How many ships do purchase as Germany in a typical game?

[DarthMaximus]

I’m normally a “no-ships or 1 ac” kind of player but I am seriously considering a second AC on G3 in this game I have going at DAAK.

I’m thinking it may lead to a “going after UK strat” BUT I’m just not sure if I’ll pull the trigger on it.Â

It is only J2 right now so I still have time to come to my senses, but I may indeed try it.  I’ll have to see how my opponent plays US 2 and R3.

[Flagstaff]

I only buy enough transports to secure africa.

[NoMercy]

africa is not secureable.

its a matter of how long you think you can stay in or delay or a matter of how badly you want the americans or amercians/british to pay for it.

[Jennifer]

I’ve thought of hte +2 trasports in the Med idea.  Allows germany to have 3 transports and a battleship, plenty to counter in Africa for a few rounds.

[General_D.Fox]

You could always use those transports to secure Africa and get more forces to Ukraine/Caucasus. That could work as well.

[88 Millimeter]

if you’re going to buy anything beyond a G1 carrier, a transport on G2 and G3 is a nice purchase, and it still allows you to build 10+ infantry per round on those two turns. The idea is that you add to your ability to hold/ counter Karelia, and counter landings in Norway. With your 6-7 unit Luftwaffe (depending on whether Russia killed the Ukraine on R1), any landing in Norway can be countered by 6 land units and multiple aircraft. If Norway is not being traded, those German units end up in Karelia instead, causing a headache for the Russians.

The idea of continually contesting Norway/ Karelia is to destroy Allied forces as they hit the ground. The Allied player feels good because German pieces are being killed in Norway rather than against Russia alone- but in actuality Russia is slowly being isolated to fight a 1 on 1 battle against a menacing Japan.

I don’t do this, because I personally can’t pull the trigger on that much German navy- but it is an effective strategy when coupled with an unhindered and well played Japan.Â

By the way, an intriguing antidote to a G1 naval build is 5 US subs. On US4 you can say goodbye to the Baltic fleet unless a substantial contribution was made to it. It also makes the German fleet link up feel a little less secure. Again- I’d go with a carrier, 2 transports and boots personally, but I know a player who does this and wins with it.

The transports in the Med idea is interesting, but it sacrifices the entire north of Europe to the Allies. IMO Germany contesting the north is hugely important. Once Karelia is firmly in the hands of the Allies, things had better be going REALLY well for Japan.

[Jennifer]

The idea would be to have the transports in the med.  Pump forces into Africa to secure it, but keep them close to Algeria, Libya and Egypt so you can make a sudden strike on Caucasus with 6 extra units that the Russians were not expecting.  Meanwhile, you slide completely under the Allied build up in Karelia.

Now, they can either move south to attack you, or retreat to Moscow.

You give up Karelia and Fin/Nor (5 IPCs) but you gain 8 in africa.

[88 Millimeter]

Those are all good points, Jen, but the Allies landing in the north on a consistent basis is a shot in the arm to Russia, and allows Russian troops to have more versatility.

Once the UK and US start eating into Belo and E Europe on a regular basis, and sliding some troops into West Russia and beyond, Russia can concentrate on defending against Japan.

As an Axis player you don’t want to see British and American infantry/ artillery/ armor/ fighters pooling in the middle of the game board. If they die in Noway, or Karelia, or Africa you are isolating Russia to do all the heavy lifting by themselves. By the time the Allies start arriving in force it may be too late if Japan has done its job.

I’m not saying your idea doesn’t have validity, but that’s just my experience.

[Jennifer]

well, one would hope Germany could convince America to go africa instead of Finland here.  that would curtail 50%-75% or Russia’s aid.  :)

[Guest]

Howdy.

I hadn’t weighed in on this thread, but I just got a story to tell.

Yesterday I played a game against a good player.  It was time-limited.

No joke, in a 5 round game I built 9tra 1car with Germany.

And it WON the game for me!

It was ridiculous!

It was absurd!

It was outrageous!

It was sublime…

So German boats can be good.  That would have been excessive in 99% of the games I’ve played, but yesterday it was exactly enough to get the job done.  Simple lesson: the Baltic is important.

[Jennifer]

@CrazyStraw:

Howdy.

I hadn’t weighed in on this thread, but I just got a story to tell.

Yesterday I played a game against a good player.  It was time-limited.

No joke, in a 5 round game I built 9tra 1car with Germany.

And it WON the game for me!

It was ridiculous!

It was absurd!

It was outrageous!

It was sublime…

So German boats can be good.  That would have been excessive in 99% of the games I’ve played, but yesterday it was exactly enough to get the job done.  Simple lesson: the Baltic is important.

I begin to see the value in LL / No Luck games and in non-time limited games.

My entire strategies in my tournament game had to change because of a time limit.  It caused a waste of two turns because I forgot to take into account that there was a time limit in each round.  (not a round limit, that would have been easy to work with, but a time limit.)

needless to say, I’m never making that mistake again!