@rjclayton:
True, but if Japan can be kept out of Africa and pushed back all the way to India/Persia by the US/Russia combo, isn’t this potentially a better tradeoff for the allies? Remember, we are talking about alternative strategies that have potential. I think this one has potential.
Well yeah, if Japan goes for Africa (really more of a “when” than an “if”), the Allies should move reinforcements to Africa. That is to say, if Japan is moving towards Africa in significant force (often signified more by a transport than an India IC), then the Allies should have some units there. If Japan sends in enough forces to overwhelm the Allied forces, the Allies can send in more, and meanwhile Japan is not attacking Russia. In that case - yes, two fleets.
But although it’s a workable strategy, even a good strategy - and remember, I did mention that I have used two fleets in games - I think that two fleets in the Atlantic is really something that depends on the board situation.
Come to think of it, though, ONE fleet in the Atlantic is also something that depends on the board situation. I haven’t said that in so many words yet, this thread.
So I suppose - and I think axis_roll would agree - that sometimes you want one Atlantic fleet, and sometimes you want two Atlantic fleets.
–
But I think that calling for a US/Russia combo is not correct to attack Japan.
Even with Germany contained, Germany’s standing army is often quite powerful, and able to inflict heavy casualties on any Allied forces pressing in on Germany. With the UK and US together, Germany will be forced to take considerable casualties in return for any strafe or attack. With the UK alone, though, Germany can press BACK on the Allies.
Japan has enormous flexibility with 5+ transports, so any Allied force along the coast has to be truly gigantic, as Japan can use the forces from an adjacent territory plus air plus battleship support shots and transported units, plus any tanks that are two territories away, for a very possible attack force of 12 infantry 5 tanks 5 fighters 1 bomber 2 battleship support shots, against any Allied coastal territory attack. If you are transporting units from Eastern US to Caucasus, and Germany has a fighter threat from Germany and/or Southern Europe, and the Allied fleet is split, progress in Asia can be a bit uncertain (and will probably stall once the Allies pass India anyways).
This is why I prefer to use UK and US to finish or contain Germany, while Russia presses back against Japan alone. Russia doesn’t push as far as Soviet Far East/Burytia, or maybe even as far as China, but Russia does contain Japanese aggression. With Moscow secure and Berlin contained and soon to fall, the Allies will eventually win.