Germany playbook: overall strategy guide

@Cow:

???

The whole point of a G1 DoW is to take Russia round 5. You stop that and it is over. G1 dow is just a real crap barb if it does not deliver a G5 take of Russia.

That is my honest opinion. It is fun and you get a solid crack at Russia on round 5.

The G1 strategy doesn’t need that ultimatum to be viable, there are lots of good reasons to attack Russia turn one.

@Cow:

There are 7 infantry near Germany, they usually score 3-4 hits defending. Russia makes 5 NO. So you basically are up 1-2 inf on Russia. That is it. 1-2 infantry difference.

The only way this is going to have a big impact as far as taking Russia goes is if you 1) keep coming out on top in skirmishes 2) don’t get distracted from your objective

After the initial 7 are killed, Russia will move more infantry forward to kill the left over tanks. Germany will than move forward to take out more infantry, and they will capture one IC (posibly two) very fast before Russia can produce support for the fight on their own front. I prefer these small battles of attrition rather than over kill on France and Yugoslavia while Russia pulls back and forms their formidable defense. The only true difference between a G1 Attack on Russia, and a DOW later is… Germany will be involved in 4 or 5 small battles of attrition close to the factories they own and the factories they will own, or 1 or 2 huge battles involving many many units on or around Moscow. I played Russia today where I was able to keep my 7 infantry and build units on the front because I wasn’t attacked early, so I wasn’t pressured with difficult decisions like counter attacking to be counter attacked, or how little time I have before I have to abandon my western Factories. I truly believe that both a G1 attack and a G2 attack have merit (G3 is to late IMO), its just a matter of preference and how comfortable your strategy is going to make you feel 4 or 5 rounds into the game. Saying that a strategy has no reasoning if it can’t result in taking Moscow no later than turn 5 is a blanket statement. I have won on the Europe side twice while doing my G1 strategy, but didn’t take Moscow til round 9 because I stopped to attempt a late sealion.

@Omega1759

It’s difficult for me to perceive your theories because there are just to many variants and situations that can disrupt all your dominos that need to fall perfectly.

RAF units to Russia is a viable option and one of the many allied strategies Germany might have to face regardless of what round they attack Russia.

@Omega1759:

With a G1 DOW, what prevents UK from flying RAF over?

US Turn 1: Build 2 carriers atlantic side + a destroyer to form backbone of an Atlantic fleet. Expect to spend heavy later in the Pacific for a couple turn to catch up with Japan.

Turn 1, leave RAF to protect home waters and hit Italy.

US Turn 2, move on two American Carriers in 91

UK Turn 2, land UK fighters on US carriers

US Turn 3, the combined fleet moves in the med (presumably strong enough to weather an axis counter attack). UK build airbase in Gibraltar if necessary where US fighters can land.

UK Turn 3, land the UK airforce in Egypt.

UK Turn 4, move planes to Persia

UK Turn 5, move in to Russia

Keep feeding planes until the stack from Siberia arrive and use UK ground units from middle east to contest the South.

Once Japan is under control, the US shifts back to the European theater.

Omega, if Japan doesn’t DOW USA can’t move to 91.

OK I’m just going to throw this one out there.  Throw tomatoes at it it you like.  I’m just wondering if it might be POSSIBLE to declare war on Russia G1 AND threaten sealion to keep UK on the down low for the first turn.

The idea of this opener is to keep both options open (see attached TripleA file):
a) G2 build a bunch of tanks and mechs in Germany and West Germany to push Russia back (they get to Moscow G5).
b) G2 build a carrier and 10 transports with my $86.

My questions is what could UK get away with if I were to do this?  Could they Taranto, fighters to Karelia, Egypt IC, or must they sit and spin in London with 9 infantry?

Let’s assume Japan is beating China until J4 so no USA help to Britain.

G1_J4_$ave.tsvg

variance that would depend completely on what UK does UK1.  If UK doesn’t protect London or it builds an Egypt IC or both then you can think about turn 2 sea lion.

Now the Turn 1 declaration on Russia might have some merit if it compels Russia to retreat to Bryansk/Ukraine and not hold Belorussia, which would push back a potential Red Army consolidation in East Poland till R3.  The downside is that Russia can also go take out Iraq (and potentially get more NO money in Africa) and they are getting the +5 while Germany isn’t getting its +5.

As far as the file you posted, I would only consider either 9 inf or 6 inf 1 fig as purchases for UK (more likely 9 inf).  Certainly no Taranto attack.

Your opening is interesting as it poses a tough challenge to Russia…Russia could risk stacking Belorussia with a 27% chance of actualling winning the battle, but if Germany had 2 more planes on West Germany, then stacking Belo would be too risky.

The major problem with this opening from my perspective is UK should be in a decent position if they opt for a 92 consolidation.  And since your 91 attack is 50/50, that cruiser could just as easily survive and strengthen the potential consolidation.

I played a G1 with Vance (attached below). At one point, I was feeling the heat but the Western Allies provided sufficient threat to carry the day.

Yeah, you can’t really judge the merit of G1 when its done by someone like me though.  A better player could probably make a lot more out of forcing the Russians to turtle early.  Also, that game was G1/J1 and not G1/J4 so you were able to trickle in the Americans right off the bat.

I don’t play online, but snake11eyes plays out my G1 blueprint quite well, and has the skills to finish strong.

@ COW
Hey COW, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the additional posts you reserved for this thread on  “Reserved–optimal Sea Lion / Fein, Med. Sea strategies & another Reserved spot” you posted spaces for on Feb.28th.

Are these spots going to be added to soon or do you have a time frame that your thinking you might be able to get back to them?  As I said, I’m eagerly awaiting as well as alot of other players I’M SURE    :-)

Anyone in Phoenix area?

Early German questions for Cow, et al:

How much is everyone sending into Yugo when you want to strafe for a G2 attack?

Is 7 inf 2 art plane and tac safe in dice? Should I add a tank to soften further for Italy?

How to you set up to most efficiently take Novo? Stack Baltic with everything in sight?

Do you move the entire 7 inf+ Finland force forward or just enough to take Kar and Vyborg? Are you worried about a counterattack out of Novo losing the stack and beefing Russia with Finland NO money?

Do you try to take Gib or hole up in 112 or 113 with your navy?

G1 do you ever attack the 91 cruiser in lieu of 106?

–Jeff

@Cow:

Oh yes I been meaning to get around to it. I play a game on Saturday and today a midterm is going to fry my brain. I try for Sunday.

Ok awesome, I’ll be watching for it, thanx!

Good questions! Replies in red but I lose a lot of games.  :-)

@Jeff28:

How much is everyone sending into Yugo when you want to strafe for a G2 attack?
Is 7 inf 2 art plane and tac safe in dice? Should I add a tank to soften further for Italy?
I send just the 2 art, 7 inf.  Too paranoid to send more.  Italy can handle it and Germany will get South France.

How to you set up to most efficiently take Novo? Stack Baltic with everything in sight?
Yes, intimidation makes them withdraw or they stand and die.  If you build tanks/mechs instead of inf/art they will have to pull out through Archangel/Vologda/Moscow instead of Belarus/bryansk, so you will get Bryansk/Rostov/oil

Do you move the entire 7 inf+ Finland force forward or just enough to take Kar and Vyborg? Are you worried about a counterattack out of Novo losing the stack and beefing Russia with Finland NO money?
Yes move forward but leave a couple in Finland so you can airstrike.  Anything they send North will make Moscow fall that much faster.  If they don’t attack them, the Finns in Karelia add to the threat on Leningrad

Do you try to take Gib or hole up in 112 or 113 with your navy?
z113

G1 do you ever attack the 91 cruiser in lieu of 106?
No, and no sealion threat either.  I want them to do Taranto so I can sink their fleet in z97 by airstrike.

–Jeff

@Jeff28:

G1 do you ever attack the 91 cruiser in lieu of 106?

The only sea zones that the 107 sub can hit are 106 and 109, so when talking about hitting the 91 cruiser, you’re talking about using a different sub than the one used in 106. I never hit 109 because the risk vs. reward ratio doesn’t make sense due to the 4 scrambles, so I send 2 subs into 110, and 2 into 111 leaving the 107 sub with nothing to do but hit 106. I see the value of getting the cruiser, but its not worth the attempt unless you send 2 subs on it, which would leave a battleship and a cruiser for the Brits just to save an Italian Destroyer.

@Young:

I see the value of getting the cruiser, but its not worth the attempt unless you send 2 subs on it, which would leave a battleship and a cruiser for the Brits just to save an Italian Destroyer.

Well, you’re saving 15 IPC because of the Italian TT there.