Germany Strategy- Multiplayer vs USSR

[ ]{#Invasion_of_USSR_(Against_Player)} Invasion of USSR (Against Player)

Some things to note:

1) You will be outnumbered 2 or 3 to 1.
2) You may have oil shortages.
3) Your tanks will be very important in the offensive.

There are a few large differences. You can not be certain of having a superior army. A good soviet player will have medium tanks along with 1941 infantry for a lot of his front line divisions. He may also have built fortifications to hold the line deep inside the USSR. The line may run from Leningrad to Minsk around the marshes to Kiev and then down and anchored on the black sea. Your opponent knows the only way you can win is via encirclements. Therefore he will not be herded easily. Moreover, he will also have counterattacks prepared. The Soviets have the manpower to burn while you do not.

Therefore the basics of the attack change a little. The further into the USSR you advance, the more vulnerable you are. Your lines of supply increase greatly and your opponent will know how to take advantage of that. If you make limited advances into eastern Poland and just barely into the USSR you can try to make limited encirclements with greater force. Use more tank units and infantry with an eye towards defending against a counter attack.

Another good tactic is a big ruse. Move only limited groups to the front and start your attack. Keep the bulk of your panzer armies near Memel and down south just north of Slovakia. They will be your pincers. Try to make your opponent think you are weak and he will start to think he can counterattack and take Berlin easily. If he launches an attack quickly you can then pretty much count on the fact he didn't reallocate his forces properly for a proper offensive. It will be a limited offensive or haphazard at best.

Once you get a good number of his units through your lines into your rear close the trap. Your panzers can cut through his supply lines and then build a wall of tanks preventing him from getting back to his lines. Quickly eliminate them and try to punch a hole through his front at the point of his attack.

Do not stray too far into Russian land unless you feel you can make a good show of it. It is best if you to stay close to your own supply lines to limit fuel waste and TC overload. Keep the battle fluid if you have to fall back a little way then do so and stay mobile and push when you can. The goal is not attrition in the typical sense you have to destroy divisions. You can try the attrition route if you want but your lack of technical superiority will make it harder to get straight victory with massive MP losses to your opponent. If you go into a fight and get 1 to 1 losses then you will lose. Germany does not have the MP to go 1 to 1 with the USSR. Good Luck.