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View Full Version : In Need of Help with KGF


nlentz88
12-05-2004, 08:18 PM
Hey guys,

I'm a rookie A&AR player who has lurked this board and read up on Don Rae's essays. My play group has played three A&AR games. In all three we decided not to play to a set VC count but instead kept playing until people decided it was too late to play any longer and then determine which side would be victorious. However, we had to rule all three games a draw! My play group consists of several A&A 2nd Ed. veterans and a couple rookies, but we still have a lot to learn about AAR.

In two of the three games the allies went with KGF strategies. The Russians employed dead zones against Japan in the east and kept pressure on the German front. The US left the Pacific to the Japanese and shucked to Africa and/or Europe. The UK built an Indian IC and shucked to Norway, Karelia, and Archangel. Players used IPM extensively when appropriate.

In both games Germany was in trouble and resorted to using air power to take out as much of the allies' Atlantic navy as possible while Japan eventually pushed into Russia, China, and India. Late in the game the Russians didn't have to worry about Germany incursion sine the US had a well established shuck-shuck, and therefore Mother Russia turned her attention to the encroaching Japanese tanks. Over several turns the Russians were able to counter the Japanese push, but the lack of pressure on Germany allowed the reich to take measures to stall and counter US landings.

My question is this. Should Russia have ignored the Japanese threat and continued to push Germany along with its other allies? Or was Russia right to protect itself from Japan's ever-growing tank army? Does KGF include allowing the Japanese to take most of Asia, even including the Caucuses and Moscow?

I know I'm not giving you a lot of details here and have resorted to using general terms. However, any advice you can give for a winning KGF would be appreciated. I am hosting another game next weekend and would like to be prepared.

Thanks in advance.

axis_roll
12-05-2004, 09:07 PM
My question is this. Should Russia have ignored the Japanese threat and continued to push Germany along with its other allies? Or was Russia right to protect itself from Japan's ever-growing tank army? Does KGF include allowing the Japanese to take most of Asia, even including the Caucuses and Moscow?

However, any advice you can give for a winning KGF would be appreciated. I am hosting another game next weekend and would like to be prepared.
You are 2nd edition veterans? At that point in the game, A&A Revised is the same as MB A&A: the longer you hold Germany balled up and Japan out of Moscow, the better for the allies... but it's even better in A&A Revised for the allies. There's no game winning tech for Japan to get to save te day (HB's are weaker and limited... IT does not exist)

If you are looking at a can't miss Allied strat in out of the box AH rules... go with HBs for USA. Germany will have no money to buy any units, UK bleeds Germany dry, Russia keeps Japan at bay.

Unfortunately, Revised is better than 2nd edition, but still is flawed, IMHO. Yes, KGF is STILL the best allied game plan....

DocD
12-06-2004, 06:24 AM
Hey guys,

My question is this. Should Russia have ignored the Japanese threat and continued to push Germany along with its other allies? Or was Russia right to protect itself from Japan's ever-growing tank army? Does KGF include allowing the Japanese to take most of Asia, even including the Caucuses and Moscow?

Thanks in advance.
I have to say yes, Japan should ignore Russia as much as possible. Keep them out of the 2 ipc territories and Moscow if you can, but don't send massive forces their way unless the Soviets are standing just outside Berlin.

If the Japanese take Caucuses and/or Moscow, the Allies will have a much longer game and possibly a lost on their hands.

I have seen the Allies take Germany out and then swarm east to rescue the soviets, but it extends the game so much longer, and I personally hate seeing the Japanese with all that money.

ButchOHare1
12-06-2004, 03:35 PM
Sounds like your play group knows how to play. You are describing a very typical play out for a revised game. USSR should push hard against Germany early to buy time for USA and UK to build up a fleet to move men into Norway and Karleia and to threaten landings in Eastern Europe, Western Europe or Germany (or Southern Europe if you are dropping men into Algeria). Once UK and USA navies are built up USSR can turn around and slow Japan, with some help from UK and USA moving through.