Posts made by Van_Trump

DD = destroyer
SS = sub
TT = transport
CV = carrier
BB = battleship
CA = Cruiser

As USA I build an unassailable fleet.
Mainly subs, but with a few destroyers and loaded carriers (3) sprinkled in.
Simply add 4-5 loaded transports, stirring until thoroughly mixed, build a Naval Base on Midway and plop everything down in an amorphous lump on Midway and the surrounding sea zone.

Problem is UK has other worries.
Sealion, (invasion of UK) for instance.
Because of that danger UK1 build is normally 9 inf.
UK2 build is 10 inf.

Only then can you get creative.

@Hobbes:

@Van_Trump:

You could attack Midway sea with Fighters/TAC from Japan AB and land them in Sea of Japan “IF” you built Carriers that turn. Odd quirk in the rules that gives fighters an extra move.

Fighter moves 3 spaces from Japan AB to Midway sea then 2 spaces from it to SZ6. How is that an extra move?

It is not. It just has the appearance of an extra move.

Interesting rule is the “Landing Planes on Newly Built Carrier”.
Basically you can end movement in a sea zone that is about to have an Aircraft Carrier built on it, landing on that Carrier during the Place Units phase.

You could attack Midway sea with Fighters/TAC from Japan AB and land them in Sea of Japan “IF” you built Carriers that turn. Odd quirk in the rules that gives fighters an extra move.

IMHO this should not be allowed. Since the CVs only appear at end of turn, this should be ruled as illegal suicide movement.

The rule was meant to allow planes to be placed on newly built Carriers.

If Germany stacks fighters in Gibraltar they are not being used elsewhere.
As USA, I could bring fleet over and take Morocco, blocking any German fleet with a DD.

Easiest is probably take an additional turn as USA to build up invasion fleet (65 ipcs build don’t forget). USA 5 no way Gibraltar holds. All those German planes will die.

If map had made Gibraltar an island, allowing scrambling, MAYBE this becomes a viable Axis strategy, with the Italian fleet stationed there.

Whoa, did not know about reduction of captured IC.

Have to read Global rules carefully before trying it.

To be frank, people I am playing against are not strong players.
The only game balance I give them is I play my turns extremely quickly, making the odd mistake from time to time. Also try to give them advice about my intentions.

Well, when I come over on USA turn 4 we’re talking a minimum 6-8 loaded TTs +whatever bombardment + possible air support if US stages its CVs in mid-Atlantic.

No way Gibraltar holds. It falls along with Morocco on first Torch landings.

…but (last post was done late at night) concentrating on Russia and not taking London gives the Americans time to effectively “Torch” Africa. Not clear that Axis can hold Cairo if USA makes it a priority. UK can build stuff in South Africa to hold off Italians until USA arrives.
American fleet having the run of the Med causes all kinds of defensive problems for the Axis, landing forces behind the lines, etc…
Italy will be back down to 10 IPC production before you know it. Axis could be at 7 victory cities for a loooong time.

In this extremely long game scenario it may be necessary for the Axis to take Turkey to give themselves a short cut to Africa.

Ok played 2 more games.

First one I played the allies. Sealion such an abysmal failure that the Axis resigned and we immediately started another game. In a nutshell, Germany did not exclusively buy transports and stuff to put on them. He also did not attack G3, instead invading Scotland (intending to have a dble attack on London next turn.) I strafed Scotland, eliminating two thirds of German force plus built 10 more inf on London.

2nd game I played the Axis.
I took France but crapped out on one of the sea battles. 2 fighters, 1 Tac, 2 subs vs 1 BB, 1 CA. Both UK ships survived. UK chose not to destroy German fleet (G1 buy: CV, DD, SS). Instead he used Gibral fleet to sink half the Italian navy.
He did Infantry stack buy in part because I warned him about my intention to Sealion.
Surviving Royal Navy linked up with Canadian DD and TT in the sea zone between Ireland and uk. (These ships sunk on G2 with minimal loss for Germans)
UK2 saw another 10 inf built in London.
Set up interesting situation G3. I judged the G3 Sealion attack about a 50-50 chance. I set up to repeat an almost identical attack G4 so I proceeded, retreating 2 planes after final round of combat. Eliminated 75% of UK defense.
G4 Sealion (Porky’s 2, the next day) was no contest. USA was not in the war so could not reinforce London US3 with planes. UK falls.

Meanwhile, USSR had a considerable stack in East Poland and waltzed into Poland on R4.
G5 saw Germany mounting a hasty defense in Berlin (bringing back all surviving Armor from London). Germany upgraded Berlin IC to major AND had the money to buy 23 inf (10 in London, 10 in West Germany, 3 in Berlin.)
Cairo had also fallen so Axis needed only 2 more cities. UK had no more builds in South Africa so the Italians were mopping up. Also Italy build IC on Iraq to help threaten Russia.

Americans were off the coast of Europe in force by US6 with an unassailable fleet (8 loaded TTs)-they were intimidated by German fleet and had delayed coming over for a turn.

G6 Germany used TT’s to move Infantry stack to Poland (together with everything in Berlin) and USSR was on the defensive.

At that point we had to call the Game because of time but I feel the Axis had the win: US takes 2 turns to ferry stuff to the front while Germany can build directly on London (or Paris) as needed.

Sealion was not a sure fire strategy for Axis win. Pushing Russians back on broad front starting G4 seems safer (putting IC in Romania instead of TT build).
but

After the fall of Leningrad G5 I advanced on Moscow on a broad (4 territory-wide) front, dividing my forces in 4.

Russia can counter attack any one of the mini stacks, but risks putting his own stack out of position, vulnerable to counters from newly arriving armor. Strafing attacks become a possibility, but this prevents his own stack from retreating back to Moscow.

All he could do was slowly collapse on Moscow (Volgograd was being threatened by the Italians, falling on I7).

This G2 attack on USSR is intriguing. Threatening Sealion forces UK to build Inf stack first turn. It also deters UK from taking out the Italian Navy.

I agree Yugoslavia can wait. I just wonder if USSR concentrates on turtling in Moscow if all that German armor is enough to take it G6. Standard Operating Procedure in A&A is to wait until your German Inf stack arrives.

In the game I just finished France held against the Germans so neither this strategy nor Sealion was possible.

The critical mistake the Allies made was the Russians attempting to hold in Leningrad G5. In spite of lucky rolls (3 AA hits out of 4) the overwhelming odds of the German attack killed 17 Russian inf/art.

If I ever play Russia I hold Leningrad until the German stack arrives. Then it’s off to Moscow, comrades.

There was a rule clarification on newly built aircraft carriers (CV).

If you end fighter movement in the sea zone the CV is being built, the fighters can land on the newly built CV.

Best laid plans…

I had every intention of Sealion. Only hitch on G1 was phenomenal dice by the French.
Suffice to say Paris held against the Germans and fell to the Italians later round 1.

My Italian ally was overjoyed with this unexpected bounty.

I used all air on Royal Navy with the exception of one Tac Bomber which I sent into France to its death. Sent all ground units into Paris that could reach with the exception of Inf + Art which invaded Normandy.

I had bought CV, DD, SS. Needless to say, G2 did not see a huge TT build.

Unfortunately for the allies, less than sterling play led to their defeat.
To counter Italy in Africa, UK built quite a lot of materiel in South Africa.

In spite of ridiculously bad dice by Germany in battle after battle, Russia still fell on turn 8. (Moscow could have fallen on turn 7 but I judged the odds at only about 65-70% in German’s favor. WAY too low for my dice rolling to succeed.)
I remember in one Russian counter attack final 2 rounds were Rus fighter, 2 Tanks, 1 Art vs 6 German Panzers defending. Russian won with fighter and tank surviving. Typical German dice. at the start of that battle Germany outnumbered Russians 3 to 2 in terms of pips. Absolutely idiotic attack by USSR that succeeded.

Final Moscow battle the dice finally deserted the Russians. Left with 14 surviving Panzers in Moscow.
Thanks dice gods. No really, perfect timing.

Americans stationed out of Gibraltar made a last ditch effort to recapture Cairo but the 3 fighter build by Italy in Egypt was too much to overcome.

Look how distorted UK1 becomes just because of the threat of Sealion.
Italy rules the Med, for instance.

All this before Germany even commits to the TT purchase G2.
Looks like a win for the Axis, regardless.

G1 build CV, DD, SS.
Most efficient defense with ipcs available.

But…

If UK builds 20 inf (over first two turns) + 2 Inf + inf/tank (from Canada) + Gilb Tac + 3 fighters (11 hits 1st round) + whatever aa gun does

Germany can maybe still take it with 9 inf, 4 Art, 5 Tanks, 6-8 fighters/Tac, 1 Bomb + 1 hit from BB 1st round. (11 hits 1st round) but it is too close to risk.

So Germany must build 2 TT’s round 1 and use the CA to block Gilb fleet.

Game I played Germany did not commit all aircraft to sea battles so UK was able to attack German fleet with CV, Tac, 3 Fighters, DD.

Germany also did not buy SS only CV + TT’s. UK rolled fairly well and so Germany was left with BB (dmg) and UK 1 fighter.

Germany did not Sealion (I realize now UK was wide open). Italian fleet was untouched and dominated the Med. Allies gave up when Russia was reduced to Moscow. (Axis one victory city short)

In the unlikely event UK does not have any blocking ships left after the G1 attack, all you have to do is build an inf stack UK1. If UK has a DD, Italy fighters can take it out so UK cannot take chance.

What is interesting is Germany builds the TT’s to threaten Sealion, forcing UK to waste a turn building defense, instead of rebuilding their navy.

G2 land those loaded transports in Finland (moving through still neutral USSR fleet) to place troops on the border for turn 3 Barbarossa.

Just use the flexible magnets you get from businesses to put on your fridge. (I think I used a magnet from a hairdressing salon that my wife went to once.)

Can be cut into tiny squares with scissors. Just use a little epoxy to glue the printed side to the A&A piece. The dark sides attract each other.

Once Germany’s attack on Russia begins in earnest there was a shortage of German control markers.

Even more severe is not enought Italian markers.

Anyone else find this to be the case?