@MarshmallowofWar that is correct.
Japanese Strategy
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Actually Germany needs London or Moscow. If the allies hold 4 of the 11, the axis only have 7. The likely held are: Washington, Ottawa, London and Moscow. As the allies, I focus on Egypt then Rome. Without Egypt, Germany needs London And Moscow. This gives America time to retake London before Moscow falls. With London and Egypt its game over for the axis in Europe unless Germany outproduces America and can seize London for good.
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Victory for the Axis if they control 8 out 11 Victory Cities on the Europe board or 6 out of 8 Victory cities on the Pacific board. (Why is one named for Europe and the other an Ocean?? Should be Atlantic/Pacific, IMHO.)
To get 8 on the Europe board Germany/Italy needs:
- Paris (France)
- Berlin (East Germany)
- Rome (S. Italy)
- Moscow (Russia)
- Leningrad (Novgorod)
- Stalingrad (Volgogrod)
- Warsaw (W. Poland)
And one of the following: Washington D.C. (E. USA); London (England) or Ottowa (Quebec); Cairo (Egypt)
Granted, it may be plausible to get all of that, but one has to assume Egypt is liberated by the time Moscow falls. At least, it always is in my games.
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As for not playing to VC victory. Generally (and many old timers here will agree) I hate winning with victory cities, I feel it is a cheap win, just like Magic 84 was in classic. (Where if the Axis collect 84 IPC in TT value after America’s turn, they win. Does not matter if you have a million British infantry in W. Europe, Axis win.)
However, I’m looking at the board and I have GOT to say here, its seems the only plausible way for the axis to win in Alphas is to win with Victory Cities. You get out spent every round by America alone out of the box! (80+ income for America vs 40 for Germany, 40 for Japan? No way Italy out produces China, England 1, England 2 and ANZAC.) OOB, there is no way the Axis can win short of grabbing enough victory cities before the allies out man them 3:1 everywhere. Alpha, its a little easier I think. Still, the only easy win I see is to get VCs otherwise, you’re fighting a losing battle with the axis.
I would LOVE to be proved wrong. But short of a difference in skill level of the players, I dont see it myself. And I just see the rules for future tournaments saying you can win with VCs, so it’s probably best to get in the habbit of defending them now. (Those were the rules for AARe tournaments around the web. I suspect it will hold true for AA40 tournaments.)
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@Cmdr:
As for not playing to VC victory. Generally (and many old timers here will agree) I hate winning with victory cities, I feel it is a cheap win, just like Magic 84 was in classic. (Where if the Axis collect 84 IPC in TT value after America’s turn, they win. Does not matter if you have a million British infantry in W. Europe, Axis win.)
However, I’m looking at the board and I have GOT to say here, its seems the only plausible way for the axis to win in Alphas is to win with Victory Cities. You get out spent every round by America alone out of the box! (80+ income for America vs 40 for Germany, 40 for Japan? No way Italy out produces China, England 1, England 2 and ANZAC.) OOB, there is no way the Axis can win short of grabbing enough victory cities before the allies out man them 3:1 everywhere. Alpha, its a little easier I think. Still, the only easy win I see is to get VCs otherwise, you’re fighting a losing battle with the axis.
I would LOVE to be proved wrong. But short of a difference in skill level of the players, I dont see it myself. And I just see the rules for future tournaments saying you can win with VCs, so it’s probably best to get in the habbit of defending them now. (Those were the rules for AARe tournaments around the web. I suspect it will hold true for AA40 tournaments.)
You are absolutly correct with your assesment here. It has been a real challenge for the axis player to win in our non VC games. But I do not see us ever competing in tournaments. I guess if I do sometime then I will have to learn some new skills.
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Is that why there are victory cities?
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There are different schools of how to play Japan.
I go with an india first strat and it just so happens china is along the way. some people like AZNAC. Others are money focused. Sometimes I kill russians for fun because taking their land on my side of the board adds up to +5 a round at least.
Just depends. I don’t know how I win games with Japan. Everytime I play allies winning is so easy.
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@Cow:
There are different schools of how to play Japan.
I go with an india first strat and it just so happens china is along the way. some people like AZNAC. Others are money focused. Sometimes I kill russians for fun because taking their land on my side of the board adds up to +5 a round at least.
Just depends. I don’t know how I win games with Japan. Everytime I play allies winning is so easy.
The money islands of the DEI are along the way also and Japan must take them to maintain their income level. If the axis do not play a perfect game the allied income will overwhelm them.
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I think I disagree that Japan MUST take DEI. They are along the way, but there is no reason Japan cannot go directly to NSW and pound ANZAC hard without taking DEI first. You can always hit DEI from Philippines and NSW after you dismember ANZAC. (I of course assume you hit Philippines from Japan the same round you crush Australia because it has a Naval Base for you to stage from and because America’s in the war then anyway.)
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I agree with you that there are other considerations besides the money islands. If Japan is not being aggressively built against, they can get the money islands when they are done with their primary goal.
Personally, I think Japan has two choices, like Germany does. Japan can focus on India first or Australia first, while Germany chooses London first or Moscow first. It may be that one way proves easier than another. However, I hope that there is more then one way to win. This would keep the game exciting.
I think the money islands help an Asia campaign since you have to build resources for the grind. If America is not challenging your navy, then you won’t need as much money to mop up islands for the win. It all depends on how America builds. If Japan gets all the attention, I’m ok winning with the Germans.
Its just naturally easier for Japan as they need 2 fewer victory cities then Germany and Italy does.
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@Cmdr:
I think I disagree that Japan MUST take DEI. They are along the way, but there is no reason Japan cannot go directly to NSW and pound ANZAC hard without taking DEI first. You can always hit DEI from Philippines and NSW after you dismember ANZAC. (I of course assume you hit Philippines from Japan the same round you crush Australia because it has a Naval Base for you to stage from and because America’s in the war then anyway.)
I consider the money islands very important for Japan because the U.S. will be coming. If the U.S. does not challenge Japan then they will run wild in the Pacific and aquire an income even larger than the U.S.
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I believe I have two mindsets.
1) If you know your opponent, and know he likes to have America fight against Germany, then go East!
2) If you dont know your opponent, or know he will come after Japan, sack Australia (it has no ability to build against you.)
Then there is my thought on the matter: Sack America, make it so they cannot wage war against you in the Pacific, have Germany sack their other side so they have nothing in the Atlantic (shouldnt be hard, they only have a destroyer) and then use your fleet to stop them from building a fleet and hammer Australia.
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When we concluded this game today the allies surrendered after six rounds. The U.S. did not threaten Japan and you can see the results in this photo. Japan’s total income at the end was 71 IPCs.
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your board is very shiny
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your board is very shiny
I guess you are refering to my board. It is covered with a plexiglass sheet. Protects the game board and keeps it in place.
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your board is very shiny
I guess you are refering to my board. It is covered with a plexiglass sheet. Protects the game board and keeps it in place.
Keeps coffee and beer stains off I guess, huh?
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@Cmdr:
your board is very shiny
I guess you are refering to my board. It is covered with a plexiglass sheet. Protects the game board and keeps it in place.
Keeps coffee and beer stains off I guess, huh?
Only coffee!
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