Hello, I play pacific 1940 a lot. I have also played global a few times. Pacific 1940 second edition is a great game but I can almost easily win every time if I’m Japan and I attack on the third turn. A new rule was passed around late 2014 to allow the USA to receive a 30 IPC bonus if Japan attacks or declares war on them before turn 4. This seems to balance the game a little but I can still always win with Japan. The strategy for Japan is pretty much the same. Take the money islands, build a minor in French Indo China and Kwangtung and knock out China and India. Post in the Philippines with your huge navy and three fighters that can scramble and those six deadly kamikizes. Let Anzac and USA come to you so you can use the fighters to defend at 4 when the big navy battle happens. Eventually you will be making more than the allies with the money islands NO and the India NO. You should be around the 70-75 mark. Then when the time is right strike at Sydney or Hawaii and hold it and you should win as it will be six victory cities. For the allies, man this can be tuff lol. You better hope Japan attacks you on turn 1 or turn 4 because turn 2 and especially 3 it’s going to be difficult.
1: China: buy men and hit and run and fall back to the north west of China. You will be lucky if the Burma road is open more than two turns. Pull back and make Japan come to you.
2: UK: pull everyone back to India and just buy men!!! Try to bring your navy down to Australia and unite them with Anzac and hopefully later USA. If it looks like India is going to fall then pull your airforce out and send them to Australia to hopefully land on a Anzac or American carrier. If Japan hasn’t declared war early then take as many islands in the south as possible .
3: Anzac: small ships and transports are good. if it looks like Japan is going to invade then pull your forces to south Australia because from there you can hit any territory. Use your small ships to convoy raid or unite with the main USA fleet. Queensland is a great staging area for the allied navy early in the game. Also since there’s a airbase there fighters don’t hurt also since they can scramble.
4:USA: the big boy lol. The problem is when USA is neutral she only makes a freaking 17 ipcs a turn. While Japan is around the 40 mark and Japan has soooooooo many aircraft at its disposal. USA I say aircraft carrier early then mainly subs, destroyers, and a transport every turn with land units. A few rounds into the game get a navy base on the Johnson islands and start combining your fleet with the Anzac fleet and hopefully a small UK fleet. try to take the money islands by sacrificing transports because Japan will have a bigger navy early in the game. When the time is right move to Dutch New Guinea with your fleet and prepare for the big battle. Sometimes it’s better if Japan attacks you and sometimes it’s better if you attsck them. Hopefully you will have a lot of subs at your disposal. If you win the navy battle then Japan is pretty much toast even if they have India and China. Good luck and let me know how the war goes lol. I am playing anniversary edition on Saturday 😜
Kill USA First
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Well Vareel, you mentioned some good points. I’m not saying the game is broken, because a blockade is possible (not likely though). So if we would play a game announcing this is the Jap strat, for sure you’ll win as allies. Now I’m practicing the same strategy with more camouflage in it. Meaning; it’s not clear Japan turn 1 goes straight for KUF. That includes, Japan could decide to act different in turn 2 and also has the opportunities to do so (position of units, planes and ships). I earlier stated in turn 1, I land all my tac bombers, bombers and fighters (except those on the AC’s) in the coastal landzone north of Kwantung. This does not look as a KUF strategy, correct? All planes are in reach of Japan turn 2, Alaska turn 3, US turn 4. My main problem to hide my KUF-plans for turn 2 are the J-1 movements of ships and units at Caroline Islands. If I’d move them to Japanese waters directly, the US gets really suspicious, if I don’t I could head for great difficulties in turn 2 and 3.
That said, it’s absolutely not completely idiot and it’s not a trap only newbies would fall in to. It’s just a nice puzzle.
Greets!
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Eh, if your transports are north its pretty obvious your going to try and kill the US.
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Yep, it is. That shouldn’t be a problem if there is no possible defense for the US. Now there is only a valid defense if the US act 100% right in buying and moving in their first turn. Meaning; if Japan pulls up a smoke curtain…moves planes out of KUF-position to Asia turn 1, moves some ships out of KUF position…it is very likely the US doesn’t see it coming.
Still no karma? :oops:
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If your transports are not right next to the coast a simple SZ 7 block stalls your plan. I only think this will work once, after that your enemy should see it coming, I’m sorry mate. Its like sea lion.
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@KH:
Well Vareel, you mentioned some good points. I’m not saying the game is broken, because a blockade is possible (not likely though). So if we would play a game announcing this is the Jap strat, for sure you’ll win as allies. Now I’m practicing the same strategy with more camouflage in it. Meaning; it’s not clear Japan turn 1 goes straight for KUF. That includes, Japan could decide to act different in turn 2 and also has the opportunities to do so (position of units, planes and ships). I earlier stated in turn 1, I land all my tac bombers, bombers and fighters (except those on the AC’s) in the coastal landzone north of Kwantung. This does not look as a KUF strategy, correct? All planes are in reach of Japan turn 2, Alaska turn 3, US turn 4. My main problem to hide my KUF-plans for turn 2 are the J-1 movements of ships and units at Caroline Islands. If I’d move them to Japanese waters directly, the US gets really suspicious, if I don’t I could head for great difficulties in turn 2 and 3.
That said, it’s absolutely not completely idiot and it’s not a trap only newbies would fall in to. It’s just a nice puzzle.
Greets!
Personally, I think that the Allies can stop Japan from taking WUSA even if they don’t use their fleet to block Japan from taking Alaska on turn 2. The Allies start off with 20 planes (19 if you don’t count China’s since it can’t leave China). Of those 19 planes, the Allies can get up to 16 of them on WUSA by turn 3 (10 USA, 4 ANZAC, and 2 UK fighters (UK lands them in Northern Territories turn 1, then the USA carrier off of Johnson Island on turn 2, then WUSA on turn 3). The USA transport moves to the ANZAC naval base turn 1, and can reach WUSA with two infantry on turn 3 since they gain access to ANZAC’S naval base on turn 2 after Japan attacks Alaska. UK could even build a bomber on turn 1 and get it to WUSA turn 3 to use as cannon fodder. Turn 3, USA builds 9 tanks and 1 fighter. I just don’t see how WUSA is going to fall. Even if they somehow do manage to take it, Japan’s economy probably won’t even be 40 due to their loses elsewhere. UK’s economy alone will probably actually be greater than Japan’s (Dutch East Indies, Siam, French-Indo China, both National Objectives, plus any 1 IPC islands they manage to take). It would certainly make for a different and interesting game, but still a Japanese loss.
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@KH:
Well Vareel, you mentioned some good points. I’m not saying the game is broken, because a blockade is possible (not likely though). So if we would play a game announcing this is the Jap strat, for sure you’ll win as allies. Now I’m practicing the same strategy with more camouflage in it. Meaning; it’s not clear Japan turn 1 goes straight for KUF. That includes, Japan could decide to act different in turn 2 and also has the opportunities to do so (position of units, planes and ships). I earlier stated in turn 1, I land all my tac bombers, bombers and fighters (except those on the AC’s) in the coastal landzone north of Kwantung. This does not look as a KUF strategy, correct? All planes are in reach of Japan turn 2, Alaska turn 3, US turn 4. My main problem to hide my KUF-plans for turn 2 are the J-1 movements of ships and units at Caroline Islands. If I’d move them to Japanese waters directly, the US gets really suspicious, if I don’t I could head for great difficulties in turn 2 and 3.
That said, it’s absolutely not completely idiot and it’s not a trap only newbies would fall in to. It’s just a nice puzzle.
Greets!
Personally, I think that the Allies can stop Japan from taking WUSA even if they don’t use their fleet to block Japan from taking Alaska on turn 2. The Allies start off with 20 planes (19 if you don’t count China’s since it can’t leave China). Of those 19 planes, the Allies can get up to 16 of them on WUSA by turn 3 (10 USA, 4 ANZAC, and 2 UK fighters (UK lands them in Northern Territories turn 1, then the USA carrier off of Johnson Island on turn 2, then WUSA on turn 3). The USA transport moves to the ANZAC naval base turn 1, and can reach WUSA with two infantry on turn 3 since they gain access to ANZAC’S naval base on turn 2 after Japan attacks Alaska. UK could even build a bomber on turn 1 and get it to WUSA turn 3 to use as cannon fodder. Turn 3, USA builds 9 tanks and 1 fighter. I just don’t see how WUSA is going to fall. Even if they somehow do manage to take it, Japan’s economy probably won’t even be 40 due to their loses elsewhere. UK’s economy alone will probably actually be greater than Japan’s (Dutch East Indies, Siam, French-Indo China, both National Objectives, plus any 1 IPC islands they manage to take). It would certainly make for a different and interesting game, but still a Japanese loss.
Now Jap says “fake out!”, and takes hawaii, Philipines, Ind, and Nsw, and NZealand which are now all ripe for the picking! If the allies respond to a KUF in such a way that they lose if Japan decides not to go through with it, then it’s still a working strategy :wink:
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Now Jap says “fake out!”, and takes hawaii, Philipines, Ind, and Nsw, and NZealand which are now all ripe for the picking! If the allies respond to a KUF in such a way that they lose if Japan decides not to go through with it, then it’s still a working strategy :wink:
I agree that the Japanese player should try to set up situations where they leave the Allies guessing. But moving the entire fleet to Japanese waters on turn 1 means that the entire Allied fleet will survive. The Allied starting surface fleet isn’t that much smaller than Japan’s (and the 3 extra transports they start off with largely offsets any Japanese advantage in my opinion).
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I’m with Stoney. Mike, will the UK really fly it’s planes in US direction starting turn 1? Agreed, it’s theoretically possible they arrive in time in the US, but they would only make it if it’s 100% clear what the Japanese plans are in turn 1. If not, I take UK easy.
I do like the pro’s and cons of this strategy, and I’m not saying this is the ultimate thing. Crap neither. I’m totally sure this will work as a strategy now and then against any player.
What a game…
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Vareel, karma to you, most points you mentioned are valid / very interesting. I test-played many suggested defense/attack options. The only thing what could work against a competent player, is the smoke curtain. One question; are you saying your standard US first move is, destroyer to seazone 7? If not, at what point would you be alarmed?
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The moment there are more than 3 transports in SZ 6 I would be alarmed. A standard J1 moves the fleet south to take DEI, if there were a decent amount of warships in SZ6, as in more than I could sink with my starting fleet, I would do the block.
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@KH:
I’m with Stoney. Mike, will the UK really fly it’s planes in US direction starting turn 1? Agreed, it’s theoretically possible they arrive in time in the US, but they would only make it if it’s 100% clear what the Japanese plans are in turn 1. If not, I take UK easy.
I do like the pro’s and cons of this strategy, and I’m not saying this is the ultimate thing. Crap neither. I’m totally sure this will work as a strategy now and then against any player.
What a game…
I agree that India can be taken if you build so many transports; but I disagree about it being easy. Just as so many planes can reach WUSA by turn 3, a lot of planes can reach India by turn 3 if ANZAC builds an airbase in Northern Territories on turn 2 (save 5 IPC’s on turn 1). ANZAC won’t have to do this unless you start moving all your fleet towards India so they won’t be wasting their money. However, it does give Japan the advantage of forcing ANZAC not to build any fleet on turn 1.
Also, USA can move their entire air force to Johnson Island or the carrier off of Johnson Island, threatening to get their ENTIRE air force to India by turn 4 (depending on where Japan’s bombers are, UK may be able to block the Japanese navy enough to delay an attack until turn 5). These planes in Johnson Island can make it back to WUSA by turn 3 if Japan decides to go with the Alaskan attack on turn 2. Admittedly, the Japanese player would probably take India on turn 4 but their situation would actually be worse than had they taken WUSA on turn 4: they get less money from taking India and the USA are still in the game.
Interestingly, I actually set up the game last night and allowed the Japanese forces to attack WUSA on turn 4. I did not make any strafe attack on Canada on turn 3 with the USA. Also, I decided to use the ANZAC transport to take out Dutch East Indies instead of moving infantry to WUSA. All four ANZAC fighters and two UK fighters landed on WUSA for defense. Under those circumstances, the Japanese actually had a slight advantage on round 1 of combat (I did not actually carry out the entire attack but assuming low luck dice their advantage would increase on round 2). So yeah, they probably would have taken out the USA and then taken Mexico and Hawaii the following turn. The problem is, UK was almost at 40 income (Japan got lucky on UK’s turn 3 and held a couple of Asian territories, China was at about 20 income and ANZAC was at 15. Japan was at around 40. The entire USA navy (minus 1 destroyer to prevent Japan bombarding WUSA on turn 4 and 1 transport from Phillipines that landed 2 infantry in WUSA on turn 3) was actually still alive since it retreated turn 3 to Hawaii. Even with Japan taking USA’s money, I don’t see how they could overcome the IPC disparity as well as the fact that UK and ANZAC were building nothing but naval units.
Of course, all of the above is only viable assuming that Japan does not attack turn 1 AND that they move most of their fleet off of Japan on turn 1. I would actually hope that Japan took USA on turn 4 since it would still likely lead to Allied victory.
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Thanks Vareel and Mike. I don’t see any other KUF possibilities to take the discussion to a another level. Nice to have discussed this with you.
Greets.
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Hiho,
Yesterday i had a game, playing japan with KUF strategy (i’m japan). It works well and better than expected, since USA made some mistakes:
J1 builds: 3 Transports, 1 Rtl
Move: all 3 ACs to Hawaii, with 3 Ftr & 3 Tac
Asia - nothing special (except a bloody battle in Yun).J2 builds: 3 Transports, Inf/Art to fill it.
Taking Bco, destroying the complete USA Navy around Hawaii (USA moves his complete Navy to Hawaii). Saving the 6 Transports with 2 Des, 1 Cru (only 1 Ftr, 1 Bmb can reach them).
In Asia china & uk are on the march.J3 builds: more transports & troops to reinforce asia.
Taking WUs with 12 Troops, 2 Bmb, 3 Ftr and 3 Tac - collecting +60 IPC, have 104 IPC on the hand at the end of the round.
Taking Hawaii.
Asia: UK and China taken more ground. UK is on 39 IPCs, China around 20 - ANZAC about 15.In round 7 or 8 the allies surrender, but it was very hard in asia - i’m thrown out (only Korea and Manchuria i held) and it takes several round to return the NAVY from the West-Coast of the USA. I think without the mistakes from the USA, i will not work - even if USA wil fall in J4 (USA can easily survive an additional round) or J5 - the losses from japan are much higher and i don’t think it can compete the Power of UK, ANZAC and China - all of them have an horrible income (around 75 all together) - taking USA is to costly and will slow down japan to much.
Atti
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I wonder if there would be a way using the convoy rules. You would need 26 subs, or 52 surface ships to block all LA income. You start with 2 subs, so you would need 24 more, or 24x6=144 IPCs worth. Might be able to get pretty close by turn 4, but i’m not sure.
Only problem is, you apparently don’t know the convoy rules. You can’t take away NO income.
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Its not viable to go for broke and knock out the USA while losing your territory on the rest of the board. Like I said, if I am playing the USA and see this coming, then I will get the most units possible with the cash I get as USA, and I will be pressuring and pushing mulitple fronts on Japan elsewhere with the other Allies. It is like Operation Sea Lion but it is telegraphed with more delay time between the actual build up of units versus the actual invasion. The USA is really the only power that Japan shouldn’t attempt to invade to knock out first. You have 3 other factions to pick away at that are much weaker and much much closer to destroy. China, not to mention the other 2 allies, would be a huge thorn in Japan’s side with the ability to deploy on freshly taken territory.
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Its not viable to go for broke and knock out the USA while losing your territory on the rest of the board. Like I said, if I am playing the USA and see this coming, then I will get the most units possible with the cash I get as USA, and I will be pressuring and pushing mulitple fronts on Japan elsewhere with the other Allies. It is like Operation Sea Lion but it is telegraphed with more delay time between the actual build up of units versus the actual invasion. The USA is really the only power that Japan shouldn’t attempt to invade to knock out first. You have 3 other factions to pick away at that are much weaker and much much closer to destroy. China, not to mention the other 2 allies, would be a huge thorn in Japan’s side with the ability to deploy on freshly taken territory.
I couldn’t have said it better.
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Well, this is my first post here, so wish me luck :-P
I got AAP40 a month or so ago and have played it a couple of times against complete newbies, of which I am one. Incidentally, while I was doing a solo run-through a week or so ago, I ran across the KUS strat (without even meaning to, really) and can’t really see the Allies having much of a chance against it. Here’s the rough Japanese play:
J1: Do a standard J1 attack. Hit everything in sight (and out of sight). SHOW NO MERCY! :evil:. Make sure to hit the UK trannies to stop them getting DEI. Use fleet in Japan (+ carrier planes) to take Hawaii and move in 1 tranny worth of troops (doesn’t really matter which ones). Also take out Phillipines as best you can, and hit Yunnan, taking out Burma Road. After all this, the Allies should be seriously crippled. In non-combat, move any nearby fleet to Hawaii. Move troops on the Asian mainland forward and secure position. Move all AC in Japan to Hawaii.
J2: Respond to any Allied threats and get as many trannies as possible. Don’t worry if Alaska is re-taken. It doesn’t really matter that much at this stage.
J3: Eliminate US fleet if it is in between you and WUS. If not, hit it anyway :evil:. This is where I start to think that Japanese AF is waaaay OTT. Do whatever the heck else you want. Use your stacks of trannies to move stacks of troops into Alaska, whether it is still yours or not.
J4: Attack WUS with everything that is within reach. Congratulations, your Air Force has just kicked some serious butt.
J5,6,7 and so on: Proceed to use your newfound dominance in the game to your advantage.Sorry if I’m seeming a complete newb, but that is the game as I ses it.
PS: sorry to resurrect an old (ish) topic
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Well, this is my first post here, so wish me luck :-P
I got AAP40 a month or so ago and have played it a couple of times against complete newbies, of which I am one. Incidentally, while I was doing a solo run-through a week or so ago, I ran across the KUS strat (without even meaning to, really) and can’t really see the Allies having much of a chance against it. Here’s the rough Japanese play:
J1: Do a standard J1 attack. Hit everything in sight (and out of sight). SHOW NO MERCY! :evil:. Make sure to hit the UK trannies to stop them getting DEI. Use fleet in Japan (+ carrier planes) to take Hawaii and move in 1 tranny worth of troops (doesn’t really matter which ones). Also take out Phillipines as best you can, and hit Yunnan, taking out Burma Road. After all this, the Allies should be seriously crippled. In non-combat, move any nearby fleet to Hawaii. Move troops on the Asian mainland forward and secure position. Move all AC in Japan to Hawaii.
J2: Respond to any Allied threats and get as many trannies as possible. Don’t worry if Alaska is re-taken. It doesn’t really matter that much at this stage.
J3: Eliminate US fleet if it is in between you and WUS. If not, hit it anyway :evil:. This is where I start to think that Japanese AF is waaaay OTT. Do whatever the heck else you want. Use your stacks of trannies to move stacks of troops into Alaska, whether it is still yours or not.
J4: Attack WUS with everything that is within reach. Congratulations, your Air Force has just kicked some serious butt.
J5,6,7 and so on: Proceed to use your newfound dominance in the game to your advantage.Sorry if I’m seeming a complete newb, but that is the game as I ses it.
PS: sorry to resurrect an old (ish) topic
You need 2 transports each to take both hawaii and phill, and in hawaii, you have 2 inf, 1 art, 1 tank vs 2inf 1ftr 1bmr, if the tactical scrambled to prevent bombardment. Thats 1 1 2 2’s and a 3 vs a 1 2 2’s and a 4. The US has a higher defense and the same number of hits. Even if you use a third transport, it would have to come from the carolines, giving only one extra infantry. That may barely win with a tank remaining.
According to the battle simulator, with 2 transports, there’s a 50% chance of taking hawaii. With 3, 75%. However, you then can’y use these transports to take phil or the DEI.
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god i hate that term “trannies” .ugh. and no kill usa doesnt work. it never has, and it never should
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god i hate that term “trannies” .ugh. and no kill usa doesnt work. it never has, and it never should
Hehe - that makes two of us. I know it’s easier to say…… but we’re typing!
You can keep your trannies with your bunnies and buggies, 'cause we don’t want any!!
Once again, I will echo swiss and say that going after USA first does not work, since apparently some aren’t reading the older posts.
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