Russia declaring war on Japan, can this happen?

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=37883.0

I have not played Japan very often but I am not one to hit the US right off.  I like to secure China and the DEI first.  Cripple or take India and pressure the ANZAC’s is next while harrassing the US with landings in Alaska and the Philipeans.  Alaska doesn’t really mean that much but most US palyers will not want Japanese forces in North America.  Once Japan’s IPC level is up and I can build more capitol ships and planes, that is when I move to really hit the US fleet.  An Aggressive US player will make this stratagy much harder to pull off though.  the game I am currently playing, the Japan player did hit the Hawaiian fleet on round one and took it on round two.  The US player has been so focused on the Japan player that the Italians have taken Brazil and the Germans have landed in the West Indies and convoy raided the east coast of the US.  Britain has had no help and is barely hanging on.  The round 1 DOW can work if you have the right kind of player in position.  To give the US player credit, he has begun to make some better playes and is pushing back but he is having to regain alot of lost ground which really help the axis players be more aggressive.

@ItIsILeClerc:

What Barney said will probably work fine, since you seem to have a pretty solid plan.

I can give two answers to your questions though, but please keep in mind those things work for me, not necessarily for you too.

1. I never ignore the Siberians. I kill them, chase them down, or screen/defend against them, depending on what Russia did and what my own plans are. Since Russia moves before Japan, I adapt accordingly. Sometimes it’s even worth it to allow them 1 or 2 turns into Manchuria/Korea if you can kill them/force them to retreat later on anyway (no later than 3rd turn after), because this keeps them away from Moscow and ‘upsets’ Mongolia.
Good thing to know: Japan can take down China + India completely without the troops from Manchuria/Korea. IJAF has 21 airplanes and it’s OK to sacrifice ~4planes if this means killing the entire Chinese (or Indian) army.

2. Use them when you can ;-). Use them to deny USN shorebombardment or to strengthen the IJN if it comes under threat of an attack so stage it off Japan and/or Philippines.

I usually let russia go to korea, but make sure I can deadzone manchuria.  Especially good idea since korea is easily convoy raided.

In other words, the NO makes the axis man up and attack Russia. I am not trying to play a 20 round game here, it should be over in 10.

Do I look like I want to play a 20 round global game? It is the best idea for a national objective ever. It makes sense to me, if the axis are cowards then Russia gets extra money, that is good propaganda.

My two cents says - if Germany attacks G1, then builds armor repeatedly, they’ll see a shortage of infantry soon enough. Their entire western flank, as said by others, will be eroded quickly. Killing tanks with infantry/artillery and a couple planes will be a nice laugh.

Don’t forget the power of the strafe to whittle down your opponent’s fodder, then fall back into reinforced positions.

As far as infantry vs. aircraft, oh yes. Most of my early games saw me buy an aircraft for the first three rounds - I like 4 fighters/2 tacs with Russia - but I’ve abandoned that over my past 3-4 games in favor of the all meat and potatoes purchase… land units only. After all, this isn’t a trade war we’re interested in, but a game of taking and holding key positions. The days of trade wars are over, imo. They were left behind in Anniversary. Aircraft can’t take a piece of land… all it can do is kill and retreat. I now prefer to set up overlapping defensive structures with a slowly growing mobile reserve, to be able to threaten multiple places.

Russia has to learn that they don’t have to fight for every IPC. Some are ok to let go. A trade war will result in a gradual erosion of Russian land units, and death.

@Zallomallo:

Yes, an act of war by Japan on UK or ANZAC(and maybe France?) puts them at war with the US.

It does not put them at war.  It allows them to declare war.  There is a rather large distinction, as Japan can end the turn in seazones with US ships (or attack seazones with both US and UK/Anzac ships, ignoring the US ships) that are still friendly to them until the US declares war on the combat move of its next turn.

Japan declaring war on France has no impact whatsoever.  Japan can declare war on france and as long as they don’t attack FIC, they’ll continue to collect their National Objective.  Even if they do attack FIC, japan only loses their objective.  It does not permit the US to declare war.

germany has more units on the front and will crush the smaller ussr stacks.

So pretty much the US is not allowed to move anywhere in the Atlantic before they are at war… :-P  Not exactly, but almost.