Advice about playing Italy & UK?

[jjdenver]

Hi,

Are there fairly recent (i.e. applicable to latest game version) threads about how to play these countries (and any other countries) well?

I have questions like:
What should UK plan to send to Egypt? How to defend Egypt? How to deal with convoy wars best? How much and what to preposition for Irak rebellion? What to build to try to be ready in case Sealion happens? What to research with UK?

What to research with Italy? What to spend MPP's on in first year of the game? Is Malta worth taking and how to go about it?

And some questions for other countries as well like:
What should SU be spending its money on pre-war? What to research other than the obvious 2 levels of infantry warfar? How to set up for Barb? i.e. put a corp in Brest or leave gar there? Defend back at Smolensk & Dniepr or farther forward? Build forts at Leningrad, at Moscow, at Rostov? Build another Engineer?

Is it usual for allies to spend diplo chits on SU or US entry levels?

Thanks

[KorutZelva]

We could tell you but whats the fun of that? Ain't it more fun to figure it out by yourself? [;)]

[jjdenver]

Come on. I think the community is more welcoming than that. Please stop goading me to play you in PBEM and trying to shut down threads when I ask questions. I'm hoping we can have a friendlier community than that.

If this is the reception that players trying to learn the game gets, how many players are going to recommend the game or stick with it? No need to be so harsh on new players learning.

[OxfordGuy3]

Hi jjdenver - I think I played some CEAW-GS with you back in 2010, though we never managed to finish our game (my fault, sorry). When I have a moment I'll try to give some basic tips, but I'm still very much learning myself - still playing my first PBEM games (one as Axis, one as Allies) against much more experienced opponents - they're not making it easy!

BTW the AI in SC is *much* better than in CEAW-GS, so you can at least try out some things, but as you know PBEM is much better for testing the brain cells!

[KorutZelva]

Jeezis guy. For real?

Q-What should UK plan to send to Egypt?
A-You need a second HQ to make a good showing. Engineer for fortification can help too.

Q-How to deal with convoy wars best?
A-Prioritize ASW research

Q-How much and what to preposition for Irak rebellion?
A-Need two unit parked next to the garrison. There's a bug that won't let the garrison surrender before march but it should be fixed soon.

Q-What to build to try to be ready in case Sealion happens?
A-AA can discourage lengthy air engagements. HQ so that your air fares well. Protect your ports.

Q-What to research with UK? What to research with Italy?
A-Always depend of what you want to accomplish. You don't have the income to research everything. Maybe you want heavy air involvement then research that maybe you want more land base punch.

Q-What to spend MPP's on in first year of the game?
A-Same as above. Always depend of what you want to accomplish. With Italy you can probably put one the Land:Air:Naval up to snuff.

Q-Is Malta worth taking and how to go about it?
A-Yes. Tons of bombers and blockading ships. Or a couple upgraded bombers (Ground attack 2)

Q-What should SU be spending its money on pre-war?
A-Mostly must-have tech (Tanks, Inf etc) but additional units too.

[jjdenver]

ORIGINAL: OxfordGuy3
Hi jjdenver - I think I played some CEAW-GS with you back in 2010, though we never managed to finish our game (my fault, sorry). When I have a moment I'll try to give some basic tips, but I'm still very much learning myself - still playing my first PBEM games (one as Axis, one as Allies) against much more experienced opponents - they're not making it easy!

BTW the AI in SC is *much* better than in CEAW-GS, so you can at least try out some things, but as you know PBEM is much better for testing the brain cells!

Great memory. I don't recall that. It was a really fun game. Good luck in your PBEM games. I've played a bit of SC3 vs the AI and it's not too bad. I got up to 42 or 43 as allies before I realized I'd won, now I'm in 40 as axis. But as you know I may be playing it all wrong vs the AI, no way to really know since AI is pretty easy to beat.

[OxfordGuy3]

ORIGINAL: jjdenver

ORIGINAL: OxfordGuy3
Hi jjdenver - I think I played some CEAW-GS with you back in 2010, though we never managed to finish our game (my fault, sorry). When I have a moment I'll try to give some basic tips, but I'm still very much learning myself - still playing my first PBEM games (one as Axis, one as Allies) against much more experienced opponents - they're not making it easy!

BTW the AI in SC is *much* better than in CEAW-GS, so you can at least try out some things, but as you know PBEM is much better for testing the brain cells!

Great memory. I don't recall that. It was a really fun game.

Yes, I enjoyed CEAW-GS very much, but it was starting to show it's age, especially being limited to 1024x768 resolution, and I didn't like the more recent changes they made to the NATO counters (minor thing, I know). The supply system and importance of HQs is much better done in SC, I think, and creates much more realistic front lines (or rather lack of monolithic end-to-end rows) in places like Russia and North Africa, where roads/rail are more limited. The only thing I really miss are the manpower and oil limits, there are hard build limits in SC (optional, but most PBEM use them, I think), but it's not the same.

[nnason]

Good tread to jump into.
Here are a few tips I have learned:
1. AI play vice PBEM play is very different. AI for me has yet to do early Sealion but PBEM not so certain. Humans are much better strategically in coming up with "No plan survives contact with the enemy(PBEM human.) AI pretty much follows the historical course of the war but not entirely.
2. Whether AI or PBEM you never have enough MPPS to research and buy what you need for every eventuality. So decide what your strategy will be research that and be sure and buy needed units far enough in advance that they will be ready. I have found on average it takes a year for a jump up in research. This is affected by several factors read the manual on how to improve this. Don't forget to research areas that will help you defend like ASW for England and AA for the Germans after 1942.

[Harrybanana]

ORIGINAL: jjdenver

Hi,

Are there fairly recent (i.e. applicable to latest game version) threads about how to play these countries (and any other countries) well?

I have questions like:

What should UK plan to send to Egypt?

There is no right answer to this. Depends on how risky you want to be. The riskiest approach is that you send everything you've got at start (army, navy and airforce) except the London garrison and destroyers to North Africa. As soon as Italy declares war you then attack its naval units in port (with help from the French Fleet) while your land and air attack Libya. If successful you may drive the Axis out of North Africa before the DAK arrives. At the worst you will force the Axis to start further back. The downside is that France will fall earlier without the British units and you leave yourself open to Sealion. An expert player who just thumped me in a game says this is what the UK should do. A more conservative approach is that you leave the BEF in France until just before its surrender and than you transport it to Egypt rather than England. But if you do this my advice is not to attack in North Africa until you know where the Luftwaffe has moved after the fall of France. Of course the most conservative approach is that you don't send anything (except perhaps an engineer) to North Africa until after you are sure there won't be a Sealion. But in this case you can expect to quickly lose Egypt to an aggressive Axis player. I have in various games tried all 3 of these strategies. I'm not sure I would say that one is better than another; but as I say the expert player says to use your maximum effort to defend Cairo, not London.

How to defend Egypt?

Build an engineer early in the game and send it to fotify the El Alamein line. You should be able to build 2 or 3 fortification lines. Upgrade the forts with AA. Also build AA and fighters and send them to Egypt. One of the best defences for Egypt is to try and hold Malta as long as you can (no easy task). So upgrade the AA there and also upgrade the Town of Malta AA.

How to deal with convoy wars best?

Research ASW and use all of your destroyers to patrol the convoy routes. Keep your destroyers at full strength. If the uboats raid your convoy routes than use their last known positions to try and guess where they have headed this turn. Once you locate a uboat attack it with all destroyers in range (except perhaps badly damaged ones). Don't be afraid to "cruise" your destroyers towards the target. You want to surround uboats with destroyers so that they bump into you if they move. If you have multiple uboat targets, it is better to destroy one of them than it is to damage two.

How much and what to preposition for Irak rebellion?

As Korutzelva said.

What to build to try to be ready in case Sealion happens?

In my opinion, you primarily want to build AA and corps. If you have not sent Gort/Montgomery to Egypt I don't think you need to build an extra HQ, if you have then you will need to build another HQ for the UK. If you have the extra MPPs Armies and Fighters are good too. You may also want to upgrade City (especially London) AA.

What to research with UK?

I think everyone has a different opinion on this. But for me the priorities are:
1. ASW,
2. AA (up to level 2 only, but getting to this 2nd level can be critical),
3. Advanced Aircraft,
4. Research and intelligence (the UK starts with a chit here, but I buy another as soon as it gains level 1),
5. Command and Control,
6. Infantry weapons (again you start with a chit, but buy another as soon as you gain level 1),
7. Infantry warfare,
8. Ground weapons,
9. Advanced tanks,
10. Armoured Warfare,
11. Long range aircraft (I think the expert players might say this should be higher up the list).

Note that Heavy Bombers are not on this list. That is because I don't think they are worth the investment in research and construction. In fact I usually cash in the chit placed here to gain the MPPS to research elsewhere. Naval Weaponry, Production, Industry and Amphibious generally have to wait until most of the other techs are fully researched.

What to research with Italy?

You obviously can't research everything. I think you have to research Infantry Weapons, Command and Control and Infantry warfare. After that you have to choose between the naval and air techs. I used to go naval, but henceforth I think I will be researching the Advanced Aircraft and Ground Attack techs.

What to spend MPP's on in first year of the game?

As the UK I spend MPPs on tech, an engineer, AA, Corps, bringing my units up to full strength and sacking Gort for Montgomery. As Italy I spend on tech and bringing my units up to full strength.

Is Malta worth taking and how to go about it?

Yes, as Korutzelva says. The secret is to bombard the Malta hex itself with BBs to reduce its supply level to 0, while blockading the 2 port hexes (by having an adjacent naval unit). Once accomplished the Malta AA will not be able to reinforce.

And some questions for other countries as well like:
What should SU be spending its money on pre-war?

I spend on tech until the end of 1940. Starting in 41 I build corps and an AA or two. I know some people like to build lots of garrisons. Of course, just before War I start building the depleted HQ up and upgrade my front line units.

What to research other than the obvious 2 levels of infantry warfar?

AA, Research and Intelligence, Command and Control, Infantry warfare (I think you meant 2 levels of Infantry Weapons above), Advance Aircraft, Aerial Warfare, Advanced Tanks, Ground Attack and Armored warfare.

How to set up for Barb? ]i.e. put a corp in Brest or leave gar there?

I just leave the garrisons where they are. I generally set up further back, along the Denpr. But if I believe it is going to be a weak Barbarossa I will defend further forward.

Defend back at Smolensk & Dniepr or farther forward?

Yes, except maybe a bit further forward then Smolensk at Vitebsk and Orsha.

Build forts at Leningrad, at Moscow, at Rostov?

Yes to the first two. I have seen some people fortify Rostov as well. I prefer to fortify the hex between Vitebsk and Orsha.

Build another Engineer?

I don't, but I know some do.

Is it usual for allies to spend diplo chits on SU or US entry levels?

Not usual no. Not saying it is not worth it. Has anyone done the math?

[Taxman66]

I think the rough math is that it would take 10-11 turns before you are likely to get the hit and you should (but not guaranteed) get it by 20 turns (note that your opponent's turns count as well since this is diplo). In exchange you are forgoing a Corp or a Tech investment.

[Leadwieght]

My two cents regarding units that tend to be neglected by players:

For the UK, Motor Torpedo Boats are a valuable adjunct. They are cheap and fast to build, and effective at attacking submarines.
They are also nice, expendable scouts in the English Channel. I try to have at least 1-2 built by the summer of 1940; they are part of a good deterrent to Operation Sea Lion

For Italy, (and Germany too) the Maritime Bomber is very useful. In addition to attacking naval units, I use it to scout ahead, to avoid ambushes. If you upgrade Italy to Aerial Warfare Level 1, the Maritime Bomber will have two strikes per turn.

For France and UK, Anti-Tank units can really blunt the German offensive in the west. They won't stop the Wehrmacht from taking Paris, but nothing annoys the Axis more than losing a Panzer to the French.

[Taxman66]

1 tiny thing I'd like to add:
On turn 1 be sure to move the CL so that the Polish DD shows up in port (the sooner it's repaired/full strength, the sooner it can hunt subs).

[jjdenver]

Thank you for the replies. It's really helpful.

[n0kn0k]

Q-Is Malta worth taking and how to go about it?
A-Yes. Tons of bombers and blockading ships. Or a couple upgraded bombers (Ground attack 2)

There's a whole topic about Malta. Be sure to check it.