What to do with the Italians

[corporal]

In our Global games if Germany ignores the Med. then Italy usually gets crushed. One game that Italy did well was when Germany built 3carrers in S. France along with an airbase there. Im thinking
of leaving Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece for the Italians in our next game. Any other good ideas the info would be much appreciated

[KaLeu]

I’d say that Italy needs some German help in the Med, but the question is, how much exactly. Three carriers and an air base seems like a lot of German money not spent on fighting Russia. Any planes based on those carries would also find it difficult to make as much impact on the Eastern front as they would normally do.
Germany may send a few of its planes to Southern Italy to scramble against the UK attacking the Italian fleet, or to sink the French fleet if Italy can’t do that.

Bulgaria - I’d normally prefer to have it as Germany and use that infantry against Russia. Yugoslavia is another matter, because Germany can strafe it from Southern Germany on G1, plus one inf from Rumania, and retreat all units to Romania after one round of fighting. That’s a pretty common maneuver to get those units to the Russian front quickly. Italy can then take the weakened Yugoslavia. As for Greece, I prefer to take it with Italy because it’s unattractive to divert German units there.

Gibraltar is important of course - try to hold it for as long as possible to keep the US out of the Mediterranean.

[elevenjerk]

I prefer to leave it all for Italy.  Most cases Africa will be lost quickly.  This helps keep Italy’s income around 12 ipcs.  Early on I like to build tanks and mech to can open for Germany.  A little later just buy inf to make sure the capital doesn’t get taken and hope Germany did it’s job.  I don’t pay much attention to Gibraltar unless I don’t allow us in till round 3 or 4.  Even if you hold it US subs can still go through and wreak havoc on income.  Every time I have tried to build an Italian navy it never gets used too effectively and it’s never enough to withstand a us attack.  Just a waste.

[BJCard]

It really all depends on the Brits.  If they do Taranto and get good rolls, then kiss Africa goodbye unless Germany helps with air.  On the other hand, if the Brits don’t do Taranto or they get bad rolls, then it may be on in the Med.

[elevenjerk]

Even then it will only be a few turns.  I just prefer to spend the money on ground units to can open.  Sometimes some air to get any sneaky transports and have some good defense in the capital.

I always forget to mention that we don’t play VC wins.  We play till surrender.  That changes strategies quite a bit.  Can’t just bum rush cities for a quick axis win, you actually have to win the war.

[BJCard]

I have had games where the Brits took their med fleet to the Pacific to fight Japan; This allows Italy to run amuck- getting to the 40+ IPC/turn range.

[Spendo02]

The only help I give Italy with Germany these days is a Ftr to scramble against the UK attack against the Italian BB on UK1

[corporal]

In most of our games the UK goes heavy on airpower and an airbase in Gibraltar.  I think the UK has to put the heat on Italy and not just let them go. We played a game today and i pretty much gave up on Africa but took Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Greece with the Italians. I even had Italian units in W. Ukraine and controlled a couple territories in USSR. I had the Germans pushing well into Russia and  threatening the Caucasus and have a major complex in Romania. Ontop of that a nice fleet of 5 transports a carrier and destroyer there along with an airbase in Romania gives me some options.

[Guest]

If Uk is focusing on the med which they normally will. IMO the best thing Italy can do is grab yugo, greece and bulgaria, then build air units and with a few german planes keep the med empty and collect that NO keeping you around 20-25 income. But as in all games your opponents moves and reactions constantly change things.

[Kreuzfeld]

Think its better to leave yugo for germany, that way the germans can build the airbase there and a factory, letting the help with the control of the adriatic and able to build directly into the italian main fleet.

I also prefer getting bulgaria for the italians, those 4 infs are valuable as canopeners, that way the italians can commit less to the eastern front.

[Spendo02]

I always liked the Bulgarian addition to Italy.  Those 4 Inf are useful, but it sort of commits Italy to covering Romania for German advances in the North which generally means a stream of Mech coming from N.Italy to Romania.