Posts made by IKE

It looks like Bulgaria is also connected to Turkey, unlike G40.

@cyanight:

Good Point ghr2, I was watching a documentary last weekend on the History channel called World Wars.  They went through the timeline and started with Italy taking Ethiopia.  It seems like all the losers of the “Treaty of Versailles” became the Axis.

BTW, I’m really looking forward to that movie coming out called “Fury”

I thought the World Wars was very well done. I liked how it was more of a movie then a documentary.  My favorite is WWII in Colour though.  I also have World at War but it’s something like 30 hours long and I’m still at the beginning.

Have not heard of Fury, i’ll have to check that out.

Isn’t Turkey usually in play anyways because I thought your group liked to establish a beach head on Spain with USA?

I like it.  Just to clarify though, being at war is not a requirement for Russia to receive the second and third NO’s correct? So if Germany delays Barbarossa Russia could still collect up to $10 NO’s a turn?  Making Sea Lion an even riskier option.

@Young:

@ghr2:

@Young:

I’m currently play testing a house rule that would disallow the purchase of Industrial Complexes, and only allow minor complexes to be placed on territories that have victory cities. So Germany won’t be able to build in Romania, Finland, or Norway, Japan will only have Shanghai, Hong Kong and the Philippines as eligible territories for minor complexes, and the US can pretty much only build a factory on Honolulu. This should slow down the German and Japanese advances while allowing the US to support and advance their navy in the Pacific a lot quicker.

Well, it hurts Japan, but I would think that it gives germany and edge since there can’t be a persia factory, which is huge!

There’s actually more to it than what I mentioned above, you can learn more by visiting my YouTube video explanation…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNX81DAQc6I

Or by visiting the thread in the house rules forum…

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=34493.0

Nice video YG.  How much have you play-tested the complex change?

@Young:

Hello Pherman,

Your problem is our problem, that’s why there are so many house rule discussions. Most of us have given up on trying to compete with dominate Axis strategies that can’t seem to be countered, if the Allies win it’s never legit the way the rules demand, it’s because the Axis made a fatal error, or the dice gods crucified them. Either way, the Allies almost never win against experienced players playing the Axis, at least not wins that they earn due to strategy.

Perhaps the game is more historically accurate this way, Allies need Axis mistakes to gain the edge, and then exploit it.  The Allies role is apply max pressure and force bad decisions.  Just a thought after watching 3 episodes of WWII In Colour last night.

With relatively new players I think the game is balanced in this sense, and historically accurate. The problem is that some of us play so many games that we no longer make mistakes… Hitler didn’t have the opportunity for a do-over.

@McX:

Slacking? Maybe. We certainly don’t author pages of moves in notation. But I don’t think so, I play with (and have taught) a few people, intellectual types, chess players almost all of them, who are good at this sort of thing. This game is really not that complicated mechanics/strategy-wise, it’s just big - but I like that, the idea that what you do on one side of the planet affects the other. I know my explanation was probably simplistic to many of you, but I was just reporting the success I’ve had playing as the US and watching. I’m mostly here for rules clarifications :)

Slacking wasn’t the right word, my apologies.  What I meant is that most experienced players dominate with Axis against similar level players with the Allies.

@McX:

I don’t seem to have the same problems and haven’t ever felt the need to incorporate bids, OOB is how I have always played, and the Allies have an excellent record against the Axis, and it’s all due to the US.

US strategy is entirely dependent on how the Axis goes about starting the war,but generally speaking I focus more on Europe since I find it’s easier to defend the victory cities in Asia. But if Japan goes after Hawaii early I’ll go straight Pacific to defend Western US and Australia. The silver lining in that is it leaves UK Pacific with the ability to claim money islands and send units as necessary to the Middle East/Africa or possibly up to help Russia in the Caucasus region. If Japan doesn’t attack Hawaii I’ll slowly build a giant navy there anyways, eventually you’ll be able to outspend the Japanese even while fighting in Europe, and go in for the kill, claim that seazone around Japan (6 is it?) and then Japan’s done. You have to be disciplined to keep units in Hawaii longterm and resist the temptation to have adventures around the money islands except for a couple planes and the occasion sub or transport.

My Europe strategy depends on how bad the Axis player wants Gibraltar. If he starts parking German planes there I’ll build UK units in Canada and fighter units to scramble in London, send US navy up to Canada with several transports and then park everyone off Ireland/London in anticipation of hitting Normandy/Holland, assuming you have enough naval units to survive an attack by the German navy/air force. Then I hit Normandy with everything and stay there, funnelling in land units, play D with Russia and eventually tear the Axis in half. If the Axis leaves Gibraltar open, then you can park there with enough force to survive Axis attacks, then of course hit the “soft underbelly” of Italy, or Normandy, Denmark, or wherever he’s weak. Just keep the navy together. It’s probably pretty obvious that you won’t win Europe if the German navy is strong enough to claim the English Channel and environs for the duration of the game.

It’s hard to win with the Axis against a good allied player, reason being it’s hard to effectively allocate resources between the Russian war and naval/air units needed to keep the British/Americans at bay. When I was in the service I overheard a British soldier say “If you have all the gear and no idea you must be an American.” You can’t be that guy - the US greatest advantage is its income (Bonuses). Spend it wisely, and give everyone a job.

Sounds like your group’s Axis play may be slacking, or not up to speed with the latest strategies that YG linked too.

Axis have a very high win percentage in our games.

Well I was with you at first with UK single economy, but I think this is just getting too complicated for me now.

@Krieghund:

A kamikaze strike does not constitute a battle, so the sub can still be ignored.

I’m left wondering if a kami does not constitute a battle then why would it prevent bombardments?

Thank you

@Boldfresh:

who can remind me, i’m blanking on this at the moment.  what if usa attacks japan and there is a sub in z6.  there is no destroyer attacking, only an escorting acc.  usa intends to ignore the sub and land on japan proper.  japan uses a kamikazi attack on the acc.  does the use of the kami allow the sub to fight, ie no longer be ignored, since combat is occurring?

I believe so, just like the kami would prevent bombardments because it forces combat in that sea zone.

@Gamerman01:

The exception is only for the zone you started in, if it is occupied by the power you just declared war on.

Thank you Gamerman, this is the rule that clears up my confusion.

I have to load in sz113 since all my units are in Germany, thus I must stay neutral with Russia.  That is clear now.

Another option in a 2v2 live game is to split the Allies up by theater, which we like to do.

Allies player 1: US (Atlantic), UK (London), Russia, France
Allies player 2: US (Pacific), UK (Calcutta), Anzac, China

Ofcourse this involves heavy coordination in strategy of spending US $.  It’s give and take.

Questions on Germany and Russia mechanics while NOT at war:

1. German fleet is in sz112, Russia moved her CR & SS to 113.  Can Germany move to 113 and load TT? (Assume yes since not at war)
2. Can Germany then attack Leningrad with those transports?
3. Could Germany instead load in sz112 for Sea Lion and attack Russia elsewhere on land?

Just trying to understand if I load TT’s in sz113 in combat phase if I’m allowed to also attack Russia that turn or if I would have to wait until the following turn to do so.  I think there’s a rule where Japan can load TT’s in what would be a hostile sea zone, and then declare war after loading in the combat phase.  Can Germany do the same?

@wittmann:

Well caught Knp: will have to spend 2 to repair the AB after all.

I had not forgotten the Scottish Ft though. That is always half my attack on the Battleship. Then another defender for London.
I really would do Tobruk and Taranto in this scenario.
Hope you are having a good weekend’s gaming Knp (trying out  your new US Axis set up).

Wouldn’t he need to spend 4 to repair AB? It took 6 damage, and I thought at 3 damage and above it’s inoperable…

You need to make Germany pay for not taking out your two fleets. Consolidate to 1 navy, have fighters to scramble.  Keep this fleet intact, this is a huge advantage for UK!  You’ll be able to protect transports much sooner and start landings in Western Europe sooner.  This also allows the US to spend less on navy in the Atlantic and more in the pacific.  I’ve never played a game where Germany didn’t sink both sz110 and sz111 fleets.

Good points wittmann, I think it comes down to personal preference how you divide up the units between Taranto, Tobruk and Ethiopia.   It stings if Germany uses a sub against the SZ91 Cruiser and hits it.  Then to block SZ 96 you have to atleast send the DD there instead of Taranto.  That may force you to bring the Tac instead of sending it to Tobruk.  What would you do in this situation without the 91 CR?

@wittmann:

That said, I prefer to use the Tac on the Carrier to attack Tobruk with the 4 Ground units in Alex, with the Mech in Egypt.
But then I don’t like giving Italy any sort of fighting chance.
You must protect Cairo at all costs.

Don’t forget to attack Ethiopia too.
I use both TTs (SZ97 and SZ39). I know this means India does not get Sumatra, but I think if he wants India, one will capture it anyway, despite the extra 4 IPCs.
Italy should be your main target.
Germany might get Moscow. The Axis still need Cairo.

You could also bring the 97 TT to Tobruk for 2 more units on the attack.  Ofcourse the Ethiopia battle becomes more risky with only the 39 TT and a Cruiser bombardment.

If you send 2 UK fighters to Toranto you can use the French fighter on the surviving German BB.

@RJL518:

Shinano (信濃?), named after the old province of Shinano, was an aircraft carrier built by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Initially laid down as the third of the Yamato-class battleships, Shinano’s partially complete hull was converted to a supercarrier in 1942, midway through construction. Over the next two years, the ship was heavily modified and she became the largest aircraft carrier built up to that time.

Partially completed in November 1944, Shinano was sent from the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal to Kure Naval Base to complete fitting out and transfer a load of 50 Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka rocket-propelled kamikaze flying bombs. En route to Kure, she was sunk on 29 November 1944, 10 days after commissioning, by four torpedoes from the American submarine Archerfish. The ship carried an inexperienced crew, had serious design and construction flaws, and was not ready for combat. Over a thousand of her crew and passengers were rescued, but 1,435 sailors and civilians died, including her captain. Shinano remains the largest warship ever sunk by a submarine.[1]

–-Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Shinano

Wow very interesting, thanks!  I didn’t know the Allies used subs that extensively.  When someone says submarine I automatically think of German U boats.

Can you land aircraft in a friendly neutral that you activate that turn with land units?