Tips for a Beginner?

I got AAP40 in January, and ever since I have been addicted. Unfortunately, since most people I know aren’t as addicted as I, only every couple of weeks do I play a complete game (sometimes less!). This means everyone I play with and I are all beginners, and will be for a while. This game is just too complex to take in, even in 6 games, which is all I’ve played.

As I read these forums, I realize that we (me and my friends) are getting very different results than all of you. Let me compare.

Forums:
Japan: 999,999,999 victories
Allies: 1 victory

Me and my Friends:
Japan: 0 victory
Allies: 6 victories

I, as Japan, almost won once, but that required leaving almost all my territories undefended and going all out to attack. After getting Calcutta, Manila and Hong Kong, Sydney was my next target, and in one turn it would have been mine. But a rather weakly defended Japan meant the US could bomb the hell out of it and a small ANZAC fleet could take it over.

I am Japan again, and the situation isn’t too bright. It’s the beginning of Japan’s turn (I think it’s about the 5th), with 58 IPCs, making 53 IPCs. China and India are BOTH alive, and the UK has a massive tank army and China has a massive infantry army, and both are ready to destroy me. Luckily, India has NO air force and only a destroyer in Malayan waters, but I only have 3 fighters in French Indochina, a couple cruisers (one in Japan and one off of Kwangtung) and an empty aircraft carrier (in the Philippines). The ANZAC has 3 undefended transports, a fighter and a ton of tanks/infantry. America is amassing a giant fleet to push me out of Hawaii (defended by a tank and a fighter). I’m losing the fight on the mainland, and I’m about to lose the fight for the eastern pacific.

I know what I’m going to do with the units I already have. I’m going to take out those transports with my aircraft carrier and a fighter, and withdraw from Indochina to defend Kwangsi with a couple tanks. I have a MiIC in Kiangsi and another one in the Philippines (NOTE: we play with the ability to build MiICs on the Philippines, the NO islands for the UK, both sides of New Guinea and New Zealand too). What I want to ask you is basic tips for Japan (I don’t want to know the secrets to the India crush, that would be unfair), as well as what I should spend my IPCs on this turn, and anything else you find necessary or helpful. If you need any more info on my game, please ask.

Thanks SO MUCH in advance! And don’t say I’m a newb for failing to take both China and India… I already know that.  :-D

@fanofbond:

You don’t really need the ICs on the islands any ways. Build one on the mainland in a very good location and watch your fleet don’t make stupid moves that allow easy targets for the allies. Kill the uk fleet quick. There are some good basic tips

Thanks fanofband!

Anybody else got some tips? Or, preferably, what I should spend my IPCs on? And an update to how the game goes is coming Sunday night or Monday morning, and if I win I’ll be very surprised.

Thanks a lot Van Trump and dinosaur! I’ll definitely crush the Allies next time now!

As for how the game went, I eliminated all that remained of the ANZAC and UK navies and took the East Indies (ANZAC and UK NO islands), but Chinese infantry were starting to batter away at my forces on the mainland, and eventually I was cornered in Hong Kong, everything else (save for Korea), was Chinese. I managed to fend off a massive fleet of bombers, fighters, battleships and cruisers in the Philippines, but soon after, that was taken from me too. The East Indies were gone once the ANZAC and UK could build up a fleet again, and Japan fought for a couple turns after everything else was American, Australian, British or Chinese, but it too fell to the Allies.

I got myself far too deep into the hole of death, and I could not get out again.

However, I learned my lesson. Japan CANNOT declare war and not act quickly and decisively, they will soon simply be overtaken by the US “wartime economy”, as the Rulebook puts it. Also, Japan CANNOT let China live, or they will die. China, if it is saved by the stupidity of a Japanese player, will spread like the bubonic plague until all of it’s homeland once again belongs to it. That said, learned and lived, I hope to crush the Allies next time we come to cross swords (or little plastic people and machines, whatever the case may be). May the rising sun burn forever!