@MeinHerr:
- Killing French DD,CRU in SZ93…allowing Italy’s Navy+Air to do other things
- Allowing the Italian BB, CRU and *most imptly * the TR to live and do something.
- Giving a chance for Ethiopians and Somali Italians to survive a round and concentrate…now they have to be hunted down…diverting UK resources
- Help Tobruk forcE survive.
Exactly what else do Italy’s navy and air force have to do that is worth sacrificing a German air unit to French ships in sea zone 93?
**It will help Italy kill off UK blockers in Malta and Greece Seazones. Removing French Navy in Med frees up the Italians. **
You still have done NOTHING to deter Taranto. The UK can do it, or not, as it pleases – the choice is not up to you. Please explain how anything you have done deters the UK from making the Taranto attack?
This depends on your definition of “deter”. Given a choice between Taranto and Keeping Egypt , which would you choose?! If it is Egypt, then you cannot do Taranto. That is what I mean as “deter” .
You wrote this earlier…." UK can have in Egypt at the end of UK1: 1 AA gun, 7 infantry, 2 artillery, one tank, one mech, one fighter, and one tactical bomber."
So, on UK1, if the FTR and TB are on Egypt, it is not possible to do Taranto, correct? Especially, if UK-CRU off Gib is sunk on G1
**If 3 German planes are lost, please remember, you did not flush down $30 in Navy… you built 2 SBRs… **
@MeinHerr:
With Tobruk and Ethiopians, Italy has option of not sacrificing them, should the German Strafe, be called off.
Since UK goes before Italy, there is time to decide, whether to go with strafe ….or not!
If not, then they can be:
A) Kept in Libya and Kenya for a future threat. As long As Italian Navy exists in strength, the potential to take Egypt /Syria/Gib remains!
If you move those forces into Alexandria on I1, enough of the German air force must land in Alexandria on G2 to deter the UK from killing those forces. If Germany does not reinforce via air, the Italian forces in Alexandria are dead. Your only choice is whether or not to move them to Alexandria.
Also, if you move to Alexandria and to Kenya (not Anglo-Egypt Sudan) your threat to take Egypt is quite empty.
Yes, if strafe is called off, then no point sacrificing them. There is no longer a threat to Egypt on I2 .But the next turn they can move back closer. The deal is that as long as the Italian Navy is there, Egypt must be manned … or else it can fall. Also any UK units moving out of the Egypt Sea Zone will be vulnerable.
If UK puts up a mIC and does not conduct Taranto, then the I1 goal will be to get the S.Fr-Greece-Gib bonus. I2 goal will be to get N. African bonus.
@MeinHerr:
C) Combo of these and Withdraw 8 units from N Africa for defense!
D) After Tunisia,Kenya is taken, can take Morocco and Algeria to get bonus and Tanganiyika to deny UK it’s NO.
By the time you get to Morocco, you will have lost Alexandria – your entire North Africa stack cannot stand against a properly executed UK1 MIC in Egypt, so exactly how is part of it going to keep Alexandria if the UK moves into that territory in force? No North Africa NO for you! Plus, the Americans will land and kill your forces in Morocco, allowing them to more rapidly move on to Normandy, Denmark, Norway, Rome, etc. rather than walking across North Africa to get to you…
Again, if Strafe is called off, Tunisia , Gib and Greece fall I-1, Morocco and Algeria fall I-2
Retreating the Italian forces from Africa is usually a good call if the US is doing KGF, as the US can put more pressure on Europe early than you can withstand without these forces. This would be especially true if a substantial amount of bid was placed in the Med.
The UK NO was taken as soon as you took Kenya…
No, if strafe called off, better for Italy to move toward central and west Africa to get as much money as possible.
@MeinHerr:
All these ties down UK resources.
Totally disagree. You are giving the UK an amazing amount of freedom by not putting pressure on it. Plus, by taking French territories that you cannot hold, you are giving the US extra income. The Allied players should actually come over to shake your hand and thank you for this!
Point is by the time US gets money and converts it to units and moves them back, it takes 4 turns. Italy gets to use it 1-2 turns, use is is immediate.
@MeinHerr:
- Make India easier to take for Japan.
NOTHING the UK does can save India against a determined Japan. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something, and what they’re selling stinks.
Although that is true, it always boils down to - How much Japan loses in Tempo, Men and Air in taking India. The lesser the losses, the easier it is on Japan. The better Japan can fight US and ANZAC. So, if Japan is fighting $8 less, and does not have to fight to get Sumatra, or the fighting is easier, then better for Japan
@MeinHerr:
German Naval build for a bogus SeaLion threat costs 30 IPC, that cannot be used against Moscow…
Or
SZ110 kill… which results in Taranto, screwing over the Italians permanently.
At least we’re in agreement that a bogus Sea Lion build is not worth the IPCs…
Every unit built G1 should help in Barabarossa. Depending on how many planes are lost or not lost, Germany can adjust for any navy build. But in event UK secures Egypt… then with its Luftwaffe intact… and bolstered by 2 SBRS … Moscow on G6 should be the target. India by G6 should be Japan’s target. Both are now achievable as UK has too many things to do
I fail to see how a G1 sea zone 110 kill results in Taranto being performed. Nothing in the G1 sea zone 110 attack forces the Allies to do anything at all. Anyone, please tell me how sea zone 110 forces the UK to do Taranto?
No one can force or deter Taranto… its just that you give the UK a hard choice to make…
@MeinHerr:
So , just like Dark Skies involves a completely different thought-process, RamRod requires thinking unconventionally.
If by unconventionally you mean not thinking things through and making questionable strategic decisions, I would agree with your statement.
I agree that with early German help Italy can actually be a meaningful contributor to the Axis war effort. The only issue with this is that you have to have some plan to hold off a well-executed KGF while still killing Russia quickly and effectively. I’m actually ok with your strafing plan, but as I think has been shown it is basically a die roll for the Axis.
Yes, it does come down to that. But the three times I have played it, I have lost only 3 to 4 planes each time. Both the times have been victories for Axis
You need more to it than what you have. Maybe put your G1 fleet build off Southern France on G2 so you have a two-punch for Egypt. That would get Germany an NO and give Italy a break into the Middle East or Africa. That might be worth a one or two turn delay in killing Moscow.
I would not do that. Better to load an Inf or Tank on Italian TR and transport. If not possible, then no. I always leave 1 German Inf in N. France from GSG on G1 for that purpose.
Also, at the end of the day, Italy’s focus has to be defending Europe. Holding Egypt and the Middle East should be considered strategic objectives (i.e., Italy needs the money to build in Europe) and not tactical (Italy actively combats Russia and builds forces for that purpose). If you combined this with a fast Japanese kill of India, you might have a winning Axis strategy here.
Agree . But should UK persist with Taranto, all its Egypt forces will get wiped out G2, and I2 should take it. If Ethiopians are in Kenya I1, I2 they go to Tanganyrika on I2, then belgian Congo on I3… and will spread like cancer in heart of Africa. UK will have a hard time trying to kill them, take Egypt, save India , help US invasion, or help USSR all at same time.
Marsh