How to Counter Kill Japan First?

[Jaime_Lannister]

I’ve been told NEVER to go Pacific/Kill Japan First with America by many good players but I find that when I am playing as the Axis, I play an almost perfect game when the Allies concentrate on Germany but inevitably stumble and fall if a skilled player goes to the Pacific with the USA.

This is the variation.

USA - All fleet buys in seazone 10 until they have enough to capture Borneo/East Indies and set up a factory on those islands (crippling Japan)… will use subs to block if it helps their fleet advance, avoids battle against Japan’s navy unless it is in an advantageous position

UK - Focuses on landing 4 transports worth of soldiers every turn to support Russia/skirmish against Germany… once Africa gets overrun, lands in Algeria with 7 soldiers with AA gun on a selected turn to retake, destroy German Med fleet by air if opportunity arises

Russia - stalls, occasionally sends troops east if it has the chance to annoy Japan

So basically, this is a variation of the Pacific strategy where the Allies do NOT build ICs in Asia. UK and Russia are anti-Germany, and the USA goes hardcore naval build against Japan.

Germany is SUPPOSED to be able to take Moscow but its always having a hard time doing this. Africa takes several turns before it starts turning out money (round 1 English Egypt counter and American Algeria landing, South Africa inf stalls, UK might reinforce Algeria). What should Germany build? I’m struggling with the balance of tanks and infs, should they go mostly infs or go half inf and half tank? How do you force Russia out of Caucasus fast enough?

What should Japan do to counter the US stuff? It seems like Japan has a variation of two options and both result in a loss.

1. Japan doesn’t build planes or ships, just builds ground units and tries to pressure Russia. USA fleet soon gets big and moves towards the islands and grabs them. In this scenario, I find that Russia bunkers up, and soon it becomes irrelevant whether or not Moscow falls (it almost never falls) because the USA’s got 3 factories in the Pacific.

2. Japan goes all naval, or partially naval. The main problem here is that Japan can’t pressure Russia enough and may on some turns make less than the US. Also, the USA has the advantage and I find its impossible to hold the critical islands indefinitely. The USA never attacks the Japanese fleet, they just maneuver and block with subs. Eventually, they get close enough to the islands and with a sub block they can attack your fleet directly while your fleet can’t hit their fleet directly.

So I guess I have two main questions.

1. What should Germany build?

2. What should Japan build?

Is the Pacific Strategy really inferior?

Also, should Japan’s planes ever leave Asia to support the Germans in this setup or are they basically ties in FIC?

[MarineIguana]

Allies committing to the pacific is at a disadvantage. Simply put, the allies have a harder time putting pressure on Japan compared to Germany with equivalent resources. That said, a skilled A&A player can easily overcome this disadvantage and win with KJF.

–-Japan—
If the US is committing to US pacific naval purchases, it is essential for Japan to delay the US advance by deadzoning the naval territories the US would advance into. I can say with confidence that played perfectly on both sides, Japan can consistently prevent the US from stacking FIC, Borneo, East Indies, or Phillipines for at least 7 rounds.

Assuming typical round 1 battles and 3 transport purchase, at the start of US1:
Japan: 2 carriers, 2 battleships, 1 destroyer, 0/1 subs, 5-6 fighters, 1 bomber, 3 transports
US: 1 battleship, 2 destroyers, 3 transports, 3 fighters, 1 bomber

This is about a 70 point deficit that US has to overcome. Additionally, the defender of the pressure has a big advantage in deadzoning because it can use land based fighters to attack, while the advancing pressuring units need carriers to defend with fighters.

• Always buy 3 transports/2inf round 1. never buy factories. Transports can be used in subsequent naval battles and are all around more flexible.
• Round 2 and after, buy a combination of fighters and subs. Subs are the most cost effective in naval battles. Fighters are somewhat less powerful but can attack land and have range of 4. Typical purchases are 5-6 infantry and 2 subs/fighters. Don’t buy a factory unless you are comfortably holding the US off and only place in India.
• Critical! Place your naval and air units in a way that can deadzone (i.e. counter) US movements forward. Initially focus on deadzoning hawaii and solomon islands. If/when US accumulates enough to move into those, deadzone phillipines, borneo, and east indies.
• Japan can move into asia easily by landing those 5-6 infantry a turn and trading effectively with air. The key is to use your air advantage in making efficient trades and not losing stacks of units.
• A neat trick for deadzoning is to place 2 fighters on each carrier and 2 more fighters 4 spaces away. If the US moves within 2 territories of the carrier, you can attack with all 4 fighters with the two on the carrier landing on a japan controlled island.

–-Germany—
Germany will have much less pressure without US. With good Japan play, Japan can defend itself for a long time.

• keep purchasing conservatively almost all infantry with 1-2 tanks a round. Purchases of 12-16 units a turn will force the allies off of west russia/cauc and eventually you can take moscow. If you play Japan right, resist the urge to make large tank purchases.
• retain africa. it’s quite possible for germany to hold egypt indefinitely. attack egypt round 1 and continue reinforcing 2 units a round. focus on defending the territory, trading minimally, and stationing fighters where necessary.

—Salta—

[GiddyXray]

Good strategy post!

[Wolfshanze]

I thought the best strategy to counter KJF was to KRF with Germany, since the Allies are ignoring you.