@OleOneEye:
True that it is never worthless. However, since Japan is typically the wealthiest player in the game, a couple extra IPC a turn is less important for Japan than any other player. The crippling factor is the opportunity cost of not getting some other technology. Of course, what is Japan doing rolling on chart 1 in the first place?
As you said yourself, there really isn’t much of an opportunity cost cause chart 1 is weak for Japan anyways. However, if Japan is not careful, a British IC in Australia combined with an aggressive USA could result in them having less money than you might think.
@OleOneEye:
Mechanized Infantry for USA is pretty much only good for re-conquering Africa for the Allies, and then, keep shuttling troops through the Middle East toward Japan. The utility it gives in Africa makes it worth the money.
I suppose it would let them blitz into Russia/East Asia pretty fast, but shouldn’t America be targeting one of the Axis members directly with their forces rather than liberating their distant holdings?
@OleOneEye:
I don’t understand the way you play Russia. It pretty much only purchases infantry and tanks in every version of Axis and Allies I have ever played (along with just enough aircraft to get the job done) – and AA50 is no exception. Russia absolutely needs offensive ground units that can take a land and hold it, with the Russian tank force often rivaling Germany’s after several rounds.
I am very curious on what you spend Russian IPCs if not tanks and infantry.
Even if Russia intends to take territory and hold it, why would they need to transport Infantry to get there? Also, I don’t really see any advantage to Russia building Tanks rather building solely Infantry. Both of them are really just delay tactics until Germany gets reamed from behind by someone, anyways. Germany won’t have enough forces to break into Moscow until turn 5 if Russia masses Infantry, and that requires them to be neglectful elsewhere.
@OleOneEye:
Multiple Rockets owned by the same player may not bombard the same Industrial Complex on the same turn. Germany’s Industrial Complex could, however, be Rocketed by Russia, Britain, and USA once each. Both USA and Japan have to invest quite a bit of effort to get a Rocket in position to attack.
Not really. The Indian AA is already in range of Russia. The Japanese AA can be moved into Alaska on the first turn, in theory, putting it in range of West US.
@OleOneEye:
Heavy artillery production has been a fool’s gambit. Slow units that don’t attack any better than the defending infantry is a recipe for disaster. Have you won many games against an equal opponent when focusing on artillery?
Fair enough. Still think that Russia can get some use out of it though. They have 30+ Infantry to start, getting a bunch of Artillery can allow them to push back Germany more cheaply than with the vulnerable Tanks.
@OleOneEye:
In any game that is not decided in the first 2-3 rounds, Russia needs to have purchased at least a fighter or two. They must be able to trade territories on the eastern front.
Perhaps I’m just bad at estimating the long game. I’ve played mainly Revised, and most games get decided by turn 3. However, if Russia builds a fighter or two, then it makes it more likely that the game is decided in those first rounds, because if their front forces got demolished without any backups, gameover.
@OleOneEye:
@wodan46:
Radar makes it very difficult to SBR Japan, and very difficult to invade it, seeing as most invasions rely on air power to supply the strength of the attack. That means that America can only really threaten Japan with naval units, so Japan can just spam Subs and rest easy.
If USA is in a position to strategically bomb Japan, the game is over and the Axis should forfeit.
If Japan has radar AND masses Subs, there is no feasible way for USA to threaten Japan period, regardless of how well or poorly the game goes for Japan.
@OleOneEye:
UK spends the majority of the game with its fleet positioned to attack the Baltic Sea. It will crush subs as soon as Germany places them. If necessary, it can afford a 1 destroyer screen to be left in SZ6 while the fleet does other things.
Destroyers have a move of 2, as do Subs. If Germany builds a group of them on second turn and Britain does not already have a Destroyer nearby, they simply sink any Destroyer that comes into range (air support is nice), or for that matter any naval unit, and with luck can dominate the Atlantic. If Britain wises up and places a Destroyer blocking the exit to the Sea AND another one behind it, then the Subs should kill the Destroyer, then spread out into 3 different Sea Zones.
Also, in countering my other posts, many people have suggested that Britain build mostly Bombers turn 1. Airforces will do nothing against a Sub fleet.
@OleOneEye:
We clearly have a difference of opinion on the utility of submarines. I do enjoy the humor of Russia’s Red Oktober who has spent many games leisurely sailing around the world, visiting different ports of call.
Subs are just hard to use, because they are the most different unit in the game. However, they can potentially have incredible yield, completely denying access to whole oceans if you are fortunate.
