An Easy Italian Fix

[MODEL]

@mike:

I agree with Calvinhobbesliker. The German ability to sink the entire RN is ridiculous and yet nobody complains. Italy loses 3 naval units and everybody cries havoc.  1 turn represents 3 months so 7 days w/o declaring war IS an insignificant amount of time.

The reason for this is that the sinking of the UK’s ships is by no means as likely as the sinking of the Italian fleet, even if all the UK’s ships are sunk is does not cripple the UK’s ability to fight. In the Europe game the UK’s primary objective is to prevent too many of its territories in Africa from falling to Italy. This is easily achievable even without the Home fleet. If the Germans threaten a Sealion then a UK1 Infantry spam will make them think twice.

As far as the Italians go its a different story. The Axis in the Global game start with a HUGE economic disadvantage, something like 66 IPCs vs 175 IPCs. That is about 23% of the totally IPCs on the Map compared with the 62% the Allies get. The point is that the Axis have to expand as quickly as possible to try and bridge the gap. Africa represents about 21 IPCs or so, a significant amount, but this UK1 attack against the Italians severely hampers the ability of the Axis to take much of Africa, add the India planes and it becomes practically impossible.

A lot of weight also seems to be being put on the Luftwaffe to bail the Italians out in the Med, but if Germany is attacking the UK fleet and preparing for a Sealion, just how many planes will really be available? So far in the games I have played the Germans have not lost any planes taking out UK navy, but what if 1 or even 2 get destroyed? That leaves you two to land on the carrier and around 4-5 to hit the Med UK/France fleet.

Its the Axis players all being pulled in different directions all at once whereas all the UK has to do in Europe is stop Italy from expanding in Africa which it can do comfortably. All the games I have been involved in have featured a UK1 attack against the Italy fleet even with Germany laying down a Carrier plus 2 transports. Italy has managed to take the Balkans and then its expansion has ground to a halt.

That’s the deal, even though intuitively losing the Home Fleet G1 seems like a huge hammer blow it does not have the potential to cripple the UK in the same way the Italy losing its fleets does. All that happens is the UK has to do things differently, whereas Italy is more confined in what it can do.

All we can do is pray to the dice gods and hope for the best……

[Stefano1189]

@calvinhobbesliker:

it destroyed the Italian fleet at Taranto(which the attack on Italian fleet represents)

historically this is incorrect, a battleship was sunk and British planes damaged other capital ships, but the Italian navy got some success later … the battle of Cape Matapan have decreed the decline of the Regia Marina in the Mediterranean.

With the armistice of 8th September 1943, the Allies were able to steal many important ships to the Fascists and the Germans to prevent these ships could fall into the hands of the allies, attacked the italian fleet, sinking the battleship “Roma” and other ships…

[bugoo]

It comes down to a trade, a trade of 1 UK carrier, cruiser, destroyer and 1-2 planes to kill an Italian BB, Cruiser, and transport, and the german planes used in the counter attack.  It is a trade because Germany should kill that fleet on the following turn at the cost of some planes.  Is it a good trade?  I don’t think so, as it means the Germans have no fear of any landings until turn 4 at the earliest in Europe.

If instead you retreat that carrier/destroyer to canada, combine it with some more ships built turn 1 (possibly another carrier, transport, and possibly a destroyer) and turn 2 you may have enough fleet to threaten a drop in Europe depending on the sea lion threat.  And on turn 3 you should be able to nab Norway.  Not to mention how many fewer warships the US will need and the larger quantity of transports/troops they can build.

Yes you slow down Italy, but in that area of the board Japan is the real threat, not Italy.  In addition, Italy is already vulnerable to begin with against the US.  And lastly, even without expanding beyond a 15 IPC income Italy is still a huge help as that’s 5 men helping to defend the coast, potential can opener troops, and acts as a magnet/stall for Germany.

I really think the can opener threat is not being truly appreciated in the game.  With 4 IPC mech infantry the Germans can really bring the threat.  A stack in Ukraine threatens both Stalingrad and Moscow.  Combine that with Leningrad falling early, which it should, and you have a huge German income.

[Noll]

I like the dow “fix”.

Btw, historically Taranto attack didn’t do much damage to the Italian fleet.
The only thing Taranto attack did was inspiring the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor, and when they did the americans convenientely “didn’t notice” the attack BUT the most important ships (the CVs) where OUT at that precise moment. There are people that think roosvelt knew about Pearl Harbor and liked the idea of it in order to get the consensus of declaring war to the axis.
After 8 september '43 the navy was ordered to go to Malta, and Roma was sunk by the Germans.

[Striker]

It appears the Italy fleet raid was intended.

From Larry’s forums: http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=2537&start=8
@Striker:

I’ll be interested in hearing a reply from Larry or a playtester that says either “Yes, we intended that to be a possible opening move for Britain, duh.” or “Woops, we might have made and oversight there.”

@Krieghund:

Yes, we intended that to be a possible opening move for Britain, duh.

[UN Spacy]

@Imperious:

That’s exactly what you should NOT do is bring the CV in the battle.

Well the CV is for defense to protect the fleet from the other Italian units. I think the CV will survive the battle, while the idea is to trade out the balance of Italys navy because at 10 IPC it can’t buy a new navy as well as UK.

But it can certainly put ships in the Med much faster than the Brits. And, as always, the dice is always unpredictable; the most hits Italy can get is two hits. If the UK player takes out the destroyer and cruiser as casualties, that’s  going to severely limit its projection of power in the Med. If it takes out both air units, that’s two less air units that could have helped in the defense of Egypt, or protecting the French fleet.

If the carrier takes a hit, that also dooms the air units.

what do you think the results of the battle might be if the CV stays?

Less catastrophic for the British player, that’s for sure. If the Italians roll two hits and the British player is forced to take out the destroyer and cruiser, the carrier, in a NCM, can move with the French fleet and land the tactical bomber and fighter on it. Yes, Germany might attack it with its air force (again, this depends on how much of the air force was destroyed on G1), but a cruiser, destroyer, aircraft carrier, a fighter, and tactical bomber will be quite a match-up against an air attack, those precious Luftwaffe units that would be better off being transferred to the Eastern Front.

[miamibeach]

@Striker:

It appears the Italy fleet raid was intended.

From Larry’s forums: http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=2537&start=8
@Striker:

I’ll be interested in hearing a reply from Larry or a playtester that says either “Yes, we intended that to be a possible opening move for Britain, duh.” or “Woops, we might have made and oversight there.”

@Krieghund:

Yes, we intended that to be a possible opening move for Britain, duh.

The key words here are “intended”, which is what you choose to use; the other is “possible”, which is what Krieghund used.  I think this game was very well playtested(other than AAP40 aircraft that can effect the Euro side).  The play testers made all sorts of things “possible” to give players many interesting things to think about.  I think the UK spending its naval assets like that in the Med is a foolish move…they dont have much in the way of navy after G1 and do not have many IPC’s to re-build a serious task force…as well, they have non-navel demands on their IPC’s.  Dont do it, its a trap!

[BJCard]

The british should do the Italian raid every game, and NCM the carrier to the french fleet.  Most of the time the UK will with with 1 tac, 1 ftr to land on the carrier.  If the germans want to attack 1 DD, 1 CA, 1 CV, 1 Tac, 1 Ftr with air, than so be it- they will lose 2-3 aircraft in the first round, with another 1-2 in the second round (depending on how many hits the germans get).  If the German airforce is depleted that much, then subsequent UK builds are much safer.

Of course if the Germans build 1 CV, 2 Transports round 1, then the Tac will be needed in the defense of Great Britain…

[UN Spacy]

@BJCard:

The british should do the Italian raid every game, and NCM the carrier to the french fleet.  Most of the time the UK will with with 1 tac, 1 ftr to land on the carrier.  If the germans want to attack 1 DD, 1 CA, 1 CV, 1 Tac, 1 Ftr with air, than so be it- they will lose 2-3 aircraft in the first round, with another 1-2 in the second round (depending on how many hits the germans get).  If the German airforce is depleted that much, then subsequent UK builds are much safer.

Of course if the Germans build 1 CV, 2 Transports round 1, then the Tac will be needed in the defense of Great Britain…

They WILL lose 2-3 aircraft? I don’t think so. The dice, as I’ve said for the umpteenth time, can be very unpredictable.

[miamibeach]

@BJCard:

The british should do the Italian raid every game, and NCM the carrier to the french fleet.  Most of the time the UK will with with 1 tac, 1 ftr to land on the carrier.  If the germans want to attack 1 DD, 1 CA, 1 CV, 1 Tac, 1 Ftr with air, than so be it- they will lose 2-3 aircraft in the first round, with another 1-2 in the second round (depending on how many hits the germans get).  If the German airforce is depleted that much, then subsequent UK builds are much safer.

Of course if the Germans build 1 CV, 2 Transports round 1, then the Tac will be needed in the defense of Great Britain…

Last week several of us here played out that scenario and it ended badly for the Allies.  Its worth it for Germany to lose 2-3 aircraft to help the Italians clear the Med.  Depending on the first round die rolls, the Germans need not finish the job, they can leave that to the Italians who have 1CA, 1DD, 2FTR’s to mop up.

[BJCard]

Yes, but is it worse for Italy to rule the med with 2 Transports from turn 1?  I think you lose Cairo pretty fast- and thus lose Africa- killing UK’s income (and hence fleet making abilities).

[miamibeach]

@BJCard:

Yes, but is it worse for Italy to rule the med with 2 Transports from turn 1?  I think you lose Cairo pretty fast- and thus lose Africa- killing UK’s income (and hence fleet making abilities).

Italy should take Egypt anyway.  Our game did’nt get that far.  I had only 1 TRS(took Transjordan), but the UK had to evacuate Egypt or lose everything there on I2.  I would rally all UK remaining ships probably off the coast of S. Africa(IC to add stuff to the fleet), bring the CA, TRS in the Med south, the CA off the coast of S. America, DD already at S. Africa…any UK naval units from the Pacific…that would be: 1CV(FTR/TAC), 2CA’s, 2DD’s, 1TRS, plus Pacific side assets that I wont list since that depends on Japan…then add what would probably be 2+ SUBs and 1 or 2 more TRS…now you have a task force and can go where you want without much fear.

[Flashman]

So, if we go with this, when does Italy go to war if Paris doesn’t fall?

Can it stay out of the war indefinitely?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pact_of_steel

[Imperious Leader]

No Italy is at war on HER first turn. She is not at war on UK’s turn.

[BJCard]

UK should be able to attack anyone she sees as a threat.  Hell, they can attack Japan on ANY turn.

[plumsmugler]

Italy should be neutral until France falls, if they haven’t declared war by turn 3 then they must declare war against the allies, and no allies can attack Italy until it is at war.

This is just to fully explain people’s options in the game but the obvious thing for Italy to do is attack as soon as it is able.  Otherwise they’re only making 10 IPCs a turn and they need more income than that.  This rule could also be a bit of an answer to people’s complaint about the UK Atlantic fleet getting wiped out G1.  Since Germany has a strong incentive to bring Italy into the war ASAP it might want to commit more aircraft to the battle for Paris than it would otherwise.  This would leave more UK boats left alive in the Atlantic.

Plus the attack on the Italian fleet is not a real risk for the UK.  Even if it loses everything in the Med, it can rebuild it.  It has the income to do that at the beginning of the game.  Hell, even if they don’t have the income, the USA just has to commit a bit more resources to supplement the UK’s Atlantic fleet.  If the Italians lose half their fleet they will NEVER be able to rebuild it.  They need a strong initial fleet to capture Africa and get bonus objectives to make more income.  They need more income to rebuild a navy.  You see this vicious cycle.  And say what you want about the random chance of dice, but, statistically, the UK should make this move every game. They have a 95% chance of wiping out the Italian boats and only a 9% chance of having nothing left themselves.

The only way to counter this is for Germany to make a massive Sea Lion buy it’s first turn.  This is before it even knows what the UK is going to do.  If the UK moves it’s carrier, tac bomber, and destroyer to z110 it then renders Germany’s buy absolutely moot and a complete waste.  This will also waste an entire turn for Germany because it should have been making buys against the Soviet Union and now it needs to wait until it has sufficient forces to hit Russia.

So you are left with these two options as the Axis.  You either lose half the Italian navy and leave it crippled for the rest of the game or waste an insane amount of time and resources with Germany.  Given the fact that this game is about the Axis making large gains in the first few turns, it seems completely counter to the purpose and intent of the game overall.

The easiest way to fix all of this is to simply leave Italy neutral until its turn after the fall of France.  Bam!  Fixed.

[Guest]

Just roll the dice correctly and you will win each time……bamb…fixed