Poll: The Most Important Naval/Air Starting Pieces

I think this strategy has a lot to recommend it.  Playing as Japan, my first turn objectives are as follows (roughly in this order):
1. Destroy the fleet at Pearl Harbor.
2. Take India.
3. Destroy the Indian Ocean fleet.
4. Take China.
5. Take Alaska.

If the main British fleet links up with the small Australian fleet and adds a fighter, it’s going to take a huge force commitment to destroy.  Tough to pull off both #1 and #3 in this scenario.

Thanks Krieg, clears it up for me.  I would like to see a rule modification whereby the subs could ignore the surface fleet assuming there was no DD in the case where they start out in a hostile SZ thus allowing them to move during the non-combat movement phase.  Although, that would hurt me in my present situation so just wait until my game is over before changing the world for me…… wry grin

@Granada:

@special:

Edit: that’s an odd situation, and a lot of American IC’s…

Well, the fact it is an odd situation made me to start this discussion.  :wink:

I have built all these ICs making myself ready for a long fight, and being able to produce units where I really need them. I think I had a good chance to develop a real pressure on FIC/japan, but as we left it I have not really checked.

Well, odd or not, it is indeed a good base to work from. Within reach of many targets, able to build alot fast. And plenty of subs to avoid Axis naval builds.

In this situation (and even more after u took Africa), controlling the seas means winning the game (in the long run)

Right - I forgot about the sub in sz 8.  I’ve become accustomed to sending that sub after the defenseless UK transport off eastern Canada.  However, ensuring the destruction of the UK Battleship seems like a much higher priority.  Thanks.

It will be hard to get afloat after you take a hit from both the soviaets AND the tommies, so massing lots of infantry and subs like you said, would probably be your best bet. Also try and salvage as much of the luftwaffe as possible, and station them an your border territories. Hey, I may be a noob, but I’ve had my fair share of bad luck with this game.

@DougR:

Another difference: the lower cost of bombers combined with the defenseless transports. If Allies go KFG then Japan should buy 1 bomber each turn and send it to Europe in two turns (using conquered Egypt or Trans-Jordan). A large japanese airforce in Europe can make it really hard for the Allies, because Japan plays between UK and US and can take advantage of any openings left after the UK fleet has moved.

You know, I had to laugh at this.  I had posted the subject of limits on cooperation b/w the Western Allies and Russia.  Being the history nerd that I am, it never would have occurred to me to send Japanese bombers to Germany (and now that I know, I still couldn’t get myself to do it)!

Historically it might make no sense for this to happen (although there were examples of German/Italian subs/surface raiders operating on the Pacific and Indian oceans) but the game isn’t meant to be a faithful representation of WW2 (if so the starting production levels would be grossly unbalanced towards the Alllies).

You may choose to play it so and create your own house rules to approximate it as close to reality as possible but with out of the box rules there’s nothing to stop you or your opponents to do so.

Yes, one per land unit.

Yes, I don’t do that attack anymore (1942 - attack on Russian sub and battleship)
I had a good player quit in the first round against me not too long ago.
One of the attacks that went wrong for him was this one.  Fighter, bomber, sub on battleship and sub.
There are better uses for the bomber then taking this roughly 50/50 risk.