Germany Taking India - Go for Pacific Win?

@Stough just remember when playing tripleA that ‘1 more turn’ is never 1 more turn…

(The way I play Germany:)
Create 1 huge army that marches into Russia and arrives in Bryansk G5, ready to attack Moscow G6, together with purchases from G5 (aircraft in Berlin/fast in Ukraine). Purchases in G1/2/3/4/5 are always aimed at maximally reinforcing this marching ‘deathball’, like ghr and Demandr described.

Russia has no choice but to surrender Leningrad+Ukraine and Germany should gladly take them with some token forces (1 to 2 inf + air).

What the Allies CAN do about this (very generally speaking because of all the variables): Russia retreats into Moscow while building a lot of inf + ART(!). RAF helps to defend it. UK + USA getting strong at Gibraltar/London + Middle East and, very important, setting up ‘bomber command’. Comes G6 Germany cannot attack Moscow because it is too heavily defended. Luftwaffe is tied into Russia (making life easier for the allies preparing for DDay) because otherwise Russia begins counter-attacking, ending the German presence there. Germany can take Caucasus + Stalingrad but NOT in force because then the Russians can break out where it is most effective, attacking and destroying the German army defending Bryansk if there is still some there. If there is not, because all the Germans are in Caucasus/Stalingrad, what is to stop Russia from retaking Leningrad, Ukraine and all those juicy eastern-european countries? Nada.
Too bad this game has no ‘out-of-supply’ rules as this is exactly what happend in Russia, starving the massive German army in Stalingrad.

In the pacific, the USA + ANZAC have Allied task number 1: prevent an Axis (Pac 6VC) win. This does not mean Japan has to be killed (though you can certainly try), but Hawai + Sydney must be held. If Japan crushes India this is an easy job. If Japan clearly invests in taking Hawai/Sydney (luckily the USA goes after Japan so can react), the task is more difficult, but India will be safe  longer and can even become strong strong strong if Japan focuses too much on Hawai. Most Japanese players I have seen, invest heavily into taking India and Middle East and THEN they try to take Hawai/Sydney. This gives the USA breathing space to invest around 20% per turn into the Pacific, spending 80% of its income into Europe. By the time Japan is ready to invest into taking Hawai the USA can switch to near 100% into Pacific (depending on the Japanese investments) without a problem because its forces in Europe are already massive.

Note that I am using the LL system in my games (and posts) to predict/dictate what major powers must do to stay alive. The LL system is usually pretty accurate and if the dice screw you up, well, then it’s the dice, not strategy, that cost you the game.

Yeah, I know.

I normally drill Ethiopia, often with both loaded transports and both cruisers.
I’m not sold on ALWAYS attacking an Italian fleet right away, though pasting Z95 fleets netted me 2 easy wins (but I got really luck dice both times)

I just attacked Iraq on UK1 for the first time vs. Allweneed.  In hindsight it was brilliant, because the Iraqis never killed a single man - it was like Desert Storm, I guess.  :evil:

I’m not sure what circumstances led me to do that - mainly a J1 attack, I think.  Then you have 2 transports 2 spaces from reinforcing India on UK2 if necessary.  You can’t say that about most other UK deployments.

They changed a lot of wording in alpha 3.9.
Even the Islands in the pacific are Axis controlled, while Germany has to contorl every place except Caucasus on its own. I think, this is not what “National Objectives” should be. It sounds more like “Axis Objectives”. I don’t like it. It should just be Japan/Italy/Germany not Axis.

(USSR does not get any Bonus for US/UK capturing axis terretories in Europe, and thats how it should be)

First of all, i don’t think Germany should upgrade the UK IC (and in Alpha rules it even isn’t allowed).

Aas Germany you should at least make he impression to fight for London (to make USA send alot of troops), and the moment before they’re going to get slaughtered, germans can chose to pull back (if the situation is hopeless), or (if they think they can hurt the attackers) stay and fight for it.

Eevry turn UK doesn’t have London it’s about 20 Allied IPC less per round. That’s not nothing, so every turn you can stretch this is good. Also Italy can benefit a lot from the british downfall.

If you plan a counter attack against liberating americans, leave your troops in London and load up for a counter-counter-strike.

USA should know that if it liberates UK, it has to make sure they keep it for 2 turns at least (since 1st turn UK cannot buy but gets money, and that could be looted by Germany again).

If they do, german’s time in London is over, if they make the mistake of rushing to take back UK (and most players will probabaly fall for it once - i did…), germany can play with them.

I think it’s best for germany to spend abit on it, as it is good to delay Allied actions (winning valuable turns and keeping the Allies weakened - can also be good for Japan by the way), but other targets (Russia!) ought to be their top priority.

In the End, London IS a VC (a means to win the game) and though you can’t count too much on keeping it the whole game, you don’t just give it back! You use it and meanwhile you go for the other VC’s.

Well it depends.

Usually, I would say on Average, if you haven’t reached “stable” relative parity by round 7… you’re in trouble.

You should be reaching for it around round 5, holding it by round 6, and trying to keep it round 7 and onwards.

Then it’s all about a SLOW push into Russia with the Germans,  Keeping the DEI with Japan, blitzing off China, draining Russia, and survivng America,  and trying to split the Americ an Income into both theatres.

You can make $20 LESS than the allies a turn, and it’s not a big deal, IF the allies have a sense of urgency, and are giving up transports, to take territories, and try and mess with you as quickly as possible.

THE GREATEST THREAT to the Axis Economic parity game, is the loss of the mediterranean,  via Gibraltar, Morocco, etc, etc.  Make sure you have a plan in place, to cock block the yanks, and brits, and cause as many problems as possible.

@special:

Well, i was being sarcastic about taking Canada ;)

Of course, as Axis there wouldn’t be anything wrong in going after Gibraltar, or controlling the Atlantic, or even snatching brazil.
But as a US player allowing all this, that would be really really bad play.

i agree with that.

mostly, because it is not this difficult to keep the axis out of gibraltar.

Just build 3 units?  If I own any of the French complexes I might buy more.  I also would probably dump money into upgrading the minor complex in east germany since the west german complex is damaged by the takeover (in global anyways.)