German Blueprint: G1 Attack on Russia

[Young Grasshopper]

@majikforce:

Grasshopper,  i am totally on board with a G1 russian attack.  It has worked great in our games!  We have some pretty crafty Russian players and the G1 attack has really given them pause when its R1’s turn.  I have experimented with leaving sz 110 or 111 alone both have pros and cons.  I like to build a minor in Romania G1. my buddy likes to buy a major G1.  My question for you is what/where do you build in the remaining turns to keep a steady and healthy flow of ground units to attack russia?  I would like to try the G1 attack without the factory build turn 1.  (i did notice some interesting things you do G1 that i am definitely gonna try.  Southern France and Normandy.  German Navy in the med sounds fun!!)  Keep up the good work!  I too only play by table top, nothing like the sound of dice hitting the box!

Great post, nice compliments…. gotta busy night ahead preparing for a group game tommorow, but I will definitly respond back to this. For now I will just say that I built my minor IC in Romania turn 2.

[elevenjerk]

Far better results this time grasshopper!!!

Purchase

tt dd 2 armor 1 inf  (tt to help fix any debacle in sz 115 again.  dd to be able to scramble planes on the sub if it was left. 2 armor 1 inf to transport to Novgorod if successful)

Bessarabia    2 inf 1 armor 1 tac
Eastern Poland  1 inf 5 armor
Baltic states  3 inf 1 fighter 1 tac

sz 115  bb cruiser 1 fighter tt w/ 1 inf 1 art from germany
vyborg  1 inf 1 art from tt 2 bombers

Yugo 6 inf 2 art from GSG 1 inf from romania to strafe after first round no matter the results.
France  7 inf 4 mech 3 art 3 armor  ( was a little worried about heavy losses on this one)
sz 111  2 sub 3 fighters 3 tac  (figured scramble was unlikely)

Finland  3 inf

Liked the idea by variance I think to put 6 armor in eastern poland so I put 5 with one going to Bessarabia to be sure I didn’t lose a fighter there (my buddy has been rolling ridiculous dice lately).  Also like the idea of just taking france and worrying about SF and Normandy till turn 2.

sz 115  (where it all went wrong last time I tried it if you recall)  He does not scramble, as I assumed, but believe it or not he rolled a 1 with his sub again so if I hadn’t taken the battleship the plan would have been foiled….again by a 1 in 6 chance.  He also rolled a 3 for his cruiser, but I took out both his ships and moved on to Vyborg with a damaged bb and a cruiser left.

Vyborg  win with 1 art left
Baltic win with 3 inf left
Eastern Poland  win with 5 armor left
Bessarabia  win with 1 armor left

Yugo I once again get 4 hits and strafe to Romania with no losses

France  got lucky and wiped him out in 2 rounds but lost 7 inf and 2 mech

sz 111 No scramble and I win with all my planes left no subs

I could probably expain his whole move but I will give you the short version.  I took over Novgorod on G2 and have not relinquished it since.  I made a slight error by missing a chance at a can opener with Italy to get Ukraine on G3 but firmly secured it on turn G4.  Russia will be gone G6 no matter what with a chance at also having Volgograd and Caucasus if the Italian can opener works and he chooses not to land 4 or so UK planes in Caucasus.

Meanwhile in the Pacific Japan waited till J3 to attack after getting attacked in Yunnan by UK so America is still not a factor yet.

Japan is on turn 4 and has China almost gone but no more ground troops to finish the job.  A good chance at taking the last two islands for the NO bonus with America only able to get to sz 6 or sz 33 on this turn.  Both moves will allow my whole navy, minus a couple subs, to move back to the Phillippines and he doesn’t have the navy to have a chance in an attack or defence since he could only put 3 units a turn till now.

LOVE the G1 attack and it may become an axis staple in our games!!!

[Young Grasshopper]

@elevenjerk

Great news, nice work using the forums to refine your strategy and use peoples advice, do your opponents follow these threads?

[Young Grasshopper]

@majikforce:

Grasshopper,� i am totally on board with a G1 russian attack.� It has worked great in our games!� We have some pretty crafty Russian players and the G1 attack has really given them pause when its R1’s turn.� I have experimented with leaving sz 110 or 111 alone both have pros and cons.� I like to build a minor in Romania G1. my buddy likes to buy a major G1.� My question for you is what/where do you build in the remaining turns to keep a steady and healthy flow of ground units to attack russia?� I would like to try the G1 attack without the factory build turn 1.� (i did notice some interesting things you do G1 that i am definitely gonna try.� Southern France and Normandy.� German Navy in the med sounds fun!!)� Keep up the good work!� I too only play by table top, nothing like the sound of dice hitting the box!

Just pulled off another successful G1 attack on Russia, and even though it was my partner snake11eyes that got the VC win in the Pacific, Germany surrounded Moscow and waged a blood bath war in the Med.

As for your question about German purchases in later rounds, this is what I tend to do with slight variances based on situation….

Round #1
1X S. Bomber (SBR)
1X Fighter (Replenishment)
1X Destroyer (@ Russian sub with planes)

Round #2
8X M. Infantry (in Germany)
1X Destroyer (@ Russian Sub with planes)
1X Fighter (Replenishment)
1X Minor IC (Romania)

Round #3
3X Infantry (Minor IC)
3X Infantry (in W. Germany)
1X S. Bomber (SBR) or 3X M. Infantry
2X Fighter (Atlantic & Med)

Round #4
3X Infantry (Minor IC)
2X T. Bomber (Atlantic & Med)
2X Destroyer (Med)
1X Aircraft Carrier (Med)

Things get unpredictable after round #4.

I like to gain the Russian Minor ICs and just build from there. I don’t like moving toward Moscow to early, because to gives the attrition odds back to Russia when I’m to far away from my production. I would rather out produce them over time while paying close attention to allied ships in the Med and Atlantic. I also make sure that I am operating with 12 or more German air units. My Philosophy when playing Germany is… You may not be able to keep the Kriegsmarine, but there is no excuse for losing the Luftwaffe.

[elevenjerk]

A little bit but not much.  He is a far superior player to me and the only other person I play consistently.  With that said neither of us have won with the axis yet (0-8).  I have a pretty good chance in this game but I have been known to make some pretty colossal errors.  Japan is at 65 ipc with India held at bay pretty good and I hope to eliminate all Chinese inf this turn along with a Russian armor and mech.  That should give me time to get some ground units in to eliminate them all together.  Hopefully all but 1 Russian inf will be gone by Mongolia after this turn while my navy parks it in the phillippines with 0 chance of losing to the us navy for at least a couple turns.  Germany should be around 90 ipc with 17 Russian ipc after taking the capital on G6. Should be able to threaten London in a couple turns.  Italy is at 14 ipc and just buying inf to solidify capital from any attacks.

[Young Grasshopper]

@elevenjerk:

A little bit but not much. �He is a far superior player to me and the only other person I play consistently. �With that said neither of us have won with the axis yet (0-8). �I have a pretty good chance in this game but I have been known to make some pretty colossal errors. �Japan is at 65 ipc with India held at bay pretty good and I hope to eliminate all Chinese inf this turn along with a Russian armor and mech. �That should give me time to get some ground units in to eliminate them all together. �Hopefully all but 1 Russian inf will be gone by Mongolia after this turn while my navy parks it in the phillippines with 0 chance of losing to the us navy for at least a couple turns. �Germany should be around 90 ipc with 17 Russian ipc after taking the capital on G6. Should be able to threaten London in a couple turns. �Italy is at 14 ipc and just buying inf to solidify capital from any attacks.

Sounds like you’ve got it in the Pacific, but maybe a you’re little hemed down in Europe, do you guys keep the table setup and just continue the game on later days?

[elevenjerk]

Yea, whoever is the axis gets the board at their house (since we can’t seem to win with them) that way we get a chance to plan a bit.  It is generally played over a week or so based on how busy we get.

Actually it’s the opposite, we get spanked in Japan so fast that Germany doesn’t get a chance to impose it’s power before it’s too late.  We also play till the other gives up.

[Eqqman]

@elevenjerk:

Actually it’s the opposite, we get spanked in Japan so fast that Germany doesn’t get a chance to impose it’s power before it’s too late.

Are you doing late DoWs with Japan?  It seems counter-intuitive but a Japan that attacks round 1 is better off than one that waits until round 4.  Also, be careful about squandering your air force by sending too much of it into the Asian heartland chasing after Chinese or Russians.  It does better on the coast so that it can support the navy and crush any Allied fleets that show up in the DEI.

[majikforce]

@Young:

@majikforce:

Grasshopper,� i am totally on board with a G1 russian attack.� It has worked great in our games!� We have some pretty crafty Russian players and the G1 attack has really given them pause when its R1’s turn.� I have experimented with leaving sz 110 or 111 alone both have pros and cons.� I like to build a minor in Romania G1. my buddy likes to buy a major G1.� My question for you is what/where do you build in the remaining turns to keep a steady and healthy flow of ground units to attack russia?� I would like to try the G1 attack without the factory build turn 1.� (i did notice some interesting things you do G1 that i am definitely gonna try.� Southern France and Normandy.� German Navy in the med sounds fun!!)� Keep up the good work!� I too only play by table top, nothing like the sound of dice hitting the box!

Just pulled off another successful G1 attack on Russia, and even though it was my partner snake11eyes that got the VC win in the Pacific, Germany surrounded Moscow and waged a blood bath war in the Med.

As for your question about German purchases in later rounds, this is what I tend to do with slight variances based on situation….

Round #1
1X S. Bomber (SBR)
1X Fighter (Replenishment)
1X Destroyer (@ Russian sub with planes)

Round #2
8X M. Infantry (in Germany)
1X Destroyer (@ Russian Sub with planes)
1X Fighter (Replenishment)
1X Minor IC (Romania)

Round #3
3X Infantry (Minor IC)
3X Infantry (in W. Germany)
1X S. Bomber (SBR) or 3X M. Infantry
2X Fighter (Atlantic & Med)

Round #4
3X Infantry (Minor IC)
2X T. Bomber (Atlantic & Med)
2X Destroyer (Med)
1X Aircraft Carrier (Med)

Things get unpredictable after round #4.

I like to gain the Russian Minor ICs and just build from there. I don’t like moving toward Moscow to early, because to gives the attrition odds back to Russia when I’m to far away from my production. I would rather out produce them over time while paying close attention to allied ships in the Med and Atlantic. I also make sure that I am operating with 12 or more German air units. My Philosophy when playing Germany is… You may not be able to keep the Kriegsmarine, but there is no excuse for losing the Luftwaffe.

Thanks for the response Grasshopper!  A couple more questions if you don’t mind.

1. (i totally agree about the Lufftwaffe) How do you split the air force between defending the Atlantic and attacking Russia?  i like to keep the Tacs on the Russian front and the fighters for the Atlantic wall and Strats can help both areas.

2. Do you utilize SBR on the russian factories? We have found that the earlier you try this the better chance you have of neutralizing those forward factories until you are ready to take them.

3.  I see you buy Mechs and Inf.  What are your thoughts on ART and ARMOR builds? I try to protect the tanks i start with and build enough ART to matchup with my INF.

4.  Finally what do you purchase with Italy knowing that Germany will be building some navy in the Med?

Thanks for the input!  Have fun gaming!

[majikforce]

@Eggman:

@elevenjerk:

Actually it’s the opposite, we get spanked in Japan so fast that Germany doesn’t get a chance to impose it’s power before it’s too late.

Are you doing late DoWs with Japan?  It seems counter-intuitive but a Japan that attacks round 1 is better off than one that waits until round 4.  Also, be careful about squandering your air force by sending too much of it into the Asian heartland chasing after Chinese or Russians.  It does better on the coast so that it can support the navy and crush any Allied fleets that show up in the DEI.

So true!  Beginners pay attention. This is Gospel!!

[elevenjerk]

Are you doing late DoWs with Japan?  It seems counter-intuitive but a Japan that attacks round 1 is better off than one that waits until round 4.  Also, be careful about squandering your air force by sending too much of it into the Asian heartland chasing after Chinese or Russians.  It does better on the coast so that it can support the navy and crush any Allied fleets that show up in the DEI.

I have tried multiple things on different turns and keep improving slightly each time.  Did J1 two games in a row and just kept running out of ground forces in order to protect the islands and the two mic’s i built in malaya and FIC.  Didn’t help that the epic fail I posted earlier in the thread happened with a J1 so I had to be extra aggressive in order to make up for Germany’s lack of presence.

This last game though where the G1 worked out perfectly I fully intended on a J2.  Once it came time for it though Germany looked so good that I had to give it one more turn.  I positioned myself to take at least one island, malaya, kwangtung, and shan state.  The allies ended up attacking to try and hold the burma road figuring it only holds US out one more turn of positioning and no turns of money.  I proceeded to take the territories I mentioned plus beorno on J3, and on J4 was able to take the rest of the islands. US moved to the Carolines on US 4 ( I managed to hold so anzac had to come finish the job) but my entire navy was able to get back to the Phillippines with left over ground units on the accessible islands (Java, Celebs).  With america only able to spend 52 each turn and only able to place 3 units on the pacific side, his navy had no chance against mine.

We are on  turn 8 now.  Germany should make 96 IPC.  Japan has lost one island (sumatra) but I am able to slip out to Hawaii  and snag that bonus.  US has built straight pacific navy since turn 4 so my navy can’t compete with him.  The problem for him is that he is in sz 7 so he can’t even get to my navy in sz 26.  He has another build in sz 10 but I will crush them if he tries.  That makes Japan making 62 IPC after J8.  He is two turns away from catching my navy and by then Germany will own the rest of the world I am sure:)

Sorry for the Novel.  Just really stoked to finally win with the axis.

[Young Grasshopper]

If your doing a J1 attack on the Pacific islands, you should purchase 2 minor ICs J1 and build them on the coast IMO.

I don’t buy tanks and artillery until I gain the 2 Russian minor ICs, but I use Mech Infantry from Germany to capture them fast. Round 1, I bomb the Atlantic, Round 2, I bomb the Med, and Round 3, I bomb the Russian IC (which is ussualy the extra insentive Russia needs to abandon them instead of repair them). I don’t use many air units in Russia, maybe a T. Bomber or 2 to compliment any remaining tanks, but I use at least 90% of my air force to attack allied ships in the Atlantic, Baltic, and Med

[Eqqman]

@Young:

If your doing a J1 attack on the Pacific islands, you should purchase 2 minor ICs J1 and build them on the coast IMO.

An alternative is to buy the naval base in the province next to Indochina + Transports and just shuck units in directly from Japan.  Deploying all your troops directly from the Home Islands guarantees that you’ve covered Tokyo from any USA surprises, plus you force them to cover Hawaii which will slow down their response to moves in the DEI.  With an air base later in the same spot you can keep the air force in range of Calcutta when you are ready to take it, and if an Allied fleet shows up in the DEI you have the range to attack it and land on an island.

[elevenjerk]

An alternative is to buy the naval base in the province next to Indochina + Transports and just shuck units in directly from Japan

That is exactly what I did on J2 in order to have the ability to go wherever I wanted when I chose to attack. Naval base in Kwangsi. I may have gotten another transport as well.  I believe I had about 7 or 8 around turn 5.

One issue I always have to deal with is…. the guy I play with always puts his Phillippines fighter in guam if there is no attack on J1.  That is a major headache.  It sneaks up and takes transports but there are always more important things to do than try to get him.  Can’t send just a transport cause he will scramble and wipe out all of them.  Don’t want to waste precious warships, guys, and transports to get nothing.

[BJCard]

Great, now I get beat by the Axis all the time now due to G1 attack on Russia.  How best to counter this?

[Young Grasshopper]

@BJCard:

Great, now I get beat by the Axis all the time now due to G1 attack on Russia.  How best to counter this?

You should create a new topic with the title “How to counter Grasshopper’s G1”  8-)

[BJCard]

Lol, I did create a new threat about stopping a G1 attack, just not necessarily yours.  Maybe you could lead some insight to it?

[orania]

6 Infantry, 2 Artillery, from S.Germany into Slovakia

How about using those to strafe Yugo for 1 round and then retreat into: Slovakia.

Does Italy need this help?
What are the loss / kill chances?

[manstein39]

@orania:

6 Infantry, 2 Artillery, from S.Germany into Slovakia

How about using those to strafe Yugo for 1 round and then retreat into: Slovakia.

Does Italy need this help?
What are the loss / kill chances?

It’s a common practice, but if you are attacking Russia round 1, you can’t take the chance that you accidentally score 5 hits and conquer Yugo since you need those units for counter attacks on G2.

[Young Grasshopper]

@manstein39:

@orania:

6 Infantry, 2 Artillery, from S.Germany into Slovakia

How about using those to strafe Yugo for 1 round and then retreat into: Slovakia.

Does Italy need this help?
What are the loss / kill chances?

It’s a common practice, but if you are attacking Russia round 1, you can’t take the chance that you accidentally score 5 hits and conquer Yugo since you need those units for counter attacks on G2.

Correct, Italy can easily take Yugoslavia on their own round 2 or 3 without Germany spreading thin by strafing G1.