• '16 '15 '10

    Generally speaking Trisdin, the idea of going after Japan and Germany equally is where you are going wrong.  Because while you are splitting Allied forces, Axis will be concentrating their forces (on Russia).  Axis will already be making as much as the Allies after Round 2, and if Russia is forced to turtle on Moscow then it won’t be long before Axis opens up a big economic gap.

    Especially in 42.  Germany starts with more than twice the income of Russia, and with plenty of starting forces to push back Russia to Moscow and Stalingrad.  Without UK landings in Europe, Germany is well-advised to buy all tanks and go whole hog on Moscow.

    Using fighters from one power to defend another power has a glaring weakness.  That is, those fighters don’t help you attack enemy armies in adjacent territories.  So Germany can march its army to Belorussia or Cauc, and then wait until they have overwelming force, and Allies won’t be able to counterattack.  Allies will only be able to defend Moscow for as long as they are able.  Moscow is a mere 6 ipcs…not that much in the big scheme of things.

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    I do see the logic of a KGF or a KJF strategy but the other side of the coin is that one of the axis powers will be left alone to bring everything to bear on Russia. I value both of your opinions because it seems that you have played alot and have posted tons. So here’s my point, there is at least 9 IPC’s in the south pacific that should be liberated for the UK. I don’t like the idea of the UK challenging the Japs from India because the Brits are in the best position to help Russia from England and I think that the US is in the best position on strength to liberate those territories for the UK (and remember money given to britan is money taken from Japan). The never ending debate in A&A for every power is "do I fight a 2 front war or a single front war? There is no bad answer, My question however is ……who should liberate the UK’s 9 IPC’s in the south pacific and with what forces? Because I just can’t allow the Japs to keep that money.

  • '16 '15 '10

    Those are valid points–I see where you’re coming from.  But all the same, regardless of whether USA is KJF or KGF, UK needs to maintain a fleet in the North Atlantic.  The purpose of this fleet is not merely to land units in Europe and Africa, but also to force Germany/Italy to divert resources to defend territories like France.


  • And if Russia is in trouble, I guess that landing 8 units a round in Archangel should provide a better defense than 2 or 3 planes.

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    I guess your right, I could have both a north Atlantic fleet and a relatively large airforce if britan gets the extra IPC’s I mentioned earlier. The new transport rules make it very dangerous and expensive to hold a sea zone close to France. My opponent is very good with japan so allowing him free riegn in the pacific is not an option. Any other advice for my Sunday allies?


  • The point is that you do not need to stay in sz7 or sz6 with your fleet. Sz3, sz12, sz2 and sz4 are some nice places to stay according to what you want to do.

    You go in sz7 only when you want to attack France (and you can buy some naval units to protect your fleet at the end of the turn if needed).

    The main point is to threat important places like France, Italy or Germany, so that axis has to put units there for protection.

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    Exellent point Yoshi. I’m staring to come around although I still want Russia to be defended with alot of allied fighters, I will need to think out a good balance between both military arms. Does everyone agree that I shoud liberate the south pacific with a large US fleet and troops?


  • @Trisdin:

    Exellent point Yoshi. I’m staring to come around although I still want Russia to be defended with alot of allied fighters, I will need to think out a good balance between both military arms. Does everyone agree that I shoud liberate the south pacific with a large US fleet and troops?

    Sure, in 1942, USA CAN go toe-to-toe with Japan.

    I mention the UK india complex as a key point to also defend for the allies.  UK need only add inf early, with some russian units, with USA initially funneling fighters into australia and then india.  Once the navy can get to the solomons, then to east indies, the ground based planes can help keep the Japanese navy from moving to threaten india.

    As pointed out above, UK needs some navy in the atlantic.  At the very least to take norway and battle for finland.

    It IS possible to do this, but it’s a tricky balance.

    Sometimes the US must not be afraid to throw some units out for bait because they can be expendable.  The USA can bleed the Japanese dry if the chinese are doing well and there are some UK units in S.E. Asia.  I am not suggesting getting silly/stupid. but putting out a TPT with 2 inf and a DD to cover to grab an island may be well worth it to bait the japanese out of position.

  • '16 '15 '10

    Agreed that if USA wants to defeat Japan bad enough in the Pacific it should be able to, given that USA starts with about the same income and Japan needs to prioritize the mainland for the first few rounds.  The danger, however, is the possibility of losing Russia early in the game.  KGF seems like the only sure way to distract Germany and avoid losing Russia in the first 5-6 turns.  If Allies do both the IIC and the Pacific offensive then a skilled Germany should be able to defeat Russia if Germany marshals all its resources towards that goal.

    Allies’ are in a pickle in 42–that’s for sure.  I can see USA going Pac and UK/Russia going Germany being a viable strategy…but so much depends on early dice…specifically on R1 and G1.


  • @Zhukov44:

    Agreed that if USA wants to defeat Japan bad enough in the Pacific it should be able to, given that USA starts with about the same income and Japan needs to prioritize the mainland for the first few rounds.  The danger, however, is the possibility of losing Russia early in the game.  KGF seems like the only sure way to distract Germany and avoid losing Russia in the first 5-6 turns.  If Allies do both the IIC and the Pacific offensive then a skilled Germany should be able to defeat Russia if Germany marshals all its resources towards that goal.

    Allies’ are in a pickle in 42–that’s for sure.  I can see USA going Pac and UK/Russia going Germany being a viable strategy…but so much depends on early dice…specifically on R1 and G1.

    What can happen is a strong UK propped up economically by a USA pacific force can threaten Germany pretty strongly in the atlantic, at least to keep Germany honest.  Again, it’s a VERY fine line.  Japan played poorly enables USA to take their navy out, and then the Russian’s need not worry about anything BUT Germany and Italy.  This is part of the reason I support an Indian IC for UK UK1.  They need to be making lots of money to buy a navy strong enough to sit in sz3 or sz4 to support Russia thru archangel.

    The reason that I am pro USA navy in 1942 and not so much in 1941 is the naval advantage is much smaller for Japan in 1942.  Also, China is a bit more than a mere speed bump like in 1941.  Combine that with a viable Indian IC, the workings for the allies controlling the early Japanese expansion keeps them from becoming unstoppable.

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    I don’t think I am brave enough to try an IC in India for the UK. you have good Ideas Axis_Roll but its to much of a balancing act to spread british forces so vast even if its just a few infantry to start. Tomorrow is my game and I’m going to send a very large American naval fleet to Borneo and the West Indies complete with lots of infantry and artillery, also from Eastern US I will be sending an american fighter each round and once and a while a bomber with a fighter. The UK will now have the money to build an Atlantic fleet and a sizable air force for Russian support and strategic bombing. Russia must push Germany back with ground forces and buy time until the brits land on the main land and the US can clobber the Japs, the allies will be giving Russia lots of defensive fighters to help them do this. not sure how its all gonna happen but its a good blue print. I will let you all know how it goes.


  • Not sure what your Russia 1 attacks are against Germany, but a big risk/reward battle (in my humble allied opinion) is to take the Russian bomber on sz13 and try for the German DD and TPT.  This will slow down Germany somewhat as well as help the allies get an Atlantic navy going.  Plus if the bomerb lives and lands in gibralter, it will be another battle for Germany to have to take (can’t just leave that bomber on it’s own?!)

    Good luck with the allies, you’re going to need it (they have an uphill battle my friend!)

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    Just about to begin playing, I took a long hard look at the board last night and I may build that factory is India after all. More to come.

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    I lost in the 7th round. Very tired, I will explain tomorrow.


  • 7th round, not too bad.
    Hopefully it was the dice more than the strategy.

    If not, perhaps you learned how to make the plan better.  At least that’s how I take a loss on a new(er) plan:  room for improvement.

    Remember in both versions of AA50, the allies are the underdog.

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    Ok, so the Brits couldn’t roll to save their lives but I wouldn’t learn anything if I just kept blaming loses on my dice. Anyway, I built an IC in India first round, very effective for a KJF strategy (which I got caught up in). US did very well to liberate the UK IPCs in the south Pacific and during the post game talk Japan felt that losing that money hurt a lot. However, I am constantly reminded of how much the game board changes by the time America gets a turn and even at the end of the second round. I am convinced that the US above all must begin the game without a plan and be the most adaptable player. I had a small Uk fleet after G1, but I was very slow building it up as I became focused in India as the push on Japan with the entire US resources was going very well. The only problem was that Germany was free to roll on Russia. With support of around 9 allied fighters Russia was holding on and although UK landed troops in France during round 5, Germany destroyed my fleet with her air force (a battle in which I rolled very badly). With Germany at Russia’s door and no allied help coming from the west. my only chance was to capture Japan whom I had pushed back to Manchuria and Tokyo. Thats when I made a mistake and took the Philippines 1 round to early and in a desperate counter attack from her fleet and the fighters I failed to notice on the main land, the Japs wiped out my southern fleet without loosing large boats (he piled up on subs when he saw me coming). so with Russia surrounded and the American north fleet to small to take Tokyo. I had no choice but to surrender (I figured the Japs would have had more than enough time to recover before I could challenge again). Oh well, win some lose some. Other factors in the outcome was 1. Italy took Egypt without losing a single unit 2. Russia tried a small push back that only exposed them in the buffer zones 3. Japan built a factory in each of the first two rounds attracting all the allied focus 4. the US miscalculated some naval defense odds and finally Germany was collecting $43 by round 6. Some positives of the game was when two US bombers from England wiped out the German navy without a loss, and I rolled a 5 or a 6 for every UK bomber that raided for damage (which sounds about right considering thats what they were rolling all gmae) thanks for all the advice, I learned a lot. My next game is a complete 6 player war on March 5th, I will be playing the Japanese imperial forces. I will be here looking for help.

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