Standard Rules: Japan moving into US Sea Zone before war declared

I take 99 infantry as a bid for central usa. I lose. That is how I play USA

Where do you station these bombers, and what do you do with them (only bombardments?)?

If the US player is smart, he makes sure you don’t have any decent attack on the us fleet in pear if US stacks it.

The US does not have enough income to represent its realistic capablities A real problem is that its a power that relies exclusively on transports to get to the action (japan also, but japan can build ICs on the coast, USA cant build ICs anywhere worthwhile) Transports that need a fleet to protect them. The best thing that could be done to help the US is to give them some extra infantry in the mainland. To ease the burden of having to buy so many high cost units. Maybe like 4-8 more infantry. The US really didnt have a manpower shortage, and the draft had already begun by 1940. The 4-8 infantry would allow the US to maybe buy another bomber and Cruiser over the course of the first few turns, while still able to fill its transports. I always feel the US shows up in a theatre with 3 units too few to really scare the axis player. They show up with enough that the axis can attack, and trade away planes for boats. Setting back the US by a little, and the axis by a little more. When in reality, the US should show up and the axis be very afraid to attack the US transports and fleet, and have to use its air units defensively. So that by turn 6 or so the US is the major allied agressor on the board. Not just the boogyman.

When I play Japan I like to play with the long-term in mind.  That is, I don’t really go for early do-or-die strategies like an India crush.  If I’m given the opportunity, I’ll go for it, but normally I’ll just try to improve Japan’s economy and keep it that way. On the turn I attack, I grab the Phillipines and as many of the DEI as possible.  The rest will be gotten on the next turn.  Hong Kong and Malaya are also high-priority objectives.  Unless something has gone wrong, getting these will make Japan’s income in around the low-mid 60s, which is perfect. Then I’ll put 1-2 factories in South East Asia, and just trade Burma with India.  With convoying, India can only produce around 1 Infantry a turn, so time is in my favor in that region.  I’ll strat bomb the India IC if I ever get the chance. What determines my success at this point is how much US invested and is continuing to invest in the Pacific.  If it’s a majority or all of its resources, I know Japan’s not going to win.  I might attack Russia if I see a KJF strat, in order to help Germany win.  My fleet builds will primarily be defensive - carriers and destroyers - in order to make my fleet survive as long as possible against the growing US fleet. If US is only spending some of its income in the Pacific, I’ll be trying to win in the Pacific if possible.  After I’ve got my income, I’ll try to place the majority of my fleet in the Carolines.  There I can threaten Hawaii and Australia.  With luck I’ll try to convoy Australia.  I’ll have taken 1 of those four Australian NO islands, so hopefully Anzac’s making less than 10 a turn.  With a good Carolines-based threat, Anzac will be building defensively - infantry - for the forseeable future.  Thus the majority of my income can go into my trade war against India and for fleet builds to compete with the US fleet.  Until India falls, I’ll go mostly for targets of opportunity at this point.  Hawaii if possible, but that’s tough.  The Pacific Island NO in A3 is impossible, don’t even bother looking at it.  The 5/7 NO in A2 was a lot better frankly.  With a long-term strategy like this, Japan’s overall victory threat is maximized.

Japan should try and protect itself  if it takes Hawai. The british will send big attacks from india into Japanese controlled Chinese territories trying to create a pathway between shanghai and india. KAF could be a viable strategy if you don’t do pearl harbour but it allows Britain the major threat to build an army and make India hard to take if Britain build a lot of infantry. KUKF would be more viable and then just pick the ANZAC’s of at you leisure. Maybe preform pearl harbour a little later as the US will look to attack the European Axis’ weak underbelly Italy and you can attempt to make them draw there forces back to the pacific by taking Hawai and threating San Fransisco maybe making Sea Lion more viable as the U.S might not want to risk lossing their territories attempting to liberate the UK. This also means that the Germans don’t have to be as worried about becoming a turtle and can attack the SU.

@Gargantua: If your sub fails, and the other sub survives you must retreat. Even if the attacking sub doesn’t sink the enemy’s sub, the transports can still do debarkment. It needs only that the other sub submerge.

thanks for the responses.  I really appreciate it!