Game Report 166: The Limitations of JDOW J1

taamvan,

I’m experiencing Japan being taken out often now regardless of a J1-3. People just shove everything and it overwhelms Japan too quick.

If I know my opponent is going KJF no matter than maybe you consider to just say f’ it and either go north to take Russian IPCs to help Germany, or go balls to wall towards getting India and killing the West India stack if he tries to do the take and re-take India thing. Getting India early on is hard, but if you do, all of India and Burma gives you 11 IPCs. From there you can swing back to the islands, charge the middle east or South Africa. This is the advice the better players have recently giving me.

As the Japan player I have experienced “the professor” using the USA to take Iwo Jima and loading it up to reduce me to ashes.  It is less than fun!

You only need 1 inf to take Borneo, so the other one inf can go to Hunan, supported by 2 fig 2 tac.  The 37 attack is too risky–you need both SBs to prevent occasional disaster there.  As for the buy, rapid expansion is paramount, so I would recommend 3 tpt 1 mech (or art), although some people prefer 1 mc 2 tpt.

As Allies, I do better in the Pacific if Japan waits till after J2 to declare.  Anzac and UK get good income during the first 2 turns–especially the 2nd turn when I will (usually) declare UK2 for the extra NO money.  Japan gets the +11 bonus on J3 if they don’t declare, but they don’t get much benefit from this besides keeping USA out for another turn, since they’ll be forgoing Phi and FIC (6 ipc swing) and USA gets the Phi NO bonus (+5).

I think building a naval base at Sz36 and maybe also a air base is a good idea. It allows you to move your forces fast between Japan and the south. ISo you can attack the US fleet, i the case that the US positions a fleet to take Japan in SZ6. But it is expensive.

Positioning your air force in Kwangtung also allows you to reach Japan and Sz6 without an air base while using your planes to attack Chinese ground forces.

I go J1 most of the time and it is important to set up your crucial second turn right away. I consider it a successful J1 when I complete the following.

1. Take Yunnan.
2. Take Philippines with force.
3. Wipe UK battleship with both Strats a fighter and cruiser. Take casualties in a manner that leaves your cruiser to block for the lone transport you took to Borneo with 1 inf. (Block the south with Carolines destroyer) Take Hong kong and FiC.
4. Position enough transports and ships to take and hold all money islands turn 2

I have to accomplish these 4 things no matter what. This is all pretty basic ���� and Japan has enough units to accomplish all 4. (If Russia wants to mess around up north, let him. Those 18 inf can be dealt with if they decide to invade. I leave just enough inf in manchuria)

Anyone who does a J1 would agree that 2 thru 4 are musts, even if you don’t protect the Borneo transport in the same manner, but I’m not sure everyone thinks smashing Yunnan is vital to a successful J1. If you don’t take those 4 dudes out and the Chinese player moves them back to Szechwan and builds artillery, Japan isn’t cutting off the Burma road for another couple of turns and by then it’s too late. Entice him to bring all of his units back to Yunnan in reach of your air.

There’s even enough left for Pearl Harbor when the top 4 requirements are met.

Lately I have been buying 3 TTs turn 1 and setting up an eventual shuck from Tokyo to FIC where I purchase a minor factory and a naval base. Those men on Japan get right into the fight and I can use my extra transports to take and hold the money islands turn 2 and Mayala and Dutch New Guinea Turn 3. Even with just 1 factory on the mainland I can use the shucked men to threaten Calcutta as early as J5. Especially if I had 3 loaded carriers sitting at Wake left over from pearl harbor attack turn 1, and if lucky, a leftover destroyer blocking at Hawaii. Another advantage of this positioning is I can focus heavily on buying ships to stave off the US and still push hard against UKPac and China. Again, none of this matters as much as taking Yunnan turn 1.

Disclaimer: I haven’t had too much success with J1s. Perhaps I’m not across the nuances.

I really wonder how it is better than a J2, with stepping on FIC though. Japan is spread incredibly thin, USA get the income boost sooner and so do ANZAC. UK_Pac are hit pretty hard by it but is it worth it?

I’m also confused by the 3TT buy J1 that so many people do. I’d rather have an IC on Shantung than the third TT. That third TT is no use for getting on the money islands. You don’t need it to hit Guam. It does bolster the Philippines attack but in the 1 in 9 scenario that both inf there hit, you can lose a plane. It is useful for attacking India later of course, so long as you can put troops on it.

@simon33:

I’m also confused by the 3TT buy J1 that so many people do. I’d rather have an IC on Shantung than the third TT.

The transports aren’t just for the islands, but to unload stuff from Japan.  Having 6 at the end of J1 makes it possible/easier to achieve certain early game objectives (money islands, malaya, deny dutch and uk nos, land in Siberia) by the end of J3.

I know I’ll be able to place these transports on j1, while I’m less sure I’ll be able to place them on j2 or j3.  Following the J1 declaration, oftentimes the plan is to place 1-2 ics on J2, along with perhaps a fighter and some more ground units for the transports.

I think I’ll keep buying the IC J1.

Back to topic, J1 vs J2+FIC on J1.
J1 income +9
US1 income +20 (+25 in BM)
UK_Pac1 income -11  (Let’s assume they stepped on Sumatra in the J2 scenario but not the J1)
ANZAC1 income +6 (assuming they step on DNG rather than Java), otherwise +5

In the both scenarios, Japan might attack all remaining money islands J2 but can’t quite reach Malaya.
J2 income +11
UK_Pac2 income -4
ANZAC2 income -4 (Java)

By round 3, the scenarios reach parity.

Those numbers are hardly game changing although there is a swing towards Japan economically with the J1. If any of those attacks go badly, that can be more significant for Japan. In particular, there is a strong chance that China will be able to retake both Hunan and Yunnan, with the latter then being reinforced by the UK. So China would be able to get some artillery C2.

So you would say that you would rather do a J3?

I’m sure he’s saying a J2.

@taamvan:

Overall, the J1 is simply too thin.   KJF works very well during a J1  …  Without the extra turns (J2, J3) of income and maneuver, the USA can exploit its advantage and by using the other 4 powers, defeat Japan even when it wins battles and gains odds.

The Yunnan stack strategy showed me that perhaps I would support J2+ attack: to have a stronger India for exchange for a weaker China.  J1 gives an opportunity for the four minor powers in Pacific to stack together in Yunnan, which can be detrimental for Japan.  Especially in face-to-face games, in J1 attack, sometimes the Axis might not attack Hunan because of risk-adversity.  That makes the Chinese force even more ready to form a Yunnan stack.

Also, J2/3 attack preserves a flexibility for Axis to hold America out of war by turn 4.  This gives the Pacific allies players headaches in face-to-face play!

for j1 to work imo you have to take out pearl harbor…
pot shot at Anzac destroyer in sz62…
take out Philippines…
take out uk battleship…
no allied ships when done…really nice
just means money islands turn 3