Japanese presence in atlantic

[Guest]

one of the dilemmas of the axis, assuming a “germany first” strategy by the u.s., seems to be getting japanese support in the atlantic. on japan’s first turn, i like to leave the solomon sub out of the pearl harbor battle (pearl harbor is a given with two-hit battleships, one of our house rules) and non-combat the sub to the pacific sea zone just south of mexico. the u.s. battleship is then trapped and unable to sneak into panama by leaving the transport behind. it is then five more turns before the japanese fleet can move around south america and be a factor. i’m looking for a strategy to take the panama canal and reduce the atlantic movement to the third turn. it is simply too easy for the u.s. to retake and hold the canal, given that the japanese must hold it at the beginning of their turn to get through. a german transport within range of the canal will get taken out by u.s. planes. one side note: my group incorporates pieces from a&a europe (artillery and destroyers). any thoughts?

[Guest]

I think its great to include artillery and destroyes, anything to add a new twist. Once you have played A&AE and A&A&P or even the WAW, the original seems to be missing something.

[Guest]

With Japan, I personally like to skip Pearl Harbor and take the fleet to India, then through the suez Canal(Germany needs to have a surviving fleet as well). This way, the axis fleets can unite before facing the US or British fleets. It is also doable by turn 4, if you take India on 1 or 2.

[Usul513]

I recently played a game as Russia in which Japan captured Hawaii T1 with 2 inf and a fighter, used the rest of everything to kill the ships (2hitBBs), and used the sub as you stated. The USA then ran to the north and later killed the newly built tranny’s of Japan’s. They also sent their bomber and a fighter against my sub and killed it. the Japanese picked up their twoo inf from hawaii and landed them into panama. We then sent some troops to mexico but nest turn the Japs sent their men to Brazil and bought an IC. US then devoted all energies to taking it and Japanese killed their fleet and Air force at the cost of all but one Battleship. I had less help from UK and US than I would have liked and Moscow fell next turn. WE lost.

[Candyman67]

To phrase it out there for those Led Zeppelin fans on the forum, there obviously was some sort of “communication breakdown.” You just can’t have a Japanese fleet sail through the Panama Canal unimpeded. Did the US player have any sort of navy or airforce based in or near the US? This sort of baffles my mind.

[Yanny]

Swing your fleet after pull harbor around to South Africa. Put an industrial complex there, and you have a major thorn in the allie’s side.

[Guest]

i wanted to share a playtest on a new panama canal strategy. with the axis, our first turn purchase for germany was an ac for southern eur (a radical departure from our group’s normally infantry-intensive games). japan took the canal on turn two, and it was promptly taken back by the u.s., of course. on germany’s third turn, it was able to sail a bship, ac w/2 f, and a tr w/2 inf into panama and free it for japan’s move. as good as it felt to get the japs over there, however, the game was effectively over by mid-turn three. japan was slowed from taking much asian land – because of needing a fighter and transport with the fleet, not to mention that the u.s. bship was free to roam the pacific and sink other japanese transports – and germany was crippled from attacks by u.k and russia – because of purchasing the carrier and missing out on heavy first round infantry. thank you for your suggestions on alternative moves for the fleet. i’m now prepared to admit that japanese simply can’t get to the atlantic early in the game without too much sacrifice…