Is it best for Italy to stay Neutral?


  • @trig I forgot about the Fort and Coastal Gun! I was earlier thinking in a case when it is underdefended and you could easily walk in the area and that if it would take 2 turns, then I would do it in a scenario when the ships are far off. Technically, UK could just defend the stuff from a land perspective and near the end they could just go into the med with the ships

  • Banned

    Try this:
    Italy and France (Free France) may keep fighting over Abyssinia even if both are still at peace. We used this as a house rule and it made that part of the map more interesting and if Italy wants to dispose of the threat (especially a strong Free French player) it has to act somehow to keep that VP. With 4 railroad per turn in Europe it is easy for Germany to boost defenses in Italian home country. Italy could build militia. Give militia movement within home country for all major powers.
    Allow Allies to attack Italy as a neutral power (with the penalties) as soon as US is at wartime income and at war with Germany. This keeps Italy from staying neutral until end game and allows for some action in Africa if the French player is wise.

    My wish for a new map would be Rome as an inland Italian city (not coastal).


  • @delaja Explain. Militia already could move within the home country. If Italy doesn’t declare war, nations can’t attack them (except if you are commie). On you wish, Rome is literally 33 km from the coast. while there might be some accuracy to block it from SZ151, in history, they went past rome and then into the Northern Italy.

  • Banned

    @david-06 said in Is it best for Italy to stay Neutral?:

    ” Explain. Militia already could move within the home country.”
    Was a bit late when I wrote it but that is correct.

    “If Italy doesn’t declare war, nations can’t attack them (except if you are commie).”
    Hence the exception I suggest.

    On you wish, Rome is literally 33 km from the coast. while there might be some accuracy to block it from SZ151,
    Like London Rome is not a coastal city. Making it an inland city gives the option to pass it by historically and offers a turn extra for Italy to protect its capitol and not have enemy naval power bombarding it.

    “in history, they went past rome and then into the Northern Italy.”
    Rome as an inland city would allow for this to happen. It could be surrounded but a strong Northern Italy would prevent that.

    We playtested this with a house rule version of the map. HBG might opt for an overlay like in Croatia at war. Might fit an Italy at war expansion as Chris proposed. But this is all just ideas for now.


  • @delaja Battleship guns could reach that distance (33 km). Also is the territory only representing Rome, or is it representing the urban areas around it?


  • @david-06 I agree. If you say that 33km is to far, what about the other territories that are far larger? I think that Rome historically, and practically is a coastal city. For instance, the Roman metropolitan area extends to the port of Ostia, which sits at the coast. I don’t like the idea of putting it inland. Also, the Allies landed at Anzio in Jan and were in Rome by June, which is one turn. It just doesn’t make sense to me. The reason the allies never attacked was due to the mountains and heavy defense, two things that are shown in game. Not due to it distance from the coast.


  • @trig Also other downsides of putting Rome inland:

    • It does make it easier to surround.
    • It makes putting a factory in rome a worse idea
    • it makes rome a bad location to put planes.
  • Banned

    @insanehoshi
    These are all three of them incorrect arguments from a game play point of view. As the Italian player you don’t want to invest in factories in Rome or place places there, when the planes can scramble from N Italy. And a factory if anywhere should be built in Africa. Surrounding would become more difficult because Italy would get an extra turn before their capitol might fall. It would be easier to first reinforce N Italy and then Rome. It is definitely more fun to play Italy with Rome inland.


  • @trig spending all IPP on battleships to guarantee 1 victory points for Italy vs lend leasing Italy’s IPP for most of the game …. I think the lend lease seems more valuable to help the other axis powers achieve their goals and to earn their victory points. A lot more can happen for Germany with that extra $10 than a couple Italian battleships that just sit there in the med and don’t fight.


  • @david-06 I have seen Italy win the war in Abyssinia on turn one a number of times. Heck I just did it playing as Italy! I say go for turn one and if it doesn’t happen, retreat bring more reinforcements and try again.


  • @chris_henry Italy can’t tie up the allies, instead Italy will tie up German resources to help defend Italy, not good!


  • @bretters They would only be able to send 5 IPPs or one military unit- see rulebook page 34 (for some reason I couldn’t copy and paste it)


  • @david-06 also italy can only send stuff to people at war with a major power


  • @david-06 Italy can send all $10 of their income to Germany , no ifs ands or buts. Once Germany is at war with a major power


  • Hey all,

    I and my gaming group think that its best for italy to stay neutral. Because you can get all 4 VP´s and are always a danger for UK. There is really no point for italy to attack. Only in late war and only if UK gives you the opportunity.

    This is a bit boring. I hope they will change this in Version 4. I heard that they will also change VC points.


  • If Italy stays Neutral, the best Germany can ever hope to do in the Mediterranean is build a factory in Yugoslavia / Greece , right? Doesn’t that kind of scupper their plans and give the UK too much leeway?


  • @aldrahill I think it’s fine. Germany doesn’t need to be in the med, also the axis can influence turkey


  • @aldrahill also look at German VP they don’t need troops in Africa or Gibraltar…


  • @bretters said in Is it best for Italy to stay Neutral?:

    @chris_henry Italy can’t tie up the allies, instead Italy will tie up German resources to help defend Italy, not good!

    Totally agree! I just think this hurts more in the long run for a lot of trickle down reasons, this one you mention included!


  • @chris_henry sorry, what hurts?

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