Hello, I’ve been developing a consistent gambit to counter the KJF Strat.
Here’s what I came up with, and with all strategies, it’s counterable, if it wasn’t counterable, this game would be flawed.
I first developed a exact tactical layout for moving American ships southward toward Australia (or they will face serious consequences), and then snagging all the east indies, Malaya, philippines, Hong Kong, FIC, and possibly Shan state. By the end of turn 3, the lesser allies should be running hard and protecting their heels. This will make the KJF even more of a priority for the American player. The american player moves back north, which takes some time, a resource that the Japanese player will have to use wisely, for blitzing India and returning to Aust. This is called the Australian pump-fake.
The American player will not directly engage the southern fleet, lest they be utterly destroyed by superior might. On turns 2 and onward the Japanese player invests heavily in Submarines, possibly all of his IPC from the mobilize phase of turn 2. The Japanese player also blockades Japan itself with destroyers. The American can’t use it’s brute force to bring you down, and a long and tedious game of cat and mouse will occur in the Pacific, allowing for a Europe win for the axis. This is called Operation Atlantis.
This strat has worked for me several times in FtoF games, and if you want me to lay out the exact build and move orders for turns 1-3, I will happily do so.