German IC in Romania strategy ( Naval Base )

/IL

Karelia…. actually archangel right?

No, look at the BGG pics, you see clearly that the IC is in Karelia. I doubt if you could buy a second TRS since your CA+TRS will be bombed to dust on UK1. Only way to have a surface naval presence in the Baltic is to buy a CV, and the question is if you can afford that.

We don’t have the exact IPC values of Poland, Czechoslovakia/Hungary and Romania/Bulgaria, but they are 8 in total and two of them are probably of ‘3’ value. So an IC in Romania/Bulgaria could be a good idea, especially if you would get “Improved production” tech. Then you would get a capacity of 5 units/turn and an IC that is harder to SBR than Germany. But I’d rather have inf, art and tanks to that Russian front than expensive ships! Why buy a TRS when a tank in Romania reaches Caucasus in one turn?

Why buy a TRS when a tank in Romania reaches Caucasus in one turn?

I think its more crucial to attack the north rather than south, so by building a transport and another naval escort, i basically got a floating factory in the Baltic shucking 4 units from Berlin and protecting my starter fleet in Baltic from invasions ( i guess ill add more ships on installment plan)

The north factory is more important to taking Moscow, than Caucasus because holding the Karelia factory protects Finland and Norway from pesky British. If you go against the South i don’t think you can also hold the north, so i am saying to choose the north and get at Moscow from that direction.

If you can take and hold for 1 turn either of the russian factories, the need for a Romanian Factory decreases.

If you senter ALL your tanks in easter poland in turn one,  take ukarine and balkan with air/artellery and infanteri. Then you will have 6 tanks which can strike both north and south forcing Russia to protect both factories, and probable placing max # units on both. This leave very little IC left to place in moscow. So question, is it possible to take one of the russians factories turn 2, AND hold on to it?

Yes indeed. The set up is to take the central territories on G1 and have all your tanks in striking distance to that Factory for G2. I think it can be held provided your bringing in stuff with transport as well.

So hold finland/norway and take the 3 central properties and pile up against that factory. The Soviets only got men and no planes. They wont be dumb enough to buy good stuff and place in it on turn R1 so your basically fighting fodder.

Then Germany do want some protection for their transport first round. Taking out the UK fighter in Egypt is then a big advantage.

If you place all tanks in eastern poland, and keeping both transport till turn 2, Germany is treatening both factories. I dont think it would be wise for russia to attack much turn one, so but they are froced to defend both factories, and placing almost no units in moscow. Which means that russia have a lot harder time striking back. If russia ignores one factory, germany can probably take it quit eaily.

@Lynxes:

We don’t have the exact IPC values of Poland, Czechoslovakia/Hungary and Romania/Bulgaria, but they are 8 in total and two of them are probably of ‘3’ value. So an IC in Romania/Bulgaria could be a good idea, especially if you would get “Improved production” tech. Then you would get a capacity of 5 units/turn and an IC that is harder to SBR than Germany.

Poland is 3. But Romania is only 2.

Purchasing an IC for Romania is really not worth it.

Poland is 3. But Romania is only 2.

Purchasing an IC for Romania is really not worth it.

Yeah, that settles it! So Poland and Czech/Hungary are both 3;

Poland: gets a step closer to the Russian front. No SBR protection.

Czech/Hungary: one step closer to the southern part of Russian front. Double AA possible vs. SBR.

I think the second alternative is a better one! Another IC bordering the Baltic Sea is a bit fragile when you lose your navy. You’ll basically be forced to counter-attack every invasion to stop the Allies from producing next to Germany, and if you build tanks you’ll have to have infantry stationed to protect it. That Czech area is like the Urals of Germany.  :wink:

There is a russian IC right there  :evil:

That is what you should be taking. Not wasting IPC on building one in Romania. Or Poland. Or anywhere outside of France.

There is no economic payoff (For Germany) to buying an IC, when you can only place 2 units, and you can simply move units one territory away.

Its just bad use of limited resources.

Well, I don’t now how you should defend vs. SBR in this game, and “The Urals of Germany” refers to the fact that an IC in Czech area would get 3 AA strikes at any bomber attacking and those bombers would have to come from Norway which is not the best place to base bombers. I also assume you would try to go for the “Improved Production” tech and then it would be more productive.

All this of course depends upon game-play. I’m assuming the Russians are quite resilient and that you wouldn’t make real progress until you get that inf you build on turn 1 over to the front line (meaning 4-5 turns into the game). By then the Allies might be bombing Germany hard and little you can do to reduce that SBR damage. Techs or a new IC, that’s about it. I’ve played AAR quite a few times when you shout “yeah” when you invade Caucasus as Germany just to realize that an invasion in France is too strong to fight back. If you can’t keep your production going, what’s the use of getting Russian territories? Unless you could punch at Moscow before the Allies will be strong enough to bomb and invade, but if that’s the case the game balance has been shifted a lot from AAR! Balance changes:

1. Soviets get 5 IPC bonus for Archangelsk.
2. Germany starts the game now with 36 instead of 40. There’s also an extra area for the inf to get to the front and Germany only has 4 fighters at start.
3. Japan will not put pressure on Russia from the East in most games.
4. UK and esp. US will have to put some of their prod in Pacific.
5. Italy will put some extra pressure vs. UK.
6. Bombers are less expensive and SBR will be more deadly.

Hard to say here but I would be surprised if there’s a huge shift in Axis favour!

@Lynxes:

Well, I don’t now how you should defend vs. SBR in this game…

Well, I dont want to rehash the SBR problem. Suffice it to say I hope that LHTR limit rules will fix this obvious problem.

But as far as income goes, the axis would do well to get the Africa income. That will keep it alive long enough.

I think Germany needs another IC.
Why?

Germany will have an income of 40+ in Round 1 , and 45-55 IPC in Round 2 and Round 3.
Later stages, well now that depend on how games will be developing , once the game hit the markets.

Anyhow, with that kind of production available, and say 5 IPC/turn invested in Research, Germany cannot use all its IPCs, just because of lack of placement options! 10 production slots will not be enough for German income levels of Rd 2/3.

Sure, we’ve got strat-bombing, but those SBRs will not account for that heavy a toll on Germany , during Rd2 or Rd3 …

I see it as this romania put it as a french complex more men can be made anyways taking karelia ipc will save time/money do the math 15 going a nother place i like that better