Thing about Russia helping out Asia and middle East is it does require USA to send bombers to Russia. Nice thing about bombers to Russia is that it can attack mech/inf/armor that tries to go past Russia to choke it’s income… USA bombers can of course attack ground units if the axis go heavy middle East as well. It takes a round longer to get to Russia going the Africa route.
USA bomber is very very effective against a j3 Dow because you can get bombers in on USA 5 in time for a G6 all in on Russia… Of course it doesn’t make it in time for a G5 all in. But you can get Anzac air for that or UK pacific air in… Generally UK pac is safe from Japan in that scenario.
I still on occasion g1 Russia and j1 swarm east russia… It is a cheese strategy, after Japan has to either take out UK pacific or shut down Iraq persia Egypt or union factories for the Europe win. USA bombers can stop a G6. So Germany is forced to go G5 with full force. All in fast game strat.
But yeah keeping the 18 inf around in the Pacific can be problematic for my J1 Dow.
Typically Russia retreating ,18 inf 2 as to Russia kind of forces Germany to G6 or g7 or choke Russia income with other means. Japan is happily making money.
As long as Japan can get India out of the picture Europe is so much easier of a win.uk pacific acting as a back up Russia is hard for an Egypt take down
Taranto raid - I think the best way to support Italy is to present the best possible Sealion threat on G1.
You overkill the British fleets in seazones 111 and 110, sending everything you can at them except for two subs. Battleship, sub, and three aircraft off Scotland, two subs and 7 aircraft in the channel. The remaining two subs take out the Canadian destroyer and transport. If the British don’t scramble, then you should win all three battles without losing any aircraft in most of your games. Then you build a destroyer and two planes. The Baltic fleet comes out to seazone 112. Of course send the fighter to Rome too.
If the U.S. is not set up to counter the Sealion and Britain decides to fight the Italians instead of cleaning up your navy, you go through with the plan. You can have Japan hold off a turn. The British are now forced into another Atlantic naval engagement that pulls resources away from Italy. You walk away with one or two subs doing convoys in the Atlantic, fewer British fighters to defend Moscow, and a stronger Italy in the Med.
In response to some of Cow’s posts -
You’ve got some good ideas there. Please keep them coming.
You mentioned Japan helping with the Europe side. I think this works because the European side is so much harder to contest for the Allies. This was one of my conclusions and it’s why I think the Allies should go KJF. However, if Japan is making plays to impact the European side then the Allies have to put more resources in over there where the resources have less of an impact.
9. Assuming skilled play on the part of both players, a neutral crush can help for the Allies (example - Spanish beachhead) but will not work for the Axis.
Neutral crushes absolutely have the potential to help the Axis. A favorable situation doesn’t arise in every game, of course, but the Axis players should not dismiss the possibility.
In addition to Spanish Beachhead, other reasons for neutral crushes include:
1. Opening up a surprise landing zone
2. Creating a surprise flight path
3. Side-steping into Turkey to outmaneuver an opposing army*
These can help win games for the Axis just as much as for the Allies.
@Hunter:
I would also like to point out that 6 Infantry and 1 Fighter is the standard UK 1 buy.
Why would this be better sealion defense than 9 infantry?
@Hunter:
I would also like to point out that 6 Infantry and 1 Fighter is the standard UK 1 buy.
Why would this be better sealion defense than 9 infantry?
It’s not, but it does produce a unit that can do more than turtle.
I’m not comfortable with 6+1 as Britain unless Japan did a J1 and America built bombers to send to London. Germany has plenty of tactics they can employ to boost their odds in Sealion and it’s not worth the risk IMO.
Thing about 6+1 is the fighter can scramble so it is a double defense (he has to have ships). Not all Germany players buy naval round 1, I am of the 2 bomber 1 sub crew. Keeps the threat real.
I always keep 3 fighters at least one turn away from London, if not in Britain itself unless I’m sure Germany won’t Sealion next turn. Britain starts with 3 plus one French fighter so scrambling isn’t a problem, right? I am assuming you didn’t scramble and lose fighters on turn 1. If you did, then I can see a 6+1 purchase.
@Cow:
Not all Germany players buy naval round 1, I am of the 2 bomber 1 sub crew.
I didn’t know this was considered a good buy. Is the idea to slip the sub over to seazone 125 when the British aren’t looking and take the 5 IPC objective from Russia? If so then what would you do about lurking British destroyers, hit them with bombers? If that isn’t the plan then those 6 IPC’s are just sitting there in the water for most of the game.
2 bombers, 1 sub is a very good buy.
@Cow:
Not all Germany players buy naval round 1, I am of the 2 bomber 1 sub crew.
I didn’t know this was considered a good buy. Is the idea to slip the sub over to seazone 125 when the British aren’t looking and take the 5 IPC objective from Russia? If so then what would you do about lurking British destroyers, hit them with bombers? If that isn’t the plan then those 6 IPC’s are just sitting there in the water for most of the game.
The sub allows an extra hit in SZ112 which is enough to defend it in most cases. Important if strafing SZ111. The extra 2IPC vs a DD is useful.
Ok, the sub works well combined with a strafe, got it. You can use it to hunt down the remnants of the Scottish fleet too. I can see how an extra bomber instead of fighter would help threaten Sealion too due to a deadlier potential SBR.
2 bmr 1 sub has become the standard G1 purchase in our groups
4 INF + 4 Art seems to be our groups preference on G1 and then G2 it is the Sea Lion build or all Air Force with 3 Bombers some FTR + Tac.
