How to take care of the 18 Russian infantry on the Pacific Map


  • I can’t figure out what to do with them. They only spell the end in all of my games as Japan. If I don’t attack them then they just stay away from the coast and when they are ready they move into Korea along with American transports and Americas navy from Hawaii that unloaded last turn and by the time I move the Japanese Navy in (currently trying taking out the DEI and ANZAC) America has built a base in Korea and landed planes there and I can’t do anything. I just get bombed while my IPC’s get cut in China and the Islands. My navy is pretty much destroyed by the time I deal with America’s. My airforce is around but it can’t do anything about the Korean airfields as there are 18 Russian infantry stationed their.

    I would attack them but I’ve already learned my lesson from that.

    Now lets say they were to move in without American back up. 18 infantry is a lot and I have to deal with it. It stops me from fighting India and China COMPLETLY and it gives ANZAC the chance to build a powerful navy.

    While my Navy takes a beating I lose the money islands and China kicks me off the mainland with the help of India.

    It goes back to the 18 infantry. Strategies?


  • Could you provide a bit more information?  What are you strategic goals with Japan, are you fighting in China?  Does America send most of its ipcs toward the Pacific from the beginning?  Do you purchase any additional Japanese ships?

    What are you doing with Germany?  Are you going Sealion?  Attacking Russia G4?  What do you do with Italy?

    Also what are you main goals as Axis, you have 2 ways to win, 8vc’s on the Europe board or 6 on the Pacific board.  Its best to try for one from the beginning of the game, which direction do you like to choose?


  • Germany does Barbarossa on Turn 2 and builds an Aircraft Carrier and 2 Transports only to threaten Sea Lion putting UK into defensive buys. Afterwards I build a minor IC in Norway so the SU can’t collect for those spaces. An airbase in Holland to scramble in the English Channel. Along with that I build all infantry for 3 turns with minor boats such as subs so I can convoy England and Scotland. Sometimes I build a cruiser out of Normandy even. I would bomb London but then they just build out of Canada and South Africa. Already learned my lesson on that. I always keep troops in the west just so England doesn’t get to comfortable. By G5 I have a decent navy of the battleship carrier two cruisers two destroyers and 3-6 subs and I’m making a push to Moscow and bombing them. (That actually works). 
    As Italy I let 2 German fighters scramble in Rome to defend the Italian navy. Italy attacks South France and the nuetrals in the Balkans. My men in Africa push through the French forces West and the British East. The East British prove more dificult. By I3 I have a strong enough Navy to get the British boats and secure Cairo, Africa, Middle East, and Gibralter.

    America is fully invested in the Pacific. I can only get a hold of the Phillipines. If I go to the DEI the American Navy, which is massive before it gets money, moves into Japan and runs into Korea. Then gets backed up by the 18 Russian Infantry in the East. I can’t take over and then America lands its big airforce and builds a factory and a base. I get bombed etc.
    My goals as Japan are to become an economic nightmare taking the DEI, ANZAC, and China. Leaving India for later. India usually kicks me off the mainland therefore saving China which makes me lose the entire coast of China. As America is fully invested and Japan has to build boats.

    My navy dies destroying the American navy. Then I am easy picking for the American boats behind the ones that came into Korea bay and the airforce stationed in Korea. I never get the Dutch East Indies or ANZAC as I have to go back for the American boats. The 18 Russians Infantry is what makes the operation as I can’t attack the American planes with my planes as their is 18 infantry their.

    How to deal with them?


  • I think you need to attack Russia on J1.  That will keep those inf busy with the army you send north, plus grind a few ipcs out of Russia and give them another front.  If you get defeated as Japan, it shouldn’t hurt so much provided it happens next to moscow and Germany is prepared to take advantage.

    It also looks like your ultimate strategy is to win on the Europe board, this move will assist in that endeavor.  Japan’s options with this strategy /I believe/ is to keep the US attention for as long as possible.  If this takes your fleet, then I guess they will become artificial reefs for your fishermen in a few years.  If the strategy is a win in Europe, then Japan should concentrate on survival.  Also make sure to retain ipcs because if US doesn’t bomb you to oblivion, and instead expects a sub blockade to keep Japan down, then a few dd purchases after the US fleet leaves can possible resurrect them.

    To sum up, in order to defeat that Russian stack I say attack it from the beginning!


  • @urmomsmom7:

    Germany does Barbarossa on Turn 2 and builds an Aircraft Carrier and 2 Transports only to threaten Sea Lion putting UK into defensive buys. Afterwards I build a minor IC in Norway so the SU can’t collect for those spaces. An airbase in Holland to scramble in the English Channel. Along with that I build all infantry for 3 turns with minor boats such as subs so I can convoy England and Scotland. Sometimes I build a cruiser out of Normandy even. I would bomb London but then they just build out of Canada and South Africa. Already learned my lesson on that. I always keep troops in the west just so England doesn’t get to comfortable. By G5 I have a decent navy of the battleship carrier two cruisers two destroyers and 3-6 subs and I’m making a push to Moscow and bombing them. (That actually works). 
    As Italy I let 2 German fighters scramble in Rome to defend the Italian navy. Italy attacks South France and the nuetrals in the Balkans. My men in Africa push through the French forces West and the British East. The East British prove more dificult. By I3 I have a strong enough Navy to get the British boats and secure Cairo, Africa, Middle East, and Gibralter.

    America is fully invested in the Pacific. I can only get a hold of the Phillipines. If I go to the DEI the American Navy, which is massive before it gets money, moves into Japan and runs into Korea. Then gets backed up by the 18 Russian Infantry in the East. I can’t take over and then America lands its big airforce and builds a factory and a base. I get bombed etc.
    My goals as Japan are to become an economic nightmare taking the DEI, ANZAC, and China. Leaving India for later. India usually kicks me off the mainland therefore saving China which makes me lose the entire coast of China. As America is fully invested and Japan has to build boats.

    My navy dies destroying the American navy. Then I am easy picking for the American boats behind the ones that came into Korea bay and the airforce stationed in Korea. I never get the Dutch East Indies or ANZAC as I have to go back for the American boats. The 18 Russians Infantry is what makes the operation as I can’t attack the American planes with my planes as their is 18 infantry their.

    How to deal with them?

    Do you use blockers to buy time with Japan while your navy is out? That gives you two turns to come back with your navy in sz6!


  • Attacking Russia on J1 has proven to be very bad for Japan because those infantry stacks in Manchuria and Korea should be used in China or maybe go on a boat. As for blockers I don’t like to use blockers but it seems like a good choice for this situation. Maybe it will stop my opponent from even trying. I was thinking that if I can build a bomber fleet make a base in Midway or Wake so tac bombers and fighters can land so that the AMERICAN BOATS AREN’T SAFE IN HAWAII.


  • Careful use of blockers can buy you a round or two.  Sometimes they can be used to help your fleet escape if you don’t want it to die in sz6.  After it’s escape it can round India, convoy raiding the Middleeast, and then support the Italian fleet.  Just an option.

    Since the problem you seem to be having is Russia, I think you need to rethink your mainland strategy.  What do you hope to gain in China.  Can you gain those same objectives with a holding force instead of an attacking force?  Is China really a threat to japan since it’s troops can’t leave china?

    Now those Russian inf.  How much of a threat are they compared to Chinese?  Can they take Korea?  Can they retreat to moscow to fight the Germans?  Both of these are things the chinese can’t do, I don’t see any reason to fight the Chinese.  Use that army in China to attack your real enemy, the Russians.  You know, the enemy that Germ and Italy are also gunning for.  Not China.

    Of course if you like your strategy, then stick to it.  I try to follow the advice of ‘The Princess Bride’, don’t get involved in a land war in Asia!

  • Sponsor

    Weather or not Russia retreats the infantry stacks R1, attack Amur J1 with all land units from Manchuria and Korea also fill 2 transports with 3 infantry and 1 tank and land them in Amur as well. Than park most of your air units in Manchuria, that will force Russia to move back one more space R2 (to Yakut). Than, during J2, move your land units closer while intimidating the Russians with your fighters (the trick is not to let Russia attack your units) Once you have moved them back, create a dead lock with your infantry and leave them there all game (Russia will not attack infantry with infantry) Retreat your aircraft and use them elsewhere. Use the tank to mop up empty Russian territories in the soviet far east. You will gather $5 IPCs each round which will make up for the $12 and it helps take some income from the soviet union. The biggest bonus is, you will never need to worry about losing territories to the Russian infantry. WARNING: don’t get greedy and push further west, you will spread yourself too thin.

  • '22 '16

    Young Grasshopper is right!  Attack them early and push them back.  I have found that 8-10 inf and 2-3 fighters is more than enough to stalemate a wise Russian player.  But don’t get greedy is right!  You can run out of steam real quick.  Also if the Russian player doesn’t consolidate those forces R1 attack them always. It is totally worth it, I have found that those 18 inf can disrupt a great game plan by Japan every time!  Good luck!

  • Sponsor

    @majikforce:

    Young Grasshopper is right!  Attack them early and push them back.  I have found that 8-10 inf and 2-3 fighters is more than enough to stalemate a wise Russian player.  But don’t get greedy is right!  You can run out of steam real quick.  Also if the Russian player doesn’t consolidate those forces R1 attack them always. It is totally worth it, I have found that those 18 inf can disrupt a great game plan by Japan every time!  Good luck!

    It took 522 posts until someone finally said that I was right, thanks man.

  • Customizer

    Young Grasshopper, I like that idea of only going so far into Russia with Japan and kind of stalemating them.  In our group, whomever plays Japan, IF they decide to attack Russia they always go deep into Russia and like you said, they get stretched too thin and lose too many troops in the process.  Then if Russia is holding off Germany fairly well, it’s not problem for Russia to stamp out the (at that time) small Japanese force and start rolling those territories back up.  Plus, if Russia is able to send a sizeable force to do this, they could threaten Manchuria and Korea as Japan’s attention will probably be focused south on India and China or out in the Pacific with the US Navy by then.

  • Sponsor

    @knp7765:

    Young Grasshopper, I like that idea of only going so far into Russia with Japan and kind of stalemating them.  In our group, whomever plays Japan, IF they decide to attack Russia they always go deep into Russia and like you said, they get stretched too thin and lose too many troops in the process.  Then if Russia is holding off Germany fairly well, it’s not problem for Russia to stamp out the (at that time) small Japanese force and start rolling those territories back up.  Plus, if Russia is able to send a sizeable force to do this, they could threaten Manchuria and Korea as Japan’s attention will probably be focused south on India and China or out in the Pacific with the US Navy by then.

    The ideal place to create a stalemate is the border of Yakut S.S.R and Buryaria. This can be done with 13 infantry and 2 fighters ( like I said, the trick will be to prevent a Russian attack long enough to land the fighters on Buryaria). During this time, Japan’s navy should be getting into a position to make a push towards Callcuta and attacking the phillippenes J3. Remember that most of japan’s air units will be unavailable the first 2 rounds due to forcing the russian infantry back, so the J3 attacks will only have the carrier fighters to use. However, if you land your 2 strategic bombers in Formosa, it will give you the range for both objectives. To summarize, this overall strategy will allow Japan to attack China and the UK without ever worrying about Manchuria or Korea.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    Attack the 18 men as soon as possible, and invade Russia.

    This is the best solution.

  • Sponsor

    @Gargantua:

    Attack the 18 men as soon as possible, and invade Russia.

    This is the best solution.

    Never works in our games, not yet anyway.


  • Here is a simple steamroller plan for Japan to go all-in against USSR before USA enters the war:

    J1 invade Amur with EVERYTHING available (activates Mongolians in alpha 3 but that’s ok), build major IC in Korea.

    Spend everything on tanks (J2) and mech infantry (J3 and J4) built in Korea.  Spend on Pacific needs J5 onward (perhaps hunker down in Japan & Korea and wait for European win)

    Move the whole horde 1 space westward each turn, with tanks and mech infantry moving 2 spaces per turn to catch up.  Bring bombers.  If USSR infantry are retreating, chase them.  If they stop, kill them.

    The 4 waves (infantry/artillery, tanks, mechs, mechs) will catch up at Novosibersk on J6

    Moscow falls J8.

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