Africa

I’m not very good at Classic, but I’ll throw my two cents in.

Typically, I commit 1-2 rounds of shucking INF from South Europe -> Africa to try to rack up some IPCs. After the first two rounds or so you’re going to need 100% of your IPCs to commit to the stack war in Eastern Europe Vs. USSR/UK.

If UK wastes their money on a South Africa/India IC I’d punish them by committing the Germans to a Egypt -> Syria -> Persia -> India trajectory, while also sending as much of Japan’s navy as possible towards India to take the free factory. If Japan/Germany can break a hypothetical India Factory early on, it can give Japan some real momentum in gobbling up IPCs in Africa + putting pressure on Russia.

Remember: In Classic, Germany has to play defensively, as they stand no chance of breaking Karelia unless your opponent is really weak. Japan has to be the main breadwinner for the Axis, abusing the weak starting setup for the Allies in Asia and the typical hyper-KGF Allied strategy to try to either take Moscow or win an “economic victory” before the Allies manage to break Germany.

@Cecrowca:

A fleet of transports ready to cross from South Africa to India, threatening an expanding Japan’s flank could be interesting.  On the flip side, Africa becomes fairly well protected against an aggressive Japan.  Tanks via the Suez canal can also hinder Japanese expansion.

S. Africa only has an IPC of 2.  It would take a LONG time for UK to build up enough naval and transportable forces at 2 a round to create any real threat to Japan; and then they would still have 2 moves to reach any original Japan territory.

And all the time UK is building navy and “transportables” in South Africa, Germany is running rough-shod over Russia.

The simple fact is that the cost to build the IC, and then the cost and time to develope it simply DO NOT EXIST if the Axis is being played by even a slightly competant gamer.

UK has ONE job, and ONLY one job:  Batter the heck out of Germany, no matter what.  Anything less, and Russia falls, and then it is just a matter of time for US and UK.

Well, here is one strategy I’ve used in the past that may help with Africa (RR, no bid). You won’t be able to keep Africa with this, but you might have a chance to at least take it for a turn or two.

On G1, sink the UK Navy in the North Sea as usual, but do not use the Baltic sea transport as fodder. Once all Allied ships there are sunk, take the Baltic sea transport and move either the Norway tank (my preference)or two Norway infantry to Morocco. Also land at least one of your fighters there as well. Instead of taking Egypt, simply move two infantry into Libya.

This sets you up fairly well for G2 in the following ways

The transport blocks the UK/US from an easy run through this area. The UK will sink this, but this will divert forces from other uses (i.e. if they use fighters, they will not be able to land in Karelia on UK1 - possibly making a G2 assualt there feasable). Probably the UK will also sink the German Med fleet (its really inevitable).

The extra forces in Morocco will delay UK/US forces from landing in Africa on round 1.

On G2, use all available forces to take Egypt. The extra tank and fighter(s) will help defeat any forces that may have been moved to Egypt on UK1 . You should also consider using the bomber as well if they have done so. Now the Allies either won’t have sufficient forces to effectively counter-attack, or you will have sufficient forces in Egypt to make a counter difficult at best.

On G3 and onward, you then use these forces to fight north-south. You should be able to reach S. Africa then retreat back to Egpyt to defend that against the Allies. Here you are just scrambling to keep as much as Africa in German hands as long as you can. The Allies are able to take it all back, but now they must devote more resources to do so. Also, it is possible for Japan to bring in reinforcements to help Germany, but I never do so since the Allies are closer to Africa than Japan and the Japanese forces are better used elsewhere, IMO. At some point you should probably conceed Africa and move the fighter back to the relative safety of Europe.

There are problems for the Germans with this (loss of a defensive fighter in Europe for a few turns, Norway is weakened, and the odds for this working as stated are not exactly a slam dunk) but you should try it to see how it works for you.

Never give any land for free all land is worht something it gives you an advantage I agree with MR though if you kan avoid it do but if you are already there fight to the DEATH!

I think Brazil is a location suited only to the Japanese trying for an economic victory, and at that it is something that can sort of be smelled out in advance by the Americans.

I am on the side of those who argue that the EUsa can and should be the embarkation point for those forces going to work in Africa. Brazil is something of a secondary point; it’s real value is realized when the Axis take it, but this can easily be countered by the US sending a few INF down there.

Rather than mess around with Brazil, I would advise the US player to simply get transports and then once enough of them are built get a few escort vessels to forestall any air attacks on your convoys and hit Africa from East USA.

This friend of mine that I play against always builds 3 transports and 3 tanks per round with the US and keeps sending that force to Algeria. He loses tanks along the way, less later in the game, sending them to Persia. This totally keeps Germany out of Africa, and stops Japan in Asia later as well.

Um, no. Can’t speak for SUD but I was not talking about Germany’s northern transport. I was speaking of the Geman transport in the South East Med Sea Zone. You know, the one doing the transporting of troops to Africa. The vital one. The pain in the ass. Oops. Sorry, CC, hope ass was censored

Um, no. I believe or atleast I have always played that the UK sub starts in the EMed SZ. I can’t imagine any UK player wanting it anywhere else but maybe I’m just not imaginative enough.

Geze, I believe - depending on circumstances - that Russia is perfectly capable of handling itself in the first 2 rounds. Anything Germany can throw against 19+ INF and 2 FTRs G1 and 27+, 2 FTRs G2 seems to me to doom Germany to an early Keg Stand (hosue rules for losing - actually those are the house rules for any type of punishment, we’re what you would call “mature”. No, wait, that’s “Immature”, sorry) I digress.

It would be something to think on or get a second opinion from your partners but I might attack that EMED TRN, that’s the one in the South East Sea Zone for those of you keeping score at home :wink: , and I think getting Germany out of Africa before they even have a chance is a pretty powerful blow, especially so early. Well worth making the Ruskies a little nervous.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have a keg stand to do - I forgot to take out the garbage.

Sounds good, but I’d like to request that you get AIM or MSN MEssenger so that I can talk to you in real time about it and so that maybe I can try it by telling you my moves and you could play them out for me.