Japan Strategy poll

@Linkon:

Taking any Allied islands should be considered a luxury move.  Do it after critical territories are secured.

Not quite.  The question of whether to attack Australia depends on what the Russians did in round 1.  IF Russia is making a strong Asian stand (ie: if the Russian fighter was sent on the Manchurian attack and/or if 2 or more Russian INF were sent east in round 1) then I would agree with you:  Pull all Japan forces back to Japan proper, assault Manchuria with so much overwhelming force that Russia is basically totally defeated in the east, then move toward Moscow as described elsewhere.

However, if Russia did not attack Manchuria at all, or if their attack forces were not at maximum strength, or if Russia sent all available forces west to defend Karelia, then you do not have to send EVERYTHING against Russia.  In fact, “wasting” both battleships sitting in home waters is counter-productive to Japan’s openning strength:  navy.

Remember, the US has to stage forward to attack Japan, or any navy around Japan.  That means that Western US navy has to move to Hawaii (or Midway, or Wake, or SOMEWHERE forward of California) one round before it can attack Japan’s home waters (and that transport fleet you started building in round 1).  Japan has more than enough initial air power to counter any Round 1 US attack, and then you simply re-start building that transport fleet and move the Australian navy back toward home waters.  And if the US does stage forward, then the TWO Japan fleets pincer it, destroy it, and then keep building their transports to attack Russia and threaten Midway, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Well, here is one strategy I’ve used in the past that may help with Africa (RR, no bid). You won’t be able to keep Africa with this, but you might have a chance to at least take it for a turn or two.

On G1, sink the UK Navy in the North Sea as usual, but do not use the Baltic sea transport as fodder. Once all Allied ships there are sunk, take the Baltic sea transport and move either the Norway tank (my preference)or two Norway infantry to Morocco. Also land at least one of your fighters there as well. Instead of taking Egypt, simply move two infantry into Libya.

This sets you up fairly well for G2 in the following ways

The transport blocks the UK/US from an easy run through this area. The UK will sink this, but this will divert forces from other uses (i.e. if they use fighters, they will not be able to land in Karelia on UK1 - possibly making a G2 assualt there feasable). Probably the UK will also sink the German Med fleet (its really inevitable).

The extra forces in Morocco will delay UK/US forces from landing in Africa on round 1.

On G2, use all available forces to take Egypt. The extra tank and fighter(s) will help defeat any forces that may have been moved to Egypt on UK1 . You should also consider using the bomber as well if they have done so. Now the Allies either won’t have sufficient forces to effectively counter-attack, or you will have sufficient forces in Egypt to make a counter difficult at best.

On G3 and onward, you then use these forces to fight north-south. You should be able to reach S. Africa then retreat back to Egpyt to defend that against the Allies. Here you are just scrambling to keep as much as Africa in German hands as long as you can. The Allies are able to take it all back, but now they must devote more resources to do so. Also, it is possible for Japan to bring in reinforcements to help Germany, but I never do so since the Allies are closer to Africa than Japan and the Japanese forces are better used elsewhere, IMO. At some point you should probably conceed Africa and move the fighter back to the relative safety of Europe.

There are problems for the Germans with this (loss of a defensive fighter in Europe for a few turns, Norway is weakened, and the odds for this working as stated are not exactly a slam dunk) but you should try it to see how it works for you.

Well, as you can see from one of my previous posts I’m not the most blessed Japanese player. However, you might want to check out that post. See below.

http://axisandallies.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2280

God Bless :D :D .

I keep the carrier without fodder to invite a German attack. The sooner I destroy that airforce the better. Same with the German Bomber in W Europe.

Hmmm… yeah, the finding the perfect balance is always key. However, I think the best case for a two pronged offensive is if the Pearl Harbor invasion is based on sea, leaving the 1 CV (w/ 1 ftr) free to support Germany’s role in the Suez. By doing so, I suggest to sending 2 BB’s, 1 sub, 1 ftr (launched off the CV, lands back at Wake) under these conditions, I will win 96% of the time. Though I will probably lose the sub and trns (35% chance). I will probably lose the counterattack, though I won’t think the American will press his luck by then shifting to a Japan first strat (which will actually be helpful to you :wink:)

Pulling out of Eastern Europe is a deathtrap! But seriously, you’re screwed if you did and screwed if you don’t since you’re know forced to defend two separate territories along with the unbearable 3 IPC loss. But anyways, Western Europe is probably the most feasible and the most advantageous of all the territories to take with USA and UK. But if you can position your transports correctly, you can strikes all German territories at once depending what is the most heavily under-defended.

Well you certainly wouldn’t be the first one :wink:

But seriously, Don’s Eassys are more of a template to build you own strategies. From a military standpoint, even his moves can be countered.

It might be bad for Japan to ignore China in turn 1. If the US/UK both place IC’s in turn 1 in Sinkiang/India, Japan can’t touch them, possibly at all. By the end of turn 3, Japan will only have 2 or 3 infantry in Novosibirsk or Evenki, and the Allies could take FIB and Kwantung. The Allies could also have armor rolling north waiting for Japanese infantry columns. Japanese NP will stagnate, the Russians can deal with them easier (with US/UK IC help), Japan can’t regain south-east Asia without reducing the drive into Russia, etc.
In turn 1, if Russia takes Manchuria with fighter support and the UK builds an IC in India, Japan better keep their eyes open…