What's the Hardest Country to Play in MP?

[Diefledermas]

I have my own opinions on the subject but I'm curious what others think?

Assuming a full boat of 8 players and everyone's skill levels are equal with no "historical" restrictions, what's the toughest nut to crack?

(I'm not talking about mini-minors like Luxembourg obviously)

 

[Spitfire_Pilot]

Japan can be a bit of a challenge at times, so can the Soviets when Barbarossa comes around.

 

[Galverizer]

Uk

UK I guess most people seem to end up losing a lot with them either india or afrika or both.
Think the problem is that forces get scattered all over the world, to be effektive with UK you have to move the hole army around from afrika, india, europe there for few people even want to play UK. I find them to have very big potentialls if controlled well.

 

[unmerged(59421)]

Well if your playing with no historical restrictions. IMHO I would have to say that all are a good challenge. If Germany wants to go on the rampage in 36 than they can be easily rolled by the allies. Same deal with Italy. As America's only Major assett at the start of a 36 campaign is her navy, than an aggressive Japan could well invade the USA. When it comes down to it, an aggressive Italy and Germany could manage to pull off a late 36 early 37 invasion of England. Russia could invade Poland and than Germany but I think the allies could dow by then, either way the Russians would have a tough fight through Germany because of they're starting techs. So a starting date of Jan 1st 1936 with no Historical Restrictions would prove to be an interesting fight for all sides I think.

 

[unmerged(55727)]

With the usual restrictions, I think Italy is quite hard; no early entry into the Axis for blueprints, and no mediterranean expansion in the late 1930s.

 

[Galverizer]

With the usual restrictions, I think Italy is quite hard; no early entry into the Axis for blueprints, and no mediterranean expansion in the late 1930s.

It's hard to play italy, but screw up with italy and it doesn't matter as much as when people screw up with UK then it really hurts for all the allies and SU.

 

[unmerged(55727)]

It _did_ screw Italy's allies when Italy got invaded last sunday. Several important operations had to be postponed until the threat was contained, and that might cost us the Endsieg.

 

[Galverizer]

It _did_ screw Italy's allies when Italy got invaded last sunday. Several important operations had to be postponed until the threat was contained, and that might cost us the Endsieg.

We are only taking about 1-2 month thats all. If UK lose india afrika and gibraltar, usa get's it a lot harder to invade since he can't land in the mediterranian sea and if japan have india they can invade SU on a very big front. If Italy screw up it's only the lose of afrika and maybe sicily.
And that can be fixed by the german player by going throw Turky and down in afrika.

 

[unmerged(55727)]

We are only taking about 1-2 month thats all.

I imagine Hitler or Manstein saying something like that before Barbarossa got pushed back to July...

 

[Galverizer]

I imagine Hitler or Manstein saying something like that before Barbarossa got pushed back to July...

Germany can always fix italys screw up, but none can fix UKs, and the Uk player fights alone the first year most of the times, sometimes against all 3 axis powers.

 

[unmerged(5892)]

Playing with historical rules I would argue that Japan is hardest, followed by Italy, then the UK and USSR.

The best Japanese player might still get beaten, while the best German or US player wont.

 

[Galverizer]

Playing with historical rules I would argue that Japan is hardest, followed by Italy, then the UK and USSR.

The best Japanese player might still get beaten, while the best German or US player wont.

I think USSR is the easiest, they always win. The discussion is about if all players are equal not if one of the players are better then the other.

 

[unmerged(58398)]

Assuming a full boat of 8 players and everyone's skill levels are equal with no "historical" restrictions, what's the toughest nut to crack?

If there are *no* historical restrictions, then Germany is the hardest one.

That's mostly because the italian player will usually be swayed by the allies unless the Germans score a decisive victory against France, and Japan will most likely be "hell no!" when it comes to join the war against either the Allies or the USSR, unless Germany had a lot of victories before. The German player will probably find himself fighting alone against overwhelming odds, and often facing a world *very* unwilling to trade with him for their precious raw materials... and facing a strong UK/French/Italy(?) alliance, and with the behemoths USA and USSR as quite probable enemies...

In fact, the only viable German solution would be to befriend the Sovjet player as soon as poosible (convincing him that the Allies would later go to war with him and that it's best to let Germany fight them first... it works best if you pick a semi-paranoid-about-invasions player for the USSR... luckily in my group we do have such a player) and get him to *trade* his stuff...

Come to think about it, this IS kinda like the real WWII

 

[System Lord]

Japan is the hardest, you fight the USN alone and have very little manpower which means you are restricted to one maybe 2 major operations on land for the whole war. Though puppeting China helps it still doesnt make up for the sorely lacking IC base. Blitzing the allies in 41 is the key before the USA has time to build up a navy and army capable of pushing Japan back, it is inevitable imo that Japan losses the war unless Germany can somehow role the USSR. If the USSR goes out then the Allies are forced to commit larger amounts to Europe leaving Japan free.

 

[Gen.Schuermann]

Japan is the hardest, you fight the USN alone and have very little manpower which means you are restricted to one maybe 2 major operations on land for the whole war. Though puppeting China helps it still doesnt make up for the sorely lacking IC base. Blitzing the allies in 41 is the key before the USA has time to build up a navy and army capable of pushing Japan back, it is inevitable imo that Japan losses the war unless Germany can somehow role the USSR. If the USSR goes out then the Allies are forced to commit larger amounts to Europe leaving Japan free.

I'd like to say no here. Say, if you start your campaign in 1936, you have plenty of time building up your industrial base, paired with quite some army.
Plus, if Germany is doing well together with Italy, it can be a cakewalk in the Asisan theatre. With suez and gibraltar closed, india is a free for all.
Ut is entirely possible to have 250+ IC in 1941/42, without attacking the USSR. And if the USSR is easily defeated by Germany, then there should be no doubt that the US can fall. Imo, of course.

 

[unmerged(58398)]

Japan is the hardest, you fight the USN alone and have very little manpower

You're kinda assuming Japan would go to war with the US... if there are *no* historical restrictions, Japan is very easy to win with in MP - just join the Allies. You might even get a chunk of China and an easy ticket to victory.

 

[unmerged(44886)]

The hardest country

Hmm after many mp games I would say without a doubt the UK is the hardest country to play.

First of all you have very long lines of travell for many activities. If the axis is on the ball moving through the MED is impossible to do safely. You must plan everything 3-5 months in advance, while at the same time look for openings to use against the axis.
Secondly if the UK player screws up there is no one there to rescue him. The effects of a UK player screw up can be game ending. We had a game where High Command stayed in france to long (may or june of 1940) and lost most of the uk navy, saving his army. The results were the invasion of Canada and the USA in 1941. the game was over before the soviets could declare war.

Now please remember I am talking about playing an agressive UK one that raids and looks for opportunities to strike. Uk is easy to play if you just want to hold the Britian and wait for the USA to join the war, hoping the soviets hold.

My 2 cents anyways. Have fun out there.

Tempus
Defensive Doctrine
"I'd rather be lucky than good."

 

[Galverizer]

Hmm after many mp games I would say without a doubt the UK is the hardest country to play.

First of all you have very long lines of travell for many activities. If the axis is on the ball moving through the MED is impossible to do safely. You must plan everything 3-5 months in advance, while at the same time look for openings to use against the axis.
Secondly if the UK player screws up there is no one there to rescue him. The effects of a UK player screw up can be game ending. We had a game where High Command stayed in france to long (may or june of 1940) and lost most of the uk navy, saving his army. The results were the invasion of Canada and the USA in 1941. the game was over before the soviets could declare war.

Now please remember I am talking about playing an agressive UK one that raids and looks for opportunities to strike. Uk is easy to play if you just want to hold the Britian and wait for the USA to join the war, hoping the soviets hold.

My 2 cents anyways. Have fun out there.

Tempus
Defensive Doctrine
"I'd rather be lucky than good."

Finally someone that gets it!

 

[Citizen_X]

UK is the most hard country. They lack of manpower and industry to raise an army that cant stop the germans tring Sea Lyon, german and italians in North Africa and finally Japan and his huge navy attacking and landing in India.

In spanish games, i ve raised in sept 39 about 110 land divisions, 220 ships and near 40 airwings, and its umposible to keep everything. The most inteligent u can do, its try to keep Ceyland when u see u cant resist more in India.

At the same time URSS is pretty hard too, if Japan has occuped India and can strike u behind, basically because they can stole u lots of industries while they launch u all air. A experienced uss player is needed for keep japan bussy.

 

[General Failure]

I´d say UK, too.

We usually start in '38 when playing in LANs. UK starts with about 14 Infs, 2 LightArmour(1) with hardly any strenght and about 25 garrisons it´s not allowed to move until an event triggers. Until late '39 you´ll usually face 3 enemies: Germany, Italy, Japan (+puppet NatChi). Combined, they got mightier fleets of different kinds (so you got to research ASW, battleships and carriers) and will enourmously outnumber your ground forces (in the last game they had something like 350 divisions combined until then). Your airforce usually is older than the germans but if used right, you can do great damage on Japan and Italy.

And your manpower is not great, either. Killing manpower bonus ministers has my top secret service priority.

IC-wise, it´s great. You don´t have as many as Germany. But with full hawk and fully market-oriented you´re the most efficient economy in the world.

My conclusion: The longer you can stand the ground, the better your chances to hold on will be. But in my opinion it´s impossible to begin an offensive without american support. This doesn´t mean you should just stay in you provinces and wait for attacks. You´ll have to plan counterattacks, look for small opportunities to bother your enemies....But you should not have the illusion of breaking the axis on your own.
In my opinion UK is the most fun to play, because
1. I love the navy game,
2. You´re really into trouble,
3. You got the moral bonus of defending democracy,
4. Your in the war from the very beginning