I've been playing a solo game to test out how a game focusing on propping up Ukraine works. "It's alive... it's alive."
Some observations:
It's expensive, so you have to plan for it. You especially have to ration EPs, although you need to watch your FP to a lesser degree as well.
The Germans invested three cards in it: a large, a medium, and a small. The large one for the creation, a medium Increased Forced Labor to get 3 more EPs, and Anti-Bolshevik Crusade to get 2 more PP. The last one isn't absolutely necessary, but I think it's needed to take full advantage of what the Ukrainians offer on the Axis side.
Romanians demobilized an air unit for EPs. German and Romania ships are standing by to demobilize if necessary; the MS's give a hefty 2 EP each. The German panzers in this game have been lucky to have few losses, but you will be strapped for EPs so may need to scrap ships.
Make sure you take Kiev before the Autumn season. You get the initial 2 PP at creation, but you want to make sure you get those extra PPs for Autumn pay day.
And take Odessa early. Again, before Autumn season start. The Germans in this game were fortunate to take Odessa on their first attack. It's an extra PP that keeps accruing to you every season.
Before winter, try to take Kharkov and Stalino as well. More PP cities = more PP for Ukraine.
The Ukraine forcepool is rather flexible:
You can mass produce cheap 2nd line defensive units as they have eight 2-4-3s.
Their two 6-4-5 mech corps are rather cheap, just 2 RP compared to the 3 RP for the Romanian one.
Lots of division units to give the Axis an extra attacker. The armor and motorized are probably best built up to mech corps, but you also have 4 cavalry 2-4's that can add extra oomph to an attack or supplement a defense (or build up to the big 7-4 cavalry corps).
Infantry have the flexibility to build up to a 6-3 or 8-6-3. Want defense? It's only 3 PP as the 6-3 uses a 2nd line infantry. Want attack? Use the full 4 PP to get that 8-6-3.
Questions and notes:
Their big armies are incorrect in the module as 6-8-3's instead of 8-6-3's.
The rules version I have doesn't clarify what their army/political status is. Do they have a Non-Intervention Home Army like the Baltic States, Limited Active with Expeditionary Home Army, or Fully Active?
Personally I find Ukraine a very interesting Card to play - and I feel it should be an OOB type of card, more so than a Large Card.
By itself the cost in resources significantly dent the German resources, and if they want Ukraine early, it's a nifty cost. Take it July1? When you need resources / push on the spot? - Take it October1, when you may want to Winterize?
It's a long term investment, with a big potential in reward (I feel also Partisans should not appear anymore if Ukraine is liberated - but on Partisans I think they should neither appear as default, liberated or not, in Bessarabia and in the Baltic States).
Transit Rights to me are simple, there is hardly to make a fuss if someone wants to fight to protect your homeland in general safe most rare cases of distrust (Hungary / Romania) - but I feel ruling as it is now it's pretty smooth.
Mostly Ukraine can provide 2 precious extra air units (I'd like a Pan-Baltic airforce if Baltics are released too. Like 1 fighter unit that is of all 3 Baltic States. I know Alan knows the concept due to some 'Pan-Chinese' or the like units from Dai-Senso). Conceptually German provided planes with pilots of the minor in question. Still requiring to be built.
The Naval Base in Leningrad has its docks displayed in the open space of Lake Ladoga. They are all floating in the not so very salty waters of the Baltic which I sampled when swimming at Sandhamn.
Is that a lake/river flotilla in Lake Ladoga?
Oh, cool! I like that better. :D
Graham- I think you are right. The rules are talked about before they are written down and then there is the problem with less than perfect memories. Not only does becoming a Fully Active Nation allow you to leave, it allows others to enter. I looked back into TiTE with Romania and Hungary. I thought it was neither could go into each other home area. With the current living rules, Hungary could enter Romania but not the other way around. The last part of the rules are a little squissy. In the one play test game with an Active Ukaine, Jeff moved the other minor allies out of Ukraine in preparation for playing the card. I see now that did not need to happen. A Slovakian got a free ride home via false Fudging.
Thanks for the callout Alan. I can't find the rule that prevents OTHER Axis Small Nations staying in the Ukraine. 552.8 says "...there is also each nation's National Commitment restrictions (see 553.0)". In 553.1 Fully Active Nations, it says they grant Full Transit Rights. I see in Limited Active Nations that those nations limit transit rights to other Small nations, but that would only apply to Hungary. If Ukraine is Fully Active and granting Full Transit Rights, what am I missing?
Also, because they are an Axis Small Nation, they do not play well with OTHER Axis Small Nations. They will be leaving the Ukraine:
[212.2] Axis Political Stacking Limit: The Ground units of different Axis nationalities cannot voluntarily stack with any other Axis nationality except the Germans (who are able to freely stack with any other Axis nationalities); they otherwise cooperate normally with each other when tracing supply or attacking the same hex. The presence of a German unit does not allow two different Axis nationalities to stack together with it.
Different Axis nationalities’ Ground units involuntarily stacked together (e.g., due to a Retreat) are not immediately eliminated, but the Axis player must rectify this situation or be caught “fudging” this rule (see 553.3.4).
Also see 552.8, Axis Allies’ Political Non-Cooperation.
[553.3.4] Fudging: When you discover your opponent’s forces out-of-political-bounds (533.3) during your Politics Phase’s FudgingStep (554.2), you determine the specific unit(s) in violation and immediately Repatriatethem (see 552.5.5; i.e., they are returned to play for free during their owner’s next OOB Changes Step as Reinforcements per 511.4).
If you bring them into being when there are still Soviets in Ukraine, they are fully active.
[553.2.1] EMERGENCY COMMITMENT: Limited Active nations always and immediately become Fully Active when an enemy non-Partisan Ground unit is in their Home Territory (531.0) or, after 1943, is in or within 3 hexes of (per 113.5) their Home Territory.
The Baltics States have the same and a special.
[583.2.4] INDEPENDENT BALTIC STATES: Each sets up as a Limited Active (553.2) nation with its own Non-Intervention Home Army (per 553.3.2)
They all becomes a Fully Active (553.1) nations if and when Leningrad is an Axis controlled Objective (128.0, 142.0).