Posts made by Warwick

Feel free to ignore my previous post. The move was predicated on the alignment of the balkan minors however their alignment is based on the taking of Paris only. The speed that they may be aligned increases if at war with USSR.

I am working on an Axis opening and would like critique and comments.

Turn #1 - Germany declares war on Russia. Aligns Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania. (May align “immediately” when at war with Russia.) Occupy Austria.
Britian rolls a d12 if they hit a 12 it is war and the Axis are crushed the game evolves into a titanic showdown between the allies and the Russians. We will assume an ‘average’ roll of 7 on d12s and 4 on d6s

Germany IPC go to 34.
Russia IPC go to 46.
France IPC go to 10.
USA IPC goes to 13.
Britian IPC goes to 19.

Germany combats moves the forces in Romania into Russia taking 2 spaces adjacent to Romania on the first turn.

Non-com moves
Lt Arm and Cav in Berlin to Stettin
Rail 2INF in Berlin plus 2 Arty to Romania (While Austria is taken in the combat move this seems legit given the special nature of the seizure. But potentially illegal)
Balkan Forces consolidate towards Romania
1 FTR to Stettin
1 Transport and Medium Bomber to West Germany
2 FTR to Romania

Builds
Switch 4 INF in Romania to Motorized - (We use this optional rule) 4 IPC
Build 2 Transport  in Stettin Sea Zone - 16 IPC
1 DD and 1 Sub in Stettin sea zone

Active Blitzkrieg option - take a second turn

1 Motorized to Area just north of Crimea
3 Motorized+ 0-1INF +2 Arty to East Ukraine (east side of Kiev) + 2 Ftr
4 INF + 2 FTR hit Kiev

All german navy to Legingrad space plus 1 FTR from Stettin
1 CA, 2 DD, 2 Subs, 1 FTR hit Soviet Navy (Can pull (1) FTR from Kiev Attack to Improve these odds)

3 Transports plus 1 Coastal Sub and 1 Coastal Torp Boat invade Leningrad
4 INF (2 Stettin + 2 East Prussia) and 1 Lt Arm and 1 Cav (That’s right amphibious horsies!!) supported by Medium Bomber

Non Combat (If using the reinforce base option)
1 INF plus 1 transport land in leningrad along with 1 or 2 FTRs from naval action.

End of Turn

Germany secures 7 IPCs (no map so assuming Leningrad is a (1) IPC space)

Germany collects 41 IPC turn 1 and presents no serious counter-attack opportunity to the Soviets. Leningrad is garrisoned with 5 INF 1 Lt Arm 1 CAV 1 FTR 1 Transport Plane.

Japan turn 1 - Declare war on Soviets

Japan IPC drop to 16 ( I think they lose the US +3 … not really a drop since it has not started)
US IPC goes to 17

Japan builds INF and Arty and pushes towards Novo. First turn should overrun 3 Areas adjacent to Manchuria for a +4 IPC shift

Japan collects 20 IPC turn 1

Outcome
Allies IPC is ~60 ( this can be variable due to die rolls)
Axis IPC is at 68
Soviet IPC is at 35

7+ turns of ‘free rein’ in Russia.
All of Russia’s infrastructure is in range on Leningrad with a couple Medium Bombers and FTRs, which can bleed the soviets of IPCs repairing facilities.
The Soviet start with ~110 IPC of land troops. This initial attack reduces this by 30 IPC, while the alignment of the Balkans adds ~60 IPC of troops. Further Germany can build on 3 factories on turn 2 while the soviets will not see a ‘good’ build available for action until turn 3. The soviet can not defend every where and the Japanese will probably have an easy time taking Novo. While the factory will be moved this will add a total of 9 IPC to their production to 25. A later invasion of China can still take place depending on previous allied die rolls.

Italy lend-leases to support move into Russia and into Spain to win the Spanish Civil War. (Odd turn Arty to Romania even a FTR to Spain or an Arty) Should finish by turn 4 or 5 then focus on defense.

Also a German occupation of the Trans-caucus will result in a +16 IPC shift to the Axis and a -8 IPC shift to Russia along with a +22 IPC infusion of bonus ground troops. Unfortunately Russia can not defend the Trans and Moscow from this assault

Thank you for all input.

EDIT forgot Spain aligns with partners in this opening. Nationals to Axis and Repubs to soviets. Will have to review this outcome tonight but I think this strengthens the Soviets but not enough to stop the whirlwind. (Also provides access to those forces permanently which would change Italy’s lead-lease actions … all to Spain to win war)

EDIT 2 FTR used in naval action is actually a TAC

I never played the 7.2 rules. That is an interesting addition and I might want to try an other game. (My experience has been the Axis seem to win most games.)

However even with the lose of the factory the US is adding 25+ IPC to a losing fight for relatively little effect.

As Japan I am often at war with US by the 3rd turn of the game and I do not see how the factory helps you.

Turn 1 - Build factory for 12 spend 8 points elsewhere
Turn 2 - Spend 12 to 20 points reinforcing Philippines with 3 new units

Turn 3 - Japan burns down the Philippines taking ~2 to 3 INF in casualties

US will only have 1 Fort, 1 Marine, 2 INF and 1 FTR

Outcome US loses 44 IPC of material (19 IPC in starting material which is lost anyway) for 9 IPC of damage on Japan. This represents 87.5% of their first 2 turns of production.

Japan gains a factory within easy reach of Australia and a US player that has only built an artillery (The 4 average IPC left-over from this gambit) over their starting forces. While the building of the factory forces the Japanese to adopt an early US strategy that fact you have to build this factory on the first turn is not too disruptive. Further it greatly endangers Syndey’s security. Maybe I am no seeing the upside but I can not advocate for this opening.

Moved question to new site. Thank you for feedback.

How does combat against a zone contain 2 different Alliances play out? The rules state to defend jointly units must be in the same alliance and aligned, for Major powers this means in the same alliance and at war with the same Major power. Lets say Germany is at war with UK and Soviets. The Soviet navy has slinked out of the Baltic while Denmark was neutral and occupy the same space as the UK navy. A German fleet engages these forces supported by land based aircraft. How is the resulting combat resolved?

1. Germans pick one navy to fight. Other nation forces must retreat.
2. The 2 force combine (UK and Soviet) since both are at war with Germany. (This seems highly unlikely.)
3. The Germans select one force and conduct combat against it. If any German force remains following conclusion of the first fight they may then engage the remaining fleet or retreat at the German player option.
3.5 The Defenders, by agreement, select one force and the Germans conduct combat against it. If any German force remains following conclusion of the first fight they may then engage the remaining fleet or retreat at the German player option.
4. Other method that I have not thought if.

If this is resolved by the rules I am sorry for asking an obvious question.

Thank you

@sophiedog2:

What happens when lend lease passes enemy ships, the rules don’t say?

If you look on page 30 under interdiction it states that if Submarine is on the path it gets an interdiction roll. Since lend lease routes are not escorted this would be a 1d6+2 (+4 if Advanced Sub) versus a d6 for the lender. If it is a unit any damage kills the unit. If it is money then IPP value reduced by damage.

Surface ships do not damage lend lease but may blockade. If 3 ships in a zone that zone is blockaded and lend lease would have to find an other way. If not alternate path exist then the lend lease is held until next turn and delivery is tried again.

On the French and Great Britain reference sheet the following peacetime income modifiers exist.

France - “2D12 Axis initiates war with any country.”
Britain - “2D12 IPP Axis declares war on ANY OTHER country.”

Japan declares war on China. I am sure it is not the intention of the rules for WWII to breakout at the start of Japan-Chinese conflict, however what constituents “any country” for these powers? Or should Axis be changed to Germany?

Also
Britain has this modifier “D12 IPP Axis declares war on USSR.” If Germany, Japan, and Italy declare on USSR does this result in 1d12 or 3d12?

Can the Soviets use their rail factory ability on any turn? I could not find a restriction. I would think it should be triggered by war with a major power and enemies inside Russia, however it seems like the Soviets can move factories in July 1936.

Thanks John. I will keep a look out for that sets release.

Does HBG have a ‘offical’ color for Spanish Republicans? I have used Plum which has a good variety of land and air units but no naval. Would adding a destroyer, cruiser, and transport be possible for this color line?

@LHoffman:

@Warwick:

1. Only Aircraft Carriers are listed as a capitol ship. Typically Battleship would be as well, heavy cruisers could be based on size. However this might be intentional to restrict capitol ships to CVs. Are CVs (not lights) the only capitol Ships?

I read the rulebook last night and when they defined “Capital Ship” they included both carriers and battleships. Light carriers were not, and should not be, considered capital ships. The rules do make this distinction in the Unit Section (12) but not in that preliminary capital ship definition.

Thanks for the information. I missed that on the first pass and must have been blind when I tried to review the rules for a definition. The build charts were the source of my confusion as they list CV as a capitol ship but not for BB.

Going to play this over Thanksgiving I am sure. Couple questions for clarity.

1. Only Aircraft Carriers are listed as a capitol ship. Typically Battleship would be as well, heavy cruisers could be based on size. However this might be intentional to restrict capitol ships to CVs. Are CVs (not lights) the only capitol Ships?

2. On the US setup a CV is listed as starting in the 3 box with 12 owed and a CA in the 3 box with 8 owed. I may be confused but shouldn’t the CV be in the 4 box if 12 is owed?

Also looking at set up I need cavalry, torpedo boats destroyers, and special infantry. (Militia/Paratrooper/Marines for each nations.)

I can cobble together markers for now but any idea how long until you have ‘official’ cav and TPD figures?

Noticed the following

In the Neutral 36&39 set up a special note under under Iraq : “Germany or Italy can Align if they have infantry in adjacent land zone.”

Rules on Iraq alignment : “Iraq will Align with Germany at the end of any combat phase if there is a German or Italian land unit in any land zone adjacent to Iraq.” Table 4-6 Axis Alignment Conditions."

Can I assume the rules take precedent here?

Naval units gain the benefit of Germany’s double move on the first turn.

I am aware of the canal but since it is harder to get an army across the Danube than the Corinth Canal why does the canal require naval vessels to transverse?

Why is Corinth shown as an island rather than an adjacent land zone to Greece?

Why does Norway border Russia (Murmansk)? The border shown on the map is the 1944 border not the 1939 border. Was this intentional?

Yes this opening assumes the optional rule regarding splitting the fleets on invasion.

Denmark is left untouched until the 2nd or 3rd turn of the Game.

I can not find a rule stating an Airbase can operate as an AA for general combat. If I send a bomber it just hits on an 8. Also we do not use the optional rule regarding FTRs going to CAP or ground support.

Does Italy join with Fall of Paris or War with RUssia?