Germany, a plan for victory in Europe

I’ve become a big fan of a single bomber buy G1.  Along with the two you already have, if you decide to go SL you can get a solid strategic bombing of London in on G2, and if you don’t go SL, it’s still useful to have unlike (in my opinion) a CV in the baltic.

I also am a big fan of a bomber build on G1.  I often do a sub and two bombers.  The sub can come in handy cleaning up remaining UK fleet and the two bombers are invaluable.  You can completely bomb London’s factory back to the stone age on G2 if you are bent on doing a Sea Lion, or help attack Greece/Med ships/Atlantic ships.  You really don’t want UK to be building a factory in Egypt on UK1.

I normally like a DD G1 but the sub is interesting. Still gives a hit and saves 2IPC. The 4th bomber has a good chance of maxing out the damage on the UK factory so I’m not convinced of it.

But if one bomber is shot down can be the difference between putting the factory out of commission or not.

Hmm.

I like to bomb factories when it’s feasible and sometimes that’s one of the tools required for me to get Moscow (in the few games I’ve won, which isn’t many. I lose more than I win…probably 2:1).

However, I’m kind of risk adverse to bombing.

When possible, I prefer to bomb with just 1-2 bombers by Italy, then 1 or 2 bombers with Germany. Its still 3-4 dice thrown at the bombers, but it seems to me that I have less bombers shot down this way. When playing a table top, if I throw a handful a dice the “odds” are still technically the same as if I threw them one at a time. Maybe it’s superstition, but the results seems to come out with more 1s that way.

I’d rather not max out the factory in Moscow if I concurrently lost a bomber than get minimal damage and not lose a bomber. I don’t like losing a 12 IPC plane that I also need to keep rolling @4 round after round during the big battle. I’m kind of for a happy medium on bombings I guess. I will at times bring 3 bombers…but a lot of conditions have to be met before I start doing something like that.

Ichabod: You have to do Axis and Allies more statistically.

Sending a bomber: 
5/6ths of the time reducing the defense by 2-4 power
1/6th of the time reducing your attack next round by 4 power.

Even reducing the opponents defense by a single infantry far outweighs the potential 1/6th chance of losing the bomber.  Having said that, the London factories usually shoot down 3 out of 4 of my bombers and I am left scratching my head why my excellently planned Sea Lion is going down in failure.

You can also style the SBR as a contrast to attacking the same TUV in regular battle.  There are many times when UK planes (or another power) end up attacking by themselves in order to kill a few crucial but cheap land units or soften up a crucial weak point with a 1-2 punch.    If I lost 1-2 bombers killing 1-3 blocking infantry, I’d regard it as a good tactical trade even if I lost 24 to 9 TUV.

There is no ## to ## comparison here–if the UK planes open the way to victory, then a sacrifice even of the entire airforce is “worth it” no matter what the numerical or economic trade offs are.

When you bomb out a power, (especially USSR with its limited $$ and scope of units), you are “killing” units before they ever exist, which leaves your opponent weaker on the counter attack and he is not refilling Moscow each turn instead he is paying off damage.  This leads to a lack of crucial counterattack units against the japanese backdoor at a critical time.  Russia is weakening itself with every re-take that it has to make, and the fact that units are being lost that would have been placed in the crucial backfield at the crucial time (R3-6) is a devastating combo.

When you add these things to the fact that Germany is producing 2:1 IPCs than Russia, it should make clear that even if Germany loses more $$ value of bombers, or that it seems like a lopsided $:$ trade (it is) …that is a very Germany+ trade for most of the game, and especially against Russia.

The dynamic against Germany is reversed;  Germany has 26 production capacity and can even capture more.  It has a $$ advantage early on, and has a 2:1 $ advantage against UK or USSR alone (and it has x2 as many bombers as the allies most of the time).  Most importantly, the number of choices and targets mean that Germany should be able to produce pretty much unabated no matter how many bombers come or how many it shoots down.  It also has many more fighters to stop those bombers.  That means that bombers lost bombing Germany are lost at an overall disadvantage that is the opposite of the Germany-Russia+ trade.

There is an allied bomber breakpoint where this is no longer true (its about 7-8 bombers+) where the allies can saturate every SB target but typically they will then use the bomber stream to kill units not hit factories because once you get enough bombers, they can destroy a fair sized stack without much help…

the only way to alter these dynamics is to pile on those fighters.  You already need them for defense, and unless German fighters can come (less likely than bombers being able to reach) once you have 3-4 fighters on a factory, they have to really think about coming in alone.  London and Moscow and Tokyo can reach ## of fighters that can dissuade SBR without much alteration in how they typically buy.

Well stated, Taamvan.  I would add that the Axis is focusing their spending on defeating a couple key opponents.  If you do a standard game, Germany is willing to trade straight up against Russia.  In fact, even trading 1.2 German units to kill 1 Russian unit could be worthwhile if you think you have a shot at pushing all the way to Moscow.  The Russians ground units defend at 2 while your German cannon fodder have attack power of 1 so you are still gaining ground at that exchange rate.

If you are doing a Sea Lion, you should be willing to give up some TUV in exchanges if it increases your chance of winning without a massive catastrophe to your air force.  Capturing London but losing most of your planes is going to be a failed game against a good opponent.  I certainly am willing to risk losing a bomber over London on G2, but I am very scared to lose 5-10 planes on the G3 invasion round.

@Arthur:

I also am a big fan of a bomber build on G1.� � I often do a sub and two bombers.� � The sub can come in handy cleaning up remaining UK fleet and the two bombers are invaluable.� � You can completely bomb London’s factory back to the stone age on G2 if you are bent on doing a Sea Lion, or help attack Greece/Med ships/Atlantic ships.� � You really don’t want UK to be building a factory in Egypt on UK1.� �

Arthur Bomber Harris,

My current favored G1 purchase is 1 bomber, 2 infantry, 3 artillery (followed by a G2 Sea Lion or Barbarossa purchase). I didn’t use to buy any bombers G1, but I learned from your demonstration it’s a good idea to start building a nice bomber stack right away (and I don’t mean “dark skies” style, which I didn’t think you did to me).

I recently won a Global 40 game in triplea on the Europe Axis size where I did do a Sea Lion. For some reason (not intended), I was able to set Germany up to play the long haul. I played this game soon after you had beaten me with a provided 30 PUs! Embarrassing that one…LOL! I think I’m better at playing the allies now. Anyways, for the conversation of how to win with the Europe Axis, my G1 purchase was 2 bombers and 2 infantry (2 bombers inspired by you beating me). The guy handed London to me on a silver platter (8 tanks survived, no planes shot down by AAA). I couldn’t resist taking it. London was eventually liberated by the US of course…but Moscow was still taken somewhere near round 13 due to a strong bombing campaign. After getting Moscow and killing the stack that evacuated, the allies team (multi-game) conceded. Japan did really well, but wasn’t able to get and hold all of the Victory Cities required to win on that side.

I like to get up to 5 transports set up in 112 or 113 on turn 2 and then build alot of fast movers (tanks/bombers)  The reason I like 5 transports is you can build 5inf/art in germany and land those in either lenningrad OR the UK(london or scotland) from 113.  that threat coupled with bomber buys keeps the UK spending money on london instead of africa.  If italy is lucky enough to have a MED fleet that can spell disaster for allies, and could allow you to  mop up northern africa with italy.  my typical cookie cutter build (it varies but this is generally what i do as germany)

G1: carrier/sub/destoyer, strafe yugoslavia and position forces in poland & Romania.  Try to retreat battleship in 110 to 112 if possible, hoping UK scrambles into 110 and you can pick off a plane or two lose a plane or two if you have to in order to retreat the battleship.

G2: build 4 transports into 113 5 inf 5 art on berlin, 1 tank 1 mech on west germany.  total buy is 70IPC which you should have.
reposition 112 fleet to 113 and clear out any remaining UK ships with planes.  DOW on Russia, push in baltic states and clear their navy out of 114 or 115(wherever he has it) set up italy can openers.

G3 if the UK called your bluff and didnt put any money into london well… check the odds you may actually be in a position to do some damage and sack it by G4 or 5, i’ve had success with landing 10 units in scotland G3 which the UK can’t afford to deal with, plus put 20 damage on their factory.  This will allow you to hit london with 20 troops and all your planes on G4, i’ve only had the opportunity to do that once and it worked… weak UK player to be honest.    Otherwise land your navy into 115.  you’ll now be able to build 5 inf 5 art every turn on Berlin and shuck them into lenningrad,  while dropping tanks on lennigrad factory or bombers back in west germany to throw at any fledgling UK fleets.  Push forward in the south and take ukraine factory as fast as possible.

from here on out i mix in a few bombers here and there and just steamroll into moscow if the UK doesn’t land planes to defend, which works against weaker allied players.  Otherwise I just hold the line at two russian factories take as much russian money as possible(caucus area) while drawing allied money away from japan.  Every game i’ve played lately italy always gets creamed with taranto raid and crumbles in africa/med by turn 4 or so… i typically just make fast movers in northern italy the first few turns to send to the russian fight.

@Ehpic:

I like to get up to 5 transports set up in 112 or 113 on turn 2 and then build alot of fast movers (tanks/bombers)   The reason I like 5 transports is you can build 5inf/art in germany and land those in either lenningrad OR the UK(london or scotland) from 113.  that threat coupled with bomber buys keeps the UK spending money on london instead of africa.  If italy is lucky enough to have a MED fleet that can spell disaster for allies, and could allow you to  mop up northern africa with italy.   my typical cookie cutter build (it varies but this is generally what i do as germany)

G1: carrier/sub/destoyer, strafe yugoslavia and position forces in poland & Romania.  Try to retreat battleship in 110 to 112 if possible, hoping UK scrambles into 110 and you can pick off a plane or two lose a plane or two if you have to in order to retreat the battleship.

G2: build 4 transports into 113 5 inf 5 art on berlin, 1 tank 1 mech on west germany.  total buy is 70IPC which you should have.
reposition 112 fleet to 113 and clear out any remaining UK ships with planes.  DOW on Russia, push in baltic states and clear their navy out of 114 or 115(wherever he has it) set up italy can openers.

G3 if the UK called your bluff and didnt put any money into london well… check the odds you may actually be in a position to do some damage and sack it by G4 or 5, i’ve had success with landing 10 units in scotland G3 which the UK can’t afford to deal with, plus put 20 damage on their factory.  This will allow you to hit london with 20 troops and all your planes on G4, i’ve only had the opportunity to do that once and it worked… weak UK player to be honest.    Otherwise land your navy into 115.  you’ll now be able to build 5 inf 5 art every turn on Berlin and shuck them into lenningrad,  while dropping tanks on lennigrad factory or bombers back in west germany to throw at any fledgling UK fleets.   Push forward in the south and take ukraine factory as fast as possible.

from here on out i mix in a few bombers here and there and just steamroll into moscow if the UK doesn’t land planes to defend, which works against weaker allied players.   Otherwise I just hold the line at two russian factories take as much russian money as possible(caucus area) while drawing allied money away from japan.  Every game i’ve played lately italy always gets creamed with taranto raid and crumbles in africa/med by turn 4 or so… i typically just make fast movers in northern italy the first few turns to send to the russian fight.

Ferrying troops using transports in the Baltic is nice (because of the optionality you mention), but not an end goal in itself. Slow movers from Germany can reach Moscow in 5 turns / defensive position near Moscow in 4 turns.

The transports get you there in 4 turns / 3 turns instead.

Fast movers get to Moscow in 3 turns and to a defensive position near Moscow in only 2 turns.

I find that getting a stack next to Moscow (defensively strong enough), forcing the Soviets to turtle and taking over the South with the fast movers to be hard to counter.

In the end, it’s a matter forcing Soviets to retreat from Bryansk as soon as possible with either the ability to destroy it (the hardest way), or ability to force them to fall back by walking in into Smolensk (often easiest since Soviets are weaker on offense and help of Italian defence) or having ability to can open with Italy and strike with fast movers.

And once the Soviets are stuck in Moscow, it’s a matter of keeping them there and trading troops in small battles surrounding the capital (“make them pay for their income”). If the Japanese are pushing the other way, time is on your side, there isn’t much that Russia can do offensively at that point. Just make sure to make it really expensive for the US/UK to get to you on your other flank by constantly building your air force, and a land counterattack capability.

Going back to Italian can opening, I like to buy a mech or two It1 and send a tank with them w/bmr to open up some doors for the Germans. The Italians can take territories and have the Germans move in with land and air to stand next to the Russian stack (no Russian hit and run). Having the Italians take out Russian pickets can possibly let German units get to the Ukraine IC or oil territories quicker. Another form of Italian can opening I do is taking out the Russian cruiser blocker in the Baltic w/It air so the Germans can include an amp on Leningrad the turn they attack Russia. Having a small Italian force at the front lines can also head off a splintered UK force trying to come up from the south. If the Japanese are at Russia’s back door, or have managed to push the UK from the Middle East (USA going heavy Europe), then the Italians may be able to break into the Oil territories for income, leaving the Germans intact to push into Moscow. It seems like a waste for the Japanese to get all the oil territories when the Ger/Ital get a bonus, but having the Japanese get Caucasus works for the Euro axis. Also having the Japanese invading the Far East Pac territories to drain Russian income is a must IMO. Invade no later the J2, and don’t fear the Mongolians just have some ground units in place to to chase most of them down w/air power.

On a side note I generally build some combo of ships/tpt/bmrs G1/G2, or save most income G1 to keep the UK honest. By the end of G2 I’ll have at least 3 tpts, 4 bmrs along with some support ships to again make the UK pay attention (even when my intention is to use navy to drop units in Russia). I just don’t like to give the UK the freedom to do what she wants. I have been using SBR more on London/Moscow to force the allies to pay extra for their units. In some games you can force the Russians to build every other turn, but the RAF can make that difficult in both capitals though. I also like to add art to the early German buys to give the front lines a little more bite. Most allied opponents will get some air to Moscow, so the German stack will most likely get stalled allowing art built G2 to catch up as you use the Russian ICs to add more units.