I have to concur with the others who have posted. A combined transport and infantry build for Japan on turn 1 is the way to go. If Russia took Manchuria on round 1, and if the UK executed the “Kwangtung Maneuver”, the only place left for Japan to build is Southeast Asia. While initially it MIGHT be safe (the US can take that factory using China and Sinkiang forces one time in 3, and later will threaten it with a southern island hoping fleet), it is too far from Russia to do any good, and forward progress against Russia proper is easilly blocked by Novosibirsk infantry units. Japan HAS to focus on gaining IPC’s in round 1 in order to sustain a transport invasion of Russia through the back door (Manchuria to Yakut to Novosibirsk to Russia). Also, as Japan builds a transport navy (protect by heavy naval forces that were NOT sacrificed against the US at Hawaii) the US has to garrison Alaska heavilly (that japanease transport fleet ferrying troops to Manchuria is a single move away from an all out invasion of Alaska too). That reduces the number of US dollars that can be spent on the European war, allowing Germany to maintain the frontal assault on Russia that eventually leads to Japan taking Russia. So for an opening move, Japan re-takes Manchuria, takes Australia, blasts the results of the Kwantung Maneuver (if executed) or takes China using air force and Kwantung infantry. If Japan still holds Manchuria, they assault Yakut and take it. If the UK builds in India, that simply takes more pressure off Germany and allows THEM to take Russia, aided by the threat floating through the Siberian lands… too far from India for UK to do a darn thing about. YAKUT is the key for Japan. Take it and hold it, you have one territory with all of your west-marching forces to defend it from the Russians, and you force Russia to try to defend TWO territories against your massing forces. The drain on Russia: defending Evenk AND Novosibirsk plus holding Karelia and the Caucuses with an income of only 20 or so IPC’s is FATAL, REGARDLESS of UK and US support. And with Russia gone, the Alllies WILL lose (economic victory is immediate on taking Russia, world domination only a few moves away)
Radical? Japan Strategy
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OK, a LOT of folks on here seem to be wed to the “KGF” strategy.
How is that effected if Japan switches roles a bit by being a “USA” to Germany?
What I mean is, what effect does a consolidated transfer of Japan’s air-power to Germany have on the Kill Germany First strategy when combined with a concerted Japan land push against Russia from the east?
I have personally never tried it, being wed to my own Japan strategies, and am wondering of others have, and what the effect was, especially on Allied naval forces.
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I love this question. I’ve only donated a few fighters to the German cause a couple of times, and usually when Germany is in trouble. The bomber tends to make it’s way to Germany for raids on GB/USSR, but you’re right - i tend to keep them for offenses on the mainland. The truth is, after round 3, they are not usually that necessary in Asia, and i wonder too if there would be a lot of benefit to tossing them into EEU/WEU.
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The main problem I see is that there is no easy transfer of forces. The US/UK can transfer their infantry and be in position next round to pick up the exact same amount. Japan has a lot of seas to go through. I think you would probably want to combine it with some factory builds, as your transport force will be occupied and you would want to keep the pressure up.
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I’ve only seen Japan directly help defend Germany with fighters - its just too difficult for Japan to ship other defensive units to Europe. I suppose it might be possible for Japan to do so from Moscow after Russia has fallen (if the US/UK don’t conceed, which they might not) and if Germany is being heavily pressured.
Another way to do this that I’ve never actually seen one: if the Axis controls both Karelia and Novo and if Japan can get one inf (perhaps with paratroopers - a house rule) in Karelia, is to strafe Moscow each round and retreat all forces to Karelia, then to E. Europe, then to Germany. Its kind of a roundabout way to help Germany, as Japan I’d rather use the forces to kill Russia and then play Japan vs US/UK trying for either an economic victory or to regain Germany (which would probably also give an economic victory).
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So from the looks of it, no one has ever ‘started’ a game using Japan to pour air-power into Europe.
Guess I have a new strategy to run against the PC a few times just to check it out. I am really curious what effect it will have: double the available air forces for use against UK/US fleets, and lots of extra 4’s for defense…
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Sounds like a luxury move.
Do it after ground forces secure Novo.
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This strategy works particularly when when the allies are using a “kill Germany first” strategy. The key is having Syria-Iraq or Egypt in Axis hands for a turn so Japan can land fighters there, for travel to Berlin the next round. Those three or four extra fighters really help Germany when the aliies are pounding infantry at the capital. In my experience, it has been enough to give Japan enough time to take over Russia, because Germany just has to keep building infantry.
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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