@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.