Spain and the Axis

[Spendo02]

Someone suggested a while ago that I try a new move with Germany: taking Spain early.

I didn’t employ the move, buy my opponent did and here were the results:

Italy had to take Paris after a German Strafe (Germany took S.France and Normandy)
Japan DOW on J1, US entered war and went full Atlantic (Bombers)
Italy took Egypt on Round 4, UK liberated on UK5, Italy claimed it and Africa permanently in Round 5
I ended up losing the UK on G5
I ended up losing Calcutta on J6 permanently (I reclaimed it on UK5 via Afghan units)
Russia had to wait to R4 to declare war on the Axis.  I was lucky and rolled two tech upgrades on R1 and R3 (Rockets and Improved Mech).  Russia took Turkey and marched from the South along with 29 Infantry from Bel moving into EPoland (merge armies), then Poland.  Russia took Norway, then lost it (with remnants of Sea Lion).  With the German Army crushed, 10 Armor in Berlin and another 10 coming the Axis conceded in Europe.
Japan went bananas in the Pacific, but China keep frustrating the Japanese.  At one point Japan was collecting 65+ IPC.
Anzac was basically helpless and turtled up to protect the VC (and spent most turns collecting only 10 IPC).
The US just stacked Hawaii with multiple Aircraft over 3 Inf and 1 Art and staged 14 SS outside of Japanese reach.
Japan was 2 rounds from taking Hawaii and claiming the Pacific, but with Berlin on the verge of collapse, the US final purchase was full Pacific to reinforce or liberate Hawaii if Japan took Hawaii and still had another round of purchases before the Japanese invasion happened.

All in all it was an insane game where nothing went to plan.  J1 DOW, US flying Bombers to sink a German fleet lightly protected off Spain (Spain is a 1-turn move from EUSA if Gib falls), Russia winning the game for the Allies, 2 of 4 tech rolls worked (no darned Artillery!), Japan collecting more IPC than the US at one point yet could not contain the Chinese or win the Pacific.

I wouldn’t suggest taking Spain early as the Axis, and I wouldn’t recommend waiting for the Russians to DOW on the Axis - Russia gets big FAST with that +3 NO.  At some point Japan has to ignore China and claim Hawaii / Sydney and just turtle up on the VC’s.

[Kreuzfeld]

seems like a very fun game if you are the russian.

Q; Why didn’t germany take turkey? it seems to me that the only real reason the axis has to attack neutrals is so that they can take turkey, and then the middle east the next round, and getting g units to egypt. I think you should have hit turkey in round 2, (maybe instead of spain) then you would have 2 rounds of income from the middle east before USSR becomes a monster.

[Spendo02]

I’m not sure why Germany didn’t take Turkey.  I think my opponent realized that a Sea Lion was possible and went for London instead of Egypt (remember Italy took Paris and the IPC which gave it a big bump in its war front).

[zanetheinsane]

I’m curious what the strategic importance of taking Spain is. It would take a significant investment (at least a naval base) to make it worthwhile. Is it to build a minor IC and counter fortress Gibraltar? It would cost less IPC to build transports and just take Gibraltar itself. Are you simply using it as a navy-less bridge to funnel Italian and German troops to lock down the straight?

[Noll]

The Axis crush-neutral strategy is viable, but must be executed well:

Take Spain, Sweden AND Turkey in the same round (usually round3)

OR

Take Spain and Sweden round2, then Turkey round3.

Start building only land units with Italy starting from Italy’s turn#1, to reinforce Spain/Gib.

DO NOT SeaLion!

[Noll]

You get:

Germany:

+2 Spain
+1 Portugal
+3 Sweden
+2 Turkey

(8 IPCs)

Easy Middle-East and Caucasus access. Up to:

+7 Caucasus
+4 Iraq
+4 Persia
+2 N.Persia

(16 IPCs)

you MIGHT get Egypt (7 IPCs plus more income from Africa to Germany)

Meanwhile Italy gets at LEAST 2 NOs (empty med, 3/4) for +10 IPCs.

[Witt]

Hi Noll. Would you not attack Russia until G4, or do you wait for them to attack you? I can see the advantages, but I like a G2 Russia and cannot see how Germany can accomplish both.

[Noll]

You will start fighting the russians either r3 or r4.

[Witt]

Will consider it as I am in a game on UK1, so still time! G1 was super lucky. Only lost a Sub to Uk(no scramble). Feeling overly cocky for once.

[Noll]

It’s definitely not the best axis strategy but it’s good for a change in a game! Good luck with it

[PeterPaaPan]

Did it in turn 2 with germany, took Spain, Sweden and took Portugal and Turkey turn 3!

Totally owned Russia cuz seazone 100 gives u so many options! And opens up alot of bonusses! The major problem is tho, that US has Spain to invade from and can easily put 10 troops every turn in Spain!

Ended up winning the game major, when I crushed US/UK fleet and had a 80 ++ IPs run with Germany!

Just my 2 cents…

PPP

[Zhukov44]

Don’t ignore the mountain of men and material Allies will get if Axis attack Spain and the neutrals.

That’s all the neutrals in South America, Afghan, Saudi, Angola, Mozambique.  All those men become Allied and thats more money to feed the Allied economy.

Not to mention that by opening up Spain as a warzone, you give Allies an easy landing pad in Europe–from sz 91 you can land in 3 different spots.  You also give the Soviets an opportunity to make alot of money by pressing the Balkans via Turkey.

The penalty for attacking neutrals is too steep for it to be a viable strategy.

[Gargantua]

If you can swipe Turkey, Spain, Sweden, in one turn, with MINIMAL casualties, and Mongolia is already Soviet, it’s not so bad.

Especially if you have a strict plan to conquer the middle east this way…

[Gargantua]

Oh AND portugal…

All before America and Russia are at war.

[Witt]

I wondered about Mongolia.Think you have to have Japan on board. They need to be prepared for 6 extra Inf.

[Spendo02]

I thought Mongolia was excluded from the whole neutral thing and is entirely based upon the Japan-Russo neutrality situation.

[Gargantua]

Not if they are true neutral, and Germany attacks a TN.

[Guest]

If you were going to do this, wouldn’t it be better to have Japan NOT break the pact?  I would rather have the mongolians become pro-allies rather than Soviet so the enemy has to go around and activate each one of the mongol territories instead of suddenly having them all become Russian blitz-blockers all at once.

[Gargantua]

Now your wheels are turning Vance!

[kcdzim]

@Spendo02:

I thought Mongolia was excluded from the whole neutral thing and is entirely based upon the Japan-Russo neutrality situation.

Only partially.  If the Euro Axis attacks a neutral it flips mongolia to pro-Allied just like any other neutral.  However, the only way it can flip to pro-Axis is if Russia attacks one of the mongolian territories specifically.