G1 Attack on Russia?

[Omega1759]

What did UK / Anzac do in this game?

How much money was Japan making?

In fact, how much were all the nations making and was the allied Navy able to te-take one victory city in Europe?

[techroll42]

Well that worked quite well! I may have to try that…

[GuamSolo]

Knowing your Japan builds the first several turns would be helpful as well.  For example, did you build more transports initially to take with you on the war path to India/Africa?  I imagine you took the DEI on your way, but did the U.S. attempt to retake it with any success?  The DEI is such a cash cow for Japan.  Thank you for your game report - very interesting read and strategy.

[Young Grasshopper]

@Field:

Knowing your Japan builds the first several turns would be helpful as well.  For example, did you build more transports initially to take with you on the war path to India/Africa?  I imagine you took the DEI on your way, but did the U.S. attempt to retake it with any success?  The DEI is such a cash cow for Japan.  Thank you for your game report - very interesting read and strategy.

Round 1 = 3 transports, 1 infantry, and $2 back
Round 2 = 4 transports, 4 infantry
Round 3=  1 air base, 1 naval base (FIC)
Round 4 = 10 infantry on Japan

I didn’t take any Russian territories, I didn’t take any Islands, and I didn’t take the Philippines. I just went straight for India’s throat and didn’t stop on my way to Egypt and all those British tanks on that factory (the key to success was Japan’s fleet in the Suez). I’m not sure the axis can get a victory condition on the Pacific board anymore.

Early in the game Japan was making $30+ the bonus, later in the game Japan was making $45, and the US was making $80.

Perhaps I could have taken more territories like the islands and the Philippines with all the transports I had, but I just felt that anything I left behind was going to get destroyed and wasted. Honestly, after America convoyed and bombed Tokyo to oblivion, all those expensive units couldn’t do much without a bunch of loaded transports.

[Young Grasshopper]

@Omega1759:

What did UK / Anzac do in this game?

How much money was Japan making?

In fact, how much were all the nations making and was the allied Navy able to te-take one victory city in Europe?

ANZAC was played poorly as my opponent purchased destroyers and cruisers instead of transports and planes. Japan had already sailed past India and down to South Africa via Egypt before ANZACs units could prove effective.

UK and the US had a large fleet off Gibraltar, Italy sneaked in and took Morocco giving 12 German aircraft stationed in France a place to land. Germany lost 8 planes which were replaced in future purchases, and the UK spent much of the second half re building their losses. When we quite, there was a strong threat for a landing in order to take Paris, but at that time Japan had secured Africa and Italy was free to send units west to protect France.

As for money America was first on the income tracker with Germany a very close second and Japan 3rd. Uk was $25>$30 but dropped to $20 and under by the end of the game.

[GuamSolo]

UK and the US had a large fleet off Gibraltar, Italy sneaked in and took Morocco giving 12 German aircraft stationed in France a place to land. Germany lost 8 planes which were replaced in future purchases, and the UK spent much of the second half re building their losses.

Thanks again YG.  Are you saying that the German fighters clashed with the UK fleet and that is why UK spent the second half rebuilding?  Did you ever have the Japanese fleet clash with UK (or US) fleet?

Curious how your opponent will counter next time you play.  He can’t do much about your G1 strikes, but the Japanese Navy slipping into Med won’t be a surprise.

[Spendo02]

Curious if the surprise factor played a big part in the effectiveness of this.

Do you think the US ignoring the Atlantic and going for Japan’s throat (after its evacuation of its fleet) would have changed the game?

Were there any “tells” that Japan had that could have led the US to direct its full economic strength at Tokyo?

[Guest]

@Young:

I’m not sure the axis can get a victory condition on the Pacific board anymore.

Yeah, Japan only seems to get the VC win if there is some kind of trickery on their part or tragic error on USA’s part.  That’s why I like the idea of Japan playing a supporting role by shutting down India and South Africa and putting the fleet in the Mediterranean to protect Italy while the Germans do the dirty business of exterminating Russia.

[Young Grasshopper]

I didn’t lose a single Jap boat all game, they clashed with a small Brit fleet in the suez during my amphib attack, but I damaged 4 capital ships and repaired them next turn with my new naval base in Egypt.

As for the surprise factor, after Japan takes India, they have the option of going west, back east, or a little in both… So there is still options, but taking India is key for Japan IMO.

If I were to counter this with the allies, I would buy a lot of transports and men for ANZAC (opperating in the FIC area) and some American mussle to protect them, and I might buy a lot of UK ships with my 2 factories in Egypt.

The G1 attack on Russia is tough because you can’t prevent it and I would challenge anyone to set their board up to look like my blueprint after G1 and tell us what they would have done during Russia’s turn.

[Zhukov44]

@Young:

Grasshopper’s G1 attack on Russia

I purchased 1 destroyer, 6 infantry, and 1 artillery.

I sent 2 Strategic Bombers on Leningrad for a SBR. (took zero losses and bombed the IC for 6 damage)

I hit the Baltic States with 3 infantry and 1 tank from Poland, 1 tac bomber from Western Germany and 1 fighter from Slovakia, (lost 1 infantry)

I hit Eastern Poland with 2 infantry and 1 tank from Slovakia, and 3 tanks from Southern Germany, (took zero losses)

I hit Bessarabia with 2 infantry and 1 tank from Romania, and 1 tac bomber from Poland, (lost 1 infantry)

I hit #106 with 2 subs, (kept both)

I hit #91 with 2 subs, (lost one)

I hit #111 with 1 sub, 4 fighters, 3 tac bombers, and 1 battleship, UK scrambled their fighter, (lost sub and battleship, kept all planes)

I hit france with all land units on West Germany and Holland, (lost 6 infantry)

I walked on Finland with 3 infantry from Norway, and transported 2 from Germany to Norway from #113, I also moved my cruised into #113.

I moved all remaining infantry and artillery from Germany to Poland.

I moved all remaining infantry and artillery from Southern Germany to Slovakia.

I landed all air units from #111 back to Western Germany, and landed all air units fighting in Russia on Poland.

I placed all new units in Western Germany and #113.

I didn’t walk on Bulgaria, and I didn’t attack Yugoslavia, Normandy, or Southern France.

You’ve reduced your odds in France to 94%, with an average of taking it with 7 units left over.  While you will only lose 6%, the percentage where you take it but take higher than acceptable casualties is higher.

I might be a little worried about a counter in East Poland too.  Especially if R gets lucky in their D and gets the 2 hits.  Even with inf 4 arm remaining it might be worthwhile for Russia to take a shot at it with 2 inf art 2 fig tac.

How UK should counter this in the Med is a complex topic and there are many options.   UK could hit 96/97/91, or they could unite the fleet in 92 and just hit 91 and 96 with air/dds.  Since UK will have 2 trn at its disposal, they can get up to 6 units into Algeria/Mor/Gib.  Or just hit 96/97/91 and retreat the bb cru towards Canada.

I hate to pass up 97 when the opportunity is there but uniting in 92 might be the best since UK can get its entire fleet back up in 110 by UK2, and given an extra AC + scrambled figs it could be too much for the Luftwaffe unless they invest in more planes G2.

To stop it, you’d need to position your fleet in 112 at the end of G1, which would necessitate an AC buy.

So either UK can put a hurting on Italy or they can combine the fleet and come up to put a hurting on Germany.

[Young Grasshopper]

The only thing more I could have done in France, was to bring in planes (which I would never do) and bring in the tanks from Southern Germany (which I used in Russia), other than that, I brought in everything else possible, so not much different I would do there.

As for the UK counter, Britian is going to move their fleet to the Med, build a factory in Egypt, buy air units in London, and Transports in Ottawa weather or not Germany attacks Russia 1st round or 3rd. That’s why it’s enevitable that Italy gets crushed unless they get significant help.

[Young Grasshopper]

Let’s forget about my game for a minute, and get back to the heart of the matter.

Would you attack Russia turn 1?
Why or why not?

I can honestly say that if I am playing a 1 on 1 game as the Axis, I am doing a G1 attack on Russia every time. Other than the many reasons I have already offered in this thread, I will state one more….

“If you’re gonna get it on with Russia, you might as well get at it”

[wheatbeer]

Two questions:

1. What do you do if the USSR moves it’s northern forces toward Finland and Norway?

2. Do you let the USSR collect it’s SZ125/Archangel NO every turn?

[Young Grasshopper]

@wheatbeer:

Two questions:

1. What do you do if the USSR moves it’s northern forces toward Finland and Norway?

Not sure, but it wouldn’t scare me to much because I have 7+2 infantry up there, and the Baltic states would get Leningrad with ease.

2. Do you let the USSR collect it’s SZ125/Archangel NO every turn?

No, I would get a sub in their sea zone which would also negate the UK NO.

[techroll42]

What UK NO?

And remind me was this Alpha 3.9?

But you have sort of kinda convinced me. I will TRY this…

[Alsch91]

@Young:

Not sure, but it wouldn’t scare me to much because I have 7+2 infantry up there, and the Baltic states would get Leningrad with ease.

Er…well if the force Russia advances to Scandanavia is able to destroy 7+2 infantry, you should probably be scared.
We’ve already established that you’re getting Leningrad pretty soon no matter what.  As Russia, the choice to defend Leningrad from two directions versus lose Leningrad and take Scandanavia is an easy one.

[Young Grasshopper]

@Alsch91:

@Young:

Not sure, but it wouldn’t scare me to much because I have 7+2 infantry up there, and the Baltic states would get Leningrad with ease.

Er…well if the force Russia advances to Scandanavia is able to destroy 7+2 infantry, you should probably be scared.
We’ve already established that you’re getting Leningrad pretty soon no matter what.  As Russia, the choice to defend Leningrad from two directions versus lose Leningrad and take Scandanavia is an easy one.

You may have a point there, but until someone try’s something effective to counter it like what you suggested, I’m going to attack Russia G1.

[Guest]

Hmmm so how about if you were to build an airbase in Norway and land 3 fighters G1.  You could provide scramble cover to your sub in z125, and double scramble (3 tac in W Ger) for your transport, destroyer and cruiser in z112.  Then keep shuttling infantry from West Germany with your transport.  Notice planes from Norway can also hit Novgorod or Belarus and land in East Poland if Norway has an airbase. :-)

PLUS if UK feels too safe round 1 (ie sails the fleet away to the med, builds an IC in egypt, no infantry in London etc) and Russia pulls back to Archangel you COULD still build a wack of transports and go for England.  Nothing says “no sea lion” like G1 Barbarossa LOL.

[Young Grasshopper]

@Vance:

Hmmm so how about if you were to build an airbase in Norway and land 3 fighters G1.  You could provide scramble cover to your sub in z125, and double scramble (3 tac in W Ger) for your transport, destroyer and cruiser in z112.  Then keep shuttling infantry from West Germany with your transport.  Notice planes from Norway can also hit Novgorod or Belarus and land in East Poland if Norway has an airbase. :-)

PLUS if UK feels too safe round 1 (ie sails the fleet away to the med, builds an IC in egypt, no infantry in London etc) and Russia pulls back to Archangel you COULD still build a wack of transports and go for England.  Nothing says “no sea lion” like G1 Barbarossa LOL.

Good idea, this could be a good counter strategy, to a future allied counter move against the G1 attack on Russia.

[Guest]

z125 also baits the British fleet.  No scramble if they bring planes but you get the ships next turn.