Before you dismiss it, consider the logic using some recent Forum games in support…
2 INF in Manchuria basically blocks the Russian invasion of Manch in R1.
1 INF in Kwang shifts the odds for the Kwangtung Maneuver against the UK.
Those 9 IPC’s block most of the “strong Asia” moves that the Allies can make in Turn 1, and keep Russia from being UP in IPC’s for R2 builds and forward.
BTW: This aspect is what I am testing in my current game with DF
No this will not work b/c it doesn’t do enough for Germany. If you put the 3inf in Europe then that will pose no problem to the Russians. If you put it in Africa that will pose no problem for the Brits. The Allies will mop up in Africa, contain in Europe and retreat in Asia until the get strong enough and will push back. Look at my game against DM my bid had 2inf in both Europe and Asia as well as 4inf in Africa but I think you will see that even with the basic bid allignment plus some DM as Russia will not be easily rolled back in Asia or Europe.
Now, the other 9 for Germany:
2 INF to Libya and 1 INF to Ukraine (maybe Eastern, depending on your personal view)
And I guarantee that anything you put into AES with Germany gets attacked by the Brits. one turn and done big deal. The inf in Europe is irrelevent.
2 INF in Libya allows Germany to take FWA, FEA and Egypt in G1 without using their TRN and BB.
Instead, the TRN and BB attack Syria… Average is sub sunk, and 68% chance that Germany takes Syria (and another 6% that UK has no forces left there… call it a 1 in 4 that Syria no longer holds UK forces). That puts UK down 5 IPC’s for UK2 build… Combine the UK fleet destruction that I advocate, and UK needs IPC’s to rebuild that it is rapidly losing…
Here’s what I have in this scenario…Germany takes AES with 2inf arm(which can still be attacked from India 2inf ftr f/India bmb f/Uk). Odds are the Uk clears w/o loss of air or takes w/1inf. Secondly, you assume that it is a given you can destroy the Uk fleet easily but consider a move I used a while back against DM in a game where R1 was 6inf 2arm v Ukr(3inf 2arm ftr), 2ftrs vBalSz(sub trn), and sub v SpainSz(sub). I pushed the sub in Spain to the CAtl where its only option was to attack the Lab trn, the ftrs destroyed the Baltic fleet with no loss and the Kar trn was able to reinforce the UkSz fleet so it had a bb 2trn and Ukr was taken w/2arm. This means that to destroy the UkSz fleet you must send all 5 air units against the 3boats unless you will take 2 or more hits which is excessive. Further you will have to ignore the WMedSz fleet in order to attack Syria and probably not use any air units which means it is 2inf v 1inf which is an extremely risky move. Even if this succeeds the Brits can pull 2inf f/India to SAfr so that if you attack you will lose 2inf and take yourself down to just 3inf arm for the entire continent. One boatload from the Uk and the battle here is over.
The extra INF in Ukraine simply makes the Russia strafe a bit more costly, but otherwise maintains the “status quo” in Europe of EE facing Karelia in a nasty little stand-off.
All it means is I send 1 more inf on R1 to account for this. You’re trading 1inf for 1inf which doesn’t seem to be the best use.
UK weakened economically, with no ability to counter for 2 turns.
Weakened? No counter? Hardly. As I said the Uk can either attack AES or play defensive either way b/c you didn’t bid enough into Africa your destruction of this force will cost you more than it will the UK, and once they can land in the West of the continent its pretty much over. At worst the Uks production will drop no lower than 18-21 which is not enough to ride them off. In fact I’ve found the Uk really can’t be weakened even when they have 12ipcs(Canada + the British Isles) they will produce 4inf a turn which is not enough on its own to do anything but great to use as an ancillary power until they get some money back.
Russia with massed Japan forces on the continent taking Russia’s eastern IPC’s away (lose 4 on J1, more than countering the taking of Ukraine)
Sure if you assume Russia doesn’t do anything. I bid 2inf into Manchuria and DM didn’t even blink on R1 did you see that. Russia is far more powerful than you give them credit.
More UK lost income with Japan moving on India, Australia and New Zealand.
And turn 2 will be the low point b/c Japan and Germany can reach their zenith of ipcs taken from Britain. However, on turn 3 Britain should recover by gaining the WAfrican ipcs which makes up for India or Aust. Even w/o AES, Syria, IEA and Kenya, BCongo Britian should be at 21 and each turn they will increase as they take AES and Africa f/Germany.
It would take a VERY skilled player to counter this 18 IPC “Balanced Bid”.
Yeah me :wink: Or Darth Maximus :mrgreen: