Allied Playbook - G40 Collection of Essays - Compiled by jacobgeo24 Nov 18-19 2023

[SuperbattleshipYamato]

@crockett36

Thanks for letting me know. I’ll do KJF in the future.

[MrRoboto]

I couldn’t agree more.

KGF means that India and ANZAC are doing nothing but desperately defending, making no progress whatsoever.

KGF means a conquered China, India producing 1-2 inf per turn and anzac trading one of the islands per turn, back and forth.

This can’t go on forever, eventually Japan WILL get Calcutta and then has 3 options, all viable and big threats.

A) Go the land route to Cairo, securing the Middle east on the way and reinforcing with factories there.
B) Using transports from India to threaten the whole coast of Africa within 2 rounds, especially the poorly defended South Africa. Even if the Allies DO produce there to defend, these units are FAR away from everything important.
C) Shift the focus to Sydney. My least favourite option, since actually conquering Sydney can be very difficult and is also not helping Germany while building up transports and fleet.

Sure, with KGF Italy is probably very small or nonexistent (being convoyed to <5 PU income) and Germany might struggle to hold the west coast, Maybe Russia can even hold Moscow (although in that case probably not threatening an attack and only producing a handful of infantry each round).
But the Axis often can hold Rome and Berlin long enough for Japan to either help them substantially or getting Hawaii / Sydney.

[crockett36]

If I may add one more thing: KJF looks more like history. A ballooning Japan looks absurd. A Germany threatening or even taking Russia was conceivable. And then what? That’s why we play.

Also US, UKP, China and Anzac money can skyrocket. This is unparalleled in a KGF where only America and England grow in skirmish actions.

[SuperbattleshipYamato]

@crockett36

Agreed.

[Cornwallis]

@MrRoboto so you don´t send anything against the germans?

I´ve found Japan doing nothing seriously after they take India bc they seem to have problems reshifting towards the next step.

[MrRoboto]

It depends on G1 and what the Germans do. If they don’t threaten UK and don’t convoy UK, I send nothing for 4 turns.

[wizmark]

@Cornwallis A very effective strategy I have seen used to great effect (although possibly only a one trick pony) is for the US to buy nothing but bombers for the first 3/4 turns, and then a mix of bombers/subs after that.

With a 7 move and J1 the most effective G40 OOB axis strategy you can have 5 bombers in calcutta by US 3 and on to moscow for US 4 with a pipeline following up.

10 US bombers in moscow can wreak havoc on any small german force and provide a useful (expensive!) addition to the moscow garrison.
8 bombers in sydney/Carolines with sub backup keeps the IJN pinned to the mainland.
This is definetely not the be all and end all US strat, and if you know your opponent does this it is easy to counter by delaying the J DoW.
But the first time you face it as an axis player it can be devastating!

[SuperbattleshipYamato]

@wizmark

Yeah, American strategic bombers used en masse can be devastating. Combine it with the research for heavy bombers (and preferably long range aircraft), and you have an extremely cost efficient weapon of destruction.

I know research gets a bad rap (rightfully so), but if you use it and the US is lucky to get super submarines or improved shipyards (or preferably both), cheap, powerful submarines are a death knell for Japan if used right.

There are definitely counters to both, but they can be useful in the right circumstances.

[MrRoboto]

Mass bombers are extremely valid for US and Germany alike.

That’s reason their cost got nerfed to 14 PU in Balanced Mod, rightfully so.

[crockett36]

Though I am skeptical, this strategy (which I abandoned a while back) appeals to me for its historical accuracy.

[Arthur Bomber Harris]

@crockett36 I love dark skies for Germany. Bombers are overpowered as they can simultaneously threaten multiple theaters, making it impossible to defend as the Allies at the key defense areas (Moscow and Middle East), along with protecting the fleet and establishing a Western Europe foothold. Add in Strategic bombing, and it is almost impossible to stop. Also very forgiving for minor blunders as you just need a few cheap units to supplement the attacking power of the Air Force.

Trying out a dark skies for the United States in the Pacific. So far it has been a fun experiment as it forces Japan to simultaneously defend so many fronts. Also takes one less round to get from W USA to the frontlines. That time savings is critical in a close match.

[jacobgeo24]

I have seen many of these all bomber strategies especially for the US but I have never tried it myself. There are some disputes on whether it should be done or if we should stick to the traditional Amerian Strategies, but I digress as I’ve never tried it for myself.

[Cornwallis]

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris can you get a critical mass of bombers? 10 aren´t enough to take on the IJN?
Let me know how it ends.

[Arthur Bomber Harris]

@Cornwallis up to 16 bombers and it is supplemented by the American Navy so the IJN can’t come too close. The downside is that my Navy can’t stand toe to toe with their fleet.

[Cornwallis]

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris yes and once they have the money islands you can not threaten them. Also do you have landing spots after a raid?

[Arthur Bomber Harris]

It is hard for me to threaten the Money Islands, but it is also hard for Japan to defend the capitol and Eastern China.

[Cornwallis]

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris defend from what, you have a very limited landing fleet?

[GovZ]

@Cornwallis said in Allied Playbook - G40 Collection of Essays - Compiled by jacobgeo24 Nov 18-19 2023:

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris defend from what, you have a very limited landing fleet?

A transport and 3 bombers, or have you not been following the OOB Finals? A green skies invasion of Japan works the exact same way as a dark skies invasion of London; all you need is a transport in range. And an actual landing isn’t really your goal - forcing Japan to spend resources to defend the capital is.

[GovZ]

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris said in Allied Playbook - G40 Collection of Essays - Compiled by jacobgeo24 Nov 18-19 2023:

It is hard for me to threaten the Money Islands

Sounds like the Allies could use an Indian Ocean fleet. Let’s say a 13 bid or a BM stops a COW from happening. At the end of R3, the Allies could have sitting in SZ39:

BS x1 (37)
Cr x3 (39, 63, 98)
AC x2 (98, buy IN1)
Fighter x4 (3 from ANZAC, Burma)
Dest x 8 (71, 72, 98, 39, 35, 62, buy x2 IN2)
Sub x2 (35, buy IN2)
Trans x2 (39, 98)
Plus the Russian & 2 more UK planes on land to scramble.

Japan can’t take India by sea anymore. It also has a huge new threat to its income to deal with in the south while Russia & China threaten its land holdings and the US threatens SZ6.

[Cornwallis]

@GovZ one tpt doesn´t do that much . Dark skies is a defensive strategy and you use it in an offensive way. I´m just trying to understand how it can work