Best posts made by weddingsinger

@simon33

Wait… my spidey-sense is tingling… I HAVE to land the plane, don’t I?

@Argothair I did a quick edit during placement - I was careless during non-combat, not thinking about where I was going to place the carrier (S. France), so fixed the location of a fighter and tactical from S. Italy.

@DCWhat said in Optimal Japanese opening move:

If the USA is pumping all this money into the Pacific from US1 and on, and Japan is paying the price for bringing them into the war on J1. Then what is stopping Germany and Italy from winning the game?

If the U.S. doesn’t press Japan relatively quickly, then Japan can very easily over whelm China, UKPac, and ANZAC (combined IPCs go from 39 to 27 very quickly while Japans jumps from 26 to 39 to 50+ on J3)

So, about Germany/Italy…It depends. If they’re going hard at Moscow from the start, U.S.’ involvement is, what, bombers to fly to Moscow at hit soakers? Dropping U.S. subs on that side of the board doesn’t need a response from the Axis (sure it can help with Italy, but slow down Germany? Nope).

Fastest U.S. fighters can reach Moscow is US4 for the 1 fighter on Eastern U.S. and US5 for anything purchased US1 (or flown to E.USA on US1), or it takes 4 turns to bring fighters from W. US across Eastern Russia (3 turns if Russia has Korea) . Any help is useful, but at the expense of all other possible moves?

UK can put a factory in Persia to send fighters up to Moscow in 1 turn. If Italy is under control I’ve had games where that was literally all their 30 ipcs bought a round. (Persia factory UK2, then 3 fighters a round land in Moscow on UK4+. If Japan can’t take Calcutta J4/5, then you can even spare the 2 UKPac fighters for Moscow.

Stacks of US bombers can open for UKPac forces or sink Japan’s fleet at sz6, take Iwo Jima, then occupy sz6 with your subs to convoy him and dare him to come in range of 6-12 bombers? Make a larger fleet and meet up with ANZAC at Caroline Islands to threaten the Money Islands and sz 6?

I find it tough to exert U.S. power in Europe with anything except bombers before Germany can take Moscow, so I choose to keep Japan from earning 50/60 ipcs for more than 1 or 2 turns.

@oysteilo

Grrr… sorry, that post was for you.

@Argothair 100% did not know about the partisans. Thought it might be like Japan’s kamikazes and something you could invoke and only had so many to play.

Obviously I’m super experienced with the balanced mod

I’ve seen a strategy that involves dropping Russia’s planes in Yunnan to help China keep in J1. Is it a big deal for China? Certainly it means being able to buy 3 art instead of 4 inf, but are there other worthwhile ripple effects? Especially for hurting Japan and improving China and UKPacs situation?

I ask because I’m considering some different ideas about the Allied bid like another Chinese inf on Yunnan and another Russian fighter in Moscow. Or 3-4 art or mechs in Russia (which has nothing to do with China, but the mechanized Russia convo). Or giving UK another transports at S. Africa…

@oysteilo

Yes! No scramble at Philipines.

I’m crazy and have a few quirky ideas but wasting a perfectly good fighter against ships I can’t possibly sink is not one of mine.

@Argothair Yeah, let’s go ahead and reset. Japan can’t quite be in position to sink the ANZAC/US fleet, and can take Calcutta in 2 turns, but I screwed up Germany/Italy and the N.O.s meaning U.S. is bringing the hammer to Japan soon and maybe Germany hits the Caucaus but I think its not very likely.

@taamvan said in Is China keeping Yunnan J1 a big deal?:

Each unit on Yunnan moves the odds, but it takes more than 3 (the proposed bid inf, fighter, tac). Japan will still attack–until we get the bid higher it wont dissuade that strike by 8 units.

Russia cannot in good conscience sacrifice 2/3 of its air force on anything but a certainty. The loss of the fighter (which many people send east anyways) will mean that you cannot deter strat bombings. Losing both means your counterattack ability is zilch.

Sounds like this would require a Chinese inf (or art) AND another Russian fighter, then. 2 fighters and the tactical swing the odds strongly against Japan even if they bring the bombers.

Of course, is that worth it, Russia’s AF gone for 2 turns? I think I’m more tempted by 2 art and 2+ mechs for Russia up by Finland so Russia can invade there.

@oysteilo itll be a little while. Off doing errands

@Argothair lol… I’m not even looking at the results… SCRAMBLE!

@M36 said in Germany playbook: overall strategy guide:

Wow I’m seeing lots of neat new strategies here. The G1 Carrier purchase that many seem to agree as a standard for Germany would make me the laughing stock of my group, until they saw an actual Sea Lion attempt, which we virtually never do. Typically I have had great success with a throwback to A&A Classic: The IPM. The Luftwaffe can give the infantry plenty of attack power, but the problem is they are slow so a G1 or G2 Barbarossa is essential. Has anyone else had success with the classic infantry march to Moscow?

You’ll have much more success with it if you buy fast movers as Germany (mechs and tanks) then the round before your Moscow attack, planes that can reach Moscow on the next turn, so tacticals for Novgorod, bombers in W. Germany or Germany.

This allows your infantry you start the game with to lead the march, but get joined quickly by flexible units that can catch up quickly.

So, Germany has 20-26 infantry it can attack Russia with on G2. Anything you buy is a mech or tank or plane.

@Argothair Sorry about that. Don’t know how I missed that it was my turn…

Regardless of intent to actually do Sea Lion, but just in case UK leaves a solid opening, I’m making sure I have an optimal G1 for it that doesn’t cost me much against the more likely invasion of Russia.

Notes and help are welcome.

So far, I’ve got:
G1 buy, 2 bombers, save 6 ipcs (sub doesn’t help Sea Lion or Barbarossa, extra ipcs on G2 buy can be very useful)
Kill SZs 110 and 111
Land 2 German plans in S. Italy to force as many UK planes South as possible
Keep German artillery within 1 space of the coast (so none go to Yugoslavia)
Germany must get Normandy, not Italy (G1 or G2 - but don’t count on any troops in Normandy getting onto transports G3 if there is a UK ship alive to create a battle zone)

Italy must be able to bomb London airfield on I2 so one or both Italian fighters should end up in W. Germany on I1 IF its going to happen.

After that it gets messier, but mostly on G2
Buy transports and possibly 1 destroyer if worried about London fighters scrambling, or a sub if its a UK destroyer that will be a pest. Making sure German Inf still in Eastern Europe and the Italians are in Romania to block Russia; I take the invasion inf mostly from Norway to keep Europe stronger because if Russia invades Finland/Norway, Germany’s transports can easily bring troops to anything on the Baltic or North Sea. But if Russia gets into Romania and Bulgaria, its a PIA to get rid of them quickly.

G3 buys for Sea Lion can include ships for Normandy factory to place at end of G3 to help protect transports or even an air base on Normandy or Holland so you can scramble. G3 buy should also include more inf/art for German transports to pick up to hit Poland or Norway on G4.

G4 your transports should end in sz 112 because from there you can hit Gibraltor, Morocco, Norway, Finland, Novgorod, Karaeilia, Poland, and the Baltic States. Maybe all at once.

@taamvan

Interesting play.

My thing these days is being prepared for Sea Lion, but if UK is conservative, or gets a lot of breaks on the dice on G1 I can skip it without having committed resources though reading yours I realize I missed a VERY necessary destroyer purchase G3 to make certain Russia’s sub can’t be a PIA on G4 or G5.

Note that one reason I make the moves I do when I do end up doing Sea Lion is so that Russia can invade Finland/Norway and anything on the coast of the Baltic can be retaken G5. Germany/Italy move to Romania to block Russia there so they stay up North where all the German transports can hit all at once from sz112. So Russia can earn some extra, but Germany can hopefully wipe out some of their forward units rather than swinging down to the Med.

I don’t have a full playbook, but do have some thoughts on openings:

UK only scrambles on G1 if there is a decent chance the UK fighter will shoot down MORE than 1 German plane.

If UK wants to do Taranto (and they should), the U.S. needs to buy 2-4 bombers on US1. If they can, send U.S. fighter to Gibraltor US1 and a bomber to London. UK buys 1 fighter 6 inf. Send enough to win Taranto if he scrambles, but only the bare minimum.

And agreed about Crockett’s video. I looked and that French/UK fleet off S. France is still going to lose to Italy’s ships/planes, but Italy gets to keep an extra transport. (Italy favored in the attack 72%, but UK will lose 2 fighters guaranteed).

Not seeing how this helps keep London. Certainly makes India easier to take.

@Argothair I’ll be trying it out over my next few games.

I was mostly thinking in these terms, assuming a G2 Barbarrossa.

R1: 37 ipcs means either 12 inf or 9 mechs
R2: 37 ipcs for 12 inf or 9 mechs

(sure if you’re buying inf you may have bought some art, or tanks instead of mech, but let’s keep the variables simple)

So you’re down 6 units on R3, and its the 1st time Russia can possibly counter attack if Germany moves in force and no Italian help yet with can opening.

But… the difference is that now Russia has 9 mechs that can reach any battle and another 9 that can reach Belarus or either Ukraine. With only inf purchases only the 6 inf you purchased and placed on a respective factory can join your counter attack and its easy enough for Germany to stay out of reach of most of your guys. So its actually a net improvement in the early rounds of +3 to +12 units available.

This should slow down Germany by 1 or 2 turns since they have to wait for Italy. Usually can stack 16 inf, 3 art, 3 tanks in Baltic States and Russia can’t counter. Or in Eastern Poland with 20ish inf, 5 art, 3 tanks.

My way has Belarus with 11 Russian inf, 1 art that can be joined by 14-17 mechs, 2 tanks, 2 fighters, 1 tactical on a counter attack to Baltic States. If Germany is in Eastern Poland R2, add 5 inf to that number.

So Germany can’t move in force until G3 when the 10 mechs/tanks they placed on Germany can join this force, for 25 inf, 5 art. The question there is whether their planes can join, but if the 5 Russian inf from karelia also join in, Russia still wins the battle with 6 German air parked. So Germany isn’t moving on Novgorod or Belarus until G4.

Or am I missing something?

/not sure if tanks on R1 improve the situation or not. I bet I’d want 3 on R2 though, in which ever factory the Germans seem to be heading towards.

@Argothair I guess I’m used to opponents taking the Northern route since its easy to stack up for Baltic States and then hit Novgorod with it along with your 7inf from Finland, since its easier for Russia to stack up in Bryansk to threaten Ukraine.

And I was thinking this only works for 2, maybe 3 rounds. After that its not sustainable, but the goal is for UK to be dropping 3 fighters on Moscow each turn UK4, 5, and 6. So buying Moscow an extra turn or 2 before the attack and maybe even buying an extra turn with no strategic bombings is really useful.

@M36 said in We need an allied playbook.:

@simon33 Yes Germany buying transports round 1 significantly changes your options as UK. It’s very risky sending your fighters away if Germany can bring 6-10 units plus the Luftwaffe on G2.

Germany doesn’t need to buy transports G1 for a successful Sea Lion if UK doesn’t buy 6 inf/1 fighter for London on UK1 AND have the ability to have 4+ fighters on London before G3.

Germany can easily buy 8 or 9 transports on G2 and bring 9 inf, 5 art, 4 tanks, 4 tacticals, and 4 fighters (leaving the sea zone for their cruiser and bombers). That’s a winning Sea Lion even if the UK buys the 6 inf and 1 fighter if Germany successfully max bombs London’s factory and sinks just 1 of the UK transports so that UK2 you can’t buy much again. It takes 5 fighters on UK to turn that away for sure, and the extra 8 inf you buy and bring home on transports.

@M36 said in We need an allied playbook.:

@weddingsinger That’s interesting. I wrote off Sea Lion as bunk a long time ago and focused on Barbarossa. Perhaps I was just doing it wrong. Won’t everyone be surprised when I try it again 🤣. We almost never see it in my group, just different variations of Barbarossa.

Yeah, take a look. My version doesn’t commit you to Sea Lion on G1 so you can wait and see UK’s action. If they do anything like buy ships for S. Africa, etc (Aldo’s navy stack off Gibraltor also looks legit as a block) then go ahead and punish them for their hubris and cackle maniacally as you do it.

/in an in person game 3 weeks ago my buddy took London from me on G3 WAAAYYYY too easily but only bought slow movers (Inf/art) for Germany so Allies still won because Japan was… ineffective would be a polite way to put it