This is an issue I wish the game by vanilla would just let you turn over control of territory to your allies as this happened a lot between Germany and Italy. I have allowed enemies forces to capture a territory just so I can turn it over to another.
What to do with Italy
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The dice gods routinely frown upon me in SZ 97, regardless of which side I am on. Thus, for ME (and maybe me alone) SZ 97 only has a 5% win rating and that’s defined as 1 British aircraft left or less…
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In the alpha 2 setup, it seems Italy is severely under powered. If England does things right it can have 6 infantry, 2 artillery, 1 tank, 1 mech, and 2 fighters. How can Italy defeat these forces with just 5 inf, 2 art, 1 mech and a tank. Especially if UK builds a factory in Egypt. How can Italy ferry troops over with just a transport. I’ve never seen Italy get very far in Africa, even if London is controlled by Germany.
What strategies do you use to make Italy more effective, assuming England does taranto and pulls back to Egypt.
With Italy, so much depends on what happens the first turn with the UK player. My move with Germany is to send a couple of fighters into Italy after the invasion of France to protect the Italian fleet when the UK attacks. Depending on the losses in the Med, it will really change up what you are able to do.
If the Italian fleet is mostly destroyed in the first turn, I will typically buy nothing that first round and buy up fleet units the second round. In the event that I do have a viable fleet, then I will send my forces in northern Africa to try to make my way to the middle east as soon as possible…. taking Persia and the other national objectives is the only way to make Italy economically viable.
While we are on the subject, I am hoping that the Alpha 3 rules do something to address the Italian starting position to make their opening strategies a little more viable.
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Building an IC in Egypt is a bad idea for the Brits.
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Building an IC in Egypt is a bad idea for the Brits.
Why is that. If London doesn’t fall, England can easily defend Egypt?
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IF England doesn’t fall, you may be right. You would also need the planes from India to help protect Egypt, which couldn’t get there until round 2. If Taranto does work for you, then you should be golden. Pull everything back to Egypt, fly over the Indian planes plus maybe a transport at South Africa UK 1 takes those 2 inf to Egypt. Place your IC UK 2 and you should have enough to hold it from the Italians.
However, if Taranto doesn’t work, then the Italians will have 3 transports of stuff to throw at Egypt round 1, which they will if you put an IC there UK 1. If you wait until UK 2, then Italy will have the 3 transports plus their Tobruk force and air craft and maybe even the 2 inf, 1 art from Ethiopia. I just don’t see England having enough to hold Egypt then.
I would say an IC in Egypt for the UK is ONLY viable if Taranto works. Otherwise it will be a gift for the Italians. -
Building an IC in Egypt is a bad idea for the Brits.
Why is that. If London doesn’t fall, England can easily defend Egypt?
Once Egypt is easily defended, you don’t need an IC there.
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If UK puts an IC on Egypt instead of stacking England with infantry, Germany will pounce on an easy Sealion. Then England is easily neutered, Germany has more units for Barbarossa, and Italy gets a free, well positioned IC, since UK can’t build to defend.
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If UK puts an IC on Egypt instead of stacking England with infantry, Germany will pounce on an easy Sealion. Then England is easily neutered, Germany has more units for Barbarossa, and Italy gets a free, well positioned IC, since UK can’t build to defend.
Yeah, that’s something I forgot. If the UK spends too much to develop/defend Egypt, they might be leaving themselves weak on London. Even if they have enough defense for London and could afford a minor on Egypt, they couldn’t afford to defend it and Italy will take it. UK’s first strategy should always be 1: Survive Sealion, let everything else go until you are sure London is secure. 2: Pick up the pieces and then go out to stop Italy. Italy may have 2-3 rounds of free hand in Africa, but you should still have the Sout Africa IC once you are sure Germany’s not going for London anymore and you can still stop Italy.
By the way McMan, I just love the “Luftwaffle”. Very inventive.
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Do you put syrup on that? Or bratwurst?
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Exactly. If the UK builds an IC in Egypt, then Germany should definitely SeaLion. That’s 3 or 4 units less they’d have on the UK. Plus, if Italy plays it’s cards right(assuming a 1/2 way decent Italian player), then they’ll take Egypt eventually. That’s a free IC for Italy. Better to put your IPC’s in the defense of the UK and units down in S. Africa to make life difficult for the Italians, until the US comes into the war and returns the favor back to the Italians. If the US is doing a KGF strategy against the Axis, then it does take long for the US to neutralize the Italians if they want.
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McMan, are those chocolate Me-109’s, He-111’s and Stuka’s? LOL! :-D And of course, you use German chocolate!
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