Soviet Union

The Soviet Union is the most campaign crazy major power overloaded with industrial war machines, ferocious technology and mega sized nuclear weapons, leader of the Comintern and boss of the Warsaw treaty organization. The Soviet Union is without doubt the largest nation in the game. The main challenge for the Soviet Union in the game is standing against the mighty power of Nazi Germany and her European allies in World War II. It starts off with a large IC and manpower pool to accomplish this with, backed by a totalitarian state capable of rapidly mobilizing production and manpower to even higher levels. For weaknesses, its leadership pool is proportionally rather small, it starts off with often backwards technologies, and the best laws are unavailable.

Technology
The Soviet Union starts the game with incredibly perfect technology, great practical experience, and unlimited leadership. It is hard to beat

Army technology should include:

Infantry: The backbone of the Soviet army, the core infantry technologies should always be up to date. Mechanized infantry is difficult to research before the war with Germany, but it can be done. Mechanized infantry are superior to motorized infantry, both in terms of mobility and firepower. Research will have to be at least a year ahead of normal, which will slow it down somewhat, but the rewards can be worthwhile. Armor: Light armor up to 1940 can be useful in order to unlock SPART. The core of the Russian armored corps should be medium tanks, and thus those technologies are essential. Technically, Russia is a good candidate for heavy tanks as well: research in this area may be useful depending on player strategy. The two artillery techs are essential for infantry support brigades and improved SPART brigades. Finally, an alternative to Heavy Armor is researching the anti-tank technologies. Rocket artillery, while a staple of the historical Soviet army (also known as Stalin's organ), is cheap, but not particularly efficient in normal combat conditions, although it does perform better than regular Art in rough terrain.

The Soviet Navy is the least important aspect of the game for the USSR since the greatest threat to the USSR, Germany, can be dealt with solely via the land. A Soviet player wishing to take on the Allies after the Axis is defeated will need to develop a plan to create a Navy ready for action after the Axis is defeated, perhaps by 1942 - 1945 depending on game results.

It is important during the Vietnam war

Air power research is important, but specific concentration is necessary:

Bombers: The Soviet Union begins the game with 4,000,000 TAC, thus an argument can be made for basic medium bomber upgrades. Meanwhile, strategic bombers make for an interesting consideration: although this requires a huge research concentration, strategic bombers can be useful in disrupting German supply lines. Finally, transport planes offer limited utility, and are best saved for veteran players with specific uses in mind.

Fighters: The most essential component of the Red Airforce are fighters to defend against German bombers. Fighter research has a synergy with CAS research, and as a result building CAS can take advantage of these shared technologies. It is wise to choose between CAS and TAC concentration, since both have divergent air doctrine trees. One option with CAS is to use it as an anti-tank weapon, saving the research on other anti-tank weapons. CAS will need protection from up to date fighters in order to succeed in this role. General research is very important:

Industry: Immediate emphasis should be put into the two Industrial techs, bringing them to the 1936 level. Once 1936 level is unlocked, advanced construction engineering is available which is necessary for any player with a desire to build infrastructure (if researched ahead of time, this can be available by July, 1937). Nearly every industry technology is important for the USSR with one exception: most of the resource creating technologies (e.g. steel production, coal production, etc.) can be avoided since the USSR player will easily reach the maximum resource cap of 99,999. Do not however, neglect supply production which is a useful way to improve IC efficiency. Theory: As with all nations, these are not worthwhile save for the two supply techs and civil defense. Doctrines are essential:

Land: The Soviet Union is seriously ahead on land doctrine research. Nearly no land doctrine is worth researching. Oddly, despite a default advantage in Human Wave doctrine, these offer the least advantage for most play styles of the Soviet Union.

Air: Due to a lot of leadership points generally, and the need to focus on land and industry research, only select technologies should be researched based on build choices. At a minimum, fighter doctrines should be kept up to date.

Distribution of Leadership Research: This will consume the majority of Soviet leadership, typically as much as 95% from 1936 - 1938. Once investment in Officers begins, research should occupy between 60 - 80% of Soviet leadership investment.

Espionage: Espionage is generally of limited importance to the USSR, with an early investment necessary to create 10 home spies. Diplomacy: Diplomacy has some importance for the Soviet Union, for example influencing Sinkiang to prevent an Axis drift. Officers: In 1936, no investment is needed in officers due to poor starting laws. Officer research will become important once a two or three year draft is in place.

Alliances
The Soviet Union starts 1936 with tons of diplomatic options since it has high leadership

China: They are extremely close, and the best ally you have in Asia. However, in 1937, China and its satellite states (Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Angola and North Korea) will become embroiled in the war between Japan, South Korea, Ethiopia, Formosa, India, Thailand, Bhutan, Persia and America.

 Warsaw Pact: The best bet if China is fighting America and Japan is to create the Warsaw Pact out of your Satellite States of Poland, East Germany (located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern region only until fall of German Reich) Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria to prevent you from getting attacked by Germany or NATO.

Libya: begins the game a long distance from the USSR. It is possible to bring Libya into becoming a Warsaw Pact Collaborator by late 1969 if influencing Gaddafi in a socialist path starts from the beginning of the game. Use them to attack Israel.

Iraq: Great ally because they are friends with Romania. You can influence the to distract America from war with China by attacking Israel, be careful America can just send Persia to attack you. However be careful Iraq might join the Axis which will least likely happen

Venezuela and Chile: gain allegiance of Venezuela and Chile to bring in Soviet Influence, but to do that you need to help Chavez or Allende in Social Propaganda. Venezuela will least likely join the Axis also, but they are really Socialist.

 Cuba: You can get help from them to distract America. Be careful on how you do it because in 1962 the distraction hit publicity and started a missile crisis.

United Arab Republic: Give Nasser all the possessions he wants in Africa and the Middle East to win him as an ally. He will join you anyways because he's socialist like Gaddafi, however to keep them as allies you cannot have Nasser overthrown because his most likely successor is Anwat who will stab you in the back and join the Tokyo-Tehran Pact to save Israel. If that happens and Nasser is unable to come back bring Hosini Mubarak or Hafez al-Assad into power.

Other diplomatic tactics: One way to effect diplomacy is by increasing the threat of the Axis in order to keep the Warsaw Pact and other  potential allies away. If threat is increased on both Germany and England, employed over 5 years (1936–1941), a portion of nations can be "drifting" towards the Comintern. Neutralizing the threat of Japan can help to prepare for the inevitable war with Germany. Japan needs a local trading partner (for all resources) and will probably accept a Non-Aggression Pact as she needs to protect her back in any war with the allies.

Decisions
Spanish Civil War—Intervention: This decision does not have a meaningful impact on the game. +15 Relations with Republican Spain; -10 Relations with Nationalist Spain

Begin the Great Officer Purge This decision cannot be activated until 1937. It provides a 22 gain in national unity, five dissent, and the loss of some 41 military leaders. With a few months invested in lowering neutrality in 1936, this event allows for the following laws to be enacted by January, 1937:

Three Year Draft: Manpower: 25%; Officer Recruitment: 25%. Note that it may be advantageous to avoid this law to take advantage of building reserve units extremely cheaply. Full Mobilization: no IC penalty; while a war economy is possible in late January, 1937. Heavy Industry Emphasis: IC efficiency: 5%; Supply throughput: 10% Alternatively, if this decision is not chosen, a player should start the game with maximum spies increasing national unity. By May, 1938, it is possible to achieve 60% national unity. This will unlock the one year draft—a minor but important step forward. Assuming Andriy Orlov was made minister of security in January, 1938: by July, 1938 the Operation Zet Offensive will lower Soviet neutrality enough to achieve Full Mobilization. By October, 1938 it is possible to put the Soviet Union on a War Economy.

The Finnish Winter War: This event is available once Germany is at war with Poland, and Soviet troops are in either Ponca or Zelenoborskij. The Soviet Union will lose -3 neutrality. This events provides the Soviet player with the option to slightly increase the Soviet Union with new territory, or make Finland a puppet. It is beneficial to start this war immediately, as it will provide essential changes in laws:

Historical Decision: Gain cores on the Baltic States, Bessarabia, and Karelia. East Poland is to be secede to the USSR. No pact with the enemies of the workers!: No pact with Germany. Unholy Alliance: Historical Decision Plus Formal Alliance with Germany. Operation Zet: Assistance to China:This event presents two options: Help China send aid to North Korea: Lose 3 neutrality, $500, and 1000 supplies. This is the better option if you can afford the cash. North Korea must stand alone: Gain 5 neutrality.

Laws
By 1938, it is possible for the USSR to be on a War Economy (+25% IC). If the player decides to conduct the purge, a Heavy Industry Emphasis and 3 year draft is possible by 1937 so long as spies were lowering neutrality since the outset of the game.

=== Ministers ===

== Intelligence ==

Military
The overriding strategic imperative for the Soviet Union is continental domination. Hemmed in by limited sea access and the looming threat of Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union must focus on the Red Army and the Red Air Force to survive, with any naval ambitions only a foolish distraction from those necessities.

Army The USSR starts the game with no new leaders to select: extra leaders become available in 1937. Some of the Soviet Union's best starting commanders are in the Northeast, around Leningrad and Finland:

Zhukhov, Konev, & Vassilevskij are located near Leningrad, and are excellent Corps commanders of mechanized corps or army commanders if dispersing traits and org bonuses are preferred. Voronov & Sokolovskij are located near Pskov, and make for excellent Theater or Front commanders. Soviet leaders that quickly gain experience and are good for leveling up are:

Kozlov, Ivanov, V.D., Reiter, Bagramian, Sudec, Kuznec, Shurov Vlassov, Timoshenko, Rybalko, Krylov, Grechko, Kolpakchi, Ivanov I.I. At the start of the 1936 scenario, the OOB is a mess and there is time to reorganize it much more efficiently. Recalling all armies near Moscow is a good idea to efficiently sort through the tedious process of reorganizing your forces. The starting forces can be split into four full army's (5 corps of 5 divisions), and five if you build only a few supplementary brigades for the incomplete fifth army. Those armies can either be 'upgraded' with extra support brigades or left as-is, to be used as lighter forces dedicated to holding the less important areas of the front. You start with a sizable infantry force but little armour (only light tanks).

See: Soviet Union military leaders for more details.

Air Force The Red Air Force is a useful but not quite vital arm of the Soviet military. Due to limited leadership and the need for a large, IC-intensive land army, it is probably best to concentrate just on light aircraft like interceptors and close air support to ensure maximum efficiency in production and research, but it may be possible to usefully add tactical bombers or even transports into the Air Force. Generally, unlike the British or American air forces, the Red Air Force should focus more on direct support of the troops by cleaning out enemy aircraft and attacking enemy troops rather than bombing enemy industry. Logistic strikes and counter-airbase attacks can be used very effectively in support of Army goals, however.

Navy A Navy is only useful if the Union decides to wage war against the Allies after defeating Germany. Otherwise, every IC-day put into the Navy is an IC-day that could have been used to build more tanks, guns, and rifles to defend the Rodina. If you do decide to bring communism to America, mass-produced cruisers (both light and heavy) are probably the most cost-efficient option considering the USSR's relative naval technology Superiority and vast industrial potential.