Posts made by Polishpowerhouse

Probably a one time use…but a naval base on java let’s you hit Sydney from the top or bottom in one turn. End game, if Anzac has one blocker, this is a possible move to get the win before possible USA reinforcements arrive. Totally situational gambit.

The rules say no territory can lose more ipcs than its worth from multiple convoy attacks…example Scotland borders sz119 and 109. Obviously if 8 points were scored in 109 both London and Scotland are maxed out. What if 2 damage were scored in both seazones? Can UK say the damage from 109 affected Scotland, thus negating the damage from 119? Does the convoy raider get to declare how the damage is applied?  Europe 2nd edition rulebook pg 24 bottom says a British sub in sz 97 could do 2 ipcs of damage to Italy. This sea zone touches multiple Italian territories worth 8 ipcs. Was this a typo?

Everyone’s comments about getting units into action on offense or defense asap is valid. Like someone earlier mentioned, play test saving and give us your opinion. You have a plausible theory, now it’s time to prove or disprove how well this works.

Sounds fair to me. Foolish? No….troops on the board could be a better play, but letting the axis show their stategy first is arguably viable.

Thanks. I misread that portion off the national objectives for Russia.

I like all the commentary and creative ideas. Java may not be a go to every game strategy, but the Pacific is a game of logistics. If your opponent is out position it may be viable as ships return from Calcutta. Also, like sealion forces UK and America to respond differently than if they see barbarossa…threatening Anzac does shift USA focus. What good is is a push in the Pacific if they lose the last victory city? If they over commit to Anzac that leaves Honolulu more open to attack from japan’s new production. Remember if Calcutta has fallen, Japan should have a sizable income to compete with the USA.  At that point in the game it’s more about positioning as the battle goes on for the final city. In a good position America holds and wins through attrition. In a bad position…huge fleets out of range are useless. Shaving a turn of travel could be the difference maker.

Not that it matters…but the last part of the gambit is a naval base in the money islands to hit sydney in 2 turns. A 1-2 punch from both Germany and Japan. Those 2 turns it takes to get to Sydney, America can’t reach to defend with any new purchases. Japan can also threaten Hawaii with new purchases requiring America to cover both. In an infinite timelines America outspends japan…in the reality of the game they can be out of position to respond properly. Yes Russia can grow and get aggressive but both Germany and Italy are max defense. They can hold out.

The thought was that after Calcutta you would only need 1 more victory city. Sydney or Honolulu being the best options. Sydney is 2 turns away with the naval base…over or UNDER Australia. Going underneath makes it harder for Anzac to spare two blockers. Plus underneath makes it hard for America to block as they can only really help defend north of sydney…or counter attack once it falls. A lot depends upon in game variables with fleets.

I see both sides. Depends upon who you are playing with. While it wasn’t france….the best victory I ever had was one in which I got diced trying to sink the American fleet at Gilbraltor. Had 98 percent odds of winning. Lost my whole airforce and  the American transports were still alive. Desperate measures followed. I relentlessly attacked Moscow the next 2 turns even though I couldn’t take it…then bought all bombers for the final push with my stragglers getting into range. The bombers were my hail Mary prayer because pressure was building on the western front. Moscow fell…allies conceded due to my income and the fact it was a one front war. Had I not been desperate who knows if I would have slow played Russia to long. I had just enough defense in Europe to turtle and hold. Had the bombers failed it was game over for me…but the fact I had a chance to pull a rabbit out of the hat is what  are the game fun.

@shadowhawk…the plan works because of two elements…one is surprise. Remember it’s not a every game strategy. number two, by the time the allies figure it out, it’s really about positioning and a race for the last victory city. America can outspend Japan, but not by much late game. they must get over to defend both Sydney AND Honolulu. obviously Hawaii is easier…but Sydney is quite a distance.

“All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

interesting comments from everyone…keep them coming. what i can say is that this is the most interesting game we’ve all played (in years…everyone is out of their comfort zone) and everything I’ve planned is working like clockwork. I’m not so sure Calcutta would have fallen without German aid. R1 declaration of war by sending a tank and mech to slow down and gum up the works in china. Doing just this doesn’t trigger Mongolia…also, i didn’t post this as a “go to” strategy, just a wrinkle for those bold enough to attempt. The more wrinkles you have the harder it is for your opponent to plan…

i have one more trick to share…once we resume play…

fair critiques…but reinforcing india from the middle east isn’t too viable when German troops crush through turkey and overwhelm cairo. In our game, Calcutta was effectively purchasing 0-2 units per turn.

I don’t think this is a strategy for everyday use…but i’m deep into my first game and it’s working as designed. The strategy is viable, especially if your opponents act in a somewhat predictable fashion.
Premise…both sides are global game are balanced. Germany is powerful enough to take the battle to the allies…what if Germany and Italy eventually turtled and took a fleet of troops out past the suez and help Japan…Japan also never has had the luxury of having a can opener. Here are the broad strokes…(with a few specifics thrown in)
G1 purchase 3 mechs (w. Germany) 6 infantry (Berlin)…this keeps sea lion in play and a good UK player will turtle until they know your true intention. take out as much navy as practical. Take out Paris (don’t commit the mech’s from western Germany). via transport bring an artillery and infantry to Finland to feint (with more guys from Norway). Take Yugo in force but have Romania take Bulgaria. Mechs from W Germany go to Yugoslavia. mechs need to eventually make it to Greece then turkey.
G2 purchase a major factory “signaling” Barbarossa and making Russia turtle as normal(place in Romania)—save the balance-- German air takes out British carrier off Italy (don’t have Italy scramble in defense on I1), take other navy targets of opportunity. take Greece in force (mechs/tanks from Yugo and all troops in Bulgaria) and any other parts of France that Italy didn’t take (with mechs from W Germany). Maybe 2 more infantry up to Norway/Finland. keep marching infantry to romania
G3 UK navy is cleared or close to cleared…Russia is turtling. purchase 7 transports, air craft carrier, and 2 destroyers for the black sea. attack turkey from Greece. Attack spain from france…attack Sweden from Finland Norway. In my game all my air was in southern Italy with airbase…1 fighter to spain, 2 air to navy, 2 strategic bombers to Sweden, the balance went to turkey, landing two air on the carrier. the balance in Greece. technically the Turkish straits (turkey) shields the navy from any naval ships. distance and Russia being neutral takes away landing spots for any air reprisals. My opponent did have his Strategic bomber in Malta so that was a threat…but Italy took care of it.
I3 steps to Alexandria in force to let air from Greece have a landing spot. (Albania tank should be in Greece on I2, so they can blitz/non combat thru turkey and get Iraqi oil and troops on i3). Italian air takes out naval blockers from cairo.
G4 purchase max defense…navy loads up and slips out of black sea to hit cairo. take gibraltor if you don’t already have it. Play up that you can still swing back and take caucuses to maybe slow down the Russian onslaught/counterpunch (suez can be opened by 1 transport hitting Jordan…or I4 attack, from Iraq with or without tank and mech from Alexandria moving through german controlled cairo).
G5 purchase max defense(maybe a few artillery mixed in)…slip through suez and take east Persia.
G6/G7 max defense…coordinate with Japan to hit Calcutta. My game we wanted Japan to hit first (due to game conditions), uk and Russia built bombers to attack the german fleet from Moscow and south Africa…I took the small island off india so my aircraft carrier could take a hit and my air could land. Japanese carriers joined me and UK choose not to attack. took out three Russian bombers with only 1 hit to my carrier!
America must now defend both Sydney and Honolulu. With Germany providing a can opener…in my game there was a DOW on J1, this helped Japan get a jump start on their economy. they crippled Calcutta with bombing raids, taking land quickly and convoy raids. If you have Germany up to 15+ infantry per turn and Italy providing another 10 infantry or so, that’s a lot of defense for the allies to take out…national objectives and money from neutral territories help keep G/I income up for quite a while…Russia makes and obscene amount of cash…but the goal is hold out long enough for Japan to race to victory. This idea sells out that we will not win on the Europe board and puts all of our hopes into the pacific…My current game that is paused…i have my german fleet with full load in india, Japan has 2 escorting carriers fully loaded and three fully loaded transports. 3 industries on the mainland…plus 4 fully loaded carriers in Tokyo. Italy recaptured Paris…taking in 41 income net, but is losing Africa now and the med is now opened for allies to enter. Germany has a few territories in Europe but 95% of the Europe force is defending in Berlin with limited counter attacks as necessary.