Ok when does everyone prefer to attack the USA with Japan in Global and Why???
And go!!
In the one global game I had the Axis players did very well buy delaying the attact until the 3rd turn. Essentially it all came down on income. The first two turns the Japanese player ran rampent in China and attacked the 18 Russian infantry because the Allied players foolishly placed them all in range of the Japanese airforce. By J3 the Japanese attacked the DEI and gained an extra 10 to 12 income there too. They went into round 4 having 78 IPC’s plus most of their original units and purchases still in tact. It was a very effective strategy.
That is my preferred timing as well. J3 seems to be the best turn to begin the attack on the USA and UK/ANZAC. If for some reason the UK attacks before the USA is at war……all the better for Japan to begin its move to the money islands and India.
On R1 if they leave the stack of 18 infantry exposed it is a fatal mistake to not attack. Later in the game if the stack lives to retreat most of your ground forces and air force will be focused on the UK, USA and China…not the Russians. So by taking them out early you can force them to slip their forces…even if you are not driving to Moscow it still distracts them from focusing entirely on Germany.
Delaying an extra round also gives you another turn to take out China. I saw Japan ignore them in a previous game (J2 attack) and they took back almost all of China by round 6…it was not pretty, only a major IC held them back and by then the USA was knocking on Paris’s door. Germany was 2 rounds from taking Moscow…but that was too long as the USA got involved too early with the J2 attack.
J3 delays Japan in getting the extra cash, but it helps to position your fleets and troops for well focused and sustainable attacks on the allies. Plus Germany and Italy benifit greatly from that extra turn of breathing space…especially as the US tends to focus more cash on Europe.
I’m kinda leaning towards J2 myself. I’ve had some luck moving the vast majority of my fleet to the Carolines J1 (including all my transports) while building 3 more transports. Sets you up to do some major damage as you’ve got a ton of targets in range of your transports J2. GB gets slightly more pesky by letting them keep their full territories for a turn but it’s nothing you can’t handle. Not as huge a fan of J3 because that India stack can really start growing by that point, and the Chinese player can keep you from doing any significant damage to his main stack until J4-J5 so spending your first 3 turns just hunting the retreating Chinamen and Russians is kind of a waste of your turns IMHO.
As far as an actual full steam attack on the US, haven’t seen it pay off yet. Very large investment on the Jap player’s part that can be checked with a minimal degree of effort by the US. I just stick with Hawaii and the Philippines and keep a close eye on what the US is building on the Pacific side and position my fleet accordingly.
Yes the J2 attack may be great for Japan……but what about your allies?
In the game Germany and Italy are more effected by the USA than Japan. For the Axis as a whole it seems like the J3 attack is a better idea.
Italy and Germany need more time to secure Africa and Russia before the USA is landing 6 transports a turn in Europe or Africa.
Especially if Germany builds enough infantry to take Russia they may not attack until G3 or even G4. If Japan attacks early it may force Germany to either attack Russia before it is ready, or to wait and then not have enough time to hurt Russia before the USA gets involved with multiple landings.
I’d say J1 is still the most beneficial attack if we’re viewing Japan in isolation from its allies. I look at J2 is a good compromise between the needs of the European and Pacific Axis. Is allowing the Pacific Allies an extra turn to put up what could be a formidable series of roadblocks to Jap expansion worth the trade-off of the US showing up in Europe 1 turn later? Not to mention you’re giving the US an extra turn to stack Hawaii with planes and navy if they so choose, which can seriously hinder Japan’s ability to mount any sort of major offensive. All depends on whatever strategy you’re following I guess, as well as the US player’s moves. I use Japan as the primary breadwinner of the Axis side and don’t like to see them get bogged down fighting inf stacks in the Pacific.
J 2 ist the best time to attack.
Your transports and striking forces are in position and germany has already launched Operation Barbarossa.
Won’t give the US + UK more time to collect bonuses and additional income.
I’ll add a vote for J2, so you can take India on J3.
Yes its one turn early, but its not that huge of a swing, esp if Japan can go up nearly 20 with the UK going down 7 for the US to go up 30.
