[House Rules] Italy round 1 buyings

Not sure if you would count it since it’s not actually buying, but rather the lack thereof, but I know myself and others often like to save I1 to see where money is best we’ll spent.

Hmm… buying a transport is almost never a real option I1 since your fleet is usually in tatters and you’ll never keep it floating long enough to use it.

An I1 buy mostly depends on how G did and how the UK was treating you.
No Taranato Raid gives you the opportunity to buy land units and continue a certain time with it.
A Raid needs to be observed (what units came all along) and what is left, then decide to go either Navy, Land or Airbased.

I think the most common by far is the fighter, as always airforce is just so versatile (especially for the axis) and often Italian fighters are gone due to Taranto so replacements are needed.

Yeah I think we can split the buying strategies in ‘Taranto happened’ and ‘Taranto didn’t happen’.

If the battleship is still alive, I really like the marine buy, because in balanced mod, a lot of bonuses are on small islands in the med.

In the med, I’m currently struggling to get my fighters in an attacking position, because of the movement anbd lack of an italian carrier.
So for me they are mostly defensive buys at the moment.

If UK’s attacks on UK1 go well for them, sometimes I’ll simply turn Italy into a bomber factory.  Get the a reliable 12 ipcs a turn and buy 1 every round.  Maybe add 2 subs so you can threaten a modest fleet that comes around Round 5 or 6.

I’m curious how you keep those subs from getting taken out by British Destroyers + RAF.  I agree with building the Italian Airforce as it helps deter the British from trying funny business in say Greece, but I have found unless Taranto doesn’t happen or fails that any Italian boats are dead in the water unless the Germans are helping defend them via Navy off the coast of S France or an airbase off Yugo, other than that the only way any Italian boats are living is if the RAF is way out of position.

@Tirano:

I�m curious how you keep those subs from getting taken out by British Destroyers + RAF.  I agree with building the Italian Airforce as it helps deter the British from trying funny business in say Greece, but I have found unless Taranto doesn�t happen or fails that any Italian boats are dead in the water unless the Germans are helping defend them via Navy off the coast of S France or an airbase off Yugo, other than that the only way any Italian boats are living is if the RAF is way out of position.

If there is a UK destroyer in range I won’t build them, obviously, unless I also have some fighters to scramble that would wipe their stuff out.

In the past I’ve done moves with the German navy in the Med… G1 take S. France, G2 place a carrier, maybe a destroyer, and/or a transport there… Then move the Italian ships to where ever the Germans will move to on their turn.  But that’s better if you’re going for a longer game and want a strong Italy.  It removes the Sea Lion option and can dramatically slow down attacks on Russia if you over spend.  So if I do it, G1 I bought 1-2 bombers.  Useful for London G2 and for Russian after that, and Japan is super aggressive about heading East through China, neutering UKPac, so they can help attack Moscow with their air force, too.

I mean if you are willing to spend money on German navy in the med then Italy is free to do whatever, but that is very rare indeed unless it is very late game.  If you are doing a g1 buy that consists of no ground troops from my experience all 66-70 dollars that Germany gets on G2 MUST go on the ground, otherwise Russia can build very agressively and can hold you to E Poland meaning no Russian factories for you.

That’s why I mentioned no German navy buy G1.  That money (16-23 ipcs) shifts to G2 instead.  A bomber buy doesn’t tip UK to no SeaLion, either, and I always ALWAYS bomb the ever-living-shirt out of London and Moscow.  Its kind of my thing.

@Tirano:

I think the most common by far is the fighter, as always airforce is just so versatile (especially for the axis) and often Italian fighters are gone due to Taranto so replacements are needed.

I always buy this if I’ve scrambled to Taranto but in other cases, not so likely.

^ Recently, I lost all but one plane in a Taranto raid and no other planes were in reach. Italy bought a transport and used its two ships to hold sz98. The south Africa dd went towards India. A rare situation and I probably should have handled it differently, but it is possible.

I like to have at least one mech or tank bought on I1 so that it can canopen on the critical I3 and I4 turns.  I have had my original force get diced too many times.  A mere two Russian infantry can delay your plans to reach the Middle East.

Hence, consider another option of 1 mech + 1 marine in BM matches.