Problems with playing Japan

Daggum! This is going to my head with people agreeing with me.

It sure as H-E-C-K don’t happen here(my physical locale!)

Daggum! This is going to my head with people agreeing with me.
It sure as H-E-C-K don’t happen here(my physical locale!)

Ever consider moving? :D

My suggestion is that you never ever build any kind of ship except for transport with japan. Japan should put 100% into taking Asian asap. And with a IC on land to produce inf in and with as many transports as you can buy to transport tanks with, you will have whole asia in turn 3 and after that, Russian can start their judgementday countdown.

Each transport can only transport 2 infantry or 1 armor. So buy as many as you can – making sure that you have the proper amount of infantry as well. Buy mainly infantry for the transports … until you’ve amassed a large Japanese force in Asia. I think LJ pointed out that a ratio of 6:1 (infantry:armor/airforce) is a good idea to allow you to have both a maximum attacking threat and still maintian the survival of your armor/airforce (by only using the infantry as cannon fodder).

Once ANY transport unloads – it’s turn is OVER.

If you are playing Japan and see the US player spending his/her time/money trying to launch an offensive in the Pacific then so much the better for you and Germany. An American offensive in the Pacific = a) loss of the shuck to Europe b) not taking back Africa which means Germany is $$$$$$ and the UK is not $$$$$$

Pearl Harbour isn’t even needed really but can be executed in order to help keep that US fleet out of the Atlantic. But really taking the BBs over to Asia to help with an offensive is clutch, especially on J2 going after India possibly.

Otherwise, everything said above my post is all good advice. Good luck with Japan in the future! :D

r u kidding me japan is like the best country at the beginning since its surrounded by china which u could easily take and the east part of russia. also the hawaian islands which is also easy to beat

i like a man who grins when he fights
-winston churchill

I think it’s critical to capture the Hawaiian Islands in the first round of play. Occupying Hawaii is important because it reduces by 1 fighter any US counterattack (the Eastern US fighter will have nowhere to land). This may sound trivial, but it’s actually a great deterrent because it practically guarantees that the Americans will lose EVERYTHING after just one pass, should they counterattack. Compare the odds: Japan 4 d 4s (2 BS, 2 Fig), 1 d 3 (AC), and 1 d 1 (Trn) vs US 2 d 4 (BS, Bomber), 1 d 3 (Fig), and 1 Trn fodder. In the average game, the Japanese will suffer 2 losses while America will be eliminated from the Pacific entirely. In this scenario America has little choice but to cut and run with its paltry West Coast fleet.

S_U_D, I have to disagree with you about the necessity of destroying the Hawaiian fleet. A savvy American player will wreak havoc in the Pacific if he is allowed to unite and enhance his two original Pacific fleets (i.e. the West Coast BB/Tr and the Hawaiian AC/sub). This combined US fleet will be unassailable after the first turn, and will become an increasingly large thorn in the side of the Japanese for the remainder of the game. I reckon that the only way to give the Japs the unchecked economic growth they need to win is to eliminate a strong US presence in the Pacific. The only way to eliminate the US presence thoroughly is to kick the bollocks off the Hawaiians.

@Guderian:

S_U_D, I have to disagree with you about the necessity of destroying the Hawaiian fleet. A savvy American player will wreak havoc in the Pacific if he is allowed to unite and enhance his two original Pacific fleets (i.e. the West Coast BB/Tr and the Hawaiian AC/sub). This combined US fleet will be unassailable after the first turn, and will become an increasingly large thorn in the side of the Japanese for the remainder of the game. I reckon that the only way to give the Japs the unchecked economic growth they need to win is to eliminate a strong US presence in the Pacific. The only way to eliminate the US presence thoroughly is to kick the bollocks off the Hawaiians.

I think soon you die is saying nt sending the whole of your force is necessary to remove the threat…

and if you like double hit BB then just send in the 2 BB and the sub and your fine…

re: Pearl lite. . .

S_U_D, assuming you don’t use the ‘2 hit’ BB rule, what kind of force do you send into Hawaii when you execute ‘Pearl lite’? Surely whatever units survive the initial assualt get knocked into oblivion by the US counter, no?

I have found that it isnt worthwhile for japan to attack the US fleet in Hawaai on their first turn. instead, I have found that it is better to buy a IC and infantry for your transports & then put your whole fleet on japan with two aircraft on your carrier. Your fleet is larger than the US because you have 2 battleships, let the us come to you. besides, who cares if they take the solomons?

with regards to what SUD said, let me reiterate that a pearl lite may be a good idea in that it could well sucker the US into attacking your fleet. This would cost it heavily in losses of ftrs and bmbs, or the trn and BB if it is smart. After Pearl, Japan really does not need that AC, or those BB’s, and can afford to lose them and would not hurt as much as the allies without the US air power and add’l boats in the Atlantic.
I kind of like the idea of not Pearl-ing at all, but old habits die hard, i guess.

@cystic:

with regards to what SUD said, let me reiterate that a pearl lite may be a good idea in that it could well sucker the US into attacking your fleet. This would cost it heavily in losses of ftrs and bmbs, or the trn and BB if it is smart. After Pearl, Japan really does not need that AC, or those BB’s, and can afford to lose them and would not hurt as much as the allies without the US air power and add’l boats in the Atlantic.
I kind of like the idea of not Pearl-ing at all, but old habits die hard, i guess.

well put CC… The 2 BB’s are better used to knock out the US fleet then to sit still and do nothing… There only major use is to really do Land Bombard and what can you hit with that… India You might say but then you could sail in 2 turns down to India so on turn 3 do an attack (which usually happens anyway on turn 3 if the Japanese are lucky, if the Transport hasn’t brought 2 inf. from Aus.)… and if they get pounded by the BB, Tran., 2 Fighters, and a bomber awesome… the US will take on average 3 hits (if my math is right) and lose a tran. and 2 FIGHTERS which would have served in the European theatre better…

Jeeez SUD… I think you put the rest of us to shame about analyzing the Pearl Hvy vs. Pearl lite debate :D

Pearl Heavy with Hawaii land assault is the biggest risk of all, in this sense. One less tranny available to consolidate against a possible US sub, 2 fewer Inf in Asia, 1 less Ftr in the Naval attack…reducing odds of getting 3 hits on first attack.

I just want to add I agree with this 100%.