A UK IC in Egypt?

[Upside-down_Turtle]

Thoughts?

[dondoolee]

If you can think of a way it is even remotly plausable I would love to hear it.

[axis_roll]

Well it all depends on what Germany does.
Did they attack Egypt on G1?
Did they bring units to libya?
Did they leave units in range to pick-up and attack on G2 (sz14 tpt)?

If so, probably not a good idea.

If not, then Russia should buy a ftr on R1 and move at least 1 inf to persia.

Now Japan has a say about the UK IC in Egypt.
If there’s more than 1 transport load of 2 inf and a loaded a/c in range (more tpts in sz37, CA, etc…)  Then it might not be too good of an idea.

The IC has to withstand an Italian softening, a G2 attack AND Japans follow-up.  Only getting help (against the Japanese J2 attack) in the form of 1 russia ftr and maybe a russia tank that was moved to persia on R1.

Most axis players won’t let the UK Egypt IC last.

[wally]

Depends on who you are playing I suppose. I play with a friend who never does much with Africa as the Axis, so it would be worth trying, but if I was playing as the Axis (As I usually am) I would have that complex on Italys 2 or 3 at the latest.

[Upside-down_Turtle]

yup, pretty much a free-bee for the axis.

[Historybuff]

In most cases I would have to say no to an IC in Egypt beacause it is taken so fast.  I would recomend an IC in south africa instead.

[Upside-down_Turtle]

maybe once you took back Egypt, it could help vs Italy.  Just drop two destroyers in the Med.

[Upside-down_Turtle]

I’m playing a 1942 game against my younger brothers (16 and 12) right now.  I’m Allies, they’re Axis.  We’re all new at the game.  Needless to say, they’re not nearly as aggressive as me, so I built an IC in Egypt on turn 1.  It’s still a risky gamble, but I feel Africa is mine.  I’ll update later.

[Upside-down_Turtle]

Axis failed to kill both Atlantic and Pacific fleets, allowing me to pincer Italian fleet.  Axis played horribly.  In a 13VC game, I won on UK2 by taking both France and Italy.  Egyptian IC wasn’t even used.

[Omega]

But it isn’t a relevant data if you are playing against inexperienced players.

Egypt should never be considered a safe place to put an IC.

The only way you could possibly hold it is by abandoning India and pray that your units make it to Egypt before Italy/Germany take it. You also need American support, that is the only way of keeping Egypt.

[Upside-down_Turtle]

@Omega:

But it isn’t a relevant data if you are playing against inexperienced players.

Egypt should never be considered a safe place to put an IC.

The only way you could possibly hold it is by abandoning India and pray that your units make it to Egypt before Italy/Germany take it. You also need American support, that is the only way of keeping Egypt.

I totally agree.  Egypt IC is totally useless.

[Commando Brado]

Building a IC in Egypt for either Germany or the UK is useless. The UK IC will be taken by the Axis and the Axis IC in Egypt, Germany/Italy will spend all their efforts defending it.

The only IC’s I’ve seen work for either side are : a IC in Union of S. Africa for the British. Take a while to mobolize but in a longer game, it starts to pay dividends later in game. Although, you can make an argument that the extra IPC’s against Germany also pay dividends and much sooner.

And of course the Japanese IPC’s. I think most everyone would agree that at least 1 IC for Japan is in order, possibly two. But, it depends on what the US players does. If the US players comes after Japan and aborts KGF, then I think it makes sense for Japan to build 1 IC and build trans to help put units on Asia and defend it’s valuable islands.

[KindWinds]

Egypt is a very key battle infact I have seen games won or lost here if the axis win it that has been game if the allies win it that has been game.  At any rate and a germ IC or Italian IC or Japan IC there is pretty evil but then again so it a UK IC.

[Woodstock]

I have bought an IC twice in Egypt, once with UK, once with Germany.

The German was placed there on G2 IIRC. By round 4, there were american and british forces coming in from the west, and a big ass american fleet from the east, that managed to sneak by the japanese.
The only way it can hold now (the game is still going) is with excessive Japanese protection, who at the same time needs to defend it’s IC’s in India and FIC.
Russia is almost falling to Japan’s tanks, but that was not thanks to the German IC. So…so far…the German IC merely seemed like a distraction to the Allies, and not a valuable addition to the Axis attack force.

In the other game, Germany didn’t attack Egypt. So I though, ow, what the hell, let’s give it a go, and dumped a british IC there.
It fell to the japanese on turn 2, thanks to a 1-2 action with the Italians. (Italians attacked, all UK and Italian forces got killed, and Japan just swooped in a transport with 2 INF).
Luckily, it was reclaimed on UK2 with a tank that landed in Morocco and the british bomber, costing me te bomber to have the tank survive.
And now, with T3 starting, it still is vulnerable to an italian attack. (Japanese are spread too thin now, so no land unit can reach it) I can repel the first italian attack I hope, but if Italy and Japan put their effort in it, it will fall again in T4 probably.

So…again…the IC is merely a distraction, this time to the Axis. Granted, both Italy and Japan have to focus heavily on it if they want it now, so they don’t have much to much equipment at other theatres (for Siberia, India, China it looks rather good so far) and Italy is still stuck in the balkans, reduced to 9 IPC, and only a battleship and 2 tp’s left.

[Twigley]

I think that an allied IC is worth it in Egypt. But obviously is a distraction in terms of its defence. If the Allies put an IC there, and land significant forces in morocco then what are the axis really going to do?

The brits start off with 43 IPCs anyway - they can spare the 15 if it draws axis attention away. I would be less happy in the 1942 scenario - but this one it doesn’t strike me as a problem.

The axis have limited funds - make them spread 'em. Every unit that goes to Africa is not on the eastern front, and a competent allied player (i think) should be able to bleed the axis dry in North Africa…

[atarihuana]

it depends. in KGF it probably is useless. but if america goes pacific and uk lands in ALG trn2, LYB trn 3, EGY trn 4….  at what time does japan get an IC in India again?
the point is if you can force japan to spend enough money on boats to defend there highcash islands, and at the same time meet him with the brits on land in Persia, you take a lot of pressure from caucasus. once you are strong enough in the med you place the factory, and start retaking norway and finland which germany has probably just retaken.

[Pvt.Patterson]

I like a late in the game IC’c in Egypt if things are going well.
The last game I played Germany put up an IC in France and was battled to a halt at the russian fronter. Italy did not renforce Afrika that much so in UK 4 I dumped all the forces that should have gone to France in Afrika, The IC  made it nearly impossoble to take and there were about 12 Inf 4 tanks or so and fighters. By this time the Italian fleet fled the Med and threated India leaving the rest of Afrika to be moped up by a very stong UK force. Then Gremay started to make a Navy so I need the navy back at home so to make a good defnce position I made an IC in India and Egypt in turn 6 when my Landing army got there. I really like an IC in that area so you can get what you cant fit on the trasports into the action in a hurry. Like if you lose a good bit of you fleet you dont need to wait the extra two turns to get new ships for the homeland.