German Strategy

@Snackbar:

@Texas:

I like it, a G2 hit on Piedmont would set up the potential of capturing Marseilles and turning off those mines.  I’m not sure I would agree with your purchases.  I have almost abandoned buying fighters with the CPs, too easy for the allies to out buy you and they die fairly easily.

Fighters in my opinion are required against Russia and at least one against Italy and by buying fighters you are forcing France indirectly to buy a few more then anticipated and not spending their money on other land units instead.

The German contingent in the South will aid in Austria conquering Rome in 4-5 turns. At that moment or prior to that turn Austria will spend all their money on navy to attack S17, which will be free of mines. Having a large Austrian fleet in S17 is a threat to all Allies Mediterranean controlled countries  and will definitely help the Ottomans in their struggle against the UK.

Instead of stacking Belgium with 40+ units with Germany and competing with the France it is better to play slightly more defensive on the West and kill Italy instead.

I think if you send germans to aid in Italy, the french will rescue the italiens or will break through your german lines, or is this an all in strategy against france?

@Snackbar:

Normally France will have to aid Italy anyhow and can easily defend against your large stacked German army in Belgium. Now on your first turn we do not attack Belgium, making France having to defend multiple territories

By moving a large force to Swiss on your first turn your army is still flexible to go out all directions. If France aids Piedmont and Italy’s army there doesn’t move then you will be facing max 13 infantry, 4 artillery from Tuscany, Piedmont and Burgundy. France will need to reinforce Burgundy and Marseilles at the same turn. The good thing is that there army is spread among many countries. On the other hand you can attack Piedmont with 18-1 (loss in Swiss battle) infantry 6 artillery and one fighter.

Result would be 8.5 German casualties versus 11 Allied casualties

Venice will fall to Austria on the same turn (most part of Vienna army is meant for Italy) leaving Italy wide open.

Basically Italy can only hold the line if they withdraw at their first to Tuscany, but that leaves the France army toasted in Piedmont. If the France do not defend Piedmont a large German army can make a strong attack on Tuscany on turn 3.

Meanwhile it might be a good idea to purchase a battleship with Austria or an additional fighter

France usually stacks everything it’s got in Burgundy (around 35 units). From there they can easily destroy your smaller german stack on Piemont. They can deside to bypass your german forces and head straight for the Ruhr and other precious german territories. Italy can hold out for 4 turns against the AH and Ger by simply withrdrawing to Tuscany the first turn. Your idea is not a bad one, but I’ve tried it before and although italy might fall (if US sends in reinforcements Italy is saved for the Allies), the french become a growing menace on german soil.

@Snackbar:

I doubt that would be sufficient to wipe out the Southern German Army and if it is you still would have a considerable force to take Belgium, Picardy and Lorraine without the chance of being countered as the France army would be stuck in Piedmont. France will really need to send everything leaving their northern front unguarded

Alternatively you could move your force to Venice and join forces with Austria in Tuscany. Buying a battleship each turn with Austria will keep USA at bay.

And you hold of the russians with the other half of your german and AH army?
So Italy is the main target? I once captured Moskou and italy and still had all 3 CP capitals. But it still wasn’t enough to win because the british were ad 50 (some landings in balkans) and the US could recapture italy in a turn or 2.

By moving a large force to Swiss on your first turn your army is still flexible to go out all directions. If France aids Piedmont and Italy’s army there doesn’t move then you will be facing max 13 infantry, 4 artillery from Tuscany, Piedmont and Burgundy. France will need to reinforce Burgundy and Marseilles at the same turn. The good thing is that there army is spread among many countries. On the other hand you can attack Piedmont with 18-1 (loss in Swiss battle) infantry 6 artillery and one fighter.

Snackbar,
last game we played the CP tried pretty much this idea. Austria captured Switzerland on her turn, then every German that could get there moved in. It did look impressive and threatened from the central position. The French countered with moving teh army from Burgandy and fighter in to Piedmont, and the Italians reinforced. France then massed everthing else in Burgandy.

The Austrians on there own could not attack either. The Germans tried, but couldn’t make any headway either and could not get enough reinforments to the front to push through either way against a combined Italian-French force. the allies also had air superiority fighting defensivly and German losses mounted quickly.

Of course this was just one game, so another try with some variation could change the outcome, but the inital though was it looked better then it actually turned out.

Kim

Perhaps you are correct. But in this scenario Austria does not attack Swiss but Venice instead and Germany takes Swiss. I think this is a big difference.

Possibly. would need to try that. I our game though, the French still had enough reserves to send 6 units to Albania to open a frooont in the Balkens diverting Austrian and Turkish forces that way. These units could just as easily have gone to Piedmont to make it even stronger.

It looks like interesting strategies for sure, but there’s no sure game winner. I think it needs to be played more rather then theroized.

Thanks
Kim

There is no such thing as “Swiss strategy”.

If you don’t make Switzerland impassable then all German Munich Forces take Switzerland every game and with that Switzerland is out already.

The point is how to continue!

@Snackbar:

@xxstefanx see the earlier comments in this thread

Swiss is attacked by both Munich and Alsace army, from Swiss, Piedmont was next, which was the end destination of the German army in Italy as the France intervened. However by doing so, France was not able to attack Germany in the West and the Austrians were able to press through Venice, to Tuscany and Rome. Austria attacks Venice in turn one with everything possible. All, but one infantry from Vienna, are sent to aid the Italian Austrian forces as well.

Both Serbia and Romania are attacked by Austria.

Germany sents all units from Hanover, Berlin to the East, but one infantry, which moves to Munich with the fighter of Berlin. Fighter aids the German Italian contingent. All German purchases are meant for the East.

What about the rest of the Western Front?  That is a very long line to defend.  Does Germany just sacrifice that territory in order to kill italy?

@almashir:

Chacmool,

I’m with you on Switzerland.  I don’t know that it needs to be impassable, but it shouldn’t be the preferred expressway everyone uses as a shortcut to Grandma’s house either.  It should be more of a congested toll road that’s under construction with only one toll booth open, to represent the mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, and angry Swiss with guns and fortress tunnels dug into the rocks.Â

I’m not sure what to do to achieve that, however.  Give the Swiss a bigger army than their economic value would indicate?  Apply an economic penalty to the attacker to represent an embargo from neutral countries whose leaders are afraid of their numbered bank accounts going away?

If Germany invades Switzerland, bring USA 1 turn closer to D.O.W.

Gargantua wrote:

“If Germany invades Switzerland, bring USA 1 turn closer to D.O.W.”

I think I like that.  It’s simple, and it doesn’t involve a special rule to give Switzerland a bigger army than its IPC value would indicate.  But it might have to be two turns, or maybe instantaneous, to be a real deterrent.  I guess that would have to be tested.