Posts made by MeinHerr

Transport loading rules according to rulebook I got , said that Transports could not be Loaded in a Hostile seaZone.

Ie: if the UK - BB were to be in SZ 6 , in peace on UK2, and Anzac declares war on Anzac 2….then on Japan Turn 3, they could not load the Transports, as the UK BB on SZ6, made it a hostile zone…

That was the point of The Mahatma Gambit…

If they changed those rules recently, then they removed the only preemptive capability of the Allies in the Pacific.

It’s not easy to have changes made in the rulebook, and should such a change have been made, although I (Ramdas Vaidyanathan )should get credit for that, it would be truly sad to see one more element of advantage added to the Axis domination of the game.

If there is a buildup in SZ26, means US is not building in Atlantic. It is one thing if the plan is to defend Hawaii…. its totally different if you want to use the initiative to “occupy” SZ 6 !

Japan starts with a vastly superior Navy which when the US is AT PEACE, building 3 units a turn in W. Coast, will take minimum of 3 turns to just come to parity.

With 21 planes Japan has no problem defending SZ 6  . One DD blocker is enough to delay US coming there for a turn.

So with:

1. Turn order of play
2. The extra turn, with the DD blocker…
3. The knowledge of when to strike, esp seeing the buildup in Hawaii
4. The bigger Navy
5. The Mega Airforce
6. And… yes… the Kamikazes… equal to 6 ATTACK Submarines (without defending DDs)…
7. No pressure on Germany /Rome in the Atlantic…
   Is more than enough to obliterate any US Navy that comes calling .

Japanese play is IMHO the most complex in the game.

If US approach is to stack Hawaii to go forth and sally into SZ 6  and not build an effective navy in Atlantic, with competent German play, a good overall plan to win, barring bad rolls, a competent Japanese player, it is hard to see how the Allies will win.

This scenario has been played against me about 3 times and each and every time, Allies have lost.

Hence, yes, there is initiative, but used the way advised going to SZ 6… will surely lose the game double quick.

US’s hands are tied till end of Turn 3. Unless Axis DOW on it…or Japan attacks unprovoked .

In Atlantic, it cannot go beyond a certain limit.

In Pacific, it cannot park it’s Navy next to Japanese territory…

Is neutral in Pac, cannot use other Allied NB, AB.

So whatever moves it makes away from Continental US is very obvious, and Japan can at its will choose to take action where it wants, more or less.

So, unless there is a DOW, US cannot act to help allies till US4.

Hence Axis have the advantage of deciding the course of the game…hence the initiative.

Definition  of “Initiative” (among others):

“Power or opportunity to act or take charge BEFORE others do…”

So, among Allies, only UK, and to an extent Anzac has it, in the opening and early part of the game…

Hope this makes it clearer.

Since we are discussing “Stall” tactics, found it relevent to mention Alied (UK/Anzac) moves, that can tinker with or counter Axis plans.

US, USSR, China, ANZAC and France have no initiative in the game… always have to react.

Only UK has initiative. Taranto, Tobruk  and TMG (The Mahatma Gambit)

This is reflective of the true WWII situation.

So, only stall tactic in Pacific, against monster Japanese Navy and Airforce, is the UK India Navy.

THREATEN to Sacrifice the BB or DD , to delay the Japanese Momentum for a turn. The BB costing 20 IPC, will delay Japan getting 25+ IPC . It can also help in Phillippines etc

Allies still come up positive with this play.

Russian player and Moscow will thank you for this… as if Japan goes J2, then usually Moscow can be held against a G6/G7/G8 attack

If no J2, then UK BB in Tokyo water, means a botched J3, unless Japanese player sees this and plays very accurately and carefully.

This is not a cheat tactic, as was mentioned before.

This is the only meaningful Allied threat in the Pacific theater to keep Japan honest.

Good luck analysing this play.

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=34893.0

Italy did fairly well in Eritrea. They beat back waves of UK troop, remember reading a couple of big battles.  They just ran out of Ammo.

They also did fairly well in USSR , till Stalingrad.

Being descendents of old civilization, that has held the Med… and also had Europe in its grip during various times, they are a little more practical when it comes to knowing when to cut their losses.

Loss of fleet at Taranto did not help much either.

Correction - 2 French Inf go on to UK TR on the turn the 3 N. African French Inf get on the US TR…. so the US TR next turn moves to SZ 112 with the rest of the US attacking fleet… and the UK TR (with 2 FR inf) joins it on UK turn…  Now all 5 French Inf can attack… W. Germany -  with FTR from London…

This helps the US and UK in 4 ways:

1. They do not have to spend $ to buy troops to load in the 2.5  TRs
2. They force Italy to commit more forces in N. Italy/France to take back W. Germany
3. If W. Germany is taken by French , then on Germany turn, it will have to spend BIG $$$ to defend Germany… which means , money NOT spent against USSR… it usually involves retreating FTRS back to Germany
4. In event W. Germany is not taken back by Axis after the French take it…, with Holland, Normandy free, Paris can be liberated by UK… and on French turn, France gets to build in Normandy and Paris… making it harder for Axis, as they have to then take back W. Germany… and then Paris… and Moscow will probably never fall. Allies can park lots of planes in Paris and make it very expensive for Axis to take it back… and if Italy gets too cocky… Rome may fall …

TIP: Use the FRENCH units!

French Units help to threaten Germany!

On France 1,2 retreat from Tunisia and Algeria to Morocco.

US picks up these units - needs  3 total empty TRs ( 1 more for the 2 Inf in London)  .

The threat is, that if US attacks W. Germany ,(UK does NOT commit to W. Germany, but to Normandy, Holland and Denmark)…, and same turn Italy kills W. Germany… thinking German forces can sweep through and take back Denmark…

hope you read the above line , carefully

Unless Italy has 4 land units survive the battle taking back W.Germ,  France, yes La France!, can kill Italians with 5 Inf + FTR…  even if 1 inf survives, then Denmark is safe…!!!

And if Denmark is safe, then Germany has to defend Berlin… and defend WELL!

Because,  if they do not… then  US will Kamikaze its Airforce  ( SBRS, FTRs and TB) on Berlin…  and MOVE its CVs into Berlin waters … even if the planes do NOT make it… because they give UK planes landing spots!!

And the real threat is UK taking all its troops from Normandy and Holland + its previous Build… which is important!.. and its planes from London… ( yes they have to be parked there!)  and take Berlin… game pretty much over.

I have done this successfully.

The important thing is the projected threat with the French helping with the 1-2-3 punch on Berlin.

99% of games, the Allied players, do NOT know how to use the French units worth 5xInf = 15 + 1xFTR = 10  (total 15+10 = 25 IPC build ) , this is not even counting the 1 Inf on W. Africa.

• HM

Correction…J1 buys…3 TRS loaded…
.go to Hainan SZ…on J2…for J3 strike…

You can drop a Tank and Inf in Kiangsi… The Tank gets to Yunnan on J2…, but more impt, the TR can go back and pick 2(originally  Koreans (in Manchuria) on J2… and hit Malaya or Borneo… … If no NB on Kwangsi on J2, the TRS are too far away after J1 to pick units to deploy on those 2 places…
So… Japan and Okinawa TRS drop off in Formosa sea zone on J1, either return to (Japan on J2…or )Okinawa SZ on J2, p/ u 3I+Art… shuttle…back to Formosa SZ…for J3 hit on Malaya or Borneo…
J2 buys, go to Hainan SZ loaded to hit Java, Sumatra, Celebes…

After J4, you can on US4, fly in the US FTR in PHP , if it’s still alive, to Sikiang

Late reply… have been out of this forum for a while.

But… I won a game last summer with the French African and French UK + French FTR help.

This is how it went …

US3  - 2 US TR to Morocco picked up the 3 French Inf  &  an Empty US TR accompanied it

US4 - Empty US TR picked up 2 Frenchies in UK…  (Also US 4 took W. Germany , without French)

UK4 - Built big fleet in Liverpool ( W. UK Side)… and had total of 2 FTRs and 1 Tac Bomber, did not augment US in W. Germany…per plan…(Denmark was Axis … and empty)…

Italy 4 - Took W. Germany back… with 2 Inf remaining

France 4!! - Took Denmark with 2 Inf (1 TR)… and Took W.Germany with 1 Inf remaining  ( 2 Inf + FTR against 2 Italians)… This was the big gamble…!

Germany 5 - Took back W. Germany…

US5 - Hit Germany with everything - Kamikaze of US planes, to create space for UK planes next wave… Empty US CVs go and park next to Germany…

UK5!!! - Takes Germany… All planes from London airbase can land on US CVs…

Germany resigns

The ANZAC units come too late, and not enough land units to affect the Turn 6 takedown of W. Germany.

Iam truly surprised by the voting here.  Appalled at the lack on replies… maybe folks here play too well for rookie strategies  :)

They are almost the only pieces that can keep the Danish Straits open!

A good US player would always use the French units. I have , and extremely effectively too!

The way to go about is thus:

1. US TR goes to Brazil, and picks up a unit… and a French unit from W. Africa
2. 2 US TRs pick up 4 retreating French units in Morocco
3. 1 empty US/UK TR picks up the 2 units in London! Gibralter TRs are poised to go into Med… or toward Norway or W. Germany.
4. Normandy!  US take Denmark and hits W. Germany
5. Italy takes back W. Germany!!
6. France takes back W. Germany!!! The French FTR role here cannot be understated!
   (remember Denmark is still is in Allied Hands)
7. Germany builds in Germany and either retreats planes from Russia…
   or…Berlin is in mortal threat…
   because
8. US planes kamikaze attack on Germany proper (berlin)… CVs move into Baltic Sea to provide landing spot for UK FTR
9. UK usually takes Germany.

I have played this combo once - very effectively - this summer… and the moment Berlin falls in this manner, the Axis lose heart. Game over.

Only the French, going last… have the ability to take out the Italian units in W. Germany… helping Denmark to stay in Allied hands…

The threat to Berlin is so huge that Germany has to pull units from Eastern front… buys time for Russian units in Siberia to shore up Moscow defense.

French units are essential… and the French player should know at least this ONE thing if anything at all.

Tx for the clarification!

But thought only Power that can keep its money although occupied was China….

Should Berlin take Moscow, and then French troops take Berlin (while Paris is still occupied by Germany), who gets to keep all the money?

Almost had a scenario like this, so thought I’d ask.

Need clarification on the word “Ignore”.

So, in essence the DD coming into the same SeaZone with an Enemy Sub , can choose NOT to attack it  ( as combat is decided by attacker). 
So  the Defender cannot  choose to “defend” the SeaZone  , as the Attacker has chosen not to “attack” it, just “escort” the TR.

And since No defense was needed, No Kamikaze involved.

Is this a correct analysis of the situation?

Tx

The problem with KJF is that the Luftwaffe can then be unleashed against Moscow. 
Without the Luftwaffe, Moscow will hold…but with the Luftwaffe ( equal to 12 -14 tanks)… chances are poor.
Only way to keep Luftwaffe in W. Germany, is with US+UK TRs in Atlantic… unless there is another way…?
KJF problem is that unless its is done quickly (Japanese player must cooperate) …  and with Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe at its doors…Moscow will fall by G6 or G7 at latest… and then the race to Egypt starts…
So 2  questions are:
1)  with KJF, realistically, with a good Japanese player… how quickly can Japan be contained to home islands, by which turn?
2) and what US buys would be optimum for that scenario?.. i mean… ( do not even bring the K… in the KJF, because if Japan stacks…it will take a long time)

Can Strategic Bombers “escort” Transports  ( assuming there are no hostile ships in between and at the final seazone) … to defend the TRs in event of  Scramble option?

For example, Lets say that there are no Japanese ships Between Carolines and Phillippines… and none on the Phillippines SeaZone  There are 2 Japanese FTRs ( and 2 Inf) on Phillippines.  Can i send 2 Loaded TRs with 3 SB “escorting” them?

The 3 SBs will not participate in the land combat.  All they do is go to the Seazone , in event the 2 FTRS scramble.

This means all the planes ( SBs and FTRs) will be rolling 4 s  or less … is that correct? ( SB = attack  and FTRs =  defense ) . Also it avoids Kamikaze  option, is that correct  ( since the K-marker is there on PHP)?

Just wanted to check?

Thanks