The Japan Playbook

[Cow]

Whenever I do that, I am looking to take over new south wales in 3-4 rounds or bust. Sometimes you catch people off guard and you get an easy take down othertimes stuff starts flying in from all over the place and you get 20-30%.

It is just a logistical headache because your pieces are spread out. It is just easier for me to play Japan when everything is in South East Asia (dutch islands are there, India - can surprise anzac instead if the allies are not careful, Phil, Burma Road), everything important is there.  So it is just easy to go from Japan to India, because you can hit up so many things along the way… deviating makes things complicated since the allies get more opportunities the more spread out Japan is.

I do want to think everyone for the comments and suggestions to help build this.

[Young Grasshopper]

Just wanted to reserect this thread so I can study it.

[Zhukov44]

Overall, I agree with Cow’s J1 deployment.  What I do different is the ncm.  Rather then keep 3 figs on Japan, send them to Kwangsi (via Kwangtung).  Keep 1 ac 2 dd 1 ss 1 fig in sz6.  In low luck you can substitute a dd for the fig, and send the last fig into China as well.

[Cow]

I keep 2 dds back these days. my j2 varies from game to game.

[Young Grasshopper]

What’s better?

1. A J1 DOW
2. A J2 DOW

[Guest]

I’ve tried it a couple of times now and IMHO a J1 attack on Philippines, Borneo, Hongkong, FIC, Yunnan, Chahar, Anhwe, z37, and z62 with fleet stacked off carolines is a great way to scare the allies into focusing on the pacific, while keeping UK Pacific and ANZAC broke for a while.  The distraction of USA gives the axis a lot of leeway on the Europe map.  Take Malaya J2 and try to get America into a naval arms race.

[Young Grasshopper]

In regards to #62, Japan will lose a destroyer, 2 air units and an aircraft carrier for a transport and destroyer. I don’t like their odds on the ANZAC or US counter…. so those units are gone, and even if they sink an ANZAC crusier in defence, is it for a good cause in your opinion?

[Cow]

sometimes I just 1v1 dd vs dd, if you win you get a transport to boot. :)

[WILD BILL]

An early Japanese attack is probably an axis advantage in most cases, but I think the allies can respond (longer learning curve). As the US player not having to wait to get your hands dirty is also liberating. Many FTF games we start get to the 4th-5th turn then get delayed til the next day (sometimes next week) because of time.

“You’ve kicked my A$$ all over the board for 3 hours, and now that the US & Russia are just getting started and you have to go home WTF”

Getting everyone into the war first or second turn seems to make the game flow better IMO regardless of what side your playing. Actually as the allies I’ll make the first move on Japan if they don’t act and I see a benefit (UK2 for sure). So as Japan waiting past J2 is kind silly, because the UK will be DOW on UK2 anyway to get bonuses etc….

At times our group will wait, and build (super stack) which can also be fun, but takes a damn long time to get to those epic 50+ unit battles and generally works against you as axis. Sometimes it’s better to just go for it in riskier battles, the dice are going to do what they do so live or die.

Good thread Cow, although you seem to boast a pretty good winning percentage with early J attacks, I think the game is more interesting for both sides. Most believe axis have an advantage and allies need a bid anyway so why not push it.

[Guest]

@Vance:

I’ve tried it a couple of times now and IMHO a J1 attack on Philippines, Borneo, Hongkong, FIC, Yunnan, Chahar, Anhwe, z37, and z62 with fleet stacked off carolines is a great way to scare the allies into focusing on the pacific, while keeping UK Pacific and ANZAC broke for a while.  The distraction of USA gives the axis a lot of leeway on the Europe map.  Take Malaya J2 and try to get America into a naval arms race.

But they might lose all 3 fighters and the cruiser sinking it.

[Cow]

For dice games, competitively, J2, you can smooth out a bunch of battles with a bit more fodder.

[Young Grasshopper]

@Vance:

@Vance:

I’ve tried it a couple of times now and IMHO a J1 attack on Philippines, Borneo, Hongkong, FIC, Yunnan, Chahar, Anhwe, z37, and z62 with fleet stacked off carolines is a great way to scare the allies into focusing on the pacific, while keeping UK Pacific and ANZAC broke for a while. �The distraction of USA gives the axis a lot of leeway on the Europe map. �Take Malaya J2 and try to get America into a naval arms race.

But they might lose all 3 fighters and the cruiser sinking it.�

But when ANZAC hits twice with 4@3 in the first round, Japan has to lose a plane instead of damaging the AC. That makes the advantage to ANZAC if it goes into extra battle rounds.

[Cow]

just send a lone dd to sz 62, kinda need the carrier to guard japan transport off borneo.

[Jercules]

@Young:

What’s better?

1. A J1 DOW
2. A J2 DOW

Obviously depends upon your plans for Europe, but it’s hard to imagine a better tactic than a J1 DOW, when the Axis has full initiative to smash anything before the Allies can reorganize at all.

For example, consider sz37. That’s a single unsupported 20 IPC unit that is essential to a significant Indian Navy; Japan can take it out J1 with 2 bombers and a fighter (a net expected result of +10 IPCs), and India will never see the kind of income necessary to replace it.

**With a J1 DOW, India must turtle immediately and Japan can decide whether to go short (take a stab at Calcutta for J3 or J4), or go long (starve them and slowly build towards a J6 or beyond invasion).

It also allows Japan to take the DEI easily. Rather than fighting for islands (with added sb’s, planes, and precious ground units that are in short supply at that stage), Japan can own all four with two single guys and undefended transports (Borneo and Celebes J2, Sumatra and Java J3–if a J3 India invasion is not the better move. **

I used to be all over these boards, advocating J1. I’m glad to see the strategy has finally gained some traction.

[Noll]

Hey, welcome back Jercules!

[Young Grasshopper]

I’m attempting my first J1 attack this weekend, I’m alone as the axis, so I won’t be getting the hairy eye ball from my German team mate. Hell…… I may even do my G1 attack on Russia as well.

[Guest]

@Young:

I’m attempting my first J1 attack this weekend, I’m alone as the axis, so I won’t be getting the hairy eye ball from my German team mate. Hell…… I may even do my G1 attack on Russia as well.

that would be a surprise!  :-D

[suprise attack]

Let us know how it turns out Grasshopper, and may the dice Gods be with you….and may the force be with you, and dont forget the lucky shirt,or rabbits foot.
Good luck

[Young Grasshopper]

The lack of a sealion threat from G1 attacks on Russia, may encourage the UK to scramble into sea zones #111 and, #110…. not to worried, but I may lose more planes than I would like. I will de-brief on Monday, BTW… I told my opponent what my plans are, I want to be up against a prepared enemy to gage the viability of the attack.

[knp7765]

I have a question about an early Japan attack, j1 or j2. Forgive me if this has been asked earlier, I haven’t had time to read this entire thread yet.

Okay, I am assuming that one of Japan’s objectives would be to get all the rich stuff – DEI, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaya – then go back north to deal with the US Navy at sea and China/India on land. I don’t mean actually TAKING India, just keeping them busy so they don’t advance too much or help China too much.

What is the best way to deal with the islands, particularly the 4 DEI islands since they also include a $5 NO for Japan? Do you leave the troops that you used to take those islands as a garrison and send empty transports back to Japan for more men? Or take those men with you for other duties, leaving the islands empty?

If you do the first, it takes so long to get your transports back for more men and you don’t get the island money soon enough. Yet if you leave them with just a control marker, ANZAC can sneak in and take them away from you while you are battling the US fleet further north.

So, I guess my question is: How does Japan successfully deal with the US fleet and Chinese, keep ANZAC and India at bay AND keep the money islands?

I always have a hard time doing all of that and something always seems to fall through. Either I lose ground in China, or my fleet gets trashed by the Americans and I get convoy raided to death, or I lose money because ANZAC has sneaked up and took the DEI. Even if they just take 1 island, say Java, that’s an overall loss of $9 right there ($4 for Java and $5 for the DEI NO). When they do that, often times I am so busy fending off the US fleet that I can’t seem to get enough to go back down and take it back (usually need a couple of warships plus a couple of transports with men and art/tanks).

Any suggestions?