Hi all,
I’m interested in discussing whether the German Fall Blau Operation would succeed in the game.
German T1.
1. Normal attack vs British Shipping
2. Motorised inf go to Yugoslavia.
2. Take France/ Normandy / Activate Finland/ Yugoslavia
3. Pick up bonus 5 Denmark and USSR Trade.
4. Air lands centrally to guard against Brit Ship builds but can strike USSR if they stack border.
5. (navy sets up for T2 hit on Gibraltar)
(build 6 INF 3 ART)
Italian 1
1. Take Greece
2. Activate Bulgaria
3. Ethiopian forces Head north
(Builds Mech + Tank)
German 2
Declare War USSR
Take Bessarabia/E Poland/Baltic States/ Karelia/Vyborg
Finish off the French in Southern France
Amphibious Assault on Gibraltar
1 Inf Loads onto Italian Transport
With 70 + cash build 5 Tanks 5 Mech + Planes
Italian 2
Take Egypt
Units from Greece start heading to Bessarabia + tank and mech from T1
Build Tanks/Mech
German 3
Planes Fly East
Take Western Poland Ukraine Novgorod
Unload inf to Egypt
Build more Tanks / Mech / Planes
Italian 3
Continue to move units to Bessarabia including air units
Build 2 Strategic Bombers
German 4
Push gently into Bryansk and Belarus
The goal is to get the Russians to commit their defenders to these locations which can then be bombed or bypassed.
German Italian remaining fleet link up to defend Med.
Italian 4
Hit Rostov with Tanks/Mech/Bombers/Fighters
German 5
Blitz through Rostov into Caucasus and Volgograd
From there Italians can hook back around to Egypt While Germans rampage through Central Asia. One Ukraine and Volgograd are producing it will be very difficult to stop the flow into India/China/ Central Russia.
The key to the Strategy is a single thrust towards Rostov. The double hit from Italians/Germans on T4 allows the Tanks to Blitz through. Decoy units will still operate around Novgorod and Belarus to pin down Russian defences. If Russians do counter the Rostov Blitz then that may leave The northern route to Moscow open.
From T3/4 A mix of subs/ planes and Inf/Art would be stationed in France to guard against allied incursions.
From Turn 5/6 a process of consolidation would begin around the Med and reacting to
US/ UK moves towards Europe and Africa.
The part about Italians hit Rostov to open up Volgograd and Caucasus for the Germans is pretty much standard play. How the Italians will have enough to hit Egypt I’m somewhat confused about though?
That is basically best case scenario depending on what survives first round, using a combination of Ethiopian troops, Amphib and guys from Tobruk. If that is a no go, The other option would be to go through Syria to activate Iraq
I think Italy is better served restoring the Roman Empire and keeping UK occupied in Africa better. Southern Italian colonies are basically a lost. I only had Italy win twice against UK and if you don’t boost northern Africa, you will outright lose Africa.
Most of what you describe is close to standard play. I prefer the northern route.
2. Motorized inf go to Yugoslavia… I personally would send my mechs to Paris, except maybe just 1 which I send to Baltic on G2. Not brining all ground to Paris and concurrently attacking Normandy I would not do because I personally wouldn’t want to risk losing tanks in the Paris battle.
If Germany is left alone (Allies are doing Kill Japan First), I may not let Italy get Rostov. The reason being is that I want Germany to place an mIC there for post-Moscow. Germany loses virtually all of its ground units and has to replenish after the Moscow battle. At 65+ IPCs, Germany is able to fill forward factories and drop mechs in Berlin no issue. The high income NOs can wait one more turn. If however, the Allies are coming after Germany, than yes, Italy will can open Rostov because Germany needs to do lots of purchases on the other side.
How will you take greece round 1 with italy?
And how ill you take egypt round 2 with italy?Round 1 there is 2 inf and a tank in range of greece, and a UK navy next to italy, and you will have only 1 transport left most likely.
You might not even get to gibraltar G2 if UK choses to block it or sink your ships.
Sure its a nice plan but the UK will also do something in between your turns.
I recognize that you might be new to the game…my comments are kind of in jest. But that’s because to me, playing Europe Axis (Germany / Italy) are the easiest countries to play on the board IMHO and come up with “strategies.” Germany, spam ground/air, march power east. Italy, can open / look for opportunities to annoy the UK in the med.
If the UK still has a fleet in SZ97, then Italy will have a difficult time taking Greece…uh Cairo on I2. I’m very curious myself. G2 Gibraltar capture, not with a 6 infantry / 3 artillery purchase (also, I recommend a G1 purchase the other way around, as in 6 artillery / 2 infantry). If Gib is captured, I’d air hit your cruiser / transport at SZ 91 or auto kill the transport. What did you really gain with the Gib capture?
Hi all, Thanks for comment
How will you take greece round 1 with italy?
And how ill you take egypt round 2 with italy?Round 1 there is 2 inf and a tank in range of greece, and a UK navy next to italy, and you will have only 1 transport left most likely.
You might not even get to gibraltar G2 if UK choses to block it or sink your ships.
Sure its a nice plan but the UK will also do something in between your turns.
The idea for Greece would be to use the surviving fleet from sz95. In G1 The Germans will send 3 planes to Italy to Scramble. This gives Italians 4INF 1ART 1TK 2FTR and 1 STR to take Greece. (This assumes that any surviving Brit ships are dealt with first with the cruiser/sub/destroyer from 95)
Egypt is an unknown and really a gamble based on what the Brits do. If dice go well the fleet + any survivors will push into EGY otherwise Ill spend a few turns shuttling troops to Tobruk until Germans arrive.
Gibraltar is just to help Italy grab its NOs. Depending on Brit T1 reaction the German fleet may be trapped in the Baltic for a few turns. Basically On T1 the goal was to get the Bismark to St Nazaire where it will be able to auto repair on T2. The Cruiser and TRN aim to link up T2 as well. This is risky but any British air counter weakens Taronto raid. If they survive they continue to head to Med T3. So (fingers crossed) T2 SZ 91 will have battleship + cruiser + surviving subs defending transport. Capturing Gib means Brits have to factor in the auto repair as well before hitting it. Of course a strong Brit build on T1 will make this difficult.
You will also be letting the French ships off the hook in sz93, so you don’t get Italy’s med NO .
Ok Thanks for feedback,
So as far as German Fleet goes,
T1 Collect fleet in sz 112
T2 Hit Gibraltar (+ remaining subs for ablative wounds)
T3 Hit Frenchies
T4 Start shucking to NW Africa.
This means no BB for sz 110 battle T1, So will send in more planes.
Italian Fleet
T1 Hit Greece
T2 Hit Egypt/Syria or Shuck to Tobruk to reinforce
T3 Merge with German fleet.
T4 Shuck more to Tobruk or wherever
Turn 3-4 Germans/ Italians can start to build up a few more destroyers/Subs etc to protect.
The main idea is that with the majority of early purchases focusing on land units for Russia, the fleets will survive longer in the Med as a combined unit than separate targets. The extra support from the Germans will help to secure Italy’s NOs for longer (Unless UK/USA go all out )
This is just a distraction however while the ITA/GER blitz moves east to secure caucasus /persia. After that the Axis can start mobilising more troops/ships to defend the West.
