Barring favorable rolls how can the axis win?

TG Moses VI - I agree with your previous post. If the Axis can weaken the UK enough in turns 1 to 4, the UK’s effectiveness is greatly reduced. NP can be down to nearly half (losing it’s African and Asian territories). After that, the Axis can can co-ordinate a mutual attack on Russia. The US needs to be kept at bay, which can be difficult but not impossible. If the Axis can disrupt the Allied effort in Europe long enough, Russia can fall…

An aggressive Japan and a defensive, but aggresive, Germany is the key. Germany must force Russia to build Infantry, not tanks. Japan must keep that number of Infantry low. Germany has to hold out long enough for Japan to take Russia.

Like the Marshal says, the other Allies are a threat too. A lot of time, the German will do everything it takes to try and capture Karelia and knock Russia out of the war as soon as possible. Now this can be done - the German factors that his superior economy will prevail against the weaker Russian economy feeling the heat from Japan. The only problem is that you forget to factor in UK and USA that can be major threats in T2, especially if their Navy isn’t completely wiped out on the first turn.

Good point TG, the #1 objective of both Germany and Japan should be to sink every ship possible. This will leave Russia isolated for a few turns, a critical few turns. This is the time for Germany to expand. Japan then cleans up any threats in mainland Asia, like an Indian factory, and procedes to pressure Russia.

Yeah, just don’t get Cocky! 8)

Even with the Navy destroyed, the Allies can rebuild it with relative ease, by the end of T2 they should be up past full strength (the miracles of a good economy). Don’t do anything unreliable like trying to take Karelia or attacking every possible territory on J1 (believe me, I’ve seen this happen before) it’ll lead to your downfall and further prove the Axis advantage is in the mid-game. But Africa and East Russia is a sure must, even with one transport the Germans can have up to 8 inf, 1 ARM, and whatever Luftwaffe you chose at the end of G2 (looks like I really didn’t need that 2nd transport after all!), making it more than a match for any US Operation Torch (“combined” UK invasion is pointless).

Here is the key to Axis victory South Park style:

Phase 1: Set up board
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Axis Win!!!

Just think of a bunch of ways to counter allied strategies. So whenever they make a move, you try to counter it.

The problem is that the strategies of the Axis revolve on a action-based game, not reactive. You can reactive play with Germany (ie countering the Russian stack, defending WE), but with Japan it’s a deathtrap.

if im playing japan, i often force the americans to come play with me. i take any non-essential forces (usually have some troops and transports to play with by j5 or 6) and go play in alaska or hawaii. ive even gone over and taken brazil (that was a wierd game, had a jap IC in brazil). your goal is not to actually keep anything, just threaten america. anything america sends at japan is stuff not being sent at the germans. and like mentioned earlier, have the J help G in africa. G takes something, J reinforces it.
alot of folks dont have the axis powers helping eachother out much, each keeping to its own areas, but i think thats kinda weak. when playing the axis by myself, or with a certain good friend of mine, we usually wind up both powers in africa, and both in asia. this allows having reactive forces available, especially when it comes to pounding the poor brits.

Yeah, I would suggest taking Hawaii, Alaska, and maybe even WUSA (i’ve seen this happen). Disruption tactics are a must when dealing with USA in order to help in a Germans. What you want to do is frighten the USA in at least keeping a garrison in their home country. This gives Germans more time to prepare for a possible WE invasion. If USA doesn’t fall for the bait, then congrats, you now have a steady source of income. :)