I got beat by the Axis

[Chompers2]

My opponent upgraded to a major industrial complex in Germany on G1.  After that he spent all his points on art/inf every turn and sent a huge stack into Russia.  His stack was able to grow more than mine because Germany has more points.  It was much more effective than when he sent Mechs and Tanks against me before and I crushed them.  I am thinking art and inf may be the way to go for Germany.

He also managed to fly the Japan Airforce into Europe.  It was still a good game and I did not loss Moscow.  America still captured Rome but Germany grew so big from capturing Russsian Terriorties and I knew Japan would kill Moscow before America could kill Germany.  It may have been premature of me to think that the game has balance issues.  I guess you just need to think and plan a little more with the axis.

[LHoffman]

I am not so sure about that…

I am in the middle of my first G40 game now. My two brothers and I are the Axis, playing my three cousins as the Allies. We are all quite competent players.

The Axis stomped on the Allies for the first 2 turns or so, as usual… but I am finding it increasingly apparent that overall Allied income is going to win the war. Our Axis strategy thus far (beginning turn 4) has not been bad, but the Allies are finally getting in striking distance.

As for Germany just buying Infantry and Artillery to send against Russia… how does this work unless the Russian player attacks them? And does Germany mostly ignore the Naval situation?

It is generally best to let your opponent attack your infantry stack rather than attacking with them. I just don’t see how that sort of force can plow through Russia.

I am thinking this game favors the Allies, due almost entirely to income. Perhaps we (as the Axis) were not agressive enough? I don’t know… We took out all 18 Russian eastern infantry on turn 1 though and lost 4 planes. Which was not bad I guess, considering we haven’t had to deal with Russians all game long.

[Chompers2]

I am going to try it myself as axis to see it in action better but I believe the inf/art buy is an effective attack buy for Russia.  Germany can build enough art so all their inf will attack on a 2.  He did not attack russia untill turn four so it is a slow build up.  But it becomes such a huge stack that it can force the Russians to retreat or stay and die.  Also as it gets close to moscow it can then be reinforced with tank or plane buys to help in the assault.

It may not allow Germany to kill Russia but he took so many points from Russia that when America arrived and killed Italy it was facing a Germany with IPCs close to what it was spending itself.  So at that point Germany started fighting the Americans. Germany did not build a Navy or Planes but it flew the Japan airforce to Europe and the turn I conceded the Japan Airforce could have destroyed my huge American Navy.  I built a Navy strong enough that the German airforce could never touch it.  I never thought I would face the Japan Airforce in Europe.

Finally we have tried Mechs and Tanks for Germany into Russia but if Russia buys inf and art and falls back at a certain point they can move forward and kill the mechs and tanks because there will not be enough units because they cost too much.  This is not the case with german inf and art.

[AdmiralNagano]

In every other Axis game I’ve ever played (haven’t been Germany in global yet), the right way to beat Russia was:

Early game - build inf /art
Midgame - build tanks

Now that is a simplification, you need some naval units, you definitely need a big airforce, and these days you want mech inf too. But the basic principle for the ground war is to build cheap, slow units early and expensive, fast units late. Ideally, your tanks/mech reach moscow at the same time as the towering stack of inf and art finally gets there.

Something else I’ve considered is just pumping artillery first, then building mech infantry in time for them to catch up with the artillery stack. That would be very cost-efficient.

[Stikato]

@AdmiralNagano:

In every other Axis game I’ve ever played (haven’t been Germany in global yet), the right way to beat Russia was:

Early game - build inf /art
Midgame - build tanks

Now that is a simplification, you need some naval units, you definitely need a big airforce, and these days you want mech inf too. But the basic principle for the ground war is to build cheap, slow units early and expensive, fast units late. Ideally, your tanks/mech reach moscow at the same time as the towering stack of inf and art finally gets there.

Something else I’ve considered is just pumping artillery first, then building mech infantry in time for them to catch up with the artillery stack. That would be very cost-efficient.

This has been our playgroup’s experience as well with Germany. Build up Fortress Europe first, then pump out the tanks. Typically whoever is Germany also tries to expand the Luftwaffe or at least keep it intact. The inf stacks are designed to absorb hits, while the planes and tanks destroy the enemy.

Of course, this was in Classic, Revised, and Anniversary. Our first Global game is tomorrow so we will have to see how this plays out in the new game.

[Blitchga]

I am thinking this is exactly what needs to happen. Use the cheap inf/art tobegin the push, it has worked well for me so far but I have also found it lost steam, I think because of lack of reinforcements. My thoughts have been to build a Romanian factory or upgrade Berlins in order to get those reinforcements their faster.

As for dealing with the Atlantic, I believe that you need the cheap subs combined with the Luftwaffe in order to do the same type of attack, lose the cheap subs while bringing the power through the use of a mighty Luftwaffe. I am anxious to try this again with the forward factory to bring in the reinforcements

[chompers]

@LHoffman:

I am thinking this game favors the Allies, due almost entirely to income.

I’m inclined to agree with you in spite of me pulling off an axis win (at last!).  I think the inf/art stacking early on with Germany is merely the most effective way to prepare for the mid-game coming of the US while still pushing on the Russians, not that it’ll actually win them the game.  It’s Japan that earns them the win, it’s Germany’s job to snipe a couple Russian VC’s while trying to lock down the ones in Europe.  I found a 55/45 ratio of art to inf buys early on (first 3 to 4 turns) with a couple extra mechs to catch up with your stack while whatever Russian cities you grab churn out tanks brought me twice as far as I’ve ever gotten into Russia with any other combination of units.  Germany ignores the naval situation because they can’t afford planes (that’s where the japs come in) and uses about 80% of their IPC’s from turn 4 onwards to prepare forces @ West Germany to counterattack allied landings.  Churn out a couple subs every few turns to keep the Brits convoy disrupted and just bunker down and wait for the Japanese to conquer the rest of the world.  Not quite sure how Italy should factor into this (since by virtue of buying that Major IC upgrade turn 1 you’re losing the Italian fleet normally) but I had them plop out a fighter or two to support the attack on Egypt and then switch over to inf to defend Rome.

[LHoffman]

I believe that the main failing in my German strategy was naval overcompensation… which was still insufficient to fight Britain, let alone the US. I have 3 aircraft carriers with Germany. I have put all my planes on them (from the start of the game) besides ones I lost on G1 sinking the Brits. Another bad thng is that I have not bought any more of them. My western Europe defenses are next to nothing and the British have landed in Normandy. I hope the Americans don’t get wise and put a major IC in Norway… though they probably will.

I am beginning to think the fortify Europe idea is better than naval competition. I mean… I have always thought that, but I wanted to experiment in this game.

[gredert]

So far in 1 game I was beat by lack of money and some bad luck with germany, but otherwise, I find that come turn 5 Japan and Germany can be producing as much as the allies if they attack at the right time and have average luck. Italy is the only 1 having problems in most games because it is difficult to clear the med and still focu on taking greece and egypt.

[spectre_04]

It’s tougher to break down why games are won or lost the more players that are involved. 
That being said, I totally think that if the Axis attack all out on Turn one, then its pretty tough for the allies.
I have only played at the allies so far, and I will admit, my opponent is a good axis player, but I tend to agree with some of the statements.  Germany can gain lots of Russian money, Japan, if played right, can crush china and India and get huge, while ANZAC can’t hardly do anything, and its really only Italy that has trouble.
I think next game I play as allies will focus on #1 put the pressure on Italy, #2 create a second front somewhere to help out Russia (Norway or France) #3 try to get a factory in Egypt (worked out great for me last game even though I ended up loosing) and try to use it, the British eastern fleet, and ANZAC to protect India better.
It’s such a time consuming game and I have only played 1 and a half REAL games so far, so time will tell.  I am sure there is a solution for the axis 4 turn blitz.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Italy is the weak problem child for the Axis.

If japan went after australia and the americans stayed KGF doing nothing to help directly or indirectly we would laugh and say of course Australia falls to the full power of Japan.

Same with America and Italy. If Germany is slow to react Italy falls to America. If Germany puts 10inf and a couple fighters there it probably doesnt fall. Then again thats ten fewer troops pushing into Russia….decisions decisions…

[SgtBlitz]

calvinhobbesliker and I just finished our first Global game on the PBFs, we kinda dropped the ball in Europe on Round 6 (my fault, with a terrible Normandy/Brittany build as the US).  We’re hoping that our second game with the revised Japan setup (19 planes at start vs. 28 original P40, many ship locations have changed, etc.) it will be a bit more fair.

We did kill the hell out of the Japanese air force stack in southeast asia, only to still lose to a combined German/Japanese push into Russia by Round 7, with hardly any Allied units in range to do anything to stop it.  My last-minute attack on Germany’s Baltic fleet failed miserably, with awful all-sixes dice from a massive SBmr attack from England.  The Allies were unable to send any units through Norway to come to Russia’s aid, and the Germans continued fortifying their land troops through Lenningrad.

I’m hoping the new Japanese setup will let the US build more heavy for Europe this time around.  With the Allied successes in Africa against Italy, the US didn’t really attack Germany enough to help Britain out on the coast.  Hoping to avoid that this time and get Germany to pull some of its inf wall back to Berlin.

[spectre_04]

What is this new reduced Japan aircraft setup I keep hearing about???

[LHoffman]

@spectre_04:

What is this new reduced Japan aircraft setup I keep hearing about???

I am pretty sure it just involves removing 6 planes from a number of different territories.

[calvinhobbesliker]

@LHoffman:

@spectre_04:

What is this new reduced Japan aircraft setup I keep hearing about???

I am pretty sure it just involves removing 6 planes from a number of different territories.

Actually, Japan loses 8 planes and a transport, while the Allies lose 7 planes and a transport(which would’ve been killed anyway in a J1 attack)