thank you Zhukov44
German opening.
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Agreed. Seeing a detailed plan of attack for Barbarossa would be very helpful. If the route of setting up an IC in Romania is a typical move, how many folks buy a Major right off the bat? Or buy a Minor for 1st turn, allowing for other purchases and then on turn 2, upgrading to a Major with the extra money from taken from France.
you won´t need any ICs built. just build troops which fulfill better their duty than an IC could do.
most people go for sea-lion which makes sense in a way, but i prefer a direct approach into russia. what stalingradski proposed is a good idea. well, but, you can go fast and directly into it by buying mech and tank only, except first round with artillery only.
the rest is not difficult to do, but to gather enough troops you should ignore yugoslavia, take the neutrals, win france, sink british fleet. in subsequent turns you can conquer rest of france (normandy or normandy and s.france) and greece helping italy. attack russia on turn 2, i propose the following course:
g2 east poland, g3 wait there gathering reinforcements, g4 belarus, g5 bryansk, g6 moscow.this may seem a bit too simplicistic, but if you ignore the 1-IPC-territories except the mentioned ones you can get easily to moscow. the last battle is mostly 50/50 won or lost. leningrad falls to germany anyway this way. you won´t need to plan it really, g5 and it is done mostly. if russia holds it, better for you, because then you will win moscow definitely!
if you wish a more detailed outline, then don´t hesitate to ask me or just browse my already written posts in the europe1940-area.
greetings
rock`n roll
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Thank you Young Grasshopper! I get a chance to make it happen again this coming Friday when my good friend (Infrastructure from this site) comes up for the weekend. My turn as the Axis, and I can’t wait. He’s trying to figure out how to stop this strategy… he hasn’t been able to yet, and he’s a more than capable player… he’s kicking the snot out of me right now in an online game as the Axis… he plays a mean Japan and a shrewd economic game.
I’m going to print this page and put it in my playbook.
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Fantastic post.
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Please tell me the results when you try it! Also, poke holes in it, and find weak points for Germany.
My favorite part about this strategy is the actual appearance of it… it is aesthetically quite nice! I mean really… I shiver thinking about it. I could only admit this to other A&A players…
My wife asked me - what would you do as Russia? (I love it that she asks me questions like that)… and I don’t know… try to maintain your own Russian mobile force to respond quickly on defense/provide a deterrent to Germany stepping forward is my best answer, and have the other Allies apply as much pressure as humanly possible to the Atlantic coastline and Med underbelly. Try to make the Kriegsmarine commit to battle… don’t let it just sit there and play defense. One thing that won’t work is a continuous dropping of Allied troops in Africa - get a few into action, but the rest of the US and British troops have to land in Europe as soon as possible to save Russia, in my opinion. That’s what people want to do anyhow, in any game, but in the case of an overwhelming German land force, it seems the only solution.
Also, let me know if you find any wrinkles you try to make it more effective-
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You won´t need any ICs built. just build troops which fulfill better their duty than an IC could do.
It’s possible to do a successful assault on Moscow without any additional ICs, but building one or two will make the task easier. See below.
most people go for sea-lion which makes sense in a way, but i prefer a direct approach into russia. what stalingradski proposed is a good idea. well, but, you can go fast and directly into it by buying mech and tank only, except first round with artillery only.
I’m not a fan of Sea Lion - I think I prefer the G2 Barbarrossa. Turn one I like SUB, 4 INF, 3 ART. From turn 2 onward I focus on additional mechanized infantry and tanks (3-1 ratio) and a sub every round.
the rest is not difficult to do, but to gather enough troops you should ignore yugoslavia, take the neutrals, win france, sink british fleet. in subsequent turns you can conquer rest of france (normandy or normandy and s.france) and greece helping italy.
Don’t ignore Yugoslavia - attack it with your infantry and artillery from Southern Germany along with a single infantry from Romania, and retreat them all after one round of combat to Romania. This sets you up nicely for attacking Bessarabia on G3 and taking Ukraine on G4 (need that IC, more later). Don’t kill the entire British fleet, don’t go for the BB/CA in the English channel or the DD/TRN, it’s just not worth losing any planes over – keeping our Luftwaffe in tact early is more important than a BB… Also, spread out your subs, hit that CA off Gibralter and the DD/TRN at Canada. Survivng subs head south to Africa in subsequent rounds to harass convoys. Bait the British into building more fleet and do a concentrated attack with ALL your air force on G2 or G3. Let Italy finish off Yugoslavia and take Greece and Southern France. This sets Italy at a decent IPC level for later when your focus changes to Africa. Make sure Germany sends two fighters to Southern Italy on round one to punish the British for a Taranto raid. Keep Italy focused in Europe in round one and concentrate their fleet at Taranto until round two (transports can ferry to Greece from Italy SZ). Buld Navy with Italy, very importaqnt, keep UK worried about the Italian fleet and not worried about taking Norway or Normandy. The British fleet will have to decide….attack the German fleet, attack the Italian fleet, or chase down German subs. Stretch the British fleet and wait for easy pickins. If they max transports, you attack with your entire air force with Germany or their entire Navy with Italy.
attack russia on turn 2, i propose the following course. g2 east poland, g3 wait there gathering reinforcements, g4 belarus, g5 bryansk, g6 moscow.
I recommend a different route. G2- Eastern Poland/Bessarabia, G3 Western Ukraine/Ukraine, G4 Bryansk/Rostov, G5 Volgograd (Stalingrad). You can build minor ICs in Western Ukraine and/or Rostov, coupled with minors already in Ukraine and Volgograd, you now have four minor ICs within two zones of Moscow feeding units directly into the frontlines. You should also divert units north if Leningrad was abandoned and capture that. Now you just play with the odds calculator each round and wait until your victory chance in Russia is high, then attack. Simple and very effective. To add additional potency, strategic bomb Russia’s ICs to limit their production.
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Stalingrad good post we think alike. For italy I like to try and get to Iraq. Take the infantry there and add a minor IC. Take the No’s for middle east and march on Stalingrad from the south. Have Germany try and push South early with your transports head north to reinforce Finland. When the time is right push on Leningrad. Russia no longer has enough units to defend. Lights out. I agree with you if USA goes all out in the Pacific I can usually take down London and over time Italy and Germany will overwhelm Russia.
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Buy mobile ground units (I prefer mechs only)
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Take France and Normandy with all available ground and enough aircraft to ensure as little tank losses as possible (and no airplane losses).
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Use remaining airforce, navy and subs to sink as much of the fleet around the British Isles as possible (use subs against the non-destroyer stacks when possible)
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Move infantry and artillary from southern germany and at least one of the Romanian infantry into Yugo and retreat after first round of combat to Romania
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Land 2 of the France attack planes in Italy to protect italian fleet.
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Take Finland and Bulgaria.
This strategy neutralizes the immediate UK threat while setting you up for a G2 Barbarossa. Also, even without the additional German navy/transports, the UK player will need to spend some of their income to stop Sealion – the last time I used this strategy, the UK player saw my Barbarossa tell, went full into Africa on UK1, trusting on a lone surviving cruiser to stop Sealion. On I1, I flew my Italian airforce up and sunk the crusier, and I was able to take London G2 with a single loaded transport, battleship support and the remaining German airforce.
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I have a question for all gamers regarding strategic bombing under Alpha 2. Germany attacks Russia from East Poland with 4 SBM’s supported by 2 fighter escorts. Russia puts two fighter interceptors. The rules state if the attacker(germany) get a hit with either its fighters or bombers with a (1) the interceptor is removed immediately. Thus, if Germany with 2 fighter escorts and 4 SBM’s scores 2 hits does that mean the escorts do not get to shoot back at (2). Or, if the german rolls snake eyes and hits both interceptors does this mean they are removed immediately before they can shoot at the german bombers?
Please help
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Escorts fire before Interceptors, so the Interceptors would not get to fire, whether they hit or not.
Edit:
I’m sorry, I was not correct.
If the escorts get hits, those hits do not get returned. Escort casualties get removed immediately.
The Interceptors and Bombers fire simultaneously, so any Interceptors left after the Escorts fire will get to fire. Even if bombers hit, those leftover Interceptors get to fire back.
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Thank you for that clarification
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Dear Alsch91: I believe your comments about the Strategic Bombing and escorts and interceptors is incorrect. Alpha 2 Rules state that the interceptors are removed immediately, not the escorts.
Example: Germany with 3SBM and 6 fighter escorts vs UK with 6 fighters. German escorts fire at interceptors at 1 and achieve 2 hits (luck). Does this mean only 4 interceptors can fire at the bombers or still the 6 and the losses are taken after firing at the bombers? If so, why do the rules state remove the interceptor casualties immediately? -
I understand your confusion, it’s simply strange wording that’s the issue.
In your scenario, it means that interceptors are the casualties, not casualties of the interceptors. Only 4 would get to fire back.
When I said “escort casualties”, I meant those planes that got hit by escorts - the interceptors. -
Thank you all for your posts and strategies for Germany, I can’t wait to implement some of these fantastic moves. I’ve been away for a few days, but have read through all responses and have a much better idea of what can be done in the Global game.
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You’re welcome!
If you try the strategy I outlined, please report the results - I think you’ll be happy. From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t matter if your opponent knows exactly what is coming - it is hard to stop.
Over this past weekend I learned in greater depth that one of the keys in Europe is understanding Italy’s support role - to vigorously protect the underbelly of Europe, help protect Normandy, and punch a few holes on the East Front for Germany… don’t get caught adventuring in any more than a token way in Africa… that was a mistake made by Mussolini, but you don’t have to! Look for the right time to evacuate your more expensive units to Europe - they’ll make the difference against Russia, but just get burned up for next to nothing in a fight for Africa. There’s just as much money to be had for Italy on Russian soil… I’m in a game right now where I pulled out of Africa completely at just the right time (around turn 6), and am still collecting around 25 IPCs per round with Italy (on turn 9) - 8 IPCs of which were once Russian territories. The simple trick is - Italy takes out a territory and Germany reinforces heavily. Repeat. Repeat. It takes a toll on Russia that Germany can’t accomplish alone.
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Has anyone considered ignoring the British Atlantic navy? Instead of buying naval units, just getting more ground units and hitting Russia?
I am NOT endorsing this idea, I am just CONSIDERING it and THINKING about it.
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Do you mean clearing out as much British navy as you can in the first couple rounds but not building any new German navy?
I think it’s absolutely worth consideration, and playtesting.
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Do you mean clearing out as much British navy as you can in the first couple rounds but not building any new German navy?
I think it’s absolutely worth consideration, and playtesting.
No, I mean completely ignoring it and using your units to hit Russia early.
You could hit Baltic, E. Poland, Bessarabia, Bulgaria, Finland, SZ 115, Normandy, France and have your navy pretty safe in the Baltic.
Of course, I’d use the submarines to hit what I could since they cannot get somewhere safe really, but from then on it’s all about taking down Russia and building up airpower to keep the Allies out of Europe.
Of course, it probably won’t work, but I’d be interested in trying it.
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oh, and one more thing, England’s going to consolidate, which means you could amass your units to hit them hard as well.
The idea would be to get:
Paris
Berlin
Warsaw
Rome
St. Petersburg
Stalingrad
Cairo
Moscowand win. The only one you need to have fleet for is Cairo, and even then, you COULD (in theory) go through Turkey or Caucasus to get there if you had too.
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I think you would be done pretty soon. As Britain I’d do Taranto, maybe Tobruk and have a stable landbridge by turn2. You’d probably loose Norway turn 1 if sinking the transports failed.
I don’t believe Germany could go fast enough into Russia and be able to defend against England in Mainland Europe. The Americans would not have to buy so many Warships and accordingly, would land with a very big army protected by British battleships and Acc.
I too thought about a Barbarossa turn 1 but IMO sinking as many Brits as possible is a must.And turn one with only one Transport you cant really make a difference in Russia anyway. G1 2 trans and a Carrier is the better option IMO.
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I tried to ignore the british fleet once, and it ended badly.
My Idea was the same, a Barbarossa in Turn 1, and buying all land stuff. The problem is that the first units you send to the east are lost due to Russian revenge round 1. I think it is better to consolidate your troops and attack Russia in turn 2. In that case you can take care of the british fleet.
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