Critique this Germany Opening Turn: Bye,Bye Boatie


  • This opening turn is based upon a frsh look at the game using standard rules.  It incorporates the way I have used to play with GErmany on the opening turn, but I have tried to be a bit more solid about it.  What is novel is that Germany in no way engages Rusiia on the opening turn.  There is one major reason for this mainly that Germany is left with two options if it goes this path.  It must either use planes for the offensive thrust of tanks.  Using planes allows the British navy to persist which will grow to be lethal.  Using tanks, requires loosing those tanks to the Russian counterassault, loosing you valuable IP’s (tanks for infantry) and thereby forcing you to invest heavily in armour when you already have scads of it.

    Purchase:
    1 Transport (8)
    4 Infantry (12)
    1 Fighter (12)
    Total: 32

    The transport is purchased to replace the possile loss of your southern transport.  The fighter is purchased to replace the possible loss of one of your fighters from the assault on the British navy (you may possibly lose two).  The four infantry will be split between the German capital to reinforce from moving men to the eastern front and to replace those in southern europe in order to land in Africa with the purchased Transport.

    Battle One: Fighter from Finland/Norway engages British transport off Eastern Canada
    This is a fairly clear cut battle.  Although you might get unlucky, a loss here is certainly not too detrimental.  The fighter lands in Western Europe to reinforce the positions which will be thined here.

    Battle Two: Fighters from Eastern Europe, Germany, Ukraine S.S.R, and Western Europe engage British home fleet.
    Here a loss is likely and perhaps two losses.  This should be a sure victory in the end however.  Likely, the russian transport will have docked here to help the British fleet take a casualty as it is largely useless.  Return all to Eastern Europe.

    Battle Three: Bomber from Germany attacks British submarine in mediteranean
    Either a kill or a retreat out of the suez.  A retreat is not entirely detrimetal as you should control one half of the Suez by next turn when you rreturn your southern fleet to harbor so that the submarine is no longer a threat.  Return to Germany

    Battle Four: Battleship and Transport from Southern Europe Attack Battleship at Gibraltar along with submarine stationed outside Gibraltar
    Here the transport will likely be lost, with the possibility of two losses though unlikely.  By any account your Battleship which is crucial should survive.  One loss is certainly preferable as the British may decide to try to trade their Bomber for your Battleship if it left alone.

    Playing Out Africa:
    Now you will notice that the Battleship and Submarine prove to be potent threats to any U.S. incursion.  A movement to Africa on the first turn will not only cost them a transport but the soldiers they drop as well most likely.  This play fends off Africa well.  If the U.S. lands a transport you have the options of sending the sub alone in a trade (Briain will take the sub with a bomber).  This is good as the U.S. cannot afford a transport on the first turn in the east as they must restore their Pacific fleet or end up with a Japanese blockade on California which will disallow them form placing any further sea units in the West.  Typically, Britain will buy a second bomber on the first turn, requiring you to retreat you Battle ship back into the Med.  If they do not you are gravy.

    Battle Five: Send Infantry from Algeria into French West Africa to guard against American invasion.
    No defenders.

    Battle Six: Send Armour from Libya into French Equitorial Africa then bakc to Algeria to guard against less likely U.S. invasion.
    No Defenders.  This also keeps you sole African armour safe from British attack.

    Non-Combat Movement and Placement:
    Move two armour from Western Europe to Germany putting them in range of rich targets.
    Move one infantry from Germany into Western Europe. (Ilike to do this now as infantry can get sparse late and two infantry is too little.
    Move two infantry from Southern Europe into Eastern Europe.
    Move two armour back from Ukraine S.S.R. to Eastern Europe.
    Move two infantry from Eastern Europe to Ukraine S.S.R.
    Move three infantry from Germany into Eastern Europe.

    Place transport, fighter, and two infantry in Southern Europe.  Place two infantry in Germany.

    This is of course only a useful strategy if Russia does not attack you in Eastern Europe on the first turn, but that is a crappy strategy any ways, as it leads to the destruction of all Russia’s armour (at the cost of a few German infantry, and leaves Germany armour used on the counteract in a safe position) and does ont allow maximal use of Russia’s airplanes.

    Critique anyone?


  • Okay, here’s two problems. Okay, not the only problem, but I’ll go easy on you. Your battleship and newly built transport will die on round 1, first off. The UK can send two fighters against your BB, and one bomber against your transport. The UK will likely lose its two fighters in the end, but it’s not the end of the world, especially since you are being such a pussycat against russia.

    In R1 as russia I will typically strafe you in the ukraine. Lets say that leaves me with 4 inf, and you with 1 armor, 1 fighter. In eastern europe you stack, if I am following your orders, 8 inf, 1 armor, 3 fighters. As russia next round I attack with…16 inf, 3 armor, 3 fighters. That should let me win with about 7 inf, 3 armor. You can counter with 4 inf, 5 armor, 2 fighters and a bomber. You win with 4 armor and your planes. The armor I decimate next round with russia. Meanwhile the UK is running around like a stepford wife and spending money on all of her toys, laughing at the sad state of the luftwaffe. Hell, on round 2 the UK could likely take eastern europe back, letting russia attack norway or just drink vodka.

    I find that germany cannot afford to build much besides defense on round 1, and you better stack eastern europe hard on round 1 or Russia will take it from you in round 2. If you look around for a ncswitch post he has a better strategy that revolves around transport buys.


  • If you look around for a ncswitch post he has a better strategy that revolves around transport buys.

    The topic is here:

    http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=5639.0

    In this case we have determined that Germany has a chance at either defeating England via “operation sea lion” with the purchase of an 8ipc bid of a transport on G1 or of taking Karelia with some comfortable level of forces.  This thread debates the chances of sucess, but note that most players think the odds for the Axis are still quite a bit less than 50% as the Allies have many ways to counter this bid.   There may be a game played with this strategy, which should be interesting.

    Still, I agree this is a more legitimate strategy than your purchase (not bid  :-o ) of a transport in the Med.  AAfiendish has pointed out two of the most obvious flaws in your strategy.  I’d like to reinforce his statements by pointing out that this 8 ipcs transport will be sunk before G2 and therefore will not allow additional troops to be sent to Africa.


  • This was the thread I was thinking of: http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=5417.0
    This was then revisited due to points brought up here: http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=5456.0

    I did point out the transport would die, but I appreciate the support  :wink:


  • Yes, I know you pointed out the death of the transport.  I just want to make sure (because I’m not sure he does) limited understands that the transport will likely not do anything at all (except a small chance of shooting down the UK bomber).  Because placements are the last thing in a move, this transport won’t even get to noncombat move infantry to Africa.  I’d personally want more to show for my 8 ipcs spent than a small chance of shooting down the UK bomber.

    I appreciate the support

    As do I  :wink:


  • My BB and sub are at Gibraltar.  That three away from GB.  No where to land.  The TP is 4 away from GB.  The only landing lone is Anglo-Egypt Sudan.  Not the best landing zone.


  • Okay take that back they can land at Gibraltar.  So I need to invade spain on turn one, so that if they land in Gibraltar I rumble in with couple tanks.

  • Moderator

    Your expanding Germany for no real gain.

    I have seen Germay transport 1 inf to Gib on G1 to prevent this, but still a waste IMO.  In this case you’d have to lose the Sub on your G1 attack.

    But with a tran and ftr purchase, you’ll lose EE to the Russians very quickly.

    I’ll load up Kar on R1 (normal play out), then as soon as I see your G1 purchase, I’ll buy 3 inf, 3 arm on R2, so I can Strafe EE on R3 if I can’t take.

    I’ll attack with 20+ inf, 7 arm, 2 ftrs, then retreat back to Kar with 1-5 inf and arm and planes, place 6-7 more inf on Kar and do the same on R4.

    My guess is Russia could probably hold EE on R4, perhaps even on the R3 attack and that will be game over.


  • @limitedwhole:

    Okay take that back they can land at Gibraltar.  So I need to invade spain on turn one, so that if they land in Gibraltar I rumble in with couple tanks.

    Which costs you an INF build.

    And even so, your fleet is STILL dead in UK1 to those figs.  You have an unguarded tranny that will be in range of Russia figs if Russia is played well.  That means the tranny was NEVER used.  Even if Russia can;t kill it, the tranny will be in range in UK2 of the India fighter, and will be in range in UK2 of the UK Bomber.  You get 2 more INF to Africa.

    NOT enough to hold it.

    There is another thread on here somewhere where I blew the snot out of even a SEVEN extra INF in Africa situation (where Germany STARTS with 7 extra INF in Africa).

    2 just ain’t gonna cut it.

    A better use of Med navy:
    Amphib Caucuses in G1.


  • Your Ger Turn 1 purchase will hurt you in later turns vs Rus.

    At minimum, 7-8 ground units should be bought per turn just to keep pace vs Rus.  More bought will give Ger the edge, but only vs Rus.

    If US and UK decide to gang up on Ger, then you will have wished you bought all inf as they give the best defense for the money.

    Mathematical combat factor / cost breakdown favors inf,then arm, then ftr.  Defensive value is worth much more for Ger because your same units could defend up to three times per round (as Rus, UK, and US attack) but only attack once per round.


  • Scratch this.  We play with ahouse rule were Industial centers are limited to territorial I.P.  Hence Russia cannot drop all its troops directly on the front line.  Anyways, I’m changing it up.

    What I do now, is attack the BRitish home navy while ignoring the trannie in EAstern Canada.  Converge on the Battleship with two infantry on trannie, leaving the submarine for next turn.  1 INF goes to Gibraltar.  1 INF goes to north Africa. I purchase 10 INF and save the TP for turn two along with a AC.  This works with the home rule of KArelia limit.  This rule essentially gives GErmany breathing room on even numbered turns unless Russia invests more heavily in armor.


  • A&A is like chess where a small advantage needs to be exploited quickly and efficiently leveraged into bigger ones until your side becomes dominate in the game.  This leverage usu comes at the expense of giving your opponent a trivial advantage in some other arena.  The point is to fully develop the advantage given to you before your opponent can bear full fruit from the advantage you gave them.  The starting economy of the Axis prevents them from being strong everywhere for a while.  You need to focus your strength at key an critical points of the map.  Spread yourself too thin too early, and you can expect to lose vs players who can really focus.

    The limited starting IC house rule would preclude the Afr campaign and drive any decent Ger player towards exploiting that Rus weakness w/an all land unit initial purchase.  9 inf /1 arm, 7 inf / 2 arm would be better suited.  Jpn should also focus more on Rus w/ an initial 3 inf / 2 trn purchase.  Overrun Eurasia w/ ground units before US and UK can make a dent there.  Taking Rus while holding on to both Axis capitals puts them into the dominant position.

    An better option would be to buy 10 inf on the first turn for Ger and 5+ arm on turn 2.  That complete purch can be used on your Ger 3 attack to take Kar while Rus has at least 5-6 inf sitting back doing nothing.  Dissappation on that front is a weakness to be exploited.  Divide and conquer.


  • US trns can steadily drop inf on Kar by US3.  US and UK will sometimes opt to keep the bulk of the rebuilt fleet in the UK SZ and walk inf across Fin/Nor to Kar.  The Rus disadvantage from the limited Kar IC will soon fade after US4.

    By UK6, both trn fleets can and should land troops into Spain for $ 3 UK.  6+ UK inf, 8+US inf + possible air power.  This stages the WE assaults by combined amphib+ Spn ground units the following turn.  The US will usu take it after the initial UK assault.  The 3 vs 1 gang up on Ger will soon envelop your capital (2-3 turns) and the Axis will have limited game options after that.  Play it right and Jpn gets 1-2 extra turns to take Rus.  Play wrong or unlucky and you lose.


  • Linkon, you forget 1 thing in your analysis…

    Germany can suicide their remaining AF against that tranny fleet in either G2 (if UK built right away) or G3 (if they waited and dropped a larger fleet).  A G2 attack often leaves Germany with a few planes left.  A G3 attack costs Germany its remaining AF, but will take out teh trannies in that fleet before they can be used.  That means UK/US are not landing forces before G4.

    With limitted IC’s, Germany should have a strong stream of land forces through Eastern to Karelia, where Germany is also building forces starting in G3 based on the previous post.  Meanwhile, Russian income has been down since the begining, 24 IPC’s in R1, 24 plus or minus in R2, 19 in R3, and only 15 for R4: the round Germany drops the hammer, or the round before Germany drops the hammer depending on how it is played.  If Germany waits for G5, then the Russian build could be as low as 8 IPC’s worth in R5.

    Again, a lot of variables.  Just showing one potential set up.

    Also, with Germany IN Karelia and building there, it will take some time for UK/US forces to reach Russia, since they have to first get Germany out of Karelia.  That time Russia may not have, if Japan is being played well and is sending the 6-7 tanks per round into Asia by J4…


  • Only RR or a v.high initial bid will allow Ger to use the AF vs. the allied navies a third time.

    limitedw’s usage of the AF in G1 will leave it at 40-70% of starting strength going into G2.

    As Ger I prefer to attack when it is worthwhile.  Desperation measures such as trading 4 ftrs for 4 trns will only speed the axis demise.  Short term, it only delays allied action for 1 turn.

    Keep in mind that ftrs (range 4) can attack Rus from WE and then land back in Kar.  So, if Ger gets a lucky enough strike vs Kar and takes it w >8arm, the follow-up into Rus can secure a very dominant position in the following turn.  There will be no Ger reinforcement on that immediate attack.  Rus could have over >10 inf + surviving allied ftrs.  Your ftrs have the potential to tip the critical 2nd battle.  After that, it does not matter if the allies invade WE or even hold SE.

    I have viewed a number of games at FOE.
    There are a few cases where Ger attacked Kar (after a few rounds) and the Ger player usu bought 1 ftr that turn.  It becomes evident in the following turn that the Kar attack was expected as a victory opening the way into Rus, but extra firepower was still needed for the Rus attack.  Inf and arm are obviously too slow, but ftrs can attack Rus and land back in Kar on the turn needed.

    http://www.flames-of-europe.de/modules.php?name=Dicey&file=rangliste

    Losing Ger ftrs for that battle is worthwhile because it gives the axis dominance.

    The axis will control the extra capital.
    Ger will have $40+ income + Russia’s bank holdings for the following purchases… net usu $50+. 
    Jpn can rush ftrs and bmr over to defend and limit allied fleet movements.
    Jpn ground forces can sweep unopposed through asia and spill into Afr. 
    Jpn fleet is freed up to mount amphibs across the Pacific.

    So as long as Rus falls and Ger holds, the tide rapidly turns against the allies.  The allies only hope is to immediately take Ger.  Ger needs to buy all inf on the turn they attack Rus.


  • @Linkon:

    So as long as Rus falls and Ger holds, the tide rapidly turns against the allies.  The allies only hope is to immediately take Ger.  Ger needs to buy all inf on the turn they attack Rus.

    If Russia falls and Germany does not fall to the UK or to US the same round, the game is over…

    Russia’s territories equal an Economic Victory.  Assuming 1-4 minor territories still in Russian control, but figuring in the US loss of China and Sinkiang, as well as India… well that is it.

    And if you are not using Economic Victory…
    Even if Germany is BARELY alive when Russia falls, and UK and/or US hold Western AND Southern…  Germany drops a build of Infantry in a worst case scenario, 15 to 20 divisions… And the surviving forces from Moscow move back toward Germany…
    Meanwhile, that Japan fleet of 6-7 trannies now loads up and heads for the US, ending all US assistance in Europe.  UK at 20-25 IPC’s against Germany’s 40+, US at 30 IPC’s against Japan’s 40+…


  • Once I played a buddy who was a bit rusty. Â

    I beat him earlier in 2004 as the allies.  He remembered a few old games (not vs me) where allies usu won and wanted to beat me the same way.

    We played RR and he had a partial split in Rus forces to support a Sing IC for the US.

    I took advantage of that weakness on G1 w/ a 5 arm 2 inf purch and set up the Kar attack. Â

    Due to RR, I sank all UK fighting ships in the European theatre w/minor losses (ftr, 2trn, 2sub). Â

    The Med BB sank UK’s, but this was after losing both a sub and trn+inf for the Gib amphib.
    This is a good G1 attack to set up a favorable G2 attack (BB+trn+AF) on the rebuilt UK fleet.

    UK ftrs sank my BB, landing ftrs in Gib.

    R2 he weakened himself further by taking FN. Â

    This miscalculation was followed by my taking Kar w/ 11 Arm G2. Â

    Rus rebuilt defenses.  Would have had an extra $2 left over, so bought an arm in place of the last inf.  US/UK ftrs clustered on Rus.  
    G3  I could have risked all to end it then.  It looked 50/50.  I figured on luring Rus into another trap.  Bought another 5 arm + inf.  Took out Rus arm + UK inf  in FN using/all 11 Ger arm + ftrs.  3 inf build in Kar.  All other ground units built in Ger/SE.  Ftrs, bmr land in WE.

    R4 takes the bait.  He attacks and wins Kar.  Rus forces split again.  
    G4.  Bought 2 ftr + inf.  Attacked Kar w/7 inf 14 arm.  lost only 1 inf in a single round of dice.  
    US takes WE.
    G5 attacked Rus taking w/10 arm + AF.  Allies surrender.

    Biggest mistake I exploited was the retaking of Kar.  I had forces in Ger, EE, and FN set up to retake it in strong force.  That movement would have also united my ground forces into something he could not attack.  He mainly wanted to prevent me from using the IC.  But it cost him the strength of a big, IC-supported stack that also enjoyed US/UK ftr defense.  The lack of his 7 ground units lost in Kar made the final battle much easier for me.  I may have had to wait an extra 2 builds worth if he continued the defensive builds in R4.

    My opponent was rusty.  Perhaps he was not even that good in his prime.  We both knew that Kar was important.  I had an edge from studying those FOE games which was shown in the management of my ground force concentrations.  
    Defensive lines, are common in real military life.  They look nice on the war history shows and Time-Life books.  But this game is mostly about unlimited stacking.  The ultimate stacks face each other across Kar-EE.  Break the opposing stack there, and you can win the game.  Taking lightly defended and undefended lands are only a secondary objective.


  • My old buddies and I play for absolute dominance.  EV is for the weak.

    If the axis can reach EV and then lose Ger or Jpn in the following round, what was the actual worth?


  • @ncscswitch:

    @Linkon:

    So as long as Rus falls and Ger holds, the tide rapidly turns against the allies.  The allies only hope is to immediately take Ger.  Ger needs to buy all inf on the turn they attack Rus.

    If Russia falls and Germany does not fall to the UK or to US the same round, the game is over…

    Russia’s territories equal an Economic Victory.  Assuming 1-4 minor territories still in Russian control, but figuring in the US loss of China and Sinkiang, as well as India… well that is it.

    And if you are not using Economic Victory…
    Even if Germany is BARELY alive when Russia falls, and UK and/or US hold Western AND Southern…  Germany drops a build of Infantry in a worst case scenario, 15 to 20 divisions… And the surviving forces from Moscow move back toward Germany…
    Meanwhile, that Japan fleet of 6-7 trannies now loads up and heads for the US, ending all US assistance in Europe.  UK at 20-25 IPC’s against Germany’s 40+, US at 30 IPC’s against Japan’s 40+…

    A common practice after taking a capitol by my friends and I is the tech rolling for HB.

    The US & UK can both be heavily defended by the time you get a decent invasion fleet going.  However, only a fool would persist against HB, Rockets, IT and the income to back them up while down a capitol w/o HB to counter.


  • The only bad thing I dislike about not even contending for africa is that the U.S. no longer has to divert resources their which means they can land and take Finland/Norway instead and buy a few extra bombers to assist the Brits in bombing the mac-cheesenits out of Germany.  Typically in our games, Britian has an IC in India pumping out 3 INF and purchases a Bomber everyturn.  The U.S. can also purchase a bomber everyturn and if Japan is not thretening in the Pacific can just pile on the strategic bombing.  6 Bombers is 21 IC a turn with a likely loss.  Thats the one thing I really dislike about not using the GErman airforce to attack the BRitish Navy.  They can support U.S. landings witha  few troops, pump oput enough INF in India to hold it long enough or deter Japanese forces south, and bomb the crap of Germany.  Maybe my AA guns just never hit, but not-contending in Africa usually leads to a crapload of bombs falling on teh fatherland.

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