Ramdas Vaidyanathan has a new move called "Ram's Mahatma Gambit" -

I do not know if anyone has ever thought of this move.  I figured it out a month ago and played it a couple of days ago.

IAM POSITIVE THIS WILL CHANGE THE GAME FOREVER!

USSR  T1 :  17 inf + 2 AAA to Buryatia.  F from Moscow to Tinguska . 1 inf in Amur
UK Pacific Turn 1 : Buy 4 Mechs.  BB from Malaya ( having the Mahatma on Board for a peace mission ) GOES TO Hong Kong , DD from East India to Malaya , TR+2 Inf take Sumatra . Cruiser can go to Ethiopia to do shore bombardment.  3 Inf from Malaya go to Shan State. Move all remaining Inf + AAA + Art to Burma.  2 Inf in Burma to Shan
ANZAC turn 1 : Buy 1 TR + 1 inf , Take Java with ART+ INF on TR. Land NZ fighters and Queensland fighter all on Java .  DD+ CR to Java . Inf from Malaya moves to Shan state.
US T1, DD to Borneo  ( as blocker ) .

USSR T2 : 18 Inf + 2 AAA + F in Amur … ONLY if there are not enough planes to kill them all using Inf+ Art that is already on Manchuria+ Korea.

Japan has to choose to declare war on W. Allies or Russia… or not declare on either.

If declaration of war on Western Allies… then US can enter into Atlantic big time immediately !

if declaration of war on USSR… IJN and IJAF will out of position… take losses and DEI safe for 1-2 turns

If no declaration of war… and NO TR on Carolines… and if TR on Carolines… not more than 1 CV+ 1 BB…

UK T2: Buy 4 Mechs + Tank.  BB from Hong Kong ( with the Mahatma ) pays a visit to the Imperial Court of Japan… on SZ 6.  DD from Malaya goes to Kwangsi/Hainan in peace. UK Tr takes Celebes with 1 Inf . Shan State has 7 Inf + 4 Mech+ Art + 3 AAA + 3 ANZAC FTR + 2 FTR + 1 TAc Bomber
ANZAC T2: Buy 1 F+ Inf . Declares war on Japan.  All TR in SZ 6 and off Hainan are frozen in combat turn for the next turn. Inf from Shan State + Art from Java + 3 Fighters attack Siam and take it. TR + 2 Inf take Dutch New Guinea for bonus. Fighters land in Shan State
US T2, DD moves to India

USSR T3 : Take Korea and or Manchuria … Japanese TR cannot load on Combat turn! They are pretty safe.

UK T3 :  Buy 6 Mechs .  Hit Yunnan. Keep Malaya a dead zone… China will be resurgent.  India and Sydney safe for at least 3 more turns.

USSR 4 : USSR Inf + AAA  if surviving all withdraw to Amur… or … go to Jehol… really risky!  But if they reach AHNWE… Japan is really really in trouble… because China and UK  Mechs from Yunnan can back Japan to the coast for a long time.

If you have never seen this move, please call it RAM’S MAHATMA GAMBIT !!!

This is from Ramdas Vaidyanathan in Puyallup, WA , USA

PS: Sorry for messing up the Japanese player’s life.  I truly love playing Japan.  This is my humble contribution to this wonderful game that i truly love.

I have been reading on various tactics , through the fora… have not seen this tactic mentioned before.  It is already mentioned please let me know where and when.

You can remove my name… not a problem.  But  at least call it  “The Mahatma Gambit”.  Yes it is an oxymoron, but it is apt.
Perry will not work, because he went in and opened up his guns at Tokyo/Edo bay.
The UK BB does not go in guns blazing… rather… in peace.

For names i offer this:
The first step please be called  " THE MAHATMA GAMBIT " ,  or ( TMG ) for short…. where the UK BB goes to Hong Kong (SZ # 20) on UK1

Also, technically there are 2 steps to it:
STEP 1:
A) Mahatma Gambit Accepted… where Japan declares war on Western Allies on J2
or
B) Mahatma Gambit Declined… where Japan ignores it on J2 and is still at peace with the Western Allies.

BEFORE STEP 2 there are few things Western Allies and USSR must observe:

1. ON J2, does Japan keep its TRs loaded  ( ie : Does NOT offload the TRs at the end of their move)
2. If there are loaded TRs that can hit, ie: SZ 19,20,36,37,41,42, 33,45 etc… you get the picture… then obviously Japan intends to strike on J3.
3. Should #2 happen, then since HongKong is a PORT, the UK BB can WITHDRAW to SZ 38 or SZ 41 or SZ 42 wherever it feels safe.
4. Also USSR should observe how many land units are present in Manchuria and Amur as well as air units that can hit either Manchuria or Korea if they attack on USSR3
5. Lastly, the importance and strength of Japanese navy in the Carolines cannot be understated. If there are enough that can obliterate Queensland or New South Wales ( if Unblocked ) obviously the Gambit though declined , will backfire.

SHOULD THERE BE ENOUGH DANGER, and should Japan keep TRs loaded , withdraw the UK BB back, do not send the UK DD forward, withdraw everything to safety. It is possible.

UK and ANZAC on their turn 2, this have the ability to call off their attack.

Should Japan not take the steps above , it leaves itself open to MIFF… or the MAHATMA’S IMPERIAL FLEET FREEZE  !

If Mahatma Gambit Declined… then  comes Step 2.  Now you may call Step 2, Perry Gambit or whatever.  My term for this is MAHATMA’S IMPERIAL FLEET FREEZE  or ( MIFF ) for short.
STEP 2:
The UK BB goes to SZ 6  , if there are TR buys from J2 or TR moved from the south that are ready to load on J3 … the more # TR the better!  and the
UK DD goes either to Hainan (SZ 36)  or to HongKong (SZ 20 )  or even Okinawa ( SZ 19)  IN PEACE.  It must go where there are the maximum# of unloaded DDs.

ANZAC declares war on its Turn 2, and all Japanese TRs that are in the SZ with the UK BB and UK DD Cannot LOAD on Combat turn.

As I expected, people have not looked into it in detail bar a notable few.

This move is the perfect counter to a G1 - Major IC build in Romania, where Germany goes to crush USSR on G6 .
Because … then … if Japan accepts the Mahatma Gambit, US can immediately go to war on US T2 … and it will be in Norway/Med by US 4 … thwarting Moscow’s fall. If Germany is foolhardy to pursue production solely toward taking Moscow… then either Berlin itself or Rome will fall by US 6,7 or 8 due to combined US and UK 1-2 punch.

The early moves in the A&A game are usually controlled by the Axis.
Other than the Med/Taranto … there is not much the ALLIES can do to direct the game one way or another.

This move gives ALLIES the option… Prepare for a J2 attack, and US involvement from US 2…  or… IF DECLINED… Germany will have its way in Europe, but Japan will be in major difficulty, so bad that an Allies KJF strategy will work clinically.

Japan can “prepare” for the MIFF , ( Declining TMG ) but it handicaps a lot of its major moves!!!

1. It may have to waste a TR in Carolines on J1 .
2. On J2, it has to KEEP its TRs LOADED … to prevent MIFF . Right.  Then… these are troops NOT fighting in China
3. It will probably have to spread out TRs in 3 or 4 different SeaZones so they are not sitting together
4. The J2 BUY - critical… if has multiple TRs… they are ALL STUCK in MIFF… as these TRs cannot load on J3 combat turn.

Let us look at what happens if Japan DECLINES TMG and is stuck in the MIFF : For the cost of 1 UK BB and 1 UK DD  total value 28 IPC

1. Japan loses an entire land troop movement to the mainland Asia… usually about 3-6 TR loads !
2. ANZAC can  GAIN $10 NO’s and $1 in Siam ( if not enough planes are landed on Siam on J2). The loss of Siam is a major strategic loss, as it the Southernmost outpost Japan has to land planes should it want to get to Malaya or Java/Sumatra…. or want to do an India crush.
3. The DEI  GAIN $15 are safe for at least one turn.
4. Malaya is safe for 3 extra turns worth $3 to UK  each turn + $5 bonus for ANZAC each turn.  The reason is that it is a dead killing zone for Japanese troops. If lands Inf/Art there, unless it gambles and lands 4-6 transport loads…. the 3 UK planes and Tank + all Mechs can wipe them out.  Japanese planes cannot land.  And once the Japanese units are Lost… that far South… it is hard to transport them that far again… probably 2 more turn.  GAIN = $24
5. If Korea and Manchuria are both not defended well, and if either or both fall, it results in a minimum GAIN $3 to USSR
6. China is actually the main beneficiary getting $ 6  Yunnan bonus from turn 4 to turn 6 at the minimum = GAIN$18 In the game we played China took Yunnan on China 3 and till turn ……9 got its bonus every turn.  On UK3, the UK Tank ( UK2 buy) + 8 Mechs ( UK1 and 2 buy) + 6 Inf + 3 Planes + 3 AAA present such a formidable defense, that Japan cannot take it on. Not when there are bigger fish to fry… not when there are possibly 16 Soviet Inf they have to worry about.
7. Japan cannot attack Phillippines on J3
8. 3 ANZAC fighters land on SHAN STATE on ANZAC T2 . These fighters in Asia , will defend Yunnan or Ahnwe , can pick off isolated TRs.  And on ANZAC T4 land on Sikiang or Szechwan after their battle.  On ANZAC 5 they can land in MOSCOW!!! and provide extra support to its defense.

The monetary gain Japan makes is the $10 for Indo-China on J3,J4  for $20.

So look at the gains ALLIES get =~ $70  and a loss of $48 ($ 28 for Units) = $22

If USSR takes a risk… in my opinion a bold move and goes 15 INF + 2AAA  to Jehol on USSR4  … On Japan turn 4 has to choose between killing that stack, taking the Islands, Taking Yunnan, Going to Sydney or Calcutta .
It is extremely hard to do more than 1 efficiently.

If the Soviet stack is ignored, it reaches AHNWE , the next turn… with Yunnan in Allied hands… China will get $24  a turn for a very long time.

If Soviet stack is killed , then the UK + China could take Ahnwe and that becomes a problem for Japan. The 18 Soviet Infantry usually accomplish very little when they do their usual march back to Moscow.

The Allies lack infantry in Asia… and these 18 put to work on T3 , will make Japan’s life a nightmare.

On US 5, it can move… so Japan has only J4 and J5 to do what it wants.

ANZAC- Sydney is also very safe because with the extra $$$ of ANZAC bonuses… its buys are usually planes or tanks… all excellent defensive units. It can hold out against a concerted Japanese attack.

ANZAC turn 1 buy is very dependent on what lurks in the Carolines. If heavy Japanese Navy + 1 TR… then 3 Inf.  If no Japanese navy, it can get little aggressive.

As i state again, there are few things Allies can do to influence what the Axis do, esp. what Japan does… this move forces Japan to choose.

In fact, it makes Germany play honest. If Japan and Germany has planned to Japan holding out till J4 or J5… well, it can, but with TMG and MIFF  , Japan is really handicapped.

US buy on US 2,3 and 4 can be altered with MIFF.

MIFF makes Japan weak and vulnerable.  It does not have the DEI money , it has to contend with a resurgent China and with massive US buys in the Pacific on US2,3,4…  Japan will be in a bad position!!!

So… i hope you have had the patience to read through this all.  If you have… try it!

And unless this has been explicitly stated in this forum or someother place , please do not start calling it whatever you wish.

This is  a Gambit.  It is a Gambit of Peace!  The greatest man of peace in those troubled times was The Mahatma.  Give him some credit.  Call this his by his name… : The Mahatma Gambit!

Thank you

Ramdas Vaidyanathan

The US DD in Borneo and the UK DD in Malaya - both - block the Japanese Navy, should Japan accept TMG  , as well as save the 3 ANZAC FTR on Java +( maybe the ANZAC DD +  maybe ANZAC CRU+ UK CRU) all of which could be in Java. The last 3 ships are upto the discretion of the players depending on how J1 Navy position is.

Should Japan go J2 strike, the US DD serves much better as a blocker in Borneo.

And should Japan not do J2 strike , then the US DD has option of going to Sumatra , or toward Southern Australia or toward Queensland Seazone.  It really does not matter as for the next 2 turns it is not involved.

USSR has option of bringing both TB and F to Tinguska… or even Yensei… if they are really serious about TMG.  If there is an Allied Bid for 6 IPC or more… a Tank or 2 ART  to join the 18 INF will make things all the more interesting for Japan.

Lastly, as you well know , if the 18 Soviet Divisions start plodding West from USSR1 , Japan gets to use the 10 Inf + Art+ AAA = total value of 39 IPC… that it does Not have to build… that are ready to be loaded on to TR and head South.  I have seen this happen so many times.
If Japan has to actually BUILD these troops… it takes away from their Naval or Factory build that they could otherwise use their IPC for.

There have been many recent posts on how hard it is to win with a J4 declaration… and Germany can win , if Japan waits to declare on J5…  as well as If there are any new Strategys  etc… Here is an answer.

Stars, Elements , Equations , Theorems etc… are names by people who first conceive and declare them.

Moves should be the same.

Now there are people wanting to name this … this and that… things that have never been posted… nor relevant.

I hope you folks are intellectually honest in this matter. That’s all.

Enjoy … argue… play!

Hi ItIsILeClerc,

Thank you for your comments.

On #2 , If Japan DOWs on either ANZAC or UK or US, its automatically on all Western Allies…. so the US DD automatically becomes a blocker.

Now, lets go over this plan, assuming Japan “knows” about TMG and MIFF. Assume J1 strike is not in the plans for Japan.

USSR1 => The F  or F+TB move East, one of the signs of impending TMG. their movement only upto Tinguska and not all the way to Yensei is so that should TMG NOT be played, they can return to Moscow on USSR2 . Hence participate in anything that ensues there from R3 Air Base. It also affects German play! All 18 INF + 2 AAA  ( + any bonus Tank/Art) in Buryatia.  Should Allies NOT play TMG, this stack can reach Moscow on R7… if it starts moving West from USSR2.

J1 => Player realises TMG is a possibility at this point.
BUY: Since TMG is only a possibility, will it affect its buy?!  Already, Japan may have to take this into account!?! Which buy will be the most optimum against TMG?
COMBAT: Usual  Yunnan and Hunan combat ensues.
NON-COMBAT:
A)Again, here Japan has to now take into account TMG . Usual move is to move troops to Kiangsu/Kiangsi /Kwangsi. Will it then keep TRs together or separate… unloaded or loaded??? Should they still be loaded, and TMG is not played, then these are troops NOT fighting in China. 
B) Also, it telegraphs W. Allies to prepare for a J2 strike.  Maybe they will not play a TMG.  Already Japanese play is affected.
C) What about playing heavy Naval Movement to Carolines and bring 1 TR.  That is one less TR transporting troops to China!
D) 2-3 CVs in Carolines  means Sumatra , Malaya and possibly Java might not get the full wrath of a J2 strike.

At end of J1 - Let us suppose they have 2 TR off Kiangsi and 1 TR of Kwangsi  … or… 3 TR off Kiangsi … or take any combination of TRs in SZ 19,20 or 36… or … stretch… 37 (1 TR can reach there… 2 Inf off Siam available). Also let us suppose Japan decides not to do heavy Carolines, not waste a TR movement there on J1.

Also let us suppose it moves Manchuria troops to Jehol,  some Korea troops to Manchuria.  Or some combination of this. This is a standard J1 move.
Or uses its TRs to take Inf+ AAA+ Art from Manchuria or Korea .

Also let us suppose it moves majority of aircraft  South… to either Kiangsu, Kiangsi or… stretch  Kwangsi.  Again this is a standard J1 move too.

Assume ALLIES confer and decide to try TMG.
This can be done at this point, and does not have to be planned out ahead of time  ( except the Soviet moves… to keep option alive).

TMG with KJF  or just TMG  ?!  It depends on what success and builds Germany has had so far.

And UK1 , ANZAC 1 and US 1 accordingly played.

Taranto successful? or Tobruk Successful?

UK CRU in India can go to SUMATRA with TR for protection of TR as well as to help do a MIFF+

USSR2 => Moves the Soviet 20 to Amur

J2 =>
Japan is looking nervously at the Soviet Stack. If it does not have the manpower to kill it without too many losses, it’ll be a headache. Also a strike on it releases the 6 Mongolians.
If it does go after this USSR stack in Amur, then simultaneous J2 strike against Western Allies will not be effective.
If it does not kill it, and just do a J2 strike on W. Allies… it has to contend with KJF.

What is the US1 build?  2 CVs + TR in Pacific, DD in Atlantic?!!  Or CV+BB+ TR in Pacific…DD in Atlantic?

If US 1 build is BIG in Pacific, Japan MUST re-consider J2 strike.

If no J2 strike, how can it prepare for a J3 strike? And avoid MIFF?!!

BUY => Affected!
A)  If it buys more than 1 TR… UK BB should come to SZ 6 for MIFF  .  yep… the Mahatma will sip Sake and eat Sushi with the Emperor of Japan  :evil:  ( He was a teetotaler and strict vegetarian , for those who did not know)

NON-COMBAT:
A) If more than 1 TR in SZ 19 , maybe Malaya DD might come there.  If 2+ either BB or DD will be there drinking Ale and eating Fish and Chips!  :roll:
B) If J1 buy heavy on TR… and J2 buy heavy on TR… and J1 and J2 movement of TR is evenly placed on SZ 6, SZ 20 and SZ 19 or 36…  … then MIFF+  … the CRU will enjoy Devilled Eggs in HongKong.

You get the picture.

The Risk should be  commensurate to the possible punishment.
After all this…. the ALLIES could still CALL OFF the MIFF , NOT declare war… and withdraw to safety to SZ 38 ( off Burma ) .  US Borneo Blocker to Malaya alone will suffice!!!

OR ALLIES CAN DEFER !!!  :-D

HOW TO DEFER:

If J2 preparation ( Buy and Non-Combat ) is such that TMG  looks good…. Japan does not do a J2 strike, but MIFF may NOT be very effective… and game on Europe side looks good for ALLIES, they can take chance with TMG and MIFF DEFERRED !!!

MIFF DEFERRED means , you Sacrifice the UK BB to the place MOST unloaded or Newly BOUGHT TRs are located.

The Mahatma , by his very presence radiating peace , keeps Japan from loading the TR on its J3 combat.  :-o

You also sacrifice the UK DD in the next most unloaded TR Seazone.

All else flee to safety off BURMA

US 2 BUY Heavy pacific - 2 CV + DD

UK 2 (India) - Still buys Tank+ 4 Mechs . Does NOT take Celebes. Brings TR with 1 Inf or 2 Inf back to Shan State.  Shan State is stacked with TROOPs, awaiting J3.
ANZAC 2 - Depending on  Caroline force , has $14 to buy…

USSR 3 -  Hits Manchuria or Korea if lightly defended. All depends on how much Japan keeps there to defend these territories.  If odds are such , that one strafe can kill majority of the units… BUT NOT ALL - then strike and retreat Back to AMUR.  Use planes wisely.  If heavily defended… wait. Do NOT strike!!!

J3  - Attack… ?  if so who!!! and where…  gets too complicated from here on.

Typically, unless Japan builds a Minor IC on Asia on J1 ,  It has a total of 6 Inf+ 2 Art in Ahnwe , 2 I + Art in Chahar  , usually 2 I+ A in Hunan , and whatever it transports on J1.

A usual J1 buy of 3 TR can be loaded with what is on Japan in the beginning of the game.

Should the 18 Soviet Inf start marching East, Japan usually starts “borrowing” from Korea/Manchuria. This is a tremendous boon for Japan.

TMG and MIFF takes these advantages away.

Hope you enjoyed reading this!

If you are a Chess player or are aware of moves, consider this :

TMG  = Queen Sacrifice to achieve Zugzwang !!!

The UK BB is the Queen, sacrificed to COMPEL the Japanese player to make a move, any move… that will weaken him  :)

Another thing to remember is that UK Pacific buys should be only Mechs or Mechs + Tanks for first 3-4 turns…  Mobility is important…
UK T3/4 a Fighter buy might help.

ANZAC T1 buy , if a fighter… ( should no Japanese navy show up on Carolines on J1) … will be in AHNWE on turn 4

The key Fulcrum for the W. Allies in Asia  is Yunnan!!!

Shan State must not fall on J2 or J3 DOW.

Yunnan must not fall once UK takes it.

For that, the 3 ANZAC fighters + 3 UK India planes and 3 AAA are crucial.

And fast moving Mechs and Tanks ( with or without Gurkhas or Chandits)  :wink: are essential.

Once the Chinese start putting Inf to consolidate… and start getting their Yunnan bonus… in a turn or 2 , AHNWE will fall.

Once Ahnwe falls and is held… with a combo if China+ UK+ USSR? troops… Japan has to pay a heavy price to dislodge that force.

Question:  Can Germany and Japan wait till turn 4 to declare war on USA/USSR… and will that help them immensely in winning the game?

Answer before TMG : Yes!

Answer after TMG : Maybe…??!

Explanation: If TMG is declined, and it is combined with a KJF strategy, and unless Japan takes countermeasures ( that weaken it) …  Germany may take Moscow on G6… if Soviets play well… G7
BUT!!!  They still need to take that elusive 8th Victory City!!! Unless Italy took Egypt earlier… or unless Germany can either take Egypt or London by G8 or G9  ( possible , but hard) for the Euopean victory…  It will be game over in Pacific!

Why?

Because If Japan declines TMG… and does not play exactly to avoid MIFF… with KJF  ( Massive US Pacific buys) … ANZAC and UK India surging… China taking its Bonus every turn… Tokyo will  fall by US 8 or US 9 .

I hope people understand this important detail!

If IJN  ( Japanese Navy)  is sitting and convoying India… and Madagascar and Persia…  i hate to say this… Tokyo will fall earlier!

Japan without DEI and with a resurgent China is a very very poor country.

Allied strategy with TMG and MIFF played correctly… COUNTERS the much talked about Axis advantage.