Matrix Games Forums

What's been your most successful China strategy from the Allied side?

I would have to say, it depends. I think it is Japanese player who sets the stage in China.

Strategy:
In PBEM I've been re-active. With an aggressive IJ player I've used an active defense, converging around critical areas to protect and preserve key cities while making the relentless IJ advance as expensive as possible. With a passive IJ player in China...I'm good with being passive, build up a few defensive lines in case he wakes up, keep the IJ Army Air Force honest with a period air raid or sweep.

Operationally:
I like to see if I can make some gains in N. China. IJ is a little weaker here (note, play with PP restrictions so IJ can't just shift whatever they want from Manchuria) and maybe he pulls forces from elsewhere if he's aggressive or spends a few limited supply to counter N. China moves if he's being passive.

For the long game you do want some airbases to support B-24s/B-29s.

ORIGINAL: kbfchicago

I would have to say, it depends. I think it is Japanese player who sets the stage in China.

Strategy:
In PBEM I've been re-active. With an aggressive IJ player I've used an active defense, converging around critical areas to protect and preserve key cities while making the relentless IJ advance as expensive as possible. With a passive IJ player in China...I'm good with being passive, build up a few defensive lines in case he wakes up, keep the IJ Army Air Force honest with a period air raid or sweep.

Operationally:
I like to see if I can make some gains in N. China. IJ is a little weaker here (note, play with PP restrictions so IJ can't just shift whatever they want from Manchuria) and maybe he pulls forces from elsewhere if he's aggressive or spends a few limited supply to counter N. China moves if he's being passive.

For the long game you do want some airbases to support B-24s/B-29s.

Unless and until the Allies get a sea line of supply into China, how do you support them? I wasn't able to.

Having limited experience playing the Allied side, I can only comment as to what I've encountered as Japan against the AI or humans. I'm currently playing against the AI on the hard setting. The AI will NOT give up Changsha, no matter what, nor Chengchow. And since the AI fabricates fortifications out of thin air (forts increase even when there is airfield to repair) it is extremely difficult to dislodge him (it). But, once Chengchow is eventually captured, Sian will likely be as difficult. And both are in clear terrain!!

Several of my human opponents have given terrain too easily while trying to save their ground force. This strategy doesn't work. Every city on a major road and defensible terrain must be held. Find them early, get engineers there, and dig in.

Rookie musings [8D]

Keeping the Paoshan – Kunming pass solidly in Allied hands

Building fortifications in the Centers

Maintaining the line: Ichang – Changsha – Kweiyang

• Defensive : Falling back in good order and maintaining the river line running east of Kweiyang or
• Aggressive: Pushing forward - south from the Ichang – Chansha – Kweiyang line to establish the new line at the river.
• This is situational based on PBEM or AI opponent as the Imperial Army has the supply and troop strength to push. Verses the standard AI it is possible to ‘stymie’ the Imperial Army at certain choke locations. Verses a human opponent your defense is probably adhoc

Holding Sian and the forest / mountain passes east of Chengtu so the Imperial Army cannot “turn the corner into the Chungking plain”

Potentially obtaining Anti-tank weaponry from the British to assist holding the line

Trying to supply Chinas armies until…

Opening the Burma Road

Winning the war through superior logistics and firepower.

You can build an impenetrable redoubt around the Chungking/Chengtu area if you do a good Sir Robin. At least that was my experience playing DBB-C, having stacking limits, which I recommend.

That is partly dependent on having a good theatre plan. You will need to send a very strong US Army corps in to operate in Burma, along with a bunch of engineers to make up for the lack of British ones, a US air HQ or two, a US naval HQ and some US tactical aircraft squadrons. Also, any British carriers you put in harm's way, strip the British crap off and put US Navy Wildcats, Dauntlesses and Avengers on them. All of that stuff you invest from US stocks will have been and continue to be sitting on their hands doing nothing, anyway. Just do it!

As a matter of taste, perhaps, I always kept all US Marines, both infantry and air, in the Pacific.

There aren'e nough supplies and logistics/infrastructure in China to support a big ground offensive. Put some squadrons in where you can supply them, and try to win the air war

There aren'e nough supplies and logistics/infrastructure in China to support a big ground offensive.

At the start of the game, you need to push as much supply into Rangoon as is possible in order to build it up in China. Damned the torpedoes, full speed ahead.[:'(]

Even with that you can't waste much of it on offensives in the early going. You must husband what you have and build your strength.