BGForums

In the few games I've played so far I've always gone as a relatively well off country e.g. the UK or a state in the US.

This time however I started as Moscow, and I've really got no idea what to do first to try and develop my economy.

I've employed appropriate ministers for each section, pushed my taxes up to about 60%, and increased domestic markup.

I've also increased spending on social services.
1)Is there any point in doing this in a communist government as it only depends on military approval?

Or are there other advantages to maintaining good DAR?

2) I've never started in a country with a low GDP and with so few resources, any general tips on how to proceed?

yes certain social spending choices still have a large effect on your game even when your a non-democracy.

Infrastructure,culture,etc...

This thread a fairly good collection on whats known and believed about the social services.
http://www.battlegoat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5098

Actually starting with a lower gdp/c is kind of a big advantage when it comes to making large amounts of money in trading in the game.
As it means your costs are lower, and this means your profits can be higher.

When I played as Moscow, I increased social spending to the recommended levels, built up a self-sufficiency in every resource I could, started building up a military, and then put the remaining money into research. I remember it being a little rough economically, but once I started to produce a surplus of manufactured goods, there was plenty of money to go around. Conquering Kirov or the North Cacacaus regions will give you a reliable source of oil.

The West [US and Western Europe] campaigns tend to spoil you a bit with high budgets. You have to re-scale your assumptions in Russia, Asia, and the rest. Try playing Western Siberia in this campaign, as a starter - it has good resources and can pretty much call the shots from the outset. The campaign is biased against Moscow [which seems rather arbitrary].

The regions in the Russian campaign have a LOT of attitude, but it takes a few game years to see it develop. Overall, Moscow will sell you [or anyone] just about anything they have, at reasonable prices, once you have established credibility. St. Pete seems to think they are just too good for anyone [and of course they aren't], and I still can't figure out why everyone [like f'rinstance Georgia] has to declare on Eastern Siberia, which is inaccessible to all, and neither belligerent nor a desirable property. Go figure.

I think its because Eastern Siberia has the highest build count at the time. Now if u ready want a challenge start as one of the smaller regions.

...You are a bear for punishment, aren't you. There's definitely a lesson in diplomacy there - as in how long you can forestall the inevitable, or how expensive can you make it?

well as Georgia I made through the whole scenario but I picked my battles. I let the other regions destroy themselves before I DoW on anyone. Course by then I as many units as they did.