When do you attack Egypt?

[Jennifer]

Lately I’ve been putting it off.  I’ve been using the German transport to nail Russia on round 1 with extra forces and really force them to be on the defensive early.

Italy can build up faster than England can reinforce Egypt anyway.  Sure, it means a round or two of an extra 5 IPC to England (because they have the NO) but that’s not really that bad in the grand scheme of a 10 round game.

[bbrett3]

I usually open with Germany and finish with Italy, but that’s mostly because I get annoyed when I see German units in Africa

[a44bigdog]

While I voted for I1 I generally do not attack Egypt on I1 to weaken it. If I can take Egypt on I1 I will. If not I will wait, weaken with Germany and then attack. I feel it is much better for Italy to have those 2 IPCs than Italy.

Originally I was of the opinion that a G1 attack of Egypt was a “must do”. After having a couple of these fail miserably (no hits at all to the UK forces) I began to rethink this. I still have not played enough games without the G1 Egypt attack to satisfy to me if it the best option but I do think that not attacking Egypt G1 is not a game looser.

[Twigley]

As for the UK NO. Japan can usually take that Rnd 2 via Australia if they want. So I would tend to agree. Egypt can wait. Except for the Italians, chasing their NO.

[Omega]

Last game, Italy built a first turn transport. Used their first turn to transport troops into Transjordanie (was abandoned by UK)

Second turn, hit Egypt with 3 shore bombardment, and up to 8 unit + fighter (In our game, UK did not counter attack in transjordanie, and stayed in Egypt to keep their +5 ipc NO as long as they can).

Not sure about the odds, but I think Italy has a huge advantage from its bombardment and can easily take Egypt turn 2. German doesnt need to weaken Egypt. Just stay in Libya to make sure UK doesnt attack it

Robert

[Twigley]

The only problem with the first rnd transport + TJ invasion is how do you then split your Italian forces to cover both transports. After all if you leave Egypt alone the UK can get a Fighter and a Bomber into central or eastern med SZs. The options seem to be to leave BB, CA, Trn in Central Med, which leaves CA, trn in the e med. The UK can take those out easy enough. Or you can have 2 CA, trn, and 1 BB, trn split. Then the BB is vulnerable.

Then again. I guess if you played totally conservatively you’d never risk anything!

[Veqryn]

I used to build transports as Italy, but now I do not.  I find that 1 transport is good enough, and that your object is to creatively use your italian fleet to avoid its death until at least after your 3rd italian turn.  Buy infantry and tanks instead.

[Butcher]

What happens if Britain pulls the Egypt units back on U.K.1 and forms a Persia stack by combining those units with the 3 infantry, artillary, and AA from India? Thinning that stack at Egypt, if not eliminating it, allows Japan to get past Persia much quicker and threaten the Soviets.

[bugoo]

It is a pain if they pull back, but then you blitz into africa to take the IPCs.  The allies should stack Persia anyway, and the longer you can keep there African landings from getting to Persia to reinforce, the better off you are.  Also, keep in mind Japan has the money to waste killing allies, germany does not.  And a quick counter-attack on Algeria after an allied landing (using planes in france to assist) can really slow down the allied threat to Italy.  Those German units are valuable delaying resources.  (keep in mind I’m assuming a bid of 1 inf to Egypt as I play LL on TripleA making the G1 hit on Egypt a bigger pain, otherwise yeah, G1 smash that!)

[Butcher]

The issue isn’t Japan not having enough money, it is Germany and Italy not having enough time. With a large Persia stack, the allies don’t have to spend much on slowing Japan as by the time they reach Persia. Japan will be running out of units, and will have to build up/transport units for a turn or two.

[bugoo]

Egypt has 2 inf, 1 art, 1 arm, and 1 fig.  5 extra units that could be in persia, while, G keeps 2 inf, 1 art, 2 arm in libya that could be used to counter allied algeria landings with air support from france/berlin.  I’d say that favors the axis as far as time is concerned, and time is on the axis side in my experience.