Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Harrybanana

In my opinion the true measure of any game is how many strategies for both players are winnable. If either player can be guaranteed to win the game if they follow a single cookie cutter strategy no matter what the other player does than I will lose interest. But that doesn't mean that there are not certain moves (so long as they not "I Win" moves) that each player should make. Having read the posts in this Forum it seems me that there are certain moves that the Axis Player can perform that, while not guaranteeing victory, will always enhance his chances. In other words, certain no-brainer moves that he should make in every game. These moves are:

1. Invading Luxembourg on T1. Is there a downside to this? Does it increase US production levels or something?

2. Invading Denmark on T2. I have seen some people do this with just one corps in which they destroy the defending unit in Copenhagen but lack the OPs to move in. They then move the corps in on T3. Others do an amphibious assault with a division. I suppose the advantage of the former is that it saves the landing craft at the risk the Allies will transport a unit in on their turn.

3. Invading The Netherlands on T3 with an armour they moved and railed from Eastern Germany on T1 and T2. I don't see a downside to this. Even if Poland holds out for an extra turn because of the missing arnour, the opportunity to conquer The Netherlands early should not be passed up.

4. Performing an early (late 39 or early 40) invasion of Belgium. Not sure if this is as good a move as it used to be now that Belgium is tougher to conquer in 1 turn (or even 3 or 4 turns).

5. Not invading Norway (more of a non-move really).

6. Having Italy perform an amphibious invasion of Greece. Although I have heard that there are counters for this I am not sure how effective they can be. Is there an AAR of this? If Italy invades Greece as soon as it joins the Axis Alliance it can do so before DOWing the UK. Is the counter for this that the UK DOWs Italy the first chance it gets? Even if the UK gets involved in Greece I am unsure how much it can spare. Assuming the invasion comes on the turn Italy joins the Axis (usually June or July 40) the UK will have to guard against a possible Sealion. So how much air, naval and land forces can it spare for Greece? Even if the UK makes a major investment to defend Greece, is there any chance that it can hold out long enough to prevent Yugoslavia from joining the Axis? Especially if Germany gets involved. Of course, the goal for the Axis here is to get Yugoslavia as an Ally rather than an enemy.

Anyway, I am just wondering if people agree with me that these are no-brainers. Also, are there any more? I assume there are some no-brainers for the Allies too. Perhpas the subject of a further post.

Use the German transports to take Norway. There is no down side other than having to leave a small Corps to garrison it. The VP for it mounts up over time. It will cost the UK a lot of resources to take it back so it is usually a safe VP source.

A small corps is just 2 divisions. So are you saying you leave 3 of the ports un-garrisoned? I didn't consider the production gained from Norway. At 5 per turn + the Special Resource, the invasion would pay for itself in about a year.

ORIGINAL: michaelCLARADY

How does an Axis invasion force headed for the USA avoid being exterminated by the Royal Navy?