The key to a G1 Barbarossa is to progressively strat. bomb Moscow into the stone age. Russia lacks the air force to defend it (and God help them if they even try). With the following, the goal is to move the Germany stack one space East every turn until it invades Moscow (on G5).

G1:
-Buy a minor complex and an airbase for Romania (works also for Hungary–their are plusses and minuses to either. If you put the base/IC in Romania it gives you the opportunity to build transports in the Black Sea. If you put it Hungary, the bombers can reach London and back as well as Moscow… options options options)
-Make sure both German bombers end up where this airbase has been built (along with other Luftwaffe units to serve as defense, since all ground units have obviously advanced into Russia
-stack should be in Poland

G2:
-strat bomb Moscow
-Buy at least 2 strat. bombers and upgrade the minor IC, and save the rest for a massive mech/tank buy on G3
-stack advances to Eastern Poland (where it defends returning strat. bombers)

G3:
-strat bomb Moscow
-buy as many tanks as possible, mechs with the rest of the money, and spawn them in Hungary/Romania
-advance stack to Belarus or Ukraine (again, plusses and minuses to either approach. If the Russian player is late in getting the Leningrad stack East, moving to Belarus gives you a chance to keep him divided. Otherwise, dominating the Ukraine presents financial advantages)

G4:
-buy air air air, specifically tac bombers to match up with your tanks
-move the stack to Bryansk/Smolensk; move your hoard of tanks to Belarus/Ukraine; defend with planes where necessary
-at this point, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to strat bomb again, but if Russia has been paying off the damage than why not

G5:
-with your Germany stack (primarily), the Luftwaffe, men, arties and tanks that remain from the beginning, your air buy in Romania/Hungary, and your mech unit hoard in position to blitz… get 'er done!

NOTE: This strat can be supplemented with an aggressive Japan that invades the Far East, sucking a couple ICs from any Soviet income. Also, keeping sz125 full with a sub should go without saying… but if the Allies devote efforts to keeping it clear, DO NOT waste money trying to retake it. You can keep the bonus from Russia in R1 and maybe R2 easily enough; that should suffice.

@Young:

What’s better?

1. A J1 DOW
2. A J2 DOW

Obviously depends upon your plans for Europe, but it’s hard to imagine a better tactic than a J1 DOW, when the Axis has full initiative to smash anything before the Allies can reorganize at all.

For example, consider sz37. That’s a single unsupported 20 IPC unit that is essential to a significant Indian Navy; Japan can take it out J1 with 2 bombers and a fighter (a net expected result of +10 IPCs), and India will never see the kind of income necessary to replace it.

**With a J1 DOW, India must turtle immediately and Japan can decide whether to go short (take a stab at Calcutta for J3 or J4), or go long (starve them and slowly build towards a J6 or beyond invasion).

It also allows Japan to take the DEI easily. Rather than fighting for islands (with added sb’s, planes, and precious ground units that are in short supply at that stage), Japan can own all four with two single guys and undefended transports (Borneo and Celebes J2, Sumatra and Java J3–if a J3 India invasion is not the better move. **

I used to be all over these boards, advocating J1. I’m glad to see the strategy has finally gained some traction.

Hey guys, sorry for the delay, this fancy new technology is just too much for me. From here on in I’m a go…

If it is truly important, my email is: marcus_mueller@hotmail.com (lol, can you guess my REAL name?), but I’m happy to trust that the dice results are not being meddled with.

From here on in, I’m a go, and thank you to WHeatbeer for holding the fort.

Well that’s unfortunate.

NC
-NI units to WG
-rest on map

PLACE
-sz95 and SI

COLLECTS
10 + 25 = 35 IPCs

3.9_JvsW_03gITALY.AAM

SMO
Rolls: 1@4; Total Hits: 11@4: (2)
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 11@2: (2)

Italy 3 - 36 IPCs

PURCHASES
-2 transports (14)
-1 bomber (12)
-save 10

COMBAT
-1 tank takes Bryansk
-1 tank takes Bel
-1 tank, 1 bomber vs. Smolensk
-more African territories taken
-1 inf., 1 art. vs. Alex

SMO
Rolls: 1@3 1@4; Total Hits: 11@3: (5)1@4: (4)
Rolls: 2@2; Total Hits: 12@2: (1, 4)

ALEX
Rolls: 2@2; Total Hits: 12@2: (1, 5)
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 01@2: (3)

Just a quick note; I might use kamikazes if you attack sz35 (PHI coast).

I’ve got an old version of TripleA downloaded that seems faulty, and will acquire a newer one in due time. When does the tourney start?

My goodness finally!

NC
-Calcutta coast air to Sumatra coast; JEH bomber to FIC
-1 dd to PHI coast; transports shuffle around
-rest, if any, on map

PLACE
-IC in FIC
-planes in Japan

COLLECTS
35 + 1 = 36 IPCs

3.9_JvsW_03cJAPAN.AAM

SS
Rolls: 2@2 1@3; Total Hits: 12@2: (1, 5)1@3: (4)
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 01@2: (5)

SS
Rolls: 1@1 2@2; Total Hits: 01@1: (5)2@2: (3, 6)