Author Topic: Japan--General Strategy  (Read 14952 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

dtatum

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
Japan--General Strategy
« on: July 19, 2005, 03:26:27 AM »
Any input from experienced players on Japan's early moves?  Move east, west, or south?

Mark

  • Administrator
  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1383
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2005, 08:38:40 AM »
Hi Don - hope to see you at Historicon!

As for Japan. . . Others will probably have other opinions, but here are mine:

Japan is one of the toughest countries to play, I think - you get stretched pretty thin.

If it is the 1939 game: I think it not best to get too bogged down in China - take the coast and smack the Chinese if they put themselves in harms way - but other than that, keep them back in the mountains - take Chungking if they screw up.

If the Germans and Italians are putting the heat on the British in the Middle-East - India and Australia might be the best places to go to get victory points.

I have not seen a Japanese strategy to go after Russia in a while.  The only victory point for Japan in reach is Vladivostok.  The Japanese might be stretched to thin to pull that off effectively - but who knows?  

I think it requires just about all of Japan's energy to seize islands and victory points in the Pacific and hang onto them as long as possible. But, there is not a cut a dry strategy for any of the countries, I don't think - a lot of balancing and reacting.  Anyone else care to comment?

John D.

  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1183
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2005, 06:16:34 AM »
Hello Don,
     I would tend to agree with Mark. Going into Russia may not be a bad idea if you can catch the Russian player off guard AND Germany is putting A LOT of pressure on them, otherwise within a few turns of the Japanese declaring war on them, the Russians can put together a pretty sizeable force to initially stop Japanese advancement and eventually start an offensive front against them. Japan would have a tough time dealing with this AND the U.S. as well as keeping China contained. There are a lot of options for Japan without going into Russia. In this game - nothing is impossible - just highly unlikely...

Hope to get a game in with you at some point.- John

derdiktator

  • Captain
  • **
  • Posts: 37
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2005, 07:36:32 AM »
Build fighters, build fighters, build fighters.  No joke - Japan can wind up with between 15 and 20 fighters by the time of Pearl Harbor. Unless the US starts to counter the move from VERY EARLY,  it's not until late '43 or early '44 that the US can even start to seriously contest the Pacific. 

Oh, and don't get sucked into China - clean up the coast and push the chinks back into the mountains as cheaply and quickly as possible.  Be grateful for every buck the US lend leases China the first year - painful though it may be, that's one buck stuck up in the mountains of China that was not spent to slow down early Nip pacific domination.

dd

John D.

  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1183
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2005, 01:41:15 AM »
Hello derdiktator,
    Sounds like tough strategy to counter. Any ideas on what can the Allies do, the US in particular, to counter this?

John

Uncle Joe

  • Captain
  • **
  • Posts: 38
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2005, 02:59:03 PM »
How important are carriers for the Japanese?  Do they need to build a third carrier group before going to war with the U.S.?


JS
« Last Edit: November 08, 2005, 03:02:54 PM by Uncle Joe »

John D.

  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1183
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2005, 02:57:21 AM »
Hello Uncle Joe,
     It is very helpful if Japan can get another carrier out before the Pearl Harbor surprise attack. Having an extra 1 or 2 fighters heavily increases the odds of completely eliminating (instead of just damaging) ships there. Or on a different note, it allows for more flexibility if you want to send a carrier toward the Indian Ocean while Pearl takes place.
    Either choice is not a "make or break" strategy. There are many balances to the game, that is, the US player may build units according to what they think best counters what the Japanese build....

John D.

  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1183
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2007, 01:13:46 PM »
After MANY more games here is some advice to make a tough Japan.

Keep in mind that you should not be trying to "defeat" the US in the literal sense. The idea is to stall them so the focus here is buying as much time as possible.

Mobile Air power is KING in the Pacific.

1) Buy a factory out of the gates
2) Do not use up alot of resources in China but if opportunities present themselves...
3) Build Carriers (light and/or fleet) before Pearl.
4) Try to max build fighters if possible. It may be painful at first but you will be VERY glad you did later in the game.
5) Try to take VPs that are far away initially. Fort men down if possible. After this, go for the closer VPs.

This is a basic strategy that I have used that seems to have delayed the US approach. They have to play catch up for 4-8 turns before they can really pound you. Face it, a good US player will plan accordingly- they are going to do it sooner or later and it might as well be later. ;D

John


« Last Edit: April 01, 2007, 01:16:14 PM by John D. »

RandR

  • Major
  • ***
  • Posts: 87
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2007, 02:52:03 PM »
Japan has to look at getting and more importantly holding the victory points needed to win the game. That means infantry and forts at those KEY locations. I've seen to many games lost due to the Axis having to many victory poiints. The need for fighters, lots of fighters, is the strategic purchase for the Japanese.

Darkman

  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 559
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2009, 08:46:31 PM »
Something i often think about Japan's strategy:

Is it really worth to fight in China? 
There are not many VP and IC points.

Did anyone tried to move all divisions away from China and totally ignore it?

I think it will be alot harder for the US to conquer the heavily defended islands.

What do you think about it?

John D.

  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1183
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2009, 03:41:28 AM »
Sure - but US units could bomb and attack from the Chinese mainland... There is a fine line...

qxxx

  • Major
  • ***
  • Posts: 102
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2009, 03:11:08 AM »
It depends also if you are using the US/Soviet tension level rules.

I added the Naval units and modified the Japaneese Carriers (3 planes) in my games
Factories are paramount from the start
I take China (only source of extra income) and put pressure on Russia to keep the forces in the east.
If China is contained the forces are there to stop the British and ready to take the Dutch East Indies
I build infantry 3-5 a turn , forts 1-2 a turn (helps stop China), aircraft 1 a turn after first factory build, destroyers when extra cash (transport ability and shore bombard, and anti sub for fleets), take transports with fleet in Pearl Harbor to take Hawaii then fort.
Like Mark said Japan is one of the more challenging countries to play because of the options.

Mark

  • Administrator
  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1383
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #12 on: September 14, 2009, 11:40:58 PM »
A few questions:

When you play Japan - do you declare war on Russia? 

Are you successful in taking China out completely - or do you just put a lot of pressure on them?

You can't take Hawaii on the turn you declare war on the US - right?  I mean the transports do not have the range to make it there in one turn - just want to clarify your strategy there. . .

qxxx

  • Major
  • ***
  • Posts: 102
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #13 on: September 15, 2009, 03:20:15 AM »
I attack russia at the same time Germany does, amphib and shore bombard of Vladivostok and Soviet Far East.
I try to reduce China to behind the yellow line until PH, this depends on the aid to China from US.
I send the transports to wake first if US has not fortified it.
I send fleet to west coast to stop ship production and repair.

Mark

  • Administrator
  • General
  • *****
  • Posts: 1383
    • View Profile
Re: Japan--General Strategy
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2009, 03:33:18 AM »
Cool - we need to get together to play at some point. . .we need to pit you against John sometime. . .

cheers,
Mark