ITALY - Tactics and Strategy

[a44bigdog]

In the few games I messed around with the new battlemap module I would say my findings back that up IL. I did not take Gibraltar on I1 as I wanted my navy in the central med to protect my new transport and to set up for African land battles. I think it is best to wait until latter for the Italians to attack the Russians to assist Germany. Because of the Russian NO I think the Allies will concentrate on Africa more as opposed to the old Karelia stack. if it looks like Africa is a lost cause a couple of bombers to help Germany harass England or Russia with can be money well spent.

I also think that Italy will be the new Japan in the game in that it will be the hardest to get the most optimal play out of.

[Von Deekin]

@Imperious:

Italy should take Gibraltar on I1, but stage for Egypt on I2 in Libya on her first turn.

Italy has a decision to make with the UK fleet outside the medd, which depends on what Germany will do or not finish. Other than that she should rid the medd of UK fleet on her first turn as far as naval moves go.

I think she has an outside chance to attack the Soviets on her first turn but this depends on what Germany does to take the pressure off any counter against her success against these targets.

with 10 IPC on I1, i would buy a transport or fighter because she has too many goods on the continent and she needs them quickly deployed in Africa, if Italy can do well in Africa it would deflect against her own insecurity in defending her mainland territories and force the fight away from Italy. So the most she can do to deplete UK IPC would be a much better idea than helping Germany attack the Soviets.

I’m unsure on the new rulebook, but, if the german transport in sz13 can be used to transport italian inf(x2) from the balkans to libya, on G1, then italy is in a good position to load up her trans on I1 & make an amphib into egypt with support from libya & don’t forget the BB & two CAs bombardment. There goes UK’s african connection.

[Admiral_Thrawn]

Yes, how is UK suppose to defend against Italy and Germany in Egypt? With Italy’s bombardment, which can whipe out half the army in the ridicoulous way the rules are for bombardment. There should be some disadvantage to amphibious assault. The way the game has it now, why would you not amphibious assault everytime in the Med? Yeah, thats the way it happened. Italy and Germany amphibious assaulted Egypt constantly and Italy’s Navy blew apart the commonwealth troops. Where is U.K.'s navy in the Med? They don’t even have a chance. The game also makes it almost impossible to get constant reinforcements to Egypt from the UK. Make it a challenge for the Axis to take Egypt, not a slaughter.

[Krupp Steel]

@a44bigdog:

In the few games I messed around with the new battlemap module I would say my findings back that up IL. I did not take Gibraltar on I1 as I wanted my navy in the central med to protect my new transport and to set up for African land battles. I think it is best to wait until latter for the Italians to attack the Russians to assist Germany. Because of the Russian NO I think the Allies will concentrate on Africa more as opposed to the old Karelia stack. if it looks like Africa is a lost cause a couple of bombers to help Germany harass England or Russia with can be money well spent.

I also think that Italy will be the new Japan in the game in that it will be the hardest to get the most optimal play out of.

Did Italy even get bomber pieces?

[Krieghund]

@Krupp:

Did Italy even get bomber pieces?

Of course.

[Krupp Steel]

@Krieghund:

@Krupp:

Did Italy even get bomber pieces?

Of course.

What kind is it? If I may ask, as I am not aware of Italian aircraft used during WW2.

Thanks.

[Krieghund]

Unfortunately, it didn’t get a unique sculpt.  They reused the Japanese bomber, molded in brown.  Apparently they thought that the Japanese Betty more closely resembled an actual Italian bomber than any of the other existing sculpts.

[a44bigdog]

Might not have been that bad a decision as some of the Italian bombers were frankly pretty ugly looking.

[Krupp Steel]

@Krieghund:

Unfortunately, it didn’t get a unique sculpt.  They reused the Japanese bomber, molded in brown.  Apparently they thought that the Japanese Betty more closely resembled an actual Italian bomber than any of the other existing sculpts.

Thanks for a quick answer :-), but either way I would have liked a unique sculpt even if it was ugly looking :-P

[Imperious Leader]

but, if the German transport in sz13 can be used to transport Italian inf(x2) from the Balkans to Libya, on G1, then Italy is in a good position to load up her trans on I1 & make an amphibious into Egypt with support from Libya & don’t forget the BB & two CAs bombardment. There goes UK’s african connection.

yes Italian troops can embark on German transports, but you know first the german transport needs top be in the central medd space, then next turn they load up, followed by one additional turn where they are floating on the transport, followed by landing…which takes 3 turns to compete. (Additional loads could take 2 turns if the transport was just static in central medd) I would rather get Germany to shift 2 units and shuck junk to Africa rather than mix it with Italy.

[Bierwagen]

@FieldMarshalGames:

Ok, thanks.

So this makes Gibraltar an actual objective for ITALY.  Unlike Rev Edition where Gibraltar was left alone, ITALY now has a stake in taking it from UK.  Not only will it add to the possible objective bonus, it will be a guard against / and be an additional distraction to the western allies in the Med campaign should ITALY take it.

Even when/if the Western Allies succeed in the “torch” operation, Gibraltar will give ITALY an AIRBASE in the western Med, and the allied capture of Algeria and even Libya do not effect this bonus.

In AAR I always take Gibraltar on G1. It denies the British a landing strip and an opportunity to counterstrike at my German fleet floating around in sz13. It is essential for trying to combine the German fleets. Of course in AA50, I’m not sure how that tactic will pan out.

Can’t wait to see!

[Romulus]

@Krupp:

@Krieghund:

Unfortunately, it didn’t get a unique sculpt.  They reused the Japanese bomber, molded in brown.  Apparently they thought that the Japanese Betty more closely resembled an actual Italian bomber than any of the other existing sculpts.

Thanks for a quick answer :-), but either way I would have liked a unique sculpt even if it was ugly looking :-P

I do not want to enter in a discussion about italian miniatures, it seems that the majority of the players are not interested in this aspect and, furthermore, A&A Anniversary is not a miniature game. So it is ok to use an already available mini.

However also I would like to have a unique sculpt for the Italian bombers. Moreover, it is really unclear to me where they discovered the similarity with the Betty.

The Japanese Betty was a medium bomber with two engine.
The more representative Italian Bomber the Savoia Marchetti SM-79 “Sparviero” (sparrowhawk) was a three engine medium bomber, used for level bombing and also as torpedo bomber. Moreover the SM-79 was really a bad looking airplane, it was knew in Italy as the “Gobbo” (humpbacked) for the layout of the body. For this reason it is similar to the Betty in the same manner that the Ju-88 is similar to the B-17. It was a stubborn airplane, used in several roles and missions.

The Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Airforce) entered the war with a respectable force of bombers so it is obvious that Italy get a Bomber.