Well if there is any real opportunity to wear Germany down by landing in Northwestern then yeah jump on it…but me I’ve got so many figs and armor and artillery (not to mention inf) adjacent to there that I can drub any force landing there…the only thing good for the Allies is I need to take NW Europe for the NO so the Allies can counter right back.
But really the safer strategy is go heavy on Baltic/Poland with all 3 allies…but as you remark if Germany has the France factory they may have too many infs by the time the Allies finally take Eastern Europe…by that time Japan is knocking on the door and none of the Allies can take on the massive inf stack.
The only way to stop this IMO is deny Germany and Italy their NOs so they don’t have the cash to build up the raw numbers and have trouble defending France, much less retaking Leningrad or Stalingrad.
The France factory is a nice strategy but it’s not invincible IMO–it’s vulnerable to SBRs and if you can keep Axis cash poor by winning the battles for Africa and Leningrad early then it can backfire for Axis.
One favourite of mine is to drop an AA-gun into NWE, it will make the Germans gnash their teeth! :evil: Honestly just sitting watching the Germans building up a massive inf stack in France isn’t going to get you anywhere, you just will be waiting for that Japanese flag over Moscow! If you build CAs as UK, they should be used every turn.
Well, I see a French IC as the best German strategy and if they’re allowed to build with impunity there you will be very hard pressed as Allies.
you could also do the polish IC as that puts you closer to Moscow for builds, which is more the German focus if they desire to win, rather than just turtle in France/Germany until Japan rescues them.
It’s a tall order, yes, but you won’t win AA50 against a NO-boosted Axis easy!
true, but i’d argue that the Axis can’t win without holding Italy.
What other territory can be hit by all three enemy powers, contains an IC AND is next to a capital? :?
France, in your strategy… :wink:
Axis can’t win without holding Italy.
Same as in Revised (not SE in AAR), although Italy is not nearly as important as the other capitals, if either side keep all their capitals, but capture one of the opponents, it usually means victory for the player who captures a capital first. Italy could be different b/c it’s not so important as the other capitals, but if allies keep Moscow, and capture Italy, allies will trade many important TTs adjecant to Italy. Italy is usually not worth a lot, but I think if axis lose Italy, then Japan better hurry up take Moscow.
France, in your strategy…
No, Russia can’t hit France. Caucasus can be hit Japan, Italy and German on consecutive turns without a Russian counter. I’m sure that’s why Larry Harris introduced the Dardanelles rule.
France is better than Poland since it has a 6 production cap. It helps against SBR and you can pump out a lot of inf if you need to. It’s usually no problem getting an infantry chain going starting at Germany, the big thing is getting enough inf into it and for that you need a high IC capacity and loads of IPCs.
Germany can’t use territory trade forces to march vs. Russia, as they will be doing if you invade Poland
On the other hand, hitting NWE doesn’t disrupt supply lines to the eastern front like invading poland can. Armor can potentially shoot through if held back for NCMs, but any inf retaking poland should get smacked again the next turn so Germany has to use armor as fodder against the russian infs if it’s trying to hold a position to the east.
The idea is for Germany to have such strong forces they can stack FRA, GER and POL against invasion, which is a real possibility with NOs. If you do succeed to get POL a turn, it should be retaken by superior German forces to UK’s and these can then continue towards the east front. Forces retaking NWE are sent the wrong way, on the other hand.
The idea is for Germany to have such strong forces they can stack FRA, GER and POL against invasion, which is a real possibility with NOs. If you do succeed to get POL a turn, it should be retaken by superior German forces to UK’s and these can then continue towards the east front. Forces retaking NWE are sent the wrong way, on the other hand.
another good reason to take Italy down first… then drop troops in through Romania to hit the eastern front…
No need to do the Baltic closing, Allies should be invading France or Italy and the Baltic isn’t as good a place as it used to be sail that invasion fleet into.
Maybe we should start playing with the optional rules in League and Tourney games? It might be more balanced, maybe even a 50/50?
lol, i’ve won more games with allies with Britain in baltic and us in france, than both in france or italy
Yes, closing SZ 16 is a winner for the Allies.
It is a long walk for the Italians, and closes another invasion point for the Japanese.
France, in your strategy…
No, Russia can’t hit France. Caucasus can be hit Japan, Italy and German on consecutive turns without a Russian counter. I’m sure that’s why Larry Harris introduced the Dardanelles rule.
Well to be honest Lynxes Russia is closer to France than Japan is to the Caucasus. The Karelian IC is one Sea Zone and one land territory away from France. Obviously due to material shortages it is EXTREMELY unlikely - but a Russian transport in the Baltic could (in theory - close to the end of the game) take France - allowing it to be bolstered by UK and US Ftrs and troops. I’m half joking - I can’t REALLY see it happening against a competent axis player.
But the point still stands Japan is not NEXT to the Caucasus - she is not really even close. But she is so powerful - that (This is what I think you are getting at)… to Japan it doesn’t matter - she is powerful enough to project her forces that far.
I like to make many small invasions of France. I know that I will lose France to either Italy or Germany, but it gives the Uk or US 11 ipcs a turn. Then I also like to keep italy’s hand tied in north afica with the US. Italy is forced to worry about either Africa or France. In all my expiernces Italy has chosen Africa for the national objectives and ipc values. Then Germany is forced to send valuabe units to france rather than russia. The entire time I save unts for the grand invasion of France. Because Russia wasn’t germany’s only target it was able to stay pretty strong. Unless things go terribly for the allies(bad dice roles) this seems to work pretty good.
The following straights are added to the game board, unlike canals, a player needs only to control one territory to control naval access to the adjacent sea zones. Submarines and air units may move normally.
I play with this in all my games, alot more fair
The problem with this thread is it doesn’t specify 41 or '42. I haven’t played '42, but I hear it favours the Allies with or without optional rules.
I’ve made a poll about Dardanelles Closed ('41, NOs, and tech) in the 1941 section. Go and vote!
Both the 41 and 42 scenarios favors axis with NOs, and both scenarios favors allies w/o NOs.
The following straights are added to the game board, unlike canals, a player needs only to control one territory to control naval access to the adjacent sea zones. Submarines and air units may move normally.
- Gibraltar – No units may cross the border dividing sea zones 12 and 13 without control of Gibraltar
- Denmark – No units may enter or exit sea zone 5 without control of Northwest Europe
- Dardanelles – No sea units, not even subs, may enter or exit sea zone 16 without control of Turkey
I play with this in all my games, alot more fair
1. I find the Coastal Guns rules (Surface Ships ONLY – subs can pass freely. You NEED DDs to restrict the passage of subs.) from AARHE much more useful for Gibraltar and the Channel passage issues.
To pass Gibraltar, Sz 1 to Sz 2 or vice versa, all Axis Surface Ships ONLY are subject to fire from the Fortress Guns at Gibraltar - Hit on a 1 or 2.
To Pass through the narrowest point in the Channel, between Dover and Pas de Calais, all surface ships - either side - are subject to gun emplacements of the other side (that also spent the war firing on each other - yes, they were quite long ranged) - Hit on a 1.
[Note: With Historical Setup you can even re-enact the ‘Channel Dash’ of the BB’s Scharhorst/Gneisenau [http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/battleships/index.html ] and their accompanying Destroyer escorts.
Set up 1 BB and 1 DD in Sz 7 {1941 Scenario} to re-enact the Dash. For {1942 Scenario} both set up in the Baltic and the BB has a Damage Marker underneath.
To reflect the surprise of the British, the guns only get to fire at the BB’s, not the DDs. :wink:
2. Agreed, although Norway must also be controlled to enter Baltic.
Although, while I always play it that way, Allied subs are free to pass through the Kattegat if they survive a Mine Roll [1-3 Sink, 4-6 Pass]. 8-)
See also [http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=15710.msg517854#msg517854 ]
This works really well when you add the following NO that was curiously omitted from AA50 - and honestly, anyone who believes the NO objectives are biased towards the Axis should look at Italy’s NO. [The UK & USA just suck up the IPCs with their generous NOs.]
Germany:
• Gain 5 IPCs if Axis control Baltic [Sz5] - with no Allied naval units present, plus control the following adjacent territories: NW Europe, Germany, Poland, Baltic States, Finland, and Norway.
Allied subs, even Russian, can be real thorns in the Axis side - although at least the German Navy does not just roll over and die so easy anymore, especially with AA Cruisers / Old BBs (incl. captured BB’s/Cruisers fitted out for AA role). :-D
You could also go further, if anyone plays with the Soviet Baltic Fleet accurately represented as the Eastern Baltic entrance (S of Finland) was also heavily mined by Germany/Finland during the 1st week of the attack from June 41.
[But thats a topic for a future thread. wink
3. Agreed. To do otherwise is just inaccurate as even the Main UK fleet in WW1 lost BBs just entering the Southern end of the Dardanelles. The turks have the length of the Dardanelles heavily fortified with Forts and Mines. Certain Suicide for any attempt to pass. :roll:
PS: Don’t forget to check out the following Improved China Mod:
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=15626.0 ]
