Quick questions, quick answers please!

@tincanofthesea said in Question about Combat:

@alexander-ritter yes, this way you can’t choose to not attack based off of other attacks

Thank you!

You can buy a vinyl printout of the board from office max or staples, no idea how it works but I know its been done. Check out the axis and allies Facebook group and ask a question there, someone will definitely get back to you.

Locke888

Some people like simple some like complex….some like logic some like regimented rules

I agree with you…some are now calling it a National objective…I read it as non aggression pact in a political situation and that action is AGGRESSION. What I do know is I am not wrong…nor are people who agree with this move…this rule is simply left to interpretation…that’s all there is to it

No coincidence that there are so many house rules…why are they there? Because it is a great game and it has flaws and mistakes and rules that are not clear. I bet you there is not a player who plays this game who has not sat there and looked at a rule to go from section to section to get a clarification for at least 10 minutes during a game.

As for logic…if you are playing strategists…throw that out of the window…if you are playing historical folks…you can get somewhere…and then there is the in between and there you negotiate

Why not ask if you need a transport to cross the Tasman sea. Heck, people can swim the English Channel so therefore no transport should be required, right?

Fair dinkum. This has got to be one of the weirdest A&A questions I’ve heard.

@OttoVonBismarck:

Hello, I am new to playing A&A. Me and my friends have played about 5 games but they usually end before we can really finish. I’ve been scouring through these forums and picking up some information, but I have a lot of questions about good Axis strategy. Any help would be appreciated.

Sorry for the large amount of questions, I’ve just been really puzzled about this for a while. I’ve seen people say that Germany can easily take over Russia almost every game, but the farthest I’ve gotten is Leningrad. Any other tips you have for Axis strategy would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

Again welcome to AA.org. As the others have said watching Young Grasshopper’s video’s is a great tool for newer (and even long time) G40 players. You have gotten some great advice from the others as well. Here is my take on your questions, but much will be very similar to what has been posted already.

What is a usual turn for Germany to attack Russia?

I like G2, you have enough starting units to push deep into Russian territories if you super stack (move one territory at a time towards Moscow). It will force the Russians to abandon their minor ICs (where you can build more units once you take them). Having a few mobile Italian units with a bomber is very helpful to your cause because the Italians can take out Russian inf pickets for you, and allows you to move up your German stack with a couple German planes for air cover. Plus Italy can always use the income, just don’t give them key territories w/IC (or places like Western Ukraine because you can build a German IC there to pump out ground).

How do you move your starting German units for Barbarossa, and what units should you buy to keep it going?

Basically anything that can’t hit the French goes east, targeting E Poland on G2 (or G3). I generally buy navy/air on G1, and look to add more ground to the Russian front once I take the Russian ICs. I also look to transport units through the Baltic.

Do you leave any units behind to defend Western Germany/Germany or do you send them all to the front?

Once France falls, I will send all surviving mobile units through N Italy to Yugo so they can catch up to my stack in Russia. Any surviving inf/art will stay in France to clean it up and def the Atlantic coastline.

What is a good path to go for Moscow?

I wouldn’t split your force because if you invade G2 (or G3) you will be vulnerable to attack. I like to go south of the marsh because there is more to gain, plus there is a good chance the Russian player will have to abandon Leningrad anyway. G2 all available units to East Poland, G3 W Ukraine. This will allow you access to more IPCs, the Ukraine IC and the oil NOs. The Russian player (unless he is also new) will need to abandon Leningrad in order to get those slow moving units to Moscow for defense, otherwise you will beat him to his capital. Plus you should be able to amphib Leningrad through the Baltic (I generally buy navy G1) even if he does leave a token force (dead Russian units can’t defend Moscow).

How does Japan doing a J1 attack affect the European Axis strategy?

The obvious answer is that a J1 attack unleashes the USA, and they get their NO bonus on the first turn. The good thing is that the USA doesn’t have much on the East coast and will take a couple turns to bulk up. I don’t mind so much about giving the US the extra bonus and freedom of movement in the Atlantic because of importance of allied units that I can take out on that first turn in the Pacific. I will say that my J1 attack is a bit different from most because I include taking out the US Hawaiian fleet as well as the other normal stuff on J1. This leaves the US weak on both sides and they are hard pressed to make a decision on what side to build on. The US wants to build Atlantic, but is pretty much forced to go Pacific in the first couple turns to attempt to stabilize the situation.

What should you do with the Italian units in Africa?

Much of this depends on what the Italians have as far as navy on It1. Most games see the Italians lose the ships in both the sz96 (off Malta) and sz97 leaving them with only one transport. In this case many people will salvage some of the N African Italians by transporting them back to Europe where they will be more useful (transporting units to N Africa would expose your tiny Italian navy to attack by British air).

If the UK did sink the Italian navy in sz97 it will lead to the UK also losing its Med fleet through axis counter attack. The Italians could be hard presses to get their “no ships in the Med NO” on IT1. They would like to take vengeance on the British Med fleet, but they also need to clear out the French in sz93 (I really don’t like when the French escape). Much depends on what the UK has left after the sz97 attack. If the UK left ftrs on the Med carrier then maybe Italy only strikes it to weaken it for the Germans to finish. If Italy looks like it can kill the the surviving UK Med fleet maybe they also set-up an amphib on Greece keeping whats left of the Italian fleet under cover from the airbase. Italy should try to support the Germans with some mech and air as can openers in Russia.

PS: If you still have the bulk of your fleet IT1 then I would probably presser Egypt. You might be able to take it, or at least tie up some valuable UK units.

What country should get Bulgaria?

Germany IMO, need the income and the units. Once you activate the Bulgarians G1 you can send them to the Russian front (would be a turn behind w/G2 Barb), or could use some of them to attack Yugo on G2 along with your mobile units coming in from Paris (if you didn’t take Yugo G1).

What should you do with Finnish units if you decide to go along Ukraine/Stalingrad rather than north to Leningrad?

I keep the Fins in Finland (adding the Norwegians sometimes the Danes), you can use them to pressure Leningrad. Like we said before chances are the Russians will be forced to abandon Leningrad to get those slow moving units to Moscow. If they stay to defend it is good for you, and you can generally amphib Leningrad along with those advancing Scandinavians. Those units will also be necessary if the western allies go for Norway. A few well placed inf/art in Finland along with transported units via the Baltic and the Luftwaffe are a good deterrent/counter attack.

What is the best way for Japan to get to India?

With a J1 attack India won’t have the luxury of building a major defense (won’t have much income). Once Japan takes all the key assets (Phil, Malaya, DEI, Hong Kong ect…), they could amphib India. One of the reasons I favor a J1 attack though is so I can build a minor IC in FIC. This allows me to keep pressure on China, as well as send some mech/tanks towards India. This is bad news for Calcutta seeing Japans ability to bring in fast moving ground units and assault by sea. The UK player is in a bad situation. They need to help out the Russians, but if they do it means India falls that much easier.

Is Sealion ever worth it?

Many people (myself included) will build some fleet G1 to make the UK player do the responsible thing on UK1 (build 6 inf+ftr for London or something to that degree). So G1 I normally build a carrier (plus either a destroyer, or Bmr, or 1-2 transports, or sometimes save the rest). This keeps the possibility of Sea lion alive in the back of the UK players head, and his purchase should reflect that. Basically I want him to build units that won’t help him much over the next 4-5 turns. I don’t want to see him build fleet, or a minor IC in Egypt UK1, that’s not good for the axis. If for some reason the UK player seeing my G1 build doesn’t spend his first round income defending London, and he sends his ftrs to the Med for the Taronto Run (sinks Italian BB), then yea I would probably Sea Lion his arrogant A$$. Otherwise Sea Lion would be more of a threat even later as the game goes on. Build a couple German transports, and watch him build more inf in London. After the added defenses given to London in the 2nd edition I think Sea Lion is more of an attack of opportunity to capitalize on the short coming of the UK player. This could be in the opening rounds, or catching him with his pants down later in the game as well.

If you are planning on Barbarossa, is it better to buy 7 artillery on G1, or buy nothing to keep the allies guessing?

Like I said above, I like to build some fleet G1 to keep the allies guessing, and force the UK to respond with a conservative buy on the first turn (7 art G1 gives them too much info IMO). Saving all your income can also be effective, but if you save not sure an art buy would still be a good play on G2 (they would be behind your main force, and Russia see’s it). With that said buying 7 art G1 is a pretty damn effective Barbarossa, so pushing hard puts the allies on the clock. The question is can they respond to the call.

What is the usual amount of German units to send to France? what if you want to take Normandy or Southern France also?

This is a matter of preference, but the best thing to do is probably to just take Paris with every ground unit that can reach (no air). You will most likely preserve all your mobile units to send to Russia, and some art to defend the Atlantic coast. With that said I like to also take either S France or Normandy (but never all three). So I reserve a couple ground units to hit one of the coastal French territories. I like to take S France, but it is risky because you need to use mobile units (through N Italy) and prob the Slov ftr (knowing that the damn French will convoy you in sz93). I like to take the S France IC with Germany in case I want to drop some subs in the Med. If I don’t take it with Germany, Italy will generally end up with S France even if I’m controlling both (damn greedy Italians).

@kcdzim:

In addition to what was already stated by Moralecheck -

While the game engine may sometimes allow it, you are not technically allowed per the game rules to load during the combat phase if those units cannot or will not be used for an amphibious assault during that combat phase.

Yes, I understand. I was assuming that they could be offloaded at some point that turn, but either way it would have ended up being the same if I loaded them in combat move or non-combat, since they could do nothing either way.

Question answered thanks!

I personally feel Alpha2 does not mesh with Europe only.

There is an exploit if Germany prepares for Sea Lion. Alpha2 permits the US to declare war when London falls. Normally Germany wants to delay the US entering the war and thus will never declare war on them.

The exploit is this, UK can build a carrier, transport and artillery, place the carrier in sz 106 Canada, the transport in South africa with the artillery, they can move their fleet to sz 92 Gibraltar. Land 2 infantry on Algeria (with sz 109 tranny) with 3 planes, leave a DD in sz 94 to prevent naval bombardments on Algeria, and this prevents Italy from taking Algeria to permit a German air assault on the UK navy in 92.
The rest of the UK air lands in Gibraltar and Egypt. Stack land units in Egypt. Also grab Persia with the Med transport.

Germany must choose: Take England turn 2 and permit America to enter the war on turn 2. (Since it built transports on turn 1 to exploit the UK carrier fleet that will be waiting. A large US presence will be in the Med or N. Europe on turn 3 a smaller one on turn 2. The UK fighters move to Egypt turn 2 and it never falls before Italy does.

Round 2 UK has 3 loaded transports able to reinforce Egypt with 7-8 planes…Italy is toast, Russia is fine, and the US is knocking on Germany and Italy’s door turn 2!! Insult is, you get a French fighter and at least 2 french soldiers that can board the first US transport that lands, giving France capture Italian territory options after the US clears sea zones it non combats the French land units into position this is great if you need to grab islands (or capitals  :wink: ) for allied planes after the US combat move.

In Alpha 2 the Major UK factory becomes a minor on top of that, the money German gets after building 3 infantry a turn to defend UK is a net of +4 dollars. Yes Germany has fewer losses, and you lose out on UK land units stacking in UK. But you get an Italy that never gets into Africa as turn 2, you have a couple of ships, and 5-8 planes that can sink the Italian fleet if it is anywhere besides a scramble base, and even then its a risk. Except for sz 97, the UK airforce can hit every Med. sz and land on turn 2. because of Malta, Cyprus and the carrier.

Remember to save the 2 transports that went to Persia and S.Africa and end up in sz 81 they cannot be hit by Italy on turn 2 without Anglo-Egypt which you can liberate. When the UK fleet moves into the Med later on, they give the UK 3 loaded transports that permit assaults or 6 land units and 8 planes to reinforce any US land grabs late game. Plus the French fighter and 2 French land units! lol

If Germany refuses to take UK, the US never needs to build carriers as the UK builds one a turn , plus the 2 units in Africa….game over for Italy and likely the axis.

I get good results with this in Global too, keeping Italy down is nice in global as well depending on if the allies go Europe or Pacific first. It also permits India and anzac to declare war turn 1 after Germany and Japan have gone in order to get the bonus NO money. (The Axis only see Russia’s move and thus make moves for a normal game…japan is not ready to pounce typically as they never expect a turn 1 India/Anzac DOW)