Idea for UK1

@akreider2 it might give you a certain flexibility you may need or it hinders you to grow with euro Axis.
It depends much likely on how you play Japan.
Fir a J1DoW I personally would not recommend it, since you are boosting the US in no time.

I agree with Simon’s conclusion that Moscow falls G6. No need for Sea lion after UK1 DOW on Japan. This game is going to end very badly for the Allies unless the Axis player is very weak. Play some tougher competition!

FIC, if under united UK economy, can be useful for UK. I agree with you that it serves better for Japan but once again, it depends on what Japan attacks first.

The standard  theory is that US and UK help each other in Atlantic, while they help each other with China and Anzac’s help in the Pacific.

UK helps USSR too.  USSR helps China. France helps anyone it can.

All is is true about Allies.

For an Axis win, Germany has to help Italy. This happens occassionally.

But what we rarely see is Japan helping Italy.

RamRod is one of the few places that this Japanese to Italian help is crucial in securing Axis victory!

The counter as MOW and others have rightly said is the Persian and SA factory.

The UK transports are critical in the defense/offense role.

However, the Navy protecting them is weak….and there are really no airbases… or the planes in these Airbases are gone.

So, to make the Italian threat potent, the Japanese Navy  (IJN) must help out.

This can be done in 3 ways:
A) By just sallying forth with the combat ships, 2 Subs, BB+ DD, 2CRU .  There can be some additions or subtractions done here.
  The point is… that the UK Navy with the TRs sunk… should make it much much more expensive for UK to attack Egypt  AND  - DEFEND- the Persian complex at the same time.

There is a potential for a 1-2 punch, wherein the Italian Navy could hit the UK navy in Red Sea first… and then withdraw… and the Japanese fleet off India mops up the survivors.

B) Using a CV+FTR+TB  in addition to A) but removing the BB

C) Adding a LOADED TR to A or B

This when done on J4 or J5 will really mess up Allied efforts to get back Egypt.

How the US fleet build is on US1 and US2 and the fleet positioning is of paramount importance for this to succeed.

IJN Build on J2 and J3 are important too.

But if pulled off… correctly… or the UK Botches its play…  by J5-I5 or J6-I6,  Persia can be Italian or Japanese… and S. Africa could be Axis too.

Just a point i  had not mentioned earlier.

MeinHerr

Agree with Ike here: it really depends on what the rest of the board looks like.

Some options from my own experience:
1. If Moscow falls G9 this means Germany has channeled a lot of resources east.
Strong counter for the allies is to land 40+ units in western Europe. Most likely even Western Germany and then push back west (liberating France) and south (taking out Italy). In the meantime Berlin should be maxed out every turn. Of course Japan must also be prevented a win in the Pacific first priority (defensive spending).
If the allies went ‘Japan First’, this option may not be available to you since it requires minimal spending in the Pacific (i.e. a defensive budget rather than an offensive one).

2. If Moscow falls G9 after the allies went ‘Japan First’ (assuming Caïro is still allied controlled), the allies must of course start channeling more untis into Caïro/Middle East than the axis can. And/or into London, depending on what the axis targets are. Hopefully they are able to do so and start pushing the axis back. Alternatively you can try to liberate another VC. If the allies can build up a huge invasion force/shuck from Gibraltar, they have the flexibility to try to liberate Paris or aid the defense of Caïro.
Defeating Germany after Moscow fell with no meaningful allied threat in the west already in place is no small thing to do…

As the Axis I have noticed that hunting down VC’s too aggressively really means putting their heads on the block (like in option 1 above). IMHO for the axis it is best to be patient. Aim to stabilize economic balance and then jump in the gap the allies have left you. A few examples:

3. If the allies go Europe First (while still preventing Japan a 6VC win), Germany best prevent the allied landings at all costs. This takes away a LOT of resources from the eastern front so Moscow should be safe (except when Russia built too much ‘wrong’ units). In Russia, Germany + Italy need to aim for a defensive perimeter as far eastwards as possible in order to be able to contest or defend rich Russian territories.
Japan should secure India if it doesn’t already have it under control and then make a deep strategic calculation (4/5 turns ahead); will it be possible to grab Hawaii/Sydney if the USA defends it with all its resources while Japan goes all-in to take it and hold it? Will Japan also be able to hold all other VC’s? Could Japan ‘trick’ the USA and then suddenly swing east when it is too late or is the USA-player a bit Pacific-ignorant and do you think he/she will continue that?
If Yes, go grab this last VC. Otherwise, just match the allied (USA) forces and offensive spendings in the Pacific and send the rest to contest the Middle East/Africa. From India (Naval Base), Japan can invade Africa in 1 turn. If Japan cannot take it, can Japan convoy it? I once lost too many indian ships too soon and as a result, got convoyed all the way from the Persian Gulf to the Brazilian coast by Japanese submarines…

I could go on and on with options, particularly about allied strategies for late game ‘JF’ course of events and the axis responses but I think other players have more experience with this and I already wrote quite enough for now ;-).

@AK_Grown:

@ghr2:

@AK_Grown:

I like to do this sometimes. � Instead of buying a Navy in G1 - I’ll just do a basic buy, either troops or a plane and troops. � UKE will lower their defenses (I didn’t buy Navy, I’m obviously not going UK) and will focus on the med or Africa. � G2 - transports (5-7 depending), launch on G3 - take it 85% of the time. � Then just move on down to Gib, let Italy out - and take out US. � Hasn’t worked quite like that yet, but its come close a couple of times.

My 92 stack gives the UK incredible flexibility in defending sealion, and still threatening italy.  I would have like 5 less infantry than normal, but I will be bringing home all of my air, navy, and maybe the malta garrison.  Easily makes up for it.

So you stack 92 on UK1 - you’re going to be leaving the Med on UK2 to protect against Sealion?  Then Italy grabs Gib on their turn…

Maybe I’m a stupid player, but I send the house as Italy when UK sits in 92.  I then let Germany clean up on their turn (planes from Italy, HB’s from W. Germany).  It only sets me back 1 round.

Are you buying an AB UK1 for Gib?

I would leave the med only if Germany had a super strong sealion.  I would calculate how much that is needed to hold it, and send the rest on italy.  Usually I would buy an airbase if I need to scramble.  This move helps to preserve the UK fleet and to give options UK2.

Even if Africa falls…lets assume that Italy takes it for shits and giggles that rises their IPC per turn to around 30ish. The American forces still come and kick their asses in Italy or in Africa…once America has a foothold in Africa its over for Italy…or they go annoy Germany a lot in France or Norway.  America is still really strong thats why I think its worth the risk turn 1 for the UK. For the Axis player it wouldn’t be worth the risk at all but for the Allies they can afford to take chances if they wish.

OK, with this logic, since the US will eventually retake the African continent why bother wasting UK units (specifically high value units)? They could be used better somewhere else.

I suspect you are right. Ta.