Turkey: the Achilles heel of the allies?

[Skrivebordsgeneralen]

Have I found the perfect strategy?

OK, here's what I did in my last PBEM game as axis.

39: Poland and Denmark

40: Low countries, France, Norway, Malta, french North Africa. Defensive force in Libya.

41: Yugoslavia and Greece, early Barbarossa. Carefull, conservative advance. Pull out my airforce before russian winter strikes.

Now here's the trick :

Late may 42: I declare war on turkey. My four german stukas, the italian tac bomber + all my fighters (I have LR lvl 3, needed a minimum of lvl 2 in order too carry it out)attack Ankara. I have three paras (the two germans plus one italian ready to jump. In addition, a spec unit operating from Athens was ready to land south of Ankara. IOW overkill. The fighters and three stukas suffice for the turkish army to bite the dust. German paras drop on Ankara and Turkey surrenders at the end of my turn. Next turn, the german army is ready to invade the Caucasus and the Middle-East.

What can the allies do at this point? IMO the new road supply rules makes things too easy in the Caucasus.

PS: We're both decent players, but not too experienced

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

Good strategy, but you have to invest a lot.. bring all the planes to LR2 (or even 3), buy another 2 paras unit, but Tac Bombers, buy all the research chits.. and so your gain (which is Turkey) is the result of a massive investment, and I think that is okay. The Ankara gamble was always an issue, even in SC1... and the counterstrategy for the Allies is to be prepared. Once you see all the Tac Bomber pull out of Russia, you know what`s going on...

What I want to say is: that is a good strategy, but there are counterstrategies.

[Skrivebordsgeneralen]

I don't think it's that much of an investment. After all, you can use the tac bombers elsewhere. As for pulling them out of Russia, it's really just a way to save MPPs before soviet winter strikes. And with regards to the extra paras, I didn't really need them (granted, my tac were lvl 2). And even if the allies know what's going on, there's nothing they can do to stop it, is there?

The only slight hunch is the research priorities you have to make, but two chits invested in long range from the outset of the game should be sufficient to get you to lvl 2 by the summer of 42 - which btw is very usefull in lots of other circumstances.

[Sombra]

Nice strategy. Regarding the allies not able to stop you.

1. Rusian counter while your tacs are away in Summer 1942 they should be able to pull a decent counteroffensive

2. Allies could take Syria and wait at the border for just such a move

[Skrivebordsgeneralen]

Sombra,

yea, I also thought no. 1 would be the best option for the russians. My oponent chose to transfer the bulk of his army to the turkish border instead, imo a mistake. But apart from my stukas, I had built 1 fighter, 3 tanks (the minimum), and put the rest of my mpps into corps, artillery and anti-tank, expecting such a move. In addition, if you have sufficient LR (3 will do better than 2), the stukas can strike northern Syria (attack with fighters first in order to commit their aircover) and their land forces won't survive long in open ground, the southern Caucasus and the hexes around Rostov from the same bases. The combination LR + AT is a killer, particularly with decent fighter cover (lvl 2 will do).

[SeaMonkey]

Come on...this strategy is only good if you catch the USSR off guard. Always a possibility, but most veterans will have at least a couple of Paras in the Caucasus vicinity for MidEast exploits, cutting communications to the eastern part of Turkey.

The Bosporous strait is a choke point where supply and communications are easily cut and with a couple of Allied Strategic Bombers on the prowl, woe be to the Axis that don't take quick advantage of the situation.

It can quickly become a quagmire(terrain favors the defense) and a major distraction allowing for Allied opportunities in the West, best left for a situation where the USSR is on its heels and the Axis in control of ME.

[scottsmm]

Decent strategy but if you start from 39 why not invade Great Britain and diplomatically invest in Turkey. It's a lot easier and saves a ton of MPPs along with the fact you gain them as an ally instead of an enemy.

[Sombra]

I think its a nice strategy especially against a passive rusian player. It shows you have to be even more careful as the rusian player...2 paras just to guard its a huge investment for rusia

[Scook]

It works well, if you get the tech hits. Put 5 chits in long range aircraft and only having LR 1 in August of '42 will slow this idea down. If you get the tech hits, it can work. However, give me a year with the USSR at 100% production and few losses, and the German may regret that decision....

Oh, is this SC2 or WaW? Rail lines (or lack of) in the Muddle East in WaW make this a slower developing plan than in SC2.

Nevermind, I see it's WaW on reread. If the USSR does not suspect something is up when you arent pushing him hard, shame on him for not having any troops on the Turkish border.

[ibukovec]

BAD idea to have a slow attack on russia. If u have the troops u can take the Caucasus in 42 anyway. No tech needed. Just the standard. Dont forget russia can be as strong as germany if not attacked right.

Ivan