@wittmann:
Unlucky PP. Might mean you have to consider an Allied bid. I can’t remember how I react to its failure (after the screams and spilt drinks). Has been a while since I played. Sorry I can’t suggest a UK2. Did Japan build a Factory and where?
Only my third game, my dear wittman, and the Allies won the second. It was the dice rolls “what done it” for the Allies in turn 1. We’ll see how the game as a whole pans out, despite the fantastic luck the Axis had.
Last game I got the UK fleets off India & Australia round into the Atlantic, which is feeling better than the SZ37 raid at the moment. To do SZ37 I combined the UK forces in SZ35 & 39 - excl the Carrier - that’s an attack value of 11 / 4 units vs a defence value of 16 / 4 units. I count a b/ship as 6 until someone tells me better. Felt like a disaster waiting to happen, but persevered regardless - the best way to learn is to do it. Just fed those into AACALC and got 14% chance of a UK victory. If I throw the UK Carrier in that only goes up to 24%, so that’s not it. The only other missing element I can see is the UK fighter in Egypt, which brings it up to 55%. Still not great odds (much worse than I would usually take unless desperate) so I guess it’s only worth considering if the Egypt fighter is still available?
J did not build a factory, which I think about every time I play, but in the last 2 games J took India in turns 4 & 5, so have not deviated from pouring IPCs into materiel I can bring into play from Japan, plus transports.
The problem with playing solo as I am is you get stuck in various ruts. That’s why I was so determined to try SZ37. I am sure you will deploy all sorts of tricks and stratagems to grind me into the ground when we play! Grrr!