• The next game i am playing with my buddies i will be playing Japan and i wanted to run a strategy by some more experienced players.  I want to Attack USA on J3 and take Hawaii and the Philippines on J3.  I want to apply major pressure on the US fleet early.  My planned purchases will be:
    J1: 1 Carrier, 1 Transport, 1 inf (26 ipc)
    J2: 2 Carriers, 1 transport (39 IPC)

    This will give me 26 units to hit and defend the Hawaii SZ on turn 3.  I will have a smaller fleet that will take the Philippines and pick off the high IPC island in Indonesia the following turns.  My thinking is the USA is the only power able to challenge Japanese naval supremacy and i i can clean up the other Allied powers after i have crippled USA.


  • I personally would not attack the United States especially with the lack of ground units you have if you are planning after going after the mainland. I’ve seen the most success with Japan going after Calcutta (sp) first, to cripple the Allies in the Pacific. I usually build a naval blockade with destroyers around Hawaii, similar to the Russians leaving one infantry in each territory. Essentially my naval blockade keeps the Americans away until turn 4 or 5, while most of the Japanese air force and navy are on the front door of Calcutta. Even if they do get to Japan, in my experiences the Americans never seem to have enough land units to actually take Tokyo.

    I don’t have the map in front of me, but taking borneo or Malaya and building a naval base there is key to eliminating Calcutta.


  • Don’t let the US into the war until the last possible minute.  The US will collect its income on US3 no matter what, but being able to place 10 units in either theater a turn early is bad mojo for Japan’s sea dominance.

    When you make your move, take the Philippines and the DEI.  Combined they allow you to corner Anzac and India UK while maintaining influence and mostly control over the DEI (your lifeblood to compete with the US economically).

    Theres an added bonus that by taking the DEI you cut the economies of Anzac and India-UK while adding to yours significantly.  You get that NO, you are seeing +20 IPC for Japan while cutting the allied economies by -15.  Add in taking the Philippines and you -5 IPC USA for its lost NO.  Thats a total IPC swing of 40 IPC for Japan in one move.

    You’d be in position to take New Guinea from Anzac on your next move, cutting out 10 more IPC from Anzac for losing two NO’s by losing one territory.  Effectively it puts Anzac down to 10 IPCs a turn again while its already cornered.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    What you can get away with as Japan has a lot to do with what Germany is doing.  That said, there’s a few major avenues of attack:

    1)  Kill India by round 3 - if you wait after that, you’ll never get it, it’s too heavily entrenched.
    2)  Major complex in Korea, start blitzing Mech/Armor into Russia to sap them of strength and allow an easier target for Germany - course this means you give up much of your naval and air dominance, you should still be able to hold out until round 9 or 10 with what you have and a few more destroyers.
    3)  Drive through China - biggest waste of time and resources if you ask me.  I say hold the VCs and Manchuria and let the Chinamen have their territories.
    4)  Go for Hawaii/New South Wales and hope to buy time.

    The only way I see for Japan to actually WIN is to take India on round 3, maybe round 4.  Otherwise, you’ll never get the VC you need to win.


  • I can get 6 victory cities without India, NP.  2 in China, Manila, Tokyo, Sydney and Hawaii.  Doesn’t seem that hard to me, if i can defeat the US fleet.  It actually seems far easier than Germany/Italy getting 8.


  • Attack on J1. Build 3 transports.

    Take the Phillipines, and blow out that UK BB in sz37. The Pacific UK will never be a naval force after this. Take Malaya and Borneo on J2, and build a nb in Hainan for your transports. Do a destroyer block on the Americans. Be bold, get to those islands before anyone can make you fight for them.

    Don’t be scared of US earnings, all the IPCs in the world don’t matter when they’re stuck on the wrong side of an ocean.


  • Correct me if i am wrong ( i have only played 2 global games), but wouldn’t attacking USA on J1 be a death sentence for Germany and Italy in Europe?  Not to mention you lose the 10 IPC bonus for not going to war?

  • Customizer

    That just depends on which way the US decides to go.  It might be more of a death sentence for Japan first if US decides to go primarily Pacific.  However, if the US decides to ignore the Pacific and pours most of it’s money in the Atlantic, yeah Germany and Italy will be having headaches real soon.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    I’ve screwed around with J1 attacks and they’re not optimal, in my opinion.  J2 is much more optiomal - yes you don’t get the British Battleship, but that’s okay because you get Calcutta.


  • @Cmdr:

    3)  Drive through China - biggest waste of time and resources if you ask me.  I say hold the VCs and Manchuria and let the Chinamen have their territories.

    3)  Drive through China - biggest waste of time and resources if you ask me.  I say hold the VCs and Manchuria and let the Chinamen have their territories..
    Agree Cmd Jen. Let the US take the suffer of the what still is a huge income of the 50 + ipc’s till end of 3rd round, meanwhile do damage in and around australia and build in Manchuria/Korea with Ind complex.

    I think playing the Jap’s, you have to think smart and ahead, and to let the allies on by ending your move in the three way option for the allies to think wtf is the japs next move?!

    You think building in Korea is better than Manchuria?

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    @Cmdr:

    I’ve screwed around with J1 attacks and they’re not optimal, in my opinion.  J2 is much more optiomal - yes you don’t get the British Battleship, but that’s okay because you get Calcutta.

    Jen,
    What round do you attack Calcutta (with the plan to hold it)?

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    @Young:

    @Cmdr:

    I’ve screwed around with J1 attacks and they’re not optimal, in my opinion.  J2 is much more optiomal - yes you don’t get the British Battleship, but that’s okay because you get Calcutta.

    Jen,
    What round do you attack Calcutta (with the plan to hold it)?

    If I go for Calcutta - and that depends on what America does of course, my R1 and R2 is the same regardless of Calcutta or not to Calcutta - I do so on Round 3, Round 4 latest.  After that, I’ve found there’s way too much Allied material there to take it.

  • Sponsor

    @Cmdr:

    @Young:

    @Cmdr:

    I’ve screwed around with J1 attacks and they’re not optimal, in my opinion.�  J2 is much more optiomal - yes you don’t get the British Battleship, but that’s okay because you get Calcutta.

    Jen,
    What round do you attack Calcutta (with the plan to hold it)?

    If I go for Calcutta - and that depends on what America does of course, my R1 and R2 is the same regardless of Calcutta or not to Calcutta - I do so on Round 3, Round 4 latest.  After that, I’ve found there’s way too much Allied material there to take it.

    So if you do it round 3, I’m assuming it comes with some conditions, like how well the allies block your fleet, the amount of full transports available to reach it that soon, and establishing a safe territory for landing non-carrier based air units. Is it fair to say that your praying for a few more things to happen in round 3, as opposed to a round 4 attack where things are a little more certain?

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    If there is a Burmese stack, I almost ALWAYS attack on Round 2 with the intention of taking India round 3 - because I can park my fleet south of Burma (transports loaded to bear) and not have to deal with any blocking by the allies.  21 Fighters vs 10 Infantry, 2 AA Guns (give or take) may sound like a “WTF” moment, but if it means India’s a cake walk, it’s worth losing the 4 or 5 aircraft to clear it.

    If there is no Burmese stack, it really depends on what Russia and Australia are doing.  If I can clear out all the potential blockers, then I’ll probably try for India, if I cannot, then I’ll set up my attack on the DEI and Philippines instead.

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