All Axis attack Russia.

I see your point but it may be tough medicine to swallow for these guys after 28+ games. Next weekend I’ll have them read it aloud I think they’ll see it immediately. Everybody loves the 12$ regardless of where they get it from  kind of like a declaration of war stimulus plan for both

Jennifer is right re: attack Russian territories with Italy/reinforce with Germany.

Here’s why, as I’ve spelled out in a few other places:

1. Italy gets the IPCs. This helps to keep them a viable force.

2. Germany reinforces. Germany loses no Infantry in this transaction.

3. The Italians who originally took the territory are still alive. Russia does not get a chance to kill them.

4. Repeat the next round.

I recently did this against a good Allied player. Italy routinely collected 25+ IPCs, with no territories held in Africa. I don’t know about anyone else out there, but I thought that was a big deal. Germany was still collecting in the low to mid 60’s, and that number climbed as NOs were obtained. By the end of the game, most of Russia was in Italian hands, with the exception of Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad, which I greedily avoided to allow Germany to take and hold, to allow them the ability to replace Infantry on the front.

Typically in a slugfest between Germany and Russia, Infantry on both sides pay the price. What I found was an amazing capacity, using this method, to almost never lose German land units. It was a slow and deliberate, methodical grinding down of Russia.

Thank you Italy. I heartily disagree with anyone who contends that Italy is a useless power, or that once kicked out of Africa they become a useless power… on the contrary - they are vital to success.

Yes, that was my perspective as well.  Italy gets N. Africa, Med and Egypt Trilogy NOs and a couple extra IPC from Russia (Belarus, Bryansk) while Germany is able to land planes and prevent the Russians from retaking the land.

Yes, the NO means the victim gets the IPC, not both nations.

I also try and get 1 arm 1 mech together as Italy to send to Russia every round.  Usually this force will slowly grow due to the protection offered by the German stack.  I have recently been going 2 mech for each tank though because the mechs are taken as casualties and usually once the front reaches the Gates of moscow I need those fast units to make flanking moves to attempt to surround moscow or draw them away from their capital.

Given how the board plays out, it seems mech is not as good for Italy as it would be for Germany. (Italy can opens, Germany blitzes through.)

I think that’s true if you have a set direction to drive on Moscow.  The Italian mechs open up lots of flanking maneuvers, also helping to cover the main advance.  I always try and slip some mechanized forces behind Moscow,(or use them as bait to draw forces out) and Italian mobile units help give the speed and fodder for these moves.

@AllyAxis:

Was thinking about this strategy for Alpha 2+ global.

Has anyone done it successfully?

Attack J1 soviet far east, amur, sibera.  build a Major in Manchuria and keep UK India /china relatively occupied .  pin down the US fleet with carrier builds and park fighters on it to keep the US building in the pacific.

Get my Italians to clear Soviet buffer troops (usually one or two units between main armies)  and get the Italy Germany one two punch going.  I found that my mech tank builds were very effective and getting to Russia quickly to support.  but I may not build as many mechs this next game.  I was matching them tank for mech.  but that may only be necessary for clearing forces (IE forces trying to take rostov , caucus ) on the way to moscow.

Can Japan really turn the tide tho in the All Axis on the Soviets strat?  thoughts anyone?

Hi James,

I did it once succesfully. First turn I took France, Normandy and Southern France with Germany, so Italy can move  the troops from Northern Italy to Yugoslavia which was already taken by the Germans Round 1. With this support and Japan invading Russia Turn 2 and building a major Factory in Korea Russia was down.
The negative side is, that India and ANZAC had no problem to survive and invade the money islands.

Greets RobbyWestSide

@JimmyHat:

I think that’s true if you have a set direction to drive on Moscow.  The Italian mechs open up lots of flanking maneuvers, also helping to cover the main advance.  I always try and slip some mechanized forces behind Moscow,(or use them as bait to draw forces out) and Italian mobile units help give the speed and fodder for these moves.

I find that Russia is able to block Italian blitzing well.  German mechs and armor make sense, they force the Russians to be honest (defend the rear in case Italy opens a route.)  As for the other side of Russia, I usually have a couple Japanese mechs left after reinvading China.

Italian AIRCRAFT is the best build for italy,  1 plane a turn if possible.

The “threat” value, leaves the Russians plunking stacks of 3 to 5 men down in awkward places to avoid German breakthroughs.

Planes are only a threat if Italy has ground forces to support them, or if the break through is worth the loss of planes (popping Bryansk so German armor can blitz Moscow).  I still thing 2 or 3 infantry and a tank is enough for Italy to be effective in the short run and you can follow that up later with an invasion of Turkey and transports into the Ukraines/Caucasus if you need significantly more punch.

Suppose Japan ignores everything else for the first few turns and focuses exclusively on killing those 18 Soviet infantry divisions in the far east before they all run back to reinforce Moscow against impending barbarossa (please humour me I am new).

On J1, Japan brings all three transports to sea zone 6, and buys a fourth transport plus 3 tanks.

On J2, Japan attacks Amur with 4 tanks and 1 mech infantry (but lets assume the Russians might have already run away to Buryatia R1 which is fine because we will catch them).

For the next few turns, Japan does nothing but build tanks and transport them to Amur, and on subsequent turns they all chase the Russians westward. Japan also assembles a big pile of planes one territory behind the first wave of tanks.  By not attacking USA, UK, etc., Japan also gets the 10 IPC NO each turn, which it uses to buy more tanks and maybe a fifth transport.  By the time USA is in the war, this Russia thing is already set in motion.

So the Russians keep running westward and the Japanese tanks and planes eventually intercept them at Timguska on J4 and strafe them, again at Novosibirsk J5, Vologda J6, and finally Moscow J7.  Anything the USSR might do to protect those far east infantry reinforcements (like sending a fighter or tanks) would only detract from their defense against the Germans.  By J7 Germany should have USSR on the ropes and Japan finishes them off with a stab to the back.

PS.  If 14 infantry divisions, plus 1 artillery also arrive at Amur on J2 and then start walking westward, they will arrive in Moscow J9 (or just keep walking to Cairo i guess).  There should still be lots of planes to support them because the tanks have been used as the cannon fodder throughout the strafing that started way back at J4.

@Cmdr:

Ronrye,

I am not stating a propensity to give up Africa with Italy.  I am only stating that Italy should send 2 Infantry and 1 Armor into Russia to take land for Germany to reinforce.  It’s faster than if Germany has to take and hold it for a round to move forward.

Wouldn’t this fail if Russia builds a huge force at the border? So if Italy doesn’t take it, what would happen, or are you saying that if Russia puts the units out there as a wall that Germany just weakens it a lot and then retreats so that Italy can do this?

@Vance:

Suppose Japan ignores everything else for the first few turns and focuses exclusively on killing those 18 Soviet infantry divisions in the far east before they all run back to reinforce Moscow against impending barbarossa (please humour me I am new).

On J1, Japan brings all three transports to sea zone 6, and buys a fourth transport plus 3 tanks.

On J2, Japan attacks Amur with 4 tanks and 1 mech infantry (but lets assume the Russians might have already run away to Buryatia R1 which is fine because we will catch them).

For the next few turns, Japan does nothing but build tanks and transport them to Amur, and on subsequent turns they all chase the Russians westward. Japan also assembles a big pile of planes one territory behind the first wave of tanks.  By not attacking USA, UK, etc., Japan also gets the 10 IPC NO each turn, which it uses to buy more tanks and maybe a fifth transport.  By the time USA is in the war, this Russia thing is already set in motion.

So the Russians keep running westward and the Japanese tanks and planes eventually intercept them at Timguska on J4 and strafe them, again at Novosibirsk J5, Vologda J6, and finally Moscow J7.  Anything the USSR might do to protect those far east infantry reinforcements (like sending a fighter or tanks) would only detract from their defense against the Germans.  By J7 Germany should have USSR on the ropes and Japan finishes them off with a stab to the back.

If you did this, Russia would fall, but I don’t think Japan could stay alive because then UKP, China, US, and ANZAC are all building up ready to smack the Japs.