Russia declaring war on Japan, can this happen?

No to 1,2,4. Look for a “powers not at war” box in the rules.

For 3, you can move to any sea zone which is not adjacent to Japanese territory. So you can totally move toward Japan, eg to SZ16 or SZ17. Just remember that if you move to SZ54, you can’t use the naval base there until you are at war with someone.

In games with big bids for the Allies (35+ PUs), it is possible to hold Yunnan by adding in an additional Chinese art plus flying in an additional two or three Russian planes that were bought before the game started.  If Japan pushes all of their units to Kwangsi on J1, the Allies will have to vacate Yunnan before J2 or face annihilation.  However the Chinese can counterattack or strafe Yunnan on Ch2 since the Japanese air force can’t land in that territory, seriously harming Japan’s ground strength in Mainland Asia.

Russia will have to methodically retreat back towards Moscow for the first three rounds with this plan.  The upside in Europe is that the US can execute a KGF plan since there is less urgency in the Pacific theater.

It’s not easy, you’ll probably lose most of China to the FEC, and you’ll have to start from scratch in South East Asia. You’re also giving the Americans free rein in the Pacific. It’s easier to take advantage of ANZAC’s low income to keep a small fleet in sz63, maybe conquer NZ and Solomons/NB, and keep them bottled up, while attacking Calcutta and US fleet.

@Cow:

Get the African NOs for Russia as well. African NOs are very important for Russia.

Agreed wholeheartedly!
I must admit though, I’m still a little in doubt about when to take them and when not to.

For example, if Germany is doing SeaLion it seems better not to (correct me if I’m wrong)? If Russia goes there (early) in this situation, it has just too few units to start contesting Eastern Europe and/or Scandinavia RU3 (assuming GE did sortie into London). Contesting those area’s with Germany seems better than getting into Africa, since the Russian profit is the same or even higher but it also denies Germany valuable IPCs. Maybe in this case get the African NO’s at a later point?

In all the other situations I’d go for African NO’s (except perhaps a G1 DOW?).

Does it help if the Japanese march everything straight across China?  They could be at Tsinghai/Kansu J4 with air units nearby to kill off the Siberians on J5.

It would certainly help except I believe Japan has a big enough task holding off the 5 countries.  I like taking China down to almost nothing before US gets involved, then take DEI’s, then try to withstand a full Pacific buy from the US.  In the meantime, Germany should be able to make its way through Russia and its all up to the oil fields after that.

to answer why im not attacking the US fleet off Hawaii……just too much risk at this point and have more die points in range of the Carolines…im waithing for him to move away from Hawaii where id have more die points and more ships in range…besides its the start of T-4 and i have China completely out of the game and gonna start harrassing the USSR. If he moves to the Carolines i will strike and if i win that battle convincingly the war could be over.

I have been wanting to play that game with america. If japan goes all out after India it falls into the strategy even better.

I THINK the US could pump troops from alaska into siberia threatening all kinds of stuff if that japanese navy wanders too far south.

If the imperial navy stays near japan sending only a minor amount of troops to the DEI India’s air force and modest navy become more relevant. The round 4 clash between the imperial navy and the american fleet should be pretty even and america wins an even trade.

In the atlantic would you send a bomber to england and offer a supporting destroyer and transport a turn? The British navy better have their stuff together or else germany……

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.