I agree with the shield and sword statement. It is my experience that Germany on its first turn should buy a transport for Italy and all men. Regroup your tanks and all your infantry into Eastern Europe and plan to take Karelia on turn 3 if possible. Turn 2 can work but can be costly. Germany should buy mostly all men on turn two and three as well and move them into Eastern Europr so as to overwhelm Russia and get ahead of their infantry total. Once Germany has more infantry than Russia attack Karelia with men and tanks only, save your planes. From Italy send two full transports every turn into Egypt and Trans Jordan until you secure the Suez and subsiquently Africa. Meanwhile Japan hits China, and India and then all out Russia, while still maintaining suppremacy in the Pacific by staying one step ahead of the US and as someone else mentioned take out as many US and UK ships as possible while not over commiting your fleet and only losing the cheap expendable replaceable pieces. An IC is a good idea if you are sure you can hold it: Manchuria is good to go after Russia, but can be reinforced by Japan transports anyway, FIC is safer but India is the best of both if you can capture and hold it, because it is two squares “a tank blitz” away from Caucauscus and Trans-Jordan and you can move fleet through the Suez if needed and assist Germany in conquering Africa as required. Not to mention taking precious money away from the UK. Japan would then purchase three tanks every round for India (or FIC) and keep that up until Russia falls. From India or FIC you can also launch a strike on Australia and New Zealand to further hurt UK. If UK buys an IC on India, Japan MUST capture it at all costs or UK will get the upper hand and its game over. If Germany and Japan hit fast and hard as a unit first at UK to bankrupt and “stall” them and get the valuable money they need and at US to “stall” them, then maintain that stall on both of them and go all out Russia so as to hit Moscow on the 5th or 6th turn from both sides, the Axis will have an IPC victory easily or if using victory cities (AA50 and new) or complete victory rules they will be on their way to world domination. :-)
How to help your Axis comrade?
-
I’ve been playing A&A a lot lately and I know you have to cooperate to beat your opponent. This is much easier for the allies, because you can drop your troops in friendly territory, let’s say karelia or captured norway. This standard strategy and cooperation works most of the times for me to beat Germany.
For Axis it’s more difficult to cooperate in this way. I’ve only seen it in capturing Kaukasus or Moscow where Japan can help a little bit. But it’s different.
I don’t like Germany to give navy support to Japan. It’s a waste of your battleship. Japan maybe, can give some navy support in the mediterranean when Japan is playing very well. But that’s pretty much it, I guess.In my last game I played Japan and purchased 1 AA per turn, sending it to China, Sinkiang, and Buryatia, and developped rockets. I captured India (with the AA), landed my German and Bomber there the next turn, and then started to fire my 4 rocket launchers at Russia. This, plus a Japan SBR, and also a German SBR, got Russia very weak. this creates an option for the Japan navy. you can spend your IPC’s on navy purchases, you don’t need as many land units as you used to. Russia can’t buy a lot, so Germany can take it on it’s own or at least with less Japan support. This is the only option I can think of to cooperate in an effective way.
I know, in the beginning fase of the game the axis can and must take a lot of territory to grow strong. But this raised a new question when I looked at the allies. When allies play, they often choose a KGF or a KJF.
Should the axis focus on ONE ally in special? By example, crushing Russia very hard, Or taking as much as possible UK territories in one turn?
I’ve seen many games where Japan played very well, but just in the advantage for Japan. capturing territories and growing strong. crumbling down both UK and Russia, but too slow.Take one out soon?
Thanks
-
What you’re saying is all correct. Typically, people do choose KGF or KJF, unless Japan has awful first turn rolls or leaves another opening and the US changes plans.
My Japanese play puts the emphasis on Russia but I also take advantage of my battleships in the Red Sea/Indian Ocean to trade land in Africa and take potshots at Allied soldiers. The UK’s farflung territories like Australia, New Zealand, and Madagascar should be taken quickly. Rarely can Japan not afford these small, early diversions from the Soviets.
If you’re looking for Axis team tactics, I believe the most important is positioning Japan’s fighters well. Early on, I keep my fighters around Frindo to support a German stack in Ukraine or Egypt depending on Allied moves. Later, I like my fighters in z34. From here, they can reach Novo, Kazakh, Russia, Caucuses, West Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Germany, and Karelia. They can reach most everywhere that Japan will want to attack or help defend. This tactic also breaks the the UK-US double because if the UK suicides into, say Germany, the Japanese fighters swoop in and turn the odds against a US followup.
Suggested Topics
