AA50/41 Japanese strategy

[Lynxes]

Imperious leader, I’ll try to revive this strategy discussion. Your tactics for '41 J1 are good, except that there’s no need to protect TRS at Borneo since the Australian navy only reaches New Guinea sea zone. Your CA is probably useful vs. Phillippines.

I think that your all-out offensive vs. the Chinese makes sense, but could there be some kind of catch? We should expect a UK build of an IC in India on turn 1, so could it be that taking Burma actually is necessary to put some pressure on India quickly? A turn 2 attack could be launched with the following: 3 inf from NEI and Borneo, 2-3 inf from Burma, 5 ftr, totalling 17-18 in attack (assuming one ftr lost to AA) vs. that start force in India of just 8 in defence. But if you leave Burma alone on turn 1 you only have those 3 inf invading by sea which isn’t very promising. Your Phillippines fleet doesn’t reach India before turn 3 and then UK will be getting a build in that IC!

Maybe the balance is to choose if to have a China popping up 3 inf/turn or India popping out 3 inf or 3 tanks? And if the Americans have an offensive Pacific strategy, the Japanese could be stopped from capturing both China and India (?).

[Imperious Leader]

no need to protect TRS at Borneo since the Australian navy only reaches New Guinea sea zone.

How can you tell from the picture. It looks to me like its 2 SZ away.

[Lynxes]

Edit: IL, bluestroke seems to be on your line as well, considering his player aid map. Well, at least it doesn’t change our strategy discussion in a wider sense. What do you think of taking Burma on turn 1, as per my idea above?

[Imperious Leader]

I will address all of this tonight. too busy now

[italiansarecoming]

i realize that now many people have considered asia as a big play ground lets not lose the topic asia is only as important as japan wants it to be if gb makes 1 then japan doesnt care then gb wasted mony+ only good if d-day is well past and atomic bombs are coming….
so asia has to wait for japan ok

[Imperious Leader]

I like to get at Burma, but id rather take the extra Chinese territory, because it would reduce the Chinese player to 3 territories and thus only get 1 infantry, so i get another infantry killed by taking the Chinese. Id set up both Burma and India for J2. How would you change the attacks to get burma? You know the fighter must go and you need the transports for the islands so you cant use the FIC infantry for burma.

[italiansarecoming]

2 options just use planz with inf u got there and inf from islands or forgetting about it india is tempting but if u play with the same players surprise em with ignoring it and makeing them wasteing mony?

[Imperious Leader]

Or take out Australia if UK does not buy a factory and swing back to india latter. If they dont make a factory you bought one extra turn to buy transports and bring men to indo, so you can now get like 8-10 in India by J3.

[italiansarecoming]

taking out australia is if germany is hurting and u arew winning make gb come and get u?

[Black_Elk]

Assuming the current set up is accurate, I like this buy for Japan: 1 transport, 2 inf, 1 art and 1 tank

Airstrike on the British India fleet (2 fighters, to land on carrier in sz 37) as well as the US Battleship at pearl (4 fighters to land in sz 62). The Cruiser and Battleship to knock out the US fleet at Philippines. 1 inf from Carolines to Borneo with the naked transport, 2 inf from Carolines to East Indies with the destroyer to cover. 1 inf +1 inf from Okinawa/Japan, and 1 inf + 1 tank from Iwo/Japan to either Manchuria or Bury, depending on what the Russians do.

On the mainland you only really need to hit 2 Chinese spaces in the first round to screw them out of the third inf unit, so I favor Fukien and Suiyuan or Hupeh since they allow you to land the Formosa fighter in French Indo China, and the Manchuria fighter either in Kiangsu or FIC depending on how the attacks go.

Assuming reasonable luck, that should leave Japan with 2 transports (plus the new one for a total of 3) along with 2 carriers and 3-4 fighters in sz 62 (or you can land one in Manchuria if extra defense is needed), and 1 carrier and 1-2 fighters in sz 37. With no immediate threats in the next round, you have the option to expand in whichever direction seems the most advantageous (depending on what the US decides to do.) If the UK goes IC in India, it shoud be fairly easy to take by round 3 or 4, if not then you can hit the Russians instead, or continue to push across the South Pacific, provided the USA doesn’t stay and fight. Either way you’re poised to pick up 2 NO’s by the end of the second round.

[italiansarecoming]

@Black_Elk:

Assuming the current set up is accurate, I like this buy for Japan: 1 transport, 2 inf, 1 art and 1 tank

Airstrike on the British India fleet (2 fighters, to land on carrier in sz 37) as well as the US Battleship at pearl (4 fighters to land in sz 62). The Cruiser and Battleship to knock out the US fleet at Philippines. 1 inf from Carolines to Borneo with the naked transport, 2 inf from Carolines to East Indies with the destroyer to cover. 1 inf +1 inf from Okinawa/Japan, and 1 inf + 1 tank from Iwo/Japan to either Manchuria or Bury, depending on what the Russians do.

On the mainland you only really need to hit 2 Chinese spaces in the first round to screw them out of the third inf unit, so I favor Fukien and Suiyuan or Hupeh since they allow you to land the Formosa fighter in French Indo China, and the Manchuria fighter either in Kiangsu or FIC depending on how the attacks go.

Assuming reasonable luck, that should leave Japan with 2 transports (plus the new one for a total of 3) along with 2 carriers and 3-4 fighters in sz 62 (or you can land one in Manchuria if extra defense is needed), and 1 carrier and 1-2 fighters in sz 37. With no immediate threats in the next round, you have the option to expand in whichever direction seems the most advantageous (depending on what the US decides to do.) If the UK goes IC in India, it shoud be fairly easy to take by round 3 or 4, if not then you can hit the Russians instead, or continue to push across the South Pacific, provided the USA doesn’t stay and fight. Either way you’re poised to pick up 2 NO’s by the end of the second round.

I think tht is really accurate but if you put this in consideration taking away the tank and purchasing another artillery would make a nother inf. stornger and save a buck

if you buy 5 infantry and 5 artillery for 35ipc’s it is better then 7 tanks of 35 ipc’s!
So i would save a trip and go for the artillery right away tehn 1 trip = 1inf and artillery and the other 1 1inf. and artillery (would not recommend the tank)

[Black_Elk]

I like tanks for the mobility. :)

Also, Soviet Far East is a MUCH better landing spot than Buryatia. I expect to see more Japs parked up there in AA50

[italiansarecoming]

Ahh its depending i see the japanese defending a wee bit from the russians but  see the russians to tied up agaisnt the japanese sicne the brits and states are after them!

[Bardoly]

Has anyone looked at Japan’s first buy being 3 Research tokens and 1 transport?

My friends and I play with a minor house rule for tech as follows:  Instead of rolling 1 die to see which random tech you receive (after having rolled a “6” of course), roll as many dice as you had research tokens, and then choose which tech you want from the numbers shown on the dice.  Using this method helps ensure that you don’t get a fairly useless tech (such as America or Japan getting Radar).

Using this rule, there is a pretty decent chance of Japan getting Long Range Aircraft on the first turn, and that would drastically modify Japan’s first turn.  Japan could then completely destroy the entire US Pacific fleet, knock out UK’s Indian fleet, and take all 3 of its National Objectives while still leaving no easily picked off transports or ships.  This would also leave you in the position to either hit Alaska, Australia, and/or India on the second turn.  You should also receive about 46-47 IPC at the end of your turn.

I realize that Japan may not get Long Range with this buy, but even if he doesn’t, Japan can still do a pretty traditional turn.

[italiansarecoming]

Snap i am a tank let me roll all over you moohahhaha!

Anyways Japan should do the following
1. Not buy research
2. take india or australia by jt3
3. dominate the pacific
4. at least a stalemate  in asia (china and india)

[DarthMaximus]

Bumping this since the game is out now.

It looks like Japan can clear ALL 4 China territories that contain 1 inf including taking out the ftr.  They can also clear the two UK ter in SE Asia and still wipe out all the US ships in the Pac except the AC/ftr/dd near South America.

[Imperious Leader]

yep.

[Imperious Leader]

Japanese strategy for 1941:

Builds: 1 transport, 1 fighter-
If using technology, then 1 transport and 1 tank and 1 technology.

Invade Hawaii with 2 transports (3 infantry) and 1 fighter from Caroline Islands
Attack US BB in SZ53 with 2 fighters, 1 DD and 2 CV

Attack SZ 56 with 1 fighter

Invade Burma with 3 Infantry/ 1 Artillery + SB from BB in SZ #37

Bring transport from SZ 62 and pick up one tank from Japan and 1 infantry from Okinawa and 1 fighter from carrier to attack Philippines.
Attack SZ # 50 with 1 CV plus 1 fighter and CA

China attacks:
Suiyuan: bring 3 Infantry
Hupeh: bring 2 infantry, 1 fighter
Yunnan: bring in 3 infantry and 2 fighters
Note: leave one infantry in Kiangsu and leaving Fukien and Kwangtung alone.

Basic ideas: you have to take either India or Australia on the next turn, plus take Borneo and East Indies on J2. Your putting your pieces to work to kill UK/ USA assets because they are a greater threat because they are in your face. I know a few of you may cringe on the idea of leaving the two 4 IPC island groups, but doing this also forces you to protect the transports which costs more than you gain. All your fleets are protected from counter attacks and you threaten everything and also stop UK from buying a India factory even if you don’t attack India on J2.

[jeffdestroyer]

The USA counterattack could be deadly if Hawaii is invaded and Japan could suffer early losses.  I think the following will inflict max. damage on Allies with limited losses to Japan and a good turn 2 setup

Attack US BB in SZ53 with 3 fighters, 1 DD  DO NOT MOVE Midway CV’s until noncombat
Attack SZ 56 with 1 fighter

Attack India fleet with 2 fig from sz 61.  this will allow transports to take easy islands on turn 1 and setup and India or Aus victory on turn 2. 
  2Inf/TR to East Indies from Carolines and  2Inf/TR Borneo from sz61

Invade Burma with TR 3 Infantry/ 1 Artillery from sz61 & Indochina

Attack sz 50 with BB from sz 61 fig from Jap.  (it could land on a returning CV from sz57)
SZ 62TR and pick up one tank from Japan and 1 infantry to attack Philippines.
Second Caroline TR picks up INF and another form OKI to land against Kwa with Cruiser or Formosa fig support.
Kia and Manchuria forces/fig could take one or two more territories in China.

Move Midway CV’s  to Carolines or sz60 and land 4 fig.  It gives you an option if a bad roll occurs to move to sz 60  (if all 4 fig survive, then one ican land on an island to make room for the sz 50 fig.)  If you move two CV to Carolines then all 3 CV / 3 TR could hit Aus or a mixture of TR forces could attack India and Aus.  Any USA counterattack against the Jap. fleet in Carolines will have heavier losses and all TR are safe.  sz 60 would be completely safe. 
land battle in Phillipines is the only 50/50 gamble.

Depending on UK/USA moves, you might Be able to take India and Aus on turn 2, but the forces will be in a flex. position.
We will see how this plays out and this does not address builds.

[Imperious Leader]

Hawaii under my plan gets attacked by 3 infantry and 1 fighter against 1 fighter and 1 infantry.

The attack on the bb is 2 fighters, 1 DD and 2 CV. I suppose 1 fighter can shift to Hawaii.

The counter is 2 bombers 2 fighters 1 CV and 1 DD = 17 against 20 which is not good and Japan can land her fighters on the Island. Japan also has a central fleet in range for mop up if needed.

The thing is the attack against the DD on the west coast is a 3 vs 2 so if it fails then its a slightly worse battle…19 against 16.