POLL - G40 Your favorite turn for Japan to declare war and attack


  • Just curious…  I’m new here.  In a standard A&A G40 game, straight up rules, no variations….

    As a Japan player, what is your favorite turn to declare war and attack the US / UK Indians / Anzacs etc…

    J1, J2, J3 or J4.

    My son likes J1, I like J3… who knows.  Someday computer AI will figure it out but until then…

    Thanks…  take care

    Big Bend

    ps, hit me up if you want to play on Steam Tabletop Simulator, tons of fun.


  • Simply because I want to use my units and don’t want them to wait. In my currentl game I tried J2, but that went fairly bad, because I had some bad luck and now China is in a good position.


  • Hi Big_Bend and welcome to the forum

    I have tried all of J1, J2 and J3 and like to be not too predictable.

    However, J2 is my preferred because J1 can leave J struggling in mainland China - at least given the way that I play it!

    Fatespinner mentions the same problem with J2 but that has not been the case in my experience.


  • Private Panic, please feel free to send me your strategy and plan. I might be in need for it, if it is not to late.


  • Hi Fatespinner

    You want to know how to keep China pegged back with a J2 DoW? Here are some key points:

    • avoid R help to China by a G2 or G3 DoW - I like G2 if the strafe on Yugoslavia works
    • a J NB in FIO (you can take FIO J1) or on Hainan with sufficient fleet (including transports and the ground units to load) there to threaten India and keep UKP units back from Yunnan
    • both of which leaves China unaided
    • use J1 to get sufficient units to FIO or the territory surrounding Kwangtung (cannot remember what it is called) to stop C holding Yunnan and so gaining artillery
    • but C can trade Yunnan for the Burma Rail NO in C1, but probably not thereafter

    Some of our forum colleagues are very keen on J1 and may point out ways to keep China in retreat with that strategy.

    Cheers
    PP


  • Cool discussions, much appreciated.  So many ways to have these games unfold.

    So far, with early voting, J1 is winning handily.  Hmmm….   Seems if you do a J1 tho, you hurt the possibility of doing Sea Lion, since the US can have an extra tank and inf in London on turn 2 to help defend the island.

    I’m getting ready to start a new game with my son and I’m the Axis.  Just considering different possibilities on how / when I want Germany and Japan to strike out.  My son (he is 26 now, we’ve been playing A&A classic for a dozen years, and G40 for the last 4 months) has had good success doing G1 and J1, I guess I’m a bit more conservative (and older lol) and I like the idea of doing a J2 or J3 instead.

    Great game…  take care…

  • '17 '16 '15

    Hi Big_Bend
    There are some good strategy guides. The Japan Playbook is a good one.

    http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=26960.0

    oh yea what is steam tabletop simulator ?


  • Wow, so ya Tabletop Simulator is an awesome game that is played on Steam.

    Download the Steam game client, create an account… then you have to pay $20 for Tabletop Simulator.  TS is actually a 3d VR environment where you are simulating sitting around a table, with your buddies, in real time, and with thousands of games to choose from.  It takes a little while to get used to the controls on how to zoom around the game boards, roll the dice, deal the cards, move the pieces… and each simulated game is different.

    youtube this, it is a trailer for TS ->       0b-ws2WY_8Y

    TS also supports A&A G40, in all its glorious detail, truly an amazing simulation.

    So my kids and I have been enjoying Catan and all kinds of other games on TS… and my older son and I recently started playing A&A G40 2nd on TS too… and it is a wonderful way to play!  Since my son moved out and lives kinda far now, this way we are able to keep the fun games going online.  We’ll have gaming nights and he’ll be online a few nights a week, we’ll do the voice chat, and its just like sitting around a real table playing A&A.  Highly recommended!!!

    Plus you can save your game as often as you want, stop and continue whenever, all the starting pieces are already setup, so many more conveniences.  Honestly, these days I’d almost rather play on Steam TS than setup all the pieces on my dining room table for several weeks.  Tabletop Simulator on Steam is a great way to enjoy a ton of games with family and friends far away… check it out.  And I think it is a fantastic way to play Axis and Allies G40 too…  all that and more for only $20, heck of a deal.


  • Wow, I am the only one who believes to ride the trade objective until the very end. I think Japan waiting the US is actually a smarter thing to do as you can dominate China without them getting any help.

  • '17 '16 '15

    Right on Big B

    In case you’re not aware, you can also do Global and a pile of other games on triplea. You can talk, save and well a bunch of other stuff too : )

    http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=27127.0

    Anyway Fun Gaming Bro : )

  • '21 '20 '18 '17

    J1 is best when you push to suppress UKPAC income as quickly as possible.  Borneo, Hong Kong going down J1 are necessary to focus your action on one opponent, Strat Bombing is too slow and leaves the valuable factory damaged for when you intend to take it.  If you give UKPAC its natural income for 3-4 turns, it gets too big to take over for certain and quickly….and when you bring in the contributions of UK ATL from SA, Persia and of fighters, it makes it much harder for Japan to kill.

    There are a bunch of things you could do with Japan, but suffocating UKPAC income is the most certain, direct and obvious path.

    You also get to kill the BB, which can go on to be the nucleus of a UK fleet.

    The down side is that you have to do several risk battles and take the Philippines, all of these commitments leave you spread out all over the place, and if the US is smart, they will advance on Iwo as soon as possible when you are not well set to drive them away.  In the J2-J3 attacks, leaving behind a warding force of at least one grand fleet is pretty easy, but when you J1, most all your pieces are spoken for and have jobs on turn 1 so a smart US player will use his increased $$ and intact fleet to challenge japan directly before japan has taken advantage of several turns of income and reorganizing to build a standoff fleet with the USA.

  • '21 '20 '19 '18 '17 '16

    @taamvan:

    J1 is best when you push to suppress UKPAC income as quickly as possible.   Borneo, Hong Kong going down J1 are necessary to focus your action on one opponent, Strat Bombing is too slow and leaves the valuable factory damaged for when you intend to take it.

    Not only that, but the cost actually outweighs the benefit when strat bombing India – on average, you lose more in unit cost over two rounds of strat bombing than you prevent from being built by successfully strat bombing over those two rounds.

    Marsh


  • I like J1 because I like to kill as many Allied units as possible early (Brit BB, Phil Island and mini fleet etc…). Plus I can start lowering the UK Pac income ASAP. Yes it will slow down the China crush a bit, but building some tps and a couple Asian mainland ICs will help with that.

    Besides the normal J1 attacks, I often times will include a hit on the Pearl Harbor fleet too. By taking out both the Philippine and Hawaiian fleets the USA will be stunned (they lose 6 support ships). This will pin them back for a turn or two as they try to figure out what the hell just happened, giving you some much needed breathing room. You can hit the Hawaiian fleet J1 w/o sacrificing more then a sub, and a couple destroyers (maybe a plane) if done right. Attack sz26 with a sub, 2DD and 4 carrier planes. Then noncombat much of your remaining fleet (including 2 carriers and BB) to Wake to pick up your planes. The key is to have a Japanese destroyer survive the sz26 attack (lose a plane if necessary) so it acts as a blocker in sz26 so the US can’t use their San Fran fleet to attack you at Wake. Also taking Wake on J1 will leave the US with fewer planes able to attack you (nowhere to land, and insure a safe place for your air to land if the US does an ill advised air attack (I have found better use of that tpt, but comes w/more risk).

  • '21 '18 '16

    J1 attacks no longer work with our play group. We have found that it relies on too much “happy dice” for J. One bad roll and you’re toast. We also find that US becomes too much of a monster for the Axis to handle by coming in so early, especially if UK does the max London protect and eliminates any possibility for a rather Pyrrhic Sea Lion if even successful. The J1 relies on G1 DOW and that in itself is very risky against a good USSR player who knows how to turtle and not move into dumb position. And USSR can always jump on J if they get too extended and pull the air force out of position long enough for ANZAC/UKP to sneak into a spot here and there.

    I like J3 for full blast positioning of the fleet and airforce and the fact you can crush China out of the game so you don’t have to worry about them anymore. In addition you should have 2 IC’s working and can rely on the 2 armor and 4 mechs to overwhelm India with your airforce each turn.

  • '16 '15 '10

    @seancb:

    The J1 relies on G1 DOW

    That’s usually sub-optimal (better to wait till G3).  Also, if the J1 player is attacking Pearl Harbor on J1, that’s also sub-optimal.

    Assuming G40 2nd edition, imho J3 is inferior to J1 or J2.  As Axis, I prefer J1, but J2 is almost as good if Axis knows what to do.

  • '21 '18 '16

    I’m a bit confused on the mechanics of your setup Zhukov. Can you elaborate a bit more as I would like to build on your idea.


  • And now with over 40 votes, having Japan go to war on J2 has taken a nice lead.  Interesting…

    For the J2 advocates, what do you like to do?  Go after India hard?  Hit the money islands?  How do you play J1 to setup the attack going into J2?

    Thanks for the votes and comments, much appreciated.

    Take care…

  • '16 '15 '10

    @seancb:

    I’m a bit confused on the mechanics of your setup Zhukov. Can you elaborate a bit more as I would like to build on your idea.

    As far as J1/G3 strategy goes…the goal (for Axis) is to pressure Moscow.  Axis only goes Sea Lion if UK leaves London wide open.  On G1 and G2, Germany focuses on destroying the British fleet and making sure the Med is clear.  Axis declares war on the Soviets on I2.  A good supply of Italian mech for can openers is critical, so typically Italy buys mech for the first few turns.

    A key aspect of the strategy is that Germany should be in position to attack Moscow on G6 (so heavy investments in mech/tank on g2/g3, then either bombers or more mech/tanks on g4/g5 depending on circumstances), and AT THE SAME TIME Japan gets in position to either attack the main Chinese army or India itself on J6.  A pro Allies can defend either Moscow or China/India, but they can’t defend both positions at once, so one of them will collapse on turn 6.  The only way to stop this as Allies, imho, is a Yunnan stack which is very hard to pull off without a huge bid.  And the Yunnan stack still won’t save India which can fall as early as J4 with a J1 declaration.

    The Japan and Germany playbook threads that Cow posted back in the day offer more details on the relevant openings. For my preferred interpretation, here’s a couple examples.

    http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=37677.0
    http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=36835.0

  • '21 '20 '18 '17

    J2:  Move everything off SZ 36.  Build a Naval Base there (or an air base, or both eventually).  You have 2 transports and 1.5 grand fleets, and a massive airforce ready to go anywhere.  Stack dat.  You only have 3 transports and a ton of stuff you’ll want to grab, but you’ll probably need to avoid those distractions and stick together to avoid getting picked off and keep the ground units alive and together.

    Build 2 TTs with Japan, besides that you won’t need a ton of extra stuff to take phillipines, but you have so much air support it’s all pretty easy.

    UK 2 counter;  move your DD to SZ 36, they cannot load T-ports. 
    Japan counter to the counter;  leave your 6 guys on your transports during your turn.
    UK 2nd counter; move your DD to SZ 37, this prevents them from passing you during the combat move and buys you 1 more turn.
    Japan second counter;  pass that DD at peace, sitting with the UK navy in SZ 39, but this sort of wastes a turn…

    J3;  Take Ceylon, if they don’t block you.  Otherwise, J4.  Unsinkable unlimited aircraft carrier.
    J4: Take India, flying from Kwangsi and landing on Ceylon.  If they blocked you, J5, but if they are smart, by that point, it’ll be an odds battle with tons of opposition…

  • '21 '18 '16

    Thank you for the clairification Zhukov. I did look at your game file.
    I’m still not sure if a J1 would work in our group. We’ve really fine tuned the Allies to the point that no bid is needed. maybe we can play a game. I prefer a networked live game. Play a bit at a time save and come back later. I’m in Texas (Central time zone). PM me and we can set it up. I’d like to see you try this out.

    Sean…

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