[First post, haha!]
I guess I should set up some of the background first, currently playing a game of Global with the Alpha rules with some friends. To better simulate the war, one player is controlling the “Western Allies” while another player controls the USSR. On the Axis side of the table, I control Japan while another friend is controlling Germany/Italy.
As the Japanese player I now find myself in a bit of a conundrum. While the German player pulled off a great victory over the French on Turn 1 (completely conquered, losses only to infantry on behalf of some boxcars rolled in the defenses of Normany and Southern France) and was also successful in hurting the British Atlantic fleet (some great sub sneak attacks, claimed the Gibraltar cruiser and the two cruisers near Denmark), he is more or less setting himself up for a massive invasion of the USSR (alas, no Sealion).
As Japan, my Turn 1 was largely prepping for a dual strike on the Philippines/East Indies with the bulk of my surface fleet and preparing a Pearl harbor attack utilizing carrier borne forces supported with destroyers and subs (to that end I bought another carrier and another transport). I figured my surface fleet shouldn’t have too much trouble with the attack on the East Indies, and recalled the transports to Japan while using the one in Japan to ferry the tank and an infantry unit to Asia.
Cue my conundrum.
The British player ran all the sea units in Zone 98 through the canal and out to the Indian ocean. Simultaneously, the survivors in his Atlantic fleet absolutely smashed the Kriegsmarine (it helps that the German had poor rolling on defense too I guess) with the loss of a destroyer (the once mighty Kriegsmarine is now a lowly submarine). In the Pacific the Brit is prepping for a mainland defense and staging his naval forces off the coast of Malaya (the British and French destroyers off Africa are also maneuvering for Malaya).
The German/Italian player, in historic fashion, tried to capture Yugoslavia and was repulsed with heavy losses (lost both infantry and artillery guns while only managing to destroy one infantry). Although he was able to destroy the remnants of the French fleet and his amphibious supported invasion of Greece was a success, he’s made little headway in North Africa.
Now as Japan I have to contend with this significantly beefed up Royal Navy presence in the East Indies. How do you guys recommend I handle this?
Oh, and sorry about the lengthy essay!