German Naval Purchase

[drummerinheat]

I am about 6 months into A&A and i love it!  after about 10+ games of 1941, I decided to move up to 1942 2nd ed.  My question pertains to the group’s opinions of the best moves for a German naval buy (if any).  I know the investment into Africa (in most cases) needs to be a 1 time thing.  If it doesn’t take, too bad.  A re-investment in the Med takes away from the eastern front.  Being able to transport infantry from Germany to Karelia in one turn seems to be a more important naval investment.  Protecting it to survive beyond turn 3 or 4 is the issue.  So what are the opinions on Med/Baltic Naval investments?  Im new to this so i don’t have my naval abbreviations down yet.

My thoughts / strategy (naval only):
Turn 1 buy: Carrier, Sub, Transport.  I usually buy an extra sub to be sure i can always combine my air and subs to combat any allied amphibious assaults on the western front.  That way i can mostly abandon France and NWEur and focus all my land efforts on the East.  As for placing the purchases, i feel they should probably all go to the Baltic.  With the English fleet in the Indian Ocean threatening the Med, i feel any extra investment isn’t ipc’s well spent.  Unless the first round buy included a naval reinforcement for both the Baltic and Med and spend the rest on infantry to resupply the eastern front.

Is it just a pipe dream to believe i can keep a navy beyond 4 turns?

[Koningstiger]

@drummerinheat:

I am about 6 months into A&A and i love it!  after about 10+ games of 1941, I decided to move up to 1942 2nd ed.  My question pertains to the group’s opinions of the best moves for a German naval buy (if any).  I know the investment into Africa (in most cases) needs to be a 1 time thing.  If it doesn’t take, too bad.  A re-investment in the Med takes away from the eastern front.  Being able to transport infantry from Germany to Karelia in one turn seems to be a more important naval investment.  Protecting it to survive beyond turn 3 or 4 is the issue.  So what are the opinions on Med/Baltic Naval investments?  Im new to this so i don’t have my naval abbreviations down yet.

My thoughts / strategy (naval only):
Turn 1 buy: Carrier, Sub, Transport.  I usually buy an extra sub to be sure i can always combine my air and subs to combat any allied amphibious assaults on the western front.  That way i can mostly abandon France and NWEur and focus all my land efforts on the East.  As for placing the purchases, i feel they should probably all go to the Baltic.  With the English fleet in the Indian Ocean threatening the Med, i feel any extra investment isn’t ipc’s well spent.  Unless the first round buy included a naval reinforcement for both the Baltic and Med and spend the rest on infantry to resupply the eastern front.

Is it just a pipe dream to believe i can keep a navy beyond 4 turns?

Basically what you describe here is what i often buy too if I go for naval buys. Spending so many IPC’s on it though so as to still have a navy after turn 4 or so, would almost certainly mean you’ll lack land forces against Russia.

[gtsg]

if you buy a carrier round 1 and the rest inf. you should have no problems with your suply line to the east.

the carrier I always place in the med along with the battleship. I always take a huge risk with the luftwaffe and attack the cruiser and destroyer in the med          
( because you have bought a carrier you can then use your fighters in romania and ukraine to hit the destroyer and then land them on your carrier at the end of germany’s turn).

if you can keep your transport alive in the med you can get in to africa and possibely rip the heart out of the uk economy.

because in the baltic you are very likely to be bombed out of the water. whilst a invasion of gibraltar will somewhat hamper the ability of the allies to effectively sink your ships in the med.

i have found that the battleship , carrier, destroyer  (bought in round 2) combo is quite effective at guarding the soft underbelly of the crocodile  :-D

[baron Münchhausen]

You can also use the Germany’s Fighter on this UK’s Destroyer if all Ukrainian’s units has been destroyed.

[drummerinheat]

@gtsg:

if you buy a carrier round 1 and the rest inf. you should have no problems with your suply line to the east.

the carrier I always place in the med along with the battleship. I always take a huge risk with the luftwaffe and attack the cruiser and destroyer in the med         
( because you have bought a carrier you can then use your fighters in romania and ukraine to hit the destroyer and then land them on your carrier at the end of germany’s turn).

if you can keep your transport alive in the med you can get in to africa and possibely rip the heart out of the uk economy.

I always felt the Baltic fleet was the more important fleet due to quickly shuttling troops from Berlin to karelia. For me, investment into Africa is a 1 shot deal. It either works or doesnt. If it doesnt, attention has been diverted from India (as long as you sunk the US Destroyer and 2 Trans on turn 1) and that’s still a minor victory for the axis.

I realize that the axis are the “easier” side to play,  so whining about not having a Navy last mid game is a bit petty…never the less, as a player of any side, you want all your decisions forcing your opponent to make tough decisions.

[drummerinheat]

and i obviously don’t have this forum down because i just meant to quote gtsg and not my response to the quote…i promise ill figure it out  :-D

[MarineIguana]

If you buy navy as germany, place it in the med, not Baltic. In my personal view, 1 carrier R1 in the med is effective in saving the battleship and transport.

The territory structure is such that the med is difficult for allies to attack. Any movement past Gibralter is exposed to any Germany navy and air.
In contrast, German navy in the Baltic/north atlantic is exposed to US and UK air and navy. Germany can sometimes project air from western Europe.

Buying german navy units is investing units into a position of weakness.

[drummerinheat]

after a game this weekend as the Allies, i noticed that the Med is probably the way to go for the German Navy.  Had trouble taking care of it after Axis took Gibraltar on G1.  He was able to counter 2 USA Morocco landings and take all of Africa in 4 rounds.  He purchased an Aircraft Carrier for the Baltic and it was helpful for 4 rounds until he removed his planes from it and i hit the carrier and cruiser with 6 British Fighters stacked between England and Finland.

In the future, i will stick to a carrier buy turn 1 and sub buys only until the west succumbs to inevitable landings from USA/England, that is…if i get to be the axis.  Currently teaching the game to a friend and he’s not ready to handle the beast that is the Allies.

[CrayzKirk]

I’ve never seen a need to buy a navy for the Germans.  Once Japan is rolling, there is more than enough air force to dissuade any sort of Allied naval build up.  There are usually at least 3 German subs around and combined with the battleship and transport, I don’t see much need of spending the money.

[theROCmonster]

The carrier in the med is an interesting idea as it allows Germany to hold Africa for a lot longer. I wonder if this is worth it in the long run though because the men you send to Africa aren’t threatening West Russia or Caucus… This is always the problem I’ve seen with navy buys in the med. That and the fact you have to keep 2 fighters on your carrier, which means those fighters aren’t defending mainland Europe.

[drummerinheat]

The carrier in the med is an interesting idea as it allows Germany to hold Africa for a lot longer. I wonder if this is worth it in the long run though because the men you send to Africa aren’t threatening West Russia or Caucus… This is always the problem I’ve seen with navy buys in the med. That and the fact you have to keep 2 fighters on your carrier, which means those fighters aren’t defending mainland Europe.

I’ve given this a few runs since posting.  The baltic is a lost cause, speaking naval.  1st round German Purchased Carrier, Transport, 2 Art, 4 Inf.  (Ive also dabbled in grabbing another sub instead of the trans just to help lock down the Atlantic).  Take Gibraltar, and prep for taking Egypt round 2 (as long as The US Trans/Destroyer were taken out G1).  G2 attack egypt.  G3 Split surviving German forces between blitzing through Africa or Middle East and use your transports to take additional infantry/Art to black sea.  Add a bombardment from your battleship and your 2 planes to attacking the Caucasus.  As long as you can, use that Med Navy to take Caucasus.  Africa, will most likely be taken back, but at that point, it shouldn’t matter.  You are using your extra IPC to INF stack the Western Front/ Capital and by turn 5 - 7 (with a little pressure from Japan) Russia falls!

In regards to your planes, you still have a bomber and 3 fighters to help hold off the Atlantic with your subs.  If it’s not enough…buy 1 a turn after you take most of Africa.