dice, tech, NOs, and a small bid to allies or not.
Assumptions:
Germany is playing an aggressive anti-Russia and anti-Uk strat on G1.
Most of the Atlantic Uk navy gone on G1 (probably only the dest+trans combo near Canada left)
Germany has moved east, and taken three of the territories necessary for achieving its NO.
Germany has attacked Egypt or not (with the goal of “softening up” for Italy)
Germany has made a ground unit buy. 9 inf and an art or something close to it - the idea being to follow up with another round of mostly inf, to be followed by tanks. I often buy an AA gun instead of two of the inf.
Germany’s basic goals being to defend france and achieve NOs while waiting to be rescued by Japan.
Japan wastes no time in moving as fast as possible toward India
Japan takes the free money south pacific islands, destroys the UK India navy, destroys the the China fighter, takes Kwangtung and Phillipines. and sets up maximally for India on J2.
Japan builds a factory for FIC.
Japan collects 45 ipcs.
Japan’s short term goals are to take India down as fast as possible, and to build two more factories (India and Dutch East Indies).
Italy’s goal is simialr to Germany. Mostly to achieve NOs when possible, and primarily to play against Russia, and make it uncomfortable for the Russian player to defend routes into the motherland with only one inf (the “can opener” threat). A second transport (if defendable) is often a great buy.
************ i consider above to be a pretty standard way of playing axis ***********
I have had a great deal of success with the above plan as axis. Japan players who dilly daddle and fail to move as fast as possible against Russia invite a successful KGF. But those Japan players who arrive in Persia on J3 will make the allies wish they built in the pacific with USA.
USA strat involves two complete buys in The Pacific, moving both bombers to UK (to bomb germany) and often moving the east USA troops to The Pacific as well. Japan cannot ignore this and will be forced to buy navy units it really wish it hadn’t had to. The IPCs USA invests in The Pacific will be immediately felt, as Japan will not be maximally attacking Russia with tanks, guys and factories, and instead buying destroyers and what have you.
America will then move its fleet on USA three (or earlier if japan did not respond properly) depending on how much navy japan built. Either directly to the Caroline Islands if Japan can’t simply blow them up, or to the Solomons if Japan navy is too large, to threaten multiple spots.
On Usa three, America starts its standard North Africa/ Europe build and strat.
Russia buys a bomber for Caucuses and plans to use to blow up the Japanese transport off of the East Indies.
Russia masses 7 inf in Buryatia with the aim of moving into Manchuria whenever it is convenient.
Above are the two main ‘anti-Japan’ investments made by Russia, and will not be followed up, as Germany will be immediately felt.
UK plays a standard game against Germany, and invests nothing in holding India (no factory, etc.)