@aadudecphdk1981

On Amazon UK, I was able to find the game sealed and shrink wrapped for only 130 pounds! This is compared to the normal (rounded up) 500 US dollar price on Ebay-I was able to ship it to a friend’s house in Scotland and from there sent to my place. Unfortunately that was the last copy, so I can’t help anyone else with this-still, keep looking and you should be able to find it eventually! It took me a long time, but I was able to find it!

@witt

I believe that they could have captured Tripoli-however, if Germany launched an all out Mediterranean campaign instead of Barbarossa, Germany would have been able to regain the initiative due to possibly an entire Panzer Army being sent to Libya, or if not possible, Tunisia (historically, Germany made quite good negotiations with Vichy France to get them to join the war on the Axis side, which only stopped after the failure of talks with Spain), crossing the Mareth Line. In the end, Germany would have won especially as they would not have needed to invade Crete (if the British did not move troops to Greece, they wouldn’t garrison men off Crete), allowing for an assault on Malta, and Hitler, summoning all of his “diplomatic strength”, would convince Franco to invade Gibraltar. In the end, the Suez would have fallen. And if the Panzer Army couldn’t reach Cairo, Hitler would also have been able to convince Turkey to join the Axis, or invade Cyprus, which either way, would allow Germany to move into Syria and Iraq, driving from the east to the Suez.

I’m so happy. I voted Stalingrad, but still we are getting a new Axis and Allies game. I’m sure Larry Harris passed the torch well. I hope that this community will like this game, and it won’t be controversial.

@kaleu

This is all true.

Firstly, it’s possible that Hitler could have restrained himself for the moment and go against the Mediterranean, a decision support by Raeder and Goring.

Secondly, the main reason Franco was so toxic was that before Hitler’s meeting with Franco, he sent Wilhelm Canaris, a secret member of the German resistance movement, to negotiate with Franco, and Canaris said that he though that Germany was going to lose the war and Hitler was planning to move to the east (it’s said that Hitler was actually going back and forth between the Mediterranean and the Soviet Union). If Hitler really committed to it, he would have been more forceful, and Franco would have relented, especially if the Battle Of Britain had not concluded yet. If Vichy France entered the war, Hitler might have been able to mediate between it, Italy, and Spain about North Africa.

Finally, a similar situation could have appeared with Turkey, where if Hitler really did everything possible to convince them, it might have worked out. If it didn’t, Germany could use their paratroopers (as they would not be beaten up at Crete, due to the British heading for Tripoli) to possibly take Cyprus, depending on the result of an airborne invasion of Malta. Due to no British intervention in Greece, there would have been no disaster at Cape Matapan, and Italy’s navy, along with a Luftwaffe not burdened with commitments on the Eastern Front, could have swept the waters around Cyprus (as likely as not), and launch an amphibious invasion if paratroopers alone can’t cut it. If Cyprus is taken, a leap into Vichy French Syria would be in order. From there, Germany can launch a massive offensive against the Suez Canal, which Britain cannot hold with an attack on two fronts. Additionally, Germany will have support from Iraq, which won’t be destroyed with direct aid from Germany and Italy.

@captainwalker

Today where I live is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Rimini, a town on the Adriatic coast of Italy. Its liberation was part of the broader Operation Olive, an attempt by the Allies to break through the Axis-held Gothic Line in Northern Italy. While they experienced multiple tactical victories, the Germans were able to hold out long enough to prevent a decisive breakthrough until winter came. It would not be until 1945 that the Allies would break through the Gothic Line and liberate the rest of Italy.

Rimini was actually liberated by a Greek unit fighting with the British, one major highlight in the Greek military history of the war following the country’s fall in 1941.

@nolimit

I also have an idea for another Soviet national objective:

5 IPCs if the Soviet Union controls 6 Chinese territories. Theme: aid to the Chinese communists and establishment of a Communist Chinese government.

@The_Good_Captain

Amazing video! One of the most helpful videos you’ve ever made (and a lot of them have been extremely helpful). 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Have you ever heard of the book called If The Allies Had Fallen? It examines many what ifs of World War 2, with all of them very grounded in reality. A lot of the chapters are written very differently, from basically scholarly analysis to what the history books would have said had the timeline changed in the way described. If you had read the book, what do you think? Thank you!

@nolimit

Oops, sorry! My mistake…

The reason I hoped to do 15 victory cities is that the Axis will have to build up a big navy, instead of just doing an all continental assault, perhaps we can make it a 13 victory cities required win, as that will require at least an Operation Sealion which, without a Japanese navy to worry about, the Americans and British can completely focus on the Atlantic, which will lead to epic naval battles.

I think you should make so if China has all it’s territories captured, and the Allies control Africa (excluding strict neutrals), that combined, should be a substitute for capturing an Axis capital-it still won’t be an easy fight.

Another insane idea that I have for you is to have the US join the Axis-how you will balance this is your choice (also, please tell me how many rounds it will take for the Axis to win with only the US with the Axis).

@Krameleon

Welcome!

One thing to keep in mind is that the Axis only need to win on one side of the board.

This means, that if a Japanese strategy is good enough, even if Germany gets their butt kicked the Axis might still be able to win if Germany buys enough time for Japan to win.

It’s still risky, of course, as an increase in IPCs on the Europe board can translate to an increase in units in the Pacific, but it’s an option and a far more viable one than the equal version for the Allies.

Personally I’m not a fan of J1 or G1, but that is more out of principle than practicality.

I found this cool J1 video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRi3aIsj8P8

Important note about this video:

There are some astericks in the video, and it is not explained what they mean. I have gotten information from the maker of the video what they are, however.

The only thing that can/will stop this J1 attack is if the Soviets stacked all 18 infantry in Amur.

In that case, both I and the maker of the video strongly advise not to do this strategy (I learned this the hard way, trust me, it’s painful to watch). I recommend, if the Soviets declared war, to attack that stack. Air units, landing back, can defend Jehol and Manchuria from the Mongolians.

@Cornwallis

That’s an option. Just in case Japan captures India and threatens the Middle East. If the US gets good research dice they’re very hard to stop in the Pacific if they put their mind to it.

@Pinch1

Thanks for the advice. I’ll look into it.

@Cornwallis

I guess as a short term move (rather than a long-term strategy) while you wait for the fleet to build up may have more utility.

@Pinch1

I think you’re playing against a weaker US player. As this article demonstrates, there’s almost no reason to buy battleships and no reason to buy cruisers. If the US is doing that, then it’s obvious they’re handicapping their naval strength. In the game I attached in the last post, the US only ever bought destroyers, submarines, and carriers.

@Pinch1

I just finished a Europe 1940 game against myself testing this strategy out:

2024-12-11-World-War-II-Europe-1940-2nd-Edition.tsvg

After 10 turns, I’m ready to “call” the game in favor of the Allies. As you can see, while the German navy did prove surprisingly effective holding northern Europe, the US and Britain proved strong enough to keep the transport line into the Mediterranean, while the Soviets were able to hold the line and were never in serious danger of losing Moscow. Once the British from South Africa began moving northwards it was all over for Italy in Africa and the Middle East.

I’m not sure if I did something wrong. While I do believe the Germans may have made slightly more mistakes (looking back, they could’ve advanced faster into Ukraine) than the Allies, I don’t think it was decisive.

I am not very good at playing the Axis in Europe 1940 though:

https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/41133/how-to-win-as-the-axis

I do think if this was a Global 1940 game the Axis would’ve won handily, but I find this is the case with almost any strategy (with out of box rules and no bid).

@FranceNeedsMorePower

Maybe they don’t realize that Free French units operate mostly as American units. Looking through the rules I can’t think of a reason.

@Cornwallis

Not an expert, but from my experience slow movers are, well, too slow to get to the Middle East from French West Africa.

Additionally, I often find that if the Allies need to defend substantially in the Middle East, they’ve effectively lost as Germany probably already took Moscow and Japan likely took India. If either place is the ultimate destination it’ll take even longer. There are 10 territories seperating French West Africa to either of those destinations in the most direct route (best case scenario assuming the Allies even control all those territories).

It’s a much better investment in most cases to launch amphibious assaults in Europe or even North Africa than trying to buff up the Middle East via French West Africa. As I’ve said previously, only transport units there if absolutely necessary (usually if Germany and Italy are still too menacing in the Atlantic and the UK activated Brazil early and that’s the only spot they can safely transport units to the mainland).

@The-Captain

Sweet!

@FranceNeedsMorePower

Then I’ll keep this in mind when I play my first game. I look forward to more!

@Pinch1

Then the Allies can just hit the Mediterranean instead, while there wouldn’t be enough German units to defend Rome. In my experience it’s quite hard for the German fleet to advance into the Atlantic, away from land-based air support.

And German units don’t have to be in those dozen territories. Per AndrewAAGamer’s principles, you just need German units in a small number of areas to counterattack:

Western Germany (covers Holland Belgium, Northern Italy and Denmark, also Southern France and Normandy Bordeaux for mechanized units)

Paris (covers Holland Belgium, Northern Italy, Western Germany Normandy Bordeaux, and Southern France, also Denmark for mechanized units)

Southern Italy (protects Rome)

Norway (Scandanavian flank)