Germany playbook: overall strategy guide

[internationalaw]

Current state of Europe. I’m Axis. It is US4 turn.

[internationalaw]

Africa/Med

[pokemaniac]

International law

I’m not as experienced as some other players on here, but at first glance you are toast. By my count, Russia collected 70+ IPCs last turn and you aren’t really in a position to push them back, especially with the US threat to your west. Meanwhile, Germany is collecting somewhere around 45 IPCs and Italy is somewhere between 10 and 15. Russia also seems to have a stronger force on the border. USA will liberate London in a few turns because you will have to spend almost everything to protect the homeland from an angry bear. Once the UK is operating, if Russia is still in German territories, the Axis have lost in Europe and the US can go full pacific.

Basically, if Japan isn’t ready to get a VC win in the next few turns, just throw in the towel.

[Cow]

buy strait inf and arty from here on out. Losing london is fine as long as you are able to push back the Russians.

You will be fine. As long as your Japan is doing well.

[internationalaw]

That’s good to hear, and that is what I purchased last turn as well (Inf & Art). Should I try to hold Paris?

One thing I did notice is that Russia is not replenishing their infantry which can end up hurting their progress.

Italy is always hard for me to figure out, not sure which direction to go. I think I’m going to either help in saving Paris or move some men in GSG.

Last but not least, I think I’m going to get some Japanese forces into the M.E. next turn and possibly even a IC.

Can you put an IC on newly captured territory?

[ItIsILeClerc]

In general:
If Germany goes Sea Lion but will be kicked out again while Russia hits 50+ income for a while and Japan is in no shape to get a 6VC win, the Axis should indeed wave the white flag.

Italy can be some sort of wildcard.
If Italy is able to capture the ME and Africa the game may be interesting enough to play out.

@internationalaw:

That’s good to hear, and that is what I purchased last turn as well (Inf & Art). Should I try to hold Paris?

One thing I did notice is that Russia is not replenishing their infantry which can end up hurting their progress.

Italy is always hard for me to figure out, not sure which direction to go. I think I’m going to either help in saving Paris or move some men in GSG.

Last but not least, I think I’m going to get some Japanese forces into the M.E. next turn and possibly even a IC.

Can you put an IC on newly captured territory?

On newly captured territories worth >1IPC, you can put a minor IC (never major), just not in the same turn you captured such territory (you can only build an IC in an area that you cotrolled from start of the turn).

If Russia has stopped replenishing their INF it is still bad news for Germany if they produce (lots of) ARM and MECH. It could be good news for Germany if Russia builds too much aircraft which are bad for pure defensive or offensive purposes. For example, if Germany produces 5INF + 5ART and Russia 3FTR every turn, Germany will be able to push the frontlines eastwards. Unless Russia already has too much of an arms advantage.

With Italy, think offensively early in the game, but definately defensively later on. Consider counterattacks on allied beachheads as a defensive measure also. If Italy goes on the offensive for too long, Rome usually become too easy a target (as offensives for Italy usually means building much less -but more expensive- units).

[Cow]

Oh yeah if you bomb gibraltar with italy or germany he can never repair it. So he cannot threaten very many places.

[Cow]

Dedicates too many air units. I like to have stuff to smooth over the other attacks.

[Cow]

I like young grasshopper’s a bit better. I do it with the air units a bit different.

[variance]

Cow, any advice on the idea that Germany should build NOTHING on G1 to be mysterious?

[catfishblues]

Does anyone still use a G1 Russian invasion?  I was looking through the play forum and was hardpressed to find a game.  Has this fallen out of favour?

[Shin-Ji]

I don’t think it was ever in favor for competitive games.  I’m not even any good (high Tier 3, low Tier 2), and I have stomped everyone that has tried a g1 Russia attack.

Now J1, on the other hand, is actually an excellent strategy, if you know what you’re doing.  But despite having read through this thread, I can’t see any good reason to attack RUssia on G1 except for keeping the Allies from being bored in a FtF game.

[variance]

Shin Ji is right (except that part about him not being a good player  :wink:).  G1 attacks sort of work in that you can certainly make a mad rush at Moscow and probably get it but you will never get Cairo/London if you do that.  It’s just too flimsy.  For a while I was trying it along with some dinky “give up the pacific” strategies but those all proved to be just dumb.

[Young Grasshopper]

I only do my G1 attack on Russia if I want to ensure a fun and interesting group game.

[Jennifer]

Request to sticky topic - topic stickied.

[Noll]

Hey there guys, long time!

Question: did anyone experiment with a South Africa strategy for Germany? It makes any sense?

I’m really curious about it.

[MarshmallowofWar]

Well, there are perhaps two ways that can happen early enough for it to matter:

1. Build a carrier and two transports on G1. On G2, move to sea zone 91 and take Gibraltar and Morocco), but you had better make sure that the UK can’t kill you in that sea zone (Italy had better own Algeria, meaning only UK naval units and start bombers can hit you). On G3, move to sea zone 82 and accomplish landings in Gold Coast, Nigeria, and French West Africa. On G4, amphibiously assault South Africa.
2. On G1, take Southern France. On G2, build a carrier and two transports in sea zone 93 and move sufficient forces to fill the transports to Southern France. On I2, Italy takes Gibraltar to secure passage for your fleet. On G3, move to sea zone 87 and land in French West Africa. On G4, move to sea zone 82 taking Gold Coast and Nigeria amphibiously. On G5, land in South Africa. If they’re alive, your remaining German naval units could join up with the new fleet in the Atlantic or you could hit South Africa in two waves.

The first one requires eliminating landing zones for UK aircraft that can hit sea zone 91, which requires some commitment from Italy. The second one requires much less help from Italy

Both of these require you to be able to go into the Atlantic without being threatened by the UK and US fleets. If you eliminated most of the UK fleet on G1 and the US is not yet at war, this is easy. Otherwise, not so much.

Both of these are incredibly obvious. The first gives the UK less time to prep, but the second is a bit less expected by the UK and South Africa is more likely to be weak. On the other hand, your landing force is also weaker by two ground units.

Either way you’ve taken two planes, four to six ground units, and 30 IPCs out of any attack against Russia.

A third option would be a Sea Lion build on G2, but you ignore the UK and basically do the first plan with a massive amount of transports. South Africa will surely die, but Germany will die later because so much money was spent taking Africa.

Marsh

[bigalmeacham]

question for anybody…how about this strategy with intentions of getting Italy to become viable…

buy 2 destroyers (this helps with Russian subs & defense of navy)
buy 2 transports (fake sea lion with real intention to transport units to Norway and attack Russian amphibious)

attack sz111 - bomber, 2 tacts, 2 planes, 2 subs
attack sz 91 - 2 subs
attack sz 106 - sub
attack sz 93 - bomber, tact, 2 planes

attack france
attack Yugoslavia

acquire finland
acquire Bulgaria

Also, 2nd turn take out uk fleet in sz97 after toranto…

Italy should have mare nostrum second turn…
Italy has potential of having cruiser, 2 destroyers, sub, 2 transports plus a carrier bought on second turn and potentially another plane bought (save 10 + 17 (Greece, Syria, Kenya, Tunisia, S. France)

thoughts?

[simon33]

Sorry if this is posted somewhere else in the thread, but I think you should hit Vyborg amphibiously and buy an inf and an art so you can amphibiously assault Novgorod G2. This cuts off a few more infantry on the retreat to Moscow. You also need the BB to protect the fleet.

I guess the response to that could be: submerge the USSR sub, hit the fleet USSR1 but losing some of your air force seems a loser for the USSR.

[simon33]

Here’s my playbook for a G1 DOW in BM3:

In summary - don’t leave too much in Baltic States, Leningrad forces can take them down. Be strong in E Poland.  Hit Vyborg amphibiously with 2 bombers supporting. Fight Normandy before France or Yugoslavia. It will give you a good idea if you want to strafe either. Use a tac from W Germany rather than Germany so it can reach Tobruk. Fighter from Holland attacking Normandy can reach Rome.

In detail:

Combat Move - Germans
            2 bombers moved from Germany to Vyborg
            1 artillery and 1 infantry moved from Germany to 114 Sea Zone
            1 artillery, 1 cruiser, 1 infantry and 1 transport moved from 114 Sea Zone to 115 Sea Zone
            1 battleship moved from 113 Sea Zone to 115 Sea Zone
            1 artillery and 1 infantry moved from 115 Sea Zone to Vyborg
            1 fighter moved from Norway to 111 Sea Zone
            1 artillery, 1 fighter and 1 infantry moved from Holland Belgium to Normandy Bordeaux
            3 armour, 1 artillery and 3 infantry moved from Holland Belgium to France
            1 fighter and 2 tactical_bombers moved from Western Germany to 111 Sea Zone
            1 armour moved from Romania to Yugoslavia
            2 artilleries and 3 infantry moved from Greater Southern Germany to Yugoslavia
            1 infantry moved from Greater Southern Germany to Yugoslavia
            1 armour and 2 infantry moved from Slovakia Hungary to Eastern Poland
            1 infantry moved from Romania to Bessarabia
            1 fighter moved from Slovakia Hungary to Bessarabia
            1 tactical_bomber moved from Poland to Bessarabia
            2 infantry moved from Poland to Baltic States
            1 armour moved from Poland to Eastern Poland
            3 armour moved from Greater Southern Germany to Eastern Poland
            1 tactical_bomber moved from Germany to 115 Sea Zone
            1 fighter moved from Western Germany to Baltic States
            1 artillery, 3 infantry and 4 mech_infantrys moved from Western Germany to France
            1 submarine moved from 124 Sea Zone to 111 Sea Zone
            1 submarine moved from 117 Sea Zone to 106 Sea Zone
            1 submarine moved from 108 Sea Zone to 106 Sea Zone
            1 submarine moved from 118 Sea Zone to 111 Sea Zone
            1 submarine moved from 103 Sea Zone to 91 Sea Zone
            1 infantry moved from Poland to Baltic States
            1 tactical_bomber moved from Western Germany to France

Purchase Units - Germans
            Germans buy 3 armour, 1 artillery and 2 mech_infantrys; Remaining resources: 0 PUs;

Non Combat Move - Germans
            1 fighter moved from Normandy Bordeaux to Southern Italy
            1 tactical_bomber moved from France to Tobruk
            1 tactical_bomber moved from 111 Sea Zone to Western Germany
            2 infantry moved from Denmark to Western Germany
            2 bombers moved from Vyborg to Poland
            1 fighter moved from Baltic States to Poland
            1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Bessarabia to Poland
            1 infantry moved from Romania to Bulgaria
                  Germans take Bulgaria from Neutral_Axis
            2 infantry moved from Greater Southern Germany to Slovakia Hungary
            3 aaGuns, 2 artilleries and 10 infantry moved from Germany to Poland
            1 tactical_bomber moved from 115 Sea Zone to Poland
            3 infantry moved from Norway to Finland
                  Germans take Finland from Neutral_Axis