Germany playbook: overall strategy guide

I stated that UK can live with odds 60-80% and be opportunistic. You simply calc odds at sealion r1 and get as artistic with your buy as possible. In some few scenarios you might need 9inf, but usualy you will not, and then you need to have the balls to do something.

Cow,

Variance and I are questioning your “undeniable logic” about attacking 109 during G1, and you have completely avoided answering us. Can you please give us your reasoning behind attacking 109 G1, with what units, and with what follow up strategy.

I think attacking z109 likely will be a waste of time.  If you do an all-navy build and land almost all your planes in Holland, then all Russia needs to do to slow you down bad is to stack Baltic States and West Ukraine with everything in range for a turn (yes I would even put the planes in Baltic States).  You could attack that if Italy clears the cruiser in z114 but they have better things to do with the fighters on round 1.  But if you go for it, you can probably get Baltic States (and the red airforce!), BUT the counterattack from Leningrad will set you right back and then you have NO INFANTRY at all for your rush into Moscow.  The better option for you at that point would be to put off DOW on USSR til G3, but then the Russians will just pull back from Baltic States and on that schedule you will never get past the infantry in Bryansk.  So z109 is a waste of time, and if you let z110 alone you are going to have a hard time getting London by sealion G3 too.

Now if you were to do this with an airbase in Holland instead of the carrier, then maybe you would have some options.

Am I missing something big or did v2 change the rules about mech infantry.  How are you attacking southern france with them if no armors are helping you to move the 2 instead of 1?

@bongaroo:

Am I missing something big or did v2 change the rules about mech infantry.  How are you attacking southern france with them if no armors are helping you to move the 2 instead of 1?

They could always move two spaces, they just cannot blitz without armors.

The 3 mech 3 armor buy is what makes baltic states hold. you should hold. I would love to be attacked by Russia. I do not need infantry to take Russia over. I am just a one way war machine. Make things easier for me! I am attacking Russia round 5 or 6 no matter what! That is the point of G1 DOW there is no waiting. Unless you need to hang in the game for Japan to win it on his end.

I find any ground units buy with germany more resonable than fleet. I usualy hold baltic easy with 3mec,3art and 2inf buy.

I agree with Cow and erinrommel.  A big fleet buy for Germany sucks.  I could see hitting z109 and z111 like Cow suggested to kill destroyers if you are going to convoy raid UK so maybe something like 2 subs, 3 mech, tank?

Seems like there has been a huge shift in strategy from a German fleet purchase G1, to a ground force right away, but I still like my S.Bomber, Fighter, Destroyer buy first turn. Personally am glad to be getting away from the “mandatory” aircraft carrier buy from days past, however, I keep my options open for a German aircraft carrier purchase in the Med turn 3 or 4 if the Italian fleet is worth saving.

@Cow

I have to agree with Variance about 109, and allowing UK to build on top of a big fleet, plus what ever the US can contribute is dangerous. I understand your plan to take Moscow fast, but if you stutter for any number of reasons (none bigger than bad dice), the allied fleet will become untouchable, and will make multiple landings where ever they like.

As far as G1 attacks go, they are more comprehensible in conjunction with a dedicated Barbarossa strat and a mech/armor buy on G1.  It seems like G1 is problematic unless you are trying to get Moscow early (say G5, G6 latest) because if you wait a while, the Soviets benefit from the extra lend-lease money and the extra money in Iraq.  But if you are going for Russia’s throat then G1 seems worth a look.

The utility of G2 seems to depend, imho, on whether Germany can hold Baltic States and whether G needs to declare G2 to get Novgorod G3.  It also depends on Germany’s overall strategy….eg did G successfully strafe Yugo, did G buy mech/arm G1 etc.  But if a G2 declaration makes it possible to take Novgorod and get that bonus G3 then it’s worth considering…I find that if I buy inf/art on G1 then it’s hard to hold Baltic States on G2…but if you bought mech/arm on G1, that would change things.

It should be G6 because that’s when the Bulgarians and Finns can finally arrive. Any later and the Bolshevik can retreat into the Siberians at Samara R6.  Plus if you get Ukraine G4 you can build 3 tanks G5.

As for Japan, there should be no declaration of war on the Allies until they land in Egypt same round as Moscow falls.  Let America sit in z101 all day.  No spending to defend Normandy means more tanks/mechs and then bombers to SBR and kill Russia.  Let Italy trade Normandy with UK.  That’s what I mean by G1 + J4.

I agree, but UK may may find it hard to defend Egypt and South Africa from both Italy and Japan.  I’ve had some games where Russia gets wiped out but I can’t get Cairo.

Just catching up on this Blog. My sons and I have played 1940 2ndEd now about 10x. Our experience so far leads me to agree with Cow, if Germany adopts singularly focused KRF strategy with DOW G1, you can be in Moscow G5/6.

Not to say that Axis cannot win a long game, but the most straightforward path to victory IMO is Moscow 1st. Pacific is so well balanced & logistically challenging, it is very difficult for either side to gain a sustainable advantage unless one player gets a few low luck ‘goocher rolls’ - goocher = no hits on 4+ dice :-)

Cheers!