My Allied Strategy for UK & US

I can see what you’re saying about the focus on the Phillippines, going for the jugular and all, im just doubtful that you could attack and hold it early on. I could see the Japanese improvising a counter-attack, as aircraft based in Japan can reach the seazone around the Phillippines, as well as any aircraft based around the south of China, the latter without the need for an airbase. Java is further away and harder for Japan to reinforce. If you could force the Japanese to commit a large amount of its resources here, you can destroy them with out having to worry about an immediate counter-attack and force Japan into a reactionary defensive game, throwing any offensive operations against India off the balance and out the window. I know I shouldnt worry about the loss of the ships off the phillippines, the whole point is to force Japan to attack and lose pieces to maxamize the US’s economic edge. This might just be me being over-cautious and thinking of this from the commonwealth point of view as thats what I usually play (Britian, ANZAC, France, and China the “hold the line” group as I call them).  However, I think a more methodic approach could work just as well with your blueprint. Imagine how much more potent your plan would be if you didnt lose the first wave of American naval power, and all your subsequent naval unit built upon this.

Clyde, Grasshopper has it right. Every expert would agree you want to maximize IPC lost vs gained. SO if you are going to hold a southern island put an airbase there and planes you are going to loose A LOT more IPC’s than Japan is going to in taking it out. Granted japan won’t be able to get their NO bonus or attack other Islands, but taking out that many IP’Cs is way more worth it. Killing UK India men and planes will make it even easier to take out india later on because what can india counter attack with when all her fighters are dead? The allies have the economic edge if anything were to be said about playing methodically it would 100% be with the allies. Play methodically NEVER get in a big battle unless youare favored to win. In poker you don’t call an all in with 27 just because you have 10 times as many chips as the player going all in. If you kept doing this you would eventually be knocked out. Wait around for the right oppertunity and when that comes capitalize on it. If US is putting as much money in the pacific as grasshopper is saying, then Japan will eventually get beat. There is no way around it. No need to sacrafice units in an attempt to make it easier for the US when in reality is makes it harder for UK and anzac since you are loosing units with both.

but wouldn’t the losses of the initial battle be pretty slight? by turn 4-5 I would have built another carrier. This would give me 6 free hits I can absorb when this battle comes to fruition. Along with my subs I can take as fodder it would be very hard for me to loose enough to where you would be able to counter attack it. I’d love to play a game sometime where we can see how this plays out. I am just waiting on Gazza so we can finish up our game Thats been sitting of over a month now. Still haven’t figured out how in the hell to use battlemap.

@theROCmonster:

Clyde, Grasshopper has it right. Every expert would agree you want to maximize IPC lost vs gained. SO if you are going to hold a southern island put an airbase there and planes you are going to loose A LOT more IPC’s than Japan is going to in taking it out. Granted japan won’t be able to get their NO bonus or attack other Islands, but taking out that many IP’Cs is way more worth it. Killing UK India men and planes will make it even easier to take out india later on because what can india counter attack with when all her fighters are dead?

Thats a good point, I would then supplement the UK India fighters with the ANZAC ones instead, and try to make holding Java an ANZAC exclusive operation as much as possible. The rest of what you bring up is irrelevent as it dosnt take into account the situation im buliding this idea on. IF the US fleet is concentrated off the coast of Queensland, then I can afford to use ANZAC forces here as the US will be defending me from early turn (turn 3) invasion from Japan. Second, any Japanese force the is left down off the coast of Java will be weakened and attacked by the stronger American fleet from Queensland, thus removing it from play. Japan will have to counter this but may not be in a position to do so right away. If the force sent to take out Java is killed, and a strong US fleet is there, what force is Japan going to be sending against India? If we assume that by turn 3 India has stopped sending things to Egypt and has a fleet of 1DD 1CA 1BB 1AC with air support and fighters to scramble not to mention anything else India has moblized in terms of ground forces, what is Japan going to do? You seem to think they would just push on and attempt to make a run at India regardless, but the US can counter any offensive movement Japan makes at the Indian ocean from its new position in Java.

I really think we have talked this to death. Their are too many variables neither of us can foresee without playing the game out.

have you ever thought about purchases Aircraft carriers for Anzac? Haven’t played enough games to see if this is a good idea, but I was thinking this will help America with staying power in the phillipines. Having a couple aircraft carriers from Anzac as well as the couple from US will make it a nightmare to attack.

@theROCmonster:

have you ever thought about purchases Aircraft carriers for Anzac? Haven’t played enough games to see if this is a good idea, but I was thinking this will help America with staying power in the phillipines. Having a couple aircraft carriers from Anzac as well as the couple from US will make it a nightmare to attack.

Personally i prefer Anzac fighters on a US aircraft (cheaper solution for Anzac too), especially with the recent turn order where USA plays before Anzac. Gives your fighters a potential range of up til 6.

I like giving US more attacking power though. Since Japans fleet when I play as japan is always very large. I need a way to kill it. Building carriers for america isn’t attacking power. Especially when anzac units are sitting on them. The reason I like anzac building carriers is because US can focus on building a bunch of subs and cheaper naval units that have the attacking power punch, while anzac helps solidify the allies possition in the phillipines.

@theROCmonster:

I like giving US more attacking power though. Since Japans fleet when I play as japan is always very large. I need a way to kill it. Building carriers for america isn’t attacking power. Especially when anzac units are sitting on them. The reason I like anzac building carriers is because US can focus on building a bunch of subs and cheaper naval units that have the attacking power punch, while anzac helps solidify the allies possition in the phillipines.

i guess that is a valid option.

Yet, with Anzac’s humble income, i usually go for fighters (if Japan is a threat) and/or subs (and TRP + INF after a US fleet has arrived near Queensland)
But mostly fighters…

edit: Anzac Fighters from Queensland can land in Manilla right after USA has taken it, giving up to 3 defending scramblers. Without the need of an expensive aircraft carrier

I see what you are saying, but this isn’t an attacking fleet. Carriers are defensive. Say you have all your planes on your carriers. You don’t have any land based planes to attack with as well. I like to have at least 3 land based planes for america that are flying from an airbase. I just dont see how you can take out the japanese fleet with such defensive buys. By round 2 I am already building 2 subs 2 destroyers and 3 mechs with Japan. T3 is much the same depending on whether or not I attack the allies I usually do and I am usually able to gobble up all 5 of the money islands. T3 with japan I am making 56 dollars. I don’t see a way for the allies to stop this unless they want to risk loosing a lot of money as clyde suggests with airbase and planes. This leaves me with my T4 buy of 3 mechs 6 subs and a destroyer with japan. and each subsequent turn Japan makes even more money. Meaning more fleet. With what you have outlined as your US purchases eventually you will have enough to take and hold phillipines, but it won’t be for a long time. Around turn 9 or so. Maybe even longer.

With 100% American investment, Japan is going to start feeling pressure as soon as America declares war.  Sure, it’s very possible to keep America out of your business, but you’ll need to keep significant forces at or near Carolines on the turn you declare war, which would prevent you from hitting some of Japan’s objectives farther west - the DEI.
If Japan doesn’t, America will probably be right in your business - taking Carolines and being reinforced by Anzac - almost immediately.  
You will not be able to punish them for it unless you’ve placed a disproportionately large amount of air power nearby.

I am actually in the process of making a video for the first 4 turns. Possibly the entire game. I am playing this by myself against myself and using low luck to weed out any horrible rolls scewing the game. Should get this up on youtube in a couple weeks. I am going to have US go 100% against Japan in the pacific.

If you want to see my strategy for Japan look at my game with gaaza. I know Gaaza might have played differently than you might, but this is pretty much how I would play japan in most of my games.