@Shaniana:
Thank you very much for your answers so far. Some are easy to understand, to some I still have further questions. And, after playing another game, I came up with some new ones.
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I am still not sure what to do with ANZAC. The suicide missions with transporters and marines have given me some of the islands � I liked it, but it did not play any role in not losing the game in the and. Owning the Islands made no difference. Then, I conquered sometimes even Asian mainlands, Korea, I think. Japan easily got it back. I lost a marine and the transport ship, and I got three credits for the land, makes minus 7. He lost an anti-aircraft cannon, which he did not need, and I forced him to use some of his troops, but still, this did seem unuseful somehow.
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Is it possible to use the ANZAC �fleet� and the ANZAC money to buy more ships, combine them with the British Indian ships and make a fleet strong enough so that Japan cannot crush it easily? Thus, the US could throw in everything into Europe and I would still not lose in Asia too soon?
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Has experience told you it is better to go into the pacific or Europe with the US? Or is it impossible to say? In the 1942 version, it seems that most of the time, a �Europe first� is crucial for winning.
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Is it theoretically possible to prevent Japan from taking India in round three if Japan undertakes every effort to get it? I cannot block them because we have peace, so he stands with his troops next to India in the end of round two. He then attacks with so many aircrafts� even if I just buy marines or anti-air, the battle calculator calculates that I lose all the time. I cannot bring troops or planes from ANZAC� I cannot send Russian planes because of neutrality, can I? And I don�t know it anyway in Russia�s first turn. I could bring some troops and planes from Egypt, but that makes it very easy for Italy and does not guarantee me success in India� any ideas on that? Or is it just something I have to accept and use the advantage that gives me with the US? Can I then still do �Europe first� with the US?
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Attacking the Italian fleet proved to be a good idea. But then he rebuilt a transport ship in his first round. I attacked again, thus slowing him down further. But I had not left much of a royal airforce, either, due to scrambling German planes. In his second round, he got a new transport ship, which I could not attack any more. Thus, I slowed him down a bit, but eventually he came, and because I had to rebuild some fighters in the UK, Italy simply one Northern Africa. So � stop after the first attack? Buy no new fighters in the UK?
6. Might it be wise not to plant anything in the first US round (if not at war) to prevent the Axis from seeing where you are going? You are then slower, of course, because otherwise your ships in the Pacific could already move…
My 2 cents for you from my experience of our group’s AA-meetings (<-not as bad as it sounds ;-)):
1. I personally find that with the ANZAC you must be extremely careful. You should ofc start taking DEI-islands, together with India right away from the start whenever you can (I prefer Java first, followed by DNG). Be patient whenever the Japanese threat is directly pointed towards you. In this case build only units that can defend Sydney (inf, mech, FTR!) but always build 3 defenders a turn. No fancy allied strategy will work for ANZAC once Sydney falls.
If the Japanese seriously plan for Sydney they will take it but you can make them pay, requiring them to come at you with virtually everything they have, dislocating their biggest asset (IJA) for a number of turns.
Once Sydney can rely on some 60 defense factors (I prefer to have 24 of them come from Australian FTR), OR Japan is obviously no threat to you (very rarely) you are safe enough to start switching to offensive builds, primarily contesting the Japanese soft under belly, the money islands, each and every turn.
Small reminder: US FTR and STR can easily fly into Sydney, helping its defense and at the same time project threats for Japanese ships into multiple sea zones around the DEI.
2. Like Wheatbeer said, very unlikely. I always prefer to combine the ANZAC ships with the USA-fleet and as long as there is no dirdect threat to Sydney, use the growing amount of Australian FTR to protect the US fleet even more (scramble, land on empty CV they send in, etc.).
3. Some of my friends go Europe first-and-100% (even sending the pacific fleet into europe via a navel base in Panama US1) and I must say it is extremely powerful.
Others went (almost) 100% Japan first and gained too little (combined IJN and IJA outmatches US invaders a long time), allowing to let Germany run amok.
I’d say Germany first is a must, whilst never neglecting the pacific at the same time (keep spending 10-20 IPCs in the Pacific theatre every turn, more if Japan threatens you directly). Same as ANZAC: think ahead multiple turns making sure Honolulu and Sydney will remain safe or can be retaken easily (or even traded for another VC prize if necessary). This is easier than attacking deep into the Japanese perimeter, as the IJA is out of range (you must make that a certainty!). All offensive actions must be taken outside the destructive reaction-range of the combined IJA and IJN. Remember: the IJA-and IJN can strike anywhere, but not everywhere at the same time. Hit them where they aint until you have built up too strong for them. With a Germany first strategy this may take as much as 7-10 turns.
4. Never bothered to try. What the allies could-do seems to much of an over-stretch to me this early in the game.
Just make them pay and hit them where they aint at the same time. The USA can raid their convoys safely (11 IPCs per turn to be taken in the sea of Japan), take Carolines, Marianas, the other small islands the IJA can otherwise use later against you (by attacking you and then land on them). UK should seriously consider to declare Calcutta an open city to preserve its army (retreating beyond Japanese aircover), with the aim to retake Calcutta after Japan takes it, or wait retaking it when the IJA backs off. The longer the IJA is busy chasing the UK-forces-that-might-retake-Calcutta, the better for the allied cause (USA has free reign over the rest of the pacific).
5. Buying FTR in the UK, SA, Canada is always a good idea. they can defend everywhere (even in Moscow if needed) and are very flexible. You can comfort yourself that Moscow is likely to survive if germany has scrambled a few times into the med because these planes are no longer able to attack Moscow, or defend against the invasions of the western allies. I am a big fan of preserving the UK armed forces in Africa, so I declare Cairo an open city whenever need be (handing it over on a plate), planning to take it back the turn after or a little later (remember to build 1 or 2 fast units a turn in SA!). It is ugly but better than loosing both Cairo AND your army. Usually the UK can maintain a strong enough airforce so that any TRS used by Italy go a 1 way trip to Northern Africa only (after which they are killed due to a lack of protection from scramblers). Purchasing TRSs every turn to keep funneling troops into Africa is not good for Italy because they soon face the combined invasion fleets of the USA and the UK at Gibraltar and then Italy wishes to have bought more inf to defend agains them.
6. Not sure what you mean but if you mean simply not to buy anything, sure. Just keep in mind once you are at war you are limited at 10 untits per IC so don’t cut you own fingers ;-). On the other side, if you just buy a lot of aircraft, always handy, they are so flexible that they can go wherever you want. Might even place them in New York and then fly them into Hawai by ‘surprise’. After all, you will need more than your starting forces once war breaks out (especially if the Japanese refuse to declare war on you).
