SUD: I don’t think your critique is overly harsh–just realistic. You make good points. Here are my answers to your questions:
1.) I can’t.
2.) UK and USA can do that, but the German and Japanese fleets could combine by T3, so their planes (and TRs) could be facing a combined fleet by G4. I would not build SUBs as Germany because the point is the invasion of UK, therefore I would have a couple of TRs to throw their measly “1” counterrattacks in at the planes. And as stated its not total loss if the German fleet IS destroyed–its just a major setback until the Japanese fleet can come in to protect a new build. If Germany thinks UK will attack his fleet, and sink it, he shouldn’t be building ships at all until the Japanese arrive.
As for moving the fleet, the strategy depends on a main deployment of USA forces in the Pacific; pure and simple. The Japanese and Germans can deal with the UK in the Atlantic, but if the Americans shuttle their entire fleet East, that will be a problem…that is where swiftness of maneuver comes in. The attack on UK must come quickly enough that USA only sees it happening when its too late. The attack is a gamble because it can pretty much only happen once–the USA will probably come in to help their next move.
3.) Of course I can do nothing. My large numbers of German TRs and INF can help, but basically if its Africa USA is determined to have, its theirs (at least until the Japs conquer Asia) But check this out:
In your argument you have done a very good job of preventing an Axis invasion of UK from occurring. But you have utilized ABSOLUTELY OVERWHELMING force (transferred the entire USA fleet to the Atlantic, abandoned India and spent UK’s money on an CV and fleet, and amassed a HUGE assault force for Africa and /or Western Europe) to accomplish this. I can only surmise you deployed your forces thus because you KNEW the Japanese were going to transfer 1/2 their fleet to the Mediterranean. Look at the Axis deployment T1. Why would the USA player, facing a totally undamaged Japanese fleet in the Pacific, simply ignore them and transfer their whole fleet to face Germany–which as you have pointed out has virtually NO fleet at all!? Especially when the UK has already built a CV (and presumably TRs and FTRs) at the expense of an Indian IC.
Also, I don’t see why its so impossible for Japan to make any headway against USSR in this strategy. The situation is basically the same as “normal” (that is per “Pearl Harbor T1”) for Japan except that the USA fleet remains intact and that Japan must build a CV to regain parity in Pacific fleet units. T3 Japan can slap down an IC in Manchuria or India and just start beating on USSR as “usual”. And one could argue that by moving the entire US fleet to the Atlantic (where I submit they are doing no good in a normal game), you have actually helped the Japanese by removing all threat against them in the Pacific and allowing them to concentrate fully on helping Germany (and picking on USSR).
My point is simply this–this strategy is not one to be used on someone who sees it coming. You have fully illustrated this point in your reply. However, if USA (and UK) moved in the manner you described T1, I would recommend to the Axis to “bail out” of the maneuver and head straight for USSR little the worse for wear–its obvious the Allies have anticipated (wink, wink) the whole strategy…
On a side note: No–my buddies and I do not yet play using bidding rules. Nor do we use Russia Restricted. And yet our games have not stagnated into endless repetition where the same tired strategies are used over and over again. Possibly this is because we are inexperienced newbies… I prefer to think we are just “imaginative”…
:grin:
Ozone27
[ This Message was edited by: Ozone27 on 2002-03-22 18:34 ]