The Borneo gambit

@taamvan:

But less splitting is necessary during a KJF,  if the UK brings a fleet together then the US can have minimal forces in the Atlantic (1 bomber, 1 transport, 1 destroyer gives you options) and still be irritating.

How about 5 bombers and the starting transport and cruiser along with the Brazilians + 2 units from the mainland U.S.?

America sends the bombers over early to hedge against Sealion, then focuses on Japan. The bombers can have fun for a few rounds, then fly over to Moscow when things start getting desperate over there.

@taamvan:

A J1 is awesome.   But it spreads you thin as Japan and brings down the wrath of the US at the expense of UK PAC.   The USA can move pretty freely across the pacific b/c of the bases, and bombers have an immense range so the USA can be all over japan in a KJF, fast.

If the US player is going to KJF, he is free to build and position units in the Pacific regardless of what Japan does. Sure he’s limited to 3 ships a turn, but I’m not convinced that it makes much difference to Japan’s calculations.

I don’t think the old ideas about “keeping the U.S. out of the war” hold any merit anymore. As you say, KGF doesn’t work, so U.S. always goes KJF. However, Germany always does a Sealion feint, so the U.S. is distracted for a turn anyways. They also start with so little and are so far away that they are essentially “out of the war” even if they’re at war.

@larrymarx:

@taamvan:

I don’t think the old ideas about “keeping the U.S. out of the war” hold any merit anymore.

I’ve had pretty good luck not doing anything to the US/UK/ANZAC till J4… am I in the minority?  I do my l level best to keep the US out of the war, I only DOW UK/ANZAC if there is a chance safely knock out ships and take valuable territory.  let me know your thoughts!

I think the biggest drawbacks are that with a J1 you can steal borneo and HK then Malaya and UK PAC has no money.  Strong UK and ANZAC players will occupy New Guinea (5), Celebes (3), Java Sumatra (4 each) for multiple turns, which makes India way too strong and not readily capable of being take over.  Once Anzac has a fleet CV DD TTs its leapfrogging with USA, or it can generate 6 total fighters to make a strongpoint.

Japan 4 can focus on China, but they lose India, unless the UK fritters the shelter of diplomacy away…

basically you put the UK on its heels right out of the gates…    i will have to consider this next game!  thanks!

Many posts and I don’t think I understand the gambit completely.

It’s a gambit for the allies that requires a USSR attack on Japan, with the idea that Japan needs to take its focus off India? Hmm…

USSR1 you are putting all your troops in Amur and pulling the Japanese north? Am I reading it right? Or only moving there USSR2 after most of the troops have left Manchuria? In the latter case, there’s no real chance of Japan attacking.

I feel as though drawing Japan north is a lose lose. Japan can grab easy IPC’s and they don’t have the Russian monkey on their back. They wouldn’t have to worry about a threat to Korea or Manchuria. The best thing for Russia to do is move back to Amur on T2 or T3.

I agree sir.  What Japan wants is those 20 pieces out of its hair.  If it can destroy most or all of them, that’s great.  If they leave for Moscow–that’s good for Japan, but not for the Axis after G7, if the Russians can survive that long.

If they stay in the east the whole game, they still aren’t a threat–but Russia holds its territory.  Japan needs like 6-8 inf and some planes to ward of that stack.  If they stay in the east, that’s good for Germany but not that bad for Japan.

Japan can do a lot of other things, like tie up or destroy UK/ANZAC fighters that are crossing asia heading to Moscow, or stratbomb Moscow from behind.    Russia can’t, its too weak and under pressure to accomplish much other that survival.

I completely agree. The allies have to use every unit on the board in a very useful way, because they are much more important than the axis units. Once again Japan would love to have free IPCs from Russia while taking out 20 units that the allies need to have.

You guys miss the most important part of the Borneo Gambit.  If you read the rulebook carefully, you will see that the forces defend at a 6 when positioned on Mt. Kinabalu.  There is no way that Japan could dislodge them once dug into that massive pluton.  Forget it.  Give up.  Concede the game.

I have played games against players who heavily stacked one of the money islands.  It is effective for a couple of rounds, but if you invest too much income into sustaining the garrisons then Japan can concentrate on either destroying the allied fleet in the Pacific or a land crush of India.  I would not invest in building an airbase on an island because it forces the allies to spend even more income on sustaining the protection.

Climbing Mount Kinbalu?  Isnt that an old Russian expression?

Great advice.  Once the Japanese form up with everything they can in range, the fighters have to fly the coop.  You already lost your TTs most likely, and 4 infantry isn’t a strongpoint.