From: markhof@ls12r.informatik.uni-dortmund.de (Ingolf Markhof)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: A&A - Can Axis ever Win (IIb)?
Date: 10 Nov 1992 11:09:08 GMT
Organization: CS Department, Dortmund University, Germany
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: ls12r
Keywords: Axis & Allies


Thanks for all your comments. I'd like to make some additional comments:

1) I aggree to all of you who told me that Russia must defend, not attack.
   While Germany is threatening Karelia, Russia must concentrate most of its
   units there. But if Germany is able to move a large force to the
   Caucasus, Russia must defend both, Karelia *and* Moscow. As this is
   almost impossible, the allies must prevent this. There are two
   possibilities: First, the U.S. and Britain can threaten Germany or at
   least France, second, Russia must hold the Caucasus.

   The first option is somewhat difficult. Let's talk about the second.
   But before doing so, I'd like to talk about something else. A basic
   fact in A&A is that one large force is better than two or more smaller
   forces. For Russia, it's better and sufficient to have only one infantry
   in the Caucasus and a lagre force in Karelia than to divide its units
   to defend both areas. Germany will not attack the Caucasus with a large
   force, because it can't hold the territory without its fighters.
   So, germany usually attacks the russian infantry in the Caucasus with only 
   two infantry and some fighters in the begining. Now, Russia must take
   the Caucasus back in it's next turn. If not, germany will place its
   fighters and a lot of other units there. The game of taking and retaking
   the Caucausus will go on and on. But whenever one side can take the
   territory without losing a infantry, the number of involved units 
   increases. If there are two units in the Caucasus, it will be attacked
   by 3 or 4 infantry and even more fighters.
   And this kind of defense works not only in the Caucasus. Russia may
   also do the same in the east to slow the japanese.
   So, Russia may really utilize 3 or 4 fighers.

2) To make it clear: I build all infantry with Russia most of the time,
   too. But I still belive that only two fighters are not enough.

3) By my analysis of fighters and infantries hit probabilities, I did not
   want to tell you that fighters are better or more cost effective than]
   infantry. If you compare forces to forces of all fighters or all infantry,
   infantry are more cost effective, of course. The important thing is to
   use the right mixture of both! And keep in mind that you don't have to
   care for the one battle, in which your all infantry force attacks, only.
   The follwing attack of your opponent is important, too. If Russia attacks
   Karelia (or what ever territory) with only infantry, all of your infantry
   will be eliminated by a combined force of infantry and fighters in the
   next turn, whereas the attacker will loose only a few infantry, but Russia
   will lose all. Germany and Japan both have a lot of fighters. Even four
   or five russia infantry will be almost killed after only one round in the
   battle if Japan or Germany uses a force of four fighters and three infantry.
   Russia will lose all of its infantry, while the attacking Axis force will
   lose only two infantry.

That's it. Again, any coments are welcome. Although I still  wonder about
your evaluation of the game ("Allies will almost win") and I don't right
believe your strategy, I'll try it in the next game. - Although I already
played Russia without additional fighters in one game: It was a desaster.
Even large infantry forces have not been able to stop the german forces.
But this was one of my first games. Perhaps, I made some other errors...


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