Yak Attack

[Guest]

Well, I had planned on using this in the Tournament, and started to against Sankt but never got to fully test the concept…  I have tenatively named it Yak Attack, for the YAK Fighter.

In R1, Russia opens with a buy of 3 INF, 1 ARM, 1 FIG.  They attack Belorussia and West Russia HEAVY (a large WR Stack), except 1 INF from Archangel reserved to move to Karelia in NCM as a “blitz blocker”.  They move their Kaz troops to Caucuses, Novo to Sink, Evenk and Yak to Novo, and their SFE and Bury to Yakut.  FIGs land in Caucuses.  3 INF, 1 FIG placed in Caucuses, 1 ARM in Russia.

UK builds AC, moves FIGs to it, and builds a TRN and INF.
USA builds an IC in Sinkiang and TRNs for the Atlantic.

In R2, Russia builds 6 INF and a FIG (assuming all went well in Bel and WR).  The ARM from the R1 buy goes to Sink or Yak as needed to serve as offesnive punch to counter Japan advances.  The FIGs are reserved for use in Europe as offesnive punch and defensive strnegth.  And in each subsequent round, Russia buys an additional YAK Fighter (in keeping with the mass production of YAKs in the early 40’s), the rest mostly INF, perhaps the occasional ART or ARM.  Figure 5 INF and a FIG per round, and an ART or ARM a round.

UK lands in Norway, and bridges to Norway then moves to Karelia, shielding Russia in the North.  Russia stacks Caucuses, and trades Ukraine using massed INF and their increasing number of FIGs.  USA holds back on USA1, building TRNs and moving their fleet to the Atlantic, then makes a massive forward push into Algeria and threatening Southern.  They build FIGs then FIG/ARM in Sinkiang, supported by Russian INF that is moving in on R1 (2 from Novo), R2 (2 from Evenk, 2 from Yak) and R3 (2 from SFE, 2 from Bury) as well as 1 (or more) Russian tanks.

Russia, after a USA softening, breaks through the Japan front and raids in the Japan costal territories, breaking the Japan offensive as mid-game approaches.  USA finishes unleashing her initial TRN run with offloads either to Southern or Western (if weak), or into Norway for increased pressure on the German north (a few units remain in Africa, some moved to FWA, to preserve UK income).  Russia is trading German territories and is net positive income in Europe, and UK just keeps dumping units into Norway, with their TRNs protected by a loaded AC, BB, Russian SUB, and US DSTs (and later a US BB)

It leaves North Asia vulnerable (though Russia can quickly counter in Novo from Sinkiang and Russia), and MAY be weak in protecting the Southern Asia prong.  Countrary to initial thoughts, it does NOT let Germany concentrate its strength in Central Europe due to the ongoing threat from massed Allied TRNs that force defense of Western and Germany.

Thoughts?  Feedback?  Comments?

[frimmel]

I think that if you try to do more than hold on in Singkiang you will get INF starved in the East both for Russia and for the US. It does up the time table the Japs will be dealing with I would think and may keep them from any harrassing of LA and WCAN which may free up some INF for US. Maybe FTR, INF for the US builds in China or FTR, FTR depending on how many Russaia can spare? Let the Soviets supply the INF? Of course if the Gerry fleet is making any threat of a break out and link up in the Atlantic that is out the window cause the US will have to sink the Singkiang complex and units into boats.
Were I Japan in such a case I would hold the line in Manchuria and get everything going to that complex. Both becasue of its threat to me and my eagerness  to build tanks on Moscow’s doorstep. You could not allow any build up like that to go on, even if it lets UK keep India for awhile. Would you just be focusing Japan’s gameplan? Hold the line in Manchuria and FIC and get to the complex.

[tcnance]

look at my last game vrs malus, very similar to what you are trying to do, except i stopped when russia got to 4 figs, it worked very well allied victory in round 8 i think by surrender

[jsp4563]

I’m a fan of the Russian fighter build.  Next time I play the allies I plan on using a strategy similar to yours:

R1
Russia buys 1 fgt, 2 tnks, 1 art. Attacks W. Russia w/ 2 inf (Karellia) 3 inf, 1 tnk (Archangel), 3 inf & 1 art from Russia.  Attacks Ukraine w/ 2 inf, 1 art, 1 tnk (Caucasus) 1 tnk, 1 fgt (Russia), 1 fgt (Karellia).  NCM 2 inf (Yakut) 2inf (SFE) to Bury; 2 inf (Evenki) 1 tnk (Russia) to Yakut; 2 inf (Novo) 1 fgt (Ukraine) to Sink; 2 inf (Kazakh) 1 fgt (Ukraine) to Caucasus.  Sub to SZ2.  Build 1 fgt 2 tnk 1 art in Caucasus. Russia collects $29 (up W. Russia & Ukraine).

UK buys 1 IC 5 Inf.  Attacks Norway 1 tnk (E. Can) 1 tnk 2 inf (UK) via SZ3.  If no Ger naval build attack Baltic fleet with 2 fgt/Bom. Dest attacks Jap trn in SZ59.  2 inf (india) plus carrier fgt take borneo, aussie sub attacks jap sub in solomons.  NCM CV to borneo land plane.  Baltic fgt to W. Russia, bom to UK, Persian inf to India.  Aussie trn + 2inf west to sz30.  Build IC in India, 5 inf in UK.  UK collects $35 (up Norway, Borneo down Egypt).

US buys 1 IC, 1 CV, 1 Trn, 1 inf.  No attacks (PH fleet was destroyed).  NCM 1 dest 2 trn 2 inf 1 art 1 tnk to brazil.  1 fgt (Hawaii) 1 fgt (W. US) 1 Bom (E. Us) to Bury.  1 dest (Panama) 1 fgt (E.US) to W. US SZ55. 2 inf C. US to W. Canada. Build 1 IC in Sink, 1 CV W. US SZ55, 1 trn E. US SZ10, 1 inf E. US.  US collects $40 (down china).

On R2 Russian sub will move to SZ6 to block any German Baltic Fleet, if India was taken during J1 russia will counter attack with forces from Caucasus (at most there will only be 2 Jap Inf) allowing UK to build in India on their next turn, Possible attack on Manchuria 6 inf (Bury) 1 tnk (Yakut) 1 fgt (Sink) or fortify Bury + 2 inf from Yakut. I continue to purchase 1 fgt & inf for russia trading Ukraine & Bellorussia.

UK2 fgts from W. Russia land in India, more troops to Norway, 3 unit buy for india the rest spent in the North Sea.

US2 ferry troops to FWA via brazil, naval build in W. US for R3 strike on the solomons, R4 strike on DEI, borneo or Philippines. Fgts & Bom (Bury) to Sink, 2 unit build in Sink.

I welcome any thoughts, comments or (ughh) criticisms.

[frimmel]

I will give FTRs to take your complex with the FIC INF if you only leave one INF in India with the complex. Even if I can’t hold it.

[jsp4563]

There are 2 inf in India (1 original 1 from persia), you may take india but at best you will only have 2 inf (from FIC) after J1.  On Russia2 I can attack with at most 2 tnks 2 fgts liberating India for a UK build on UK2 plus the 2 UK fgts from w. russia.  Meanwhile you will have to had to delay a battle elswhere (China, retaking borneo, Pearl Harbor, Bury, or UK ships in borneo, kwangtung, solomons, & SZ30).

[bebo II]

I have yet to try a fighter build with Russia, but accidentally found a good strat that can work.  In my last game against Octopus, I used Armor based in Ukraine, Caucasus, or West Russia, with a few infantry around Novo, to counter any Japanese advance that wasn’t backed up by significant infantry.  The key was having a large RAF (10-11 Fighters for most of UK 5-10) and being able to land 4-5 FIG in Sinkiang or wherever Russia had countered.  If Japan only has 2-5 INF in China, for example, they are not going to attack 2-4 INF, 4-6 ARM, and 4-5 UK FIG, no matter how much airforce is within range.  The advantage is leaving the original 2 USSR FIG for trading Belo and Ukraine, and holding the territory taken from Japan instead of trading, saving precious Russian infantry, slowing the Japanese advance a turn each time, and denying them some income.  The armor can be back on the Eastern Front before Germany can exploit their absence.

This is a variation on a very frustrating lowluck technique used against me at Flames of Europe.  With 8-9 Russian Armor, the Allied player would strafe any stack of 5-10 INF Japan brought to Persia or Novo, bringing just enough attack points to kill all but one infantry, and bringing along just enough Russian infantry to absorb losses.

[bebo II]

But to be on topic, and comment on Switch’s proposed theory, I see promise but maybe a problem.  Russia does not have to buy all infantry early on, and just one or two extra fighters give a lot of extra offensive options for countering Japan.  But combined with a Sinkiang IC (the only way the strat really pushes Japan back as opposed to holding them off) I feel there will not be enough heat on Germany in the form of Allied boots on the ground in Europe/Africa.  The UK idea is right on, making Norway stronger and stronger and eventually taking Karelia strong.  The USA, however, would have significantly less transports and land units to use against Germany (10-20 IPC’s a turn spent on armor and fighters in Sinkiang?  plus the initial 15 IPC’s?).  If the USA 1 IC replaces the Atlantic AC, the Allies will not be strong enough to split their fleets for several turns, at least until the USA BB makes its way from San Francisco Bay.  If Germany has purchased the AC on G1, it may not be until turn five or six until the British can be safe on their own around Norway and the USA can be safe in SZ 12.  This slowing of the African assault gives Germany many extra IPC’s, that can be used to great effect on the Eastern Front if they can stack strong before the Allies get their act together.  I guess the idea is that Japan’s Moscow march gets slowed more than the Allied crusade on the Third Reich.  I would have liked to see how this played out against a quality opponent like Sankt, what’s with all these tourney guys punking out? :wink:

[88 Millimeter]

Switch- an issue I see with it as well is Africa. It seemed as though most of your support went immediately north, without unloading early in Africa to clean it up. If German and follow up Japanese forces get rooted in Africa, it may affect the game enough to make it an economic war- with the balance slightly in the Axis’ favor due to the loss of most of Africa.

If you had foreseen this and planned for it in your strat, what specifically would you do?

As an aside, a house rule I sometimes use allows Russia to potentially develop Yak Fighters later in the game- 7 IPCs, attack on a 3, defend on a 2, but can attack land units only -an attempt to capture the essence of the Yak- a heavily armored, slow but devastating ground attack aircraft (but terrible in air-to-air combat and therefore can only attack or defend against ground units). They’re excellent for trading territories, and cost effective.

[Guest]

In terms of Africa…

It is a matter of what Germany and Japan are doing there.

If Germany is heavilly invested in Africa, then leave that first load (4 TRns worth) in Africa.  Those 8 divisions of INF, ART and ARM should counter Germany pretty nicely… even leave 1 TRN behind to shuttle some of those units to southern Africa (hop below the Sahara) to further slow Germany, or re-take territory.  Then the TRNs go back to the US to re-load.  You still hit Europe in USA4 HEAVY doing it that way, and you are still slowing Germany in G3 and G4 due to the threat to Southern and Western from your fleet in SZ12.

By taking Norway heavy and making Germany fight for Karelia, you are further crippling Germany… down 3 in Norway, and making the 2 for Karelia a battle instead of a freebie.  Again, the UK (and later combined allied) fleet off UK makes Germany have to consider threats in Western, Germany, Eastern, Norway, Karelia and Archangel.  With US heavy in Africa, that is more Germany forces being pulled out of Europe.

As I said, I have not had a chacne to play this out.  But the numbers appear to work.  Germany is still out IPC’d by more than 2-1, and Japan is effectively out IPC’d as well.

And remember, US FIGs in Sinkiang can reach a lot of Europe, and ARM there can reach Caucuses or Persia in a single round…

[88 Millimeter]

I agree- the first load of Allied troops should be able to clean things up. Combined with a British move from India into Egypt, it’s a pincer in N Africa that should keep Germany’s economy manageable. And Britain ends up with the 2 IPCs in N Africa rather than the U.S.- Britain needs the money more…

As an aside Switch- I noticed in your most recent game with Bebo that on G1 you bring an artillery rather than an armor from S Europe. I’ve always brought the armor to give greater mobility on G2- does your move presuppose that the Allied player will go after Egypt, so that you don’t lose 2 armor? Or is it to have a greater armored punch in Europe? Or a bit of both? Just wondering… always looking for ways to improve my strats.

[Guest]

The ART with the INF is the same offesnive punch for the first attack in Egypt.  And in general, if UK wants to, they will usually re-take Egypt, so it does save an ARM that way, and yes, it is an extra ARM in Europe… especially if I lose the one in Ukraine (which I usually do)