I seriously need some advice on, how to play the Allies in this edition. It seems the Axis are in great shape from the beginning, and both G and/or J can steamroll towards Moscow.
Does Allies need a bid?
I have been searching for a strategy article, without any luck.
Is there some general good advice on how to play the Allies? Is it still valid to go W.Russia + Ukraine on R1
Does the UK buy air in GB + ground units in India untill a navy can be established+merged with US (or save up for 2-3 rounds?)
I can imagine J often skips the sz53 (Hawaii seazone) attack. How can the US exploit this? Does the US go all Pacific or all Atlantic or a mix?
List of “new” problems for Allies with this version:
As I see most all Allied Navy around Europe is gone G1, and the new seazones around GB makes it impossible to “hide away” a minor UK navy and build it over several turns.
The UK is stuck with an India IC, which requires some investment if it is not to be overtaken by Japan very early.
Karelia now has an IC, which is a great gift for Germany :?
China + Sinkiang is now 4 1 IPC countries, so really no point for the US to try to build an Asian IC early on.
US shuck from E. Canada to N. Africa is now 1 extra seazone away - more transporters required!
List of “new” allied advantages with this version:
Egypt stronger, may hold til G2.
More UK navy in the pacific and a decent UK1 shot at the J navy in sz 37
More land zones in eastern Europe and Africa delays G conquering.
More land zones in Europe makes it difficult for G to use figs active against Russia as well as threatening UK/US navy
Landing of US forces in French West Africa is now possible. Is that a valid strategy early on to get the US closer to some action?
There’s been a lot of discussion on this point already on earlier threads. Definitely avoid any naval in India. Two ways you can set this up with Russia.
(Russian buy of 4inf/3art or 3inf/2art/1tank)
1. Defend Egypt with one Russia FTR to ensure a SZ37 battle (SS, 2CA, CV, 2FTR) vs. Japan CV, BB, 2FTRs. The plus side if successful is obvious. This damages Japan’s navy and allows for a full onslaught of KJF.
2. If you’ve been broken by the utter failures of this attack, don’t send the Russian FTR to Egypt. Your Eastern Russian troops should rendevous “surrendering” the first three eastern Russian territories to Japan. The 3IPCs won’t fall right away, and your troops can provide a temp poop shield against a northern incursion. Troops that can get into China on turn 1 should take advantage of this. In addition, completely abandon Karelia (yeah, the IC sucks, but they can’t blitz through it either). Strike WRus and Ukraine. But for the Ukraine attack, I’ve gone the route of using the 3inf, 3 tanks(2 if you plan to route one to defend the US FTR ASAP, which can help), 2FTRs. I figure it will take two Rounds to win, so after Round 1, retreat back (assuming you’ve virtually nuked the Ukraine w/exception of FTR). Your tanks can withdraw to Caucus (and you probably just lost only the inf). WRus is an all-in, from Moscow, art from Caucus, Karelia, Archangel. Hopefully, you can lose just 2-3. Anymore and this could blow up in your face. Send both AAs to WRus to provide poop shield. The Caucus tanks will allow you on R2 to send 1-2 via India or China as required. NCM planes to caucus, place art and supports in caucus, inf in moscow.
UK
Ok, so let’s go with option 1 from Russia:
Use a buy of 2art,1inf (for India) and either buy 2 FTRs, or save cash.
FTRs need to get to India if you are buying. Either land in WRus or think Africa (south of Sahara) to route your planes there. Combat is going to be limited with exception of SZ37. You can get ballsy with 2 trans/4inf for subsequent invasion, but you may need the transports to run like hell if you fail (I consider three units destroyed a victory for UK, so you may want the transports to run). If you have a shot at the Med fleet or Baltic fleet, take it (top choice for me would be to eliminate the Med, because you may not get another chance for a long time). NCM everything into India. It’s ok to lose Burma…withdraw! Persia, w/d into India as well. That should give you a fighting chance with the inf and your buy. If Japan’s SZ37 fleet was destroyed, you bought yourself plenty of time.
Option 2 for the UK:
Buy should remain the same
The solomons is the key here to keep Japan in check. You MUST take the Solomons UK1 to give the Allies the needed jump. Your Indian fleet now commits attack pattern suicide. Either you can go into the Med and hit the BB (if an egypt attack was tried, and failed on G1), knock out the DD/Trans off China’s coast (land UK ftr in China with US FTR/2inf/Russians). Borneo can be an option with your CA/Trans, but any troops away from India can provide early termination for India. It’s a risk, but high risk, high reward. So your only other options is to run to pull the Japan fleet off station or block.
US
Japan SHOULD NOT attack PH. It’s got priorities, and PH can no longer be afforded. If Japan realizes what is happening, or the Solomons by the UK utterly failed, it may position its fleet to prevent a US incursion there. But this gives up a strong initial push into Asia. If Borneo fell, it may come down to a bigger balls contest because the Japan Fleet could position itself in Borneo within striking distance of the Solomons, but the US may just say f it and go anyways…helps if Solomons fell for US to consider moving south). Did your EUS fleet survive? If so, shame on the German player for letting 22 IPCs slip into the Pacific. So, with that being said, the US buy: CV,2DD,2SS (or you can go CV/BB/DD or CV/2DD/SS/2inf, etc).
You probably won’t have any combat as the US. If you fear the Japan fleet from hitting you at the Solomons, you’ll have to wait a turn, but this could cost you momentum. Get your fleet there (also take your trans to help load up in the Solomons). This begins the shucking needed to take the cash islands from Japan. Get your Bomber and 3 FTRs there as well (only the one EUS FTR won’t make it).
Knowing this you may want to use the DD and the EUS FTR to see if you can clear any remaining German SS (if it is off Canada, you can land your FTR in West Canada, and still make it to the Solomons with your CV on US2). If not, send it along with your Transports to go through the Canal, and your CA goes to WUS to meet up with the Fleet. Start moving land units to the WUS (so you don’t have to buy any, but you can just pick them up in the transports too).
Everything should be placed in WUS.
Round 2 and on:
Russia can’t really defend against Germany with the amount of tanks bearing down so quickly. Your buys need to focus on inf/art for counterattacks. Save the tanks.
China won’t hold forever, so your troops there will may to withdrawal by R3, but they are the only reason Japan may not go after India, and that extra turn can make India from a defensive force to an offensive one. India by R4 (UK should have it fortified) will allow a withdrawal of any back up you had there.
UK continues fortifying India via inf/art and Fighters via the UK. Eventually, if things are going well, UK3 or 4 you should look into a tank. Do not go offensive unless you have good numbers. The aggressor in these battles on 42 when its close always seem to eat it in the end, so take advantage, but don’t overextend. Hit and runs work well too. If you saved cash on UK1, this may have helped prevent an all out assault on WRUS by Germany, and now you should have money to drop some naval (especially if planes are out of position).
The US needs to begin helping Russia on US2. Look at beginning to split your buys on US2 (if German SS presence is heavy off your coast, you may have to go more EUS than WUS. From here on out it’s continue to buildup in the Solomons and shuck troops and ships there for strikes. Hopefully US3 or US4 you can hit targets (US2 if you are really lucky). Eventually you’ll only be buying troops to shuck to the solomons, and liberating Africa and other points of interest.
Be mindful though. You are on the clock. R7 you will find yourself pinched. The goal is to see Moscow hold till Round 8. After that, it’s all bonus time.
This is my thoughts on a weak KJF move (because I feel you HAVE to fight in Africa/Med to save Russia). Most people who aim the other way look at 4DDs with US1.
If you are still having issues winning with the Allies, just eliminate the Karelia complex. It may be just enough to slow down the German advance (be mindful you will need an inf there to block blitzes since the IC is gone).
Some superficial observations…
My guess is tanks at 6 will transform Russian strategy…I’m thinking exclusively inf/art buys for Russia (and sometimes just inf). Only buy tanks on the offensive.
The starting India IC should be held as long as possible…perhaps with Russian reinforcement, such as the starting 2 inf in Kazach. Maybe risk a big battle there (if Japan has to use transports to attack India they will be pretty far out of position). Once you can no longer hold India, the garrison becomes the foundation for a Perisa hold…Persia is once again a strategically essential square.
3 territories in western Europe means Allies can fruitfully use aa50 style KGF tactics–without having to worry about Italy… I see many complaints about Germany stacking in Karelia…but note how far Karelia is from France. My point is—Germany should not be able to simultaneously push on Russia and defend itself from 1-2 Allied landings in France/Holland. With tanks at 6, it’s more expensive for Germany to try to cover both fronts at once using a tank stack.
What I’ve noticed what works best for allies is to hold India as long as possible and go KGF. Don’t kill Japans BB/Carrier with UK. That battle is too risky, and even if you win you force yourself as allies to go KJF.
I have not played many games of this version of 42 but the one I remember the best I played the Axis. No Russian ftr in Egy so I took it G1 thinking the Brits would not attack the Japanese BB, CV fleet without the Egy ftr. I forget the exact odds but he went all in (or close to it) and was left with a ftr which I thought was a fair exchange. Going PH J1 at this point looked hopeless as it really hamstrung my attacks in Asia for lack of transport defense. I built a replacement carrier and a transport I believe. Now by NOT going PH and NOT having to defend those resources and not having them out of position next turn I was able to go hard into Asia. It actually didn’t seem to hurt the Japanese that much at all by not going PH and losing that navy right away. I set up for a max India assault on J3 which worked. Early games for this version but my feeling is that PH J1 is not a requirement depending on what you are facing.
Allies need a huge bid. Just played another game online where my opponet played allies and by turn 4 he was already in trouble and on t6 Germany was going to 100% take Moscow. I’d say at least a 6 bid if not more for allies.
@Mallery29 thabj you very much for your post.
You describe a KJF strategy, where USSR is left with very little support against the Germans, and Russia will fall early. Usually that means game over in older versions of the game (balance simply tipped to much).
I guess I better get used to, that it is not a race for Moscow or Berlin anymore.
What puzzles me is the positioning of the US at Solomon, this typically means that my US fleet is out of reach for all Japan units except bombers in Japan and Carrier based fighters, since I would expect Japan to have its navy shuttling sz60 and sz36.
But do I then stay in Solomon untill the US navy is strong enough to take on the Japanese and then go for Borneo or Phili? Problem is that i do not threaten Tokyo from Solomon.
The atlantic navy build up and shuck strategy from US 2 is also quite crucial - you want to take surviving US navy units to the pacific. Why not land in French West Africa if the G subs and bomber is out of reach?
I guess the optimal shuck strategy is E. Canada -> Norway/Finland and from there to go one can hit everything in Western Europe?
@Zhukov
I agree the 6 IPC tank price makes it almost all inf/art for Russia.
And I do agree that with the extra land zones in western Europe, there should be a “soft spot” somewhere. But still UK will probably only land up to 6 inf, and the US I guess will not build up to be the same KGF monster as in 42,1, so Germany can probably allow Allied landings and then counter with a superior number of units, making the invasion very cost-ineffective.
But I have to play more, to see how this works out.
In general I find it much harder to play Allies in this version, since the balance is tipped much toward Axis. There is simply very little room for Allied mistakes and it is so easy to make them, when US and UK has to fight a 2 front battle and the fleet mobilization in the atlantic is very risky.
Solomons is a target point to go after Borneo/Phillipines/EI. I can never say “when” is a good point, because it is totally up to Japan’s fleet position.
To protect Russia on Germany’s end, you may decide to save the cash and instead of buying US1 for WUS, go EUS, but still hit the Solomons…there is a balance needed to take the heat off Russia. By hit and run on Ukraine, you save yourself losing the tanks but still doing good damage. I’m not saying its easy, but you can’t be greedy with the Russians. Don’t try to hit every territory. Only go for 1 per turn as Russia against the German forces. You need time, not a push.
The 1 tank for Russia is a one time buy on R1. Not saying its the best option, but if you send one tank East to help with China and hit/run Ukraine, you will essentially have all your tanks on the front lines.
Defeat in the SZ37 only is bad if multiple Japan units survive. If the UK has stuff remaining, going KJF is what you NEED to do, because Borneo/Phillipines/EI can be hit UK2/US2. I’ve unfortunately not had a lot of success (only what, 67%?)
sadly the game we were playing was a KGF game. Germany is just too strong, but I do like the first round take buy to keep Germany from stacking in Karelia R1.
