@Adlertag:
@timerover51:
One house rule that I am thinking about for A&A50 is one that I use in A&A Pacific, and that is that the Japanese player must take Borneo by turn 4 or have its fleet and planes stop dead because of lack of fuel.
You really want a scriptet game, now do you ? How fun :-P
Without oil from Borneo, Japan’s navy is out of fuel in 6 months, and the military is out of gasoline in one year. In the WW2 period, there is no oil in Siberia, and even if there was, the Japanese lacked the resources to get at it. They were very dependent on taking the Borneo and Dutch East Indies oil fields and refineries with minimal damage, as they had no capacity for major repairs. The fields near Tawi Tawi were especially prised as the raw crude could be used directly as boiler fuel without refining. That did make it a bit explosive, however, as the Taiho discovered. If the Japanese player in any of my games wishes to ignor the needed resources, I will happily see him attack Siberia. And enjoy it immensely when the Allies exterminate his navy and air force when they cannot move for lack of fuel.
The Japanese fought WW2 for resources that they needed to finish off China, not for any love of Germany and Italy, both of whom aided China militarily in the late 1930s. I would recommend you read either Kogun or Japan’s Decision for War for a better understanding of Japanese thinking. As for actual Japanese behavior, the US sent Lend-Lease shipments on Russian-flagged Liberty ships through the Sea of Japan all the way up to August of 1945. The shipments were either of food, for Siberia, to make up for the loss of the Ukraine, or military equipment and trucks, which were sent via the Siberian Railway to the Eastern Front.
I understand, Aldertag, that you would much prefer Japan to be a willing servant of the Germans, and attack Russia at the same time you do. That does make it easier for Germany to win. I have no interest whatsoever in making it easier for Germany to win. If you do not like that, I am not asking you to adopt any of my house rules. You may play any way that you wish. I hope that you will allow the Allies to win occasionally, but I do not expect that.