What is the UK to do

[Emperor_Taiki]

@Vareel:

One thing I find very interesting is the problem of how to play a good UK in this game.  The big problem is this game revolves primarily around income.  And the UK needs boats to get and protect its income.  The big money for the UK is in DEI and Malaya.  On top of that there is a convoy zone both next to Malaya and India.  If the UK does not have boats to protect these she will be down to 2-4 IPCs within a handful of turns.  But, she is also the only one who can challenge Japan on mainland Asia, and she has no chance at all to win in a naval race with Japan.

So I ask you, for the UK, boots on the ground or boats in the sea?  And why?  To me the easy answer is boots on the ground to slow down japan, but it appears the real answer is boats in the sea so you have some stinking income!

It depends on where the Japanese airforce is. If you think his airforce is going to show up in the east indies then their is no point to building a fleet; but if you think you can protect your fleet, then your right, boots in the sea is the better answer.

If you dont try to take and hold the east indies when the japanese airforce is not around and you continue to build an army, while you may save IPCs from not buying a navy, you will lose because when the Japanese airforce does show up it will destory your small army in one turn and not even have to bother with fighting a fleet.

[Uncle_Joe]

I’ve tried both ways and given our current Japanese strategies in use, I prefer boots on the ground. Perhaps an additional DD for blocking or maybe a SS for harassment, but beyond that its grunts, arty, and possibly another AA-gun.

But so much depends on when Japan attacks. If they go for a J1 attack, Brit income is so low that it really doesnt matter. All you can afford is a few infantry anyways. If Japan delays to build up, then the Brits can make some decent income and really have to decide where to play.

My experience has been that Japan is much easier to beat on the ground than at sea. Japan has a harder time getting troops that far into Asia and that magnifies any Brit ground power.

The only way I would consider building a large navy again would be if the US had commited a lot of ships to Australia and was splitting the Japanese attention. Otherwise you are going to lose your whole navy to very little loss for Japan IME.

[Bravehart]

All on a good dice roll for you…that’s the key!!

My practice round I have by myself is that so far Japan just retreated an attack against China by NOT getting the Buama Road. Meanwhile the UK has built up strong on land and now is about to tackle the attack against Japan to try to slim the mountains of fighters/tac bombers Japan has brough down from Tokyo and transporters with men.

Simular to Uncle Joe, Japan went for Hawaii, and in range after a few rounds building up the navy ( buying a miner Indus ) but leaving Sydney out of range so the ANZAC now have a pretty good navy and land so Japan attacking Australia will be hard.

If UK gets to Hong Kong to re capture it from Japan, UK will hope that the US will be built up enough and defeat the Hawaiien sea’s of Japan, and move upto Japan to take on Tokyo with UK back up.

One good dice roll with Japan on land getting China in Burma road would of been almost game over, but fortunatly for the Allies it wasn’t Japans day.

I think Japan will win the Chinease and get India.

BH

By the way, anyone got those fancy dice…think I will wait till Europe comes out this year in case they up grade the dice again with the other new possible powers…!

[Tavenier]

I only build inf and art and sometimes a sub. Still it is difficult to keep your territories from being captured by Japan. But the longer it takes, the more time ANZAC and US have to take captured islands and destroy Jap fleet.

PS dice look great, but the flag symbols on them wear off very fast. I have them for three weeks now and already a lot of paint is getting of.

[bcguitars]

Yeah, I have to agree with Tavenier.  Every time I get the UK/ANZAC draw in our 3-player matches, UK plays the Asian pest.  I first take the DEI for income, then do everything I can to keep the Burma Road open.  After that, I defend as best as I can as the US mobilizes and joins the fight.  I’ve found that if I can hold off well enough till turn 4 or 5 (when the US really gets in the fight), Japan ends up having to split their forces and the fight gets a lot easier.  That’s just how us casual players play it out so far, anyway!

[Bravehart]

Interesting on the Dice… a shame…!

This game will all come down to Japn keeping hold of Tokyo now I think in my practice game, as dice roll hasn’t gone well at all in China, nore in US coastal waters by NOT deflaiting the us boats.
UK strong Inft and added fighters will capture Hong Kong forcing Japan to retreat back to Tokyo waiting for the Americans…
In Australia, land and Navy is getting stronger. Japan could split the navy as still based on Hawaii, but it’s a battle of fait for Japan.

In India, the UK has now got alot of transporters supported with Battleships and Destroyers hoping to help US take Tokyo with Bombardmant using men on transporters.

I am sure Vareel, when I play a real game ( not by myself ) the UK will be in trouble and Japan will break through to India!

[Uncle_Joe]

Have any of y’all tried garrisoning the islands? If the Japanese dont go with a J1 attack, then it’s likely the Brits will use the TRs to take some of the DEI. Given that, do you think it’s a good idea to put 2 Inf on the islands or cut losses and go with 1?

I think if you are going to build ground forces with the UK, it makes a lot of sense to put 2 Inf per island. This means that Japan has to plan for and execute a ‘real’ attack on each rather than just the 1 guy dump-offs. It also gives the possibility (small, but still) that a 2 unit invasion will fail (or at least cost a plane to succeed).

One of the goals for the Brits (and Chinese) is to bleed off Japanese troops at the front. Japan has a hard time getting men forward without building lots of additional TRs which will dilute their combat capability against the US. The question is whether it is a better trade on those islands or better to keep the mass in India/Burma/Malaya. I’m currently leaning towards the islands since it’s harder for Japan to bring overwhelming combat power to hit each one.

[WILD BILL]

In the limited games I’ve played, Jap normally goes hard against China, then uses that force (ground & air) to tackle India with amphib/bomb. I have seen China go towards Burma rd, trying to keep it open. This just seems to make it easier for Japan. Make them chase the Chinese away from India, you may still be able to get some ftrs there for the final show down. If the bulk of the Japs are chasing the Chinese to the farthest northern point it will take them longer to come back for India. At the least it will split their force in half, maybe allowing the UK to open the Burma rd or set up more def. If you keep the Chinese near the Burma road, at least get them an AA gun. I think in the right circumstances you might be able to get Anz ftrs to India for the epic battle. You have to make sure that Japan pays for its victories and try to chisel away at its air superiority (AA guns).

Japan has left the bulk of its fleet at the Caroline Isles in the games I’ve played. This keeps the US in check in the early rounds (once it gets off the coast, can’t leave Hawaii for NZ/Dutch ). Also keeps Anz afraid to leave Australia, limiting what they can do as well. I have also seen the UK/Anz take the Dutch, only to have that income nullified through the convoy’s. I find it tough for the allies, but not impossible. You have to play very good def, and forecast what the Japs will do. Pick your battles when opportunity presents itself, and run like hell to fight another day when you can.  UK has to protect Continental Asia IMO. I know its a tough choice if Japan hasn’t attacked you yet. The longer you can delay Japan the better the chances for an ally victory (same as most AA games).

[Darby]

I think this is a good question.

I tend to have more fun playing the Brittish then anyone else in A&A in general.
In P40 they really have it rough !

Because of the higher degree of historical realisim in this game (which I think is a big plus) compared to original A&A I don’t think the Brits can ever really do well for themselves here. (ultimately they will be whittled down, Fortress Singapore will fall as the empire fades – just as in real life)

HOWEVER…

I think how they play is crucial to an allied victory !

The Brits job is to take on and distract the Japanese Airforce for as long as possible - if they do this well, the US / ANZAC forces will drive thru and win the day …eventually.

Here’s how (assuming a J3 attack planned by Japan)

UK1: Buy 1AA (remember you are going to take on the JAF) 2INF and 1 ART
Sprint out to the 2 4IPC DEI Islands – ending income = 29 (with NOs)
Grab your original Calcutta based AA and begin a committed trudge up the Burma Railroad.

UK2: Buy another AA Gun, 1 Tank 1 Mech  3INF  1ART (you will need the speed to counter attack from India
Grab the last DEI Island
Declare War on Japan !
enter Asia along the Burma Rail (probablly as an attack - as Japan will have already taken it from China in J1 and maybe again in J2)
support with your fighters and land them either in Hong Kong  or Schezhan if open Set up the first AA Gun in China and follow along with the second one.
Income now 37 with NOs and about to plumment (38/40 if Siam or FIC  is an easy grab)

UK3: buy your last AA gun (I have found you need one in evrey Burma Rail territory or the Japanese will just air clobber the spot without it and use tanks (from an asia based factory to fight where you have the guns) more boots (agin some 2 move pieces (maybe even a Tac Bomber to support your tanks)

Doing this and capatalizing on China’s ability to create new troops in just captured areas can really cause a headache for Japan.

China can grow like a cancer if Japan leaves territories captured but undefended (which it sort of has to do if is going to make headway against the Brittish army.

Don’t get me wrong Japan can eventually take the Britts down if America doesn’t get any help in there (and it can be hard for America to do) – but by then Japan is facing a strong America with Macarthur bearing down on Manilla to RETURN !

[Omega]

I was wondering. Does the AA gun in the IC/naval/airfield protect the ground troops? If it does, you might not need that many AA gun

[democratic leader]

No, they only act aginst SBRs aginst that complex.

[BasileII]

Ok so we played only two games, one I was Uk the other Japan. The first one was a J3 attack and the other one a J2.

I don’t think I have enough experience to talk high, but don’t anybody thinks that it is better for the Brits to go to Dutch New Guinea, giving its ANZAC colonies some money these need to have some transports and, using Australia as a shield, moving around it and trying to harass Japan around the ‘money islands’? Uk and ANZAC have to buy time for the USA to come in, and if Japan has to recapture one of his islands again just because some peskering Australians came in with a transport or destroyed part of their fleet with subs, it will get the job done. The ANZAC’s transport is, in my opinion, extremely important. This is what could annoy the Japanese in Indonesia in the 3rd and 4th round, giving some time for the USA to come.

But of course, all this depends on the Japanese.