Strategy Page: America
Japan First
The Wake Push
Here, I have some tips and strategy for America that I have either
found on the net or came up with myself.
Japan First
Japan First is a strategy submitted to the WWW A&A Resource by Dave
Sheldon
(umsheld4@cc.UManitoba.CA)
. This is a strategy which I have seen work (unfortunately I was
playing Japan at the time) under a certain set of conditions. If
you're planning to try this, be sure to check out my note at the
end.
Overview
In many games my friends and I have played, Germany seemed in
trouble from the start (especially with a Russian first attack into
Ukraine). It seemed that the war often depended on how fast Japan
could advance on Asia to attack Russia. This is an interesting
Allied counter to this strategy...
Strategic Overview
The strategy hinges on the fact that two allied players may move
before Japan. First, Russia pulls back from Germany, moving four
infantry into Novosibirsk as well as three armour. Russia also
attacks into Manchuria with 5 infantry, an armour and a fighter.
He will likely end up with two or three infantry and the armour
remaining, and should retreat the fighter to china.
Russia now has a powerful force to attack into Sinkiang and India
and China a turn later. On GBs turn, attack Kwangtung with the two
infantry (on board transport) and the fighter. About half the time,
GB should have one infantry, and the fighter should be retreated to
China. Now, Japan is left with only two infantry on the mainland and
is down one fighter.
Many interesting strategies can stem from here, many including
allied factories in India (which is empty and will fall for one
turn, maybe) and Sinkiang. Japan can be in serious trouble off the
start if this works. It does give Germany a little breathing room,
however.
-Dave (umsheld4@cc.UManitoba.CA)
"A word or two of caution when playing this strategy. First, it is
very dangerous to assume that just since Germany has been dealt a
heavy blow by a first turn Japanese attack that it is out of the
game, especially if Russia makes a big show of transferring its main
forces towards Japan. If Russia is not applying pressure (that is to
say a threat of an attack into German territory) Germany will be
freed up to keep the United Kingdom at bay.
It also seems that, without serious commitment from America, Japan
will regain the territories that it lost on turn one by the second
or third turn (do not underestimate Japan's Navy here.) Thus, if the
Allies are not careful, they may find that they have given Germany
just what it needed to win the war--enough room to 'breathe'."
-Jason Webb
My Opinion
With the people that I play with and have taught, this strategy
would not work. It does seem to be planned well, but I have not
been able to use use it. If you empoly this tactic please inform me
of the outcome.
-Jonathan Marney
TheWake Push
The Wake Push is a strategy submitted to the A&A WWW Resource by
Chris Stoner (stoner@cs.wisc.edu). It is meant to deal with the huge
threat that Japan poses to Russia in its far east territories.
Strategic Overview
The US seems to be the weak sister of the powers and is never
really prepared to wage war on either front until the war is
really already decided. Due to their advantageous positioning and
turn order the Japanese can just wreak havoc on the US Pacific
Fleet (the Japanese "Pearl Harbor II" strategy just about always
works). The US has little starting capability on the Atlantic and
usually stages to Africa first.
The problem is that unless the US builds up a fleet in the Pacific
right away to make up for losses (this requires most of their IPCs)
Japan doesn't have to worry about a naval war for some time.
Japan's true paydirt isn't in the Pacific, it's in Asia. If they
don't have to build expensive ships and planes to counter an
American build up they can build factories and tanks in Asia
(3 tanks a turn, uninterupted, in Kwangtung and I guarentee the
Japanese will be in Moscow very quickly).
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the US can't afford a
"Germany First" plan in Axis and Allies (even if they did it would
be too little too late because transporting units across the
Atlantic is too slow, only by taking Southern or Western Europe is
the US able to use it's economic might to any effect in Europe). It
should deploy forces to North Africa and some aircraft to Britain
but that is just about that. Instead they must get Japan on the
defensive immediately and get them building ships and planes to
defend the Home Islands instead of building tanks and planes to
overwhelm Asia.
Strategic Options
In going for Japan the US can take one of two approaches: "The
Northern Strategy" or "The Wake Push". In the Northern Strategy
the US puts a strong force in Alaska, possibly even building a
factory there. A force of bombers there make an air supported raid
on Japanese shipping in the Japanese Zone a constant threat. If
Extended Range Aircraft are secured bombing of Japan itself can be
done. The next step is landing troops in the Soviet Far East, either
in support of Russian troops there or an invasion against occupying
Japanese troops. From there even regular-ranged bombers can strike
Japan and the threat to Manchuria and eventual invasion is real. The
main problem is that Japan can launch raids against Alaska. This is
good as hopefully you have strengthened Alaska considerably and will
bloody any attacks.
The Wake Push
The Wake Push involves getting a foothold on Wake to threaten Japan
and make the Japanese spend on naval defense. Secure Wake and then
place your ships behind it so that incoming strikes must stop in the
Wake Zone and are susceptible to counter-attack. Also Japan is a
single turn away. The Wake Push is a good feint but the purpose is
still the same, threaten Japan, make them weaker in Asia by causing
them to spend on naval defense, and hopefully Russia and England can
tackle Germany without having to worry about a Japanese threat
stretching into Russia (when the Japanese and Germans "shake hands"
in Persia the game is over for the Allies).
Summary
In any event Japan First must be the strategy taken by the US. Due
to the un-historic possibility of Japan attacking Russia the balance
of power is too critical in the Pacific to simply put that front on
the back burner. The war for the Allies will generally be won
without the US doing much of anything, though, beyond skirmishing
with the Japanese and sending token forces into Europe and Africa.
The real fighting (mainly for logistical reasons) is done by the
British and Russians.
Chris ("Undefeated in Axis and Allies") Stoner
My only dispute over this strategy is that I do not believe that
Japan could, even with it cranking out three armor per turn on the
continent, beat the Germans into Moscow. It is my opinion that
Germany poses the greatest threat to Russia in the short term, that
Japan's inevitable expansion into Siberia chiefly serves to deny
Russia the production it needs to counter the German threat, and
that Japan has the capability, with a properly planned attack on
Pearl Harbor and subsequent deployment of its navy to the east of
Wake Island, to block the Americans from taking Wake, as well as
threaten any force that may be built to do so.
That being said, I also believe that, whenever presented the
oppurtunity, America should attempt a Wake Push. Any base that can
be established that is within bomber range of any Japanese factory
is a God send to the Allies, which will be a continual thorn in the
side of the Japanese, as Chris argued so well. Thus, I highly
reccommend this strategy if Wake is vunerable on turn one and
especially if Japan ignored the fleet at Pearl Harbor.
-Jason Webb
