The Empire Strikes Back
Yoda: Yes, run! Yes, a Jedi’s strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan’s apprentice.
Luke: Vader… Is the dark side stronger?
Yoda: No, no, no. Quicker, easier, more seductive.
Luke: But how am I to know the good side from the bad?
Yoda: You will know… when you are calm, at peace, passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, NEVER for attack.
Luke: But tell my why I can’t…
Yoda: No, no! There is no “why”.
I am a dark side Force-user. And you will note that although Yoda did not say the dark side was stronger, neither did he say the dark side was weaker. Mwahhahahaha.
BWAAAAA HAHAHAHAHA!
What does that mean? . . .
Suppose I have two possible counters to an opponent’s move. One is not particularly (but moderately) risky, and will push the development of the game along quickly. The other is slightly less risky, but will not push the development of the game. Unless I am convinced I am up against a powerful opponent, I will choose the one that will push the game along quickly. (I’m a bunny, not a tortoise.)
My advice is typically about the quickest and most powerful, most forceful way to quickly secure victory. If I shoot a hole in a plan, it is typically about the single fastest and most powerful counter that can pose a serious threat to the plan. If I devise a plan, it is typically about the single fastest and most powerful combination that cannot easily be countered.
Which is not to say I ignore slower ways to win! Indeed, against opponents like that despicable light-side user Hobbes (ptui) I must take care not to wave my lightsaber too wildly, lest I be cut down like that fool Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. Against such light-side users that are strong in the Force, I must act as Palpatine did in Star Wars I-V (and most of VI as well).
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Considering the initial listed moves for Russia and Germany, the quickest deadly Russian counter is to potentially kill the crap out of German-held Ukraine on R2. Yes, Japan’s fighter on French Indochina can reinforce, but that’s it, and the Russians will still have huge threat potential against Ukraine. Considering the listed moves, I think it’s a real possibility that Germany will get attacked and destroyed.
If you want to exert immediate and horrible pressure against Russia with a G1 Ukraine hold, the best thing is probably some variation of trying to conquer West Russia, fortify Ukraine, abandon Africa, build double Japanese industrial complexes, and push tanks like mad on Moscow. But as appealing as that is to a dark side user, it is really quite difficult to press a double Axis tank attack without a serious early shift in the balance of power that favors Axis. What typically happens is the Axis press, press, press, then they stall. The sacrifices the Axis made to exert pressure against Russia early mean far less favorable placement to protect against early Allied fleet movement, which means the Allies can progress to rapid reinforcement in both Africa and Europe. At that point, with the Allies possessing a much more powerful economy, and having a powerful defense that has stalled the Axis at Moscow, the Allies start to push back. At that point, the Allies can start to try to hit Africa and other targets to boost the Axis economy, but with the Allies already having freedom of movement, it’s an upward battle for the Axis.
Without an early shift in the balance of power that favors Axis, the Axis are typically far better off pressing a mixed attack. You use elements of dark Force philosophy for early gains and pressure, but you also do not neglect Axis economic development (and conversely Allied economic restriction). For example, suppose you build tanks with Germany, and use Germany’s forces to hit Anglo-Egypt early, but instead of trying to take and hold Ukraine on G1, you keep the bulk of German’s infantry at Eastern Europe, possibly securing Western Europe as well. Your followup is G2 fighters on Western Europe to threaten Allied landing at Algeria, to preserve Germany’s Africa income, and consolidation of German forces at Ukraine, followed by Japanese fighter reinforcement to Ukraine. From that point, you’re looking at a G3 attack on West Russia or Caucasus, again followed up by Japanese fighter reinforcement.
Granted, the second approach risks a powerful Russian counter. The German advance is a turn slower, so even with Japanese fighter reinforcement, the Allies can offer a much more serious and threatening attack.
But think about it this way.
A G1 Ukraine hold is the typical approach you can use against young and inexperienced Jedi, or perhaps even against more experienced Jedi that have been wounded (i.e. suffered really bad dice rolls). In that case, you are not holding back. You have the upper hand; your strategy is to just slam away with your lightsaber until your opponent’s guard breaks and slice him or her or it in half. Others might say it’s crude. But it works, and it works well. Oh, your opponent might struggle to his/her/its knees, or it might use the Force to fling a mug at your head, but by and large, you’re beating your opponent down like a clown, and your intent is to make sure things darn well stay that way. Your opponent doesn’t have the strength or speed to take advantage of holes in your offense, so the “holes” in your offense are really NOT holes at all. In fact, if you gave your opponent time to recover, you would be more likely to lose. So aggression and speed are the way to go. Let the dark side FLOW through you!
A G2 Ukraine hold is a more typical approach against a more experienced unwounded Jedi. You are not flinging yourself into an overly aggressive attack, because if you overextend your reach, your lightsaber arm might get lopped off. Now, a hole in your offense really IS a hole in your offense. If you rush your opponent, you could still force him/her/it to his/her/its knees - but in the process, you could easily get your lightsaber arm lopped off! So you take a more measured approach, because that is what is best to ensure your victory in the end. Not quite a dark side orgy, but he/she/it who laughs last laughs best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvObIj7MKXY&feature=related
In EITHER event, you could still lose, of course. With a G1 Ukraine hold, you might be swinging away when your opponent lands a lucky blow. With a G2 Ukraine hold, you might be trying to push your opponent, but then find your opponent starts to push back and even overpower you. But in both cases, the SAFEST to victory involves some degree of aggression.
