In our games, we have taken to buying a third fighter in Calcutta. This seems to deter the Strategic Bombing raid on Calcutta J2; odds are 40% both bombers survive, 13% both bombers die, so mostly one gets through.
It is surprising how difficult this makes it for Japan to take down Calcutta. Do others out there feel that it is still worthwhile to roll the dice and attack Calcutta against the odds? Even if you buy a third bomber J1, it can’t join the attack until J3, where most likely it will be a replacement second bomber and still rolling against the odds. Do you then hold off bombing Calcutta until J4 when you can have 4 bombers and maybe deter the defending interceptors or at least be slightly ahead against them.
I might consider buying 1 fighter, 1 transport UKP1 before I bury myself in infantry and artillery.
I don’t reckon the transport is worth it. I used to do that but it is too easy for Japan to take the money islands back and also sink the transport. Unless you are thinking of doing something different with it?
I don’t reckon the transport is worth it. I used to do that but it is too easy for Japan to take the money islands back and also sink the transport. Unless you are thinking of doing something different with it?
You’re probably right, could easily get 1 infantry and 1 artillery for that remaining 7 IPCs
I think you’ll find that this moves makes UK Pacific a much more viable power.
You’ll still no doubt get players that roll the dice for the 40% odds though. If that happens, I’d be thinking of flying the 3 ANZAC fighters to India. The one starting in Queensland can make Malaya on turn one, combined with the UK Tac Bomber might survive a J2 assault. I guess it depends a lot on what can be thrown at it though. 3 full carriers and 3 full transports would be enough to take down the 4inf and 2 planes.
I don’t reckon the transport is worth it. I used to do that but it is too easy for Japan to take the money islands back and also sink the transport. Unless you are thinking of doing something different with it?
I prefer sending Calcutta’s starting TT to Persia on UK1 with an INF and ART.
I liberate Iraq from its Pro-Axis ways on UK2.
I return to Calcutta with 4 victorious Brits on UK3, just before Japan closes off my harbor.
Theoretically you can get up 7 units to Calcutta before Japan closes off the harbor if you buy a TT, INF and ARM and place them in South Africa on UK1.
And, going forward London can start diverting income to a minor IC in Persia if you so chose to further create problems for the Japanese.
However, I have yet to find a strong strategy to stopping a KIF by Japan that places minor IC along the coast. The Persia IC is more to fly FTR to Moscow than anything else. And, it helps with Italy if they get too big for their britches.
I prefer sending Calcutta’s starting TT to Persia on UK1 with an INF and ART.
I use the one from the Med with an art only and leave the Indian one for claiming Sumatra, although a J1 DOW can cause a rethink to that. Perhaps go to Java instead and be reinforced by ANZAC? My normal opponent uses a J2 DOW.
I’m guessing you use the Med TT to take down the Ethopian troops.
I use the one from the Med with an art only and leave the Indian one for claiming Sumatra, although a J1 DOW can cause a rethink to that. Perhaps go to Java instead and be reinforced by ANZAC? My normal opponent uses a J2 DOW.
I’m guessing you use the Med TT to take down the Ethopian troops.
I find having both TT off of Persia to be a more flexible option, so I bring an INF and ART from both Calcutta and Egypt to Persia on UK1’s NCM.
They can still get back to Cairo, can liberate Iraq, can address the Italians south of Cairo, or I can simply start a ferry back and forth to Calcutta if I build an IC in Persia. Lots of options and makes me less predictable by my opponent (who always will J1 DOW).
Solid idea. Nice to do something different for India.
UkP 1 fighter purchase is great idea. Of course once Japan has Yunnan Or Shan or Burma intercepting is generally outgunning yourself. The fighter also creates a little extra counter pressure particularly if you send to your tact to Africa or Middle East. I always get an IC in Persia and try to get some land units to make up for it.
Who bothers to Strat bomb India? I mean, why? If Japan puts forth any effort at all, UKPacific is making about 6 a round.
Strat bomb Calcutta = far fewer UK units to deal with. We all know the trouble with taking India is getting enough land units to compete with UK land units. Strategic bombing Calcutta turn 2 3 4and maybe more is really going to halt progress in UK buildup making it a lot easier to take. The best bombings are done early when UK P still has the money.
@Charles:
Of course once Japan has Yunnan Or Shan or Burma intercepting is generally outgunning yourself.
Yes. But you can delay strat bombing until J4. Being able to invest in ground units tends to be enough to prevent Japan from being able to base fighters at Yunnan or Shan State; the best plan for strat bombing I think is buying 2 bombers J2 which can run with the two starting from China or FIC on J4. Or perhaps escorting the bombers with carrier based fighters.
Indeed, by J4 a fourth fighter could be obtained, either from Africa, ANZAC or purchased.
@Shin:
Who bothers to Strat bomb India? I mean, why? If Japan puts forth any effort at all, UKPacific is making about 6 a round.
As CDG said, if you have India down to 6 per round that is still nearly two inf per round you are reducing Calcutta by. Calcutta being a viable force makes it harder to take down Shan State and Malaya as well.
J1 DOW, take FIC and Kwangtung.
J2 place Minor IC on both FIC and Kwangtung.
J3 Mechs
J4 Armor
J5 Attack if odds are good
J6 Attack with better odds and multiple ARM left to move to the Middle East.
Allies have a hard time dislodging those two IC and they provide support to turn off China while also being able to be in position rather quickly to supplement the siege on Calcutta.
I actually go for 3 minors with a J1 placement in Kiangsu as well - because the strategic ability to seal off China at Jehol is rather valuable with the Russians / US moving into Manchuria / Korea.
In the long run its cheaper to build on the mainland than try to protect SZ 6 from the US (or break a US blockade) and in addition, placing ships at FIC or Kwangtung really pushes back ANZAC / the US from the DEI and Flip.
Since discovering these placements via Grasshopper’s Japan walkthroughs, I have rarely had issue to SBR Calcutta. Sometimes, I even leave Calcutta sieged without taking it right away because they cannot break out and simply leave SS to convoy what few IPC they can collect.
Sometimes its better to go for ANZAC’s throat or a decisive naval win in the Pacific because the Allies are racing to catch up and leave themselves exposed trying to protect / secure Calcutta. Those minors will eventually produce enough ARM that you don’t even need to use your airpower to defeat them, so putting them to use to decisively secure the Pacific from the US Navy is worth the wait.
Like… who really cares about 5 IPC when you’re making 60+ and can put ANZAC on its heels because you immediately turn around and sink naval purchases and it only has 4 INF and two turns to purchase ARM to try to protect Sydney?
J5/J6 attacks, are they on Calcutta? Are you bypassing the troops at Yunnan via land, and if so what stops them from blocking at Burma?
With the minor IC purchases, Yunnan is yours no later than J4. You’re adding 6 Mech from the J3 purchase to the battle alone - not counting whatever survived the battles as you cornered China.
UK can of course make it more expensive to take by sending units to Yunnan, but it really makes no sense when Japan can skip right around via TT due to the minor in FIC being in the same SZ as Malaya which you should be able to take on J4.
Emptying Calcutta is a terrible idea to save Yunnan 9 times out of 10. Even staging on Burma is bad because - yes you can retake Calcutta, but with the amount of units piling up in Yunnan, Japan can just take a turn later - and possibly without planes being used at all because you’ll have 6 ARM to pair up with TAC which frees up FTR to reposition for your next advance.
Income from Calcutta falling is irrelevant to Japan, so running Japan I would prefer crushing UK units at Yunnan (closer to both IC) than having to wait an extra turn to send a kitchen sink at Calcutta to secure the VC. I’ll let ARM and a few TAC finish off whatever you place after losing Yunnan.
J4 for Yunnan is about right, but in my last game my opponent evacuated to Burma with 20+ troops. I didn’t have the army to fight through that. Didn’t have the transports to sail around it.
Always learned its invaluable to keep those TT around and positioned to threaten Calcutta to keep him cornered.
If you are coming via sea, it’s pretty important to keep those unit numbers in India (Calcutta) down. Once you have Yunnan secure you can escort the bombers. But what is USSR doing up north while you’re doing all this? I’m guessing they’re coming down in a fair bit of force and liberating Chinese territories.
If you are coming via sea, it’s pretty important to keep those unit numbers in India (Calcutta) down. Once you have Yunnan secure you can escort the bombers. But what is USSR doing up north while you’re doing all this? I’m guessing they’re coming down in a fair bit of force and liberating Chinese territories.
Another reason why a Shantung or Kiangsu IC is good.
