Of course it can. It makes no difference that originally it was a neutral territory. Its current status is a territory of the United States and therefore, with an IPC value of two,it can be a location where a minor industrial complex can be placed.
Fortress Malta
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The Important thing to remember is that Africa and the middle east holds a good chunk of the British economy, and Egypt is the gateway to these rich areas. Britian has 29ipcs to start, while Italy has only 10, which means Britian can afford some losses while the Italians can not. If Britian can use Malta to hold the Italians in place, or waste a turn or 2 and some of its precious resources, trying to clear it, then she can reinforce her position in Egypt. When this happens the game is pretty much up for the Italians.
Italy has 2 options, either break the Brits in Egypt, or be stuck on the mainland of Europe. Malta my be key to keeping Italy out of Egypt
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Malta my be key to keeping Italy out of Egypt
It’s possible… It would be great if it works out as it did historically. (Malta’s worth/importance that is.)
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I’m not sure of the viability of this all (that’s why we play the game), but I don’t think Italy can bypass a fortified Malta that easily. Consider the scenario I broached before. Around turn 3 with 2 infantry, 4 fighters/Tac Bombers, and an airbase on Malta.
As UK, how much consideration do you give to what Germany does or will do? This game is not UK vs Italy. I dont see how UK gets 2 INF into Malta, and if they do, at what cost? Would it be better for UK to have two extra INF in Egypt? As to the FTR’s/TAC bombers…do you mean 4 in total or 4 of each? Either way is Malta really the best place for those aircraft?..are you assuming Egypt is Italian at that point? And if you think Malta is the best place for those expensive and valuable units, how long do they sit there (assuming the Italian fleet is sunk)?..would they not be better off in India, USSR, Africa, or on CV’s somewhere?
Two other points, 1. Once Italy has taken Egypt and Italy has a producing factory there, the Italian fleet is less useful since their primary objective of protecting the transport of units out of Italy has become less necessary. 2. Beware Japanese getting a large number of aircraft into the European theatre…its very easy for them to do, and they can do it fairly early. I think the global set up has to be changed dramatically because of their number of aircraft(28?).
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As UK, how much consideration do you give to what Germany does or will do? This game is not UK vs Italy. I dont see how UK gets 2 INF into Malta, and if they do, at what cost? Would it be better for UK to have two extra INF in Egypt? As to the FTR’s/TAC bombers…do you mean 4 in total or 4 of each? Either way is Malta really the best place for those aircraft?..are you assuming Egypt is Italian at that point? And if you think Malta is the best place for those expensive and valuable units, how long do they sit there (assuming the Italian fleet is sunk)?..would they not be better off in India, USSR, Africa, or on CV’s somewhere?
Two other points, 1. Once Italy has taken Egypt and Italy has a producing factory there, the Italian fleet is less useful since their primary objective of protecting the transport of units out of Italy has become less necessary. 2. Beware Japanese getting a large number of aircraft into the European theatre…its very easy for them to do, and they can do it fairly early. I think the global set up has to be changed dramatically because of their number of aircraft(28?).
You are right to think about Germany. It’s not that I’ve forgotten about them, it’s just that I believe that for the first few turns, most of the interaction will be Naval. On Germany’s first turn, they will be capturing France and some Eastern European Neutrals, and destroying targets of opportunity (Mainly as much of the UK navy as they can reach). On turn two, they will be (possibly) finishing the capture of France and setting up for either Barbarossa or Sea Lion. If it’s the latter, then for UK it’s “all hands on deck” for defense. If it’s the former, then I don’t think UK will be nearly strong enough to think about attacking the continent yet, so their battlegrounds will be the Battle of the North Atlantic (please, oh please) and Africa, where (with the Middle East) the majority of their income is located. In that case, I believe that Fortress Malta will be one of several viable options (and yes, obviously that would incur sacrifices on other fronts). The cost of assembling the fortress is 4 fighters (one from Alexandria, one from the carrier, and two from UK) two infantry from UK, and a transport. You make the setup moves on UK1. If Germany threatens Sea Lion or Italy preemptively takes Malta, then you can call an audible and send your forces back to UK. No new production is required other than the airbase, it’s all with on board units.
To answer your other questions, it’s four aircraft total, and the two infantry would have to be from UK (I don’t think there’s a transport near Egypt that could bring infantry from over there, and I agree that it would be defeating the purpose of reinforcing Malta anyway). Once the Italian fleet is sunk, obviously they’ve accomplished their mission. You make the choice then on whether to send them to other theaters or keep them there to prevent Italy rebuilding their navy.
EDIT: Forgot that you have to build the airbase
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If I could see the SZ’s better in the photos I could form a better reply, but the Germans have 5 subs out there. Germany and Italy can take out all three French land areas on their first turns. Germany can take France/Holland&Bel with no aircraft if they wanted to do that(not saying I would use 0 aircraft…but for sure use the air that can not attack UK naval units)…and use whatever Luftwaffe is within range in combo with SUBS where I can. Its possible all the UK TRS are sunk on the first turn, and it could be difficult for UK to build any TRS on their first turn. The Germans will move the Luftwaffe closer to the Med and Atlantic as they advance in the direction of Gibraltar. I think it would be suicide for UK to try to get land units into Malta.
Do you really want to move the FTR out of Egypt?..and if UK abandons(or reduces) Egypt, then I would imagine that FTR going somewhere other than Malta(India, S. Africa?). It would take two turns to get the FTR’s from UK to Malta. I just dont see doing this. If the global game started with something in Malta(1 INF, 1 FTR, and 1 SUB in the SZ, AB), then I could see a possible opportunity to do what you want, but even then I’d be very tempted to send the FTR in Malta to Egypt. UK building an airbase in Malta is like building it for Italy. I think a competant Axis player would force a competant Allied player to abandon any idea of sending units to Malta, and if the Allied player did this, force the Allied player to pay a high cost…ie, losing Egypt, losing Malta, and the units UK used in the adventure.
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If I could see the SZ’s better in the photos I could form a better reply, but the Germans have 5 subs out there. Germany and Italy can take out all three French land areas on their first turns. Germany can take France/Holland&Bel with no aircraft if they wanted to do that(not saying I would use 0 aircraft…but for sure use the air that can not attack UK naval units)…and use whatever Luftwaffe is within range in combo with SUBS where I can. Its possible all the UK TRS are sunk on the first turn, and it could be difficult for UK to build any TRS on their first turn. The Germans will move the Luftwaffe closer to the Med and Atlantic as they advance in the direction of Gibraltar. I think it would be suicide for UK to try to get land units into Malta.
Do you really want to move the FTR out of Egypt?..and if UK abandons(or reduces) Egypt, then I would imagine that FTR going somewhere other than Malta(India, S. Africa?). It would take two turns to get the FTR’s from UK to Malta. I just dont see doing this. If the global game started with something in Malta(1 INF, 1 FTR, and 1 SUB in the SZ, AB), then I could see a possible opportunity to do what you want, but even then I’d be very tempted to send the FTR in Malta to Egypt. UK building an airbase in Malta is like building it for Italy. I think a competant Axis player would force a competant Allied player to abandon any idea of sending units to Malta, and if the Allied player did this, force the Allied player to pay a high cost…ie, losing Egypt, losing Malta, and the units UK used in the adventure.
As you said, we could debate better if we knew knew the map better and the unit placements with more confidence. And yes, the Germans certainly have the potential to attack every UK transport, which (if successful) would put a crimp in the Fortress Malta strategy. I’m not advocating this as a “be all and end all” strategy, just one that I think has a lot of potential if the cards fall your way. Germany may want to concentrate on taking out the UK Battleship. They might want to get as many subs as possible into the South Atlantic to exploit those juicy convoy zones. They may get horribly unlucky. Whatever the case, if UK keeps a transport alive, they can threaten a UK2 Malta Fortress on turn 1, forcing Italy to either take Malta and disrupt their Africa plans or deal with the consequences. If the strategy is powerful, the I see this as a way for the UK to “juke” Italy into a suboptimal play every game without having to really commit anything.
As for your other questions, if I can establish Fortress Malta, I would absolutely rather have the plane there than in Alexandria. UK moves first, and has a bit of buffer in this game, so as long as you’re smart, it should be several turns before Egypt falls. Then, if Italy has to spend money building a navy rather than ground units, I’ve succeeded.
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From my experience playing Britian in past games Malta was very important in securing N Africa. any time i built an IC on Egypt B1, it was lost to Germany. I would build in S Africa. This game starts out with minor IC S Africa, Great!. The only reason you need Malta fortified is to protect aircraft and make Italy think twice about doing it. if they do, you just distracted them from N Africa for 1 turn, Great!
I eventually took bombers that were sitting in England doing nothing becouse Germany had too many fighters as interceptors to make SBRs work, i sent them down to malta via Gibralter. now, with the 2 fighters i already had on Malta previously, and now 2 bombers, i was able to significantly disrupt the flow on Italian transports in the MED, ultimately easing the pressure on Brit troops in N Africa and allowing time to shuffle up reinforcments from S Africa. Not only that when my bombers werent sinking transports, i was bouncing the bombers down into N Africa to add punch to Brit attacks. Does anyone agree with this, IT WORKS. AND YES MALTA IS VITAL@! -
It seems you are kinda counting on your Italian opponent to take his eye off his primary objective(Egypt). Once Egypt is Italian and they have built an IC there, the Italian fleet is less important…but with 1BB, 2CA’s, 1 DD…it will take quite a bit of airpower to take it all out…making Malta weaker too of the air comes from there.
The smart UK move on its first turn would be to keep 1 INF in Alexandria and move everything it can into Egypt. If it looks like a close call you can defend Egypt, but if Italy has what it needs to take Egypt on turn 2, you might want to preserve the UK units and slow down the Axis in Africa…evacuate Egypt(-1 INF) and keep moving southwards until your units built in S. Africa can meet you coming north(send the FTR to Malta in your scenario?).
With the unit strengths the way they are now, Italy can take Egypt turn 2. If UK has 5 FTRs and 1 TAC in Malta(again, I highly doubt you get INF into Malta, and even if you could it would’nt be worth it…Germany will destroy any fleet UK can get there by turn 3), the Axis can take Malta with a one-two punch from Germany(air)-Italy(invasion+air) on turn 3…and now there is no RAF, unless you built air the first two turns anticipating these losses. So if you want to do a Malta gambit, you might want to build heavy on air as UK and little else…and have to live with a very small Royal Navy for a while.
It looks like a fun game, and especially so when there is disagreement. Too bad we cant prove our positions;-(
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i know, im dying to play it out and see what happens. hey miamibeach, greeting from Tampa.
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See, thats why I made my profile name “miamibeach” so I might attract the attention of someone nearby;-) Actually, on occasion I am in Pinellas County. Are you part of a group of wargamers, or solo?
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just got to FL. in May. relocated from NJ. havent even thought to find anyone yet. but all this talk and with AAE40 coming out im starting to itch. i have ILs deluxe world at War 39 to 45 map. its 4ft x 8ft. its sick!
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What is ILs World at War? I play World in Flames by ADG…the best WWII game created(that I know about). Its probably the most popular too with 4 world-wide annual cons(Germany, Australia, California, and Michigan). There is a very active Yahoo support list/group, and Matrix Games is working on a computer version…probably out in about two years.
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I think that the Italians will be using Malta as their center for securing their empire. I have a feeling that Malta will be an important for the Italians to secure and keep the allies out of the med by placing their fleet and some airpower out of their. The the allies I imagine will need to recaptue it quickly once they make their attack on the med and north Africa. Malta will probably become a very critical point for battle in that area. That’s what I think anyways but I really don’t know till I play the game
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With an airbase, Malta becomes the unlimited, unsinkable CV the Italians need to protect their fleet. No need for Italy to build any CV’s unless they are on the offensive later in the game which I doubt. Lots of SUBs would be nice though!
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With an airbase, Malta becomes the unlimited, unsinkable CV the Italians need to protect their fleet. No need for Italy to build any CV’s unless they are on the offensive later in the game which I doubt. Lots of SUBs would be nice though!
While having an Airbase sure helps… it is not the same as haviing a carrier. Carriers give you far greater movement capability for your planes. Planes can be recovered anywhere as opposed to having to possibly return to the island. The planes also don’t have to waste 2 moves in taking off and landing on the island. While it would be better for Italy to buy a carrier or two… I can see where they may not need to… Depending on what range in needed. My point was simply that a carrier and an island w/Airbase are not equal.
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While having an Airbase sure helps… it is not the same as haviing a carrier. Carriers give you far greater movement capability for your planes. Planes can be recovered anywhere as opposed to having to possibly return to the island. The planes also don’t have to waste 2 moves in taking off and landing on the island. While it would be better for Italy to buy a carrier or two… I can see where they may not need to… Depending on what range in needed. My point was simply that a carrier and an island w/Airbase are not equal.
In general, carriers have more mobility, but in the case of Malta, fighters can reach the entirety of the central and eastern Med. They can reach the western Med too by landing on Gibraltar, and can assist UK land units in Africa by landing in Egypt. Further, the airbase is far superior to a carrier on defense because it acts as a force multiplyer (you have to be strong enough to simultaneously win the approach naval battle and the land battle).
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Here’s another interesting twist on the whole Med thing. Italy can bring units to Libya every turn with a single fleet, but if Italy is trying to transport to Egypt or Alexandria, they need two fleets to deliver units every turn. If Malta is fortified, Italy will have to invest a LOT of production to get two fleets that can survive the air strike.
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Further, the airbase is far superior to a carrier on defense because it acts as a force multiplyer (you have to be strong enough to simultaneously win the approach naval battle and the land battle).
Can you explain this statement a bit for me?
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Further, the airbase is far superior to a carrier on defense because it acts as a force multiplyer (you have to be strong enough to simultaneously win the approach naval battle and the land battle).
Can you explain this statement a bit for me?
Sure. Basically, in order for an attacker to amphibiously assault an island, they have to first win any battles in the sea zone, and then conduct their land battle. Since moving into the sea zone is a combat move, the island airbase scramble rule gives the defender the option to scramble some or all of their fighters into battle in the sea zone. The key is that the scrambling is optional, and that the attacker has to assign his units to the land or sea battle before the scrambling decision is made. Here’s an example:
An Italian attack force of BB, CA, 2xtransport each with 1 INF and 1 ART attack Malta. Additionally, the Italians have 2 fighters and a bomber to support. Malta has 2 infantry and 4 fighters defending. Without an airbase, this is an attack that should win with ease, but with an airbase, it becomes a chancy proposition.
Case 1: All of the aircraft are assigned to attack the island, then the defender scrambles all their aircraft to defend the sea zone, giving BB+CA vs 4Fighters. That’s a losing battle, so the attacker retreats after the first round, probably having lost the CA and a hit on the BB, possibly losing the BB as well, transports are safe for the moment (unless UK gets really lucky with four hits). The Italians most likely destroy one fighter. Meanwhile, on the land, two fighters and a bomber attack two infantry. They probably win in one at the cost of a figher. On UKs turn, they counter attack the sea zone with three fighters against a damaged BB with two loaded transports that couldn’t unload (due to the aborted amphibious assault). The UK fighters win, probably losing another fighter. End result, Italy loses BB, CA, 2x transport, 2 INF, 2 ART, and a fighter. UK loses 2 fighters and 2 infantry and holds the island for another turn. IPC losses are 70 to 26.
Case 2: All aircraft are assigned to attack the sea zone. UK chooses not to scramble, and defend the island. Italy is attacking with 2 inf, 2 art, and two offshores vs 2 inf and 4 fighters. One offshore hits and one inf or artillery hits (two if they’re lucky). The defender gets three hits, leaving a single art for round 2. Maybe it gets lucky and gets one more hit. Most likely outcome is the attackers lose 2 inf and 2 art to destroy 2 inf and maybe a fighter. That’s about even, but now there are three fighters that can attack your BB and CA and transports (and probably a bomber or two from UK), swinging the tide in UK’s favor.
Case 3: The aircraft get split: This is where it gets tricky, and Italy can probably choose a split where it just barely wins whichever way the brits choose (I think 2 fighters in the sea zone and the bomber on the land is just about right). Let’s try that. If the fighters stay on the land, it’s the same as Case 2 above plus a bomber on the attack. UK loses two more fighters in exchange for the bomber, still holding the island but taking about even losses. If the fighters scramble, it’s BB, CA and two fighters (3 3s and a 4 plus a soak) against 4 fighters (4 4s). Very close. Round 1, Italy expects 2 hits, UK expects 2.66 hits. If UK gets 3 hits, it’s a 3 and a 4 with no more soak against 2 4s, which is a slight advantage to the brits. If they only get two hits in the first round, then the extra attacking unit means that the Italians probably win. Assuming the Italians retreat if it goes badly in the first round, then the losses are CA+fighter or 2x fighter against 2xfighters, then they probably lose the Bomber in the first round in exchange for an infantry. If the Italians win the naval battle, they probably lose two fighters and the cruiser for four fighters, then win the land battle handily.
There are a lot of choices there and opportunities for the dice to send things one way or another, so it’s hard to peg who has the advantage. However, in the case of an attack, the Italians would have to choose Case 3, splitting their air force, giving the Brits (with an inferior force) the opportunity to choose between two different scenarios, each of which they expect to win while extracting roughly equal or slightly favorable unit value, and where even if they lose, they put up a good accounting for themselves. Without the airbase, they expect to lose while taking most likely three land units and a fighter (possibly 2) for roughly 2 to 1 unit value loss ratio.
In summary, the airbase is a force multiplier because it forces the attacker to act as though the fighters are both on the land and defending the sea zone.
EDIT: Added Summary
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Very good purplebaron!…although I see it as Malta being controlled by the Italians, and the Allies making the attack on the Italian fleet with Axis CAP as the most likely scenario.
On Italy’s first turn they should move their entire fleet to the eastern Med invading Syria and Palestine…stay there on the second turn and invade Egypt(in conjunction with other units by way of land of course)…the SZ that borders Egypt and Syria(I cant see what number that SZ is). What can UK do to the Italian fleet out there? On the third turn the Italian fleet can invade Malta with Axis air swarming all over the Med. I dont see how UK can stop the Axis from taking Malta on the third turn…maybe someone can tell explain how that would work?
Malta then becomes an unsinkable CV for the Italian fleet. Italy/Axis can place as much air on Malta as they need to, to provide CAP for the Italian fleet…with Italy building the occaisional SUB, and building as many INF and ARM as they can in Egypt. Its going to be a very tough first few turns for the Allies. That being said, I dont think the game is won in the Med or Africa…a lot will depend on what Germany does, and of course the die rolls.
Is there any chance this web site will provide IM-type game rooms with internet die rollers so we can all play head to head in real time?
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