The Japan Playbook

I’ve tried it a couple of times now and IMHO a J1 attack on Philippines, Borneo, Hongkong, FIC, Yunnan, Chahar, Anhwe, z37, and z62 with fleet stacked off carolines is a great way to scare the allies into focusing on the pacific, while keeping UK Pacific and ANZAC broke for a while.  The distraction of USA gives the axis a lot of leeway on the Europe map.  Take Malaya J2 and try to get America into a naval arms race.

In regards to #62, Japan will lose a destroyer, 2 air units and an aircraft carrier for a transport and destroyer. I don’t like their odds on the ANZAC or US counter…. so those units are gone, and even if they sink an ANZAC crusier in defence, is it for a good cause in your opinion?

An early Japanese attack is probably an axis advantage in most cases, but I think the allies can respond (longer learning curve). As the US player not having to wait to get your hands dirty is also liberating. Many FTF games we start get to the 4th-5th turn then get delayed til the next day (sometimes next week) because of time.

“You’ve kicked my A$$ all over the board for 3 hours, and now that the US & Russia are just getting started and you have to go home WTF”

Getting everyone into the war first or second turn seems to make the game flow better IMO regardless of what side your playing. Actually as the allies I’ll make the first move on Japan if they don’t act and I see a benefit (UK2 for sure). So as Japan waiting past J2 is kind silly, because the UK will be DOW on UK2 anyway to get bonuses etc….

At times our group will wait, and build (super stack) which can also be fun, but takes a damn long time to get to those epic 50+ unit battles and generally works against you as axis. Sometimes it’s better to just go for it in riskier battles, the dice are going to do what they do so live or die.

Good thread Cow, although you seem to boast a pretty good winning percentage with early J attacks, I think the game is more interesting for both sides. Most believe axis have an advantage and allies need a bid anyway so why not push it.

@Vance:

I’ve tried it a couple of times now and IMHO a J1 attack on Philippines, Borneo, Hongkong, FIC, Yunnan, Chahar, Anhwe, z37, and z62 with fleet stacked off carolines is a great way to scare the allies into focusing on the pacific, while keeping UK Pacific and ANZAC broke for a while.  The distraction of USA gives the axis a lot of leeway on the Europe map.  Take Malaya J2 and try to get America into a naval arms race.

But they might lose all 3 fighters and the cruiser sinking it.

@Vance:

@Vance:

I’ve tried it a couple of times now and IMHO a J1 attack on Philippines, Borneo, Hongkong, FIC, Yunnan, Chahar, Anhwe, z37, and z62 with fleet stacked off carolines is a great way to scare the allies into focusing on the pacific, while keeping UK Pacific and ANZAC broke for a while. �The distraction of USA gives the axis a lot of leeway on the Europe map. �Take Malaya J2 and try to get America into a naval arms race.

But they might lose all 3 fighters and the cruiser sinking it.�

But when ANZAC hits twice with 4@3 in the first round, Japan has to lose a plane instead of damaging the AC. That makes the advantage to ANZAC if it goes into extra battle rounds.

@Young:

What’s better?

1. A J1 DOW
2. A J2 DOW

Obviously depends upon your plans for Europe, but it’s hard to imagine a better tactic than a J1 DOW, when the Axis has full initiative to smash anything before the Allies can reorganize at all.

For example, consider sz37. That’s a single unsupported 20 IPC unit that is essential to a significant Indian Navy; Japan can take it out J1 with 2 bombers and a fighter (a net expected result of +10 IPCs), and India will never see the kind of income necessary to replace it.

**With a J1 DOW, India must turtle immediately and Japan can decide whether to go short (take a stab at Calcutta for J3 or J4), or go long (starve them and slowly build towards a J6 or beyond invasion).

It also allows Japan to take the DEI easily. Rather than fighting for islands (with added sb’s, planes, and precious ground units that are in short supply at that stage), Japan can own all four with two single guys and undefended transports (Borneo and Celebes J2, Sumatra and Java J3–if a J3 India invasion is not the better move. **

I used to be all over these boards, advocating J1. I’m glad to see the strategy has finally gained some traction.

Hey, welcome back Jercules!

I’m attempting my first J1 attack this weekend, I’m alone as the axis, so I won’t be getting the hairy eye ball from my German team mate. Hell…… I may even do my G1 attack on Russia as well.

@Young:

I’m attempting my first J1 attack this weekend, I’m alone as the axis, so I won’t be getting the hairy eye ball from my German team mate. Hell…… I may even do my G1 attack on Russia as well.

that would be a surprise!  :-D

Let us know how it turns out Grasshopper, and may the dice Gods be with you….and may the force be with you, and dont forget the lucky shirt,or rabbits foot.
Good luck

The lack of a sealion threat from G1 attacks on Russia, may encourage the UK to scramble into sea zones #111 and, #110…. not to worried, but I may lose more planes than I would like. I will de-brief on Monday, BTW… I told my opponent what my plans are, I want to be up against a prepared enemy to gage the viability of the attack.

I have a question about an early Japan attack, j1 or j2. Forgive me if this has been asked earlier, I haven’t had time to read this entire thread yet.

Okay, I am assuming that one of Japan’s objectives would be to get all the rich stuff – DEI, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaya – then go back north to deal with the US Navy at sea and China/India on land. I don’t mean actually TAKING India, just keeping them busy so they don’t advance too much or help China too much.

What is the best way to deal with the islands, particularly the 4 DEI islands since they also include a $5 NO for Japan? Do you leave the troops that you used to take those islands as a garrison and send empty transports back to Japan for more men? Or take those men with you for other duties, leaving the islands empty?

If you do the first, it takes so long to get your transports back for more men and you don’t get the island money soon enough. Yet if you leave them with just a control marker, ANZAC can sneak in and take them away from you while you are battling the US fleet further north.

So, I guess my question is: How does Japan successfully deal with the US fleet and Chinese, keep ANZAC and India at bay AND keep the money islands?

I always have a hard time doing all of that and something always seems to fall through. Either I lose ground in China, or my fleet gets trashed by the Americans and I get convoy raided to death, or I lose money because ANZAC has sneaked up and took the DEI. Even if they just take 1 island, say Java, that’s an overall loss of $9 right there ($4 for Java and $5 for the DEI NO). When they do that, often times I am so busy fending off the US fleet that I can’t seem to get enough to go back down and take it back (usually need a couple of warships plus a couple of transports with men and art/tanks).

Any suggestions?

Its mostly in the synergy of Pacific win is the fast route to winning.  Delaying past J2 for DOW equates to Japan sacrificing the win in the Pacific allowing the US to focus entirely on Europe while needing minimal ships to deny Japan a VC win.

It really comes down to this:  An aggressive Japan helps Germany by keeping the US resources in the Pacific.  A slow moving Japan hinders Germany because the US can build up for a significant landing in Europe before Germany has dealt with the UK or Moscow.

Of course, if the US ignores the Pacific, Japan will walk away with the VC win there before the US can stop it, so it really puts the onus on the US player to be effective in looking round(s) ahead in the purchase phase.  One battle goes the wrong way for the US in the Pacific and things go badly for the Allies there, negating the planned purchase of the economically strong US.

And lets be honest, a J1 DOW is much more entertaining for what generally ends up a very boring Pacific Theater in most other scenarios.

If you’re going with the Japanese blitz before India and the US can really mobilize then you’ll want to set up shop with a minor industrial complex on Kwangtung or more riskily French Indo-China. This allows you to start cranking out infantry to protect China without having to keep heading back to Japan. This moves your theatre of operation much closer to Southeast Asia where you can protect the DEI or prepare for a possible strike against Australia or India.

@knp7765:

I have a question about an early Japan attack, j1 or j2. Forgive me if this has been asked earlier, I haven’t had time to read this entire thread yet.

Okay, I am assuming that one of Japan’s objectives would be to get all the rich stuff – DEI, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaya – then go back north to deal with the US Navy at sea and China/India on land. I don’t mean actually TAKING India, just keeping them busy so they don’t advance too much or help China too much.

What is the best way to deal with the islands, particularly the 4 DEI islands since they also include a $5 NO for Japan? Do you leave the troops that you used to take those islands as a garrison and send empty transports back to Japan for more men? Or take those men with you for other duties, leaving the islands empty?

The really important objectives are the 4 money islands, Philliphines, Kwang, and Malaya…  A secondary objective is preventing the 2nd Anzac NO.  At the same time, a critical objective on J1-J3 is to crowd and destroy China.  J1 offers the advantage of getting Kwang, Phi, and Bor in your column right away.  On J2, obviously you can’t capture all of these targets, so you pick and choose according to circumstances.  But you ought to take them all by J3, and be ready to retake them if the Allies counter.

knp7765 as Japan I would try to leave at least 1 inf garrison on the islands closest to the Aussie’s so they have to commit more then just a tpt and 1 inf (no easy pickings IMO). Force them to risk more then they want to. I Would defiantly build a minor in southern Asia to start pumping out ground units for China/India, also gives you a secondary spot for navy builds if needed. I would probably build my minor on former Chinese territory so if the allies do get it, it goes away and they can’t use it. Malaya or FIC is riskier for IC builds IMO (although I do build there too sometimes) because if the allies end up with it they can start pumping out their own units.

@WILD:

knp7765 as Japan I would try to leave at least 1 inf garrison on the islands closest to the Aussie’s so they have to commit more then just a tpt and 1 inf (no easy pickings IMO).

Quoted for effect.

If the Aussies have all their territories and only one NO they are banking 15 IPC/round.  They have to spend it on 1 Inf, 1 Art, 1 TT in order to take an island with 1 Inf on it.  The expense of leaving 3 IPC to force Anzac to spend an entire round of IPC is a good cost/benefit choice.

If not, they can spend 7 IPC on a TT and spend the other 8 on a DD and use one of their starting Inf to retake the island.  Anzac see-sawing an island with you while accumulating 2-3 DD before they have to retake it causes mucho problems for Japan.  Particularly because losing a DEI for Japan that has that NO costs them 8-9 IPC if Japan does not retake it.