Axis and Allies Europe

@Krieghund Thank you. Very interesting how a technological breakthrough affects other core game rules here.

@Dylan:

@221B:

Its certainly one way to try to slow Japan down.  The extra territories for you (and less for Japan) does a couple things, 1) it reduces Japans IPCs and increases yours which is a swing of a few infantry and 2) it forces Japan to take more territories before it can threaten Moscow. Its a gamble if this is a better way to play than simply stacking Russian infantry in Yakut, then backing up to Novo but I think the allies are better off attacking than defending.

What also sometimes happens is 1) Russia takes Manchuria, 2) UK takes Kwang via the transport from india.  Then on US1, the US takes FIC if possible after J1.  This results in Japan having nothing on the mainland after R1.  To counter this in a bid game (though I’m not really an expert on playing with bids), it is typical to add an inf or two to manchuria so that the odds of Russia taking this is slim.

So I’m too stupid.

What?!

I don’t think you are stupid.

@calvinhobbesliker:

Why can’t Russia buy inf round 1? Do they already have 20 inf? Why is China neutral when it was the first allied nation at war?

Russia starts with all twenty infantry on the board.  This is actually less than they start with in MB’s 2nd edition.

As for China, it was neutral but pro U.S. - a mechanic which was dropped from A&A.  I can’t say why, you’d have to ask Larry.

I assume you mean Axis and Allies 2nd Edition not revised…

http://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/axis.pdf

GG

@Linkon:

Attacking US w/Jpn looks great on paper, but in real time and turns, stalls the taking of Rus.  With every passing turn, the Allied economic advantage will make them stronger in arms.

So true.  Attacking the US (except for China & Sinkiang) is a BAD move.

Japan is the nation that can turn the economic tide in favor of the Axis in short order.  By focusing on a steady assault on Russia using a Japan transport fleet (using a fleet instead of an IC is faster, more flexible, and helps keep the US “honest” since those forces can reach AK in a single move) combined with a modest roving south pacific/indian ocean fleet, Japan can quickly be the leading IPC nation in the game.  In games I have played, it is not unusual for Japan to be in the 40’s for IPC’s by the end of round 2.

A Japan with more IPC’s than the US (down to 32 at most), with UK weakened (low 20’s or teens depending on Germany in Africa) and Russia in the teens or less after losing the eastern territories, the economic winds favor the Axis.

Then it only is a matter of Japan playing smart 9since they have most of the IPC’s) to crush Russia, saving the Germans, and then turning on the US while bombing the tar out of UK…

@Lan:

RUSSIA T1:

They usually destroy both baltic ships with fighters, leave 3 or so inf in the caucasus, and stack all available inf in karelia (placing the 8 they buy also). Consolidate their force in asia either in yakut or mongolia for some reason…occasionally will try to reinforce sinkiang in hopes of building an IC as the americans. Leaves transport with UK battleship, attacks west europe sub with sub.
Russia makes 24

Big mistake not to attack ukraine. Also try manchuria (uk get’s kwang). People will argue against it, but top players do it. Otherwise, that’s about right.
@Lan:

GERMANY T1:

I buy 10 inf

attack british sub with battleship and transport, loaded with 2 guys from italy. These 2 inf and the tank and inf in libya attack egypt. Sub attacks US transport. Fighter in western europe attacks british transport in labrador sea. 3 fighters and bomber in europe attack UK fleet. Consolidate my inf and armor in eastern europe.
Germany makes 35

I consider this move decent actually, i reject attacking the us transport, i’d rather see it go as fodder in the north sea but this depends. Also with 10 infantry build, you will lose your med fleet, and without a bid in africa, you will lose it. Have you considered 1 sub 8 infantry?
@Lan:

UK T1:

usually sends fighters to aid karelia, sends bomber against one of my factories. Buys fighters and maybe some infantry
UK makes 27

WHAT!!! here is the big mistake, don’t bomb the factory, attack german med fleet with bomber, fighter battleship sub if it’s alive, and/or attack egypt transporting men off of india. If germany has 2 units on egypt you should certainly do both. Otherwise you can save the battleship, and only hit egypt allowing for 3 transports 2 men build. If russia did manch, then just kill the fleet, and hit kwang. Don’t build fighters until you have established a minimum of 3 transports, I have only recently heard of building fighters as uk this way, I recommend building 4 and moving in 8 infantry a turn to karelia/africa…
if you don’t save the bb, build carrier transport man.
@Lan:

JAPAN T1:
buy an IC and 2 tanks
attack china with inf in kwangtung and manchuria, attack india with inf from phillipines and burma. use fighters and bombers from wherever necessary to reinforce these fights this part of the game usually changes a lot, the basic idea is to take a strategic area like india, china, sinkiang or even mongolia, while having at least one territory worth 3 well out of reach of the enemy Use carrier fighter and 2 battleships to attack americans at pearl harbor II. Place IC in kwantung usually, provided nobody can get at it…. Japan ends this turn making 30 usually

I don’t like this strategy much. First of all I love it when the phil trn goes to india. The uk bombers is in kenya (or italian east africa!) So the transport is wasted. Also industry first turn i don’t agree with. and why 2 tanks. You only have 2 transports, and you are throwing one away? build 2 transports 3 men.
@Lan:

US T1:
Buy ships to replace its sunken fleet… attack japanese fleet with fighters, bomber, battleship, send transport to alaska to be used with future sneakiness. Place most ships in pacific (for some reason…he alternates between working on japan and germany it seems).

replace sunken fleet. try not attacking japan with the usa. Try 3 transports 4 men the first turn, placed in e us sz, if the german bomber is in western europe, you could try 4 transports. Don’t send battleship to alaska send it to panama, block with transport.

The most important thing, play the allies more!! If you do this they can use your strategies against you I guess… Also a tip for usa: build men in eusa, and move them to ecanada, then each turn you can move there, load them and drop them in finland. It’s good to have about 5 us transports doing this, thus +10 infantry in russia each turn from usa, and +8 from uk.

Sorry if i sound harsh, just trying to help!

It’s dangerous to just assume that any specific or even general strategy will work all the time or even most of the time. Even though Axis and Allies does have certain “tendencies” of play, the best strategists, tacticians, and generals will always find ways to defeat those tendencies. The only truly general principles apply to all wargames, not just A&A:

The Cardinal Rule: War never guarntees anything. Therefore, any strategy or tactic that is invented is never guarnteed to work 100% of the time.

None of the following rules may or will apply in any and all situations.

Outguess your opponent. Chess grand masters visualize the game several moves ahead, trying to figure out what they will do, how their opponent will respond, and vice versa. Thinking a step or two ahead of your opponent is generally a good idea.

Adapt to changing situations. You may do something based on what your opponent seems to be preparing to do. He may then do something entirely different and throw you off balance. How well you adapt to what your opponent this did may determine whether you live or die.

willnever or willever?