Try your strategies out in the league

@arthur-bomber-harris said in A Nameless but Effective China Strategy:

Round 2: Japan captures 3 out of the 4 of the following territories: Malaya, Java, Sumatra, and Celebes. In your game you only captured Malaya.

Everything goes down the drain if you don’t have a strong J2 turn.

I’m not a fan playing against myself - it can make you go blind and miss obvious moves. The J1 was Cow, and J2 - 3 were Andrew’s moves from our mini-test.

The real problem is turn 3. The Allies have mid-sized fleets off both India and Queensland. As for as I can tell, Japan has 3 options for J3:
*Option #1 - Put the IJN in between the Allied fleets. This is what Andrew did, and is probably the least bad option. Most likely outcome is you trade the IJN for both Allied navies.
*Option #2 - Attack one of the fleets. Face the multi wave counter attacks ready on either side. Most likely outcome is you trade the IJN for only 1 of the Allied navies.
*Option #3 - Retreat north. Allow the Allied fleets to merge into a fleet bigger than the IJN. I haven’t played against this yet, but it feels like Japan is turtling.

Note - the absolute best realistic outcome Japan can hope for in the first 2 options is wounded capital ships limping back to a NB while facing another turn of Allied attacks.

I really hope I’m missing something and there is a 4th option.

I can’t say the best plans as Axis as I am usually USSR when I play but when you use the term Asymmetric Warfare, you do know that means when two armies that are not equal fight each other like a professional army vs a militia would be an example for Asymmetric Warfare.

@Nippon-koku:

Great points all around.  I’m starting to think Japan would have to attack turn 1 for this to work, like Wild Bill suggested.  Get it right off the bat.

Maybe a better first round buy would be 1 factory and 2 transports?  I agree you still have to get men down to the DEI.  The good news: if you can keep America from heading down that way for a while you can take the islands with minimal sea power.

Exactly, with US at port the other Pac allies are backing up.

I like to save the IC purchase for J2 so I can place it on FIC, might buy 3 transports, or maybe 2 transports +dd to replace losses. J2 you can take Malaya, and start grabbing Money Islands etc….as you press Hawaii which could be ripe for the taking as well.

@Dafyd:

I think that any question when we are trying to improve our skills is a good question…especially if we are really trying to learn.  The Hessian and ShadowHAwk are right.  The key to the Pacific are the two power fleets of Japan and the U.S.  The U.S. must go after the Japanese fleets.  Carriers loaded with planes are very important as well as the subs and detroyers.  As a side mission and with the permission of your Soviet ally, land troops in Siberia and help take back Soviet territories from the Japanese if they have begun to starve out the Soviet Far East.  It takes resources from the Japanese and can alter the attention of the Japanese player a turn or two if they are interested in defending Korea or pressuring the Soviets.

Good stuff here.  I’m a fan of 3 part attacks on Japanese fleets.  As an example:

Japan leaves a chunk of its fleet in SZ42 (off Java) for whatever reason.  They’re not worried about an attack because America doesn’t have the fleet off of Queensland to come after them.  What I’ve done in those situations is attack with the American ships, then follow up with India planes and Anzac ships/planes to finish them off. You’ll lose your American ships, some India planes and Anzac ships/planes, but if you wipe out half of the Japanese fleet it’s brutal for Japan because, as dominate as they can be, they can’t afford to lose too many major pieces.  America can lose a mini fleet and replace it; Japan cannot afford to be spending multiple turns rebuilding its fleet.

@Young:

@UKMaverick:

By leaving the UK boats alone after the Taranto raid, isn’t this detrimental to Italy in regards to the convoy zone? Can they afford to lose the max amount of IPCs by not attacking the Brits? I realize the French boats can escape into the Atlantic or hit your remaining fleet off of Rome, but you can still scramble there. I tried YG’s Italian move after being decimated R1 in Taranto and off of Malta then was convoyed so I didn’t really make any money. Just looking for more opinions on this. Thanks as always.

The Axis must try to control the Med Sea, even if Taranto gets smashed, and even if the idea of controlling Egypt is lost… because if the Med Sea belongs to the Allies, Rome will soon follow.

Understandable, I guess I was just curious if the Italians should take it out even if for example a loaded carrier and a destroyer is remaining after Taranto? After you hit southern France’s boats you’re virtually left with A couple boats anyways, and you bank around 16/17 IPCs depending on what you attack, not 7ish. Let the French escape or come in to try and wipe the rest of the Italian fleet out? I don’t know honestly. This is my first game with the axis using the 2nd edition setup. It’s only round 2 and I feel Germany and Italy are both weak and not in position to do a successful push into Russia by say round 3. I could be wrong since I’m normally a Debbie downer ha.

You’re welcome. I hope it helps!

As you can see this is a gamble, but it CAN work.

If Russia is spending money on Airbases, subs, and losing aircraft that it is working.

As long as you are matching his Land army builds and pushing towards and objective also.

@calvinhobbesliker:

Not too weak. OOB, they’re too strong with 28 planes and 3 transports. Both sides lost the same number of planes and transports, and Japan got 3 extra inf, while India got 2.

you find the Axis too strong in Global?  I like to reserve judgment this early on, but so far I’m finding the Axis quite challenging.

On topic, this strategy would leave Italy unmolested and invite a heavy India crush -  filling the coffers with a big bounty for Japan.  I’d be disinclined myself, but do let us know how it goes.