France totally useless

The best thing Italy can do is can-open, period.  The more mechs and men it has to do this, the better, and so a mixed 60/40 German/Italian front is fine.  Russia will find it impossible to back-stack its reserve armies because they cannot screen the Italians out and then the German Armor will run through the holes the Italians make.  Its devastating and its why the bid is pretty much required.

If Germany and Italy can both get StratBombers, even better because all of them can fly to China and start can-opening in waves, for Japan.

Italy often gets nerfed by Taranto, but in the case you get lucky or the player doesn’t do it, Going Italy + Bulgaria +SFrance + Paris + 19 IPC is awesome because you will have about 40-50 income on I4-5, and you’re like a baby Germany.

And, if they decided to KGF or KIF, you buy a bunch of fighters and men instead, projecting threat and preventing UK and US from coordinating their attacks.

Always take France. Sometimes take Normandy. Never take Southern France.

I bet they still celebrate that in France to this day :)

After staring this topic I has a bad roll later that evening. I emptied Western Germany into France minus the planes. I also sent 2 tanks from Holland. I decided to test the theory of eliminating a lot of the Royal Navy on G1 with the Luftwaffe. I also decided to send the remaining troops in Holland to Normandy. This was one without any losses. Back to the battle of France. I won, but was left with one tank to hold. I think I jinxed myself knowing we were playing that night after starting the topic, knowing it was my turn to be the Axis. :-D

In the Pacific rulebook it states: “At the beginning of the game, Japan and China are at war. However, none of the other Allied powers…” thus implying that China is an Allied power, and Allied powers are unable to declare war on each other.

I had one game where France almost survived 2 full rounds. On G1, Germany didn’t commit quite enough plus had bad dice so they didn’t take France. UK did send the RAF there to help out Paris and those extra planes caused Italy to fail to take Paris. On G2, Germany threw what they had left, although they were kind of short on land units due to purchasing navy on G1 and the bulk of their stuff was on the Russian border. Even though they had quite a few planes to throw at France, the British and French planes mauled them in defense and both sides wiped each other out. So Italy ended up taking Paris on round 2.
By the way, this game did end up as an Axis loss. The Euro Axis were pretty much pasted by UK and USSR with very little US help while Japan was pretty well handled by the bulk of US attentions.

Gibraltor is the best landing spot when then can enter the war.  From this spot, they can land just about anywhere they want.

UK
Normandy
Southern France
Northern Italy
Southern Italy
Denmark
Western Germany (If UK can take Denmark ahead of them and hold it)
Norway

With the Naval Base damaged, they can only reach Normandy or Southern France.

Remember, “If you defend everywhere, you defend no where.”

Bombing the Naval Base takes pressure off of the Axis.  Germany will gain another turn not worrying if the US is going to attack Italy or land in UK or Norway or where ever.  They can concentrate on Normandy and Southern France.  Or let Italy defend Southern France and Germany Normandy.

I find it very interesting and will make plans to use this.

Doc

Zeno games had all the vichy french rules in their World at War game like 10 or 12 yrs ago. some suggestions posted here are almost identical. Search zenogames.com. i think they may be stiil around.