Posts made by saburo sakai

“no one starts a war-or rather, no one in his senses ought to do so-without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by that war and how he intends to conduct it.”

Karl von Clausewitz

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One of the challenging things about playing Axis and Allies generally is the relatively complex rule systems when compared to other board games.  While A&A is much simpler to learn and play than many classic hex-based war games such as Third Reich, Squad Leader or Gettysburg, it is much more complicated then a typical board game.  Learning the rules of A&A is made more difficult by the numerous versions of A&A and various sets of house rules that contain subtle yet important rule differences.

This essay will attempt to list all of the rule differences between AAPacific and AARevised.  I chose AARevised because I expect that this is the version of A&A with which players will be most familiar.

Differences between AARevised and AAPacific Rules

-  AARevised is played by 2 to 5 players involving five nations, Russia, Germany, UK, Japan and the US.  AAPacific is played by 2 to 3 players involving 5 nations on three sides, Japan, UK (India and Australia) and the US (China and US).

-  In AARevised, IPCs are allocated at game start as follows:

    Russia - 24
    Germany - 40
    UK - 30
    Japan - 30
    US - 42

    In AAPacific, IPCs are allocated at game start as follows:

    Japan - 19
    India - 15
    Australia - 20
    US - 75

-  In addition to the IPCs available at the start of the game, the UK player receives 12 IPCs for British convoy zones (sz15, 49 and 52) to be distributed between India and Australia.

Victory Conditions

-  In AARevised, victory is determined by the number of Victory Cities held by each side at the end of the US turn or the number of your opponents capitals that you have captured.  In AAPacific, victory for Japan occurs when Japan holds its own capital and one of India, New South Wales or USA until the start of its next turn OR Japan accumulates 22 Victory Points (VPs) at any time during the game.  Victory for the Allies occurs when one of the Allied powers captures and holds Japan until the start of the next turn while still controlling its own capital(s) OR by preventing Japan from collecting at least 1 VP on any of its turns.

Order of Play

-  In AARevised, the Order of Play is Russia, Germany, UK, Japan, US.  In AAPacific, the Order of Play is Japan, UK, US.  Australia and India purchase and place their units separately but otherwise conduct their turn together.  The US and China purchase and place their units separately but otherwise conduct their turn together.

Turn Sequence

-  In AARevised, the Turn sequence contains 7 phases:

1. Develop weapons
2. Purchase units
3. Combat move
4. Conduct combat
5. Noncombat move
6. Mobilize new units
7. Collect income

-  In AAPacific, the Turn sequence contains 9 phases:

1. Purchase Combat Units
2. Land Fighters on Combat Air Patrol
3. Combat Movement
4. Resolve Combat
5. Place/Remove National Control Markers and Adjust the National Production Chart
6. Non-Combat Movement
7. Place New Units
8. Submerged Submarines Resurface Damaged Battleships Uprighted
9. Collect Income

Weapons Development

• In AARevised, players have the opportunity to spend IPCs to develop weapons.  In AAPacific, weapons development or “Technology” is not an available option.

Purchase Combat Units

-  In AARevised, units are purchased by using IPCs available at the start of a players turn.  In AAPacific this is true for all nations except China.  China receives 1 infantry unit for every territory with an IPC value that it controls at the start of the US turn.  It receives 1 further infantry if it or its allies control the four territories that comprise the Burma road (India, Burma, Yunnan, Szechwan).  The maximum that China can receive on any one turn in the game is 8 infantry units (Sikang, Szechwan, Siam, FIC, Manchuria, Korea, Shantung, Burma Road).  Unlike other nations, China does not need to control the corresponding convoy route to obtain an infantry unit for FIC, Korea or Shantung).

-  In AARevised, any nation with sufficient IPCs can purchase an Industrial complex to be placed at the end of its turn.  In AAPacific, only the United States may purchase Industrial Complexes.  These US ICs can only be placed in Blue or Brown territories controlled by the US at the start of the US turn.  The only possible locations for a purchased US IC are Philippines, Siam, FIC, Bonin Is. and Ryukyo Is.

-  In AAPacific, only the US can purchase Marines.  In AARevised, there is no Marine unit.

Combat Movement

-  Combat movement in AARevised and AAPacific is essentially identical.  The only differences arise when dealing with submarine movement which is different for the two games and the effects of air bases which are only present in AAPacific.

Resolve Combat

-  Resolve Combat is essentially the same in AARevised and AAPacific with the following exceptions:

   1. In AARevised, defensive AA guns roll 1 die against each plane and if a “1” is rolled that plane is shot down.  In AAPacific, defensive AA guns roll 1 die for each attacking plane and get a hit for each “1” rolled.  Casualties are then chosen by the owner of the planes.

   2. In AAPacific, for Japan’s first turn only, all Allied units, except those located on Chinese territories, defend on a “1”.  There is no similar rule in AARevised.

   3.  In AARevised, both defending and attacking submarines get a “first strike” in any round of combat in which the opposing side does not have a Destroyer present.  In AAPacific, only attacking submarines get a “first strike” in any round of combat in which the opposing side does not have a Destroyer present.

   4.  In AARevised, amphibious assaults can be preceeded by a Battleship support shot and any unit that is hit by the Battleship cannot fire back.  Destroyers can only provide a support shot if the attacking player has acquired the combined bombardment weapon development.  In AAPacific, amphibious assaults can be preceeded by a support shot from any Battleships and Destroyers but any units hit by the support shot get to fire back in the defensive fire stage.  Destroyers provide a support shot on a “2” rather than their regular attack value of a “3”.

   5.  In AARevised, armor defends on a “3”.  In AAPacific, armor defends on a “2”.

   6.  In AARevised, the naval units of an attacking player’s Ally cannot be taken as casualties even though they are present in a sea zone under attack by the attacking player.  In AAPacific, naval units of an attacking player’s Ally can be taken as casualties for a battle in a sea zone in which they are present but do not otherwise participate in the battle.

   7.  In AARevised, Strategic Bombing Raids (SBRs) can be conducted by bombers against enemy controlled Industrial complexes (ICs) and can cause the defending player to lose IPCs equal to not more than the IPC value of the territory attacked.  SBRs are defended with AA guns (that hit on a “1”).  In AAPacific, SBRs can conducted by bombers, with escorting fighters, against enemy controlled ICs and can cause the defending player to lose IPCS equal to the sum total of the dice rolled for each attacking bomber regardless of the IPC value of the territory attack.  SBRs are defended with AA guns (that hit on a “1”) and defending fighters (that hit on a “2”).  Japan will lose 1 VP for every 10 IPCs lost in an SBR.  Szechwan cannot be attacked by an SBR when it is controlled by China but can be attacked by an SBR if it is controlled by Japan.

   8.  In AAPacific, Japan can use a Kamikaze attack on any Allied naval unit (other than submarines) which ends its combat movement in sz23, 24, 25, 35, 36 or 37 (the “Kamikaze Zones”) or against any Allied naval unit (other than submarines) that is located iin any of the Kamikaze Zones during any Japanes combat movement phase.  Japan has a total of 6 kamikaze attacks that can be used during the game but once used, they cannot be replenished.

Place/Remove National Control Markers (NCMs)

-  This step is essentially the same in both AARevised and AAPacific with the following exceptions:

  Convoy Routes and Convoy Centers

-  In AARevised, NCMs are not placed in sea zones and no nation “controls” sea zones.  In AAPacific, convoy routes and convoy centers can be controlled by one side or the other.  The rules are as follows:

The ownership of the Convoys/Centers is checked at the end of EACH nations combat phase.

1. If the convoy is empty or contains only submerged subs or transports, the ownership does not change.
2. If only one nation has ships (neither submerged subs or transports count) present, that nation controls the zone.
3. If opposing nations have ships (neither submerged subs or transports count) present the ownership does not change.

-  In AAPacific, to receive IPCs for a territory one nation must control both the territory and the related convoy route at the end of the conduct combat phase.  If the territory and related convoy route are controlled by different nations, neither gets the IPCs for that territory.

-  If Japan takes control of a US or UK convoy center, the corresponding nation’s IPC production is reduced.  Japan’s IPC production is not increased by the value of the convoy center.

-  In AAPacific, Australia’s IPC Production can never exceed 20.  All territories captured by UK from Japan are added to India’s IPC Production total.

Non Combat Movement

-  Non-Combat Movement in AARevised and AAPacific is essentially the same, with the following exceptions:

   1.  In AAPacific, if a naval unit is moving from a sea zone that contains a port controlled by the moving player to another sea zone with a port controlled by the moving player, the naval unit’s movement point allowance is increased from 2 to 3.

   2.  In AAPacific, if an air unit is taking off from or landing in a territory that contains an air base, it does not need to expend a movement point to cross the boundary between the sea zone and the territory containing the air base.  This free movement also applies to air units taking off from territories with an air base during combat movement.

   3.  In AAPacific, fighters located in a territory adjacent to or surrounded by a sea zone that have not otherwise moved during combat movement or non-combat movement may be launched into the adjacent or surrounding sea zone as Combat Air Patrol (CAP), provided that sea zone does not contain any hostile naval units (other than submerged submarines).  Fighters on CAP defend against any attack in their sea zone and prevent hostile naval units (other than submarines) from travelling through the sea zone.  CAP fighters do not prevent hostile air units from passing through the sea zone on their way to another battle.  CAP fighters land during Phase 2 of your next turn on any friendly Aircraft Carrier in the same sea zone or on any territory within or adjacent to the CAP sea zone.  The CAP fighters do not have to land in the same territory from which they were launched if another territory is adjacent to or within the CAP sea zone.

Place New Units

• In AARevised, you may place units in a territory with an IC provided you controlled that IC at the start of your turn and provided you place no more units in that territory and any adjacent sea zone than the IPC value of the territory.  In AAPacific, you may place units in a territory with an IC provided you controlled that IC at the start of your turn.  If the IC is one you controlled at the start of the game, you may place an unlimited number of units in the terrirtory and any adjacent or surrounding sea zone.  If the IC is one that you captured or built during the game, you may place only that number of units that is equal to the IPC value of the territory.

Combat Units

The following are differences in the characteristics of specific combat units:

AA guns

• In AARevised, AA guns may only move during Non-combat movement.  In AAPacific, AA Guns may move during Non-combat movement and may load on a Transport during Combat movement provided the attacking player is conducting an amphibious assault.  The AA gun does not participate in the amphibious assault but can be landed during NCM in the territory being attacked if the amphibious assault is successful.

• In AARevised, AA guns fire at each attacking air unit individually and hits on such air units are determined individually.  In AAPacific, the owner of the attacking planes chooses his casualties after all defending AA gun shots are rolled.

Industrial Complex

• In AAPacific, only the US may build Industrial complexes during the game.

US Marines

• There is no comparable unit in AARevised.  In AAPacific, US Marines can be purchased by the US only, at a cost of 4 IPCs.  The US Marine attacks and moves just like normal infantry except when conducting an amphibious assault in which case it attacks on a “2”.  If the US Marine is matched with an attacking artillery unit during an amphibious assault, the Marine unit attacks on a “3”.

Tanks

• In AARevised, Tanks defend on a “3”.  In AAPacific, Tanks defend on a “2”.

Transports

• In AARevised, Allied units can be loaded onto transports owned by their Allies.  In AAPacific, Allied units can be loaded onto transports owned by their Allies with the exception that Chinese units can never be loaded on a transport.

• In AARevised, transports may carry 1 infantry and one other unit (infantry, tank, artillery, AA gun).  In AAPacific, transports may carry 1 tank or any 2 other units (infantry, artillery, AA gun).

Aircraft Carriers

• In AARevised, ACs cost 16 IPCs.  In AAPacific, ACs cost 18 IPCs.

Destroyers

• In AARevised, destroyers may not be used as transports except by Japan when it has the “Tokyo Express” National Advantage.  In AAPacific, Japanese (but not other nation’s) Destroyers can transport 1 infantry unit.

• In AARevised, Destroyers may fire a support shot (hitting on a “3”) during an amphibious assault only if the attacking player has the “Combined Bombardment” weapon development.  In AAPacific, Destroyers may fire a support shot (hitting on a “2”) during an amphibious assault provided they have not transported an infantry during the same turn.

• In AARevised, a destroyer prevents a hostile submarine in the same sea zone from submerging during combat and prevents a submarine from passing through a sea zone that it occupies.  In AAPacific, a destroyer does not prevent a sub from submerging during combat but is necessary to allow air units to attack a hostile submarine.

Submarines

-  In AARevised, both attacking and defending subs have a “first strike” capability.  In AAPacific, only attacking subs have a “first strike” capability.

-  In AARevised, submarines can be attacked by air units alone.  In AAPacific, submarines can only be attacked by air units if they are in the same sea zone as a destroyer owned by the attacking player or the attacking player’s ally.

-  In AARevised, a submarine cannot submerge if a hostile destroyer is present in the same sea zone.  In AAPacific, an attacking submarine can submerge BEFORE rolling in any round of combat, including the first round of combat (called a “substall”).  In AAPacific, a defending submarine can submerge BEFORE rolling its defensive roll in any round of combat.  Before submerging, a defending submarine must survive one round of attacking rolls from the attacker.

-  In AARevised, a submarine can move through a hostile sea zone during combat movement provided there is no enemy destroyer present in that sea zone.  In AAPacific, a submarine cannot move through any sea zone that contains enemy naval units.

Fighters

-  In AARevised, fighters cost 10 IPCs.  In AAPacific, fighters cost 12 IPCs.

-  In AAPacific, fighters in a territory that is subject to an SBR may defend against the SBR and in such battles defend on a “2”.  Fighters may also be sent to “escort” bombers on an SBR and in such cases will shoot down defending enemy fighters on a “1”.  In AARevised, fighters may not participate in an SBR in any way.

National Advantages

-  In AARevised, a number of optional rules, called National Advantages, are available for use by each of the players.  In AAPacific, there are no similar National Advantage rules.

I have attempted to be as comprehensive as possible with this rule comparison.  It is certainly possible that I have missed something in my summary.  If any reader comes across any additional differences, please feel free to post this information or send me an email and I will make the appropriate edits to this essay.

Saburo Sakai

Sun Tzu said:Â

Carefully compare the opposing army with your own,
so that you may know where strength is superabundant
and where it is deficient.

When a general, unable to estimate the enemy’s
strength, allows an inferior force to engage a larger one,
or hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one,
and neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank,
the result must be rout.

In order to carry out an attack, we must have
means available.

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For experienced players of AAPacific, it will soon become apparent that the Out of the Box rule permitting a Japanese victory upon reaching 22 Victory Points (VPs) unbalances the game in favour of Japan.  With the option of going for an India or Australia capture or playing to 22 VPs, Japan has too many avenues to victory for the Allies to overcome.  Therefore, as Sun Tzu says, it is necessary for the Allied general to carefully compare the strength of his army to that of Japan and acquire the means to carry out an attack.

Generally, a bid comes in one of the following four forms:

1.  VP Bid
2   IPC Unit Bid
3.  IPC Bid
4.  Inverse IPC Bid

The VP Bid

At 22 VPs, Japan has the advantage.  In a future essay, I will discuss the tactics used to achieve a VP victory but suffice it to say that with the OOB rules (even using the corrected setup), Japan can usually count on a VP track of 3-4-4-4-3-3-1 = 22 which will result in victory by J7.  A victory is quite achievable by J6 if Japan can get 4 VPs on J5.Â

A VP bid stretches out the VP track to at least J8, giving the Allies one more turn to set up an SBR base from which to rob Japan of VPs or capture territories or convoy routes taking Japan below the IPCs it needs to stay in the game.

The mechanics of a VP bid are simple.  Both players secretly record the number of VPs at which they would like to play Japan and the higher number wins.  If both players bid the same, the Japanese player is chosen at random.Â

VP bids usually range from 23 to 26.  In my view, the game is fairly balance at 24 or 25 VPs.  At 24, the game slightly favours Japan.  At 25, the game slightly favours the Allies.  However, this slight advantage can easily be overcome by the dice or superior play, so the game is essentially balanced by the VP bid.

There is, however, one problem with the VP bid.  If the Japanese player chooses to initiate a KIO attack (see previous essays), the bid has no impact on the game and Japan may have an insurmountable advantage.  The KIO attack assumes the game will be over by the end of round 4 which means that VPs will never come into play.  In some cases, a Japanese player who wants to go for a KIO attack will enter a bid of 99 or some other impossibly high number to ensure that they will play Japan.  After that, it is really up to the dice to determine the outcome of the game as the counter to the KIO attack is so difficult and dependent on a significant amount of luck.

To counteract the disadvantages inherent in the VP bid system, various IPC bid systems have been created.

The IPC Unit Bid

An IPC Unit Bid is an equivalent number of IPCs bid by the Allied player that he will be able to immediately place on the board in Allied units prior to the start of J1.  IPCs can also be saved to spend on Allies 1.  The VP target for Japan remains at 22.  The Allied player can only place units in territories already controlled by the Allies or in which the Allied player already has units.  US units cannot be placed in China.  The player who bids the lower number plays Allies.

As will be clear considering the type of bid, the combination of bid amounts and unit placement are many.  In most cases, however, the Allied player should place his new units in a way that will provide the most assistance to India.   Bids will range from 16 to 24.  Some Allied players prefer to place all of their units on land in Asia (4 Rtl in Burma is popular) while others look to enhance the naval strength of their UK forces by the addition of submarines in key locations.  The most important point to remember is to not waste your bid units by placing them where they can be easily hit by a J1 surprise attack.

The IPC Bid

This bid adds IPCs to the Allied total that can be used to purchase units on Allies 1.  The IPCs can be divided amongst all Allied nations.  The lower bid plays Allies.Â

As the units purchased with this bid cannot be placed until the end of Allies 1, bids will tend to be higher using an IPC bid only.  Bids in the 20 to 28 range would be typical, with the majority of the extra IPCs awarded to India, a few to Australia and sometimes 1 to the US.

The large purchasing power for India usually prevents the Japanese player from attempting an India Crush as India will be too strong for a J3 or J4 attack to be successful.

The Inverse IPC Bid

In an inverse IPC Bid, both players bid for a number of IPCs to be awarded to the Allied player.  The player that bids higher will play Japan and the Allied player receives IPCs equal to the Japanese player bid that can be distributed amongst the 3 Allied nations and spent on Allies 1.  The game is then played to 24 VPs for Japan.

With a 24 VP target, bids using this format tend to be in the 12 to 15 range.  This is just enough to provide India with enough defensive units to discourage a KIO attack but not so much as to unbalance the game in favour of the Allies.  This bidding method was adopted by Days of Infamy AAPacific Club after their 2005 tournament “Battle for India”.Â

IPCs tend to be allocated mostly to India with some players providing 1 to the US (to permit a 2 Sub, 4 Bmr A1 purchase) and 4 to Australia (for 3 subs).

In my view the inverse IPC bid creates the right balance between the two sides while at the same time creating many strategic options for the playout.  The bid tends to push the game in the direction of a VP victory although it does not preclude an opportunistic India or Australia capture.  What this bid system does do is generally eliminate the KIO option for the Japanese, which, in my opinion, is a good thing.

Saburo Sakai

The Australia Capture - The Invasion that Wasn’t

In February of 1942, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto proposed an invasion of Australia.  The invasion plan, calling for landings in both the north and south of Australia, required the use of 10 Japanese Army divisions and because resources where stretched thin, the plan was rejected by Tojo and the Imperial General Staff.

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While the Japanese didn’t have the resources to invade Australia during World War II, the Japanese player in AAPacific does start the game with sufficient resources to capture New South Wales, prevent any Allied counterattack and win the game.  However, the Australia capture is a much tougher strategic road and usually requires a mistake by the Allies to be successful since US reinforcements are much closer to Australia than to India.

The Australia capture can be initiated from any balanced J1 opening and doesn’t require any unusual opening moves.  Since it requires some mistakes by the Allied player, an Australia capture is generally an opportunistic move rather than a planned strategy.  If you’re the Japanese player, you shouldn’t start the game thinking that you will win by capturing NSW.  Rather, you should always keep in mind the possibility of invading Australia if the right circumstances present themselves.

After a “standard” J1 opening that sees the capture of Philippines, Hongkong, Anhwe, Kiangsi, Malaya, Java, New Britain, Midway and the destruction of Allied fleets in sz9, 27, 38, 43 and 46, the Japanese player has the basic set up to invade Australia on J2.  Whether an invasion actually occurs will depend on the Allied moves on Allies 1.

The key to the Australia invasion is capturing both Northern Territory and Queensland.  Often the Allied player will retreat his forces from these territories into South Australia, leaving the capture of NT and Queensland as a walk in.  Usually, Japan is able to bring in units from New Britain and New Guinea, Philippines and Java during combat movement.  Only 1 infantry (loaded on a DD) should be used to capture NT and the rest placed in Queensland.  On NCM, any units in Hongkong, Kiangsi, FIC and Malaya can be moved to Queensland on all available transports and DDs.  These units can take advantage of the 3 space port movement between sz45 or 46 and sz32.  The bulk of the Japanese fleet that started in sz27 can be moved to sz29 to block any US amphibious assault into Queensland intended to disrupt the forces massing in Queensland for the attack on NSW.  If the Americans attack the Japanese fleet in sz29, any fighters on the carriers should be the last loss and if they survive the battle, they land in Queensland, ready to attack NSW on J3.

An Australia capture is most likely to succeed if Japan can attack the Allied reinforcements that were moved to sz14.  This can happen when the Allies fail to block sz15 and sz28 or a Japanese sub survives to J2 in sz28 or sz9.  Why are these subs important?  They allow a twelve fighter, 2 bomber attack on sz14 which is usually sufficient to wipe out all of the Allied units (and certainly all of the transports) that are located in sz14 at the start of J2.  How is this possible?  Six fighters can fly from sz27 to sz14, a distance of 2 moves and these fighters can land on New Britain after the battle.  Fighters from sz43, Formosa and Marianas can also reach sz14, a distance of 4 moves.  Their only possible landing place will be the aircraft carriers from sz27 moving to sz14 on NCM.Â

Normally, if the US has a sub in sz14, Japan can’t clear the sea zone because the Allied player will have blocked sz15 and sz28 preventing any naval units from getting there to attack the subs (remember, in AAPacific, subs cannot be attacked by air units unless a DD is spotting).  Without clearing the sea zone, the ACs can’t move to sz14 and therefore only 6 fighters can reach and attack sz14.  One loose sub changes that equation.  All Japan needs to do is add a sub to the attack on sz14 and 12 fighters and 2 bombers can join in the attack.  Japan does not need to entirely wipe out the US fleet.  All it needs to do is kill as much as possible to prevent these reinforcements from reaching NSW to make the J3 attack on the Australian capital a risky proposition.

If Japan can capture and reinforce Queensland and wipe out the US reinforcements in sz14, NSW will almost certainly fall on J3.  On J3 NCM, Japan moves its entire naval force to sz30, preventing any follow on US units from attacking NSW and liberating Australia.  Japan wins the game at the beginning of J4 when it holds NSW and Tokyo.

As mentioned, an Australia capture is only available if the Allied player makes a mistake.  Usually, that mistake occurs when the Allied player fails to appropriately protect Queensland and sz14.Â

First, there should be no half measures in Queensland.  You should either withdraw from it entirely, leaving all your units available for a counterattack or for defence of NSW or you should heavily defend Queensland.  It is possible to defend Queensland with 8 Inf, 2 Rtl, AA, 3 UK Fighters, 2 US Bombers and up to 2 US fighters.  The two UK infantry from New Zealand can be landed in Queensland by moving the transport to sz32.  This has the further advantage of negating the Japanese BB support shot because it requires a sea battle before the amphibious invasion.  Facing such a defence, Japan would be foolish to attack Queensland because it would be too weakened to prevent its forces from being wiped out by a counterattack.  This defence of Queensland is available to the Allied player when he is confident that Japan is not likely to initiate a successful India Crush.  In those circumstances, it is not necessary to move units into South Australia for the “Anti-Crush” (see Essay #2).

Second, the Allies must keep their early reinforcements alive but close enough to support Australia.  That’s why it is important to move as much of the force as possible to sz14 but to block any attack on it.  Any subs in sz28 and sz9 must be killed.  You should use overkill to make sure these subs do not escape by diving.  Sea zone 28 and sz15 must be blocked to prevent a naval attack on sz14.  You should leave a UK sub in sz29 to ensure that the Japanese sz27 fleet cannot move to sz29 during NCM.  This leaves open the US amphibious assault of Queensland supported by bombers and fighters which will put an end to the Japanese hopes of capturing NSW.  Finally, you must have a US sub in sz14 or Japan can clear the sea zone with air alone and can get the 12 fighter, 2 bmr attack on the sea zone that will wipe out the US reinforcements.

In summary, Japan can win by capturing Australia but the attack is usually only available if the Allied player makes a mistake in his defence posture and Japan moves immediately to exploit that mistake.

Saburo Sakai

The Anti-Crush

In April of 1942, a task force centred around six Japanese carriers and commanded by Admiral Cuichi Nagumo sailed into the India Ocean with the intention of destroying British Naval forces and supporting the invasion of Burma.  The sortie resulted in the destruction of many Allied naval vessels and transport ships.  Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) held most of the British Empire’s resources of rubber after the fall of Malaya and its occupation would have made the British position in India untenable. The failure of the Japanese to appreciate the strategic importance of the island led to their making no attempt to capture it. An invasion was feared by the British, who interpreted the Japanese failure to do so as due to heavy losses over Ceylon - and hence led to claims of a British victory.

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So it happened to you again.  You thought you had India covered, you thought you’d at least have a chance of holding it, but it didn’t work and you’ve lost another game before the end of round 4.  It’s almost enough to make you give up playing AAPacific forever.  Don’t despair.  By the time you’ve finished reading this essay, you’ll be armed with the tools necessary to counter the India Crush and you need never fear playing as the Allies again.

As with any version of Axis and Allies, effective strategy starts with purchases.  For this essay, we will assume that the Allies do not have any extra units or IPCs to distribute before J1 and that all the convoy money went to India.  If you don’t have extra IPCs from a bid and you gave some IPCs to Australia before J1, You’re just asking to be crushed, so don’t do it!

India starts the game with 27 IPCs and what you’d like to do is purchase all ground units.  This can either be 9 infantry or for some extra offensive punch later in the game, 5 infantry and 3 artillery.  With the artillery buy,  you only have one fewer defensive unit and will be in a better position to pressure Japan in FIC on Allies 4 or 5.  My preference is always the infantry/arillery combination.
You will have to deviate from the all ground unit purchase in two circumstances.  First, if Japan has used its bomber from French Indo-China to sink the UK transport in sz54, you will have to buy 1 submarine, 1 Rtl and 5 Infantry.  This reduces the number of units available to defend India but is absolutely necessary to ensure that Japan can’t capture India on J3.  One of the surest ways to lose the game early is to allow a J3 attack on India.  If you can delay the attack until J4, you have a good chance of success.

The second time you must deviate from an all ground unit purchase for India on UK1 will be when the J1 opening is a Kill India Only attack.  You can recognize a KIO by the large commitment of naval units to sz47, usually including 1 BB, 1 AC, 2 Ftrs, 1 DD and 2 Trns.  When this happens, unless you got lucky and your UK transports from sz54 survived or the sz38 sub managed to dive to safety, you will have to purchase 2 subs to prevent a J3 attack on India.

So, to summarize, UK India purchases are as follows:

1. Usually, 5 Inf, 3 Rtl,
2. Sometimes, 1 Sub, 1 Rtl, 5 Inf or 2 Subs, 3 Inf, save 2.

To counter the India Crush, the optimal purchase by Australia is an Aircraft Carrier and save 2 IPCs.  The only time that you would purchase something other than a CV is where it is clear that Japan is out of position to attack India.  For example, you could purchase a sub and a DD where Japan attacked Hawaii on J1 leaving the sz20 ACs in sz20, where either the sz27 or sz 38 subs survived J1 or where Japan has not captured New Britain or Midway.

For the US, the Anti-Crush purchase is 5 bombers.  This is a good all around purchase and you usually can’t go wrong with the 5 bomber purchase no matter what Japan has done on J1.  I will sometimes purchase a DD and 4 Bmrs for the US if a Japanese sub or two survived in sz9.  The DD will retake the sz9 convoy route if the US DD attacking from sz5 to sz9 is killed by the Japanese submarines.

From this point on, this essay will only deal with a standard India Crush or Kill India First (“KIF”) not the Kill India Only (“KIO”) attacked referred to in Essay #1.  The KIO counter is much more difficult and will be left for a future essay.

In the Anti-Crush, the Allies 1 turn is critical, especially on the west side of the map.  If you incorrectly place your units now, you will have irretrievably lost any chance of preventing the India Crush.  For the UK, usually all you will do in combat is a walk in to Siam or FIC and an attack on the sub in sz28.  Aggressive counterattacks into FIC, New Guinea or Malaya are not recommended and will usually just result in dead UK units for little effect.  Instead, concentrate your forces.  For India, move the 2 Inf, 2 Rtl from Burma to Yunnan.  If both Siam and FIC were occupied by Japan, move the 1 Inf from Shan State to Yunnan as well.  Move the India ground forces into Burma and the fighter to Yunnan.  The fighter that starts the game in sz50 should be moved to Asia, landing in India if Japan has a bomber in SBR range or in Burma if Japan’s bombers are on Formosa.

Some players can’t resist moving the sz50 fleet, usually to sz49 or 42.  Don’t do it!  You will need these units to protect India and they can’t be reached in sz50 except by a couple of fighters in which case your BB will likely survive and your opponent will have lost two fighters.

The key step for India is the movement of the sz54 naval units.  If the transport survived J1, move it to sz47 and move the sub to sz52.  This will prevent any Japanese units from moving to sz52 on J2 and allows you to block any large scale attack on India until J4.  If the transport was killed on J1, then leave the sub in sz54 where it will be joined by the sub you built on UK1.

In Australia, move all of your ground units into South Australia.  Yes, that’s right, leave all of Australia empty except for South Australia.  As for the naval units, some players like to move the UK DD to sz30 to join the new UK AC but I don’t think that this is necessary.  Use the UK DD and 1 Ftr from Queensland to attack the sz28 sub.  If the UK DD is sunk by the subs defensive fire, you will need to move a UK transport or US DD into sz28 to block a naval attack into sz14 on J2.  The UK sub stays in sz29 and the transports all move to sz14.  I like to evacuate Papua and land the 1 Inf, 1 Rtl on New Hebrides but some players prefer to leave those units in Papua or move them to Dutch New Guinea.  Either way is fine.  The 2 Infantry from New Zealand are landed on New Hebrides along with the fighter that attacked the sub in sz28.

On the US turn, use the US forces to attack sz20, sz9 (if a J1 sub survived) and sz15 if Japan move a DD there.  On NCM, move all ground units from US to New Hebrides and the US fleet to sz14 to join the UK transports.  You must put 1 US sub in sz15 to block a Japanese attack from sz27 and you must have 1 sub in sz14.  The sz14 sub is necessary to discourage an all air attack on sz14.
The most important move for the US is to land 2 fighters on the UK CV in sz30, so make sure that you have 2 fighters with enough range after their attacks to get to sz30.

In China, you should retreat all of your units moving as many as possible into Yunnan, including the Flying Tigers (US fighter) and the Chinese AA gun.  China can’t be SBRd, so the AA gun is totally useless in Szechwan.  Your forces in Yunnan should now be strong enough to discourage any Japanese attack or to sufficiently weaken any force capturing Yunnan such that it can be recaptured on the next Allied turn.

On J2, Japan pretty much has to decide whether it is going for an India Crush or not so by Allies 2, you will know what you’re facing.  Japan will have moved the bulk of its transports and ground units to sz47 and perhaps some units into sz53.  Build all ground units for India (usually 4 Inf, 2 Rtl) and move your units to block the sz47 units from attacking on J3.  The sub you moved to sz52 substalls into sz53 and the BB from sz50 moves to sz52 on NCM.  If you had to build a sub on UK1 then you split the subs, one going to each of sz52 and 53.  The UK AC from sz50 can now move to sz42 (with or without the BB).  In Australia, build 2 subs and move all of your ground units, AA gun and fighters to West Australia.  Use transports to capture New Britain or Papua.  The most important move is to sail the sz30 AC, loaded with 2 US fighters, to sz41.

There may be some targets of opportunity that can be safely attacked but you should not make risky attacks that will put your air force at risk or expose your main fleet to an attack by superior Japanese forces.  The only exceptions to this are Yunnan and Shan State.  If Japan has taken either of these on J2, the UK and US must retake them on Allies 2 or Japan will reinforce either with ground forces from FIC and a large fighter force, making them impossible to dislodge and putting all the fighters in range of India for a J4 attack.  The Allied player cannot leave Yunnan or Shan State in Japanese hands or he will likely lose.

The US fleet can move to sz27 or sz32 depending on the location of the Japanese fleet.  As mentioned, don’t expose your fleet to a powerful Japanese counterstroke because if you do, Japan can abandon any intention to attack India and instead dominate the Central Pacific that is now empty of Allied vessels.  Land 2 US fighters on the UK AC in sz 42 and move your 7 US bombers to West Australia.

On J3, Japan will blow a hole through the remaining UK blocking units to set up the J4 India attack, but with your clever manoeuvring, you have presented the Japanese player with a range of tough choices.  Should Japan attack sz42, sz41 or West Australia.  For the Allied player, it doesn’t matter.  Every unit Japan uses to attack these targets is a unit that won’t be available to attack India.  If Japan doesn’t attack those units, they can reach India on Allies 3 and be there to meet the assault on India on J4.

On Allies 3, the UK carriers both move to sz49 and all ground units in Burma retreat to India.  On the US turn, the US fighters fly off on NCM and land in India and the 7 bombers from West Australia either fly to India to act as cannon fodder for the J4 attack or can be used in conjunction with Chinese infantry to attack any airplanes staging in FIC or Shan State.

Meanwhile, in the central Pacific, the UK/US forces can invade the Philippines, sealing the Japanese defeat as long as India holds.  With 20 to 30 ground units, 7 bombers and 9 fighters, Japan will have to be very lucky to take India and your anti-Crush defence has succeeded.  Just as India was not seriously threatened again after Nagumo’s fleet sailed out of the Indian Ocean in the spring of 1942, your India will be safe from the Japanese crush tactics and your victory is secured.  You need not be intimidated by the India Crush ever again.

Saburo Sakai

This is an interesting concept.

Can I ask why you would insist on using the “inhouse” roller?  With all due respect, it is significantly inferior to AAMC, FOE, or DAAK/Wargamer’s Club rollers.  While it is relatively simple to initiate a roll, after that it is needlessly complicated.  All hits have to be calculated manually while each of the other rollers does that automatically and then updates the units for the next round.  Manual adjustments are only necessary for non-standard OOLs.  For AAMC and FOE, all rolls create a game log that can be checked for future reference.  If you get a game number for Rich at Wargamer’s club, you can get a roll log created there as well.  You don’t have to clog up your message board with all your game turns.

Those are just my thoughts.  I’d be interested in playing but not on the AA.org roller.

SS

I sent you an email with the mapview module.

The Days of Infamy dice roller can be found here:  http://www.rjware.net/DOI/battleresolverlogin.jsp

SS

I have a mapview module for AA 2nd Edition or “Classic”.  I don’t have a link to it but if you send me your email address, I can email it to you.

SS

AAPacific is a great game and, in my opinion, an underappreciated member of the A&A family.  I have played many games of AAPacific against what I believe to be some of the best players in the world (in no particular order, Tordenskjold, El Ravager, KittenofChaos, AndrewAAGamer and Andycool) but interest in the game appears to be waning.  Over the next few weeks, I propose to post a series of essays on some of the tactics of AAPacific in the hopes of generating some discussion and interest in this great game.  It may be a bit of a false hope and perhaps a bit presumptuous of me to assume anyone would like to read my musings on the game but the only cost is my time and I’m prepared to make that sacrifice.

The India Crush

The India Crush is one of the most frequently discussed tactics used in AAPacific games.  In short, it is an all out assault on India by Japan such that India falls by J3 or J4 leaving the Allies with no opportunity to recapture.  The India Crush comes in two forms, which I will call the Kill India First (KIF) strategy or the Kill India Only (KIO) strategy.  The Kill India First strategy opens the game with the intention of creating the possibility of a J3 or J4 attack on India should the opportunity arise.  Whether to follow through on the KIF will depend on the success of J1 and J2 and the countermoves implemented by the Allied players.  KIO is an all out attack on India by J3 or J4 with no thought of alternative paths to victory.  While under a KIF, Japan could still win the game by a VP win or Australia capture, the KIO leaves no such options.  India must be captured or Japan loses.  The J1 opening under a KIF is very different from that used in a KIO.  This essay will deal only with the KIF strategy and will leave for later, discussion of the KIO.

Japan’s advantages early in the game are three fold.  First, Japan’s forces, at the start of the game, greatly outnumber the Allied forces on the west half of the map.  Second, as a result of Japan’s first round surprise attack, that numerical superiority is going to be greatly enhanced by the end of J1.  Finally, Japan greatly outclasses the Allies in the mobility of its forces as a result of the number of transports it owns, the location of ports and airfields it controls or will control after J1 and the number of fighters with which it starts the game.  These three advantages mean that the Japanese player can bring overwhelming force against India by J3 or J4 and the Allies are hard pressed to respond.

The exact J1 opening implemented to initiate the KIF can vary but there are certain minimum requirements.

• Japan should buy 2 Transports.  These will be used to move infantry from Japan to Malaya to India by the end of J3 or infantry that can be used in a J4 attack on India.

• Japan must clear sz38, 46, 43, 27 and 9.  It is critically important to the India Crush to kill the Allied subs in sz38 and sz27.  Sufficient force must be brought to those sea zones to ensure that the subs do not escape by diving.

• Optionally, Japan can send the FIC bomber to clear sz54 of the UK transport.  If, before you start the game, you are leaning towards an India Crush then the sz54 attack is recommended.  If you want a more balanced opening then send the FIC bomber to sz46 or Malaya.

• Japan must capture Malaya, Philippines, New Guinea, New Britain, Midway and Java.Â

• Japan should capture Kiangsi, Kwangsi, Hongkong and Anhwe.Â

• Optionally, Japan can capture Suiyuan.

On J1 Non-combat movement, Japan must move its three sz20 ACs to sz27 to join up with 2 DD, 1 BB and 1 Trn located there.  The sub that started in sz26 must move to sz28 to prevent a substall by the UK sub in sz29.  It is absolutely critical to a successful India Crush that the Japanese fleets be free to move on NCM because it is the only way they can reach India before sufficient Allied reinforcements arrive to prevent a successful capture of India.  Japan should land its bombers in FIC or Formosa, 2 Ftrs in Formosa, 2 to 4 Fighters in FIC, 2 Ftrs in sz43 and 6 Fighters in sz27.  A fighter or two from Midway will be landed on Marianas island.  One transport that starts in sz26 should pick up the two infantry in the Marshall Islands and land them in New Guinea.

For the purpose of this essay, I will not discuss in detail the Allied counter response.  I will leave that for the essay entitled “The Anti-Crush”.

On J2, Japan should clear sz47 and clear the path between sz27 and sz43.  If there are any UK or US ground units in Shan State or Yunnan, Japan should kill as many of those as possible using the infantry in FIC and fighters and bombers on Formosa but should not make an attack that will risk losing the majority of its air force.

If the Allied players has moved the sz50 fleet into sz48, 49, 51, or 52, it should be destroyed.  If the sz50 Fleet has been moved to sz42, Japan has the option of ignoring the Fleet because it is out of position to save India.

Optionally, Japan might conduct an SBR attack on India to cut the number of defending units that the UK can build.  This should only be done if the bombers are “excess” and not needed for other fights.

For a J3 attack on India, the objective on J2 is to move 8 transports and 2 DDs into sz47 loaded with 13 Inf and 5 Rtl.  This fleet is supported by at least 1 BB, 1 AC and 2 Ftrs.  At least 6 fighters, 2 Bmrs and 4 infantry will be located in FIC.  A couple of fighters can also be flying CAP in sz46 protecting the 2 Trns that were built on J1 and moved to sz46 to drop their infantry in FIC.

On J2, the sz27 fleet (3 AC, 2 DD, 2 Trns, 1 BB) is moved to sz43 and drops off 5 Inf and 1 Rtl in Java.  It may have a couple of fighters on the ACs but this should only be done if you can spare any from FIC (there must be 6 there).

On J3, all of the ground forces in sz47 attack India along with 2 bombers and 8 fighters (6 from FIC, 2 from sz47).  You may be wondering, how can all those fighters reach India (a move or 3) and still have a place to land.  The answer is based on port to port movement.  The ACs in sz43 can move to sz54 (Java port to India port) on NCM if Japan is successful in capturing India, therefore it is a legal attack.  Eight fighters will land on the ACs in sz54.

To win the game, Japan must hold India until the start of J4 and therefore must prevent a successful counterattack from the Allies based in Burma.  This is done in three ways.  First, towards the end of a successful attack on India, take aircraft as casualties, leaving as many ground units alive as possible.  Second, any excess air or ground units that can reach Burma should make a suicide attack to cut down as many Allied units as possible.  Third, those ground units that were placed in FIC and Java at the end of J2 can be moved during NCM to India using the ports in Malaya and Java.  Using these tactics should provide a defending force in India of between 11 and 20 units.  The Allies will be extremely hard pressed to retake India.

A J4 attack is a little riskier for Japan because the UK will have had one more turn to build defending units and the Americans may have been able to get defending bombers or fighters to India.  These can arrive through proper use of the “Anit-Crush” which will be discussed in a future essay.  For the Allied player, blocking the India attack until J4 is critical because it is almost impossible to defeat a J3 attack.  The Allies have simply not had enough time to get reinforcements to or build reinforcements in India.

The India Crush is one of the key tactics available for the Japanese to win the game early.  The key to its success is the port to port movement available to the Japanese fleet and transports.  In a successful India Crush, the Japanese carriers that start the game off of Midway will have moved 9 sea zones and stand off the coast of India at the end of J3.  Only the use of ports gives Japan this incredible mobility.

Saburo Sakai

It think it would be up to individual players but here’s what we generally do.

Germany on the south side of the board.  UK on the Northwest side, Russia on Northeast, US on West, Japan on the East.  This has the advantage of having the German and Japan player sitting next to each other and all three allies sitting together with UK in the middle.  The one player who has to do some jumping around is the US guy but that really can’t be helped because the US plays on both sides of the board.

SS

OK, let me know when you’re ready to start a game.  Pace of play doesn’t really matter too much.  One turn a week is fine.

SS

PBEM is Play by email.  It is the way to play the game without being face to face (FTF).

Days of Infamy (DOI) is a PBEM Axis & Allies Pacific club and it’s website can be found here:  http://www.rjware.net/DOI/club-headquarters.htm

Here is DOI’s player’s guide which provides detailed instructions on how to play a game by email:  http://www.rjware.net/DOI/DOI_HowToPlay.htm

And here’s a definitive guide on substalling, a key tactic in AAP: http://www.rjware.net/DOI/substall/index.htm

Finally, here is DOI’s message board - hosted by Wargamers Club:  http://p201.ezboard.com/fwargamersclubfrm7

FOE is Flames of Europe which is another PBEM A&A club.  In addition to AAPacific, you can play many other games including other versions of A&A.  FOE’s website is here:  http://www.flames-of-europe.de/index.php

Both DOI and FOE are free to join.

SS

I think AAPacific is an underplayed, underappreciated member of the A&A family.  In an attempt to revive this dying game, I am issuing an open challenge to anyone for games of AAPacific.  These would be PBEM games hosted by either Days of Infamy or Flames of Europe depending on your preference.  I would use any bidding system my opponent and I could agree on.

I hope there are still a few AAPacific players out there who will take up this challenge.

SS

I guess we will disagree about the not a lot of paths to victory in Pacific.  If you’re Japan, you can play an India Crush, Australia Crush or VP game.  If you do a balanced opening, you can go for an India capture or Australia capture depending on what the Allies does on the first turn.  As Japan, you can look for a major fleet battle on J2 or J3 when the odds still favour you or try to preserve all of your fleet to J6 or J7 and grab territories at the end of the game to get to the VP win.

If you’re Allies, while always keeping in mind that India and Australia must be protected, you can choose an assault across the Northern Pacific to secure SBR bases on the Marianas or Bonin Island by US5 or UK6.  You can attack across the southern Pacific to take away islands and convoy routes.  You can build bombers with the US and get them to China to team up with Chinese Infantry in dislodging Japan from FIC.  You can go with a heavy submarine buy to corner the Japanese fleet and take away convoy routes and deny Japan VPs.

The game is varied in its play outs - much more so then A&A 2nd edition or A&A Europe.  I agree that AARevised is a huge improvement on 2nd edition for variety of playouts.

I have used the AABattlemap program for AAPacific and the set up is correct using the advanced setup as set out in the FAQ from AH - http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/faqs/axispacific.  I prefer to use Mapview though.  It’s a much more visually appealing program and you never have to write out your combat or non-combat movement - much simpler.

SS

I’ve now played a significant number of games in each of AA 2nd, AA Revised, AAEurope, AADDAy and AA Pacific and through all of that I have come to the conclusion that AA Pacific is by far the best of the bunch in terms of strategy.  AARevised comes a close second.

Some of the things I like about AAPacific:

1.  No Tech!!  No game altering late round heavy bombers or IT.  I can’t even begin to count the number of games I lost that I had clearly in hand when my opponent rolled 3 or 4 tech dice and got the game breaking techs available in 2nd Ed.

2.  No infinite unit stacking.  Unlike AA 2nd and AAEurope (and to a lesser extent AARevised), big stacks of units never have time to accumulate in AAPacific.  The game last, at most 8 (maybe 9) rounds and is over.  No one gets to build massive stacks of units in that time.

3.  True naval battles.  In the other games the naval battles are a side show compared to the land battles. In AAPacific, the naval battles are key.

4.  Substalling.  I know not everyone likes this but it is a fundamental part of the game and creates the most tactical opportunities and challenges.  It makes a great, smart game even better.

Anyways, I know I must be alone in thinking that AAPacific is the best game, because it’s very difficult to find AAPacific players for PBEM games.

SS

Japan can have a decided advantage with an India Crush tactic.  However, there are very powerful “Anti-Crush” tactics that can be brought to bear against a J3 or J4 attack.Â

You can find a long discussion of KIF tactics complete with maps (Mapview files) of various test games here:  http://www.rjware.net/DOI/bullpenarchive/t420.html

This is probably one of the best and most complete discussions if KIF (Kill India First) strategies I have ever participated in or come across.

Here is another, briefer discussion of anti-crush tactics:  http://p201.ezboard.com/fwargamersclubfrm7.showMessage?topicID=15.topic

The anti-crush has to be flexible but these are some of the elements.

1.  Provided Japan hasn’t positioned itself for a powerful J3 attack, on Allies 1, India buys 9 Inf (or 5 Inf, 3 Rtl), Aus buys an AC and US buys 5 bombers).

2.  On UK1 NCM, if the sz54 trn has survived and sz47 has not been occupied by Japan, move the trn to sz47 and the sub to sz52.  This will prevent Japan from occupying sz52 and capturing the British convoy on J2 and will effectively delay a Japanese attack until J4.  If you can manage this, Japan’s chance of success drops to about 50% on the J4 attack.  The sz50 fighter flies to India or Burma.

3.  All Australia ground units must move to South Australia.  Two US fighters will land on the newly build UK carrier.  Blocking units must be placed in sz28 and sz15 and the bulk of the US fleet moved to sz14.

4.  If Japan, on J2, makes a strong move against India, on UK/US 2, the Australian ground units and a fighter or two plus the seven US bombers move to Western Australia.  This becomes either bait or reinforcements for India.  If Japan attacks WAus on J3, it has weakened any attack on J4.

5.  The sz50 BB moves to sz52 and the sz52 sub moves to sz53.  This effectively blocks any J3 attack against India from any units in sz47, where the Japanese must congregate for an all out assault on India.

6.  The new UK carrier moves to sz41 with it’s load of US fighters and the sz50 carrier moves to sz42 and lands two US fighters.  Either one of these units is a sitting duck for Japanese attack but the point is to present Japan with tough choices.  Every unit attacking in the south pacific on J3 will probably be unavailable for attack against India on J4.

7.  On J3, Japan moves into position for its attack.  If either of the UK carriers survive, the UK carriers move to sz49 and the US fighters fly off to India to meet the J4 attack.  The 7 US bombers from WAus also fly to Aus.  If there is any easy targets for the bombers to attack in conjunction with Chinese Infantry, they can do that instead but they should only attack units that can definitely participate in the J4 attack on India (preferably if they can kill a few fighters or bombers located in FIC, Burma or Shan State.

8.  In Asia, the movement of Allied troops will depend on the threat to Yunnan.  If after J1, Japan can wipe out your forces in Yunnan, you will have to retreat the Chinese and UK troops to Burma and the rest of your Chinese troops to Kwiechow.  If you can hold Yunnan then do it because you will be able to move more Chinese troops to Burma on US2 that will be able to reach India to defend the J4 attack.

The anti-crush works.  You just have to be a little flexible and a little lucky.  If you feel an India crush is coming on J1, then the ideal purchases on Allies 1 are those I set out above.  It gives you the best chance of defending a J4 attack.  If there is a strong J3 attack possible, then read those long threads I referred to above.  The J3 attack is harder to defend because India may have to purchase 2 subs on UK1 to prevent the J3 attack, thus weakening the J4 defence.

Good luck!

SS

There’s one other point to make on this.  You can capture a convoy zone or convoy route by using a naval blitz.  If the convoy route or convoy zone is empty, you can use one point of a combat vessel’s movement to move into the sea zone and capture the convoy route or convoy zone for your country.  You can then use the remaining movement point to move out of the sea zone to another destination.  This will result in the sea zone being empty at the end of your combat phase but it will have still changed hands.  You place the National Control Marker immediately upon “capturing” the sea zone with your naval blitz.

SS

Generally speaking this is how you determine convoy zone or convoy route ownership:

At the end of each resolve combat phase (Japan, UK and US), check each convoy route and convoy zone.
If no nation has combat vessels (other than submerged subs and transports) in the sea zone then the convoy zone does not change hands.  If both Japan and the Allies have combat vessels (other than submerged subs and transports) in the sea zone, the convoy zone does not change hands.  If only one nation has combat vessels (other than submerged subs and transports) in the sea zone, then that nation takes control of (or liberates) the sea zone.

Here are a couple of examples:

On J1, Japan attacks sz38 and eliminates the US fleet units there with naval and air forces - the naval forces include at least 1 DD, AC, sub or BB.  Japan captures sz38 and the Philippine Convoy because, at the end of J1 combat it is the only nation with combat vessels in sz38.  If they also capture the Philippines with an amphibious assault, Japan can claim the 3 IPCs for the Philippines.

On UK1, the UK sub from sz27 (which survived a Japanese attack on J1 by submerging after the first round of combat) moves into sz38 and immediately submerges (substalls) under the Japanese fleet.  At the end of UK1 combat, the UK sub is still submerged (it does not surface until Phase 8 of the turn) so control of sz38 does not change as Japan is the only nation with combat vessels (other than submerged subs or transports) in sz38.  The UK sub surfaces during Phase 8 of the UK1 turn.

On US1, the US undertakes various attacks but can’t get any units to sz38.  At the end of US1 combat, both the UK and Japan have combat vessels (Japan fleet and 1 UK sub) in sz38.  There’s no combat in sz38 because it is the US’s turn.  Since both Japan and the Allies have combat vessels in the sea zone, control of the convoy route does not change.  It remains with Japan.

On J2, Japan moves all of its combat vessels out of sz38 to attack various other targets.  The result is that at the end of J2 combat, sz38 is occupied only by the UK sub.  Control of the convoy route changes to US (it is liberated by the UK for the US) and Japan cannot claim the 3 IPCs for the Philippines because it does not control both the island and the corresponding convoy route.

Of course, the Japanese would be foolish to not attack sea zone 38 on J2 because it needs those 3 IPCs.  So, instead of the example in the previous paragraph, Japan attacks the UK sub in sz38 with 1 DD and 2 Fighters.  The UK sub is hit by the fighters (with the DD spotting for them) but in return fire, the DD is sunk (the DD is the only valid target for the sub).  At the end of J2 combat, sz38 is empty.  Both the Japanese DD and the UK sub are dead.  Applying the same rules as before, the sea zone is now empty and therefore it does not change control.  Japan retains control of the convoy route even though it doesn’t have any units in sz38.

I hope that helps.  If you have any other questions, I’d be happy to try to answer them.

SS

Who controls territories captured by the Chinese depends on the composition of ground forces use to effect the capture.  If only Chinese units capture the territory (that is, only US air units participated in the attack) then the territory must be Chinese and cannot be American.  If only US units capture the territory then it must be American.  If a combination of US and Chinese ground units capture the territory then the attacking player decides whose control marker goes on the territory.  This rule applies to FIC and Siam.  For Manchuria, Korea and Shantung, these territories are alway Chinese controlled after they are captured by any of the Allies.  Chinese troops cannot be involved in the capture of any other territories because they are never allowed on transports and any other terrritory they take would simply be liberating the territory for China or India.

In the examply you have used the “income” must go to the Chinese.  The Chinese will not get IPCs, they will get 1 extra infantry to place at the end of their next turn if they hold FIC at the beginning of the next US turn.

SS

These are some interesting thoughts and are largely accurate when you consider that Japan likely has to pick and choose its battles carefully.Â

Here are some of my experiences in well over 100 games of AAPacific against top notch opponents including FTF and PBEM games at Days of Infamy.

1.  If you play to 22 VPs, without any modification of IPCs or units, a competent Japanese player will always beat a competent Allied player.  In my opinion, the game is not balanced at 22 VPs but gets close to balanced at 24 or 25 VPs.

2.  If the game is a VP game, the key to the game early on is how long Japan can hold sz28 and FIC.  Later in the game it is how long Japan can hold sz38 and the Philippines.  Holding sz28 prevents the Allies from retaking DNG which is usually the first of the islands retaken by the Allies to get Japan below 40 IPCs and 4 VPs in a turn.  It also denies the US the naval base at Papua and usually in New Britain which means that US reinforcements build in sz9 are two turns away from the important sea zones rather then 1 (if the US could take advantage of the 3 space movement for port to port).

3.  If the Allies do not carefully protect India and Austrlia, Japan can always end the game by capturing one or the other by J4.  Conversely, if the Allied player plays a proper “Anti-crush” strategy, Japan will succeed in capturing India only with good luck and cannot succeed in capturing Australia.

4.  Piling large numbers of units into FIC allows the Japanese to hold the 9 IPCs represented by FIC, Siam and Malaya until at least J4 or J5.Â

5.  Holding sz38 and Philippines until J6 means that Japan can usually get 2 VPs right up until J6 or J7 which usually means victory.  The VP results would go as follows:  3-4-4-4-3-2-2=22.  If playing to 24 VPs, the VP results would be 3-4-4-4-3-3-2-1 for a Japanese victory on J8.

6.  The Allies can’t afford to wait to build up their fleet before moving against Japan.  If they do, they will find that the Japanese fleet of 3 BB, 4 AC, several DDs and numerous transports backed up by at least 8 fighters (and perhaps more flying CAP) along with blocking subs will be impossible to dislodge from the Philippines.

7.  The tactical key to the game for both sides is the proper use of subs and substalling.  If you understand and take advantage of this concept you will greatly enhance your chances of winning whether you play Japan or Allies.

8.  AAPacific is by far the most tactically and strategically challenging of the A&A Games.  Rarely do you see the huge stacks of units that routinely appear in AAEurope,  AA 2nd and A&A Revised.  The game is usually over in, at most, 8 rounds (playing to 24 or 25 VPs) and therefore is much more intense and interesting then other versions, especially AA (2nd) which can bog down in long monotonous repititions of territory trading.

9.  If you want to review numerous detailed tactical and strategic discussions about AAPacific, you should visit, the Days of Infamy Bullpen, hosted at the Wargamer’s Club message board.    http://p201.ezboard.com/bwargamersclub

SS

At the end of each turn, you add up the IPC value of territories controlled by the side you are playing and you receive that many IPCs.  For the UK, in addition to the value of the territories, you get up to 12 IPCs for UK convoys that you can distribute between Australia and India at the end of your turn.  The US also has convoys which can add a further 15 IPCs to the US total if they control those.

In AA Pacific, in obtain IPCs for a particular territory, the country must control both the terrritory and any associated convoy route.  For examply if Japan holds Philippines, it must also control sz38 in order to get the 3 IPCs for Philippines.  If Japan controls Philippines but the US controls sz 38, neither side gets the IPCs for that turn.

I hope this helps.

SS