How to slow Japan enough in KGF?

[Chompers2]

Hi,

This is a problem I have run into and had it again last night.  I had Germany near death by assaulting them with Britan, Russia, and a mixture of American Airforce and fleet but Japan grow huge and started having 60 points to spend because I sent everything at Germany.  Japan killed Russia before I was able to kill Germany and I lost.

Anyone have some inexpensive yet effective tips in slowing down Japan in KGF so this does not happen?  Or should I split American points on both axis countries?  Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Frank

[calvinhobbesliker]

American income would be best focused against Germany since Japan will equal and surpass their income. The game is basically whether Berlin or Moscow will fall first. Russia must survive. That is the key thing to remember. Don’t worry too much about Japs in anywhere except Russia if they’re not threatening Russia(or another capital)

[Zhukov44]

There’s plenty of discussion on this point in the Revised forums…probably lots of useful info there.

Some thoughts I could offer are…

1. Be faster with the Allies in taking down Germany  :-D
2. Use all 3 Allies to defend Persia.  In a KGF, Persia is easily the most important spot on the board, and if Allies can block Japan there, Japan should have a difficult time threatening Moscow.
3. Buy a sub (or more) with the USA, particularity if Japan doesn’t by a dd J1.  Even if Japan does buy a dd, USA subs can still work.  The only way for Japan to deal with subs is dds, and dds are useless against Russia.

[Chompers2]

Okay I did some reading and I have some ideas.  I am either going to mass in Persia like you said or use all of America’s points to build air craft carriers and subs to make a fleet to take a Japan island while Britan and Russia hold off Germany.

Thanks a lot

Frank

[Chompers2]

After Global came out I have not played a game of 1942 since so it is hard to remember.  The last game of 1942 I played I did go into the Pacific as America and I actually took Japan.  I sent out empty air craft carriers to have a larger force and then in later turns flew the fighters to catch up with them.  My opponent thought Japan was safe and just made an error in thinking I would not attack his fleet protecting the home island.  His math was off and I won the battle handily.  So US grabbed Japan and all the islands and major points around it.

The problem was Russia fell to Germany and then England was about to fall as well.  So it was an 80 some point Germany vs an 80 some point US.  Rather than play it out we decided on a draw.

[Hobbes]

@Cromwell_Dude:

A smart Japanese player will place two IC on the Asian mainland on J1.

I wouldn’t call it smart for Japan to buy 2 ICs on J1. 1 IC is a nice buy for FIC but Japan is better off using transports to shuttle troops to Kwantung/Manchuria/Buryatia. Plus having only 1 transport limits Japan’s options to threaten Africa later on. It does allow for Japan to place units on the mainland without having to defend its transports from the US fleet but at the same time 6 units per turn aren’t enough to put enough pressure on Russia.

@Frank:

Okay I did some reading and I have some ideas.  I am either going to mass in Persia like you said or use all of America’s points to build air craft carriers and subs to make a fleet to take a Japan island while Britan and Russia hold off Germany.

It’s more important to prevent Japan from moving into Persia than actually massing an Allied army there, especially since the presence of the Japanese Airforce and Navy can make it a serious risk and that army won’t be available to defend Caucasus from a German stack on Ukraine or prevent such stack to move into West Russia.

If you want to slow down Japan initially this is what I do:

• Move 6 Russian infantry to Buryatia on R1
• With the UK: attack SZ59 transport (with carrier or cruiser), load 2 inf from Australia and try an amphibious landing on New Guinea (also moving the sub there). If Egypt hasn’t fallen/can be retaken without use of the Indian transport then attack FIC/Borneo. Also UK should land its bomber on Novosibirsk, if possible and keep the 2 inf and AA Gun on India.
• With the US: immediately submerge sub on Pearl Harbour if Japan attacks that fleet. Unless you get lucky with the dice the fleet is dead and the submarine is in position to strike SZ60 afterwards.

Now this creates a lot of potential crisis for Japan to deal with:

• The UK sub off New Guinea (and possibly the UK bomber) prevent Japan from using the transport to bring units into FIC unless it brings a battleship for protection (carriers are useless since the planes can’t defend from subs).
• The UK bomber on Novosibirsk, the US sub and possibly fighter can threaten also SZ60.
• The 6 Russian inf on Buryatia can move into Manchuria. If that happens then the UK bomber on Novosibirsk/Italian East Africa/Persia can sink any unescorted transports on SZ61.
• The UK ship on SZ59 can threaten either SZ60 or SZ61.
• The 2 inf on India plus the bomber plus any remaining infantry from New Guinea can attack French Indochina.
• There will be still 1 UK ship on the area plus the US fleet at Pearl Harbour to deal it.
• And there will be also the 2 US inf + ftr on China to deal with.

Now for Japan to deal with all this crisis it will have to carefully consider its moves and not take any risky attacks (and also praying not to be hit by bad luck). If Japan makes an error and/or the Allies are lucky then you will have slowed down its advance a bit and quite possibly can try going Pacific with the US.

[JimmyHat]

Why not use your British troops, in conjunction with the other allies to 1-2 hit Japan when they are next to Russia.  Britian and US should be trying to bring as many infantry and tanks to Russia as possible in order to build a counter to the Japanese stack.  This force can be used against either Axis or defend Russia.

I would put the defense of Russia above the attack on Germany.  Also, once Germany has been reduced to Germ/Wue/Sue you should try and hold them there while refocusing on the Japanese.

***EDIT by Russia, I am referring to the capital zone of the same name, not the entire country.

[Nix]

Always attack FIC with UK

3 inf+1fig vs 2inf+1 fig is good enought, if you clean it Japan is really in trouble also if you move 6 inf to Buryatia move 2 Arm From Moscow to Yakut as well and really give japan trouble, If this is done and UK kills FIC a US IC in Sinkiang isn´t to bad.

[Nix]

Want to add, if UK fig siurvives land it in china =)

Kiling Japan land troops gives him a big headache.