Planning to come for OrcCon in Feb

Fond memories !

An alternate strategy is to use the Bid money wisely, to prevent a G-2 hold of Eastern Poland.
If Soviets can place 1 Art in
West Ukraine,
Leningrad
Belarus and
Ukraine
as part of the bid

Then with buy of 6 Tanks on R1 in frontlines, the German forces in E. Poland can be exterminated on R-2

Depends on other factors too…

1. G-1 buy

2. Did Germany manage the Yugo slide… moving it’s forces from GSG to Romania

3. Did either of UKs fleets (SZ 110/111) survive?

4. What was the bid and where was it placed…

Among others …  it depends on 3 main factors:

1. Bid… and Bid placement

2. Extent of risk Germany and Japan are willing to take in their initial attacks.
   Big risks if successful, give amazingly huge rewards!
   Classic examples: J1- Carolines DD against Sydney DD+TR
   G1 - 1/2Mech+Tank+ FTR  against 2 Inf in S.France… in addition to 1 UBoat attacks on Gib CRU, Canada Fleet…
     Barely enough to leave 1-2 Inf in Yugo alive for Romania slide…

3. Scramble or not decision of London.

Hence “order” of battles are important!!!

If some, especially the important battles go Badly for Axis…
Ex: Paris holds, UK BB and FTRs survive SZ110… Yunnan holds…
Axis may as well as concede, call it over and restart a new game.

The Stinker, is that if all these attacks succeed… the Allies (after Failed Taranto/Tobruk) may as well as throw in the towel.

So… it could be a really short game either way…

Hence… important to remember that if you’ve decided you want to play a decent game… that is well fought and are there for the fun… try not to go in with 50-50 odd battles… in beginning of game… esp as Axis…
Unless game is so important… Bid so huge… that you really have no choice…

-Mein Herr

The point of the tank is two-fold….

1. If the Korea attack is very successful … and say the survivors are 3-4 Inf + Art+ Tank in Korea… Japan will have to commit greater resources to taking it.
2. The $4 that is saved… goes toward ensuring Ethiopia is killed off with the Art in Sudan.  This is pretty important too.

Yes… thrift and economy is desired… but… the early goals are such that this is these are the best choices available.

Tempo is the key in this game… esp for Japan if they are going J-1.

Almost Every single initial unit, TRs, Planes, and ships have their stated purpose and goals… when Japan does a J-1 DOW… on W. Allies.

Screwing up the movement of a variety of these …as well as forcing them in a direction that does not hold promise… as well as then reducing the movement potential in the subsequent turn… are all small wins for the Allies… much appreciated by the player playing India , China and Anzac.

Lastly… US can comfortably go about its business… and not under pressure… that a J-1 usually puts on it.

@Herr:

I’m not sure I like the Siberia plan much, but it’s an option to be considered. But if I’d try it, I’d rather buy a fighter in Buryatia instead of a tank. The tank will die in Korea no matter what, but the fighter can make it back and make itself useful later on, either against Japan or by moving it back west. And there’s still 6 IPC left for that much-needed SZ98 sub.

That is, if we’re assuming a 20 IPC bid. Lately I’ve been reading that the Allies need more.

When there are 12 Inf in Buryatia… (with 2 FTR+TB in Yakut - striking range) … and Japan has to take back Korea… and also Amur… it will have to commit not just the Manchurian troops… it will have to commit the TRs.

Once the TRs move North… (only 2 can)…then they are out of position…at least for 1 turn.
The initial strike potential using the TRs if used up North… where there are  $1 territories, no ports, no airbases , no Capitols…is a good thing for Allies.

If they over-commit to Amur… wanting to do Crussia… then they do so without 4 Infantry + FTR  (and possibly, 2-3 less…as they have to take Korea back). They have Max ability to put in only 4 more units in Amur… as only 2 TRs can reach there on J-1…

Remember… the Soviets can just decide to hold the line with their 12+2 AAA in Yakut SSR…  then Japanese will then on J-2 have to land all their planes there… and there will be a 1 Hex withdrawal a turn…  this is sure to burn Japan in the long run.

If Germany has bought a Fleet on G-1… and Japan does the above moves… then… prospects of Axis win are reduced.

@simon33:

@MeinHerr:

Calcutta not falling for a J-3 India Crush … is a good trade off.

Not convinced that what you propose would achieve that outcome. And you’re sure to lose the survivors of the Korea assault J1 leaving only 12 inf 2 AAA to defend Amur - assuming you don’t run units back to Moscow.

Unless you think that going Crussia is a better option for Japan that going for an India crush - then why are you making it easier for them to go that way?

If the Far East Russians run away to Moscow… the Mongolians may never get activated… or get activated too late.

Timing is the key in this game.  Axis generally controls the tempo… there are few occasions for Allies to do so…    The Korea attack is one of them.

@Zhukov44:

The advantage of a Med bid, with respect to the Pacific, is that if Allies can take out the Italy fleet in the first few turns, that frees up USA to go after Japan.

A Siberia bid to Russia seems suboptimal because while taking out some units in Korea might help, you’re forfeiting the Mongolia troops on the first turn.  Unless its a hardcore KJF where you’re putting tons of pressure on Japan, this could give Japan an opportunity to make some extra money in Siberia.

An extra mech on Burma is a good investment.  Extra infantry for UK Pacific and China can also be effective if used strategically.  But as bids I don’t rate them as highly as extra UK subs in 98, 91, 110 etc.  Those extra subs are great protection against round 1 dicings and make it very hard for an Italy fleet to survive.

AEV, problem is that if Bid is too Mediterranean focused, then Japan gets a free pass.
  J-1 if done correctly , piles on the Axis pressure and compounds the Allied misery … mainly by taking India out of the game by J3…stopping help to Chinese or Egypt/Middle East.
  With $10 for Far East… killing Korea… killing Mainland Japanese Inf and a FTR… forcing Japan to respond … takes some pressure off India.

If G-1 build was a Navy… then USSR has a choice to keep the 12 remaining Far East Soviets in Buryatia… (evacuate Amur)…maybe send the 3 planes to Yakut…  If Japan bring in the 6 Inf+ Art+ Mech into Amur from Manchuria… USSR threatens to wipe them out.

If Japan goes about normal J-1 DOW, and just kills Korea… and Air Power moves South… then USSR goes 2,3,4,5 - Amur, Manchuria, Jehol, Anhwe threatening Shanghai and HongKong (giving Chinese extra help) or at least… restraining the Manchurian army in Korea/Manchuria…
Without anything to threaten from the North… The Manchurian  horde can walk to India or through China into USSR… which on J5-J6 causes major headaches for Allies.

The Soviet Far East Bid is mainly to reduce the chances of Axis Pacific win…

As far as Europe goes… use the remaining $10 Bid there … an Art in Sudan, should take care of Ethiopia… Sub in SZ 98 helps Taranto or Malta… (dep on SeaLion threat)
  Doing Ethiopia cleanse takes care of 33% problems in Africa for UK.

Calcutta not falling for a J-3 India Crush … is a good trade off.