What are some good strategies for newer players?

Hi Galendae, it is tough being a newbie in this very unforgiving game. Let me guess the strategy? Germany bum-rushing Russia and taking Moscow before the other Allies can get in range to help. Right? There are plenty of players still trying to figure that one out as well. Practice a lot and work out a strategy that works and fits your style of play. Playing the Allies is a real tightrope act for sure! The Taranto raid and Battle of Tobruk by the London-English on turn 1 will certainly help neuter the Italians in the Med and start you in the right direction! Good Luck!

guess its a good point then, if DoW changes nothing about Mongolia then do it!

Don’t hide:  plenty of players are willing to play online with TripleA.  I used to be a horrible player a couple years ago, and now I am just a mediocre player.  I am glad that so many people were willing to school me on proper gameplay tactics.

Hi Ike.
Territory has to be worth 3, yes. Also, in 2nd Edition rules, only the original owner can make
a Major on a territory worth 3 or more. So they couldn’t, no.

@Dark_Destroyer:

RAW = Says nothing about air units, just “additional units”.  RAI = Means air included.

It says nothing explicitly about sea units, either.  The type of units is unspecified, implying that any type of unit that may legally move there is allowed.

@Dark_Destroyer:

RAW = Can not move into a territory unless it’s occupied by enemy forces.  This would include sea zones that don’t scramble.

An exception for an amphibious assault where scrambling may occur is explicitly made here.

@Dark_Destroyer:

If you don’t scramble and don’t have any enemy forces and don’t amphibiously assault, moving airplanes into that sea zone is not a valid move.

True.

@Dark_Destroyer:

RAI = You can always bring air into sea zones just to cover what if’s.

No.  RAW = You can always bring units (sea and/or air) into sea zones from which you’re doing an amphibious assault, if there is a potential for the defender to scramble.

@otahere34 said in Thoughts on a Japanese strategy?:

I have a house rule that aircraft on carriers can launch after the carrier makes its movement, cause in real life, if there were carriers in Japan with planes, the planes didn’t take off and attack midway from there, they took off once the carriers got to midway.

@JayDavis said in Thoughts on a Japanese strategy?:

I have a house rule, when I play the US, I get the Nimitz in 1941.

@Peck said in Thoughts on a Japanese strategy?:

I have a house rule too. German infantry can cross the English channel without a transport because in real life people can swim across too.

This house ruling is fun!

I have a house rule too.

Obviously it’s only the French, aka Frogs, who can swim over the English Channel. It’s called frog suit. Obviously.

But that is not my house rule.

My house rule partly reflects the installment of the Vichy government, partly builds on French swimming technology being adapted by the Germans, partly includes primitive rocket science and partly simply because Germans are sauerkraut.

With my house rule the Germans can bounce over the English Channel. In fact, they can bounce over most of the annoying obstacles, like Gibraltar, Sahara, Himalayas and the Atlantic. They can even bounce behind enemy lines, if need be.

More or less becoming similar to flying Tribbles.

That is my house rule.

I think the game would be more balanced that way and more fun.

No you have to let the western allies handle the navy stuff (in the Atlantic). As Russia I like to buy 1 air unit at least every other round (ftr/tac). In most games Germany does a SL fake (sometimes they go though w/it), and I like to be able threaten the German navy w/air when they come through the Baltic (makes them spend $ on carrier). When they are ready to hit Leningrad, I may just back out to counter attack (kill their ground units), and use the air to end the sea threat. I may not hit the navy, but they at least have to think about it. If I go ahead and nail the German navy in the Baltic, it comes w/guarantee that because I did the dirty deed for the western allies, they will replace my air power (at some point).  R1 I normally buy 1 plane some art/inf for the front (you have to have art to push/delay the Germans, inf alone are not to scary). You also need to be aware of what they can bring at any one tt at the front (seeing many one tt massive army pushes by Germany), and what you can do in a counter attack (if anything).

You also need inf stacks at front lines (mostly south) to keep Italy from being able to can-opener easily (make sure that the deeper Italy goes that they lose units along the way so when the axis gets closer, Italy isn’t involved. I also like to get my arm up, w/few mech. A Russian mobile force is necessary, especially if you also have Jap lurking in your back field, or you need to swing from north to south (or wherever).

By all means if your in trouble (maybe to aggressive), don’t worry about that silly 5 IPC NO connected to sz 125 (that you normally don’t get to often anyway). Get the allies involved, either through direct help on red tt’s (air for def etc…) or maybe through landings in Scandinavia, or other parts of Europe. If the Germans, Italians & Japs are all pushing into Russia, then you do what you have to. I’ve seen all six major powers fighting in Russia. Its a BS move, but whatever works. The western allies can be in Russia, and still be hassling the Euro coast, Med, Chinese coast, or DEI (if Jap is pushing hard to Russia (mech/tanks), they are not investing much to rebuild there navy/air-make them pay).

@strategic:

I like the strategy but what are the logistics?

Try this and see how it goes:

G1:  Build five subs.  Use two subs to take out  the British destroyer by Canada.  Use three subs to take out the destroyer by the UK.  Ignore the battleship and cruiser by Scotland.  Use your airforce to take out the rest of the British fleet that you can reach.  The point is to sacrifice your airforce to keep your navy alive.  You may even use your bomber with the three subs and take it as a hit if the destroyer hits you back.  Then noncombat your battleship and cruiser into SZ 109 with your three subs.  Place your new subs in SZ 112.  This gives you 10 subs (if both of them by Canada survived), 1 battleship and 1 cruiser.  The UK can most likely destroy any one  of your fleets but there is no way they can destroy the other two.  SZ 109 is more important to them since they got to take out that fleet in order to prevent you from convoy raiding 8 IPCs.  The side benefit of them taking out your fleet in SZ 109 is that the Italian navy will not be destroyed and they can then quickly secure the med and earn their national objective.  If UK attacks the Italians anyway then no problem since you now are convoy raiding them for 11 IPCs (assuming that both of your subs off Canada survived).

J1:  Do not make any attacks that would get the USA involved in the war.  Since the USA gets to declare war on you at the end of turn 3 and get their income bonus on that turn, you will be attacking the UK/ANZAC/USA on turn 3.  Of course, you can still attack the Soviets with your infantry and massive airforce.  Just make sure that airforce is in position by turn 3 to take out the DEI, Malaya, Hong Kong, the Phillipines and the British fleet (if they are still in the area) on turn 3.

I1:  Either secure the med on turn 1 if your fleet survived or start rebuilding if it didn’t.  You may have to save your money for one turn in order to build more naval units on turn 2.  Also, take out as many friendly neutrals that you can as well as Southern France and Greece.  Once all enemy destroyers are gone then you can build subs without fear of being attacked.

G2:  Build 10 subs.  By the end of turn 3, you want to have around 25 subs.

Remember, you goal isn’t so much to take out territories right away but to deny UK /ANZAC/USA IPCs by convoy raiding them.  After the first 4 or 5 turns, you have to spend some money buying infantry to protect yourself from the Soviets.

I haven’t tried this, but it seems like it would be possible for Germany to take out the West Indies on turn 3 while Japan takes out Brazil, also on turn 3.  All three of the Axis would have to coordinate this to pull it off.  Then, on turn 4, Germany builds an airbase while some of the Japanese airforce lands on West Indies, allowing them to scramble if the USA attacks back.  Perhaps Japan should also build a minor IC on Brazil to help dominate the Atlantic