Ok, I’ve got a few points, first Europe:
Against a J1 DOW:
Thank you @simon33 for this very well layed out UK plan!
@crockett36 Let me say it again for clarity, the US needs to be putting 8 units or more in Eurasia every turn, without interruption after turn 7. They need to be a cohesive fighting force that will achieve victory, defend with its British allies and cause the enemy to bleed. This cannot be accomplished by several minor US factories sprinkled around the periphery. That strategy is good for sandbagging, but is a bandage and cannot achieve the critical mass needed for victory. It merely staves off defeat.
The Death Blow
Victory in Europe requires a naval shuck.
Victory in Europe requires a naval shuck. As a reminder, you need to be adding to your navy regularly in order to stay ahead of any attempt at breaking the blockade, normally in the late game by an air strike. That being said, let’s return to a thumbnail sketch of our individual nations and their strengths. Russia is supposed to have the strength of a horde. Three out of every four German casualties occurred on the Eastern front. If the allies have saved Russia by flying in a ton of planes, she can fight her way back toward Berlin. Not to Berlin, but toward it. Usually by this time, she is needed to assist with a neglected Japan. Hopefully she still has forces in Scandinavia; Russia can scrape with the Jerrys over Nov.
Russia should attempt to drive south as soon as possible. There is a swath of 2s that runs further south past Persia. Tangle with the enemy over these with the help of the British. Russia should let the middle–the area around the Pippett Marshes be the battleground where Ger and Rus can trade territories and bleed out.
The Americans have a complex fighting force, with mobility. Stay mobile. Historically we pushed in and liberated Paris. This game rewards being in Fr, not Paris. Stay near your coast, your transports. Secure Normandy and buttress it. Make it impregnable. Meanwhile, new recruits are arriving. Keep them mobile. Move together with the English from one territory to the next. For instance, a drop of soldiers into Denmark sees the Ger drive them out with soldiers. This puts those soldiers out of place. They can assist with W Ger, but cannot help with Paris or Ger. Avoid going for it! Do not throw away your fighters or bombers to secure anything, but the capital. You are winning. Do not blow it…
@crockett36 It is essential to create a growing sense of doom. The enemy is being nibbled from the edges by the British and the Russians. You are locked in an existential fight with the Hun. Grow, expand, having secured your base, don’t lose it without causing him to incur a great loss. Europe is yours to lose.
@crockett36 I am curious what your thoughts are on attacking the neutrals to get the shuck started. Sz 91 the easiest beachhead to defend for the allies plus if the UK has factories the ME it can attack Turkey to pierce the underbelly of the Axis. This move would require several of your strategic objectives to be met but if you have them met through Egypt I think this move has a net positive impact for the allies.
@AldoRaine i have never thought about it seriously, but three things have caused me to rethink my opinion. America can reach Spain and have room to breathe. If Germany captures it, but doesn’t destroy the shuck, those troops are seriously out of position. Secondly, England can simultaneously grab Turkey and Saudia Arabia, gaining cash and access to Europe. Thirdly, Russia can grab Sweden if it took Scandinavia as I recommend.
Obviously, you need to kill the resistance with minimal casualties by using air, artillery and bombardment if possible.
@crockett36 might try that soon
I’ve done a couple of Spanish beachheads. Main problem seems to be that supporting it ties up almost all the US income and Japan goes wild.
USSR invades Finland in sufficient strength to take Sweden? Moscow might be in trouble.
The main bet that crockett36 makes is taking out Germany while delaying Japanese expansion. Using china to defeat Japanese infantry, using ships as blockades, sneaky karls, etc. Then around mid game, focuses on japan.
The Spanish beach head imo is my favorite KGF at the moment. I have used it a few times, and have played against it at least 4 or 5 times now. It puts Germany into a defensive roll faster, all the while still bieng able to threaten that big transport drop on Italy, west Germany, or Norway. The only drawback, is britian HAS to take turkey, and Sweden goes to Germany. Germany cant stack Paris to keep you off of the minors in France, since they also still have to safe guard west Germany, and Germany simultaneously… that is a lot of income not going into russia.
@simon33 I need to figure the math on that. Germ loses 5 for not having the pennisula, 2 and maybe 3 more for Fin, Nor. That’s 1 mech, 1 tank per turn from Ger income. It adds a man per turn to Russia’s. If you just retreated back to Moscow the Nor/Fin German troops eventually become fodder to take Nov and more if you let them. Plus a supply route for British and Amer fighters to make their way East to help out Uncle Joe. Seems worth it.
How wild can we let Japan go? I’d say 64 to 70, if we’re suppressing Ger to mid 50s and holding Moscow. With that kind of pressure on Ger, Brit & China and Anzac and 50 percent of the Russian IPCs might be able to freeze the Japanese expansion and even begin to reverse it.
maybe. You get a benefit of zero as USSR from the point you lose Moscow. Sending a big chunk of troops to Finland and Norway makes this likely G6.
I love going after Norway as USA, but unless USA or UK help, it’s too much of a weakening of Moscow.
@ReturntoNES Re: Spanish Beachhead: How do you deal with all the free guys that the axis get? Turkey, south africa, sweden, afghanistan?
I was originally excited about this thread, and it was interesting to hear other people’s ideas about how to create a playbook that could give beginner-to-intermediate players a comprehensive overview of what specific moves they should make to do well with the Allied side during the first few moves of a Global 1940 game.
At this point, though, it looks like the thread has mostly degenerated into a general stream-of-consciousness discussion about “how to win at Global 1940.” I’m not seeing a focus on the opening, I’m not seeing an attempt to be comprehensive, and I’m not seeing recommendations for specific moves.
Do people want to try to get the thread back on track, toward creating a playbook? If so, I’d love to continue the discussion. If not, I’m going to unfollow the thread and let you all enjoy the rest of the conversation.
@Argothair I know what you mean. I think the trouble is that it is very difficult to come up with a difinitive plan for the allies. You have to assume certain actions by the axis. I thought I had a pretty decent go at it but I did leave out a few points:
I agree with you @Argothair ,thank you for putting this up @simon33 .
In the end it will be more of a to do list.
But if that is what helps starters out to get into strategies and tactics against Axis players so be it.
Studying the map also helps out a lot and a “when to build what”.
@Argothair I don’t disagree with your assessment of the thread, but it certainly seems that Allied victory, especially OOB, is hard and difficult and is dependent on the Axis. It is difficult to assess good allied opening moves bc certain allies may or may not be able to even enter the war on a given turn. Certainly the income swing for the US is difficult to speculate on as your looking at spending 52 and sitting on your thumbs or (usually) 72 and posturing somewhere, or maybe japan didn’t get the philipines, and so its 77?? So, i guess all that to ask what do you think it should look like? A seperate main category entitled Global Allied Strategy, and then you can create sub categories with different speculations such as ‘G1 USSR DOW, J3 DOW’, or G1Sealion J2 Suprise Strike’? I am curious to see how a spanish beachhead works out, i’ve seen it used twice to little effect, but i want to see what others come up with, which i think requires a certain level meandering. What is a good setup that we all get to discuss and we all get the desired end product?
@Aaron_the_Warmonger I was assuming a simultaneous grab of many of those by the Allies.
