Strategic bombing your way to a win

[General_D.Fox]

Froodster, it’s only the second turn and already you’re turtling?? :-o :-o :?  The game is young dude.  And even though you seem to be on a roll as Japan so far, it’s not all sushi and green tea the further you get from your lovely fish capital!

[frood]

My experience is just very limited. I’ve played maybe 5 FTF games where the Allies build units or transports they can’t use, and leave their TRN in rang of my fighters unescorted, then build more units that they don’t have transpors to ship - Darth knows how to play, so shen Allies land in Norwqay in 2nd round I get scared. Of course, I left it open - duh.

[Jennifer]

Slowely pull up into E. Europe and Balkans, don’t give them anything they don’t need.  Meanwhile, infantry are your friends.

If they’re up in Belorussia, Ukraine, Karelia and W. Europe they are NOT in Russia, Novosibirsk, Evenki National Okrug or Kazakh.  That means Japan can be lightly rapping at Russia’s window pain like Romeo tossing pebles for Juliet.  And just like in the story, Russia will eventually open her doors and let you in to ravish her, ere it!

[Guest]

But also remember what happens when the Raven came gently raping at the chamber door… a bit more accurate in terms of Japan and Russia :-D

[frood]

“Gently raping”? - oh my.

[DarthMaximus]

Quoth the raven, nevermore.

[frood]

I just looked up the poem - kind of spooky, but parts of it seemed kind of funny too…

[frood]

Back on topic - I just re-read CSub’s paper on SBRs that was posted here like a year ago - still can’t beat the math or the logic. Unless you can think of nothing else to do at present or on future turns with a unit that attacks on a 4 and has a range of 6, throwing it in front of AA guns for average 3.5 IPCs damage is just not worth it. And I repeat my point that money in the bank is less valuable than units in the field. Kill units.

[newpaintbrush]

@ncscswitch:

But also remember what happens when the Raven came gently raping at the chamber door… a bit more accurate in terms of Japan and Russia :-D

So, this raven . . . is she hawt?

–

Csub’s paper on SBRs is excellent for a PROTRACTED game.  But if you are tank rushing Moscow like mad, SBRs are a decent option.  Of course, you only rush Moscow like mad if Russia overextended itself on its first turn (trying to attack three territories) and built, say, a fighter, tank, and three infantry.

[General_D.Fox]

Actually, this raven has a pointy head and sounds like Bart Simpson and only really says “Never more.”  :-P :lol: Painbrush, stick to the sparrows and robins.  You can actually have a convo with them easier than the gently rapping, rapping raven. :roll:

[Jennifer]

I havn’t read the paper.  But I do know from personal experience that you can do massive damage to germany and prevent her from being a serious threat to anything but a Heinigan and a Sausage with minimal investment by the allies which frees Russia up to either take Eastern Europe (as in the territories east of Germany, not just the one territory) or pound on Japan.

The trick would be to make sure the allies get into Africa so Germany doesn’t supplement.

[frood]

I can see that personal experience and theory would seem to be two different things esp. with SBRs - most of the time they are not shot down and it seems like gravy. But when it does get hit - poof - that’s 15 IPCs. If you get lucky for a few rounds I can see that it would be easy/tempting to ignore the math that says on the whole SBRs only net 0.4 IPC gains against the enemy.

It’s a gamble pretty much like russian roulette - most of the time it pays off (you’re safe) but when it doesn’t, it’s bad. Still, that 0.4 is in the positive range so if there’s nothing else for a bomber to do, why not? And, since it is close to an even exchange, it makes sense especially if you already have more IPCs than the other - equal exchanges between unequal players always favour the stronger side. And I suppose if it’s your free initial bomber you’re not really losing any IPCs you’ve invested. That’s about all there is to say (except for opportunity cost)

[newpaintbrush]

By all means, try strategic bombing me.

PLEASE.

–

You see that glazed look in my eyes, right?  It’s the same look I get when I hear “free food” or “free beer” or “let’s just get naked.”

–

Or, um, wait.  No.  Yes, I mean, strategic bombing.  Good idea.  Yes, I think you should use it.  (nods head vigorously)

[newpaintbrush]

Note that I say that strat bombing IS sound in some games, and it is also sound when US has superfortresses.  Srsly.

[Jennifer]

I admit, on paper SBR looks bad.  But even in LL SBR comes out halfway decently.

And realistically, how many times have you been attacked by dozens of aircraft and seen your AA gun shoot down your own planes?

[Guest]

In LL you do not lose bombers, so hardly a fair evaluation.

[Jennifer]

In LL you loose 3 IPC and your opponent looses 3 IPC though.  So it’s like trading money.  Instead of normally when you can go 400 SBR runs without loosing a single bomber, averaging 3.5 IPC

[Guest]

But you keep the bomber and never risk losing 15 IPC.  THAT is one of my main issues with LL.

[Jennifer]

On that I will most heartedly agree with you.

The other thing I hate about LL is that in AAR the axis get SUCH an advantage it isn’t even remotely funny.  Not impossible to over come, but you may as well just give up the Atlantic period, for a few rounds.  Save your money, then dump a large fleet in the water at the same time.

[Guest]

Because of the way LL works with SBRs, in a LL game it is a COMPLETELY VIABLE STRATEGY for the Allies to SBR Germany into oblivion.

The Allies can never lose a BOM.
USA trades income with Germany 1 for 1 AT WORST, usually about 5 German to 4 American ratio.  So USA just gets 7 BOM (first 3 builds 2 BOM each) and SBRs Germany for $16 IPC per round.
UK also buys 2 BOM and SBR’s Germany for another $10 a turn, losing about $8 of their own in the process.

So Germany is now playing with an income that is reduced by $26, so they only get about $15 to $20 to spend to face off against Russia that is getting $20 to $30
And the balance of US and UK money (about $25 US, $15 UK) goes into TRN fleet and amphib units.

GERMANY DIES A CERTAIN DEATH in AAR/LL