Strategy for playing with no national objectives? - 41 edition

welcome Jeff,

would you be playing axis or allies side?

from my experience:

1. Russia worries for Germany hitting hard, and italian can-openers can be dangerous.

2. money islands are easy to take for japan and hard to take back from them. SE Asia IC’s are a pest for the Brittish.

3. IC in India is very risky (and if Japan goes for it, it will take it) and i’m not sure it really pays off for UK… If they give up India, it is bad for Russia though.

4. if you play without NO’s, the islands are less important. I’d go for Africa, personally (abit depending on japan’s actions)

5. Supporting China is interesting, but if Germany puts hard pressure on Russia, it is not without risk. Not losing Moskow is their primary objective.

In general:
As allies: try to get control over the seas (in the atlantic this will be easier than in the Paficic), as UK, build up a fleet around your remaining ships, an AC is a good buy because you already have fighters, As USA… don’t rush things :)
As Axis… stomp your way into Russia, destroy UK fleet, as Japan: be greedy and take what you can take

Hope this is kinda helpful.

Since the total IPC income levels are lower, units are more important.  Also, I would be less concerned with trying to stretch a bit more to take a $1 IPC territory with a move like an inf and 2 ftrs.  Your return is diminished without the NO’s rewarding Germany from controlling 3 of 5 eastern European countries.

Unit re-use becomes more important.

The game will be at a slow pace, advances more deliberate and defendable, or you risk being bled dry without the income to rebuild.

Playing with NO’s is cool, but can be challenging. If without, in my view, the best strategy is always to focus on Russia with Japan from the East and do the Asian isles as a side show. Get to India as fast as possible and build an IC. Then churn out infantry and tanks and push towards Cacausus and Moscow. Germany in the meanwhile should hold its fronts as good as possible and do tit-for-tat killings with Russia for land. Use as much airpower as possible to mimimize casualties. Also hold the Allied fleets at bay with bombers and subs. Africa is not so important, but can be useful as a second theater to distract the Allies. It depends on the Allied strategy. Italy can be nice for that.

All in all Moscow is the key. As soon as the Japanese are strong enough to take on the SU, the Allies are lost. With Russia gone they have no chance in the long run.

I play without national objectives regularly.  IMHO, the key for the Axis is killing Russia. I have found that the best way to kill Russia is to do a combined Germany/Japan land assault.  However, this cannot be done if USA and GB are offloading on France/NWE-  Germany cannot guard the Atlantic borders and keep pressure on Russia.  My solution was simple.  Establish a chain supply of Japanese fighters to France for defense (2 per turn as of turn 3)  This accomplishes two things: one, defends France effectively and,two, forces the Allies to build navy to avoid losing their transports.  This allows Germany to send roughly half of their land forces to the Russia front. ( build only infantry and artillery since IPC’s are scarce from turn 3 forward)  This slows Japan down but is well worth it to keep pressure on Russia from Germany.  Also,  move the Japanese fleet to protect Italy from invasion.  Allies can’t amphibious assault Italy with a massive combined Italian/Japanese fleet in sea zone 14.

I build a German bomber on turns 1 & 2 to keep Britain off shores till turn 3, then the bombers become useful in swapping territories with Russia.