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    JamesAleman

    @JamesAleman

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    Latest posts made by JamesAleman

    • RE: German bomber strategy - How to play and How to counter

      @Gamerman01:

      @JamesAleman:

      Have you also found that Germany in the Pacific is a major disruption?

      If I had sent 3 bombers, he wouldn’t have tried what he tried and I wouldn’t have had the breakthrough opportunity.  You can get away with ultra-conservative when you’re way better than your opponent, but if he’s as good or better than you, it’s a sure way to lose.

      I prefer to keep the allies far away and delayed, each round they play it safe, Japan collects more IPCs. If I let dice play a roll, then I have myself to blame when they turn for the allies.

      That is just a difference in play styles. I use maneuver and long term strategy to get the win. If I am forced to deploy forces to sink a fleet, they are not being used elsewhere and trading takes away force projection. Every unit I lose to America, makes the other allied units more useful. Having a large American fleet stay afloat at a distance doesn’t cost me time or money. With the German bomber strategy, the allies are on a timer. They have to force an opening to make a win otherwise they lose to the IPC “clock” (economic victory) I try to keep my trading limited to my ground forces vs enemy pieces. I like to preserve the air and the threat they bring. As long as the enemy doesn’t know that, they will still build ships to protect transports, my focus is on what the transports drop off and how quickly it can be destroyed. If they are close enough to land troops, my starting fighters/tacs are close enough to be casualties for my bombers if I do pull the trigger on ships. (The rare case when I take that shot is if I know it will be a 1 round battle)

      posted in Axis & Allies Global 1940
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: German bomber strategy - How to play and How to counter

      @Gamerman01:

      Great point about German bombers in the Pacific, but

      from my own experience I only need ONE to cause havoc with the Allied player, and TWO to be almost SURE that he won’t try any blocks.  Three is overkill.

      Also, this tactic is independent of “dark skies”, that is, you don’t have to have 16 bombers to be doing that.  I never go with “tons” of bombers, but obviously they are a very good buy for Germany and I usually have 3-5 or so

      To your other point, I never said you can force the German player to attack anything to whittle down the bomber fleet.  But you are a very rare person if you can lay off a lot of these targets.  There are very few players who would turn down a very positive TUV trade - say I put a transport and a carrier and a fighter out there in the Atlantic and you have plenty of bombers to annihilate it in one round, so you expect to only lose 1 bomber for a carrier, fighter, and transport, you can’t tell me you wouldn’t attack that.  So no, it’s not forcing, but you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll happen.

      Three bombers: I was raised by the dice over the decades to be very conservative. That is what frustrates some people I play. I use sledgehammers instead of flyswatters when the objective must be complete. This means I forgo many attacks to keep my force concentrated on the primary targets. If my goal is to prevent blocking, I have 3 on site for overkill.

      Rare person: I would agree, it is a rare player, but if your objective is to maintain threat across a region such sacrifices are necessary when the target takes you off task. The problem again rest in years of bad dice, if a risk is not necessary, I won’t take it. I’ve seen too many dice come up all 1’s in the past. However, you are right, I would engage if a single transport/task force presented a major threat that next round or two(its a cost of doing business in that case an expensive one for both sides). I usually use Italy to make those trades if able.

      Have you also found that Germany in the Pacific is a major disruption?

      posted in Axis & Allies Global 1940
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: We will fight on the beaches…

      If you really want to mess with the Axis, dare them to do sea lion turn 2!

      Pull as much material as you can from UK and land in Gibraltar with fleet, this places you in a position to trade UK for Italy (even if you can’t take italy, they will be constrained by the threat) and permits America to enter the war on Turn 2. You get to watch Japan’s move to see if this puts them out of position, forcing them to wait a turn for the Sea Lion.

      If they take UK lightly (they forgo building the transport fleet since UK is a soft target), retaking UK should be easy. If they are careless, UK can retake itself and you basically gave Germany your IPCs to give USA their IPCs. Without the large fleet, they will have a harder time garrisoning UK.

      I use to do this In Europe 1940 (non global games back in the day).

      Its a gamble, but you are free to place ships/men in South Africa (I like transports for grabbing maximum force for Egypt).

      This gives you free reign on your IPCs turn 1, they are not stuck becoming troops. You can even build in Canada if you desire for the take back. Staging USA ships off Canada for take back.

      Food for thought.

      posted in Axis & Allies Global 1940
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: German bomber strategy - How to play and How to counter

      I just want to stress two overlooked points: (edited for brevity)

      1. German Bombers in the Pacific (only need 3 and they don’t have to fire a shot) to prevent Japanese navy blocks with less than 5 destroyers or equivalent force endurance to assure the “block”. This prevents a 1 destroyer screen to allow the allies to advance on money islands/homeland.

      2. You cannot “force” Germany to engage its bombers to “whittle them down”. I don’t care if you put Roosevelt on the flight deck to entice me, not going to happen. Make them land troops against Germany. This holds for taking Russia, when you can just take them out of the game. Remember, you don’t need to produce only bombers, and after turn 4 or 5, you likely won’t need many more.

      Optional comments below, don’t read unless you are bored: (just a silly personal rant or two, some history and comments, if you don’t want to waste time, skip it)

      1) continued: One experiment saw massed German bombers leave Europe strafe Austrailia for the VC win as they “can open” for Japan. Name a strategy where you can redeploy turns of production to another board in 1 turn.

      2) continued: I’m glad to see others discussing the economics of this strategy long term. And you will know I am attacking your fleet when I spend a turn dropping subs to support the bombers, hope you have enough destroyers. Just like a turn of dropping mechanized infantry when Russia gets feisty.

      I’m back. (Sorry for my absence, change of careers and time)

      Been a couple of years, but I’m glad to see the “Dark Skies” concept shows its merit.
      I have given up trying to beat this one myself.

      We disbanded our meetup group and haven’t really returned to live play since 2013. (still a bit frustrated they changed the aagun rules which made this viable, but my comments were disregarded and that is why I explored this concept to demonstrate the folly of design by committee, committees ignore fringe concepts as unlikely or unnecessary to consider just ask allied generals of 1939).

      When we showed that you could take the US with operation “Hollywood” back in revised, I found it odd, they redesigned the game board to prevent the concept in later editions. Later in global they changed the neutral rules for US to prevent Japan from stacking its air force in German occupied Canada on turn 3 (when US can enter the war, i.e. Japan strafes Washington, Italian starting transport captures empty Washington). I hope this serves to point out the value of fringe thinking, as it is often a form of exciting and rewarding game play.

      I reviewed half of this thread, but haven’t checked other’s games. (I make it a point not to look at games I am not in, as I prefer to develop as independently as I can, helps me to not develop a static way of viewing the game. Don’t want to become the WW1 Generals that scoffed at the “blitz” concept.)

      I was first inspired to test bomber stacks when a 12 year old showed up with his friend at a game store we were hosting a session at, he retook Asia against his equally inexperienced friend with 1 Japanese infantry and a stack of bombers) I didn’t want to ruin his fun and tell his friend to snip the troop (plus I was playing Germany 😉 ).

      I later explored the concept of tactical trading of bombers (at a loss) for troops to revive China using US bombers to trade Japan and thus increase the tactical value and board position (to steal from chess) of standing allied forces against empty Japanese territories. In one game I cleared 13 Japanese infantry (across 5 or 6 territories) for only 2 bombers lost.

      Anyway, I know my thoughts don’t carry much weight with veterans here, (been playing since the 80’s, first gencon tourney was in '93 pre-internet influence when we changed the style of play from stacks of massed infantry to allied transport fleets with carrier builds by UK or Russia for the “allies always win” “need a bid” concept in classic A&A).

      I’ll declare the test game that I never finished a loss, so that you can say this isn’t unbeatable. It wasn’t a good example anyway as I was trying to overdue it and show both Japan and German bomber builds. (I later found that Japanese bombers are not necessary, Japan is best used as a resource to keep the allies honest/handicapped.)

      If this isn’t unbeatable, it sure seems hard to stop both Japan and Germany when this is employed. Surely we can agree that if chosen, it sure limits the allies more than the “sea lion” concept that encouraged the AAgun rule change, that permits this air unit travesty. Again 20 years of AAguns make all air strategies bad, removed overnight to kill a sure thing sea lion early on, and no one else thought to ask what void will this make. Sure, limit them to 3 shots each and we can remove them from the board for the cost of 1 or 2 air units, LoL, open skies for the rest of your air force. Plus they can only fire at you if you attack them, he he he.(In the old days you got shot at flying over them.)

      Viva classic AA gun rules! And let strategies survive committees, the best counter is another strategy, not a rule change.

      posted in Axis & Allies Global 1940
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: Operation Dark Skies JamesAleman(axis) vs Allweneedislove

      TripleA Turn Summary for game: World War II Global 1940 2nd Edition, version: 3.6

      Game History

      Round: 16

      Purchase Units - Italians
                  Italians buy 1 artillery, 3 infantry and 3 mech_infantrys; Remaining resources: 0 PUs;

      Combat Move - Italians
                  1 bomber moved from Northwest Persia to 81 Sea Zone
                  1 infantry moved from France to Western Germany
                  1 bomber moved from France to Western Germany
                  1 infantry moved from Northern Italy to Western Germany
                  1 infantry moved from Northern Italy to Western Germany

      Combat - Italians
                  Battle in 81 Sea Zone
                      Italians attack with 1 bomber
                      British defend with 1 transport
                      Italians win with 1 bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 7
                      Casualties for British: 1 transport
                  Battle in Western Germany
                      Italians attack with 1 bomber and 3 infantry
                      British defend with 1 airfield, 1 factory_minor, 1 harbour and 1 infantry
                      Italians win, taking Western Germany from British with 1 bomber and 2 infantry remaining. Battle score for attacker is 0
                      Casualties for British: 1 infantry
                      Casualties for Italians: 1 infantry

      Non Combat Move - Italians
                  4 aaGuns, 11 infantry and 2 mech_infantrys moved from Northern Italy to Southern Italy
                  1 infantry and 3 mech_infantrys moved from Rostov to Caucasus
                  1 armour moved from France to Southern Italy
                  2 mech_infantrys moved from France to Germany
                  1 mech_infantry moved from Yugoslavia to Germany
                  1 fighter moved from Rostov to Southern Italy
                  1 bomber moved from 81 Sea Zone to Northwest Persia
                  1 mech_infantry moved from Northwest Persia to Caucasus
                  1 bomber moved from Western Germany to Southern Italy

      Place Units - Italians
                  1 artillery and 2 infantry placed in Southern Italy
                  3 mech_infantrys placed in Rostov
                  1 infantry placed in Northern Italy

      Turn Complete - Italians
                  Total Cost from Convoy Blockades: 2
                      Rolling for Convoy Blockade Damage in 97 Sea Zone. Rolls: 6,5,1,5,1,4,4,6
                  Italians collect 23 PUs (2 lost to blockades); end with 23 PUs total

      posted in Play Boardgames
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: Operation Dark Skies JamesAleman(axis) vs Allweneedislove

      TripleA Move Summary for game: World War II Global 1940 2nd Edition, version: 3.6

      Game History

      Round: 16

      Purchase Units - Italians
                  Italians buy 1 artillery, 3 infantry and 3 mech_infantrys; Remaining resources: 0 PUs;

      Combat Move - Italians
                  1 bomber moved from Northwest Persia to 81 Sea Zone
                  1 infantry moved from France to Western Germany
                  1 bomber moved from France to Western Germany
                  1 infantry moved from Northern Italy to Western Germany
                  1 infantry moved from Northern Italy to Western Germany

      posted in Play Boardgames
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: JamesAleman(axis)vsWheatbear(Allies +8)

      Looks like they changed it on me, not used to second edition completely. Just leave it as is. killing the plane is worth 10 dollars since Anzac needs the money more.

      posted in Play Boardgames
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: JamesAleman(axis)vsWheatbear(Allies +8)

      I’m pretty sure as long as I don’t take it, a DOW on France has no affect on the NO. I’ll check the rules

      posted in Play Boardgames
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: JamesAleman(axis)vsWheatbear(Allies +8)

      I’m glad I sent overkill to Kwangtung 😉 3 rounds of battle was pretty scary.

      posted in Play Boardgames
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman
    • RE: JamesAleman(axis)vsWheatbear(Allies +8)

      TripleA Turn Summary for game: World War II Global 1940 2nd Edition, version: 3.7

      Game History

      Round: 3

      Purchase Units - Japanese
                  Japanese buy 1 artillery, 1 carrier, 5 infantry, 1 mech_infantry and 1 transport; Remaining resources: 0 PUs; 6 SuicideAttackTokens;

      Combat Move - Japanese
                  1 destroyer moved from 36 Sea Zone to 37 Sea Zone
                  1 infantry moved from Kwangsi to French Indo China
                  1 infantry moved from Yunnan to Szechwan
                        Japanese take Szechwan from Chinese
                  1 infantry moved from Kweichow to Shensi
                        Japanese take Shensi from Chinese
                  1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Kwangsi to 37 Sea Zone
                  1 transport moved from 36 Sea Zone to 34 Sea Zone
                  1 infantry moved from Paulau Island to 34 Sea Zone
                  1 infantry and 1 transport moved from 34 Sea Zone to 46 Sea Zone
                  1 infantry moved from 46 Sea Zone to New Guinea
                  1 carrier moved from 36 Sea Zone to 46 Sea Zone
                  1 destroyer moved from 36 Sea Zone to 46 Sea Zone
                  1 battleship moved from 36 Sea Zone to 46 Sea Zone
                  2 transports moved from 36 Sea Zone to 19 Sea Zone
                  8 infantry moved from Manchuria to 19 Sea Zone
                  8 infantry and 4 transports moved from 19 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  8 infantry moved from 20 Sea Zone to Kwangtung
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from 36 Sea Zone to 45 Sea Zone
                  1 fighter moved from Kwangsi to 37 Sea Zone
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from Kwangsi to French Indo China
                  1 fighter moved from Anhwe to French Indo China
                  1 fighter moved from Anhwe to French Indo China
                  1 submarine moved from 36 Sea Zone to 44 Sea Zone
                  2 infantry moved from Chahar to Hopei
                  1 fighter moved from Manchuria to Hopei
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from Anhwe to Hopei
                  1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Anhwe to Suiyuyan
                  2 artilleries moved from Chahar to Suiyuyan
                  4 infantry moved from Chahar to Suiyuyan
                  1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Anhwe to Suiyuyan
                  1 fighter moved from Manchuria to 36 Sea Zone
                  2 carriers moved from 36 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  1 artillery moved from Kwangsi to Kwangtung
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from Anhwe to 36 Sea Zone
                  1 destroyer moved from 36 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  1 battleship moved from 36 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  2 cruisers moved from 36 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  2 bombers moved from Kwangsi to India

      Combat - Japanese
                  Strategic bombing raid in India
                      Bombing raid in India rolls: 4,7 and causes: 11 damage to unit: factory_major
                      Bombing raid in India causes 11 damage total.
                  Battle in 45 Sea Zone
                      Japanese attack with 1 tactical_bomber
                      ANZAC defend with 1 transport
                      Japanese win with 1 tactical_bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 7
                      Casualties for ANZAC: 1 transport
                  Battle in New Guinea
                  Battle in 44 Sea Zone
                      Japanese attack with 1 submarine
                      British defend with 1 transport
                      Japanese win, taking New Guinea from ANZAC, taking 44 Sea Zone from Neutral with 1 submarine remaining. Battle score for attacker is 7
                      Casualties for British: 1 transport
                  Battle in 36 Sea Zone
                      Japanese attack with 1 destroyer, 1 fighter and 2 tactical_bombers
                      British defend with 1 destroyer
                      Japanese win with 1 fighter and 2 tactical_bombers remaining. Battle score for attacker is 0
                      Casualties for Japanese: 1 destroyer
                      Casualties for British: 1 destroyer
                  Battle in Hopei
                      Japanese attack with 1 fighter, 2 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber
                      Chinese defend with 1 infantry
                      Japanese win, taking Hopei from Chinese with 1 fighter, 2 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 3
                      Casualties for Chinese: 1 infantry
                  Battle in Suiyuyan
                      Japanese attack with 2 artilleries, 2 fighters, 4 infantry and 2 tactical_bombers
                      Chinese defend with 3 infantry
                      Japanese win, taking Suiyuyan from Chinese with 2 artilleries, 2 fighters, 2 infantry and 2 tactical_bombers remaining. Battle score for attacker is 3
                      Casualties for Japanese: 2 infantry
                      Casualties for Chinese: 3 infantry
                  Battle in Kwangtung
                      Japanese attack with 1 artillery and 8 infantry
                      British defend with 1 harbour and 2 infantry
                      Japanese win, taking Kwangtung from UK_Pacific with 1 artillery and 6 infantry remaining. Battle score for attacker is 0
                      Casualties for Japanese: 2 infantry
                      Casualties for British: 2 infantry
                  Battle in 37 Sea Zone
                      Japanese attack with 1 destroyer, 2 fighters and 1 tactical_bomber
                      ANZAC defend with 1 cruiser and 1 transport
                      Japanese win with 2 fighters and 1 tactical_bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 11
                      Casualties for Japanese: 1 destroyer
                      Casualties for ANZAC: 1 cruiser and 1 transport
                  Battle in French Indo China
                      Japanese attack with 2 fighters, 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber
                      ANZAC defend with 1 fighter
                      Japanese win with 2 fighters and 1 tactical_bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 7
                      Casualties for Japanese: 1 infantry
                      Casualties for ANZAC: 1 fighter

      Non Combat Move - Japanese
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from 45 Sea Zone to 46 Sea Zone
                  1 fighter moved from Manchuria to 46 Sea Zone
                  1 fighter and 2 tactical_bombers moved from 36 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  1 carrier moved from 6 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from French Indo China to 20 Sea Zone
                  2 fighters moved from 37 Sea Zone to 20 Sea Zone
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from 37 Sea Zone to Yunnan
                  2 fighters moved from French Indo China to Yunnan
                  1 armour, 1 artillery and 2 infantry moved from Kwangsi to Yunnan
                  2 artilleries, 5 infantry and 1 mech_infantry moved from Kweichow to Yunnan
                  2 mech_infantrys moved from Manchuria to Anhwe
                  2 tactical_bombers moved from Suiyuyan to Anhwe
                  2 fighters moved from Suiyuyan to Anhwe
                  1 tactical_bomber moved from Hopei to Yunnan
                  1 fighter moved from Hopei to Anhwe
                  2 bombers moved from India to Yunnan
                  1 submarine moved from 20 Sea Zone to 43 Sea Zone

      Place Units - Japanese
                  1 artillery, 1 infantry and 1 mech_infantry placed in Manchuria
                  1 carrier and 1 transport placed in 6 Sea Zone
                  4 infantry placed in Japan
                  Japanese undo move 3.
                  Japanese undo move 1.
                  2 infantry and 1 mech_infantry placed in Manchuria
                  1 artillery and 3 infantry placed in Japan
                  Japanese undo move 3.
                  Japanese undo move 2.
                  1 artillery, 1 infantry and 1 mech_infantry placed in Manchuria
                  4 infantry placed in Japan

      Turn Complete - Japanese
                  Japanese collect 38 PUs; end with 38 PUs total
                  Objective Japanese 1 Trade With America: Japanese met a national objective for an additional 10 PUs; end with 48 PUs

      posted in Play Boardgames
      JamesAleman
      JamesAleman