Should the soviets really have oil problems in late game?

[Kragdob]

In my game with Morris I also have some oil issues with the Soviets. I was nearly depleted in the summer offensive 1943, but some muddy weather turns gave my forces enough oil to continue in winter 1944. Nevertheless, the oil will become a problem in 1944.

I'm not sure this is realistic.

My case is similar. I strongly agree that soviet starting amount (if cannot be done differently) should be around 300-400.

[PionUrpo]

I'm at 400-500 as well during late '43 in one '42 Barbarossa game. That's with no overbuilds for most of the time. Game's almost decided but if it continued to say Fall '44 I could see going close to zero. On the otherhand I've never had problems in '41 Barbarossa games. Seems adding couple hundred oil upon Mobilization event should fix the problem.

[rkr1958]

The rationale for decreasing Soviet Oil to 100 was as a counter to the armor & mech blob strategies. However; I think additional changes we've done since that has made this unnecessary so I'd be in favor of increasing Soviet oil to 300 or 400 points. It seems reasonable to me that the Soviets would have a decent stockpile of oil at the start of the war. But; maybe those more familiar with Eastern Europe history could comment on this.

[Kragdob]

After considering this thing a little bit I think Soviet should have it's oil considerably increased. Why? With limit 9 (and 9 FTRs, 9 TACs, 11 MECHs and 9 ARMs) I am not able to perform any armored operation as it consumes too much oil. My production is 96 and to be within it I must switch off all my tanks to not exceed it significantly which would drop me close to zero (since I start at turn 51 with 100). I know I will have some operational pauses (mud/reinforcements/upgrades) but I can spend 150+ oil now in 1942 when my ARM/MECH/TAC techs are pretty low. On the same side my oil income will not grow significantly (Ploesti is critical strategic target right now). For me It is hardly to imagine how I will be able to do anything If oil consumption goes higher with higher techs.

For me it is either that Soviets starts with really good stockpile (like 700 or even more) or have additional oil production of around +30/+40 of what they have now.

I feel like being Axis when playing Soviets now except I have much lower techs...

[Diplomaticus]

Ah, good to know it can fall. When did you manage to take it? I was thinking of a succesful Fall Blau where it falls late '42 and how oil situation could go from there. But if things look ok in your game, maybe there's nothing to change.

In the game I referred to in this thread, my USSR opponent went into extreme "run away" strategy. He ran so far and so fast there was very little combat in Barbarossa. I was prepared for this possibility, and managed to seize Rostov much earlier than usual--some time in summer '41. With Rostov gone, and him still not engaging, Maikop & Grozny were there for the taking. After the winter offensive, he again went into full fall-back mode, and I was able to seize Stalingrad & Baku in the summer '42 offensive.

As it's playing out, this meant real oil problems for the Red Army, and oil glut for Axis. However, I made some stupid mistakes that allowed him to pull off a major Overlord in '43, so now I may lose the game, despite spectacular successes (probably never to be repeated) in the East.