America in the Middle East

Couple of notes:

All the units are British. There is no difference between UK Europe units and UK Pacific units. That is why they move and attack together. Each UK capital can ONLY collect money from and build on their side of the board territories (Exceptions: West India is Pacific Territory - West Canada is Europe Territory). For example; If India (Calcutta) is taken and West India is taken by the Axis and then UK Europe takes West India back they do not collect for it because it is a Pacific Territory. Other Allies taking West India back could collect for it. Also, if for some reason Borneo is still under British control with India captured UK Europe may not build any infrastructure there because it is a Pacific Territory and Europe money.

@Tutti Thanks for reading.

The original post addresses purchases after the US enters the war, once its industrial complexes have been upgraded and income is augmented by National Objective bonuses. Thus, “USA1” refers to America’s second turn after entering the war, which would be the first turn they have ~70 IPC to spend. Up to that point, my recommendation is to make those necessary “security” purchases - carriers, destroyers, aircraft, etc.

I understand your aversion to buying ground troops, only to have them sit for a turn while you buy transports the next. When the US is at war, you can certainly do several turns of 5x5x5 buys (5 infantry, 5 artillery, 5 transports for 70 IPC). I’ve done this many times, myself. If your goal is to assemble an invasion force - a force large enough to make a successful amphibious assault and survive an enemy counterattack - the 5x5x5 system will work just as well as the (10x10)+10 purchases I detailed, but only in the Atlantic. Because the US only has one IC on the Pacific, the (10x10) +10 is still the most efficient method of assembling a force to invade Japan.

As for the troops America starts the game with…they can easily be incorporated into your invasion forces, but I usually have other uses for them. To give just three examples: 1) I use the Atlantic transport to activate Brazil and shuttle the Brazilian infantry to Gibraltar or Morocco, 2) The American armor and mech infantry, when parked in the Western US, can deter Japan from invading Alaska, and 3) As soon as the US enters the war, I like to use the transport off Hawaii to capture the Marshall Islands. If the Japanese don’t have carriers within striking distance of Hawaii, taking the Marshalls eliminates the threat from Japan-based strategic bombers, allowing you to safely move undefended transports to Hawaii.

Thank you for your input and play tests. Thinking for the money I might just drop troops and planes and start marching lol. If I could just get a few tanks behind Russia or into the middle east it would make for some entertainment.

Assuming that germany is in gib on G2, if Japan declares turn 2, then at most, he has 6 loaded transports with 6 planes in range of the west coast.  US drops 10 units in West US and lands some air.  Not counting the potential blocking he could do.  UK moves the canadians down, and/or US can block germany or just super stack east coast.  Either way, they have no turn 3 attack on the US, So that is another round of big unit stackage.  Turn 4 will have italy clear blockers but the US will stilll have a large defense ready.

Turn 3 Declare would mean that US still blocks a japan and so then the income for the turn can be focused on the east coast.  If the US can at least delay to turn 5, then the axis have lost their only real window.

I am always tempted to use this strategy with the allies. There is however always one thing which holds me from doing so: the Mongolian forces - if Japan can activate these units, I think this will tip the balance on the pacific board in favor of the Axis.

Nevertheless, It would be a disaster for Germany to defend another border, which is so close to france and the US at the same time…

Thanks Kreighund, guess I’ve gotten’ so wrapped up in new Alpha rules, I forgot about the rule books….

@calvinhobbesliker:

Japan only has 5 more planes than at start

Yes because they have used what they had effectively and have other large naval presences. For instance a 7 strong destroyer fleet and haven broken through China, Russia and India… It has been a pain to be sure.

Perhaps they didn’t have electric blankets…

Or maybe they just didn’t rate the Japanese fleet as a threat.  But anyway, it’d be nice to have the option.