Win Tally

@shadowhawk

Agreed. Though it is more bearable online.

@AndrewAAGamer

Thank you for clarifying.

@rulebook_reviewer https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/31377/axis-victories-what-s-the-magic-trick

It’s already been discussed.

Thanks!

Yep, that’s what we did, we just played another round before calling it.

(The way I play Germany:)
Create 1 huge army that marches into Russia and arrives in Bryansk G5, ready to attack Moscow G6, together with purchases from G5 (aircraft in Berlin/fast in Ukraine). Purchases in G1/2/3/4/5 are always aimed at maximally reinforcing this marching ‘deathball’, like ghr and Demandr described.

Russia has no choice but to surrender Leningrad+Ukraine and Germany should gladly take them with some token forces (1 to 2 inf + air).

What the Allies CAN do about this (very generally speaking because of all the variables): Russia retreats into Moscow while building a lot of inf + ART(!). RAF helps to defend it. UK + USA getting strong at Gibraltar/London + Middle East and, very important, setting up ‘bomber command’. Comes G6 Germany cannot attack Moscow because it is too heavily defended. Luftwaffe is tied into Russia (making life easier for the allies preparing for DDay) because otherwise Russia begins counter-attacking, ending the German presence there. Germany can take Caucasus + Stalingrad but NOT in force because then the Russians can break out where it is most effective, attacking and destroying the German army defending Bryansk if there is still some there. If there is not, because all the Germans are in Caucasus/Stalingrad, what is to stop Russia from retaking Leningrad, Ukraine and all those juicy eastern-european countries? Nada.
Too bad this game has no ‘out-of-supply’ rules as this is exactly what happend in Russia, starving the massive German army in Stalingrad.

In the pacific, the USA + ANZAC have Allied task number 1: prevent an Axis (Pac 6VC) win. This does not mean Japan has to be killed (though you can certainly try), but Hawai + Sydney must be held. If Japan crushes India this is an easy job. If Japan clearly invests in taking Hawai/Sydney (luckily the USA goes after Japan so can react), the task is more difficult, but India will be safe  longer and can even become strong strong strong if Japan focuses too much on Hawai. Most Japanese players I have seen, invest heavily into taking India and Middle East and THEN they try to take Hawai/Sydney. This gives the USA breathing space to invest around 20% per turn into the Pacific, spending 80% of its income into Europe. By the time Japan is ready to invest into taking Hawai the USA can switch to near 100% into Pacific (depending on the Japanese investments) without a problem because its forces in Europe are already massive.

Note that I am using the LL system in my games (and posts) to predict/dictate what major powers must do to stay alive. The LL system is usually pretty accurate and if the dice screw you up, well, then it’s the dice, not strategy, that cost you the game.

Japan needs 6 VCs in the Pacific to win, all the allies need to do is Protect Honalulu and Sydney while building more than the Japs.

The US does not have enough income to represent its realistic capablities
A real problem is that its a power that relies exclusively on transports to get to the action (japan also, but japan can build ICs on the coast, USA cant build ICs anywhere worthwhile)
Transports that need a fleet to protect them.

The best thing that could be done to help the US is to give them some extra infantry in the mainland. To ease the burden of having to buy so many high cost units.
Maybe like 4-8 more infantry.
The US really didnt have a manpower shortage, and the draft had already begun by 1940.

The 4-8 infantry would allow the US to maybe buy another bomber and Cruiser over the course of the first few turns, while still able to fill its transports.
I always feel the US shows up in a theatre with 3 units too few to really scare the axis player. They show up with enough that the axis can attack, and trade away planes for boats.
Setting back the US by a little, and the axis by a little more.
When in reality, the US should show up and the axis be very afraid to attack the US transports and fleet, and have to use its air units defensively. So that by turn 6 or so the US is the major allied agressor on the board. Not just the boogyman.

by that point in the game we couldnt have stopped you… I’m thinking how we could have stopped it from getting to that point in the first place.  A couple of things come to mind… 1) not stockpiling the russian infantry in Amur and 2) when we saw you only bought 2 transports on G1 UK could have taken out the Taranto fleet and just bought infantry.  This might have stopped Italy opening a second front in Russia and stopped a successful sealion.