On another thread there is a discussion about building IC’s (a common topic). While I am not a fan of building IC’s (I prefer to build combat forces and move them to where I need them to maintain flexibility); I do have a question about the one nation most likely to build and benefit from a new IC: Japan.
If you are playing Japan and choose to build an IC, where are you most likely to locate it?
On those occasions when I build one as Japan, I usually place it in Manchuria (the Manchurian Tank Factory) to speed up delivery of forces in the Moscow drive, either moving them through Yakut, or through central asia via China-Sink-Novo.
But when I play the Allies and let the AI play Japan, the AI invariably builds an IC in SE Asia.
And I have seen others post about a Kwangtung IC as well.
What are your thoughts on placement of a Japan IC? Do you go for land forces support with it, or something more flexible like a SE Asia IC that can be used to send loaded tranny’s to Africa in a single move as well as support a strike on Russia?
Or do you wait a couple of rounds and forward place an IC in captured territories?
Obviously only general answers since specific tactical situation is variable.
I dont buy Jap ics anymore. I dont want to give the allies the extra option to SBR Jap to death in case of an tech war.
I used to play with ics though, loved it. First ic in Bur, second in Ind. The ind inf are 1 step away from Afrika. Be carefull with this ic though, you dont wanna lose it to the allies if they start a Per push, so dont do it in case the Japs are in a bad situation.
I never bough a Kwa ic, since that is a tempo loss for the axis imo. Always better placed in Bur (and Bur beter than Man, since more options).
Ideally, it would be placed in Burma, but I usually land it in Kwangtung. Each area has it’s pros and cons.
Burma - highest mobility and range, but more susceptible to attack.
Manchuria - low mobility, relatively safe from attack, but direct shot to Russia
Kwangtung - best defense, average mobility on land, high mobility in the sea, susceptible to the Kwangbang attack
In my experience, I took China J1 and placed an IC on Kwang on J2 (I think). This was after whittling India. It’s a nice pocket to be in, but if things went better on J1, I’d go for Burma. In the last game I played, this IC was VERY important because the Allies placed ICs in Sinkiang, India, and Australia (US1, UK 2 or 3, and UK 5, I think). Nevertheless, I went on to own 6 ICs that game….
I try to place an IC on J2, J1 might be a bit risky and costly. It could be a trade off, though. Place on J1 to defer transport costs to tank and inf, or Place on J2 and have a sound fleet. Not sure which way to go, but the earlier placed, the better.
I will not buy an I.C. until later into the game, and prefer the transport strategy until then. Late in the game I am not worried about being safe, and the allies can dent my ~50 IPCs all they want. Therefore, I can put an I.C. in Manchuria for quickest deployment of forces. However, I may also put one in india, or just one in india. This will give some nice flexibility towards russia and africa.
The other thing I forgot to mention about Manchuria is that it would only be good for land units - which seems to be what everyone is focused on anyway. Since it occupies the sea zone with Japan, it would be useless to drop anything other than land units. But all of you probably caught that anyway…
When I do buy an IC, it is around J4, and I place it in Manchuria.
By this point, I have a major tranny fleet that is full with units to bridge each round. The IC simply adds 3 more tanks to the westward sweep each round on Russia.
But in all honesty, unless Germany is starting to look a little over-taxed, I don;t build one. The 15 IPC’s for the IPC represents another loaded tranny build.
I simply tend to play Japan doing a massive initial outward sweep to increase IPC’s, then start a steadilly growing stream of forces marching on Russia. At first it is a soft breeze blowing west, but each round, the wind gets stronger until finally Russia is blown away by it (see, it is a strategy that even fits with Japan’s mythology :-) )
