150 point game advice...

[MillMaster]

My local game shop has changed its tournament format from 100 to 150 points.
This is a bit strange, as it breaks from the standard 100 point game, but is not quite a major 200 point engagement.

At the moment I have been seeking advice from people on how to use my Iowa and Yamato to make a good 100 point fleet. Now with an extra 50 points to throw around, should I try to play 2 yamatos and 2 iowas? Seems pushing it to much...

Would it be advisable to play a smaller supporting carrier and some fighters, or would you rather see more support for the BB?

[Jesse_James]

I would throw in some raw air power, and air defense (fighters) help protect your big guns, and annoy your opponent’s surface ships with bombers. Torp. bombers like a gnat at a BBQ.


maybe add a sub. :confused:

[RoguePilot]

I agree with throwing in air support. The St. Lo is not bad for her points (10) and she gives torpedo bombers experts (extra die rolls). The downside is no fighter escort, unless you launch your F4F's from land bases. Make sure you have ASW capability. I ran a fleet without destroyers or PBY's and got killed by a free-running enemy sub!

[Hiro]

I would add 4 Zeros and 4 Bettys, I have seen air power win consistently in the big games.

[XAos]

I'd avoid St.Lo, 4xZekes will usualy sink her regardless of the amount of AA/CAP protection.
With 50 extra points I'd add one sub & increase the land based air to the maximum allowed.
5 for 100pts,
7 for 200pts,
so what limit is your flgs using for 150 point games ?
An interesting option with Yamato is to add Tone, that combo gives the best possible odds for a Vital Hit on enemy BB's.

[Khayman7]

I'd assume that he has to adhere to the 5 plane airbase limit since its under 200 points. My suggestion for a serious tournament build for this point value would be 1-2 BB's, Subs and fighters.

Use subs for ASW/killing subs and enemy BBs, keep a constant rotating CAP over the BBs and knock out 50 points worth of units. Then split the BBs in the last turn to take 2 objectives. If you keep four AA shots in your sector you severly limit enemy plane's effectiveness. If they bring more then 4 planes they just sit on the sidelines or have to do ASW if they can instead of torp your BB's. Easy, quick, and effective in my experience, but lacking in the fun and creative parts. I guess thats why there are scenarios :).

[TheJudge]

150 point IJN build-

Kongo x3 105
I-19 x3 39
Zeke or Betty 6

150 points :)

or

Yamato- 70
I-19 x3- 39
4 Zekes- 24
2 Betty- 12
1 sub chaser to escort Yamato

149 points

USN 150 points- for max anti sub build and more chances to swipe objectives

Iowa- 68
Barb x3- 36
Catalina x2- 14
Wildcat 7
Sam B Roberts x 4 24

149 points

For max air power

Enterprise x2- 50
SBD x4- 52
Wildcat x3- 21
Atlanta- 12
Boise or Salt Lake City- 13 or 14

And for balance-

Enterprise- 25
SBD x2- 26
Wildcat- 7
USS Washington 56
Fletcher x2 - 14-
Wildcat on land base x2- 14
Catalina- 7

149 points

Another good 150 build is Germany with Scharnhorst, Bismarck, and Graf Spee along with a sub, Karl Glasters and Kondors. Solid, solid build and fun to play. Germany has good anti air with it's ships and 3 big ships to deal with is tough.

Good luck

[Khayman7]

150 point IJN build-

Enterprise x2- 50
SBD x4- 52
Wildcat x3- 21
Atlanta- 12
Boise or Salt Lake City- 13 or 14



I like the other builds, they pretty much mimic what I said in the previous post. Whats that about great minds? :) j/k mine is just about fried.

The one above though is crippled and has lost almost before setup if someone builds one of the other fleets you listed. By keeping your surface ships in 1 sector the best offense this fleet can hope for is 1 Wildcat and 3 SBD's. I faced a fleet very similar to this in a 200 point game. It was not very fun for my buddy who had the 200 points of carriers and planes. Check my thread about it if your interested to see how the 200 point tournament worked out kind of an AAR. It was just too long after the fact for me to remember the other builds well enough to officially call it one.
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=19877

[Slaynar]

I would say with the 150 point game to avoid the Carrier builds. It is still kinda low points for a "good" competitive carrier build. Now there is all kinds of builds to think of, either go "Cheese" with a bunch of heavy hitting BB's or a good BB and some heavy cruisers. Depends on if you want numbers to take objectives or just want to watch your opponent "cringe" as you sink one after another of his ships. Either way you will need effective ASW, I suggest air power to work on that, and use your land based or a Cheap sub.

Robert

[Thunderjp]

One rule for carrier builds: Fill up your land base first with planes, then add a carrier and fill it up. Expect to lose planes, so you always want your carriers doing something, never sitting empty between turns.


Now, 2 IJN 150 Point Builds: (assuming 6 land based aircraft)
70 Yamato
09 Shoho
24 Zeke x 4
18 Betty x 3
26 I-19 x 2
147 Points


104 I-19 x 8
30 Zeke x 5
13 Kate x 1 (I think slightly better than an extra I-19 because it allows you to take out sub fleets w/out risking your own)
147 Points

[TheJudge]

Please don't suggest fleets that can't take objectives. Yuck.

Another USN navy Fleet that could be fun is:

USS Tennessee x3- 129
Catalina x2
Wildcat 1

150 on the nose. :D

[TheJudge]

Iowa- 68
Rodney- 53
Wildcat x2
Catalina x2

149 points

I like this build, although not historical, it's legal and would be really strong against Yamato fleets or double Kongo fleets.

Against the horribly ghey 8 sub builds, well, whoever brings one of those to a tournament is a loser. lol

[Thunderjp]

Against the horribly ghey 8 sub builds, well, whoever brings one of those to a tournament is a loser. lol

More likely to be the winner than a loser. :)

[MillMaster]

Well, I will say that this is my first time playing in a W@S tourney, so I dont know what people will be bringing. I want to make sure that I can deal with lopsided (9 sub, 10 PT, etc) fleets.

Like I said, my main units are Iowa for Allies and Yamato for Axis. I am hoping to buy a case before Saturday, but if not I will have to go with battleship builds for both sides.

[dvang]

Try for IJN:

Yamato 70
3x Yukikaze 36
1x I-19 13
4x Zeke 24
1x Betty 6

total: 149

You could also change a Yuki to a second I-19.
Good air cover (allowing you to alternate 2x zekes each turn), several destroyers and a sub for ASW or torpedoes (Long-lance on the Yukis can be nasty). It also provides you with 2 groups of ships to grab objectives if desired.

[Khayman7]

Well, I will say that this is my first time playing in a W@S tourney, so I dont know what people will be bringing. I want to make sure that I can deal with lopsided (9 sub, 10 PT, etc) fleets.

Like I said, my main units are Iowa for Allies and Yamato for Axis. I am hoping to buy a case before Saturday, but if not I will have to go with battleship builds for both sides.

IMHO in that format its your best choice to bring the 2-3 BB with sub support for ASW even if they bring a sub, gouda cheese army. You kill 50 points total worth of stuff, and then your ships with torpedo defenese take the objectives. They still need to roll 5 6's to sink even a weaker BB with torp defense. If they get that hot, you wouldn't win with any build :). Even better if they bring the PTs, then you can shoot them with the BBs.

[Joisey]

I like:

Yammato=70
4xZeke= 24
1xBetty= 6
2xI-19's= 26
2xU-boat= 22

148 points

[MillMaster]

I went to buy a few boosters yesterday and did a little scouting. The last tournament they had was won by a CV fleet. (not sure what side)

I pulled an atlanta and a baltimore from the packs I got, so those will should go in to my allied builds, yes? What should my 2nd ship be for the baltimore? Another atlanta?

Is it worth trying to squeeze in a small CV for either side? (like a soho or st.Lo)

What is the recommended strategy if I have no carriers at all? Just send up all 5 of my boys every other turn, or do you find holding back 1 or 2 fighters to always have something to put up over your BBs is better?