Strategy Guides?

@Broken-Mortar
Oh I agree it’s a gamble and like any big gamble if it doesnt go your way it’s a bit of a disaster.
But given that I’ve seen Germany take a pretty bulked out France with barely any losses, it’s something to be considered. And when comparing the two outcomes, leaves you in more or less the same place.
However if the rolls do go your way, you can have a pretty effective fighting force capable of independent action in Africa or the Middle East.
Something to consider at any rate. Especially if you fancy trying something different.

Ok, sounds like a lot of guys think it is not necessary to take London to win?
For sure you already have your “sealion” invading force on the board by turn 2 (as demonstrate by Siredblood) but i have to admit that 63 IPC for those 9 missing transports is a lot of money!

The main (and maybe only) reason why i thought about taking London (besides extra IPC) was to prevent US/ UK from using it as a launching platform to bomb/ invade mainland Europe by turn 5 and up!!

My current plan is this (almost cut/ paste from Siredblood’s Cobra-Kaï):
G1:
Eliminate Royal Navy in SZ106, 110, 111
Take France (leave normandy/ south France to Italy)
Ping-Pong Yugoslavia back in Romania (Leave it to Italy)
Barbarossa (Bessarabia + Eastern Poland)
Of course annex both Finland and Bulgaria
Build a Minor Complex in Romania (to pump tanks all along)
put a destroyer in SZ113 and regroup navy.
Italy 1
Buy 1 tank & 1 mech (to speed up with both tank from Albania/ North Italy and meet German forces near Bessarabia)

G2
Retake Bessarabia (unless Russian player is too dumb to give it a thought)
Take West. Ukraine
Strategic bombing of London
Move all my “Sealion” forces into West. Germany/ Germany (to "bluff away" Sealion)
Pump 3 tanks in Romania and keep all the rest of my IPC (42) to keep my opponent in the dark as much as possible!

G3
Take Ukraine
Drop 9 transports in SZ113 + 3 tanks in Romania
Italy 3
“can open” Rostov with tanks and all air force!

G4
Tank rush into Stalingrad with all tanks and air power (2 Tac, 2 Strategic)
“Sealion”! Bouum!
Pump 3 tanks in Romania and in Ukraine
Move back 6 of the 7 guys from Finland to Norway (will bridge to uk/ Scotland in T5)

G5
Rebuild forces in Stalingrad/ Ukraine, bring some planes
Strat bombing Moscow
Bridge some infantry from Norway to London and 1 to take Scotland
Buy a max of aircraft (strat. and Fighters)
Italy 5
“Regroup and can open” Tambov or Briansk with tanks and all air force!

G6
Moscow boum!

By then the Axis should have 8 victory cities (Italy’s role is to take Cairo and reinforce by turn 4 max)
I don’t even give a rat ass about Leningrad as it is already way too strong right off the bat!
Also on turn 6 i would start to take back infantry Eastern Poland/ Baltic states/ Romania that might be scattered to turtle them up on Warsaw!
At this point the goal is to hang on tight for 1 turn!

Of course all along Italy is putting 3 infantry per turn on South France and move them to Paris on turn5
Italy is also to put 1 destroyer in SZ92 on T4 simply to delay US and buy Axis 1 turn.

This strategy is stretched to the max and of course bad/good rolls might turn it into either a brilliant victory or a shameful beating!

Any piece of advise or parts that i am missing?

@Soviet-Steamroller I’ve always found the Stalingrad strategy to be a difficult one, as it’s just too far from Germany’s industrial base. Couple that with the fact that the Soviets can reach both Ukraine and Stalingrad in one turn with mechs and tanks, and it seems like Germany just runs out of steam. They’re not able to effectively crush the Soviets before the US is knocking on their door. If Italy assists, that gives it a much better chance of success, but my Italian strategy is usually focused on Africa and the Middle East.

By contrast, Leningrad is much closer to Germany’s power base, and with transports in the Baltic, it’s generally a simple matter to capture and hold it, using it as an industrial base for the assault on Moscow. Because it takes the Soviets two turns minimum to reach it, it is nearly impossible for them to mount a counter-attack and take it back. Furthermore, the air base allows Germany to keep their air force in play to defend the homeland, while still menacing the majority of Soviet territory.

I also like to wait until G2 to declare war against the Soviets, just to keep Britain guessing. I can see why you’d go with a G1 attack on the Soviets, though, since as you say, it definitely puts them back on their heels. For my tastes, I just find it allows Britain much more freedom and clarity. Without any pressure against Britain’s capital, they can usually build enough navy/air force to make your life miserable.

Again, just my two cents.

In my experience with Europe. As Germany I always get Russia, it is really easy to take, especially under a g1 dow and especially with low luck.

The allies should try to get something going before Russia falls on g5 or g6

It comes down to taking norway with usa, africa corp with uk, and later mass drop spain.  There really isn’t much Russia can do, if Russia lives long, allies win automatically.

@z0m4d:

@Quidam:

2. Are there any strategy value for the airport on Iceland?

Here are a couple wikipedia articles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland_during_World_War_II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland_Base_Command

Without long rang aircraft tech, American fighters can’t reach England in one turn.  Iceland serves as a possible way-point, especially if the Allies are having difficulty regaining control of the Northest Atlantic.

Incidentally, I think I figured out why pre-war US is allowed to venture warships into SZ 102 for “patrols”: fighters on an acft carrier there can attack Gibraltar or Morocco on Turn 4.

Also, in the event of a successful Sealion G3(successful from the German point of view), planes on patrol in z102 and bombers from the airbase in Eastern USA can hit the German fleet in z109 and z110. This is why you always activate Eire on UK1 - If Germany wants to take away American bomber landing spots, it has to make the attack on London light by at least 2 transports, increasing London’s survivability.

Of course, if you didn’t buy a carrier US1 and park it with planes in z102 on US2, and if you didn’t buy bombers (and park them in EUSA on US2), well… then you had better not lose London!! :lol:

first thing to do is you should take gib and look like you are going to liberate Nth Af and egypt then turn your forces to spain and then get germans to recall units from Britain who should look to place units in ontario early in the game if sealion is imminent so when the Germans get forced to tak units back from UK to defend france the UK can liberate itself and Germany is stuck between a rock and a hard place. If germany deal with the Americans the Brits are back int he war. If they retake Uk the Americans are attacking france and getting four extra inf to deal with not to mention french buying power. The Germans will be stuck and need Italian help which will be shucking across from Africa if the US has a mnr in Spain they can spend 9 ipc for 3 inf or 1 hit every turn resulting in a killer force that the Euro Axis can’t deal with and with The Mnr in spain you can then send some troops from the initial landing spot to liberate Nth Af and egypt allowing you to then put the pressure on Turkey which most likely has been used to get the 8 inf because the Germans need all forces to be around France and going to turkey would be a waste of a move as then they have to get the 8 inf to follow them back. The Brits being recently liberated should build mnr in egypt and use it to start attacking from the east relieving the soviets and allowing them to help put pressure on the germans and with three majors attacking them they will probably turtle allowing Italy to fall and you will end up with 4 allies(Because France will be liberated attacking Germany) The attacks will go USSR-UK-US-France so the Germans can’t rebuild after one round of combat. If it gets to this the German will surrender and the allies win. If playing a newbie he should only hold out for a couple of turns before the pressure starts. Especially since you will put a major in Rom or Nrwy

@Gargantua:

Put units on the eastern front in offensive positions, that although look offensive are really Defensive.

Russia usually backs off and leaves a 1 inf buffer.

If it makes sense like it did for me, attack the buffer intelligently, but if it looks ugly,  Then just DONT attack on Germany 4.  You still get + 5 IPC’s for not being at war, you buy yourself an EXTRA turn against Russia, because likely since you’ve planned for a defence he can’t attack any of your territories, and if he does, you have Defenders advantagee.

No one seems to predict, that G4 moves might not encompass an attack on Russia.  Depending on how Russia’s defense is aligned aswell, you can head north or south.

Coupling that option with a mediterranean strategy, is not necessarily a bad idea.  The only outstanding concern is the Russia navy, but chances are it’s suicide for him to attack you too.

I concur, with intelligent placing of German units on the eastern front i see no reason why you could not put of the invasion of USSR, which would help in strengthening locations and getting Strat Bombers and other military resources into position.

While ofcourse the US/UK forces are a threat, the UK should be less so, as proposed before German subs should be hitting supply lines hard and Axis troops should be pushing through to South Africa and Troops permitting even into the Sudan and across to UK controlled India. Overall the aim is to ensure when the landings do happen the only player will only really be the US and with the troops Germany has been building for the previous 4 turns should be in a position to repel the first landings, combined with Destroyer blocks should hopefully mire US forces.

I’m aware that US IPC is still larger than (though they have to purchase fleet and air support to safely get them across the ocean) Germany however hopefully the greater cooperation between the Axis in Africa can only prove to make Italy stronger back in Europe and much more capable of adding real support for the Axis to fight against Allied assault in europe.

Though as you suggest the USSR fleet could be perhaps (most likely  :roll:) a problem, untill i actually try a game i can’t really see what numbers will be involved on both sides, though i actually wanted to get a chance to play Allies in our next game i’m itching to get another go at playing the Germans

Man I cannot wait to try these gambits out! Too bad I’m gonna be knee deep in homework and studying by the time I get the game (school starts 8/19 for me).