UK Pacific

Taking out SZ 97 is the most crucial move for UK 1.  Even if Germany is threatening Sealion all UK has to do is send the strategic bomber + the SZ 98 fleet (assuming a sub bid) and they have a 78% chance against a 3 fighter scramble.  The only other viable option is buying an air base and Non combating the SZ 98 fleet over to Gibraltar.  This is an inferior move in my opinion.  Smashing Italy’s Cruiser, transport and BB on turn 1 is just so good.

@wittmann:

If you are playing Global, yes.
Is not easy. You will probably only get the bonus on UK1.

Well, if germany/italy work hard enough, then yes.  The only places they u might have trouble retaking would be malta, cyprus, and alex if germany lands planes with italian garrison.  British somaliand is annoying but reclaimable.  everywhere else, the allies should eb able to reclaim without too much trouble.

@Admiral:

@Rhey:

I always attack Japan in China on UK Pac 2. This reopens the burma route (as the Japanese have way too limited ground forces) and keeps china in play. China is really more important then most of the players think. I find them very strong, especially against those scattered Japanese forces. The only problem is their airforce but every japanese unit you can take out on the mainland, is a huge win.

Crazy thing about the Japanese air force and Chinese units is this, the latter just needs to keep those precious stacks out of their range. Pull back, retreat. Advance when the time is right. A smart Chinese players does this, and makes the Japanese player really invest their time in the Chinese hinterland, splitting their options.

Best strategy for the Chinese is to play exactly like the Russians:  Turtle up and keep one step away from the units trying to take them out.  Each round you’ll be able to add 2-3 Inf to your big starting stack.  Once Japan attacks the UK or Anzac, you’re free to start marching towards either A:  Burma Road to reclaim it or B: The valuable territories the Japanese start with in the north.

Both cases make Japan invest more deeply into taking China than it wants to, while buying time until India can help you retake the Burma Road.  Don’t play foolish with your big starting stack, protect it until the Japanese are too thin or they’ve invested too much in China (which is an IPC sink if Japan doesn’t get it early).

@JimmyHat:

best counter is an easy Sealion.

Agreed, if you built a Carrier with Germany on round 1, and the UK either buys units in S Africa or builds an IC somewhere, the Germans need to go all in on Sea Lion.  As Germany, launch your attack on London on G3 and you should win with acceptable losses.  Situations like these are what Sea Lion is all about :)

To be clear, you only have to start the battle with all aircraft having a possible landing location, correct?

For simplicity, the game doesn’t deal with the Vichy government.  All French units are considered to be Free French.

@calvinhobbesliker:

In some Guadalcanal games, they switched the US and Japanese cruisers. Thus, we had an orange US cruiser and a Green Japanese cruiser

Wow, I never even noticed that before. But I dont have any of the green Japanese cruisers. Very strange.

@GrayBlaZe:

Yes and I have even a bigger color difference between the two European boards.  So much so that when I show it off so far to three different people the first thing thay say is wow the size is impressive, the second thing is, “look how different the blue is in the sea between these two boards.” stands out big time.  Not a big deal to me but I can see how obvious it is when it keeps getting pointed out…

Ours also has quite a color difference. There’s more yellow in the blue of the Pacific board - or the other way around, can’t check, don’t have the board here. It shows less in the land areas since abit more yellow in brownish colors won’t show that much.

Also it shows so hard because there happens to be a LOT of ocean there. :)

Doesn’t really bother me, though.