Russia is given the advantage of going first and having the ability to do too much damage to Germany. What is the worst case scenario? I believe it is a move Germany can not immediately counter. A Russian capture of Finland-Norway is such a move and when combined with the destruction of the German Fleet in the Baltic, this would leave the territory and its surviving Russian tanks in relative safety.
This also prevents the attack of Karelia on the first turn and forces Germany into a defensive effort on its Eastern Front. With one less fighter, Germany has to be even more selective when using air support. This strategy is a possible counter for the above situation.
1st Turn: Objectives:
Most expert players feel that conquest of Africa should be Germany’s major goal, and I agree. However many feel that this goal is achieved by placing an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. I think that a sub is sufficient, as the Mediterranean has relative safety from aircraft and allows for more defensive troops for the eastern front.
1st Turn: Purchases:
8 infantry (24 ipc’s) 1 sub (8 ipc’s) Total 32 ipc’s
Offensive 1: French Equatorial Africa
Send your 1 infantry from Algeria into unoccupied French Equatorial Africa. It can be used in a counter-attack against the Americans who will surely land troops in Algeria or French West Africa.
Offensive 2: Anglo Egypt Sudan (fairly common strategy with a twist)
Send your one tank aboard the transport with the Battleship into the neighboring sea zone (the one with the UK sub) for an amphibious assault. The UK sub can only shoot ships, and Germany can ill afford to lose them, so send two fighters (one from Eastern Europe, one from Ukraine) into the sea battle. Return planes to their respective territories after the battle. There is still a 1 in 3 chance you will have a ship sunk. I suggest losing the Battleship. It is worth three times as much as the transport, however for critical operations to continue you will need the transport for the second turn.
Now the land battle: Send the tank and infantry in Libya into the battle. Usually 1 or 2 of your tanks survives this battle to take Egypt.
Offensive 3: British Battleship off Gibraltar
Send your sub and fighter from Western Europe and a fighter from Germany. This should eliminate the Battleship in one round. Lose the sub when the Battleship hits and return the fighters to Western Europe.
Offensive 4: Eliminate Canadian Transport.
With two transports, the British should try to attack Western Europe but with only one, it makes sense for them to attack Africa instead. Send your bomber against the lone transport in Canadian waters. If this wasn’t the worst case scenario, you could also send the fighter from Finland Norway into the battle as well. Return Bomber (all planes) to Western Europe
Non-Combat:
Send one tank from Ukraine back to Southern Europe to replace the one you used in the amphibious assault. Send the three infantry from Eastern Europe into Ukraine Send the four infantry in Germany into Eastern Europe Send two infantry and the AA-gun from Southern Europe into Ukraine
Placement:
Place four infantry in each industrial complex and the sub in the Mediterranean. You should have identical forces in Eastern Europe in Ukraine now.
Collect 33 ipc’s.
2nd Turn: Objectives
It is hard to anticipate what the allies will do during this turn. Usually the British will perform a "double whammy" in Africa by sending two infantry into unoccupied Algeria with the transport from UK sea zone while at the same time sending troops from India to attack Anglo Egypt Sudan. They will probably purchase an aircraft carrier to protect their home sea zone (if not they will certainly purchase an IC in S. Africa). The Americans will certainly send the transport in the East US sea zone with two infantry and land them in Africa. The Russians with mostly infantry at this point will only be able to make one successful attack, either into Eastern Europe or Ukraine.
As the Germans you will be left with Libya and French Equatorial Africa with only one infantry defending your major goal. If you re-establish your foothold now, the British will have no troops to re-enforce their efforts, and destruction of the American transport will boot them out as well.
2nd Turn: Purchases
8 infantry (24 ipc’s) 1 transport (8 ipc’s) Total 32 ipc’s, leaving 1 ipc change.
Offensive 5: Anglo-Egypt Sudan
Using the transport (the battleship would be nice too, if you still have it). Load two infantry from Southern Europe and use the infantry from French Equatorial Africa along with a plane from either Ukraine or Eastern Europe (which ever is left, if you can – use both planes). Land the plane in Libya.
Offensive 6: Eliminate Transports.
If the British purchased an IC, they probably sent the Battleship along with the transport, leaving the UK sea zone empty (but safely in their control). Worst case scenario: When the Russians gave you that old-fashioned butt-kicking in Finland Norway a Russian sub survived. Working together with the allies the sub was moved to the empty sea zone off Algeria, where the British transport and battleship is. In this case send all planes in Western Europe along with the sub purchased in turn one against this fleet. This will allow the American transport to escape, but it will be at least two turns before another American assault.
If the British purchased an aircraft carrier, they likely left the British battleship behind. Attack both the British and American Transports and land the fighters with the ones in Libya. At this point, you should have strong control over Egypt and there should be only one British transport (the one from India).
Offensive 7: Defend against the Russian march to Berlin.
If the Russians attack Eastern Europe, use 3 tanks and all of the infantry remaining in Ukraine, Germany and Southern Europe (I count 14). Beware of using your remaining 3 tanks because you can ill afford to purchase more until conquest of Africa is complete.
If the Russians attack Ukraine, you have a choice. Generally Karelia is strategically more important than Ukraine. If the forces are equal or there are less troops in Karelia attack there. Otherwise attack Ukraine for now until you are stronger.
2nd Turn: Non Combat:
If Russians attacked Ukraine, send your infantry from Germany and Southern Europe into Eastern Europe. Move one tank from Western Europe into Southern Europe (for African Operations)
If you can, move Eastern Europe AA-gun into Southern Europe and Karelian AA-gun into Eastern Europe (assuming you chose to attack Karelia)
2nd Turn: Placement:
Split infantry between Germany and Southern Europe Place transport in Mediterranean
Collect 35 ipc’s (hopefully)
3rd Turn: Objectives:
The greatest threat to Germany is now Libya, where you placed 3 or 4 fighters, but the most the British can attack with is 2 infantry and a bomber (a dangerous proposition for their bomber). If they dare this attack their African forces will be annihilated and you will likely be left with a lone fighter. Since the Americans can’t attack Libya, they will send their two infantry into French Equatorial Africa, where you can counter attack them. You now have two transports available to attack Algeria or Syria-Iraq (an extremely quick Japanese player could have this as well at this point). You may also have to deal with another two American infantry, tank and fighter in French West Africa if they purchased two transports and two infantry on their first turn.
The Russians attacking units will likely consist of two planes at this point because they almost entirely buy infantry and would have used their tanks in the previous battles. Furthermore an expert Japanese player should have a ring of three infantry around Russia, with 4 or 5 planes within range to attack the 7 or 8 infantry defending Moscow. In any case Russia should be on the defensive now.
With secure control of the Mediterranean and two transports, you can keep the Americans and British at bay indefinitely, long enough for the Japanese to take Russia.
3rd Turn: Purchases
8 infantry (24 ipc’s) 1 transport
Repeat as directed until victory is obtained.
