The Allies: Playing up to 'The end of the beginning'

[daskomodo]

This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But, it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. - Winston Churchill

Writing up strategies for the Allies is a bit tough, since the Axis is in the driver's seat for the first couple of years.


You have 2 goals: Deny the Axis 70 Production Points and win the war by 1945.
(1946 gives you a minor victory and reaching the time limit means you get a draw at best)

As the Allies, the game will 3 phases for you.
1) England stands alone vs Germany. Japan is dealing with its "Chinese Incident".
2) Germany (maybe joined by Japan) attack Russia
3) The USA joins the war.

Here are some thoughs I've had on handling the first 2 phases. Feel free to add or contradict anything I say.

The time-value of units and resources.

This is a financial concept we can loosely apply to wargaming in general. A dollar today is worth more than a dollar ten years from now, due to inflation.

Similarly, a unit is worth more in 1940 than in 1945, since it will see 5 more years of action (assuming it survives)
The same applies to the Axis' resources: letting them have more resources sooner means more units that can threaten you for longer.

So, the Allies have one general in the begining: DENY THEM THOSE RESOURCES

One more thing, supplies have a CONSTANT time-value, ie a supply unit now is worth just as much as one in 1945. That's because they are one-use only. So, it's good to bank supplies if you plan an offensive, but having too many trucks idling costs you units.

The "trade-off"

Don't fall for the misleading calculation of 1 German infantry = 1 Soviet infantry etc. Use percentages.
Your production is always greater than Axis production -> 1 German infantry > 1 Soviet infantry


China

Remember the scene in Jurasic Park, where the T-Rex gets distracted by a guy holding flare.
Well, Japan is the T-Rex and you, as China, are holding the flare. You must make Japan lose his focus on Russia and the USA.

Capturing inland China is an expensive undertaking. If Japan decides he'd rather see China look red on the map, then pat yourself on the back for taking one for the team.
And then fight for your life. Even if Japans conquers China, he'll have suffered lots of troop loses, with lots of territory to garrison for about 4 resources that don't produce much units.
But India, Australia and eastern Russia are busy producing troops that will eventually get him.

If Japan chooses to ignore you, you must try to go on the offensive. Hit the coast. Try to capture Indochina and Siam, costing Japan some production.

Also, a successful attack on Peking will allow you to attempt attacks on Manchuria. You don't need to conquer the region, just whittle Japan down to 2 units. This will unfreeze Russia and give Japan quite a headache.



Russia

At the start of the game, all you can do is plan your production and research. Plan your production so that you expect to be hit by Spring 1941.
Germany needs some buildup in 1940 and if he hits you later than Spring, you have fewer turns until Winter hits.

I've been trying the "toothbreaker" defense. Leningrad, Bielorussia and Kiev build artillery and infantry exclusively. Have your second line cities build tanks. (they should be done by 1941).

More controversially, build very few supplies(maybe one or two) in the early years and build up on research. Even when you're being invaded, you don't need many supplies to defend.
Hold your positions and defend with the additional units you get by skimping on supplies. Use those supplies for a winter offensive.

Research is cheap at the start, so you have more bang for your buck. (focus on all your land units attack ratings, you can bring all up to 7 attack by 1941 this way)

When Germany invades, examine what frontline factories you have left and reinforce them with STRATEGIC movement. Retreat from any untenable forward positions.

Don't attack unless it's a region defended by a lone unit. Let Germany expend units trying to get you, you'll have plenty of opportunities for attacking in winter and more units to do it with.

Japan can try to nab 3 resources and a factory from you in one turn. This isn't crippling, but you would need to contain the eastern threat as soon as you can. I would recommend a strong defensive line while you focus on Germany, you can hit Japan once you've hit the turning point against Germany.

Don't forget to grab Persia.

England

Commonwealth & Canada
They have population points, so make sure you utilize them. Each region should be producing at least infantry or artillery for you every other turn (maybe transports too)

England
Just like the manual says, focus on big budget items here. Any spare capacity should be put into supplies, just in case Germany manages to cut your transport lines back to America.

USA
Plan for the USA to enter the war around Fall 1941. Build new carriers off the bat. Build infantry in Spring 1941. etc Dedicate the rest to supply and research.

Defending England
England is under potential threat until the war with Russia starts. If you notice Germany building transports, put some offensive plans on the shelves and go on the defensive.

Middle-East
If Germany grabs Gibraltar, he can put a large army in North Africa and make a big push for the Middle East.
Remember that his supply line will always be tenuous. Try assaulting Libya if he moves his whole unit stack to Egypt.
Your first stand is Suez. If he takes it from you, build a new defense in Iraq. You want to force the Axis to garrison each region in the Middle East by threatening amphibious assaults.
Each unit doing garrison duty is one less threatening the Caucusus.

Also, don't forget to hit Morocco and Libya. 2 resources that are hard for the Axis to defend, even if he owns access to the Med.


Portugal, Spain & Gibraltar
Losing Gibraltar makes the Mediterrenean a lot safer for Germany and his Middle Eastern supply lines.
So getting Gibraltar back should be your first priority.
Is Portugal left neutral? If so, this is your staging point to take back the Iberian peninsula.
Otherwise, you'll have to do this the hard way, by parking a large army in Morocco and staging a D-Day style invasion.
Just remember that German ownership of this area forces his garrisons to be spread over 3 more regions.
Look for the weakest link in his Fortress Europa chain.

Italy
Capturing one region collapses Italy, meaning no more Italian fleets to worry about and a lot less garrisons for western Europe.

Don't count on Italy to be your highway to Berlin though.

Norway
Did Germany ignore it? Did he take it but lightly defend it? GRAB IT! With control of Norway, you deny Germany 2 RP of free trade. (1 from Norway, 1 from having a line to Sweden.)

Once Germany has invaded Russia, you can consider transporting a rather large army there and invade Sweden and Finland.

Yes, you read that right. Taking Sweden costs Germany at least 2 RPs in free trade. Grabbing Finland takes a lot of pressure off northern Russia. There's not Germany can do to stop you with his 3 transports. And if he builds more, that's less land units to face.

Keep in mind that Scandinavia is a dead end after this. Denmark is too close to Germany to be able to be a staging post for the final assault.

[sveint]

Normally I enjoy your posts daskomodo, but this one I have several disagreements with. First of all it's a bit vague and inspecific.

Offensive China is a no-no, if you squander your units, Japan can get away with minimal garrisons. Better to husband your forces and to pose a threat to his rear when he goes for Soviet/DEI. Protect factories from bombing with flak.

Russia should get supplies from the US, two shipments (60 supply) should do it. Build NO supply as Russia. Russian research should go into offense on land units primarily (inf, artillery, tanks, flak). Building lots and lots of units is a must to defend against the inevitable double assault. Produce only research within reach of German panzers, except Leningrad which is nice but almost impossible to try to hold.

WA need max anit-sub research on one unit (air unit or light fleets). Fighter research and range 2 is also mandatory. Transport production is needed. Defending Gibraltar and the Middle East are the top priorities. Subs should be ready to sink Japan's merchant fleet as soon as the pacific war starts.

[daskomodo]

First of all it's a bit vague and inspecific.

Yes, I have to be more vague, since the Allies are reacting to Axis moves in the beginning. For example, if Germany chooses to land 6 tank units in Libya, he's pretty much guaranteed to take the Suez and maybe Iraq. But his attack on Russia may suffer. If Germany delays his attack on Russia until 1942, then the WA are on the run for a longer period.

The key is knowing where the Axis pressure points are and getting him to lose focus. I simply offer possibilities to be considered.

Also, I choose not to specify about what research to focus on, as:
- It varies with personal taste.
- It is somewhat dependant on your opponent. (e.g. if Germany ignores Uboats, ASW is a waste of resources)
- The basics are already covered in the manual's hint section.

Offensive China is a no-no, if you squander your units, Japan can get away with minimal garrisons. Better to husband your forces and to pose a threat to his rear when he goes for Soviet/DEI. Protect factories from bombing with flak.

Perhaps I was unclear, but this is pretty much what I was saying. Don't sit back like the AI does while Japan invades Russia. China needs to be a thorn in Japan's side. All China needs to do is keep the Japanese honest and force him to keep lots of land units in China.

[aletoledo]

great post!

I question the value of defending the middle-east to any great extent. if he's devoted so much into the effort, I think its removed more units from the russian front.

I however think its important to defend africa and india. I like to position artillery and air in ethiopia to prevent them from passing the narrows. losing africa means a lot more resources than just iraq in the middle east and is a quick jump to india. india and africa together is essentially an autovictory then.