A&A Europe - Game 2 - Pregame Strategies

Axis & Allies Europe (1999) 

Pregame Strategies

Game: Axis & Allies Europe (1999 Edition – 2^nd Edition updates)

 

Post-Game 1 Thoughts

For Game 1 Germany's first goal was to try and even the money-board and level IPC earning power between the nations by taking advantage of the Middle East rules and the Convoy rules. Germany would build submarines -- the cheapest naval unit -- in an attempt to slow and delay USA in the Atlantic. Germany would then invade USSR in later rounds, hopefully after successfully increasing their earning power and crippling the Allies.

You can read about my first game here: German's Last Chance, Post-Game Thoughts. Or I save you the time and simply say -- Things DID NOT work out. Germany moved too slowly and could not match the Allied earning power. The battle for the Atlantic lasted 4 rounds, but USA earning was too great. And by that time Germany has spent so many resources on the Atlantic, they did not have the adequate strength invade USSR. 

This is not an easy edition of the game to win as Germany, and my first game was a failure.

Looking ahead to Game 2, Germany must act more quickly in taking away Allied IPCs and hopefully get a little more lucky with the dice rolling.

There are three basic directions Germany can go: 1. Successfully invade USSR. 2. Successfully invade UK. 3. Even the money-board and level earning power between the nations by taking advantage of the Middle East rules and the Convoy rules.

Opening Strategies

Germany:

1. Increased focus on Operation Barbarossa -- It is too difficult to build sufficient navy to invade UK. Victory comes through invading USSR and reaching Moscow.

Move fast and keep a single focus -- Germany must reach Moscow. Germany can lose France and still win the game as long as they control Germany and Moscow. Dividing forces and trying to fight in too many places only leads to failure in multiple places.

Secondary Goals

2. Take Leningrad and prevent the other Allies from providing USSR with extra air units.

3. Special Cash Advance -- Germany receives a Bonus 12 IPCs to be spent prior to the beginning of round 1. In Game 1, Germany used these IPCs to build in Tunisia to help in the attack on the Middle East. In Game 2, Germany's focus is USSR. Specifically, Germany places extra men in Finland. There they can assist in the march towards Leningrad or help defend Norway in case of a UK landing attack. 

4. Germany will target all transports to try and delay any Allied landing forces from reaching Africa and Western Europe. But most resources will go east to aid in the battle against USSR. 

USSR:

1. Focus only on defense against Germany. Don't get trapped into defending every space. Attack and retreat, open routes for Allied units to land in USSR for reinforcement. 

If USSR can simply slow Germany down, there is little need to attack. Let USA and UK wear Germany down and slowly take away IPCs. If things go well, all USSR has to do is survive.

2. Using the city territories at attack points – create a back and forth of attacks and retreats. Build up a large tank brigade and fighters so USSR can strike and destroy German infantry, but keep falling back as necessary. This way Germany can move into the Baltic States and Eastern Poland, but hopefully their offense stalls well before reaching Moscow.

3. Taking advantage of the city territories and special factory rules. Be willing to sacrifice a city for a turn or two, but keep large armies intact for eventual counterattack and to protect Moscow. Germany won't be able to build

4. Taking advantage of Allied units in USSR. If UK and USA can land fighters and bombers, USSR gains strong attacking and defensive units. Then all USSR IPCs can be spent on infantry.

UK:

1. UK doesn't begin with enough IPCs to combat Germany everywhere, so they have to pick their strategy carefully and protect themselves against any attempted Operation Sea Lion attack. 

2. Special Cash Advance -- Similar to the Germany, the Allies receive a Bonus 12 IPCs to be spent prior to the beginning of round 1. The Allies can split this or one nation can spend it all.

Because of the special rules on the Middle East and the difficulty of getting more Allied units there to help defend, the Allies agree to let UK spend the full 12 IPCs in the Middle East and reinforce Egypt and Palestine.

  

3. Transfer air units to USSR. This strategy worked well in Game 1, so UK plans to focus on this. They will spend to help protect USSR and leave the protection of the Atlantic to the USA.

USA: 

This game often allows USA to play a simple supporting role. Because USA moves last, much of their strategy ends up being reactionary. This can be different from other editions of AA where the USA player must have grand strategies and often must take on more of the heavy lifting. In this edition, USA can simple react to Germany's moves and strike where Germany is weakest. 

Going into Game 1, USA had simple goals: react and counter Germany in the early rounds, and then get support troops to UK and USSR to help protect Allied capitals from invasion.
 

This worked well before, so USA plans a similar strategy.

1. Navy First: USA has the resources to spare, so their first job is to out-build Germany and win the battle for naval superiority in the Atlantic.

     a. Clear the Atlantic of German submarines.

     b. Protect Convoy spaces.

     c. Prepare for land invasions.

2. Land invasions: the best choice is usually obvious based on German weakness.

     a. Landing men in Norway with the goal of taking German IPCs and sending men to USSR.

     b. Landing men in UK for added defense.

     c. Landing men into Europe for a direct attack on Germany (usually in later rounds).

     d. Landing men into Africa with the goal of taking German IPCs, opening a path to Italy, or 

         the Middle East.

3. Air Force: USA has enough resources they can also add in extra air force units.

     a. Bombers to attack German factories.

     b. Fighters to help defend UK and attack German surface naval units.

     c. Extra fighters to transfer to USSR to help build their attack and defense capabilities.

A&A Europe - Game 1 - Post-Game Thoughts

Axis & Allies Europe (1999) 

Game: Axis & Allies Europe (1999 Edition – 2^nd Edition updates)

 

Post-Game 1 Thoughts

The Economic Answer 

Germany failed to solve the economic problem. Combined the Allied forces earned more than twice what Germany earned. Allied earning at the beginning of the game is 89 IPCs. Germany earned 40.

Beginning NPC

Allied: 89

Germany: 40

There was only one way to balance the NPC – take over all Allied Convoy Centers and take over the ENTIRE Middle East.

Convoy Center Value: 30 IPCs.

A full convoy would mean Allied earning was cut to 59. 59 vs. 40 would be much more manageable than 89 vs. 40.

Middle East Value: 8 IPCs (16 total swing).

The Middle East would have added 8 IPCs per turn for Germany and the Allies would have had to pay that directly to Germany, meaning they were losing 8 IPCs per round.

If Germany could have taken control of all Convoy Centers and the Middle East, the earning would basically be balanced: 51 vs. 48.

All they would need at this point would be one or two spaces in USSR and then the game would be perfectly balanced. Then, anything could happen.

But Germany was never able to grow economically fast enough. At their peak, they were earning 45 IPCs and were only taking away 7 IPCs from Allied Convoy Centers.

The Military Answer

Unable to balance the game economically, Germany had one chance to win the game – take over an Allied capital city.

Germany’s focus was never on building an invasion force or navy strong enough to challenge UK. They devoted resources to delaying the Allies in the Atlantic and to taking over land territories in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

They did not have a strong enough force in either location though. By dividing their forces and trying to win in two locations, they failed to properly win or secure either.

The Problem with Tanks

One problem with tanks in this edition of the game is that they defend at 2 instead of the more traditional 3 in other editions of the game. While Germany has a strong attack force to begin the game, they are unable to defend new territories taken as well.

Germany was slow moving in this game. They focused on the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. They did not properly use their strong attack forces in the early rounds to weaken USSR. They did not use their tanks to spread out quickly and earn additional IPCs.

By the time Germany was fighting in Ukraine, USSR’s forces had grown too strong. Germany misused their tanks and had them placed for defense, which was not their strong suit. USSR was able to destroy too many German forces leaving Germany with no means to counterattack.

The Problem with Combined Allied Forces

In this edition of the game, any Allied force in a USSR territory with a factory can be transferred over and become a USSR unit. Every round USA and UK built fighters to fly to USSR. Germany had no answer for this. By not attacking Leningrad early and often, Germany allowed the Allies to consolidate forces and build a massive air force for USSR. USSR was then able to use these extra forces to attack and defend.

Lessons for Germany’s Next Game

1. Move faster and keep a single focus. Dividing forces and trying to fight in too many places only leads to failure in multiple places.

2. Take Leningrad and prevent the Allies from providing USSR with extra air units.

3. Remember how tanks operate and what their weaknesses are. Don’t lose them by leaving them in hard to defend locations.

A&A Europe - Game 1 - Germany's Last Chance

Axis & Allies Europe (1999)

Germany's Last Chance

Game: Axis & Allies Europe (1999 Edition – 2^nd Edition updates)

 

The Final Battle

Germany had one chance and only one chance of survival – defeat the strong USSR defenses forces in Belorussia. Without that they had neither the economic nor military strength to contend with the Allies in the Atlantic, Africa or France. Even with a victory, Germany has no path to Moscow or a winning strategy. Still, sometimes hanging on just to see what happens with dice rolls can prove to be a serviceable strategy for a round or two. But first they have to survive in Ukraine and Belorussia.

Game Photos

The Final Battle for USSR:

Germany MUST hold on in Ukraine and MUST defeat the USSR forces in Belorussia to have ANY chance at all.

Obviously this does not happen. A TOTAL tactical failure as USSR is the clear victor here. While Germany might be able to build more infantry, they now have to defend against three increasingly stronger enemies. There is no path to victory, there is only prolonging the game.

Germany does the sensible thing and concedes.