Germany Taking India - Go for Pacific Win?

Amazing this forum is still active, even cooler that there is still talk about the Afrika Korps strategy and even a Youtube video!

Here is the original idea back in 2016: https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/28581/the-afrika-korps?_=1640243275057

I am playing again in 2 weeks with my father & brother, after a 1.5 year break. I will focus on Barbarossa as well, and likely use oysteila build orders. Maybe spend some more on Atlantic Wall when USA goes for KGF with my JDOW1 in G3/4.

@weddingsinger said in Large sub buy for Germany?:

Anyone try something a bit different, like a G2 larger sub buy for Germany?

Presumably something like 10 mechs and 6 subs would be useful. 6 subs plus 4 bombers gets you plenty of opportunities against Allied navy at Gibraltor or to start convoying England. But subs are soooo bad at defending it seems it would be easy to lose.

Anyone try something like this? Or anything else unusual?

Admiral Raeder approves :)

sorry that’s all i have to add to the discussion : )

@Tolstoj:

Well usually the Japanese forces converge to Yunnan, and maybe one or two units in the north.

Would you trade say 22 Japanese groundunits and 3 aircraft to 35 allied units, including the Indian airforce?

The Soviets can make a contribution as well.

You don’t have to hold Yunnan but it’s very important to always retake it.

It’s true that StuckToJo you’ve been victim of this tactic more than a few times!  :-D

@knp7765:

Also, if/win London is liberated, then UK Europe will collect the IPCs from Persia (unless an Axis power has taken it beforehand, of course)

This also works on the Pacific side. If Calcutta is captured and some UK Europe troops liberate West India, no one gets the IPCs until Calcutta is liberated.

Very good point!

What I was talking about is that Russia has more muscle in this set-up then in G40. They can be more aggressive and can help defend the Chinese wall and/or the Middle east against the Japanese once India falls (things they don’t get to do much in G40).

Doh, thats right.  I misspoke, you save one if concerned Japan might be invaded by US.  It can stop bombards and is cheaper than throwing a ftr away doing it.

So only save a kami if you think Japan is about to be invaded.

SHARED THIS ON LARRY’S SITE ALREADY, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THOUGHTS HERE ALSO:

Ok Larry,

Me and an official playtester of yours here in Michigan (his name is mentioned in the rulebook for Europe 40) played Global with the new setup given with all the aircraft taken away and such. Here was a short summary of what happened:

On the Europe side:

Germany played pretty predictably, sinking most of the UK navy, taking France and the Eastern European pro-allied and pro-axis neutrals with Italy. They continued to build on their air force to keep the UK from building ships right away. Began to stack some ground units as well. Italy expanded into Africa and shored the Middle East slowly controlling the Med.

UK responded by NOT attcking the Italian navy and pulling back the rest of the navy it had left until it could come back to England with a strong navy that included the US. UK took the Pro-allied Brazil and shucked the troops to Africa to help the SAfrican force which slowly pushed the Italians back up to Egypt turning the tide in Africa.

Russia stedily built a force consisting of infantry spiced with some tanks, artillery, tacs and mechs. Stacking behind some dead zones and waiting for the declaration of war.

US spent about 70-80% of its cash in the Pacific since it could not even approach Africa/Europe before a state of war.

Now for the Pacific side:

India with little cash built mostly infantry and stacked. Combined navy near India and activated the Persian troops to bring back and help defend India. In Global, India has a little more help from some extra troops west and a few ships, including one French destroyer to help defend. Also, it can fall back with its stack to West India if needed.

ANZAC naval base is much needed and I am glad it is there- balances nicely.

China was stonger, but does what it normally does and stacks at Yunnan to wait to wear down Japs. China units are really used as a delaying tactic for the India crush.

Japan didn’t see an advantage to the India crush in J1 but felt that the initiative came to them in J2. They didn’t want to wait until J3 because they felt the Allies would have established a long-term defense of India. So with that the Japs declared war on J2 taking back the Dutch East Indies and unleashing the fury. Japan built transports J1 and J2 and built more planes to replace the ones missing from the new setup in J2.

Now even though both Japs and Allies have the same amount of planes removed, Japan can build them faster and move them closer to the action (India). US could also build their planes back but it takes them longer to get them to the battle scene (India). Brit India and ANZAC can’t build much of an airforce because of the typhoon of Jap units coming fast, so India stacks and ANZAC tries to distract and/or try to send some units.

Japan can make the US wait longer to send ships and planes down to ANZAC by using its navy as a shield. I as Allies, I made tactical blunder ruining my chance to meet the Jap onslaught of India from behind through Australia. However, if not for this the setup seems very balanced and gave some options to both sides.

A hot topic question will be “what to do with the Russian inf on the Pacific side??”
It is very frustrating for the Russians, if you attack immediately, Japan will bring the heat to wipe them out with now China and Russia give large concessions to Japan $$$. If you stack and sit. Japan has to garrison Manchu with a small force but continues to spearhead to India. I figure as the Russians, you have to attack with the 18 inf at some point. The hard part is when. Timing is everything in this decision.

With US entering the war at turn 2, the US began to throw a good amount of cash to the European side, mainly because of the blunder in the Pacific- India would not last long now- 2-3 more rounds. I recovered nicely putting pressure on the French coast quickly until I made another tactical error involving Gibraltar- arrggh!!!- new rules and new map takes a little while getting used to.  :-(

Besides these 2 blunders, I thought the Global game was pretty fair and balanced with a slight edge to the Allies. I definitely think the Allies are a little easier to play because that sides is spilt into 6 sub parts (countries) that are easy to prepare while you are waiting for the Axis to finish. The Axis with so many more units in the beginning, take longer and you have to be very efficient both in the short-term and the long-term planning.

Anyway that was are anaylsis so I hope it helps.  :-)