Should Germany Attack Karelia G1 if there is no bid unit?

[Zhukov44]

I’m curious whether the G1 Karelia attack has supporters or whether it’s been written off.

[kdfsjljklgjfg]

My friends and I never play with bids (we generally draw a playing card, and highest goes axis) and whenever I’m Axis I ALWAYS attack Karelia first turn. All of the infantry in Finland, an infantry and an artillery from Germany (or tank from Poland, depends on what my mood is)  and every plane that can reach that I wouldn’t prefer attacking the British navy.

Generally that ends up amounting to 3 Infantry, a tank or an arty gun, and 4 planes, plus the cruiser shoreshot. Generally it works a solid 80% of the time for me, but I can understand that there’s a significant risk.

[Jennifer]

I can say that I used to be an absolute fanatic about the fact that I felt Germany should always hit Karelia round 1. (note, this is before bidding.)

Here is why I changed my mind:

1)  Germany has juicier targets with their Luftwaffe round 1. For instance, hitting SZ 2, 9 and 12 effectively clears the British from the Atlantic buying Germany a number of rounds (at least 3) before having to worry about a serious invasion from the west.

2)  Karelia is only 7 IPC (2 territory, 5 national objective.)

3)  You do not kill any Russian armor or fighters/bombers. (Because the only one on the board is in Moscow.)  So you are only taking out 19 IPC of units, none of which terribly valuable, and risking fighters (and bomber?) in the attack.  Not a great trade.

4)  You can still hit Ukriane, East Poland and Baltic States heavily enough not to lose them in a counter attack if you do not commit heavily to Karelia.

For all these reasons, and more unstated ones, I currently do not favor an assault on Karelia on Germany 1, regardless of bid for the allies.

In a nut shell, here is why I used to support it:

A)  19 IPC is over half the Russian income and you are taking a forward base.

B)  If you plan the attack right, you can end up with a couple armor to defend effectively denying the Russians the Industrial Complex and sealing a 5 IPC NO for Germany for potentialy the entire game.

C)  If you are truly daring, as I was in my youth oh, about 15 months ago, you can take fighters as casualties had have a REALLY strong ground force in Karelia on Germany 2, perhaps strong enough to stack Belarus heavily and force the Russians to stack Moscow on R3.

[Violent.copper]

To add on to Cmdr Jennifer, You are also leaving the Brittish Navy to Invade the Norway Round 1 or then Sz 5 R2 or R3 overall doing more harm than good to Germany I never want the Allies in SZ5 Personally.

[Nix]

Personally i feel it more important to atatck the UK navy with all that is available.

it´s more expensive to replace and u can set up for attack on Karelia G2 with smaller risk.  But im a noob when it comes to 41

[SilverBullet]

i will attack a weak kar as long as i’m not up against a known good player.

[Jennifer]

@Violent.copper:

To add on to Cmdr Jennifer, You are also leaving the Brittish Navy to Invade the Norway Round 1 or then Sz 5 R2 or R3 overall doing more harm than good to Germany I never want the Allies in SZ5 Personally.

You know, hitting Norway may not be the worst thing to happen to Germany…if you go Fleet Heavy like Functionetta and Emperor Mollari (and many others I am sure) on Germany 1.  Now their ships are in range of yours (you have to hit it from SZ 3).  Realistically speaking, you may have 2 destroyers, cruiser, submarine, carrier, 4 or 5 fighters and a bomber in range of SZ 3 at this time…depending what you did, what happened to you and how you are positioned at the end of G1.