Posts made by Field Marshal

Convincing the Russians to forsake a fighter for Karelian defense for a risky venture with an Indian IC is a hard sell. It also limits the fighter’s turn 2 attack capabilities. As for the British transport, I’ll spend one of 3 planes to take it out for 2 more infantry transported from the Phillipines. Even if Russia gives the fighter to the British and you don’t want to attack India, take China and build up forces for turn 2. Taking India may be delayed a turn or two, but the British lose resources better applied elsewhere. As long as US and UK Asia is in Japanese hands no later than turn 4 your in good shape…

The first turn IC goes in French Indo-China. The turn 1 attack is normally China but can be India if Britian places their IC in turn 1. At the end of turn 1, transport 4 infantry and land 2 or 3 fighters in French Indo-China to back up the IC and set up turn 2 attacks. In turn 3, you have 3 armor as well, and China-India-Sinkiang are in Japanese hands.
In the northern front, turn 2 sees the return of the transports to Manchuria and an attack on Soviet Far East and/or Yakut. Keep half your aircraft in the north and half in the south, or as needed.
The Allies will be more reluctant to place IC’s with this sort of threat. If they do, capture them.
At this point I usually hear about the dual offenses “stalling”. By the end of turn 3 using this plan, all original Allied units in Asia are destroyed or retreating. The armor units quickly pick up any “lag” which may appear next turn. The Allies get a good jolt. Russia must send proper defenses to this front immediately. Britian must have Africa secured to help, if not, Russia will suffer. The US hasn’t had the time to properly hit Germany yet, and will hopefully divert to Africa (anything helps Germany) in alarm for African security.
A good British move for Japan is Britian moving their initial African forces to India to protect a first turn UK IC. While it may stall Japan a turn or 2, Germany gets the same time in further delaying Allied conquest of Africa. If Germany can get Egypt AND Syria-Iraq in turn 2, Britian loses landing areas for their fighters on an attack on the German fleet coming from Gibralter. The German fleet gets at least 1 more turn life expectancy and more infantry transported to Africa from Europe…

By the time you have that much NP, you will already have your first turn IC purchase. If your enemies were kind enough to hand you one in the first 3 turns, there’s 5 or 6 armor. You’ve already got 2 original transports. There’s 7 or 8 armor (again depending on NP).
If you don’t capture an IC, work up to the 2nd IC purchase. Keep your flow of units steady and save your extra cash. Sometimes, a 3rd transport makes sense before the additional IC.
Remember, all of Allied Asia gives Japan 44 in NP. This means 8 or 9 armor per turn.
Purchased IC’s give the player a greater “position” for attack unit entry. To keep a constant flow of units, transports can’t move any further south than Kwangtung. This means it will take armor 3 turns to reach Persia. With an IC in French Indo-China, it takes 1 turn. You can invade Africa or at least tie down the British so your northern IC and transports can attack Russia. If the German player isn’t making unnecessary risks, the pressure on Russia will crack them…

This is a variant of what I usually do, depending sometimes on the enemy. The effect is fairly the same, 2 fronts on turn 2 with the Allies pushed back…

Rommel. He is criticized from the lack of strategy to the lack of understanding logistics. All of this were in mind along with the well being of his men and even prisoners. His great concern for the local civilian casualities was always noted. The British admired him. The French did as well as Lt. General Patton…

I find purchasing fighters are too much of a luxury in a contested war over Asia. If I had a choice of purchasing 3 fighters or 7 armor - I’d pick the armor. I try to retain all 6 original aircraft for as long as possible, but for the IPC’s ground forces are my choice…

Depends on his purchases, where he put them, and whether or not he attacked in turn 1. To lose Russia on turn 2 tells us he had poor purchasing and placement both turns. You must have tidal-waved him…

Agree. The British have the flexibility the Russians wish they had, and the US wishes they could capitalize more on. Although they appear weak and slow to mobilize, they can and will make a difference…

Rommel WAS at El Alamein. He knew the war was over after that battle. He fought on professionally, but he knew it was over…

Bossk - you need to open the 2nd front by turn 2. Infantry alone aren’t aggressive enough to quickly take both areas. You need southern forces to deal offensively with a British threat from Africa. Infantry in the north are needed for a few turns (3 or 4) before turning to armor for speed and power. This is maximum NP gain in the shortest time.
Yanny - Thanks for the analogy??? I’ll let it go at that.
Guys - this method has proven itself. The infantry guidelines quoted to excess are duly noted. In most circumstances they are sound. Britian and Japan are the antagonists that need to put the war in motion…

Picture it. Japanese infantry column from Manchuria to Yakut. Aircraft based in both areas for defense/attack. Contested territories are Evenki or Novosibirsk. Japan can’t land planes in them yet. Say you take one of these on a turn. 8 infantry after battle with the Russians down to 5 or 6 infantry. US 2 armor counter-attack from Sinkiang knocks it down to 3 or 4 infantry. Russia may or may not counter-attack. If they don’t at this point, they build reserves in Russia (up to 6 infantry). If they do, they retake the territory. If Russia didn’t attack, the UK’s 3 armor from India knocks the Japanese force of 3 or 4 infantry to 0 or 2 infantry. Japan couldn’t possibly hit the Russian capitol with only 2 infantry and aircraft. So they non-combat move or attack an enemy force. If Russia took the territory back, the UK re-enforces the Russian infantry with the 3 armor. Russia, with this system, can attack every other turn greatly helping them. Since Japan’s focus is all Manchuria-Yakut-Evenki/Novosibirsk, they lose China, French-Indo-China, and Kwangtung to the Allied IC’s while fighting the initial Russian defenses in the Soviet Far East and Yakut. This is where Japanese NP stagnates, they lose and gain at the same time. NP never gets higher than 27, only supporting 8 infantry per turn. Any moves away from landing in Manchuria will severly weaken Japanese chances. The Allies can easily hold this arrangement until 5 to 6 UK armor come from Africa per turn. Now your talking at least 6 or 8 UK armor per turn (depending on NP - as high as 38). Plus 2 US armor from Sinkiang and Russian infantry (as many as needed).
Japan is in the death march to Russia in this losing situation.
The early first turn IC in French Indo-China opens the 2nd front in the south. The remaining units in the region will compensate for the lack of IC production in turn 2. Take Allied Asian IC’s if they dare place them. Even though your Manchurian offense is down to 4 infantry or armor, the aircraft will compensate for this (3 planes per front). You don’t have the Allied delaying armor to deal with. You have armor to deal with UK African forces. You have forces to deal with Russians by themselves. Most importantly, your NP is as high as you can get it. This gives you your 2nd IC or more transports.
The next objective is to build up forces to take the Russian capitol before the US can build powerful forces in Europe. If the German player is any good, this CAN happen…

Rommel himself wasn’t really fooled with Montgomery’s tactics. During the desert war, bad communications hurt the German cause. Rommel’s generals had made desisions in the field outside Rommel’s main objectives. This hurt the overall effort. The main German problem was supply (especially fuel) and replacement troops. Rommel got away with taking what he could from the British when he was winning. This as we all know changed after El Alamein…

This is an excellent strategy tester. Pick your brain getting out of problems…

Had 8 infantry transported each turn plus 5 fighter and a bomber air support. NP never got high enough to support another transport let alone an IC. As for the luck, the roll results were what you would expect. As I said before, the strategy itself isn’t aggressive enough. If the aim is to conquer all of Asia, threaten Africa, and set up for the fall of the Russian capitol, an early IC IS needed. Due to positional needs, French Indo-China is the best choice. 2 or 3 transports will supply the effort, until NP can buy another IC, unless you capture one in India or Sinkiang. Enter Africa if possible, especially if the UK hasn’t fortified it. American troops in Africa, if present, shouldn’t be too powerful due to the war in Europe. The NP boost even over a contested Africa will definitely help the Axis cause…

Britian only was supplying most of their effort to Japan. Most of the US and Russian effort was against Germany. I don’t think I could call that a “Japan First” strategy. Allied delaying tactics initially with tough British re-enforcements later. One of the suggested strategies for Japan is to forsake initial Japanese IC’s for transports. Japan can’t fight for IPC’s in north and south Asia without an early IC. NP just won’t get high enough. The north and south fronts work for maximum NP gain, with or without Allied IC’s in Asia. You will have forces in the area in turns 2 and 3 to deal with them. Eyes should be on Africa as well. Germany can only hold out so long. The US diverting troops to Africa helps Germany…

Japan had one HELL of a hard time. The US IC at Sinkiang and the UK IC in India tore holes in the Manchurian infantry landings and advances into Russia. Later, the British from Afica were unstoppable. Russia therefore, had an easier time defending itself from the east. Japan was forced to direct all attention to the Russian territorial attacks and lost the badly needed NP from Asian UK and US territories. Japan never gained enough in NP to buy a later IC. Japan taking south-east Asia early with a first turn IC in French Indo-China solves this problem. I know this is a major issue for all of us - but I’ve got to stand firm on this one…

Japan, on this site it seems to be the most argued strategy topic - as we should do!!!

The UK holding India allows the British in Africa the time (say 2 or 3 turns) to get it together and take Africa from Germany and start marching into south-east Asia. If the Japanese are delayed in their expansion into the middle-east even 2 turns, this really helps out Britian…

In Africa Montgomery fought a very cautious war of atrition against Rommel. Rommel commented several times that he and his men were always up against fresh troops and equipment on the Allied side. How clever Monty was, I don’t know. I do know in Afica, he took no chances and let the overwelming odds in his favor win for him…

Rommel was murdered by Hitler. Patton’s “accident” in the Black Forest probably was also, but for different reasons.
They both lost.