There are two things that Japan must consider: Not only when to attack, but which victory cities to go for. In my groups games, Japan had a mindset of Anniversary or Revised edition, where you think that the removal of an Allied player wins you the game. This is no longer the case!
In Game 1, Japan crushed the UK and China, but had no follow up plan to get the last and crucial victory city. American out maneuvered them and their mainland gains slowly unraveled.
In Game 2, Japan focused on crushing Australia. They got a foothold on J1 in Western Australia, and on Turn 2 had landed most of its planes there with more transports. Sure ANZAC was thoroughly crushed, but they were never able to beat down UK and eventually America overtook them.
Both times Japan didn’t have that second bit of planning, where they consider which victory cities will win them the game. You have to have this in mind from the outset, or else you’ll find yourself out of position and lose. On Game 2, Japan was collecting 72 IPCs, but had squandered its starting navy and was facing a combined UK/China assault that had regained all of the starting Chinese territories.
So what victory cities do you focus on? I assume Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Manila will be taken, which leaves 4 left.
So which do you find it better to focus on? Calcutta and then Sydney, a mostly avoid America plan? Do you go for Calcutta and Honolulu, leaving ANZAC to do whatever? Is leaving the UK player alone viable at all, going instead for Honolulu and Sydney?
I usually take the ANZAC capital J2 with the 3 transports, and make a MIC in FIC which usually works out
Figured it out. So you take Australia and then go for India? What do you buy with your Major complex? I mean, you’re still splitting money against the UK and the US. Do you go for armor, or a slow infantry push wich would leave you with more money to throw against the US?
I usually go for India first. This makes the most sense to me b/c most of the big moolah is on the mainland. If you leave them, then not only do you loose out on the allied moolah, but yours as well when the U.K. and China get powerful enough to advance. Then, I think the next best vc to take is Hawaii. If the Anzac player is smart, they will immediately start building a fortress at the beginning of the game to prevent invasion. So by the time that India falls, they will be unconquerable, but with not naval power (b/c the minute they start building it, they’ll get destroyed). So I usually just leave them be, get move combat ships than the U.S. (b/c Japan should be earning more money by then) and then take Hawaii.
How I see it is that there’s little that you can gain more by wiping australia from the map in one turn than you can from adding a few infantry to the mainland. You get 10 IPCs, a factory, and have no threats to taking the DEI
If Japan has to spend $ on fleet to counter USA and troops on mainland Asia Allies are probably winning.
Japan has to eliminate UK quickly so it can concentrate on USA. Defeat your enemies in echelon.
Going for ANZAC is a deadend. The IPC’s are just not worth it and your forces are now out of position to counter the other Allies moves.
Safest strategy for Japan is take India first then position forces on Truk so you threaten Queensland and Hawaii simultaneously.
Then again, I strongly advocate a J1 attack. Maybe someone has a more optimal strategy for a J3 attack.
