I purchased Ralph Boerke’s Large European Map a couple of years ago, and I kept in touch with him over that time, e-mailing questions I had about the game, interpretations of rules, etc.  I sent an e-mail to him several months ago but never received a response.  His web site also appears to no longer exist.  Does anyone know what has happened to him? From his e-mails, I know he has been very sick for the past several years–-and I do not know if he has taken a turn for the worse.  If someone has information about him, please respond to this post.  Thank you.

The Soviets completely disregard the Yakut and the Soviet Far East in our games as another house rule is that the only Soviet territories the Japanese are allowed to take are these two territories. This obviously prevents the Japanese from sending forces across Asia onto Russia. This rule was incorporated because it is completely unrealistic. Therefore, the best way for the Japanese to help the Germans is through bombing raids on the US and Russia. Because of this, the Japanese usually have taken all of the territories they are allowed to (the others are China, Sinkiang, India, Australia and New Zealand) within four turns. They then Weapons Develop until Heavy Bombers and Long Range Aircraft are attained. The Japanese then purchase bomber fleets to perform the raids.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned this, but Alaska could be used as a staging ground for bombing raids on the U.S. With heavy bombers, this can cripple American production, taking them completely out of the war. I would attack on Japan’s second turn, as the largest defensive force (that’s makes sense) that can be there are 3 US Infantry (the original one plus two transported from the Western US), a British Infantry, a British Armor, and an American fighter. Japan could attack this force with eight amphibiously assaulting infantry with double battleship support and two aircraft carried fighters. If the US player has not built multiple transports off the West US as well as infantry in the West US, along with positioning the original East US armor into the West US, then Alaska can not be reclaimed during the US’s second turn. It forces the US to commit the entire second round’s purchases to liberate Alaska, in the form of armor seacraft, aircraft, etc. since the Japanese could then reinforce Alaska if it chooses on its third turn and fly its bomber there. If a large American ground force is built to retake Alaska, simply abandon it and push to Midway or Hawaii. The key is to take a position from which bombimg raids can be made on the US. I find that Asia usually takes care of itself rather quickly (though I must mention that we play with an extensive set of house rules that render many of the stategies posted at this site illegal in our games; for example, Soviet forces are not allowed to enter non-Soviet Asian territories at any point. This frees the Japanese player from worrying about Soviet reinforcements to Allied positions, in India for example, or a Soviet advancement into Manchuria).