It seems to be a popular view that Japan is wasting its money if it buys a complex before it has maxed out the first one (i.e. is transporting 8 units/turn to the mainland). However, I am of the opinion that 2 tran 1 IC–this is assuming $1 bid to Japan–is the optimal J1 purchase for getting units to the mainland quickly. There was an old thread (sorry, I couldn’t find the link on my first search and I’m too lazy to look harder) that had some calculations to this effect, but for the short version, consider:
—If you build 3 tran on J1, you can put 8 units in Asia on your second turn. However, with 2 tran 1 IC you can get 9 units there: 6 from your three transports, and three more from your complex. With a 2 IC purchase it’s down to 8 again, one from your transport and 6 from your complexes. (I’m assuming throughout that the UK killed your transport in SZ 59 so that you only have one to start with.) So if you’re trying to get as many units to Asia on J2 as you can, 2 tran 1 IC is the way to go.
—4 tran on J1, using a bid of $2, is also a good way to start fast. However, in this case your capacity outstrips your income; it will be a couple rounds before you can actually get new units fast enough to keep your transports busy. The 2 tran 1 IC buy is better optimized at keeping your production/transport capacity matched up with the number of units you can afford to produce. In particular, a 4 tran J1 purchase enables you to put as many as 10 units into Asia on J2 if you clean out Philippines, East Indies, Okinawa, and Wake, but then you run out of island units and can only make up to 8 new ones in Japan. So you get a lot of inf on J2 but it’s more of an anomaly, where the 2 tran 1 IC buy gives you a smoother and more continuous startup.
—As far as location, I like FIC the best. Kwang is farther from Moscow than either Fic or Man, so if you’re trying to put pressure on the Russians quickly you want either Fic or Man. You can supply plenty of troops to the northern area from Japan itself, so the complex is needed more on the southern end. Plus it enables you to get to Africa, Caucasus, etc better.
—So far I’ve been assuming KGF. In KJF you should certainly be a bit more hesitant about getting factories up quickly. However, I’ve found that a FIC complex, which is always where I build on J1 if I build a factory at all, can be very helpful in KJF. Ideally when defending against an American fleet you want to defend as far out as possible, e.g. with a fleet in the Caroline or even Solomon islands. However, if you’re forced to fall back, FIC is a great fallback point. The key thing about it is that it borders all three of your valuable islands. If you get in trouble you can fall back to SZ 36 and build more ships there to join your retreating fleet. Often this will be enough to prevent the Americans from taking any of those expensive islands right away. If your only factory is in Japan you’re forced to keep your navy farther north to incorporate the new builds, and the Americans have an easier time getting to the southern islands.
US IC in Norway?
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I think building a fleet there is not going to lead anywhere,
Germany retreats (well I would at least) when you build an IC in Norway from the Atlantic, and keep all units focuses now on the entire Russian line, with additional US forces,
Building this IC, would you still build the one in Sinkiang?!
who builds in Sikiang anyway? YOu need an indian IC there first
I was aiming on the US. ;)
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I think building a fleet there is not going to lead anywhere,
Germany retreats (well I would at least) when you build an IC in Norway from the Atlantic, and keep all units focuses now on the entire Russian line, with additional US forces,
Building this IC, would you still build the one in Sinkiang?!
who builds in Sikiang anyway? YOu need an indian IC there first
I was aiming on the US. ;)
in order to have an IC in Sink, the UK should build an IC in India first. that way you have 2 ic pumpiong out units and makes it harder for Japan to take wither one of them
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Me for US playing, I would only build anything there indeed when UK did India IC, and Russia is supporting from behind with inf.
But that is another story, lets stay a bit on topic. :)
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An IC in Sinkiang can be very useful, if you are moving to reduce Japan to only an island. Of course, it necessitates an IC in India and China and possibly another in Manchuria.
However, if that’s the case, I’m not building one in Norway. :P Actually, I’m not building one in Norway anyway. I prefer to build it in W. Europe. :evil:
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I think whoever and everyone who said it before is right - the US IC is a benefit vs transports, but the UK may have 8 units with nowhere else to go for the turn, so it may not be worth it to let the UK waste a turn (buying airforce or extra tps) just to let the US have Norway.
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I like to let Russia have Norway - that’s one extra Inf per turn where it really counts. This can work if Germany left Norway totally empty, and the UK takes or clears out Karelia. Just blitz a tank from Arc / WRus, and Presto: +3 to the most cash-starved ally.
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I concur, Russia is better off with Norway. However, most German players will attempt to ensure that England or America gets it instead of Russia for that very reason. Notice, I said ATTEMPT TO ENSURE because it doesn’t always work out that way.
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Russia has to over extend itself to take Norway. its usually fighting to keep karelia, and sometimes Archangel if they attack belo R1.
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I like Russia to get it as well, and round 1 is, IMO, the best time to get it. Just throw everything you can at it, and pray for the best. It is risky, but the benifits are well worth the attempt. First, it means you have eliminated one German fighter plane. Secondly, You have reduced the German front line infantry by 3! Which means Karilia will have that much less coming at it. I also suggest a strafing run on the Ukraine for good measure, as well as the mandatory attack on W. Russia.
Germany will want to invade to get it back, but it will stretch their resources thinner along a much already too wide of a front.
If Germany does get it back, UK can soften it up enough so that USA can then take it firmly in round 1 to build your IC there. Just be sure that you have a sizable Russian army to take Karilia on R2 and hold out the Germans long enough for UK to reinforce Norway.
Crazy Ivan -
3 attacks on R1, even if one is pre-determined to be a strafe, is 1 attack too many.
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As I said, I like Russia to get it. Don’t mean they will. wink
In fact, I think I said America and England usually get it. But in that rare case I can just blitz a tank up or walk an infantry from my Karelia stack into Norway, it’s golden. :)
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I think UK needs it the most since it has the job of attacking the Germans first. UK’s IPCs are going downhill rapidly, and it can’t mount much of an offensive on ~24 IPC income.
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