Activating Argentina

[Dafyd]

I have played Germany a couple of times now and I was wondering if anyone else has been able to activate Argentina’s three territories.  I have been able to do so once and we had to end a game early so I didn’t have the oppertunity to do so again but the plan was in the works.  I know that it is not a victory condition but I have found it helpful.  The free fleet in the south is nice to convoy raid and the presence of axis troops in South America has made the American player redirect some efforts to secure and combat the South American threat keeping them out of Europe a little longer.  If you have activated Argentina, how did you get there?  I have found that if the Italians take French De Oro and add an air base there; they can paratroop into southern Brazil and secure a landing space for a German transport plane with paratrooper flying into Argentina to activate the country.  Every time I have tried with naval forces, the USA have enough there to either block my transports or kill the fleet securing them.  What do you think about activating South America for the axis.?

[Ben_D]

I think it makes for very interesting play.  I rarely play Axis, but I’ve seen it done by a friend a couple times.  It’s an excellent stall tactic, especially now that Allied countries can’t attack strict neutral countries in the proposed 7.2 version.

I made a house rule where Italy can activate Argentina as well, seeing as how they would have a much easier time doing it.  I also added a few things with the house rules, like making the Capital territory worth 2 and the territory below it worth 2, but the territory north of the Capital worth 0.  I added a minor IC in the Capital and a naval base in the territory south of the Capital.  I can’t remember the names of the territories…

[koba]

German Bomber/Transport from Normandy with an infantry. I’ve done this a couple of times, but the timing has to be right unless you want to bring the U.S. into the war earlier. I don’t do it often as many times the Allies just end up smashing all if it anyway.

[ghr2]

I’ve done it with Italy once.  It was just something to do since Italy won the med.

[Dafyd]

You’re right about the timing Koba.  I like to send lots of german uboats (10-12) throughout the Atlantic and with the wolf pack rule in 39, this is an affective way to force the Candians, English, and Americans to spend money on destroyers instead of transports.  While they hunt the wolf packs, the Italians and germans build a transport and paratrooper a turn in order to be ready to move enough troops to South America that will require the American’s attention.  They may get squashed but the diversion is enough to allow more time for the German’s to capture Soviet cities and activate the Spanish.  Nice fleet to help slow an eventual American landing in Africa.

[sophiedog2]

Can Japan Activate?

[Tigerman77]

No japan can activate SIAM only

[General 6 Stars]

So Germany or Italy can only activate Pro Axis in South America then ?

[Larrie]

No. The way the rule is written, only Germany can activate Argentina. If you want to house rule it, then Italy could of course.

[Larrie]

Also, Argentina is considered an axis minor, not just pro axis. Argentina will generate 3 ipc’s, just like Finland or Hungary.

[koba]

I don’t see it as being a great move unless it’s part of a larger strategy in that theatre to seize resources and or disrupt allied activity down there. You get some navy and a small army but, as I said, you’ll get a whole lot of attention and, if you’re not good with timing, you’ll bring the Americans into the war earlier than you want.

I find playing around I. S America to be a bit of a PITA.

[koba]

On that note. Here’s a question, what happens s if the Allies invade say,  Corriente? Does this mean Germany does not have to enter Viedma to activafe Argentina now?

[Dafyd]

That is why I try to activate Argentina.  To get America’s attention.  I always wait until they’re in the war.  It takes time set up the Italian can opener and manuever a Grerman transport plane and paratroopers into position in Rio del Oro with an air base.  It’s nor about the money or even the fleet which are just perks but the point is to divert American resources to deal with an axis South America rather than those same resources being directed at Europe and the Pacific.  As my friend Larrie always says, “You have to lead the dance.”  Make the opponent react to the unexpected.  A sacrifice of troops…yes, but it can be an adventageous diversion giving the axis the time they need to move on the cities required for victory.  To ignore an axis South America could be enough of a thorn to the USA that if not acted on could result in a “RED DAWN” (the original) effect…axis troops, reenforced by the Japanese and Italians moving up the center of the country.  A really wide strech of the imagination but what if…

[koba]

Yes, you can bait and distract the US (if they go for it) but what of the Commonwealth? By this time they have surely activated Brazil and will be able to check the move. The Commonweakth presence ups the ante for the Axis. It’s very possible in this case to go from “leading the dance” to performing the funky chicken when resources needed to attack/defend victory cities–- none of which are located in the South American theatre— are tied up fighting easily reinforced allied “gimmie” armies. If you throw in another 15 IPC investment for an airfield (Rio de Pro or otherwise), you might as well make the diversion into a full blown gambit to drive right on up to the USA and take them out.

Again, I’m not saying the Argentina activation doesnt have its place but I’ve always seen it from an opportunist point of view.  If it looks like the Allies are weak in the theatre and I can exploit the opening without compromising other, more important, theaters, I’ll consider going for it. If it looks like there’s not enough return for the expense (which is usually the case) I won’t bother. The S. America is just too logistically distant and costly, especially as compared to the Allies,  for me to bother with very often. You can’t build a minor IC anywhere on the continent. There isn’t even one naval or air facility to capture.  A real PITA to get anything outta.

As for Red Dawn, the more nothernly American climes represent a much more practical and logistically viable theater for that scenario to play out. Maybe S. American operations in support of hitting N. America would be worth looking at.

[Dafyd]

Quite right Koba.  Set up for the oppurtunity but one must wait for the right time.  I like to have options.  The Commonwealth in the west is usually reduced to stragic bombing runs by round five or six.  The Germans invest in rockets and then pummel London’s and Liverpool’s factories and air bases.  Anything that floats from CAnada to England is sunk by wolfpacks.  America is the real enemy by the time they come into the war.  I do like the idea of the northern attack on the americas as well.  The S.A. move is usually a failure in the end but as I said, just a diversion.  If oppurtunity arises in some bad allied play or mistakes, having multiple options is adventageous.  If nothing else. I will learn to do a mean funky chicken… and have fun doing it after all.

[koba]

Funny part is, now you’ve got me thinking of pulling off something in South America. We’re playing this weekend, the map is set up and my Axis partner and I are putting together what we’re going to call Operation Evita.

That is all I can really say as our opponents monitor this forum regularly.

We’ll see what happens.

[Dafyd]

Good luck. I hope it works for you.

[ghr2]

@Tigerman77:

No japan can activate SIAM only

Good to know.  We had Japan activate Argentina our last game by flying a bomber with an infantry in.  Safe to say it was a pain for the allies to deal with.  It did give America access to neutral countries though, after Japan took them of course.