G1 Channel Dash/Split?

DEFENSIVELY, you can’t beat the flat top… IF you have the FIGs already in existence to land on it…

@Jennifer:

Yea, you CAN stack heavy in Ukraine or Karelia.  W. Russia, of course, is still toast.

However, Russia 2 kills whatever you stacked in Karelia or Ukraine (unless you gave up on attacking the British fleet with your airforce to defend it.)

As for Norway being “risky” it’s more 60/30 in your favor. (10% everyone looses.)  Anyway, is it not worth the risk to preserve a Submarine, Transport and Battleship?

First, Norway is 60/40 no matter what. The 10% mutual kill is in Germany’s favor. When Russia trades 3 inf, 1 arm, 1 fig for 3 inf, 1 fig and fails to take the territory it is most certainly a German victory even if they can’t do a G1 attack on sz2. Germany calls it a moral victory and then changes their plan on the fly.

Second, Russia will definitely be able to destroy whatever Germany stacks in Belo or ukraine. But at what cost? Every offensive unit they have including R1 builds. On G1 the Channel Dash becomes the wrong choice because of the missing Norway fighter, but with the extra units available to stack in the East it’s advantageous for Germany to force Russia into a bloodbath. The 2 sz8 subs go after the sz13 BB with minimal air support, The BB,TP help take Egypt and they stack everything in Ukr or Belo. They can build the CV to seal up the Baltic and nothing but inf and armor from then on. The baltic TP can keep the Russians bleeding off units to contest Karelia and Arch while the Med navy can add 2 newly built inf and a BB shot to Ukr every turn in addition to the units moving through Eastern. Will I miss sacrificing most of my German armor? Sure. But, if it allows Germany to force Russia to commit their entire builds to trading Ukraine, Karelia, and Belo, Japan is faced with nothing but scattered allied units in Asia. I can see Germany being able to keep up that offensive until at least G4 or G5 with infantry moving to defend Western being replaced by fighters coming back from Atlantic duty. And if Russia doesn’t take the bait, and holds their ground in Cauc or WR, Germany gets to hold territory they would normally be trading and Russia loses income with Germany being able to retreat strongly back to Eastern when the western Allied pressure gets too hot. Either way, Germany makes tons of income to replace their losses and will still be able to slowly fortify Western Europe. The only reason not to do it is if Russia manages to take Norway. Which is nothing more than a coin flip.

Another reason I would NEVER give anyone an 8 bid to let my opponent have a bid naval unit. I’ll go on record as saying I can win 9 out of 10 against anybody if they gave me a bid sub or TP whether I use my Channel Dash strat or not.

1 bid sub for germany means UK navy is bye bye on G1  (and subsequently on J1.)

Germany can then without “risk” force russia into a bloodbat and Japan mopps up the left overs…