I have to concur with the others who have posted. A combined transport and infantry build for Japan on turn 1 is the way to go. If Russia took Manchuria on round 1, and if the UK executed the “Kwangtung Maneuver”, the only place left for Japan to build is Southeast Asia. While initially it MIGHT be safe (the US can take that factory using China and Sinkiang forces one time in 3, and later will threaten it with a southern island hoping fleet), it is too far from Russia to do any good, and forward progress against Russia proper is easilly blocked by Novosibirsk infantry units. Japan HAS to focus on gaining IPC’s in round 1 in order to sustain a transport invasion of Russia through the back door (Manchuria to Yakut to Novosibirsk to Russia). Also, as Japan builds a transport navy (protect by heavy naval forces that were NOT sacrificed against the US at Hawaii) the US has to garrison Alaska heavilly (that japanease transport fleet ferrying troops to Manchuria is a single move away from an all out invasion of Alaska too). That reduces the number of US dollars that can be spent on the European war, allowing Germany to maintain the frontal assault on Russia that eventually leads to Japan taking Russia. So for an opening move, Japan re-takes Manchuria, takes Australia, blasts the results of the Kwantung Maneuver (if executed) or takes China using air force and Kwantung infantry. If Japan still holds Manchuria, they assault Yakut and take it. If the UK builds in India, that simply takes more pressure off Germany and allows THEM to take Russia, aided by the threat floating through the Siberian lands… too far from India for UK to do a darn thing about. YAKUT is the key for Japan. Take it and hold it, you have one territory with all of your west-marching forces to defend it from the Russians, and you force Russia to try to defend TWO territories against your massing forces. The drain on Russia: defending Evenk AND Novosibirsk plus holding Karelia and the Caucuses with an income of only 20 or so IPC’s is FATAL, REGARDLESS of UK and US support. And with Russia gone, the Alllies WILL lose (economic victory is immediate on taking Russia, world domination only a few moves away)
Japan's First Move
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Note that, using this strategy against the opening UK and Russian attacks, that Japan collects its full IPC’s + 3 for India at the end of the turn.
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Note that, using this strategy against the opening UK and Russian attacks, that Japan collects its full IPC’s + 3 for India at the end of the turn.
which is not nearly enough IMO.
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India is either free or it only has 1 ftr defending it. If there is 1 ftr, I attack with the trn and 2 inf from the Phillipines and the ftr from Burma. If the ftr is not in India, then I use only the two inf from the Phillipines. Then I attack Kwangtung with 1-2 inf from Burma and the ftr from the Phillipines (note that this ftr can reach a battle on the mainland if Kwangtung was taken) and possibly the ftr from Burma.
A problem with this is that the Jap transport is left unprotected. An allied bomber or fighter will easily destroy this - and Japan cannot afford to lose transports early. Even if the transport survives, it is out of position to send further troops to the Asia mainland, costing the Axis valuable time (which they do not have).
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So what would you guys recommend if Japan is attacked by both Russia and the UK like this?
Just so you know, I play with bidding, and if I’m Japan I usually place at least a couple of infantry on the mainland, to make such attacks less feasible.
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Well, this is a no-bid answer, and excludes the “Kwangbang” aspect (just tested again while checking out another series of moves).
Here was the set-up:
Russia went “all in” against Manchuria: Russia Fig and all Yakut and SEA forces. Russia took Manchuria with 2 INF, a tank, and fig flown back to Yakut (to team up with Evenk INF moved to Yakut).
UK sent Transport to Australia, Fighter from India went to Manchuria to strengthen defense.Japan response:
Build 2 trans and 3 INF
Send sub after UK transport (sank transport, odds strongly favor this outcome)
ALL other Japan navy to Sea of Japan; carrying 2 INF from Phillipines.
Land 4 INF in Manchuria with 2 BB’s, Carrier based fighter and Phillipine fighter (could land on Carrier)
And this would differ if Kwangbang executed…
Sent Kwangtung INF, plus all but one Burma INF, Japan fighter, Burma Fighter, and Bomber against China.End result of battles:
China taken with 2 INF remaining
Manchuria re-taken with 3 INF remaining
Burma defended with 1 INF, 2 figs, and 1 bomber.
Japan fleet consisted of 4 transports, 2 battleships, 1 carrier, 2 fighters. (sub off western Australia)
Japan will be able to land 6 INF (4 from Japan, 1 from Wake, 1 from Okinawa) and 1 tank on mainland (or elsewhere…) in J2.Total available allied forces in Asia east of Russia:
2 INF and 1 Fig in Yakut
2 INF in Sinkiang
2 INF in India.
And other than airforce, no ability to replenish troops in southern Asia, except at cost of Russian forces taken away from German front AND from direct Japan strike coming via Yakut (a good trade strategically for Axis if Russia does pull forces to southern Asia)Doing this left US free to be “annoying” in Pacific. US fleet combined and headed to Solomons (which it took without losses). Fleet consists of 1 sub, 1 transport, 1 Battleship, 1 carrier, 2 fighters. US will be “island hoping” in south pacific for a few rounds.
This of course is the negative to not killing part of the US fleet at Pearl in J1.
The advantage though is a STRONG Japan presence on the continent, and defended trannies against anything the Allies can get there. The extra naval support (those twin BB’s) and bringing the Philipine tranny north instead of south to Australia (as I normally do) meant that Russia will not likely re-take Manchuria in R2, and the Yakut force can be destroyed in J2 with 3 INF backed up by airforce. SEA gets an amphib with a tank, and 6 INF land in Manchuria. Russia will have to put at least SOME thought into defense in R2, R3 at the latest, unless they want to lose all territory east of Russia to Japan.
The “maurading” US fleet can be set up to be handled starting in J2. It is only “dangerous” so long as that BB always hits and the 2 INF remain alive. But to shorten it’s life, Japan sends the heavy Navy after it in J2, engaging it in J3, or causing it to retreat if US does not want to engage. At most, Japan will lose 4 IPC’s on islands (most likely only 2) before that fleet either strays too close to continental fighters, or until Japan’s 2 Battleships, carrier, 2 figs and sub engage it (a 1, 2 sneak, 2 3’s, and 2 4 against a 1, 3, 3 4’s. Once tranny is dead (i.e. after the first round), Japan retreats, heading back to protect the tranny’s; leaving a useless US navy in the South Pacific; the remaining US ships (a Battle, Carrier and AT MOST 2 fighters) represent minimal threat on offense against Japan’s capital ships on defense. Only that tranny is a real risk to Japan.
IF US starts to build more tranny’s in the Pacific, first say thank you to the Gods that they are not heading for Germany, then position your navy (and AF) to take them out when they approach.
Meanwhile, keep shuttling troops into Asia, building initially a mixture of INF and Armor to fill existing tranny’s, then buying more tranny’s (and filling each extra as you buy it) eventually giving Japan a tranny fleet of at least 6 or 7 by end of J3.
You can also float an “empty” tranny south into the islands (perhaps with Battleship escort now that their support shots are of no use along Asian coast) to grab some stranded island INF units to re-take islands lost to the US, or Australia/New Zealand, or maybe even head into the Indian Ocean to help in middle east or Africa.
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Thank you for your thorough response.
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Thank you for your thorough response.
No problem!
Would not have been worth posting unless it showed all the available info, including the initial negatives of the strategy.
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