Global War - What should I be building in 1939 & 1940?

[cnkrapert]

Hello all,

For Global War, what should I be building in Sept/Oct 1939 for all the countries....especially Germany, Japan, and Italy?

What should the Allies be building?

What should the different countries be building in Nov/Dec 1939?

What should they all build throughout 1940?

I have been playing WIF for 12 years now, so I understand the rules and all the optional rules that may be added to a game.

I would like other players to input on the builds as I wonder if I have been building the wrong units to start out the game, then continuing to build the wrong units in 1940, etc.

For instance, as Germany, I would build the armor HQ, and a regular armor, then a pilot or two with a 2 cost bomber (hoping for a Stuka) if I have enough BP.

This is my first Mwif game, but like I said before, I have my trusty old WIF game with almost all the add-ons that I have enjoyed for many years. So far I am loving Mwif and can't wait for the AI.

If I posted this on the wrong board, please forgive me and move it to the correct board.

Thanks for the help.

[davidachamberlain]

ORIGINAL: cnkrapert

Hello all,

For Global War, what should I be building in Sept/Oct 1939 for all the countries....especially Germany, Japan, and Italy?

What should the Allies be building?

What should the different countries be building in Nov/Dec 1939?

What should they all build throughout 1940?

If I posted this on the wrong board, please forgive me and move it to the correct board.

Thanks for the help.

I suggest that you start (Restore) with the Fast Start saved games for the introductory scenarios Barbarossa (for Germany vs Russia) and Guadalcanal (for US vs Japan) with the Novice Set of optional rules or None of the optional rules. That will give you an initial setup to use for comparison. There is also a Fast Start for Global War.

You need to think both about the near term and long term. For long term for CW, US, and Japan, you will need to start your more expensive ships (including CVs) as you won't be able to have those ready when you need them if you wait too long. You will need to focus on building a balance of INF, MECH/ARM, FTR, TAC along with some TRS/AMPH (for Advanced rules). You will usually try to burn through your MIL with some GAR, CAV to give you some defensive capabilities.

Later on, you will gradually add some NAV, MTN, PARA, ATR, STR. Italy will need NAV and TAC for the Med as will CW to counter that threat.

Gearing limits will force you to balance your builds as will limits on number of units.

You will need to think through some of the strategic decisions.
1) Germany/Italy taking Spain, Gibraltar, and Suez
2) Russia taking Persia and Iraq
3) Germany/Italy taking Yugoslavia, Greece
4) Russia declaring war on Japan and going after Manchuria or even helping China.
5) Germany conquering France or using Vichy (or both - but beware the US entry impact).
6) Germany invading CW

Depending on your choices, you may alter your builds to prepare for that strategy.

Dave

[Auchinleck]

If you're playing a Solitaire game, it depends on who you want to win. You'll find it's a pretty hollow experience trying to outwit yourself, (like playing Chess against yourself) when you have to play as all sides. At least that's what I discovered. Oh to have an AI, now that winter's here.

[Aranthus]

ORIGINAL: cnkrapert

Hello all,

For Global War, what should I be building in Sept/Oct 1939 for all the countries....especially Germany, Japan, and Italy?

What should the Allies be building?

What should the different countries be building in Nov/Dec 1939?

What should they all build throughout 1940?

I have been playing WIF for 12 years now, so I understand the rules and all the optional rules that may be added to a game.

I would like other players to input on the builds as I wonder if I have been building the wrong units to start out the game, then continuing to build the wrong units in 1940, etc.

For instance, as Germany, I would build the armor HQ, and a regular armor, then a pilot or two with a 2 cost bomber (hoping for a Stuka) if I have enough BP.

This is my first Mwif game, but like I said before, I have my trusty old WIF game with almost all the add-ons that I have enjoyed for many years. So far I am loving Mwif and can't wait for the AI.

If I posted this on the wrong board, please forgive me and move it to the correct board.

Thanks for the help.

The scenario booklet has some general hints on builds, and you may have read that already. As a general rule, if I am playing a land power (Germany or USSR or China), I build infantry as fast as I can. For Germany, I like your build scheme except that I would trade the armor unit for two infantry, or three militia. In 1940, I would start on some subs. You also have to maintain the fighter force, and pilots, so at least one a turn.

Italy needs planes to fight off the Royal Navy.

As Japan, I build a Mech the first turn so that I can call blitz attacks as soon as possible. Then plenty of infantry for the China war, and also for anti-partisan garrisons.

The Commonwealth needs pilots. You have several carriers without planes, and several more coming in. Carriers are really useful, unless you don't have planes to put on them, and as the Commonwealth you have planes in reserve that you can't use because you don't have enough pilots. I also start convoy production right away, one or two per turn.

France I build militia and fighters.

As the US I build long lead items. As many naval units as I can. The Philippines territorial early on. I don't build many US land air units early on.

These are just general ideas. You can fine tune them to match your chosen strategy.

[paulderynck]

IMO Germany has plenty of ground units at this point and needs a plan to get France out of the game as quickly as possible in MJ40. So Germany should build the HQA, pilots and planes. If it already has the best Stukas then build FTRs. You have unlimited gearing in the first turn so HQA, 3 pilots and a FTR2 would be good if you have 16 BPs. Then 2 planes in ND39 and 3 planes in JF40 so the best Stukas are there for MJ40.

An Armor built in ND39 won't be there until JA40 so I would build Mech that turn with any extra BPs after sorting out what's best for the Luftwaffe.

[davidachamberlain]

ORIGINAL: Auchinleck

If you're playing a Solitaire game, it depends on who you want to win. You'll find it's a pretty hollow experience trying to outwit yourself, (like playing Chess against yourself) when you have to play as all sides. At least that's what I discovered. Oh to have an AI, now that winter's here.

I find that between Weather, Initiative, End of Turn, Attack, and Search Rolls, and just plain forgetting a few planned moves because you are minding 8 different Major Powers, the game still turns out to have enough Fog of War to keep things interesting. You don't need to pull any punches since they happen on their own.

Dave

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: davidachamberlain

ORIGINAL: Auchinleck

If you're playing a Solitaire game, it depends on who you want to win. You'll find it's a pretty hollow experience trying to outwit yourself, (like playing Chess against yourself) when you have to play as all sides. At least that's what I discovered. Oh to have an AI, now that winter's here.

I find that between Weather, Initiative, End of Turn, Attack, and Search Rolls, and just plain forgetting a few planned moves because you are minding 8 different Major Powers, the game still turns out to have enough Fog of War to keep things interesting. You don't need to pull any punches since they happen on their own.

Dave

warspite1

Absa-flippin-lutely. The game mechanics mean that there isn't a game around better suited to solitaire play than this game.... well except for solitaire perhaps....

[vicberg]

This is a broad question.

As GE, you need some armor, armor divs for France/Spain and all armor/divs for Russia. You'll always need Fighters/LBA. You start with a good amount of infantry. If you are going for Gibraltar, you'll need MTN. If you are going to England, you'll need TRS. In 40, if you are going for USSR, then armor, infantry, LBA. For USSR, fighters are needed but not as important as the USSR fighters are bad (in 41) and GE Fighter range is short and getting them to the front lines in 41 can be a challenge. Always build out the FTR3s. They have range to help with any sea action.

AS JP, you'll be building ships with a focus on carriers. I like building the Yamato. You'll need all land based fighters, most of your CVP, and Naval Air. Jap LBAs are bad, so I generally don't buy them at all. Scrap crappy planes when you can. I like having all JP HQ on map by end of 41. If you are going for China, the armor is useless against the mountains in the board game, but with the expanded map in MWIF, it's not going to hurt. I like having lots of divs on map by end of 41 as they make invasions using SCS quite easy vs corps using TRS/AMPH. Always have all amph on map by end of 41.

As IT, it really depends. They need everything but their LBA are great, so buy a few of them out. Send an HQ and LBA to Russia to help out there and they can have an impact, otherwise, it's usually Egypt or Gibraltar or Malta or all of them or defense.