G2 Barbarossa

[frydonomics]

I’ve just finished my first game with an axis victory.
It seems to me like even though Germany can force Sea Lion on the third turn, doing so simply isn’t worth it, for numerous of reasons.

1. It drags to much attention away from the Soviet Union which will be to strong if the Germans don’t strike them early on in the game.

2. It’s too expensive in numbers of transports you will have to build and in potential loss of planes.

3. UK Europe can easily be contained by Germany before US enters the war.

On the basis of these observations I have developed at G2 Barbarossa strategy designed to cripple the USSR so much that Germany will be able to shift focus towards the US and UK when the total war breaks out.

G1
Buy and aircraft carrier and two subs.

Strike the British navy with your subs and all your planes. Make sure he has no battleships left. Take out the two cruisers outside Scotland. And place your purchases in that zone.

Move into France with all units that can reach it, and claim Paris with Germany.

Activate pro axis Bulgaria

Don’t attack Yugoslavia (it’s not worth it) instead move all remaining troops towards the Russian border to prepare a G2 Barbarossa.

G2
Buy a major industry complex in Slovakia, two or three more subs and spend the rest on mechanized infantry.
Sink all remaining UK ships with a combination of planes and subs.
Enter USSR with by attacking all border provinces.

Keep the pressure on the USSR, by every round spending minimum 30 IPC on units to attack it. You should be able to crush early on, considering that you already have the upper hand in unit strength.
By subs every round to hit all UK naval purchases, and to prepare for the American crossing of the Atlantic. This should contain the UK for a relatively small amount of IPCs.

What do you think?

[special forces]

i think UK will be buying subs

[Sire Fred]

I didn’t play a lot of games since the release of G40. Attacking Russia from G2 looks good but by doing this, UK would have a much easier time putting pressure on Italy with it’s IC in South Africa.

Often, after taking Egypt, Italy barely have time to lick it’s wounds before US kicks in and the struggle with UK would be even harder with this strategy.

A major Skoda IC in Slovakia is a big waste of IPCs in my opinon because after turn two will be around 46 IPC, not enough for maximizing your two ICs in Germany, espacialy if you keep buying navy.

Why not build up until G4 with a mix of slow units for the front lines and a mix of mech/tanks which could be released in Western Ukraine after an I3 can opener?

This way, you could get the 4 IPV for Yugo and Greece and benefit two more turns from your 5 IPC NO for being at peace with the Soviets while they would not get their two turns 5 IPC NO for being at war with you. All in all, it gives the Axis a 28 IPC advantage , 58 if you cancel the Skoda IC and a much stronger attacking force to enter Russia.

Just my two cents but I only played three G40 games so far.

[Sire Fred]

@special:

i think UK will be buying subs

That’s why it would be important to replace one sub buy in G1 by a destroyer. You have the money to do it.

[Gharen]

I agree with attacking Russia sooner than later and I also agree that Sea Lion, while viable isn’t worth it once America gets a fleet in the Atlantic.  You would basically need to take England with lots of troops and hold it for a turn or 2 to make sure America can’t take it back, all the while shoring up your eastern front.  I just think its more viable to keep the UK’s navy to a minimum while hammering away at Russia.  Cause if I saw that Germany was going for Sea Lion as Russia, I would have several tanks and mechs headed to China ASAP to help out there.  That 5 IPC bonus for not being at war with Russia is easily over come in a turn or 2 while also butchering those pesky Russian infantry.

[zooooma]

I also agree that Barbarossa is more viable than forcing G3 Sea Lion (though I think some experimentation is still warranted, but that’s another thread).

Even so, why not replace the subs with transports?  You’ll force england to buy men so you don’t get in too cheap (G2 Sea Lion would be devastating).  Since england can’t buy boats this turn anyway you can get the subs and destroyer later, and in the meanwhile you now transport extra troops from West Germany straight to the Russian front.

[Blitchga]

I will always go Barbarossa when the UK player takes its position seriously and goes all defense the first two rounds of the game, otherwise take London to embarrass them and lose no money in doing so. I however, do not think that going Barbarossa early is a good idea, I have waited until G4 or more often G5 every game and I steam roll through the Soviet forces.

[Chompers2]

I am just curious what you built as your offensive army to defeat Russia and what were they building that you steamrolled them with Germany alone.  My friend and I have played many games and we both consolidate the Russian forces and built only inf and art.  The German player does the same mostly but has a longer line to reinforce the lines.  Seems to me Japan is needed to help Germany with Russia but I may be missing something.

[Raeder]

How does one steamroll through the Soviet forces? I think that requires a very bad Soviet player.

[Blitchga]

G1 Major in Romania, G2 9-10 artillery, G3 10 artillery, G4 10 combo of men and or artillery, G5 Either another combo to push in anther direction or 10 mech to catch your advancing stack that heads for Leningrad. Russia is dreaming if they think they can match it. Also make sure that you NEVER allow them to get their 5$ bonus, it is enough to stop with a single sub.

This build has been an absolute recipe for pure Soviet crushing strategy. Maximizes your bonuses and allows for you to build up some subs as well to fend off UK and US when they start thinking about coming back to Europe. The in depth rounded strategy would take longer but that is how I steam roll through the Soviets.

I should also mention that in Alpha set up (how we always play) Japan will always take 2 territories on J1 and a total of 5 by J2 from Russia. Having all those extra men in Manchuria and Korea are just waiting to push those Soviet Far East troops back to the interior.

[Gargantua]

Why Romania?  Why not just spend the 30 on extra ground units?  Or make up for it by buying extra armor in later rounds?

Like the concept though… the invincible army :D

[Blitchga]

@Gargantua:

Why Romania?  Why not just spend the 30 on extra ground units?  Or make up for it by buying extra armor in later rounds?

Like the concept though… the invincible army :D

building the forward factory does a couple of things. One it allows for Germany to build those cheap infantry and artillery combos that give maximum offense and defense. It also allows you to push into the south very easily once Leningrad has been secured. Lastly it allows for (against the less experienced British generals) a false sense of security for the British, if they go heavy in Africa or Canada and do not base their strategy on heavily defending London for the first 1-2 turns (one being the most important) then you can take London from them with ease and lose no steam against the Soviets. This however leads to a whole other strategy that I use against such an unsuspecting UK player.