Gahh, it didn't post spaces. Once more, so its not a huge blob.

So the 1901 moves go like this. England opens to North Sea and Norwegian, and convoys the army over to Norway in the fall. Germany lets you have Sweden, taking Denmark Holland and supporting himself into Belgium while France taps it. France takes Portugal and Spain and has a unit in Picardy. Italy holds his army in Venice and convoys to Tunis. Austria supports himself to Galicia in the spring while you were hoping for a bounce. In the fall, Austria tries for Serbia, Rumania, and Greece, but only gets Serbia. Turkey taps you in Black Sea in the spring (as requested), but takes it in the fall.

So in the end you have a fleet in Sweden, army in Warsaw, army in Ukraine, fleet in Rumania. There is a neutral England, neutral Italy, F and G are skirmishing, and A and T moved on two of their neighbors. I think this is a fairly common scenario as Russia. If you don’t like it, have Black Sea still be neutral then. Still, where and what do you build in this situation? Is it going to be an army in St. Petes? A fleet? Which coast, north or south? What do you build in Sev? I know it depends on the press, but I believe my information above gave a general outline of the diplomatic situation. What do you do from here?

Is this an ongoing game? If it is you know we can't comment.

No, no its not an ongoing game. I know better than to post that. Its just a situation I've been in several times as Russia, and I always screw it up. I wanted to flesh it out enough so I could get some thoughtful feedback, not just "well, it depends" responses

I'd build a fleet in Sevas, personally. If you're considering hitting Turkey, two fleets on Black is the way to go.

Think as Russia I try and split into 2 min countries top and bottom.
After 1 year one is usually hurting the other a full 3 sc country.
Still running as independent forces.
in that you have to Build STP I'd build and army to help solidify Scandinavia. with out offending Eng or Germ to much. other wise swe will be hung out to dry and so stp.
ie. Build where you get the SC from top- top / bottom - bottom.

Cool. I figured, just wanted to check before I caught shit, for discussing an ongoing game.

My first impulse is to say definitely build a fleet in Sevastopol, but in the long run I think that's perhaps not the best option. Turkey can always match you at least, for naval strength in the Black Sea, and eventually you'll wish that fleet was an army.
So I'd say an army in Sevastopol. If it turns out you don't need to worry about Turkey you can keep going outwards, an army isn't going to be any less helpful than a fleet in Sevastopol if Turkey attacks, and if Turkey really really commits to an offensive in southern Russia, there's not much you can do about it on your own anyway.

As for St Pete's, that's a little more uncertain. I think it depends on what you want to do. Germany being tied up with France is an opportunity, naturally and grabbing Denmark isn't out of the question, which would need a fleet build on the SC of St. Pete's. Alternately, tricking England to committing one way (probably to France for this to work) or the other and then securing Norway and later England as well, would require a fleet build on the North Coast of St. Pete's. I guess an army would be useful in St Pete's if you wanted to launch a land attack against Germany, but my suspicion is that would not get very far. So I guess my recommendation is Army in Sev, and Fleet in St. Pete's probably south coast. But I'm not that good a player, and I'm especially bad with Russia. So...

@Mafia - that was a very thoughtful analysis. I was considering something of the sort, actually. I agree on the F Sev, and was actually toying with the idea of going A Moscow instead of building in Sev. With Turkey and Austria fighting over Greece I would think there is enough leverage down there for me to stay out of major conflict. What I was really debating was the F Sev South build. That is what I would do, but what does that signal to England, Germany, and France, respectively?

England's move to NWS is hostile. I'd be concerned about a Spr 02 move to the Barents. I'd build a fleet in the North.

I'm with Mafia on the army in Sev. Don't want to antagonize Turkey when you have an obviously hostile Austria. Fleet in Romania is unfortunate but you'll have to make it work.

@ Putin, I disagree about England, a move to NWS can be hostile, but is not necessarily. I almost always move to Norwegian Sea as England in Spring 01. The only real alternative is a move to the English Channel, and immediate war with France is something I only go for with England under very very peculiar circumstances.

It depends on England. Those moves he made are almost the most anti-Russia it can get. If you leave a weakness in Stp, he might as well attack you. However, if you build F Stp (nc), he will attack you for sure. Same with Turkey. Lots of Turkish players just put their fleet in Bla, to get some leverage. You're not at war yet. With good diplomacy, war is preventable.

Building fleets as Russia is an automatic declaration of war, which cannot even be revoked. I mean, if you have F Stp (nc), where else is it going to go except Norway?

I say two armies, Sev&Mos. It gives you flexibility, a solid defense, and diplomatic possibilities.

Especially A Sev is nice to have. You tell Turkey "You put a fleet in Bla, I had to defend. If I wanted war, I'd have made a fleet." Then you negotiate for the Bla fleet to go to Con, and suddenly Turkey has opened himself up to Sev-Arm.

Not saying you should stab, but having the opportunity is nice.

I got 4 builds one on vdip as russia. That was great. Think a 6 SC russia in 02 is scary, try an 8 SC one.

A 6 SC Russia is standard play. A 8 SC Russia means Russia doesn't recognize the difference between press and gunboat.

The answer is so simple... if 1902 builds give you trouble, hold off on builds until 1903. If you are lucky, you'll lose a couple SCs and have no worries about builds in 1903, either!!

forty +1

I think putting another fleet in Sev is a dead end play, especially if Turkey is hostile and builds a fleet. Even if Turkey doesn't build a fleet and you take the Black, then what? You either antagonize Turkey or you have a useless fleet that can only support a fleet in Rumania that can't go anywhere.

Thanks bas, I think that is the most solid situation of them.

Another question though. For Russia, what's the best situation (in this case) in the west and how can you build to influence that?