I think Alpha+3 is much more balanced than before. Not only is Japan not ridiculous, Germany is strong enough to hold off Britain while pulling a Barbarossa (although I don’t believe you can pull Sealion while fighting the Russians).
Each side has the possibility of doing well, but the Pacific VC’s are too easy for Japan.
There should be a 3rd option for that poll: Decision between Barbarossa and Sealion depends of the result of G1 and allies moves.
Interesting thought. What might make the difference for you?
So. What do you do? Do you attack Britain or USSR?
Explain!
I pick Barbarossa because UK is very difficult to hold with a coordinated US counterattack, and by the time you succesfully Sealion, Russia’s knocking on your door. IMHO the Luftwaffe can hold of Britain.
ATrain,
Your German strat sounds a lot like one I’m trying to do except I’m hoping to pull Barbarossa on G3. That Advanced Artillery tech is a lucky roll, but I think a tech roll or 2 G2 isn’t a bad idea.
As for the Battle of Britain, IMHO the new SBR rules make it a must. By my G2, I had poured full damage on all facilities except for airbase Scotland.
Thanks everyone for the advice.
Unfortunately my friends don’t come over enough, so I end up just testing out different strategies. Right now I am trying really hard as Germany to bomb the living heck out of Britain. And it’s working: at the end of G2, ALL British facilities on the island (except for airbase Scotland) were gone. The whole Royal Navy was gone as well (but so was the Kriegsmarine). I figure with the bombing and the subs I’m throwing at Britain it’s almost better to just bomb them. Because I think I could even when the US came into the war. Russia is going to die, and I think Germany is going to do really well.
As for Italy, they’re in major trouble with Africa. On UKE1 I tried out taking Tobruk. I succeeded (albeit at the cost of not having my Med. AF available to pound the Italian Navy), which has thrown Italy on its heels. Also, I landed 1 loaded trans. from GB (with 2 inf.) and if it survived the U-boats G2, it would’ve grabbed Brazil.
Japan is probably going to crush India/China, but since Russia is under so much pressure to retreat they’ll probably leave each other alone and not trigger the Mongol infantry.
Re: the inf. vs. tnk issue.
IMHO inf. are only better weapons if 1. you need hits to be absorbed
2. you aren’t attacking anytime soon
3. for transport efficiency
IMHO the key to a successful Barabarossa is…Britain.
If Britain sees that Moscow is in trouble and then does EVERYTHING they can to move quickly for a D-Day, the Germans will be spread too thin to do anything. If Britain goes for Africa/the Med, then Moscow will fall–eventually.
G1 I build 2 tnk, 2 art, 1 fighter. I need the fighter to hold off the Brits–I’d put an average of about 1 air unit/turn (maybe 2 later on) against GB. Otherwise, the art. provide support for the inf. and the tnk are my main force. I try to get a force just big enough to take/hold Leningrad, and from there churn out inf. until I’m at Moscow’s gate (when I’ll start putting tnk in Leningrad), but send my main force south towards Ukraine/Stalingrad. Once those 2 fall, Moscow’s really easy.
So, AFAIK this is where strategy goes.
As the subject says, I’m new here, so this is a pretty general thing about strats with Alpha+3 (note that I’ve not even finished a game of it, but just what I think).
I really think the new rules help the Germans play a successful Barbarossa. That being said, Sealion is impossible :? :? :?. One of the things I liked about the OOB setup is that Germany could either do Barbarossa or Sealion. But now it takes a LOT of the fun out of playing as Germany.
I guess you could call that realism, and I think Alpha+3 adds a lot of fun realism to Europe. France is even more of a pushover on G1. I send 1 tac. to France and all available ground. IMHO the AA in France isn’t a good idea because it limits Luftwaffe action. The Luftwaffe shouldn’t be attacking France, but if Germany wants to use that asset there, they shouldn’t have the worry of AA fire.
As for the naval battles, I think there is more realism there as well. The RN is almost guaranteed to survive in some quantity, which is nice. If Germany tries to bring the Luftwaffe/Kreigsmarine on targets off of Britain, they’ll be pounded. This means that that DD and transport in 109 are safe round 1, at least.
I like to hit everything except 109 and 110 G1. I also like to pull a big SBR on GB G1 as well. The new rules make the Battle of Britain much more realistic. I likes.
I don’t do the normal Carrier G1. I like adding to the Wehrmacht with armor/artillery and the Luftwaffe with a fighter.
As for Russia, I like the factory Ukraine. It’s another objective to defend, and something for the Germans between Romania and Stalingrad (a long way). Because I can be sure Germany is coming at me, I like to buy 6 inf (3 Leningrad, 3 Ukraine) and then some mech/tank in Russia. I’ll mass my mech/tank force in Bryansk so they can hit the 3 front territories R2 (either to reinforce or as a counterattack). I put the Baltic fleet in 113 and the sub in 125 to protect the NO and do convoy on Norway. I pull 12 inf. back to defend my backside from Japan pushing through China. I leave the other 6 and the 2 AA to keep Japan honest.
As for Japan, I like my normal blitz on China and the massing of forces in Kiangsi for a J2 move on UKP (who is weakened by having only 1 transport, 1 DD, 1 cruiser and 1 BB to fight the IJN). I’ll leave a defense fleet off the Caroline Islands, hoping for a J2 Pearl Harbor. Usually I let ANZAC be.
Beyond that, there are too many variables (i.e. dice (in my game, Germany lost 2 inf. in France G1 and 3 in Yugoslavia) to come up with as detailed a strat. But as US, I like to go for a D-Day ASAP (and this is easier because of no Sealion). As China, I retreat into 1 single stack to cause Japan as much pain as possible. As UKE, I’ll try to dominate Africa/the Med and THEN the air over Britain (although I try to ensure that the Germans aren’t sending giant waves over the Channel every round). As UKP, I like to build 1 transport and the rest land units to try to hold off the Japanese assault. Depending on the situation, I might like to try a UKE minor IC Persia to 1. provide troops to the African campaign and 2. to provide troops to defend India if it’s Japan’s target.
This is awesome!
Rolls: 2@1 6@3; Total Hits: 32@1: (3, 4)6@3: (4, 6, 3, 5, 3, 2)
Just a test