Japan strategy please

[Young Grasshopper]

It would be very difficult I understand, but Japan can’t just stand by and allow all the enemy powers that surround it to cash in on so much bonus money round after round. I’m not saying that Japan can or should go on a crazy campaign all over the ocean denying every allied NO, but there should definitely be some plan in place to take away some NOs and with enough force to keep that money out of their hands for good. The question is what are the NOs that can realistically be taken and held?. Can Japan take and hold Alaska? can they take and hold both the Philippines and an island like Wake or Guam?

[SgtBlitz]

@Trisdin:

That’s great advice Dark one. What round do you suggest attacking the soviet union?

This is the wrong question.  Wait for the Soviets to attack you first, you got enough on your plate at game start as it is to start worrying about Siberia.  Take the +12 IPCs and use it to take the DEI, you get more for those territories anyway.

Now, if the Russian player stacks in Amur on R1, go right ahead and pwn his stack.  Totally worth it then when you’re at max strength and can concentrate your attack.

[Sgt. Wonko]

@Trisdin:

It would be very difficult I understand, but Japan can’t just stand by and allow all the enemy powers that surround it to cash in on so much bonus money round after round. I’m not saying that Japan can or should go on a crazy campaign all over the ocean denying every allied NO, but there should definitely be some plan in place to take away some NOs and with enough force to keep that money out of their hands for good. The question is what are the NOs that can realistically be taken and held?. Can Japan take and hold Alaska? can they take and hold both the Philippines and an island like Wake or Guam?

It would be very difficult for Japan to deny UKP/ANZAC’s NOs while also denying the US NOs with enough force to keep them out of the allies hands for good.

The most important NOs to take away from the Allies (and the easiest) are making sure UKP doesn’t have all of it’s original territories (taking Malaya gets rid of the same NO for ANZAC) and taking Dutch New Guinea.

As for the NOs that you’re going to be fighting with the US for, those are impossible to permanently deny unless the US player is either bad, or really not spending any money in the Pacific (the only exception is the Philippines). You can easily swing up from Japan and take the Aleutian Islands and Alaska in 1 turn, but good luck keeping them since the US will be spending all of their sizable income on taking them back.

I would favour spreading out and taking the NOs away as the situation dictates. Whenever the US is out of position, drop your forces to nab the critical territory and block US access as much as possible.

[Darby]

The two biggest bang for the buck are:
Malaya (3$ plus a lost  3 IPC and 10$ in NOs for the allies)
Solomon Islands denies 5 to ANZAC, works towards denying 5$ to USA and works towards gaining 5$ for USA

Japan gets the advantage of choosing when to strike …. I would recomend if you are not going to tangle with Russia early … set up to nerf most if not all of the allied NOS in that first strike.

Aleutians easy – don’t bother about getting it back
Phillipines a little harder but easy – plan to hold
Swing into Guadacanal from The Carolines – might be worth trying to hold
If your not going to get Singapore  grab either Borneo or Gilbert
Consider grabbing Johnston or Line later it can be a pain to get back and usually costs Uncle Sam 5-15

[Young Grasshopper]

Thanks Darby, that was an excellent assessment. I will look at my board and strategize this weekend keeping your report in mind. Good work. What does everyone think about a transport, an aircraft carrier and 1 infantry as a turn 1 buy for Japan? I want to split my fleet into two and send one island hoping while the other sails up and down the coast. When the U.S enters I will bring everything back home. Is that a good strategy for my ships?

[Sgt. Wonko]

@Trisdin:

Thanks Darby, that was an excellent assessment. I will look at my board and strategize this weekend keeping your report in mind. Good work. What does everyone think about a transport, an aircraft carrier and 1 infantry as a turn 1 buy for Japan? I want to split my fleet into two and send one island hoping while the other sails up and down the coast. When the U.S enters I will bring everything back home. Is that a good strategy for my ships?

I would probably get more transports, I consider 2 the minimum amount you would want to buy. 3 is nice too since you’ll then have enough to take almost all of your targets on a turn 3 attack. The 2 buys I usually look at is 3 trn, 1 art for a heavy invasion force, or 2 trn, 2 ss for a more well-balanced buy.

Splitting in two is a good idea, usually I put 1 in sz33, and the other in sz36. I favour stacking in sz33 on the first round since it puts ANZAC and the US on their toes, put a smaller fleet in sz36 (1 bb, 1 ca, 1 dd, 1 ss). Then on the 2nd round I shift some units to sz36 and get ready for my attack on the DEI.

On the round that the US is going to attack, you don’t really need a huge fleet in sz6. Put 1 destroyer in sz16 to block (assuming the US is off of Hawaii) and put your Caroline Islands fleet into sz35 (Philippines). Then you can backup your southern fleet, are in a good position to attack ANZAC, Malaya, or counterattack the Carolines, and can always swing up to sz6 to defend Japan. Don’t forget that if you don’t have any ships (or little defense) in sz6 on the turn USA is attacking they can use the planes on their carriers to clear the seazone and then non-com into sz6. Which could be OK for you since you’ll probably be in a position to wipe them out, but just be mindful.

[Darby]

@Trisdin:

Thanks Darby, that was an excellent assessment. I will look at my board and strategize this weekend keeping your report in mind. Good work. What does everyone think about a transport, an aircraft carrier and 1 infantry as a turn 1 buy for Japan? I want to split my fleet into two and send one island hoping while the other sails up and down the coast. When the U.S enters I will bring everything back home. Is that a good strategy for my ships?

Thank You for starting the thread!
It got me thinking and I wanted to hear others’ thoughts.

When I’ve played it has been more going for the win (in which case Japan’s job is to pressure Russia - and worry USA to spending in the Pacific without any real attempt at Co-prosperity sphere – just buy Germany Time/ Space)

I think its kind of cool to try and play Japan acting in its own interests —
(in any case nerfing USA NOs will stir the pot, draw attn, and maybe help Germany that way)

[Young Grasshopper]

That’s great advice, you really giving me some good strategies. Thanks

[aaron91]

If your  goal in the game is just to get an Axis win overall you can essentially sacrifice Japan to get an Axis win in Europe. There are several ways to do this like going hard into Russia or blitzing the U.S. and taking all their perimeter territories opening up the Panama Canal for Japanese actions in the Atlantic.

[Idi Amin]

@aaron91:

If your  goal in the game is just to get an Axis win overall you can essentially sacrifice Japan to get an Axis win in Europe. There are several ways to do this like going hard into Russia or blitzing the U.S. and taking all their perimeter territories opening up the Panama Canal for Japanese actions in the Atlantic.

please share in detail this winning strat>

[Daedelus]

@Trisdin:

this month I am playing Japan against a very good UK player and a Pacific aggressive American player. I need help because I have only played Japan once and I was completely lost. We play Alfa +2.

Kiss your ass good bye.  Hold on long enough for Germany and Italy to Kill Russia.

[Young Grasshopper]

@Daedelus:

@Trisdin:

this month I am playing Japan against a very good UK player and a Pacific aggressive American player. I need help because I have only played Japan once and I was completely lost. We play Alfa +2.

Kiss your a** good bye.  Hold on long enough for Germany and Italy to Kill Russia.

as long as I’m giving up before I even roll my first dice, the least I could do is help hit Russia from the east.(I mean while I’m kissing my a** goodbye).

[SgtBlitz]

Don’t attack Russia from the east.  You’ll dilute your forces out and the territories aren’t worth it.  “That’s Stalin’s territory!  You want your armies over HERE.”  Use your time in the game keeping the US bogged down the Pacific, so they can’t send forces into Europe.

Concentrate on taking the DEI first before any of the other Allies in the Pacific get a chance, preferably on J2.  Build transports on J1 so you’ll have greater spread throughout the Pacific in taking the DEI oil islands.  On J2 launch a monster attack with most of your fleet to capture them all.  Leave enough boats to protect your transports so you can use them later to reinforce everywhere.  After that, try to match the US boat for boat, bring back your airplanes from the mainland gradually to land on carriers, and generally maintain a stalemate with the US while sending enough troops into Asia to knockout India.  Attack the US fleets once you have numerical superiority if they start ignoring you and sending more stuff into Europe.

Make sure you take as much of the DEI as you can on J2, and don’t let the Allies get a foothold on them or both India and Australia will be impossible.  Try to keep China mowed down every turn if you can, but you can afford to lose territory in China compared to the amount of money available in the Pacific.  Minor ICs in FIC and Malaya work wonders in keeping the troops coming for the final push too.

[Young Grasshopper]

This is great stuff. Anyone playing japan should read this thread.

[Idi Amin]

When Japan attacks on J2 US takes Gibraltar US2

[Young Grasshopper]

I would never attack the states before turn 4, the only exception is if sealion was successful.

[eudemonist]

I’ve had success pressuring ANZAC.  A few subs down that way can work wonders.

[MightyPol]

@Trisdin:

I would never attack the states before turn 4, the only exception is if sealion was successful.

Correct me if I am wrong, but, by attacking the Dutch/ANZAC/UK, the US can simply enter the War, no?

By taking the Islands, this is seen as a provocation to the UK and with that the US can now declares to any Axis forces, no?

[JimmyHat]

Yes, and so in this strategy the US is able to go to war with German on US2.  Better get ready.  This really ends up putting the crunch on Italy, who now has to worry about 2 powers in the med.

[suprise attack]

America comes in the war in the third round so I believe that Japan should hit in the second round stay powerful in the Caroline islands move to anzac like your going to land there, also hit China hard use your air force to eliminate units ,also hit Russia and think about getting a major factory take N.O.from USA and try to take as many Islands as possible Germany and Japan Need to work together to take out Russia.    The group I game with dont play the victory cities.