Why is Taranto raid so popular?

@flyingbadger

Absolutely badger.

While we may see the fight in the Mediterranean from different perspectives, what we inevitably all agree on is that it’s one of the more significant fronts that can easily sway the game for one side or the other all down to the results of a simple raid on Italy.

For me I stick by my philosophy that every Axis piece on the board should be doing something, or playing some sort of role. Which is why I’m a firm believer that scrambling the fighters into the Taranto Raid as the Axis should be done every single time because fact of the matter is, a lot of people tend to say that it’s better to save those fighters for something new but in the end nobody really knows what they’re saving them for, and that’s what causes Axis players to lose. I mean granted Squire had previously said earlier to save those fighters against the French ships or the remaining British ships in the Med but for me the Taranto Raid is the only time I’ll really be able to take of British Planes if I scramble these fighters and when they’re throwing this many planes at me then that’s my objective. Obviously you won’t be able to have absolutely every unit doing something and playing some sort of genuine authentic role but you can get very close to having every single unit active on the board, which is what wins you games.

It sounds like you only have the fighters engaging in combat. My understanding is that all air units (incl. the bombers get to roll):

The attacking bombers and fighter escorts and the defending fighter interceptors will be the only units participating in this special combat. The combat lasts for only one round. All of the air units have attack and defense values of 1

I hope this helps.

@SuperbattleshipYamato
Doing all 3 might be risky but the risk might be worth it.
Taranto is a given if you send the carrier chances of Italy scrambling are low anyway.

Toburk is also pretty easy just the naval battle before it might be tricky. You could remove the destroyer from the taranto raid to make that combat even more safe.
Or the cruiser from gibraltar if you still have it.

Dont think you need the tactical for the taranto raid, you could swap the figher for the tactical to make tobruk safer

Its 1 cruiser + 1 BB + 3 fighters ( 19attach. 6 hitpoints ) vs 1 destroyer 1 cruiser 3 fighters 1 bomber 1 carrier 18attack/ 8 hitpoints ) your first 2 hitpoints dont cost you a single die as well.

AA is unique to the extent it fits in between light “war games” like the ones these guys like and the real mind buster/hex and counter games.  People who want more realism etc go for the latter while lighter players go the former, leaving us who want something in the middle with AA.  It’s hard to convince either type to go in for middle when they want something really complicated or easy.

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris the retreat is only for one turn. By stacking and blocking Alexandria you can comeback UK2 and even make an airbase there.
It´s a withdrawal UK1 to attack on UK2.

Thanks alot!

@Cow:

The egypt minor is for convoying sz 97 in the long run and taking italy out of the game.

That can change when Germany (if) takes Moscow and turns towards Egypt.  In my most recent game, Germany ended up taking Moscow and redirected the prior round’s purchase of Armor towards Egypt along with a Ukr Arm purchase Germany had something like 9 tanks sitting in Ukraine ready to blitz ahead of whatever survived Moscow.

UK went on the defensive at this point, but Italy was already convoyed to death with minimal effort.  It really goes to show how important sinking the Italian fleet is if Germany is going to Moscow first when Italy is stuck from round 6-7 on being able to only put 1 or 2 Inf out a round at best.

A “game turn”  is a “round”

a “player turn” is a countries “move” in a “round”

Like when asking, what inning, period, or quarter is it?  A friend might ask you, what “round” or “turn/game turn” is it?

Thank you for the clarifications gentleman.