Posts made by AxisAndAllies1940

Only if you’re sure Japan can’t take it- that’s disaster! If Japan controls Alaska/ WCanada, it can strat bomb WUS, and if it controls New Heb., it can strat bomb ANZAC.The naval base can be useful for moving equipment to help ANZAC, though.

It’s not easy, you’ll probably lose most of China to the FEC, and you’ll have to start from scratch in South East Asia. You’re also giving the Americans free rein in the Pacific. It’s easier to take advantage of ANZAC’s low income to keep a small fleet in sz63, maybe conquer NZ and Solomons/NB, and keep them bottled up, while attacking Calcutta and US fleet.

In Global 1940 and AA50, Italy is a playable Axis power. But, although it’s in a better position than in AA50, Italy in Global still faces major challenges. Therefore, it will require at least some German support to survive and meet its objectives.

Italy will receive its own series of articles later on, but briefly, here’s a few things Italy should do during the game:

#1: Capture Cairo. This is one Victory City that Germany doesn’t have to worry about, and it means that the Axis can win by capturing Moscow, Stalingrad, Leningrad, and Paris.

#2: Either neutralize or capture the Industrial Complex in South Africa. UK Europe has a fairly small income, but if it can produce a tank in South Africa every turn, that can pose a threat to Italian goals in Africa.

#3: Increase income by as much as possible. Italy only starts with 10 IPCs, so something has to be done to increase income.

So, what can Germany do?

The Deutsches Afrika Korps

How can Germany help the Italians take Cairo? Germany shouldn’t go all out in North Africa, for two reasons. One: Germany should focus on Moscow, and two, Italy can take care of most of the war in Africa. So, what should Germany send? The best thing to send is not land units, but aircraft. Again, Germany shouldn’t send lots of aid to Africa, so what planes should they send? Well, Germany starts the game with 4 fighters, 2 strategic bombers, and 4 tactical bombers, all within range of Southern Italy on G1. Obviously, Germany shouldn’t send all of that, or even most of it. 2 fighters and 2 tactical bombers is more than enough. Since there’s an AA gun in Paris, sending air units in is simply too risky, meaning that there’s not much to lose in sending these air units to Italy. So, what should Germany do with these air units? In the event that the British attack sz97, the fighters and one of the tacs can scramble. Right there, two Italian fighters have been saved for future use. Now, you can use these air units in two ways. One: they can be used to help clear the Med of Allied ships. Two: They can be sent to Tobruk to assist in defense. The advantage of keeping them in Tobruk is that they can hit almost anywhere in the Med and return. I don’t recommend sending them against Malta, because the AA gun could wipe out 3 of the 4, and the fighter defends on a 4. Other than that, though, send them anywhere!

Unless you�re having really above-average luck in Russia, you shouldn�t send any more units to Africa. This is especially true if you followed the advice below and didn�t occupy any of the Mediterranean territories, leaving them for Italy. Beyond those air units, the only way you should really move to aid the Italians in Africa is this:
If you�re doing exceptionally well in Russia, and have captured Leningrad, Stalingrad, and either captured or fatally weakened Moscow, there is one option. Send some of your units south through Caucasus to Egypt via the Middle East. The advantage of this strategy is that the Middle East will largely have been untouched by either side. The only exception to this is Persia. The Far East Command has 1 infantry in West India on UK1, and they will likely use it to activate Eastern Persia. On UK2, they will move into Persia, gaining 2 IPCs and 2 extra infantry. On UK3, they may attack Iraq, and on UK4, they can reinforce Trans-Jordan and/or occupy Syria. However, the Iraqi army defends on a 2, while the British attack on a 1. There�s a good chance that Iraq can hold out. So, if you do choose to attack the Middle East, you�ll be faced with 3 UK infantry (it�s unlikely that any reinforcements have arrived). So, your chances of capturing Syria, Persia, Trans-Jordan, possibly Persia, and activating Iraq are good. From there, you can work with the Italians to take Cairo. However, it�s unlikely that Cairo will still hold out. That means that you have to focus on the Med. Sea to really help Italy.

What sea units should you invest in the Med. to help the Italians? Not many. The Italian and Allied fleets are more or less equal, so just a small commitment on Germany�s part can go a long way. The easiest thing to do is conquer Normandy/Bordeaux on G1, and build 2 destroyers in sz105 on G2. That�s it! Even if the Italian fleet is crushed, it won�t prove fatal to your war effort, or even the Italian war effort. Besides, you need to focus on Moscow, not Cairo.

The easiest way to help Italy is by leaving some territories for them. On G1, to boost the Italian IPC gain, don�t:

Attack Yugoslavia. The Italians have the strength to take this territory, and it�s two extra IPCs for them.

Attack Southern France. Italy can take this territory with minimal effort, and it�s three extra IPCs for them.

Activate Bulgaria. Bulgaria only gets you an extra IPC and four extra men. That has a far greater effect on Italy than it will on you.

On G2, refrain from attacking Greece, as the Italians can also take it themselves.

Right there, you�ve just increased the Italian economy by 8, at little loss to you. One idea is to refrain from attacking Normandy/Bordeaux on G1 or G2, and to let the Italians capture it themselves on I2. This strategy is very risky. Although it will greatly increase the Italian income, the UK and France will be able to land plenty of reinforcements, including 4 fighters, over two turns. In addition, the Italians may not be able to defend the territory adequately. If the Italians can take and hold Normandy/Bordeaux in force, great, but if not, take it on G1.

Next time, AxisAndAllies1940 will turn to Russia, and discuss ways in which to prepare for the storm that will surely be unleashed against you- Operation Barbarossa.

This is great! I love Global 40, and am excited to try this edition out! Can’t wait to try it!

“We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields, we shall fight in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender, and if, for which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.”- Winston Churchill

In World War II, the invasion of Britain was foiled by Churchill and the superior power of the British Fleet. However, while faced with many of the same problems, the German player in Axis and Allies Global 1940 is equipped, at the start of the game, to break the British Fleet and conquer the United Kingdom.

Operation Sealion- the German Amphibious Assault on England- is one of the most widely known strategies in Global 1940. Executing Sealion essentially boils down to three phases- building up your strength, the actual invasion, and consolidating your gains.

Planning for Sealion

Unlike Barbarossa, Operation Sealion is something that the German player must specifically aim for when entering the game. Germany can have no other goals or objectives until London falls. So, bearing all that in mind: what should Germany buy on G1 in preparation for Sealion? I think the best option is two destroyers and a strategic bomber. Why? Destroyers are cheap!  You’re going up against a huge fleet- having cheap ships is important, since they make great cannon fodder for more powerful ships (or aircraft). The reason for the strategic bomber is that they’re going to be necessary, not only to break the British fleet, but for air support during the actual invasion. With purchases complete, what should Germany do on G1 to start breaking Britain?

As I mentioned in Essay#2, Germany can only muster one battleship for combat against the UK on G1. Therefore, it must rely on air power. Germany starts the game with 2 strategic bombers, 4 tactical bombers, and 4 fighters, all of which can attack sz110 and land in Holland/Belgium. Therefore, an attack using these units will give Germany 7 units attacking on a 4 and 4 on a 3, or a massive 40 on attack! This is facing 1 British cruiser, 1 French cruiser, 1 British battleship, and possibly 2 scrambling British fighters. That’s a mere 18 on defense, or 2 units at a 3, and 3 units at a 4. The chances are high that Germany will win this battle. The air units should land in Holland/ Belgium. So, right there, Germany has just eliminated a fair portion of the British Fleet. Except…that critical air power is no longer located in a position to help the exposed German battleship! That’s assuming there even is a German battleship left! The British seem to have won, don’t they? Those two destroyers are now toast…or so it seems. While it is true that the British can now move ships to plug the gap in sz110, or even send ships into the Baltic, they are in fact at a serious disadvantage. They simply cannot replace everything they’ve lost, whereas you can. Replacing the two cruisers (that’s counting the French one), costs sixteen. They could also replace one of the fighters they may have scrambled, or they could save up the ten IPCs. Replacing the battleship is also an option, but that battleship would be isolated. And that’s not the only reason the British are vulnerable. Germany now has somewhere around eight air units in a perfect position. No matter what moves the British make, they are vulnerable. The tac bombers and fighters can attack: United Kingdom, sz109, sz113, sz111, sz110, and sz112. The only two precautions Germany needs to take at this stage is to land their Poland tactical bomber in Western Germany, and (depending on casualties), move one fighter to Western Germany as well. Alternatively, they could just move their Norway fighter to Western Germany instead of sending it into combat. The reason is this: Britain has a destroyer, a cruiser, and a battleship in sz111, as well as a strategic bomber in United Kingdom, which can attack the two new German destroyers in sz113. Here, even if you fail in the defense and you lose the destroyers and air units, you’ve still gained something. One: These British units are off-position and poorly deployed. They cannot take part in any naval action in the Channel for at least a turn. Two: They probably won’t live that long, as you not only have a brand-new strategic bomber right next to them, you’ve also got a huge air force in Holland/Belgium. But, despite its tremendous effects, the sz110 naval battle is not the only preparation that Germany should take to ensure victory in a Sealion attack.

#1: Move your sz124 submarine to sz119. If the sub survives UK1 (unlikely), it can convoy-raid Scotland for 2 IPCs. If it’s destroyed, then that’s one more British ship that’s not in the Channel.

#2: Use your subs in sz103 and sz108 to attack the British destroyer and transport in sz109. Although scrambling a fighter will destroy the subs, it’s worth it for two reasons. One: that fighter isn’t in the Channel, and two, the destroyer can still be sunk. If the subs survive until the end of UK1, they can convoy-raid United Kingdom.

#3: Similarly, use your sz117 and sz118 subs to attack the British destroyer and transport in sz106. Assuming the subs survive, they can cost the UK 3 IPCs.

#4: Occupy all three French territories.

The goal of these steps is to wear down the British economy, while also increasing the German economy by capturing all of France.

So, what should Germany do on G2?
If you followed all the steps in this article so far, you’ll have 4 IPCs left over from G1, plus your 30 IPCs income, plus 10 IPCs bonus income for not having Scandinavia under Allied control and not being at war with the Soviet Union. Not only that, but you’ll have gained 24 IPCs from France! That totals to 68 IPCS! What to do with them? Well, your Luftwaffe in Holland/Belgium should be fairly intact still, so I’d go with an aircraft carrier, a tac bomber, a fighter, and three transports. This will set you up for a G3 landing. In terms of combat, if you still have those destroyers and strategic bomber left over, use them to attack any British units left in the Baltic, or any British units in sz111. Use your strategic bombers to wreak as much havoc on the Industrial Complex in United Kingdom as possible. Any fighters/tactical bombers should be saved. If you have any subs left in the British home waters (unlikely), use them to attack the British home waters. They probably won’t survive, but they’ll do their purpose. Finally, move your sz114 cruiser into position.

The Invasion

So, by G3, the UK should be without much of a fleet, sapped of IPCs, and desperate to repair its IC. Therefore, it is vital that Germany strike! On G4, Germany has 4 transports. Fill each transport up with 1 infantry and 1 artillery. That aircraft carrier can be used to punch through sz110. If you still have that cruiser from sz114, you should save it for a bombardment. That bombardment shot should be targeted at an AA gun.  The goal is to save as much power for the beaches as possible. Expect your troops to have roughly 3 tactical bombers and 3 fighters worth of air support. If you have any strat bombers left over, use them to attack the British fleet, and use the carrier planes to attack instead. You should triumph!

The Aftermath
This is why I don’t personally like Sealion much. Both the US and USSR can declare war on you simultaneously now that London has fallen. The Americans will try to launch an amphibious assault, but Germany will have a hard time repulsing it for two reasons. One: they don’t have much naval strength left over, and two, they don’t know where the blow will fall! Will it be in England or France? Thinning out your defenses to cover both isn’t a good idea, so my advice is simple: Keep your units in London, but if the Americans do attack France, stockpile defenses (probably tanks) in Paris. The other threat is much more pressing: Russia.

Part of Sealion is unavoidably neglecting the forces in the East: You can’t afford to crush England while keeping the East well protected. So, on G3, you must take action to prepare for the inevitable Russian blow. One: You’ll have a minimum of 49 IPCs to spend. So, spend it on tanks! Place six tanks in Germany, and that’s all you’ll be able to afford. In addition, purchasing for an invariably defensive war on the Russian front is not as easy as purchasing for Sealion. On G1, you received 19 IPCs from Paris, to be used against a foe who you could easily wear down, and who had no time to prepare. Here, your IPC gain from London won’t be much higher- maybe somewhere around 20 to 25 IPCs- and it has to be used against a foe who has had much more time to prepare than you. So, on G3, in terms of non-combat on the Eastern Front:

#1: Activate Finland if you haven’t done so already.

#2: Using ONLY ONE INFANTRY, activate Bulgaria. The reason for this is because you don’t want to move any more Romanian units than necessary.

#3: Move any spare units in Germany into Poland. Then, move your Poland units south to Romania (if that means moving them into Slovakia/Hungary, then moving an equal number of Slovakia/Hungary troops into Romania, that will work, as well)

#4: If that fighter and tactical bomber are still in Western Germany, noncombat the fighter to Poland, and the tactical bomber to Romania.

Note that this plan is just an outline to be ready for Russian buildup, if Russia is concentrating heavily up north in Leningrad, then move more units to Norway and Poland then Romania.

Ultimately, after a victorious Sealion, Russia is your most immediate threat, but America is ultimately your biggest threat. If they marshal their economy, and sacrifice some ground in the Pacific, they can reconquer the UK by means of amphibious assault- something that means the end for the Germans, and fulfill Churchill’s prophecy that “the New World, in all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue, and the liberation of the old.”

Next time, in the last German essay, AxisAndAllies1940 will cover ways in which Germany and Italy can cooperate.

NOTE: I don’t really recommend a German naval strategy, you’d be better off aiming for Moscow. The only time Germany should go all out on naval purchases is for Sealion- which is a risky proposition as well.

In Axis and Allies Global 1940, Germany has three major naval commitments. While none of them are essential, they can open and close doors for Germany, and create more problems for them later on. These are the battles with the UK navy in the Channel and North Sea, the Battle of the Atlantic, and supporting the Italians in the Mediterranean Sea.

The English Channel/North Sea
Note: In this section, I will not cover Operation Sealion, the German Amphibious Attack on the UK. That will be left for a future essay. However, many of the hints in this section can be useful if planning a Sealion assault. At the start of the game, German sea power in the North Sea is quite small. They have a battleship in sea zone (sz) 113, and a cruiser in sz114. These two ships are within range of two British destroyers, two British cruisers, and two British battleships. In addition, if the Germans attack sea zone 111 (the only British sea zone their cruiser can reach on G1), a fighter can scramble from Scotland. So, Germany’s best battle in the North Sea on G1 consists of 1 German battleship vs. 1 British battleship, 1 British cruiser, 1 British destroyer, and 1 British fighter. Not good odds for Germany. And a British attack on sz113- even with scrambled German air units-will most likely end in a British victory. So, what’s Germany to do? Throw in some air support and take the offensive on G1. Germany starts the game with 3 tactical bombers and 2 fighters in Western Germany. Due to a combined arms rule, two of the tactical bombers attack at 4. In addition, Germany has another tactical bomber and 2 strategic bombers in Germany. Lastly, Germany can avoid the troublesome AA gun in Paris by sending its Holland/Belgium fighter to assist in the battle. If Germany likes, it can add its fighter in Norway, but unless planning for Sealion, Germany should use that fighter to prop up Finland on G2. Now, a German attack on sz111 consists of, at the minimum, 1 German battleship, 2 German strategic bombers, 4 German tactical bombers, and 3 German fighters facing 1 British battleship, 1 British cruiser, 1 British destroyer, and 1 British fighter. The odds are now clearly in Germany’s favor. If planning for Operation Barbarossa (the German attack on the Soviet Union), all air units should return to their original territories in preparation for a non-combat movement east. However, if planning for Operation Sea Lion, then all air units should land in Holland/Belgium. Either way, without spending an I.P.C. on purchases, you’ve just eliminated a fairly large portion of the British fleet in home waters. On UK1, however, your fleet will likely be destroyed. This is actually not a disaster, unless you’re planning for Sealion. With regards to naval strategy around the UK, what moves should Germany make, and what should Germany buy on G2?

#1: Occupy Normandy/Bordeaux on G1. This, coupled with Western Germany, makes for two I.C.s right next to British home waters.

#2: Using units from Greater Southern Germany, occupy Southern France on G1. This I.C. is largely out of range of Allied strategic bombers, and so can be used to safely build naval units (and transports, if planning for Sealion). Plus, it makes a convenient place to build ships to help the Italians in the Mediterranean!

#3: If your goal is just to weaken the British Fleet, not to invade England, buy two cruisers in Western Germany. If you had heavy air losses in sz111, buy a tactical bomber as well.

However, even if the British fleet is weakened and contained, the Germans still have another naval battle to fight: the Battle of the Atlantic.

The Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic, like the German battles in the North Sea and English Channel, is seemingly impossible for Germany to win- on the surface. However, unlike the North Sea, the Germans have no air support whatsoever in the Atlantic. Unfortunately for the Germans, long-term victory in the Battle of the Atlantic is not really possible, barring incredible dice-rolls. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, as mentioned above, the Germans have no air support. Two, the German U-boats are spread out, and cannot support each other as effectively as the Germans in the North Sea, with one exception. Three, submarines defend on a 1. In spite of these problems, an effective strategy in the Battle of the Atlantic, coupled with a little luck, can delay Allied shipments of troops to Europe and Africa by at least three rounds. For a start, the U-boats face two major threats: the destroyers in sz106 and sz109. Thankfully for Germany, the sz106 destroyer can usually be sunk on G1, along with the Canadian transport. Germany can throw its sz108, 117, and 118 subs at the destroyer. With the transport and destroyer sunk, Britain is at a disadvantage for several reasons.

#1: During its Collect Income phase, Germany can convoy-raid it for up to 3 IPCs (1 from New Brunswick/Nova Scotia, 2 from Quebec)

#2: Britain has an economy of 28 IPCs, and just replacing the transport and destroyer will bring it down to 13.

#3: The Canadian forces will not be deployed for at least three rounds, on UK3.

Another advantage that Germany has by having subs in sz106 is that on G4, when the United States is at war, but has not deployed troops yet, the subs can go into sz101 and sink any US transports. This will only work if the US has focused its IPCs on the Pacific, which is quite likely. Even if you only destroy the sz101 cruiser (and perhaps a destroyer as well), other subs can finish off the exposed transports.

It’s quite difficult to purchase for the Battle of the Atlantic, seeing as how there are no nearby Axis ICs, but here are some hints.

#1: On G1, occupy Southern France and/or Normandy/Bordeaux.

#2: Buy a submarine every two turns. On G2, if you’re really committed to the Battle of the Atlantic, use your 19 IPC bonus from France to buy 3 subs

Germany should spread subs out to cover Norway, Normandy/Bordeaux, Morocco, French West Africa, and French Equatorial Africa.

The Mediterranean Sea

Although this isn’t a necessary battle, it’s definitely a helpful one, and certainly a prerequisite to helping the Italians in North Africa. In this section, I won’t be talking about in-depth German-Italian cooperation, that’s material for a future essay. The Italian and Allied navies in the Med. Sea are fairly well matched, however, the Allies typically squeak through to victory, cutting the Italians off from Africa. This is good news for the German player interested in the Med, as it means that they only need to commit a few ships to the Med, and can really take as much or as little part here as the German player chooses- making this just about the only situation where Germany can choose to not commit to a front!    If Germany is interested in helping out in the Med, then they should occupy either Southern France or Yugoslavia. In the case of Yugoslavia, the Germans should build an industrial complex there on G2. The Med. should not, not, repeat not, be a serious IPC commitment on Germany’s part. A few destroyers on G3 should be more than sufficient. If Germany is serious about helping the Italians, they can land some of their Western Germany tactical bombers/fighters in Southern Italy, and then on G2 non-combat them into Libya or Tobruk.

In conclusion, Germany has three major naval battles it can fight, although none of them will decide the game. Next time, AxisAndAllies1940 will discuss the extension of one of these naval battles- Operation Sealion, the Invasion of England.

Axis and Allies Global 1940 has received surprisingly little attention on this blog. Hoping to rectify this error, I plan to post a series of essays on the game to assist fellow G1940 fans.

Barbarossa (the German invasion of the Soviet Union) is essential for German victory. Therefore, one of the biggest questions that the German player must answer on their first turn is when to invade Russia.

For a start, Germany must consider several other factors. One: how many casualties did Germany suffer when conquering France? This may seem like a small point, but it’s not. Barbarossa will claim all of Germany’s IPCs for six rounds at least, depending on whether or not Japan attacks Russia. What this means for Germany is that France will be poorly defended, and therefore vulnerable to an Allied landing. Germany has a minimum of 4 infantry, 2 artillery, 3 tanks, and 1 fighter with which to attack France. This force should be supplemented by the 3 tactical bombers from Western Germany. If you like, you can add the 3 German infantry and 1 German artillery from Western Germany. That should be more than enough. The fighters and bombers can land in Slovakia/Hungary, where they can link up with some tanks (hopefully!) Which brings us to our next point: purchases.

Purchasing for Barbarossa
What should Germany buy for Barbarossa? Five tanks are a good purchase, but is there something better? One very useful combined arms rule is that when a tank and a tactical bomber attack together, the tactical bomber attacks at 4. Here’s some math: 2 Tanks+Tac.bomber+Artillery+Infantry=30 IPC’s worth of units. Two additional infantry may be substituted for the second tank. What this combo offers: Great cannon fodder for the masses of Russian infantry. In addition, this combination provides strength through combined arms tactics, and offers the same 5-6 units as the above. However, this combo is heavily reliant upon combined arms. If the tac. bomber and artillery are destroyed, the combination is effectively reduced to a handful of infantry and tanks vulnerable to Russian attack. If this combination is used on G1, the Germans should build it at least twice more, on G2 and G3 (assuming Germany’s income is not up to 60 IPCs). Another issue is that this combination is not particularly versatile: it has a fair amount of offensive punch, but is weak on defense. Germany has one big advantage when purchasing for G2: It should have a 19 IPC bonus from conquering France! Ultimately, here’s what Germany should buy on it’s first three turns, with regards to Barbarossa*:

G1: 2 Tanks, 1 Tactical bomber, 1 Artillery, 1 Infantry

G2: 1 Minor Industrial Complex to be placed in Finland (see below), 2 Tanks, 1 Tactical bomber, 2 Artillery, 2 Mechanized Infantry

G3: 1 Strategic Bomber (to be placed in Finland), 2 Mech. Infantry, 2 Artillery, 2 Tanks (to be placed in Finland), 1 Tank

Special Moves
There are some moves that Germany has to make for a successful Barbarossa:

1: ANNEX FINLAND! This is critical! If you follow the hints in this article, you will have 8 infantry, 1 artillery, 2 tanks, 1 fighter, and a strategic bomber in Finland. Use your transport in sea zone 114 to transport 1 infantry and 1 artillery to Finland. With this force, you will be equipped to threaten Leningrad.

2: Land your France air units in Slovakia, and then distribute them so that you have one tactical bomber (at least) in Finland, Slovakia, Romania, and Poland.

3: Move your Germany infantry into Poland, and then move your three Polish infantry south.

4: Annex Bulgaria. This isn’t necessary, but it’s an extra IPC and 4 extra infantry, so you might as well do it.

5: Do not attack Southern France or Yugoslavia with your Greater Southern Germany units. They are too badly needed to reinforce Romania and Slovakia to waste on minor battles! (And besides, the Italians need all the income they can get, so you might as well let them have it!)

Any extra income can be used to prop up the West, or to buy a bit of extra infantry.

What To Do In Russia:
So, for a start, divide the front into three immediate objectives:

Objective #1: The North. This consists of using the forces in Poland and Finland to attack Leningrad via the Baltic States and Karelia, respectively. Depending on how quickly you can capture Leningrad, you may want to divert a few infantry to take Archangel, as that will sap the Soviets of 5 IPCs of bonus income.

Objective #2: The Centre. This one is a little harder to accomplish. Use your forces in Slovakia/ Hungary to capture and hold Eastern Poland, Western Ukraine, and Belarus. Then, send your forces either north to Leningrad or south to the Ukraine, depending on the situation.

Objective #3: The South. Use your forces from Romania to capture the industrial complex in Ukraine. Strategic bombers can be helpful here!

Once these three objectives have been achieved, the forces in Leningrad/Archangel should take Volgoda, the forces in the centre should take Smolensk, and the forces in the Ukraine should take Volgograd and Caucasus. Taking Bryansk would be helpful, but only take the territory if you can hold it! The goal is to outnumber the Moscow defenders, so that if one force is destroyed, the other two can successfully attack.

Mopping Up
Once Moscow has fallen, you should transfer units to the West as fast as possible! However, some of the ‘south’ forces may head down into the Middle East, to gain some extra IPCs and, if possible, activate Iraq. However, that’s for another essay…

Next time, AxisAndAllies1940 will cover a German naval strategy.