You’re listing the moves for some obscure game versus an incompetent opponent. How can you post this as an actual strategy?

Thus one who exels at warfare seeks victory through the strategic configuration of power, not from reliance on men.- Sun Tzu

It is never neccesary to retreat from Eastern Europe in turn 1. Keep Russia honest by moving all available infantry into the zone, all available tanks, a minimum of 3 fighters, and most importantly, your AA gun from Southern Europe. Defend Western Europe accordingly. Usually 3 infrantry, a fighter, and your bomber will always do the job. The bomber in “Western” is always essential to detour the US from developing straight trasports, as opposed to a capital ship in the first year. No Allied bomber is in range for a SBR on Southern Europe until turn 2, and only then from Africa, or a suspect stronghold in the Caucasus. Always keep the threat of blitzkrieg and never retreat from a withering Russia in the early years.

Thus the army is established by deceit, moves for advantage, and changes through segmenting and reuniting. -Sun Tzu

I’ve been playing our game for about 13 years now, and still find it challenging to this day. I play with a core group and we comprise approximately 68 years of “Axis” experience among the four of us. I’ve seen all kinds of different approaches to winning: aggressive first year strikes, systematic build-ups with defensive posture, unorthidox strategy aimed at the U.S. and or Japan. But in all my years, I have never felt more focused, more consumed by each deployment than when $'s are on the line. Between '92 and '94, I earned aprox. $2000 playing Axis and Allies at $50 to $200 a game. Believe me, when $200 is on the line, you will think twice about sending just a sub and a fighter on the English battleship off Gibralter. You have to send the bomber. I know most of you are probably the “Big Kahuna’s” in your groups and couldn’t find a money player to save your life. But Axis is like pool. It takes tens to hundreds of games to master. It takes practice, forsight, and experience to be succsessful. So find your match. Don’t be satisfied with another win against the same old stiffs. Don’t be impressed by an “on-line” win. Play the game the way it was ment to be played. Head to head. $ on $.

“When you mobilize the army and form strategic plans, you must be unfathomable.” - Sun Tzu

I too, read Don’s Essay’s and I disagree with him on his India point. It seems that the entire basis of his English strategy hinges on the success of this complex. Japan has several possibilities to strike early and often from the land, sea, and air in the early stages of the game. I know I can thwart a plan of erratic armor strikes that will supposedly survive for 6-8 turns. In addition, it gives Japan an IC to pump out three more tanks per year into mainland Asia. Russia’s limited force in the north can either be baited or blocked while Japan does their version of the so-called “Shuck-Shuck” tactic between Japan and Burma. In my experience, the American fleet in Pearl Harbor can be destroyed with a minimal force, allowing Japan to gain an entire year by positioning half of their capitol ships off of Burma to cover their transports and stage an assault.