Question about overall allies strategy and the shuck….....

  • Ok, I’ve been playing as the allies alot on the zone, and usually getting thumped. Thumped early (dice cheat is a serious suspicion - as the axis seem to get some amazing results from the get go, both G and J, but obviously can’t prove it), but i keep trying.

    Here’s what usually happens. I play 3rd edition rules and RR.

    Russia does its normal thing, sends pretty much everything into karelia, ships to uk seazone. In the east, they consolidate their forces (as much as can be consolidated and leave one man in soviet far east). Germany does the invade africa, takes AE/S with some added troops from s europe. Then they destroy all the things in the water they can reach with their airforce. Of course they buy 9-10 men and maybe a tank.

    Uk buys a carrier and a tr, tries to finish off the german navy, if anyone left in persia, it goes to india, but india will get whacked by the japs.

    Japan does the pearl harbor, and invades mainland with as much material as it can. Fighters are everywhere on the mainland. It pretty much takes china and india or weakens the one it doesn’t take to the point that next round, its gone, cuz neither us or uk can reinforce with enough stuff to make it hold. J buys like 2 transports and some inf.

    US retaliates at PH, and takes care of whatever the japs had there. Usually losing its own pacfleet at the same time. Here’s big question. With germany in pretty much control of africa at the end of turn 1, should i do the shuck like this? On US1, just buy 4 transports (and one inf), giving me 5 total off eastern us at the end of the turn (not moving the one there to start with)? Even if germany has a bomber in w europe, i’ll take the 5 shots at a one versus germany’s one shot at a four. Fly my fighters to the uk carrier. Russia reinforces its stuff wherever it can, and attacks norway. On uk2, it builds transports and men to put in them. Any transports availiable at start of uk2 shucks uk men into norway. On us2, build enough men (7 new for a total of ten?) to fill the 5 transports so that i have ten inf available for shuck on us3. If enough $ left on us2 after purchasing inf, buy a fighter. On us3, buy another 10 men (if the $ is available, it should be)

    In other words, is it better to wait, and shuck all 10 men at once straight from eastern us on us3 into norway to eventually make their way into karelia on us4? The ten inf bought on us3 can then move into e canada on us4. And get shucked on us5. So at the end of us5, there will be 20 us infantry in karelia and norway (10 each). So it looks like this…

    us1 buy transports
    us2 buy inf for a total of ten in eusa (maybe fighter, or replacement transports if Gbomber takes some us1 tr out)
    us3 buy 10 inf (place in eusa), shuck 10 inf from eusa to norway
    us4 buy 10 inf (place in eusa), move 10 eusa inf to ecanada, move us inf from norway to karelia
    us5 buy 10 inf, shuck ecanada 10 inf to norway. Shuck is now set to do 10 us inf each round into europe/norway.

    Is it better for 10 at once, or should it “ramp up” and buy a couple of transports and a couple of men each turn and work my way up to 5 tr?

    1. It’s not necessary to counter Pearl. You lose some groovy air force in a losing battle to not win anything. Send your gear out east. Block in your BB at the canal with your trn one space behind.
    2. your first purchase is not very useful - it’s really useless until US3. I would purchase just what is useful to get stuff over the following turn. Build your trn fleet over time, but getting people over to Europe is important as early as US 2. Remember - there is no surprise for Germany when they see 5 boats at the beginning of their second turn.
    3. you might consider a sacrifice of a trn to get 2 inf onto Africa. Not many like this plan, and in fact i’m one of the only people to do this i suspect, but it’s a nice “F. U.” move for Germany.

  • What is your game plan. What are your goals. How are you coordinating the 3 allies to achieve those goals? What are your opponents goals? How can you block him/her from achieving those goals? I am not talking about taking a capital as a goal. That is the end goal. I am talking about short term goals. (e.g, take and hold Western Europe. Hold the Yakut Sinkaing line against the Japanese for 4 turns. etc.)

    What is your overall all strategy? Your goals are steps on the ladder of your strategy to victory.

    When you can answer these questions, then you will find you will fare better in your games.

    Lastly, be flexible. You will lose important battles. Plans will be countered. Be ready to adapt to these events. Balance risk of loss versus risk of gain. Retreat is often the best thing to do after a bad roll of the dice in a big battle. Reinforce and try again next turn. If you can’t wait for next turn, then you are being outplayed. Study and learn why.


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