Axis Caucaus Push Strategy.

[Zero]

Assumptions:
1. Allies have provided minimal material support to Russia in defending Karelia in the form of INF. Planes are okay, but INF can block this.

Basic plan.

• Germany build nearly all inf and every turn pushes its INF stacks 1 country to the right toward the Caucaus using planes to back up the inf advance.
• A German Med fleet can be used to ship INF from the factory in S.Eur to the front line thus replacing units lost as the front column advances.
• When germany takes the Caucaus on turn 4 or 5 it moves all armor to the Ukr or the Caucaus. The Japanese Airforce will land in the same territory to bolster defense of the German armor from a possible counter strike.
  -Germany now will have roughly 9 INF, 10 Arm poised to strike Moscow or 30 INF, 10 Arm to strike Karelia. If Russia attacks Germany wins in the end because you have cut the effectiveness of the Russian investment in INF in half while doubling the value of your own INF investment.

Alternately, Russia will fall back to Moscow, in which case Germany takes Karelia easily with 20+ INF remaining after the battle. With Japan advancing from the East Russia should be reduced to just Moscow and for the most part be removed from the game.

Based on Moscow’s defenses and the position of the other allies, the axis can go into containment or conquer mode to proceed to victory.

Notes:

• If the allies begin dumping large amounts of INF into Finland/Karelia, the axis should switch to trying for an economic victory. Since most of the Allied resources are being placed at the North end of the map, Africa and Asia will be weak.
• Leaving WEurope lightly defended on G3 or G4 can be a good way to lure UK or US forces away from the Karelia defense. The loss of WEur is annoying, but not critical since the capture of Karelia and the Causaus and possibly Moscow make up for the lost income.

[Candyman67]

Nice strat., but what are your plans for Germany in Africa? This strat. looks as if every resource needs to be devoted to Europe and in turn (no pun intended) Africa will fall quickly to the Allies.

[Zero]

@Candyman67:

Nice strat., but what are your plans for Germany in Africa? This strat. looks as if every resource needs to be devoted to Europe and in turn (no pun intended) Africa will fall quickly to the Allies.

Ah Africa! The trick there is to concede Africa slowly. Ideally the Med transport will live at least until G2. In which case it can it can pump 4 inf into Africa over G1, G2. I will send 1 or 2 planes from EEurope into the Eqypt battle as well.

If the allies land forces in Africa, the Germans will retreat one country at a time pulling back through Syria and Persia to the Caucaus. Ideally the Africa Corps arrive in Caucaus the same turn as European German forces do. 8)

Sure it means that you don’t control Africa, but the whole point of the axis strategy is Russia out of the Game by turn 6. Japan or Germany can then turn attention to Africa. Its a short drive from Moscow to Egypt :D

[GeZe]

do you have plans too invade the UK

[Zero]

@GeZe:

do you have plans too invade the UK

Its been my experience that a UK invasion always requires a good piece of luck to be successful. The best chance is if the UK has an IC in India drawing off resources, or the UK is going with a mostly SBR of Germany strategy since Bombers have a defense of 1.

The only real hope is that the UK player will make a mistake and not see the possibility of an invasion, and therefore not invest in infantry to defend itself adequately.

Key aspects of a UK invasion are:

• Germany has at least 2 TRN if not 3 in the Med.
• Japan’s airforce is in Europe, pretending to play a defensive role in Eastern Europe.
• Allies are going with a KJF strategy so most allied resources are not in Europe.
• If the allies land in Algeria, the Germans respond by using their Med fleet to counter strike in Algeria. This move puts the German fleet in range of the UK. Make sure you have enough material in W.Eur to fill the transports next turn.
• Without being obvious about it try to bait the UK with tempting targets in Asia/Africa so they aren’t focused on their mainland.
• If the UK fails to build defenses in the UK on their turn then you can proceed with operation Sea Lion.
• Japan’s airforce will strike any navy between the Med and the UK-Sz to try and wipe them out.
• Next German turn lauch the assault and hope for good dice. :wink:

I have taken the UK only once in many years of playing this game.

[GeZe]

so you are going for econimic victory?

[bossk]

Doesn’t sound like a bad strat, but what are you doing for the Allied navies? With all your air force in eastern europe the Western Allies can build up quickly. Also, as Russia, I never really considered Germany taking Caucasus a very significant threat. If the Germans do manage to take it (I assume you mean about turn 3) the Russians have a few nice armies ranging in size upwards of 20 infantry, plus whatever offensive support they can muster, the Russians can keep the Germans from attacking by strafing them, keeping their front lines just thin enough to never win an offensive with.

[GeZe]

well since taking africa isnt a priority the navy doesnt have sugnifacance

[Guest]

@bossk:

Doesn’t sound like a bad strat, but what are you doing for the Allied navies? With all your air force in eastern europe the Western Allies can build up quickly. Also, as Russia, I never really considered Germany taking Caucasus a very significant threat. If the Germans do manage to take it (I assume you mean about turn 3) the Russians have a few nice armies ranging in size upwards of 20 infantry, plus whatever offensive support they can muster, the Russians can keep the Germans from attacking by strafing them, keeping their front lines just thin enough to never win an offensive with.

Well I always take out the UK fleet in G1. If the Allies rebuild I usually ignore it except for targets of opportunity. Every ship purchased by the allies is less points spent on things that can really hurt me. The Axis needs to move fast or it will be swamped, but that is always the case no matter what the Axis strategy is.

If Russia attacks Germany, I am in heaven because when the Russians attack their infantry value is cut in half and the value of my infantry is doubled. The key here is to make medium sized stacks of infantry in the 9 - 11 range on each country and move them East. That way they give a good defensive punch

On average Germany will produce 10 inf per turn. Russia will produce 8. So germany is out producing Russia. If Russia strafes with all its armor and planes (4 ARM, 2 planes) that’s 3 kills on average plus 1 for every 6 infantry they bring. 9 German INF will kill 3 on average in the first round the same as all your tanks and planes.

The crux of the plan is that Germany is outproducing Russia by a small margin. By taking Caucaus with 9+ inf and having 20+ inf in UKr and EEur combined and 10 ARM in Causuas you present a threat that to Russia that forces them to commit enough troops to the defense of Moscow either by moving those troops from Karlelia to Moscow and/or by counter striking one of the 3 German stacks. Since all of Gemany’s might is in range of Karelia, the division of Russian forces leaves Karelia weak enough for the Germans to take.

Its not a perfect plan, but I find its and effective plan for Germany to gain an upper hand on a poorly supported Russia.

[Zero]

That was me BTW. :oops:

[Yanny]

Don’t think it will work. Your going to have Allied Transports up your ass quickly. The Russian (or British) airforce is going to sink that transport in the Med. The Russians could just be smart and attack Eastern Europe when you get to Caucases. By doing this, you can freely take Moscow, but the Russians are going to take Berlin. After the Russians take Berlin, the British and Americans can reenforce the Russians there or take out W.Europe or (ideally) Eastern Europe.