Opening move thoughts.

Will be starting my 2nd global game but this time as the axis. There is plenty of info on German opening moves but a little unsure about Japan and Italy.

Was considering a J1 DoW and taking the philipines, Hawaii, Hunnan and Yunnan. Was looking to buy a minor IC and place in Shanghai and a couple of transports. J2, I would look to press the advantage with the US fleet. J2 I would look to move planes to Philipines and try an assault on  Queensland, depending on whats in there. Would try to reinforce Hunnan/Yunnan if possible. Would be buying Mech Infantry and possibly upgrade IC to Major.

I need just 6 cities on the Pacific map. And with Manilla, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hawaii by end of J1, then I will focus on the next easiest. From Japan, as long as I hold Hawaii, I can route transports safely from Japan to Queensland via Hawaii or Phillipines. J3, I will try to move more air to Queensland to take NSW. In fact, the more I consider this, I wonder if just buying ground troops/transports J1 might well be the best thing to do. As the allies in the game I’ve just finished, Japan didn’t DoW till beginning of turn 4. UK/ANZAC already had the DEI and ANZAC bought 1 Destroyer/1 Sub every turn for ages and that helped build a sizeable fleet in addition to the US fleet which dissuaded the Japanese considerably. I consider an early J1 DoW to be an advantage before the UK builds up Calcutta and the US has built up it’s fleet.

Italy, I would invest in naval, so probably just a destroyer. Would try as best I could to wipe out what is left od the UK navy in the Med. Expect my friend to clear Sz 96/97 because that’s what I did to great effect. Looking for ways to counter this. This is probably my greatest question as Italy. I intend to focus purely on getting North Africa and Egypt especially. I will be looking at how to drop more units in N Africa and won’t be looking to support German troops against the Soviets much.

Germany will be doing a Sealion but I don’t think my friend will be reinforcing the UK on T1 that much as he, like me is fairly inexperienced and I don’t think he would be expecting me to assault the UK so quickly. So I may not have to use all 10 transports purchased in G2 against the UK. With air support as well, I am hoping I will be able to get away with just 6. My other main question is how do I get rid of the Russian Navy in Sz 115…

@Gekkepop:

The plan sounds ok but realistically you cannot take Hawaii J1. Even if you send everything that can reach the odds are very poor. Even if you did manage to capture it the US could easily counterattack. The earliest you can take hawaii is J2 and even that is a risky move.

I’m not overly experienced in 1940 Global so I take what you said at face value though looking at what Japan starts with, I can get every ship in Sz 6  to Hawaii although with just 1 transport admittedly. I will have a minimum of 4 fighters and I will lose aircraft to take it I admit. If I go with the carrier from Sz 33 as well, I hope that any naval hits I can take on my carriers/Battleship. Assuming I can take it, it is dependent on what the Americans invest in T1 as to whether I can hold it T2.

The alternative is to keep the navy at Sz 6 / 33. Use some as naval bombardments for Phillipines and Kwang Tang amphib assault. Then J2 blockade the DEI as much as possible and try to take Calcutta.

@Gekkepop:

Your aircraft cannot reach Hawaii J1, so you fight with the transported units only. It is possible to take and hold Hawaii J2 but it requires a very specific opening and you need to know how to follow it up so I wouldn’t recommend it for a beginner.

I was assuming aircraft that can land on the carrier can reach which they can. I could even assume that I will lose 2-3 and take more than the basic 4/6 (depending on whether I take 2 or 3 carriers).

But I do take your point.

@snake11eyes:

@SunTzu7:

Would be buying Mech Infantry and possibly upgrade IC to Major.

Remember that since it’s not a original territory it cannot be a major

The Kiangsu territory is an original or have I missed something? Or is that you can only upgrade Minor IC’s if they were not purchased? Which isn’t how I read the rules.

Ok so here are some general questions then.

What is better to attack with my German subs…106 or 109?

How can Italy clear the French and UK fleet in the Med assuming that Sz 96 / 97 have been hit? How can Germany assist?

Is it worth targeting Sz 91?

Can you close the straight if you occupy Morocco and Gibraltar?

Is there a way for Germany to take Southern France in addition to Normandy / France?

Thanks for the answers.

I’ve since revised my strategy completely. It’s a hybrid and tries to retain flexibility as much as possible.

G1 Take Finland, Bulgaria, S France and France. Take out UK Fleet at 109/110/111.
G2 I won’t buy the 9/10 Transports. Instead will spend as normal and carry 40. Will look to take E Poland, Bessarabia, Baltic States and Karelia and whatever is in 115/97. This is all dependent on what the UK does in it’s 1st turn.
G3 Buy Transports.
G4 will Attack either London or Novogorod.

J1 Will take Shantung/Jehol/Hunan/Yunnan Buy Minor IC and 2 Transports. Will move main fleet and 2 Transports to Sz36, 1 Transport/Cruiser to Sz 43 and Fleet from Sz 35 to 44. I won’t attack with these assets.
J2 Attack from Sz 36 into Sz 37/42 and from Sz43 into 41. Will use 2 Transports from Japan to Amhib into Kwagtung and Phillipines with air/naval support. Purchases will be split Navy/Mech Infantry. Possible Minor IC for Korea or will carry for purchase of a minor IC in Kwagtung the following turn.
J3+ Will split Navy between Phillipines and Malaya with a couples of Destroyers in Japan. All purchases will be split between cheap naval units and Mech Infantry. Emphasis will be to hold off UK/China and take Sydney.

I1 Will buy a Fighter. Will look to either destroy remaining UK fleet at Sz 96 or the French fleet. Will try to get Troops to Tobruk. Will move from Ethiopia to Anglo Egypt and from Tobruk to Alexandria.
I2 Will try to amphib assault (assuming I’ve cleared French/UK Navy) Egypt and attack from Anglo Egypt and Alexandria.

@Chicochico:

Interesting, carrying cash from the second turn and spending on transports on turn 3. If UK reinforced his islands, blow on mechs and tanks, otherwise transports, i think i’ll be stealing this idea.

What ships do you usually build for a sealion germany? I often see 1 carrier, 1 destroyer and 1 sub (i think) on turn 1, grouped with the initial cruiser and maybe 1-2 surviving subs; is this enough to protect your transports from UK fighters/bombers?

By delaying a round, I am hoping that my friend won’t stack too much more in the UK. In fact I don’t think he would be expecting me to do this. Was looking to buy a destroyer and cruiser in the first 2 turns along with some more ground troops. The other reason to delay is that I wanted to not leave myself too weak after the UK has fallen and also I want to see if I can be in a position to push the Soviets back even while launching an attack on the UK itself.

Word of caution is that both my friend and I are novices so I will let people know how I get on with this.

Bit of both. This may not be optimal but I’m hoping it is still a reasonably good strategy. Bold but not too ambitious and not over extending myself.