YG, I guess you are thinking about restricting the ability for Japan to build an IC in FIC. Not sure if you are looking at it from a historical aspect (did FIC have the infrastructure ?, wouldn’t think the French would be able to do much politically speaking), or for game play (FIC IC puts the Japanese in really good position if done early). After the fall of Paris, I know the French allowed the Japanese to bully them into entering FIC early on granting them what was supposed to be limited troop movement (opened the door for a flood), but honestly don’t remember much more about it (guess I’ll have to check that out). I know the invasion of FIC triggered the US oil embargo though, and that’s why the 10 IPC NO was developed in Alpha+1 (I think) to delay the Japanese from taking FIC J1. Even back then Japan getting FIC J1 seemed to give them really good position (for an IC). There are no other consequences to Japan for an invasion of FIC under the political rules. An attack of FIC doesn’t bring the US into the war like an attack on the Britts/Anz does (and it shouldn’t either IMO, I like what comes down to economic sanctions w/10 IPC NO). Maybe your group is charging into FIC J1 on a normal bases, even if they delay the attack on the UK/US, and you are seeing that as a problem?
Back to the poll:
You can’t build on either place J1 (have to take them first), but you could do a J2 IC build w/J1 attack (depending on the axis strat).
I voted FIC for the following reasons.
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Both places offer the same land moment to India, but the Chinese seem to congregate in Tsinghia for the final battle, and your Japanese mech/tanks can be there in 2 turns from FIC, where Malaya would take 3 turns. For later in the game (once the Chinese are gone) FIC also gives your tanks/mech better accessibility to the Russian back door (2 turns to attack Kazah from FIC, 3 turns from Malaya). It would also be 3 turns for your mech/tanks to hit Moscow from FIC, but 4 turns from Malaya (1 space makes a big difference). Either place would be with in 3 turns to get to Stalingrad though. Depends on your axis strat, and how the US is playing in the Pac.
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FIC, it is also safer build IMO then Malaya, and a bit harder for the allies to attack/take later in the game. Malaya (sz 37) is one move by sea for the allies from sz54 (Q-land), where FIC (sz 36) takes 2 moves from sz54 (I realize the Japanese can block out etc…, but they could be facing 2-3 allied partners).
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I also like to build a naval base for sz36 sometimes early in the game on Kwangsi (mainland) or Hainan (island), because from there it is one turn to either India, W Australia, Caroline Is, or back to the Sea of Japan (Malaya doesn’t allow for all of those, kinda like a bridge too far). I also get to use this ability even if I delay attack on the allies (I have to take Malaya to use the naval base). So I may have already built a naval base for sz 36, so dropping a minor IC there later seems right and is a good place to drop navy too (one move to many places mentioned above). I like a secondary place to build Japanese Navy around the DIE, and sz 36 (even w/o naval base) allows me to defend “My Islands”. Add a naval base and you get great flexibility. Plus FIC can also be pretty deadly w/an air base.
As a side note, although you can build navy and protect the DIE as well from a Malayan IC, and would get the use of its free naval base, I think your navy is is more vulnerable off the coast of Malaya.