I’ve been considering this for a couple/three days now: how to make the Italians a viable force in the war.
Because while I can win with the Axis, it takes a lot longer than playing with the Allies (nearly three times as long), and it seems the main reason is that Germany has to carry the Italians (and play nearly perfectly) to do so. In E40, the Allies have THREE Great Powers (plus the French) by turn 4. The Axis has one…and Italy.
SO…how to turn Italy into a Great Power?
The Italian’s problems are two-fold: they are placed in a disadvantageous position from the beginning of the game, and they have too few IPCs. Both problems work to strangle Italy’s potential: Germany’s 1st move allows them to get the maximum potential out of their forces on their own terms, and their ability to expand east via land travel allows them a good road to precious IPCs. Italy in contrast is likely to lose at least 15 IPCs before picking up the dice, and their space for expansion is restricted by their buddies the Germans (to the North) and the Mediterranean (to the South). I’m guessing that’s why I see so many strategy threads demanding that Italy take Southern France…a TERRIBLE strategy, as Germany needs that southern port far more than Italy. But how to get Italy any IPCs to make up their lost material?
In the games I’ve won, I’ve found the main/best way for Italy to gain IPCs is through their NO bonuses. But unless the Allies are complete idiots, it can take a long time to achieve ANY of Italy’s NOs, and even then Italy will probably need substantial help from Germany, pulling German resources and attention away from the other fronts, drawing out the war and perhaps even losing it.
What’s needed is to put Italy on equal footing as quickly as possible to enable self-sufficiency.
Here’s what I propose:
- Forgo the G1 DOW. Buy a battleship and fighter.
- Use 2 stukas and 2 fighters from West Germany to sink the French ships in SZ 93; land in Southern Italy.
- Use remaining stuka and strat bombers on London; dividing among UK naval base and IC.
- Use 2 subs to destroy cruiser off coast of Gibraltar; use 3 subs to destroy the UK transport and destroyer in SZ 109.
- Take Southern France with 2 tanks and 2 mech from Western/Southern Germany (via Northern Italy).
- Using remaining land forces from Holland and Western Germany, attack France only with the objective of reducing its fighting strength. Do NOT capture Paris…only soften it so that ITALY can capture it on I1. Retreat to Holland.
- Move entire German fleet to SZ 112. Use transport to reinforce Norway; take Finland. Make sure there are three fighters in West Germany to scramble (remember you are building one!); move infantry to Poland. Add new battleship to SZ 112.
While it may be unorthodox to leave Paris to the Italians, this opening nets Germany 45 IPCs and sets the table for their southern ally to be a real threat. Italy is left free to pursue the following achievable objectives in I1:
- Take Paris (from Northern Italy).
- Close the Suez Canal.
- Sweep the Mediterranean of enemy ships.
With her 10 IPCs, Italy should build a tank and artillery. The rest of I1 should be as follows:
- Leaving slow-movers as a buffer in Tobruk, invade Tunisia from Libya.
- Take Kenya.
- Take Paris from Northern Italy. Use aircraft if deemed necessary, but Paris MUST fall (you should still retain all Italian aircraft due to the ability to scramble German fighters against Taranto attacks).
- Take whatever remains of Italian fleet to SZ 98 and crush UK navy. If UK has split her navy (sometimes see a destroyer or cruiser sent to SZ 96 to aid aircraft in destroying Italian ships), you may need to send aircraft for this purpose, but remember that Paris must fall in I1. Better to leave one surface warship (and forgo NO bonus) than leave France standing in F1.
- Amphibious assault Trans-Jordan from SZ 98 or both Trans-Jordan and Syria, if UK fails to protect TJ.
- Activate Bulgaria (for an I2 assault on Greece).
Doing all this should net Italy a minimum of 35 IPCs, 40 if the Mediterranean is cleared of surface warships and possibly as much as 42 for Syria and Anglo-Sudan (if left unprotected). This gives Italy a much larger resource base to work with, allowing it to be a more equal partner with Germany going forward.
By the end of I2, Italy should have a minimum of 21 IPCs from territory plus 5 for command of the Mediterranean. By the end of I3, both Gibraltar and Morocco should have been taken by Italy and/or Germany (with ships from Southern France) and Alexandria should be falling, too, bolstered by new bombers from Italian airfields. With the war in USSR going full swing…and thus preventing Allied help from the Caucasus…the Italians can start plumbing the Middle Eastern oil fields, really drumming up an IPC advantage between the two Axis powers, while reinforcing Egypt against the inevitable (if hopeless) counter-attack from South Africa.
I figure it’s game over for the world by turn 7 or 8.
; )
