between theaters rather than full-strength divisions (e.g., see my article on the Transcaucasus MD in TEM #27).

Remember, every RP you spend on rail cap is one less fort available at the front, and in 1942 you will be desperate for such protection in the open terrain. A very effective tactic is to place engineers with quick construction ability (either stacked or near a city) behind the main line in front of the Panzer schwerpunkt, with RPs available either at a dump or as reinforcements.

However, don't just build the forts: wait until an actual breakthrough occurs and then immediately seal it off. Nothing will demoralize a Panzer jock faster than having to face the prospect of grinding through a series of forts, but you can only do it if you have carefully built up a reserve of engineers and RPs.

As a rule of thumb, the northern Lend-Lease RPs should about cover all necessary combat in the Arctic and may even help build some of the northern Ladoga rail line, though RPs may have to be loaned to the theater until this Lend-Lease arrives. A couple of RPs should always be on hand in the Arctic just to keep your opponent honest.

Factory Upgrades

Upgrade the factories in the Urals first. They are completely safe (unless the Nazis are going to conquer the world), and if an on-map factory has to evacuate to the east, fewer replacement points will be lost during the relocation.

By the way, the Tula and probably the Kharkov factories should be evacuated as soon as possible. If the Axis are making a major push in the south, and holding Rostov looks at all questionable, it should probably go east during the first winter also. That will leave a factory in each of the three theaters (one each at Leningrad, Moskva, and Stalingrad) to feed replacements directly to the front.

Don't delay moving a factory (or the capital) if the situation looks like it might get out of hand. Each factory will produce about 100 armor and 50 artillery replacements during the game (assuming a lost factory would be the last one upgraded, and it is lost in early 1942). Better to lose a few turns' production rather than risk the above losses. You will miss the on-map replacement source a lot less than you will miss both the source and the points!

Losing the capital should cost about 50 infantry replacements. This can be cut to about a dozen if instead of taking it to the east you take it to some nice, safe, impregnable on-map city. Historically the Soviets chose Kuybyshev; Tbilisi also looks like a good bet. Arkhangelsk may look safe, but should be avoided as it has no guaranteed exit like Kuybyshev and no secure internal supply link like the Transcaucasus (not to mention the mountain barrier).

Again, don't delay the transfers if the situation begins to look serious. In a major crisis, rail cap will be at a premium, and these transfers would eat up a lot of it.

Naval Repair Points

These should be spent primarily on river flotillas, especially in the Leningrad area, and the Arctic destroyer squadron if sunk. The fleets should not be excessively risked early in the war, but any damage incurred should be repaired immediately if the ship is down to its last hit and in danger of being sunk.

Since only one and a half dozen repair points are available during the entire game, any major fleet damage will be almost irreparable.

Artillery/Rocket Divisions

Plan ahead so that you can build them as soon as they become available. Know how many artillery brigades you need, what type, and where they are on the map several turns in advance.

Start replacing any units you may be short of, especially the 3-6 brigades and the 2-1-8 mortar units. Begin feeding these units into the assembly areas as they arrive. If your opponent is an observant fellow, you may be able to mislead him by assembling the divisions openly in one area, causing him to strengthen it with forts and reinforcements, and then rail them to the actual objective. These divisions will be difficult to replace if lost, so handle them with TLC.

More East Front

Chapter 1: Advice for Soviet Players
Chapter 2: The Defense of Odessa
Chapter 3: The VVS
Chapter 4: The Transcaucasus Military District
Chapter 5: The Soviet "Other Forces"
Chapter 6: The Soviet Border Armies