@Grenadier:
I can see the merits of this strategy and how it will seriously hamper japanese expansion. I also appreciate that an unsuspecting japanese player will have to make some difficult decisions as a result of this strategy. That alone is a very powerful effect.
Most of my exotic strategies are based around the opponent not being sure of what’s best. Sure, if they know exactly what you are going to do, and what permutations you are going to do, they have a better chance, but there is no assurance of that.
Though the key to any strategy is adaptability. Every strategy has a counter, and if the opponent knows what your strategy is and you can’t change it, you are screwed. Hence, you keep your options open. If Japan is contained but not killed, Britain could simply start massing a fleet, which they can afford thanks to having their eastern assets liberated. Or if Russia is still alive, you could just make a run for the VC condition with a quick capture of Western Europe and East Poland.
@Grenadier:
What remains to be seen is if japan would be dead g6 as you said. If the japanese player ‘turtles’ as germany usually does it would become costly and difficult to invade them. If for some reason japan is only contained and not destroyed you’ll have a very large and dangerous germany to worry about.
The key to stopping that is SBR. If Japan lacks territories outside their capital, SBRs will near completely disable their production.
If Japan turtles early enough, use the UK air force to bombard Germany’s IC while the US bombards the Russian ones, which have probably been captured, then simply attack the Axis where-ever they are weak. You should have 10 VCs assuming that Japan is not captured but Russia has been lost. All you need to do is grab 2-5 to win. Japan can be held in check by a fleet of 3 or 4 Bombers reducing its production to nothing.
@Grenadier:
I like your idea, its novel, but I’m not convinced that this would be as simple as advertised. The key, as stated already, is to create options for the allies to go either way. If Germany is entirely ignored you lose said options.
Hence, I’ve abandoned the more extreme version, instead, Russia sends 4 of its western infantry, 8 of its siberian infantry, and a R1 bomber to help the east, nothing more.
Once again, Bombers are vital to this strategy, both for their ability to prevent Germany from building a fleet, eliminating the Italian and Japanese fleets, SBRing Japan to the point that it can only make 2 Infantry every other turn as well as participating in the final capture, and SBRing Germany and Italy to reduce their sizeable incomes.
New Builds:
[R1: 3 Tank, 1 Infantry, 1 Bomber][R2: 4 Tanks, 3 Infantry][R3+: Tanks/Infantry]
[B1: 2 Bombers, 1 IC][B2: 1 Bomber, 1 Carrier, 2 Transports/Tanks/Infantry][B3+: 2 Bombers, 3 Tanks/Infantry]
[A1: 1 Carrier, 2 Transports, 2 Tanks][A2: 4 Bombers][A3+: 4ish Bombers]
Adapt builds as needed, of course. On A4, Japan gets nailed by 4 SBRs, on A5, that goes up to 7 or 8, assuming that you don’t simply capture it A5.
Japan should get about 140 IPCs over the first 4 turns+their starting money. That’s probably enough to convince them that they can actually fight back, not turtle. If they turtle, they will end up with even less money and die anyways.
