Well my friends that I play against often are not that experienced. So they like to buy a lot of research and do other silly things. They also lack coordination so I think I might be able to pull it off.

You are right about the UK navy, it has got to go and fast.

As for being conservative you are right there. I wonder if it would be better not to attack Ukraine. This will allow Italy to focus on Egypt and try to get some more money rolling in. Lord knows they need it.

As for Japan they need to get money and fast that was they can start pressuring the USA some. I love attacking Alaska, the usual response is to build everything to repel the attack.

@Imperious:

1. Sending the two subs SZ 7 + 1 fighter(Norway) to take out the battle ship + transport in SZ 2

not enough, you will lose the fighter. You need the bomber as well. and only a sub

So you want 1 sub + 1 fighter + 1 bomber? To attack the battle ship in SZ2?

If you don’t build any ships, then why not sent the entire fleet because the British can reach no matter. The polish fighter can be used for this too to guarantee a first round kill, or used against the Soviets.

I was planning on using the cruiser (if he did not kill it) to bombard on Karelia.

3.Take your two remaining fighters and bomber send them vs the Cruiser and Destroyer in SZ 12.

i advise 1 sub, 2 fighters

But the bomber is attacking the battle ship? Or do you mean on the second turn? Or just attacking with 1 sub and 2 fighters?

Your way defiantly makes more sense since you have a sub at each battle taking the hits rather than your planes.

Well I have played about 6 games of AA50, all of which have been played without NO’s and the 1941 setup. I have come to realize that the Axis are at a disadvantage in this setup.

What I want to do is start a thread dedicated to finding out what works best with this setup for the Axis.

As with the other setups I think Japan is more than capable of holding it’s own and expanding. The real problem is Germany\Italy.

Normally Germany and Italy can make quite a bit of money with No’s. This is bad for Germany but even worse for Italy. It makes Italy all but useless. Not totally useless though, as Italy will be able to clear paths to various Russian territories for Germany.

The real problem for Germany is the distance between Berlin and Moscow. This + the fact that Russia has three IC’s makes is very hard for Germany to mount an effective Eastern front. I believe that Karelia is the key as it allows you to get some more production capacity for free. It also allows for a buffer between you and Moscow. And you have two buffers between Caucasus. This is why I try to protect my two transports as they allow me some flexibility.

Purchasing.

I tend to be heavier on the Infantry first round. They do have a long hike ahead especially if you lose your transports. Not to mention you need to beef up your defenses.

2 Tanks = 10 IPC
7 Inf = 21 IPC
or if you want your navy to have a chance at living

1 tank = 5 IPC
1 destroyer = 8 IPC
6 Inf = 18 IPC

I believe that getting rid of the British navy is important. This will delay Uk and allow you to focus on Russia.

1. Sending the two subs SZ 7 + 1 fighter(Norway) to take out the battle ship + transport in SZ 2
2.Send the fighter from Poland plus sub from SZ 5 against the destroyer in SZ 6
3.Take your two remaining fighters and bomber send them vs the Cruiser and Destroyer in SZ 12.

However I am not sure what to do with German ground units and Italian units. I was thinking something along these lines

4. Use the units in Poland to Attack Baltic States.
5.Use the Czech’s, Bulgarians to attack the Ukraine.

I avoided trying to take out Egypt because I think it is much too risky on the first turn. It makes it really easy to kill your transport either from the fighter that did not die in Egypt or the Destroyer in SZ 35 or the UK bomber. Germany does not have the resources to throw away units for so little return.

Non Combat

6. I was thinking of using the transport to shuttle two units to Finland (from Germany) possibly art + inf or inf+inf. And moving three infs from Norway to Finalnd. This will leave my fighter alone. I hope the British player decides that the fighter is a nice target and not my transport + cruiser (possibly destroyer as well) in SZ 5. If he decides to attack the navy still you have your plane that will help in the attack next turn on Karelia.

7. I would use the SZ 13 transport to pull two infantry from France  I would put one in Morroco to help protect your bomber and possibly 1 fighter. The transport would end it’s turn in the navy pack of the Italians to protect it from that pesky UK fighter in Egypt.

8. I would move the one inf + one art(possibly two inf) from Germany into Poland. I would also move the one inf in Northwest Europe into France. I would also most likely move my aa gun into France to avoid him suicide attacking France with his fighters, bomber and 1 transport. This way he is more likely to do an industrial run which I rather have than him landing in France and getting 6 extra IPC or Him having a better chance taking out my navy.

Your thoughts?

@Alair:

You do?

Hum, if I recall, you start with 2 subs off france, plus a cruiser and sub in the baltic.  For airforce you have 3 fighters and 1 bomber.

Then again, it would depend on dice rolling and how things played out, but it’s not my style.

Four fighters and one bomber.  What I wanted to try next time is sending the two subs + 1 fighter(norway) to take out the battle ship + transport in sz 2 send the fighter from poland plus sub from SZ 5 against the destroyer in sz 6 and take your two remaining fighters and bomber send them vs the Cruiser and Destroyer in SZ 12.

Then again we have been playing without NO’s so Germany really needs to buy some time against the Brits.

The majority of the games have been like that. There were one or two where it took a bit longer to tell. That is the real problem with A&A in general. Taking Russia out is pretty much the only reliable way to win for the Axis. If you do not do it in time then Germany gets stomped and Japan can do nothing else.

I have played about 6 games now. And 5 times the allies have won(the more experienced players on the axis). We played with tech but without NO’s. I have to disagree with the original poster. Without NO the game is far from balanced.

The one game that the axis was won on turn 1. The UK bought two IC’s one in India and one in Africa and Russia bought two researchers and 4 tanks.