• Hey all, long time reader, first time poster.

    I’m playing Alpha+ with my friend next week and thought I’d try this strategy with Germany to really throw his Russia off balance.

    G1: French IPCs
    Buy: Major IC in Romania
    Destroy UK fleet with Luftwaffe/subs and Baltic Fleet in 109, 110, 111 and 112
    Take Yugoslavia
    Take France - net extra IPCS.
    Grab Finland and Bulgaria
    2 Inf from Germany move to Finland (via 115) on tranny
    Italy 1 takes Southern France (in exchange for Ger taking Bulgaria + more surviving forces from France)

    G2: Set up
    Buy: 1 BB, 1 Cruiser, 2 Transports (maybe 3?), remaining IPCs on Inf for Romania
    Take Normandy
    Non-Normandy tanks move Eastward
    Army in Yugoslavia (approx 9 inf + change) and 4 inf in Yugo all move to Romania
    Tranny (if it survives UK 1, which it might considering it’s in 115 and there’s a prime fleet target in 112) goes back to Germany again and 2 more inf into Finland.
    Place new fleet in black sea. Inf on Romania.

    G3: Operation Barbarossa
    Buy: Infantry/Mech/Tanks for Romania

    The goal here is that Russia now has a large stack in Finland to worry about, with an air force in range, but more importantly he now has Ukraine, Rostov and the Caucasus all within range of a G3 attack with air forces and either 4 or 6 inf from the Black Sea, and a major army in Romania.  Thus he can’t leave these three territories undefended (as he normally would for a defensive line against Romania).  As Stalingrad has only a minor, he’s going to have to choose from diverting forces from the North to the South.  For defense, with a BB and a Cruiser, I’m hoping that’s a hard decision about sacking his air force to take out the fleet (Indian Ftrs are out of range).  AND it’s still a bonus even if Russia does attack the fleet.  Yes Ger loses more TUV, but the loss of that Russia air force will cripple his counter attacks on land across the board.

    Even without the Black Sea fleet annoying him, the Wehrmacht originating from Romania and heading straight for Russia is dangerous.  My route would be Eastern Poland, Western Ukraine, Bryansk, Russia, which still puts the major army in range of the three Southern ‘bread and butter’ 2 IPC territories (if need be).  Russia has to support Stalingrad with the amphibious landings happening in these territories each turn.  Ideally this overwhelms Stalingrad, as the main German force is putting constant pressure directly on Russia.

    If he diverts from the North, Germany has the option of engaging with large stack that has been in Finland, further splitting Russia’s forces.

    Got this tactic from How Hitler Could Have Won WWII where a general proposes not invading Russia by land, but an amphibious assault directly for the rich oil fields of the Caucasus.  Hitler didn’t listen to him (thank goodness for the free world); however, it might work in G40!

    Thoughts?


  • It’s an interesting idea. I like the “Finland stack” wrinkle, and would consider a sbr on Leningrad to press the North even more.

    Obviously, that’s a lot of IPCs your spending in the Black Sea. I think any strategy involving that has to be coupled with a neutral crush of Turkey, Sweden, and Spain at some point so you can get that Navy into the Med.

    Maybe an airbase in Romania or elsewhere would be a better defense of those transports (if you’re playing ALPHA +.1)?


  • Airbase instead of a fleet.  That’s a really good idea.  Plus I could base the Luftwaffe out of Romania then.  The only downfall I can see if that you don’t have the BB and Cruiser taking potshots for when he does put defenses in those territories.  That would alleviate needing to attack Turkey/Sweeden/Spain, which imo a big pain.  Regardless a German fleet in the med is a good idea, I just don’t know if it’s worth taking on those 20 inf for it.


  • @Dessert_Fox:

    Regardless a German fleet in the med is a good idea.

    Why???

    The Italians should control the med you should lokk to control the baltic and the atlantic and if Germany attempts to play a part in all three they will just end up spreading themselves to thin and will lose in all three arenas. Of course Italy will lose all their navy UK1 but they will rebuild or turn into the hole puncher (a strategy I plan on exploring more to come) and so the Germans don’t need a med fleet

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    Better to spend into a fleet off West Germany, even if you plan to do back door Russia.

    You feign sealion, say with a 3 trn 1 dst build. Keeps U.K. honest or you take london.

    Then G2, swing around the north, and land in Nenenstia and you can blitz the entire back door of Russia/China, and open up a whole new front behind Russian lines, as you kick in the front door on the east - their west, with the rest of your ground forces.

    It forces them to abandon Novogord,  to Garrisson the Russian Capital,  and come up with a solution to deal with the tanks you just landed in their back door, gobbling up their IPC’s for free.  Should Italy be in any sort of decent position,  you may get pressure from the south through caucasus, or through the bessarabia/ukraine Corridor.  Even if it’s just a token ground force.

    Hopefully at the same time, the Russians leave their stack back east, (even if they don’t it’s not a big deal)  perhaps the Japs can hit them there too J1.  Regardless, if that’s the German plan, it certainly doesnt hurt Japan to do exactly that.  and bring pressue all around.  Russia won’t make ground regardless,  as you blitz up to their stack for free - taking IPC’s,  if their stack comes towards you, just have the japs following behind and taking the IPC’s,  it’s a big switch, at 1 IPC a territory, it’s a 2 change, -1 for them + 1 for you,  and they never get it back.

    Russia only has enough equipment to fight so many battles at once…  Put Axis ground units everywhere, And use German air power and pressure to keep the allies at bay,  2 AB in Normandy Holland, with a consistent purchase of 1 dst, means you can defend the seazone effectively,  you could also use the same strategy in denmark/wgr,  Nothing says HELLO like 6 scrambling fighters.  Or better, if you stack Norway, and put the AB in Norway + Denmark, you could scramble 9 fighters into Sz112,  provided you leave or build a surface ship there,  the allies can more or less write off ever entering the baltic.  And your defense of greater Germany is Solid.

    Don’t ever forget - you don’t have to go through the baltic to reach Novogord, there are better oppurtunities elsewhere :D


  • I like that Nenetsia strat.  Maybe combine them?  I want the thrust to come from romania though.

    G1:
    Minor complex for Romania
    1 AP, 1 DS
    Move transport with the fleet to 112
    Place fleet in 112

    G2:
    Upgrade Romania complex
    Airbase in Romania
    3 Transport for romanian complex this turn
    Inf with the rest.

    This would mean attack on G2, which broadcasts the move in the Black sea though…


  • For the Nenetsia strat, look up the thread, “The Key to (killing) Russia’s heart is in Nenetsia.”


  • I’m surprised there isn’t more love for a G1 Barbarossa coupled with IC’s in the Ukraines or Rostov. Keep them on their heels from the very beginning, and build a massive trailing force that arrives just in time to defend the ICs (G3). I’ve never tried it, for all I know it’s a terrible idea, but it seems like a good plan for the long haul against the Russians.


  • @Jercules:

    I’m surprised there isn’t more love for a G1 Barbarossa coupled with IC’s in the Ukraines or Rostov. Keep them on their heels from the very beginning, and build a massive trailing force that arrives just in time to defend the ICs (G3). I’ve never tried it, for all I know it’s a terrible idea, but it seems like a good plan for the long haul against the Russians.

    This is because the British start building in capetown and you don’t have enough air to kill the RN which at the start is your major threat.


  • My foolproof plan to beat Russia:
    -a huge stack in Finland
    -a huge stack in Poland
    -a huge stack in Romania
    -tons of planes

    And to hold off the western allies:
    -huge stacks in several places like Germany, seazones etc…

    :-D

Suggested Topics

  • 38
  • 10
  • 12
  • 36
  • 11
  • 2
  • 5
  • 2
Axis & Allies Boardgaming Custom Painted Miniatures

36

Online

17.0k

Users

39.3k

Topics

1.7m

Posts