In my games usually it turns out that Japan is small potatoes compared to Germany. Germany wins the war, Japan just makes things difficult for the Allies. This has been proven by our play when Japan has been totally abandoned by the Allies and all efforts have focused on Germany.
Do not underestimate Japan contribution to final victory. German is the anvil and Japan is the hammer to crush Russia! :evil:
As you also said Japan has to do some important task on J1: destroy USA fleet at Pearl Harbour, and conquer Buratyia and China.
As for the J1 buying I buy 3 TRN and save 6 IPC and then Buy the IC on J2 placing it in FIC. Several posts on this forum advocated this buying, I have tested it and it works very well for me.
Buying the IC on first turn with a bomber leaves Japan without INF for at least three whole turn, in this case Germany had really to win the war alone.
Buying three TRN, from J2 turn and subsequent Japan starts to land 8 INF on Asia every turn, and also builds other 3 land units in FIC. Normally on J3 or J4 another IC may be build, and everithing else may be thrown to Russia.
Meanwhile Imperial Navy may conquer Australia and New Zealand, and then invade Africa, damaging very much the UK economy.
Without this help from Japan, Germany alone is doomed and cannot win the war alone, repeated UK/US landing in Norway and then Western Europe will first stop German surge and then deafeat her.
Jennifer, i normally prefere to use all my fleets to lands units in Norway, and going to drop units in Algeria on UK1 and US1 leave my US fleet out of position for invading Norway on UK2/US2. So I prefer to build the IC and start to send troops in Norway on UK1 and US2, leaving at the IC in SA the role to contest Africa. Later, when I have some TRN to spare I sent a force to Algeria to kick off completely Germany from Africa.
Naturally this may be effective only in our games, because Germany normally ignore Africa and use Mediterranean fleet to harass russia, performing landings in Ukraina or dropping an INF in Caucasus to exploit the bombard every turn. Also for this reason UK/US are more focused on sending as soon as possible troops in Norway and then in Russia.
The problem is… when Japan come to claim Africa and gets a free IC in SA! :oops:
So for the future it can be useful to swith to your strategy. How do you organize the fleet movements when you send troop in Algeria in Uk1/US1?? :?
What is Japan going to do with an IC in South Africa???
What is Japan going to do with an IC in South Africa???
Nothing of particularly useful but… it simply can not be leaved in UK hand! :-D
If UK builds an IC in UOSA and I’m Japan I would be pretty happy … :mrgreen:
The nice thing about the Algerian landing is you combine the US/UK and USSR fleets. Then you can move your fleets from SZ 12 to SZ 6 to land in Norway on Round 2, again with your fleets merged.
Also, if you land those units in Algeria you can always take them up to Norway if you want, or you can keep Germany from getting +9 more IPC a round.
Yeah, but moving USA fleet from sz12 to sz6 do not allow to transport land unit (other than the units in Algeria landed in US1). Other US unit in US2 are in North America.
I agree with you that landing so many unit in Algeria will stop more effectively African occupation than an IC in SA, but it will cost units and tempo.
Moreover I believe that USSR fleet (a single sub really) may not reach sz12 on R1 i f I do not miss( right now I have not the map in front of me)
Build 3 Transports, 6 Infantry on USA 1.
Now you have 6 Infantry in England and 2 Infantry, Artillery, Armor in Norway on USA 2.
I do not want to seem dumb, but, only to better understand, I was persuaded that US fleet transported 2 Infantry, 1 Artillery, and 1 Armour from EUS in Algeria on US1. So to have them in Norway I should embark them, again, and then transport them in Norway, offloading from SZ6.
TRN and units build in US1, may hit norway in US3, not before, if I do not miss.
As I said before I have no map at hands, right now.
Round 1:
USA Buys 3 Transports, 6 Infantry
USA Invades Algeria with 2 Transports, Destroyer, 2 Infantry, Artillery, Armor, Fighter and Bomber and joins
{England: 2 Infantry, Artillery, Armor, 2 Transports, Battleship}
{Russia: Submarine}
Round 2:
USA moves the Algerians to SZ 6/Norway
USA moves 3 Transports form SZ 10 to SZ 8
USA moves 6 Infantry form USA to England
Which is, hitting Norway in US 3 :-)
Well, the NEW units are hitting Norway in USA 3. The OLD units are hitting on USA 2.
There is no physical way to hit norway with America on USA 1 without cheating.
I think Romulus was trying to figure out how to hit Norway with OTHER than the original forces that went to Algeria.
Well, you can do it that way too. It would take just as long. E. USA to Algeria to Norway.
Ok now I understood!!! Thanks!
The key is to have both UK and US fleet always togheter in the same sea zone, to minimize chance to be attacked by German airforce, and then leaving UK troops to fight in Africa while US troops go to Norway, regrouping fleets again in sz6. Thanks Jennifer! It is a very effective coordination of movements! What seemed strange to me was the fact that US troops land in Algeria on US1 and then embark for Norway in US2, but now all is clear!
I know, naturally, that without cheating it is impossible for US troops to hit Norway on US1, and this is the reason that in our games we have never landed US troops in Norway on US1. :-)
The key is to have both UK and US fleet always togheter in the same sea zone, to minimize chance to be attacked by German airforce, and then leaving UK troops to fight in Africa while US troops go to Norway, regrouping fleets again in sz6.
I would only add that they stay together until BOTH are able to withstand the German thread from Air and any remaining naval forces independently… then the US has other duties to attend to besides nursemaiding UK TRN’s in the North Sea…
Pardon me switch but… what it means “nursemaiding”?
Ok, I agree, I am only referring to the first three turns. Whit allies I alway try to have two task force composed by 1 AC, 2 Fig, 1-2 DD and several TRN (at minimum) prior to separate UK and US Fleets. But you are right for sure!
Nursemaiding would be being the protector…
USA Atlantic Fleet having the job of protecting UK TRNs
Initially combined fleet for mutual defense is a good idea, but UK needs to build their own fleet defense so that the US Atlantic Fleet can go pursue other activities instead of just keeping UK TRNs from being sunk by German Air Force.
I like to try and avoid buying Capital ships with the UK if at all possible.
Sometimes it is unavoidable, and I kind of like the 1 dd, 1 trn, 1 ftr buy on UK1, but sometimes you may need the UK AC right away.
I usually send the UK fleet to Sz 8 and then merge with the US ships in round 1. I buy the AC with the US (possibly another ftr as well) and then on Round 2 merge the fleets in Sz 12 and take Alg.
Round three the Brits go to Norway (new trns placed in Sz 6) and the US AC/ftrs and possibly a DD following for added defense with the UK BB and DD. It really depends on the German threat. While the US BB and new naval buys from the US go to Sz 12. From here, the US can continue to supply Afr with troops while the UK focuses on Nor, then Kar.
By Round 4 or 5 you can shift the US north as well, since Afr should be well covered, but I actually perfer to keep supplying Afr (since you need less trns)or then shift the US to Med or to the Pacific. But before you shift make sure you’ve killed the Baltic Fleet and the Med fleet. I usually target the Baltic for round 2 or 3 and the Med for round 3 or 4.
I love the way some of these threads morphe. J1 turns into a B1 and then a USA1.
I’d like to get back to the J1 though.
I’ve tried many different starts with Japan, 9and am play-testing a new one now).
I have used the 9 bid to buy a Transport and put it with the East Indies fleet. Lots of places you can hit with that! The spare IPC goes to Japan as well. My first buy is always two Tps’ and 2 or three tanks, depending on the UK luck on my lone transport off of Kwangtung.
This Strategy puts Japan in the Axis drivers seat. And if the Allies don’t shift to a KJF strategy then they are in for a very yellow world.
The other bid buy I’ve been working on is a tank in Kwangtung and an artillary in FIC. Both China and India fall nicely on J1, and the 2 extra land units help my advancing armies in Asia look tougher against counter-attacks. My J1 buys are still pretty much the same.
Oh, and I don’t consider a IC or Bmbr untill J4 or later, Just keep buying a Tp a turn untill then and buy tanks, infantry is too damn slow. Just grab what you already have in the Islands. grab, Australia, NZ, and Hawaii too. I also like to harass the Alaska and Western Canada as well.
Happy gaming,
Crazy Ivan
@Crazy:
I love the way some of these threads morphe. J1 turns into a B1 and then a USA1.
I’d like to get back to the J1 though.
Also I love this thread-morphing!
As I said in our games we do not use bidding, so we can not test your ideas! :-(
If I can say my opinion, the TRN in east indies fleet is powerful boost for Japan opening move!
IC on J4? I have read somewhere that an IC in J2 is also useful for Japan.
