Minors joining Axis

[Gurak]

Hello guys. I'm still new to the game but guess i understood the basic machanics. I read the strategy guide.

However, i have a few questions:

1. Is it possible for the Axis to gain Yugoslavia as an ally? The manual (german version) says yes but yet this did not happen in the games played.

2. Does a DoW on Greece and the conquest of the country influence this in a pro-Axis or pro-Allied way?

3. What's a good tactic to keep the war readiness of the USSR low? How many units have to be redeployed to the eastern border and when?

4. How much influence do the joining Balkan States have on USSR readiness and what can be done to compensate for this?

5. What's the exact formula for research? Are the percentages accumulated or does the AI just "roll dice" every turn? It seems to take a year until a progress is triggered.

6. What does "a close surrender of the UK" mean in regards of Spain/Turkey joining the Axis? Is it necessary to take London for triggering this or is it enough to destroy sufficient units, taking Gib, Malta and the Suez?

7. Is it possible to completely conquer France (no Vichy), if Paris is not occupied until all French territory (including Algeria and Syria) is controlled thus saving a DoW on Vichy this way?

Best regards and thx for replies,

Gurak

[SeaMonkey]

Alright Gurak, here's the possibilities, short and sweet.

1. No

2. Axis DoW on Greece will increase % chance of Yugo coup and enhance USSR readiness.

3. Don't DoW anyone.....keep at least two corps in border cities until Rumania joins or March 41 and then increase number of units to 5.

4. None, if the Germans don't DoW them, just let the USSR absorb them.

5. Welcome to the world of uncertainty. % chance is increased with # chit invested and being behind opponent in that category.

6. Must take London and threaten Manchester or gain UK surrender...random %, very low for Turkey.

7. No

I will in no way be responsible for the content or accuracy of these statements, either implied or assumed.

[Feldtrompeter]

Hi folks

some corrections on

3. Leave a unit (corps) in either Königsberg or Warschau until fall of 1940. Then have one corps in Königsberg and two more on the hexes directly east of Warschau. If you do that you won't suffer unnecessary Russian readiness penalties.

4. Seamonkey read "baltic" instead of "balkan". The correct answer is: Follow 3. and you won't have to worry about 4.

yours

FT

[Gurak]

Ahh, that helps a lot - good to know.

Thank you two for your kind and precise answers.

Apparently the translation of the manual is incorrect - it's stated there that there would be a chance for Yugoslavia to join Axis as well as it could join Allies. I already wondered...

However, this will be a nice training ground for Barbarossa.

Btw., is it recommendable to attack Yugoslavia early as to gain lots of experience or wait until a Barbarossa comes close?

[Edwin P.]

Wait until Yugoslavia joins the allies. If you attack it first Soviet war readiness will increase.

[Gurak]

Oh yes, you`re right indeed.

Sadly the coup met me just half prepared so i needed a few turns to conquer Yugoslavia. I had to take some air from the west thus giving relieve to Great Britain earlier than planned.

Finally Barbarossa is being unleashed. Let's see how it turns out.

Unit experience is still low. Reinforcements are very costly in this respect. Maybe i should have been more cautious during the conquest of France. Finishing it off fast seemed to be elemental to keep the option for a sealion. However, i called it and decided in favor of a campaign to ruin them economically and destroying their air and naval forces while saving the land assets for a huge barbarossa. This was intended to gain a free hand for the east as long as possible.

To which degree should caution (spending precious time) triumph over speed? Combat results cannot be predicted exactly. I tried to play "power-saving" but especially the Luftflottes still suffered lots of damage. I spent on research (jet power) but this wasn't successful until 1941. The RAF is broken but the US will join late this year i guess (i played the scandinavian option).

Is there any rule of thumb how to boost experience or reduce experience loss respectively?

The quick fall of France had my army sit around for quite a while but i did not want to furtherly annoy USA and USSR. A mistake?

[Edwin P.]

Normally, before war with Russia erupts I aim to conquer Denmark, Norway and Sweden for the plunder. Sometimes I also destroy the port of Gibraltar and send my Italian fleet through to the Atlantic. You can send naval units through an enemy port hex if the value of the port is Zero!

At the same time I use the Italians to conquer Greece in one turn via seaborne invasion. The plunder is most useful.

[Gurak]

As i stated, the scandinavian states had to bow to my aggression before. Economically this seems to be a must. This virtual "connection" improves income tremendously! The countries gave plenty of plunder and were excellent training grounds for navy and air forces.

I also considered sailing out of the Med with the Italians but up to now they were busy punishing and conquering Malta and Egypt.

Since Italy had no air force back then and i was not sure whether attacking Greece would annoy the Yugos, i left it for an overland campaign after US-Entry - the same for Iraq. I will also try to take the Rock. This should be possible since my naval forces kept the upper hand in the battle of the Atlantic. Bombing the Royal Navy from France and Norway really pays off, whatever the costs may have been.

Britain will need lots of time to recover, maybe i can also fend off the Americans for a while as well. Now, with my air forces in Russia, this won't be so easy anymore.

Barbarossa goes well up to now. Hopefully the punch won't be worn down too soon.