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How doomed is Europe if USA never enters the war in Europe? Anyone ever tried or seen that? (Playing with oil rules)

This came to my mind when USSR has opportunity in early game to claim Bessarabia but USA doesn't have enough chits for that. If USSR claims anyway (Germany denies) and USA can never declare war on Germany. USSR captures/destroys 3 oil resources in Romania. Allies can play aggressively and take Belgium while Germany attacks Poland assuming Germany has all (organized) troops in Poland. France will fall anyway, but maybe survive little longer?

How much will loss of 3 oil hurt Germany? Is this something worth trying for or suicide?

Soviet conquest of Rumania can cripple the EuroAxis, especially since they'll then align Bulgaria and cut off the Turkish resource, (or at least force the Italians to try to transport it overseas. And with this strategy, you want to get the Soviets going ASAP. Declare war on Italy (another -35, but who cares) right away, and spam Mil, stuff the border like you can't when you're neutral, and seek to declare war on Germany ASAP, hopefully while they're still at war with France, so they're down to 2 oil a turn. If you can't, it's likely because Germany moved a lot of their troops to the border, which means they're not in France. And destroy the Rumanian oil if you're playing with the option, it's more important to keep it away from Germany as long as possible than it is to use it for your own production.

If you do this, France can live, and you should win. If the Germans can knock out France quickly, turn around and secure Rumania, and hold on while they repair the oil, they are in a decent position.


I think it's an interesting novelty play. Haven't really playtested it to the point where I'd be sure if it's stronger or not.

The 2008 Annual had articles on two gambits. No USA in Europe and No USA in the Pacific (which is worse for the Axis because the USA can eventually get to Unrestricted Naval Warfare anyway).

Both are exceedingly gamey strategies that take advantage of the fact there's no additional penalty for the US chit pool going empty and beyond so.

That would be easily solved by Chits being removed from the other Pool once one is emptied.

They are quite gamey … sort of. I think the rules on this will change in the next edition of the game, can't recall for sure.

It is an interesting question of history: what if the USA had never gotten involved (or much later than history) in the war beyond a pretty lucrative "Cash & Carry" arms business? If certain factions in Japan hadn't become ascendant and Roosevelt lost in 1940 it is not that huge of a What-If?, particularly once Hitler invaded the Communists. WiF isn't really the best game to explore this though, as it has no manpower rule system, and all the European powers were running out of manpower in 1945 with the historical US Entry.

ORIGINAL: Cohen

That would be easily solved by Chits being removed from the other Pool once one is emptied.

There were multiple suggestions. Something different than that was chosen for RAW8 (which is still unreleased and in playtesting) but MWiF is RAW7.

When USA cannot declare war on Germany/Japan? When they should remove a chit from a pool and it is not possible? Not when pool is just empty?

It is when the pool is empty but an event occurs that obligates the US to remove another chit from the pool.