When do you take out the Italian fleet?

[Veqryn]

What turn and what do you use to destroy the Italian fleet?

There are a couple options:

1. You build 2 bombers as the UK, and use 3 bombers + 1 fighter to destroy them UK turn 2 (landing in Caucasus if Italy is SeaZone 14, landing in Trans-Jordan if Italy is SeaZone 15).  You should have only 1 bomber left after this attack, but you could easily also have nothing left.  If you try this, you will most likely lose that one bomber to a German attack on G3 on trans-jordan.  The other problem with this is, you only have 7 ipcs left over the first turn, meaning you can’t buy anything, meaning your entire europe theater navy consists of the transport and cruiser you leave at SeaZone 1, which you have to leave there because if you come any closer you will get attacked by a German submarine + fighter + bomber on G2.  Turn 2 you can build more navy, but it really looks bleak since you can not move your first set of troops until either Norway turn 2, or Algeria Turn 3 (which means Germany can get Africa for a few turns anyway).

2. You build 1 carrier, 1 fighter, 1 transport UK1, and 2-3 bombers UK2.  You can destroy the Italian navy on turn UK3 with 2-4 fighters and 3 bombers.  This would seem far superior at first glance, but there is a major problem.  It really is not that difficult for Italy/Germany to take Egypt on their Turn 2, and then take Trans-Jordan on their Turn 3.  Without both of those, you have no place to land the planes, and without any place to land you can not attack in the first place.

3. The USA can not launch a solo attack on Italy before their Turn 3.  They can mop up after an partially successful UK attack on US2, but if USA tries to attack on their Turn 3 the run in to the same problem as before: they have no landing zones.  If the USA wants to attack with ships, this is not possible before USA4 (assuming Italian navy is in SZ15).

So…… what the heck are you guys doing to BOTH kill the Italian navy, and Retake Africa before the Axis conquer much.  It seems that if you try to kill the navy quickly you will not have enough ground to retake africa successfully before the Axis kill off Egypt and Transjordan, but if you go for a longer approach the Italian navy stays alive until turn 4, which is much too long and the axis get to control africa anyway. 
Please help.  Ideas anyone?

[katfishkris]

we usually dont worry too much about the Italian fleet.  if they leave the Med, they are dead.  when the americans start bringing their atlantic fleet to Morocco,  they secure either gibraltar or morrocco, giving the UK somewhere to land on the next turn to finish off the Italians.  the US usually hits the fleet first, rnd 2, maybe 3, with the UK finishing the job if needed.  it would be nice to play a game where the Italian fleet was able to slide through the Suez, but then i would really not know what to do with them. :-P

[Bigtiti]

@Veqryn:

What turn and what do you use to destroy the Italian fleet?

There are a couple options:

1. You build 2 bombers as the UK, and use 3 bombers + 1 fighter to destroy them UK turn 2 (landing in Caucasus if Italy is SeaZone 14, landing in Trans-Jordan if Italy is SeaZone 15).  You should have only 1 bomber left after this attack, but you could easily also have nothing left.  If you try this, you will most likely lose that one bomber to a German attack on G3 on trans-jordan.  The other problem with this is, you only have 7 ipcs left over the first turn, meaning you can’t buy anything, meaning your entire europe theater navy consists of the transport and cruiser you leave at SeaZone 1, which you have to leave there because if you come any closer you will get attacked by a German submarine + fighter + bomber on G2.  Turn 2 you can build more navy, but it really looks bleak since you can not move your first set of troops until either Norway turn 2, or Algeria Turn 3 (which means Germany can get Africa for a few turns anyway).

2. You build 1 carrier, 1 fighter, 1 transport UK1, and 2-3 bombers UK2.  You can destroy the Italian navy on turn UK3 with 2-4 fighters and 3 bombers.  This would seem far superior at first glance, but there is a major problem.  It really is not that difficult for Italy/Germany to take Egypt on their Turn 2, and then take Trans-Jordan on their Turn 3.  Without both of those, you have no place to land the planes, and without any place to land you can not attack in the first place.

3. The USA can not launch a solo attack on Italy before their Turn 3.  They can mop up after an partially successful UK attack on US2, but if USA tries to attack on their Turn 3 the run in to the same problem as before: they have no landing zones.  If the USA wants to attack with ships, this is not possible before USA4 (assuming Italian navy is in SZ15).

So…… what the heck are you guys doing to BOTH kill the Italian navy, and Retake Africa before the Axis conquer much.  It seems that if you try to kill the navy quickly you will not have enough ground to retake africa successfully before the Axis kill off Egypt and Transjordan, but if you go for a longer approach the Italian navy stays alive until turn 4, which is much too long and the axis get to control africa anyway. 
Please help.  Ideas anyone?

you have a fault
you shoulmd have battleship and such aswell in UK1
attacking those with germany is suicide
they’ll probably attack sz 12 or the US seazone (2 good looking transports)