As the Axis, I would love for the UK to build a complex in Egypt on UK1. Then, Germany can build a complex in Yugoslavia on G2 and use the combined Italy/Germany assault on it to take it. Also, seeing this, as Japan I would do an India Crush strategy so as to sow up the Middle East for the Euro-Axis along with all of Africa.
I love the idea as the Axis if the UK did this for me.
I’m pretty sure you’d get smoked giving that much attention to the Med with Germany. I pulled this off one game in Alpha+2 and ended up smaking down everything thrown at Egypt, then the US mopped up the battered remains of Europe.
I actually thought of doing this before, I had filed it as Mid-East command option A.K.A. “Case Montgomery” :-D
I really like it, as trying to truck things all the way up from south Africa can be time and IPC consuming. I usually play very defensively as the UK so I would have a large number of units in Egypt by the time I would put the IC down around UK2. Really by UK3 (provided there is no sealion, but lets not get into that again :roll: ) the Uk can really start to throw down more offensive units and by UK4 or 5 at the latest the Italians are sunk, metaphorically speaking :lol:
My first naval builds with Germany are all sea units, no transports.
If I see UK go all out in the Med with the fleets / fighters and spend 12 IPC to build an IC, not only I will prepare to interdict the UK with subs and work wiping out all the UK fleet (the usual way), but I will also save a portion of my money on G2 to force UK to buy infantry on UK2 or buy transports straight…
If the UK spends 12 IPC, that’s only 6 additional infantry in London. Taking London becomes more attractive because you get to knock out Africa with a complex on it… Without the additional planes, London will fall (and will definitely fall if IPCs are spent in Africa on UK 2 or UK 3.
As the Axis, I would love for the UK to build a complex in Egypt on UK1. Then, Germany can build a complex in Yugoslavia on G2 and use the combined Italy/Germany assault on it to take it. Also, seeing this, as Japan I would do an India Crush strategy so as to sow up the Middle East for the Euro-Axis along with all of Africa.
I love the idea as the Axis if the UK did this for me.
I’m pretty sure you’d get smoked giving that much attention to the Med with Germany. I pulled this off one game in Alpha+2 and ended up smaking down everything thrown at Egypt, then the US mopped up the battered remains of Europe.
Fair enough. I was thinking about this some more after posting and thought……do Sealion!!! If the UK builds the complex on UK1, and then Germany buys the requisite transports on G2, the UK has a choice: defend the UK and don’t build in Egypt, or build in Egypt and allow Sealion. If Germany takes the UK on G3 or G4, the UK will only get a max of two builds out of the complex. Of course, on a G3 Sealion Russia goes to war immediately, but Germany won’t be pulling as many units off of Europe as in a G4 Sealion either. Anyways, this is a way that Germany could help out Italy, by simply taking out the UK Europe.
Is this perfect? Who knows, but it is probably better then having the UK alone annihilate Italy.
I will say again, I would couple this with an India Crush strategy by Japan so that Egypt can’t be reenforced for long.
So why get the complex on UK1? Why not wait til UK2 when the threat of a surprise sea lion is over?
@Cmdr:
So why get the complex on UK1? Why not wait til UK2 when the threat of a surprise sea lion is over?
Because the premise of Gargantua’s post was that the UK purchase the complex for Egypt on UK 1.
I wouldnt be comfortable placing the IC on UK1, I would want to have a turn to build in London
I wouldnt be comfortable placing the IC on UK1, I would want to have a turn to build in London
Me too… despite the G1 build, I would feel better about doing a defensive build in the UK first round to take Sea Lion off the table. I think that the factory build in Egypt is a viable move, but it should come in UK 2.
Building it on UK2 seems to be a better option to me because at that point the UK will know if Germany is going to attempt Sea Lion (for the next few turns, at least).
@Cmdr:
So why get the complex on UK1? Why not wait til UK2 when the threat of a surprise sea lion is over?
Because the premise of Gargantua’s post was that the UK purchase the complex for Egypt on UK 1.
I understand that. I was offering round 2 as an alternative.
On the other hand, building it UK1 might essentially invite Germany to do Sea Lion, which could be beneficial for the Allies (the USA and USSR enter the war earlier, troops are committed to London, etc.).
On the other hand, building it UK1 might essentially invite Germany to do Sea Lion, which could be beneficial for the Allies (the USA and USSR enter the war earlier, troops are committed to London, etc.).
I think this has been the first time I have actually seen a reason to bait Germany into doing sealion. If the Uk builds the IC in Egypt on UK1 and spends the rest of its income in England, then on UK2 builds 2 infantry and a tank in Egypt with the rest spent in England, Germany might just be tempted enough to try sealion. Even if the Germans take London, the extra forces in Egypt will tip the balance against Italy and bring the US and the Soviets into the war, which means London would only be occupied for 2 turns at most. Now there is something to think about 8-)
On the other hand, building it UK1 might essentially invite Germany to do Sea Lion, which could be beneficial for the Allies (the USA and USSR enter the war earlier, troops are committed to London, etc.).
Yes, that was one of the reasons to bait Germany in Alpha 2. If one saw Japan pull out far from home (SZ 36 with no naval base for instance) one might invite Germany to attack England (by pulling out all your planes and landing them in Africa for instance) and have America jump into SZ 6 smashing what Japan built + taking Korea and/or Tokyo.
Now Russia can attack too.
Ok so UK builds the complex UK 2, Then what? Italy is NEVER going to get in there??? Is that not the end of the game?
Hell, you could build a transport in south Africa UK1, and use your 2 SAF infantry to reinforce Egypt, or otherwise.
Or a transport and artillery for 12…
My point is, with the 4 hits you get from your AA guns, that’s 4 infantry you don’t HAVE to build UK1.
That’s 12 IPC’s the UK can SAFELY spend elsewhere….
Gargantua Im with you on this one its a great stratgey though I stop short at saying it breaks the game. There are two things to consider I think:
Im not saying the IC in Egypt is a bad idea, on the contrary, I think its one of the best I’ve heard I just dont think it breaks the game.
The only reasonable counter I can think is letting Italy get Paris and the other French Territories. Those 19 pludered IPCs plus the 4IPC from France, 3 IPC from SFR (I don’t remember if it was 3 or 2) Plus the starting 10 would get them 38 IPCs plus objectives if any. This could give Italy enough points to get all their NOs and become a big force. Even if Germany will be slightly weaker, at least you will have two major powers in Europe.
Well here’s a better one for you…
Build a transport SAF Uk1, you can certainly afford to spend the 7 IPC’s there.
Get your other transport out of the med, and within range of SAF, then start shucking 3 units a turn, using your naval bases and ANOTHER transport UK 2 or 3, or 4. from SAF to EGY.
How’s that?
If Germany goes hard Sea Lion, you sit on your hands for a turn or two and do a typical defense.
Not bad, I’d buy the transport UK1 and still buy the IC on UK2, or maybe UK3 now that I could move something like 6 units a turn from SA to Egypt
Well, with a transport you are still limited to 3 units a round. With a complex you are up to 6 (S. Afr +3, Egypt +3). I do like one in C. Persia however, and it is far safer from the Italians than Egypt. Granted, Egypt is a stronger position to deny them objectives.
Sounds like the best way to get the British into the game early. Everything goes to airpower/navy gearing up for a Norway/Normandy landings UK 4/5/6 etc.
