Buying a Destroyer for the Soviet Baltic Fleet

I start with a purchase of 3 CVs for the US.  You can get planes to fill them up later on.  It is nice to stack a bunch of fighters in Midway.  If the Japanese are careless, your planes can hit SZ 6 and then land on the carrier group in CZ7.  It doesn’t happen often, but is beautiful when you can pull off that raid.

On turn 2, I transition to subs and fighters as the primary way to damage their fleet.  You can also convoy raid their economy to bits if you can get a few subs into the appropriate sea locations.

Afterwards, I do mostly subs plus a destroyer.  Depending on the Japanese spending and success against China, I transition to the European side.

I’d gladly sacrifice a large UK navy and some planes if it means the Luftwaffe taking heavy losses.  As far as I can see, mutual annihilation usually benefits the Allies

man been awhile since I played some lobby games of global. I am getting bad, but I can still beat most players.

I don’t see a reason to expose your fleet early as Japan.  That said, even playing games with the Americans, albeit fun; is counterproductive.

You don’t gain much as you can still bait the US into buy full Pacific early in the game against a well-versed player, so that school of thought is out.

Carolines don’t come into play until much later in the game (read securing Calcutta) and VC win is Hawaii or Sydney.  However, I’m banking that Hawaii is “easier” to take once removing the fleet than Sydney.  This is primarily due to the Minor IC being able to put out multiple units round after round until you arrive with an Amphib that requires the Carolines.

Its much easier to go after Hawaii as it is a single move from Tokyo anyways (barring any blocks).  Having to fight for the Carolines and then Sydney seems less… efficient?

@SgtBlitz:

Heh, ok.  I was being 50% sarcastic 50% fooling with ya at the end there, mashing the words together like that, Mr. SupremeGeneralICanKickANewbsAss   :-D.  I think TripleA came out with the Pacific setup a few months ago, but not sure how long it will be until we get a Global mod for it.  Considering how often Larry is changing the ruleset on top of the new Global rules it will probably be a long time before they get a Global working.  TripleA is definitely the way to go, though, savegames for the win.  Hope it comes soon.  We’re using an Alpha +.2 mod to the out of box rules so far.

You know how to use ABattlemap, right?  Some of the more computer savvy people on our forum have programmed a Global game map for it, its useful in that it stacks units and chips together like a real game board, so you can play games on the forum with the internal dice roller (I still say its biased on the crucial battles).  We just type out all our moves like a giant herd of nerds on the forums and let the casaulties fall where they may.  It’s pretty fun and can be nail-biting at times, the way it ought to be.  Let me know if you’re interested in starting a forum game, I’ll help you out.

Thanks for the offer to help Sarjento. Hope to get into an online game soon.

Bear in mind that the USSR moves before England does (OOB) and before America and England (Alpha 2) thus it can be used for the “Can Opener” maneuver as well.  (Pop a blocking destroyer so the war fleets can sink the Italian/German navy and invade Hamburg/Frankfurt Germany, Berlin Germany, Rome Italy, whatever.)

If for no other reason, moving the Russian submarine to the combined Anglo-American fleet in the Atlantic might be worth it.

And, to belabor the point, it is another defending ship if your Anglo-American fleet is ever attacked, and one that neither England nor America has to purchase.

Note, these are the same arguments for using the Russian Submarine in previous versions of the game.  It’s always been semi-useless, but it has also always had a use in the rare situation it was needed.  Sometimes it was America who had to make a hole for the Russian due to the turn order, but it was the same basic situation.  Another unit that the Axis have to account for if you use it properly.  Sure, if you sit the submarine off the Cape of Good Hope (S. Africa) the Axis can virtually ignore it.  If it’s near Panama, the Axis can ignore it.  But why not use it as another unit with the Anglo-American flotilla?  It does not cost anything, it cannot be used to defend Russia in any meaningful way and if you do not use it thusly, you are essentially giving the Germans (and maybe the Japanese if you move it to the Pacific/Indian Oceans) a 6 IPC bid. (8 classic, but you dont start with a submarine in classic)

It seems with 6 subs on the board, you could keep 2 off Canada and 4 off London. That means you would subtract 11 IPCs from the UK until the US entered the war, if UK does not build a DD in Canada.

You could keep London at around 18 IPCs until the US enters the war. However, I don’t think Germany can spare the money on sea units, since I believe they need to help Japan gather victory cities or face a long term loss of game. I also suspect that the US will have 2-3 DDs in their war fleet able to clear two of the convoy zones for UK.

Personally I would make air units over sea units, as you can then threaten fleets and land units especially if you need a quick extra “push” against Moscow early on.

You would discourage a navy build by UK until the US could arrive on scene.

In some Europe games, I did produce a couple of subs early on, but not in any global games. I found their life span to be brief unless they hid behind Denmark.

Thats true,
they are only candiates for joining the EU like Turkey for example…
I Know they Play qualification for European Soccer campionship,
but so does Israel and turkey too… Funny Thing ;)
Think it was intended that iceland counts to European “belonings,”
but it would Be Nixe if Krieghund could clearifiy this b/c imo this rule applies to the European and African (contnental) mainland…