We need an allied playbook.

@aequitas-et-veritas i like bombers. I think flying 4 rounds worth to Moscow can save it against a t6 assault.

I have a game to post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr7wtCQPM8k&t=15s&list=PLjUekJ1aTPN_61m4Tqai4ssgz0U0TesID&index=2

This is my game plan for the Allies, economics driving strategy.

One of the factors that I’ve skirted around in discussing nibbling the edges is the problem of dispersion. Unless you are on a flotilla crossing the channel with a ton of other guys, the Allies generally will suffer from being too few in number to face any serious segment of the enemy’s ground machine.

On the one hand, it is Russia’s job to do that. On the other hand, the call for the second front is real and urgent. Factories give you a hope of producing troops right there where they are needed. Scandinavia or Greece for instance. This is often disappointing. However, a minor factory can produce enough units to nibble the edges. Doing so can keep our adversaries from earning more than the red zone 64 ipcs mentioned previously. These, though, cannot be relied upon to produce a death blow.

@crockett36 wow that was interesting I think if Germany is to survive in axis and allies global a fleet is definitely a must to have and they can do it too who was overall victor

@Kingme 12 hour game. It looked good for the allies. We certainly rescued Moscow, dominated the Atlantic, North Africa and the Middle East. Neither Sidney nor Bombay was threatened. Barbarossa was frustrated. The Japanese ballooned in Asia, but were being contained to China and Eastern Russia.

Ok, I’ve got a few points, first Europe:

• If Germany attacks both fleets (SZ110/111) you have to scramble something. I cannot emphasise this enough. If the BB goes to SZ111, you can probably scramble to there for free because a retreat is likely (not certain). Scrambling SZ110 when the BB isn’t there normally kills more Luftwaffe than RAF on average.
• You can still do Taranto even if you lose all the planes on London to a scramble - use the Scottish fighter. Without either it’s a big gamble.
• Don’t attack Ethiopia with only one transport. It can go bad and you normally have better use for a transport.
• Building a Persia factory UK2 is normally advised - which means you need to take it UK1.
• Taranto and SZ92 stack are stronger moves than Tobruk crush.

Against a J1 DOW:

• Don’t fear Strategic bombing. If they bomb you when they get Calcutta, they then need to repair it. This doesn’t apply in a J3/US3 DOW scenario.
• Moving to Burma UK1 with your whole force and a SZ37 DD blocker can stand against nearly the entire Japanese air force. Putting the Cruiser in SZ38 denies a landing spot too, or at least makes it much more difficult.
• Mechs allow flexibility for UK but it may not be useful UK1 if you stack Burma.
• Every extra turn Calcutta lives helps the allies a little. A US landing on Korea, reinforced by USSR, helps the allies a lot. Also keeps the Mongolian rule active.
• Midway naval base requires 3 ships to block. If there’s only one DD in range of SZ16 you should really capitalise on this.
• Entire Chinese coast can be hit from the Caroline Islands.
• Killing Japanese ICs on China is a major setback for Japan.
• Chinese troops often die easily so don’t fear doing moderately unfavourable trades with Japan especially if they cause Japan to take away from other attacks such as on India.

Thank you @simon33 for this very well layed out UK plan!

@crockett36 Let me say it again for clarity, the US needs to be putting 8 units or more in Eurasia every turn, without interruption after turn 7. They need to be a cohesive fighting force that will achieve victory, defend with its British allies and cause the enemy to bleed. This cannot be accomplished by several minor US factories sprinkled around the periphery. That strategy is good for sandbagging, but is a bandage and cannot achieve the critical mass needed for victory. It merely staves off defeat.

The Death Blow

Victory in Europe requires a naval shuck.

Victory in Europe requires a naval shuck. As a reminder, you need to be adding to your navy regularly in order to stay ahead of any attempt at breaking the blockade, normally in the late game by an air strike. That being said, let’s return to a thumbnail sketch of our individual nations and their strengths. Russia is supposed to have the strength of a horde. Three out of every four German casualties occurred on the Eastern front. If the allies have saved Russia by flying in a ton of planes, she can fight her way back toward Berlin. Not to Berlin, but toward it. Usually by this time, she is needed to assist with a neglected Japan. Hopefully she still has forces in Scandinavia; Russia can scrape with the Jerrys over Nov.

Russia should attempt to drive south as soon as possible. There is a swath of 2s that runs further south past Persia. Tangle with the enemy over these with the help of the British. Russia should let the middle–the area around the Pippett Marshes be the battleground where Ger and Rus can trade territories and bleed out.

The Americans have a complex fighting force, with mobility. Stay mobile. Historically we pushed in and liberated Paris. This game rewards being in Fr, not Paris. Stay near your coast, your transports. Secure Normandy and buttress it. Make it impregnable. Meanwhile, new recruits are arriving. Keep them mobile. Move together with the English from one territory to the next. For instance, a drop of soldiers into Denmark sees the Ger drive them out with soldiers. This puts those soldiers out of place. They can assist with W Ger, but cannot help with Paris or Ger. Avoid going for it! Do not throw away your fighters or bombers to secure anything, but the capital. You are winning. Do not blow it…

@crockett36 It is essential to create a growing sense of doom. The enemy is being nibbled from the edges by the British and the Russians. You are locked in an existential fight with the Hun. Grow, expand, having secured your base, don’t lose it without causing him to incur a great loss. Europe is yours to lose.

@crockett36 I am curious what your thoughts are on attacking the neutrals to get the shuck started. Sz 91 the easiest beachhead to defend for the allies plus if the UK has factories the ME it can attack Turkey to pierce the underbelly of the Axis. This move would require several of your strategic objectives to be met but if you have them met through Egypt I think this move has a net positive impact for the allies.

@AldoRaine i have never thought about it seriously, but three things have caused me to rethink my opinion. America can reach Spain and have room to breathe. If Germany captures it, but doesn’t destroy the shuck, those troops are seriously out of position. Secondly, England can simultaneously grab Turkey and Saudia Arabia, gaining cash and access to Europe. Thirdly, Russia can grab Sweden if it took Scandinavia as I recommend.

Obviously, you need to kill the resistance with minimal casualties by using air, artillery and bombardment if possible.

@crockett36 might try that soon

I’ve done a couple of Spanish beachheads. Main problem seems to be that supporting it ties up almost all the US income and Japan goes wild.

USSR invades Finland in sufficient strength to take Sweden? Moscow might be in trouble.

The Spanish beach head imo is my favorite KGF at the moment. I have used it a few times, and have played against it at least 4 or 5 times now. It puts Germany into a defensive roll faster, all the while still bieng able to threaten that big transport drop on Italy, west Germany, or Norway. The only drawback, is britian HAS to take turkey, and Sweden goes to Germany. Germany cant stack Paris to keep you off of the minors in France, since they also still have to safe guard west Germany, and Germany simultaneously… that is a lot of income not going into russia.

@simon33 I need to figure the math on that. Germ loses 5 for not having the pennisula, 2 and maybe 3 more for Fin, Nor. That’s 1 mech, 1 tank per turn from Ger income. It adds a man per turn to Russia’s. If you just retreated back to Moscow the Nor/Fin German troops eventually become fodder to take Nov and more if you let them. Plus a supply route for British and Amer fighters to make their way East to help out Uncle Joe. Seems worth it.

How wild can we let Japan go? I’d say 64 to 70, if we’re suppressing Ger to mid 50s and holding Moscow. With that kind of pressure on Ger, Brit & China and Anzac and 50 percent of the Russian IPCs might be able to freeze the Japanese expansion and even begin to reverse it.