• I just got this game and I was wondering what the best tactic was to use during this game.
    I will probably use japan unless some one else is going to use it.
    plz reply
                                thanks, TheDictator


  • Pace Japan’s game with the anticipation of Germany’s development.

    There are some particulars, but perhaps I will write them later

    send carrots


  • 1.  Play as aggressively as you can without risking losing the bulk of your forces to a high percentage battle.

    If you play passively, trying to build just infantry for defense, you will lack the artillery and tanks you need to threaten your opponent.  If you don’t have an attack threat, your opponent can press forward, and establish a strong point from which to attack multiple territories on the next round.  Since you can’t defend multiple territories, and since you don’t have attack power to push your opponent out, that means your opponent can choose one or more territories that you couldn’t defend to attack next turn.  Once your opponent pushes even further into your territory, if you still lack attack power to push your opponent off, you will have to retreat.

    Every time you retreat or that you allow your opponent to take territory that you can’t contest, that’s income that you’re denied, which reduces the resources with which you can build your military, which further reduces your ability to resist.

    On the other hand, if you press the attack mindlessly, you will end up throwing away lots of valuable units.  It’s no use attacking a territory worth 3 IPC with 30 IPC worth of tanks, if you’re just going to lose that 30 IPCs worth of tanks in exchange for 12 IPCs worth of infantry next turn.  A few such exchanges, and you’ll rip the heart out of your army.


  • 2.  Pace your development appropriately.

    The game goes something like this - Russia opens with certain attacks.  Depending on the results of those attacks and noncombat movement, Germany has certain opportunities.  Germany will try to take advantage of those opportunities, but depending on the results of attacks and noncombat movement, those opportunities may open further, or shut down.  This leads into the UK turn, which likewise has opportunities, then the Japanese turn.  At each turn, opportunities are created that allow an advantage to be pressed in a certain period of time.  It could be that after a good German turn, opportunities are opened up for Japan, or after a bad German turn, opportunities are opened up for Russia.  But at each turn, the potential pacing of the game changes.  The proper development of Japan requires more understanding of the pace of the game than any other power.

    (The other powers require understanding of how to effectively combine forces given unit dispositions and the map geography, and a sense of pacing.  But pacing is particularly important for Japan.)

    So what does it mean practically to pace development?

    If Germany has a blowout victory looming, Japan should usually build double industrial complexes and smash in towards Russia as fast as it can, trading valuable tanks for cheap infantry, or even fighters for cheap infantry, industrial bombing Moscow, but at any rate smashing pressure in at Russia as the rest of Japan’s empire almost disintegrates even in the face of US aggression in the Pacific.  So long as Japan doesn’t sacrifice too much of its air, and Japan takes care to preserve its fleet, Russia should be overwhelmed before the Allies can get into position to do anything.

    On the other hand, if Germany has had some setbacks, Japan should play an economic game, trying to grab territory.  In this case, Japan can’t afford to blow its resources, so has to play with the longer game in mind.  Even with Germany ground to a halt in Europe, hopefully the Axis can control enough territory to go into a defensive game type, in which they gradually build up pressure on Moscow.

    What happens if Japan doesn’t pace development?

    If Germany has a blowout victory looming, and Japan screws around with an economic game, going for island and African territory, Germany’s offensive could grind to a halt in Europe, as Russia doesn’t have to worry about Japanese pressure and is free to focus on countering the German offensive.  In that case, the Allies can combine pressure on Germany and crush them, and change what would otherwise be a quick Axis victory into a grinding defeat for the Axis.

    If Germany had setbacks, and Japan’s trying to be stupidly aggressive, Russia will have enough forces to repel both Germany and Japan, as Japan’s attack is inefficient.  With the Allies controlling more territory and income, the Allies eventually grind the Axis to nothing.

    I played a multiplayer game a couple days ago that was a perfect example.  Germany was 100% setting itself up for a slow grind in Europe and Africa.  Japan completely ignored the pace of the game and pushed tanks towards Russia as fast as possible.  Were they bad players?  Germany’s game was a solid grind type game.  Japan’s game was a solid aggressive type game.  But with the two mixed up, the Allies first had time to reinforce Europe and Africa.  Germany became contained while Russia turned around and beat Japan off.  The Axis ended up being completely crushed because of Japan’s stubborn refusal to understand the proper pace and appropriate action for the game.


  • thanks
    :mrgreen:


  • seems like you are the only one to reply :?


  • @TheDictator:

    seems like you are the only one to reply :?

    no……im replying! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!
    Anyways Japan needs to help Germany with Russia


  • Keep in mind the big picture. The allies combined income at the start of the game is 96 IPCs. The Axis combined income is 70 IPCs. This means if the Allies just sit and keep what they have, they will eventually win. The Axis must quickly spread out - they make 26 less IPCs than the Allies. They must take advantage of their early superiority in weapons. The Axis need to take 13 IPCs worth of territory away from the Allies JUST TO BREAK EVEN.


  • Don’t play the game as if it’s just about inome.  You’ll win more.


  • Yeah you’re right BPW - trying to have more income than your opponent is just crazy talk! Sorry about that - I’m new and all…  :roll:


  • @Der:

    Yeah you’re right BPW - trying to have more income than your opponent is just crazy talk! Sorry about that - I’m new and all…  :roll:

    (pat pat) it’s ok live and learn  :lol:


  • lol…


  • Here’s a memorable example -

    You and I are aliens fighting for domination of a distant world.  But we do not fight each other directly.  That would be barbaric - and impractical, because we both have no hands or feet, or even teeth.  If you are curious about our appearance, we are each large soft furry balls of about one “foot” in diameter with large soft eyes.  As we have no mouths, we absorb nutrients through osmosis.

    However, we luckily have telepathic control of large furry beasts with limbs, teeth, and laser eyes.  We will call these beasts “mutant cats”, or “kitties” for short.  We start in control of ten mutant kitties each.  Mine are slightly larger than yours, but not by much.

    Now, our battle begins.

    You and I each have a 10,000 gallon capacity paper cup, and fire hoses that pump “Weird” brand kitty chow.  Your hose is bigger than my hose.

    “Weird” brand kitty chow is what powers our mutant kitties, and it really is weird, because when you have lots of kitty chow, more mysteriously appears, and when you have little kitty chow, some of it mysteriously disappears.  Anyways, regardless.

    You hook your hose up to your cup, which spews out kitty chow.  You put your kitties around the cup.  Your kitties eat it, and grow very large.
    I hook my hose up to my cup, and get less kitty chow.  I send most of my kitties off somewhere; a couple show up now and then to transport loads of kitty chow somewhere.

    Over time, your kitty chow pile grows larger and larger, and your cats get bigger and bigger.  You can see that my kitties are not growing as quickly.  Your cats are 300 lb monsters that look like a pro wrestler.  My kitties are 180 lb weaklings.  You feel very Manly with your cup full of kitten chow.  So much Manlier than me, with my small kitty chow stockpile, and my puny kitties.

    In time, though, you realize what I have been up to . . .

    THE PUMPING STATION RAID

    Our pumps are pumping kitty chow from a pumping station.  Realizing the importance of the pumping station, you patrol that area with two cats at all times.  But you kept most of your cats at home to get really big and strong.

    I, though, decided not to try to match you with power, but with guile.  I used two cats to bring supplies back and forth to my commando team, stationed at the pumping station.

    Now, our cats fight!  My eight cats against your two cats.  Your cats are much smexier than my cats, so I lose four cats in the process of taking down your two cats.  But I win, and now I control the pumping station.

    So there you are.  You have more cats, your cats are bigger, and you have more chow.  By any measure, you have nothing to worry about.

    . . .  right?


  • I think through your bizarre and longwinded illustration you are saying that a wiley player with less income can often gain local superiority over a dumber player who has more overall income and resources. With that I agree wholeheartedly!


  • @Der:

    I think through your bizarre and longwinded illustration you are saying that a wiley player with less income can often gain local superiority over a dumber player who has more overall income and resources. With that I agree wholeheartedly!

    Wow.  Missed the point.

    (shrug)

    Well, believe whatever you want to believe.  I think it’s wonderful to find a man of such simple faith in his beliefs.  :wink:


  • @Bunnies:

    I think it’s wonderful to find a man of such simple faith in his beliefs.  :wink:

    Well sorry to break your heart but I’m already happily married…lol


  • The Jap attack: Buy 3inf, 3 trans.  Sub, Cruiser, Bomber, fighter take out PH. Retake Borneo if Brits took it (use trans and south fleet). Retake Burma if Brits did that instead.  Otherwise, if Brits stood pat, take out China with four inf and the rest planes.  The goal is to bring your Caroline carrier to Japan and land two planes on it.  You’ll have the BB and armed carrier defending four trans.  Don’t land any troops yet if you didn’t have to retake Borneo or Burma. Pull the troops off the Phillipines and bring them to Japan.  Standby next turn to use every damn trans, 2BB and 2 Carriers to erradicate the Russian front on J2. J2 buy should be one more trans and inf and 2 art.  Begin pouring troops into Russia. If there is a IC in India and you didn’t smite it, play stalemate with the Brits…DO NOT ATTACK.  You are better off letting the Brits attack and weaken their own force. Fight the China/Russia front. J3, you may want to send a diversion to frak with Alaska, but this depends on US strat.  Otherwise J3 buy should split between tanks and inf.  If you keep your fleet together, the US will not attack your trans.  Concentrate your forces between the stalemate and Russia’s back door.  You know you’ve done your job when Russia starts coming after you.  Germany should send you a thank you gift.


  • I guess you can’t say JAP?  Ok, fine the Japan attack

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