Italian appproach

[Bodeacious]

Seeking some views on a strat I will play out as the axis next weekend.

The Italians will build quite a few destroyers from about I3. The sea is that you use the destroyers to block the yanks and probably defend transports. It is based on the premise that often, you just need to hold onto Cairo just long enough to take Moscow, or if you have taken London, Stalingrad. This also assumes that the British sent their Gibraltar units back to England.

I don’t think that taking Egypt should be the first priority. Probably the second. I think it is important to initially take care of setting up Italy and preparing for the US fleet to arrive. This includes:

1. Clearing the med;
2. Defending the Gibraltar strait;
3. Activating pro-axis neutrals; and
4. Conquering Egypt

Clearing the Med.
You don’t want Allied ships in the med. If you take out the French ships, and don’t have the British Cruiser in the Med, only the plane can threaten transports. Get an NO. You might have to thing about closing off the Suez by taking Trans-Jordan, if possible. Once you have the Me clear, you have free reign over that area until the US come.

Defending the Gibraltar Strait.
I think defending the Gibraltar Strait is important if you are going to slow down the US Fleet.  I think you want to, as soon as possible, take Gibraltar and Morroco and have some infantry ready to take them back if they are lost (artillery and planes their eventually could be useful). You won’t be able to do this many times, but even if you only mange it once, you might have delayed the US strat by one turn. If you own the Strait, you might be able to sneak out a destroyer that can bused to block in the Atlantic. You should try to kill French men in North Africa, so they don’t stack. I think using two mechs and a tank to take out Tunisia I1 is a good idea.

Activating pro-Axis neutrals.
Discuss who gets Bulgaria with the German player. You may have a chance to activate Iraq pretty early if you choose to take out Syria with a tank (and maybe a man).

Cairo.
You need to take Cairo, and you will.

Destroyers.
Once you have done most of these or are about to have done these, a few destroyers might be called for. If the US heads for Gibraltar, you can use them to block several times.

If you can get one out, SZ 91 means the US can’t bombard Morocco or Gibraltar.

Next, you can block the fleet at 92. You only need to do this if you can’t take back Morocco.

Then, if they hold the Gibraltar Strait, you can block in SZ 93 and 94. Fter that, you canb prevent bombardments on Italy by leaving a detroyer in 95 and one in 96. This also prevents them taking Egypt.

There are other battles destroyers would be useful to prevent bombardment.

By my calculation, Italy would need at least six destroyers to fully take advantage of this strategy. That’s 48 IPC over roughly I3-6. That’s a fair bit. But if you think about how much Italy is earning, and don’t waste troops taking over African territories that the US or Britain will just take back, it could be alright.

Would be keen to hear if anyone has tried this or has anything to contribute.

Thanks.

[Bodeacious]

Also, if the US for some strange reason doesn’t head to the Med , Italy can then just start building infantry to head to the landing grounds.

[Bruda_Iz]

Have you accounted for the UK presence in Africa.  If you let the UK alone for the first couple of rounds you might find Egypt reinforced with enough units to Keep you out of all but Northern africa and they will be able to attack any units you put in Trans Jordan.  Italy relies on taking Africa to bolster their economy.  What I think will happen with your plan is that Italy will run out of money when the US gets there.  Now the situation may be different if a successful sealion is mounted that would stop UK re-enforcing Egypt with units from south Africa.

[Bodeacious]

I see where you are going with this. Certainly one thing I need to keep an eye on. I would expect ample infantry to be transported to Egypt throughout it’s turns. But that pesky NB and minor IC in South Africa does cause some interesting challenges.

It also occurred to me that one could replace the purchase of destroyers with already existing ships when it comes towards the end-game (ie preventing bombardment of Italy with the battleship, etc) potentially saving much money.

Great advice! Keep it coming.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I think italy is very important and think you are onto something.

As italy i only take gibralter or morocco if america is in position to move through it and into the med. My theory is even if i put four inf and two tanks in gibralter america is landing with ten folks backed up by two carriers full of planes and a few bombers and off shore shots. One guys there is the same speed bump as six.

I also love destroyer screens to delay landings. My buddy put one in the zone east of gibralter to slow me down then built two more east of italy planning to sacrifice them the next turn.

America was able to do this leap frog thing sinking them with bombers landing in malta. Made me feel good to use malta lol

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I think italy is very important and think you are onto something.

As italy i only take gibralter or morocco if america is in position to move through it and into the med. My theory is even if i put four inf and two tanks in gibralter america is landing with ten folks backed up by two carriers full of planes and a few bombers and off shore shots. One guys there is the same speed bump as six.

I also love destroyer screens to delay landings. My buddy put one in the zone east of gibralter to slow me down then built two more east of italy planning to sacrifice them the next turn.

America was able to do this leap frog thing sinking them with bombers landing in malta. Made me feel good to use malta lol

[ll Duce]

Gibraltar is key to any strat I use as Italy.  After Cairo falls my 1st objective is Gibraltar- I usually take it with just 1 Infantry.  After this… I always try to land at least 1 fighter there a turn.  I played a game tonight  and by the end it was a major base with 6 fighters just waiting for the Yanks to make a move across the “Pond”.  I am finding more and more that a large Air Force works better for me as Italy then a Navy- I usually just stick to DDs and Subs.

Another tactic I love is keeping around 3 Subs on station at Gib. as well- INSIDE the Med.  They can sortie out into the atlantic and threaten any Task Force the US sends, forcing them to keep Destroyer screens with their transports.  The Italian Destroyer tactic is good, but I like to hold mine back in S. France.  That way they can respond to any US subs that sneak through and they are a counter attack to any US Med. Push.

[RedHunter]

Italy needs to focus on taking africa if they do they can build their income up to around 35-40 IPC with the bonuses. That gives them some staying power and the ability to help Germany by attacking Russia’s belly. Germany is much more of an effective fleet block for the USA because of their subs. And honestly the USA can afford to lose 6 or so transports as long as their men make landfall your not disloging them.