The Soviet India Crush

[Hobbes]

Very funny Hobbes, well said...

I'm cool with going off topic a bit

Imagine if Axis and Allies were Star Wars:
* Everytime you rolled the dice C3PO would be there to remind you of the odds
* Everytime you won a major battle R2D2 would be tweeping and beeping next to you
* Darth Vader would be kicked out after being warned repeatedly not to do the Jedi dice trick
* If you play with Chewbacca and he gets diced, it's game over and you'll need to buy a new table and pick up all the game pieces

[jiman79]

@Hobbes

It is not a scenario I have seen in my games. When I shuttle US troops through north Africa, I sometimes manage to take India but that is mainly with a USSR supported US stack.

But what was Japan doing? Even though Germany is a bit defensive against the Soviets, Japan should be able to either hold India, or realize it can't pull back to FIC and retake India and maybe also Persia in the next round(depending on number of transports position of fleet etc.).

Unless as Bunnys states, Allies had already won the game.

Did Japan have a stack in Sinkiang or where were the Japanese units??

[MrMalachiCrunch]

My guess is that if the US is flowing forces through Africa then then by necessity Japan will be strong in the south asia area and India would be too well covered.  On the other hand, if Japan were taking the northern route to Russia because of a strong US/Brit threat in Europe then India might be vulnerable to this.

A large stack of Russian tanks makes me very wary as Japan in particular with allied fighters nearby to add reinforcement to a quick Russian tank dash/hit, reinforce with allied air, retreat then allied air retreat, then Japan moves sequence.

[Hobbes]

@Hobbes

It is not a scenario I have seen in my games. When I shuttle US troops through north Africa, I sometimes manage to take India but that is mainly with a USSR supported US stack.

But what was Japan doing? Even though Germany is a bit defensive against the Soviets, Japan should be able to either hold India, or realize it can't pull back to FIC and retake India and maybe also Persia in the next round(depending on number of transports position of fleet etc.).

Combining both the US North Africa rush and the India Crush is probably a good way to execute this strat (both Soviets and Americans converging on Persia) but the question is how Japan acts. 

If you openly try such a maneuver it will become the elephant on the room for the Axis - they'll be ready to react because they'll be monitoring the progress of the US across North Africa and it's fairly easy for Japan to stop the US advance and prepare for the Soviet thrust on India by focusing on that route.

But usually Japan advances through the 3 routes (Yakut, Sinkiang and India), so its ground forces will usually be split. Also, Japan can have a tendency to send its fleets and planes to Africa/Europe/etc., away from India, contributing even more for a dispersion of its forces.

If so, then the move of crushing India can work. Germany defensive stack in Eastern Europe, Japan dispersed and divided through Sinkiang/Yakut/India/elsewhere. Japan builds IC, Soviet stack on Caucasus moves south. Watch Axis react! 

[Bunnies P Wrath]

If you openly try such a maneuver

I didn't know Axis and Allies came with hidden setup cards.

it's fairly easy for Japan to stop the US advance and prepare for the Soviet thrust on India by focusing on that route.

But usually Japan . . .

But usually Japan acts like a d*mnfool?

Watch Axis react!  

Oh I'm watching something all right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdS2kCUGvfo

[El Ravager]

My thread is being hijacked by Jar Jar Binks!

Quick, get the lightsaber!  

Or I may try a different pitch - imagine you're the EVIL Soviet Empire from the top of your Death Star in Caucasus, all bend in galactic conquest and domination. Meanwhile those pesky rebels are massing their forces in India - your Emperor has commanded you to crush the malicious Jedi army led by Jar Jar Binks. while he's battling Yoda on West Russia.

So you're actually saying Adolf H. would be Yoda? But he has no mustache...

Anyway, I can't explain it with frying pan logic like Bunnies but I agree that Soviet India Crush is more of a tactical possibility than any kind of strategic consideration. The usual tank path for Russia on the Asia front is Yakut-Sinkiang-Persia. From any of these territories they can come back to Moscow in one move if things get scary. Going to India means Germany and Japan get 2 turns to advance before the tanks are back for defense. If that allows Germany for example to take West Russia and reinforce with fighers, that's probably more costly than UK getting 3 extra income and Japan 3 less and one turn of IC shutdown. So while the situation might come up, it is in no need any argument for Russia to buy many tanks (even if there are good other reasons).

[Hobbes]

Anyway, I can't explain it with frying pan logic like Bunnies but I agree that Soviet India Crush is more of a tactical possibility than any kind of strategic consideration.

That's the point - players usually don't think of this tactic because it is uncommon and needs very specific situations that are out of the Soviet control: Japan needs to build an IC and spread itself all over the place, Germany needs to play shy, etc. And it most likely won't work if the other player has half a brain and keeps that possibility on mind.

A parallel move is the G1 8 armor buy for Germany. Most players who use this move as a standard opening will face difficulties against an experienced Soviet player, who will just shrug his shoulders. However, if Germany has a high possibility of destroying the stack on West Russia on G1, then an 8 armor buy can be just what it needs to achieve its strategy.