Axis and Allies Classic The Rising Star

[@robertsnyder1890]

my first move when i play japan is as follows. build one factory to be placed on kytain, (spelling) and three infantry in japan. combat move. hit Asia with EVERYTHING YOU GOT. leave the US fleet in Hawaii alone (come back for it later). non-combat move, move all you can to japan. this keeps your more powerful fleet intact to be used at another time. end result. you still have a more powerful fleet than the US, you have a factory in Asia, all your aircraft are safe. at this point it only takes building eight bucks per turn (one sub) to hold off the US. factory in Asia, powerful fleet, territories falling. it's all good.

[@Dedread]

Wouldn't the US fleet then also be able to consolidate, and annoy you in the Islands later, taking your focus away from Asia? Could you describe how your strategy above usually plays out after turn 1?

[@robejaegs]

you're missing Japan's fighters in Indo-China and Manchuria
Japan starts with 5 fighters

[@CaptainVasiliArkhipov]

I've often taken the Hawaiian island turn 1, the transport loaded and the carrier fighter both make the land battle with the carrier, sub, both battleships and the fighter&bomber in Japan attacking the US carrier, fighter and sub. It's 9 out of 10 success it seems. Turn 2 Australia generally falls with a fully loaded transport from Hawaii, both battleships and carrier fighters. Next turn India, or new Zealand, or Australia if it failed the first time, sometimes it will. I hit china with 1 fighter and 6 infantry. The Philippines fighter must be saved for non combat, the fleet will often need it in Hawaii replacing a loss for fleet defense.

[@Dedread]

The problem with this strategy is that it doesn't help Germany at all - you need to put pressure on Russia and/or the UK, so that they don't devote ALL their resources to the German front, and UK can't reinforce Africa, or build a factory in India to slow your advance on the Asian continent...
EDIT: What CptChampie said, below...

[@CptChampie]

To support your comrades in Europe it's essential to weaken the russian bear and, when possible, decrease the UK's income first.
Attacking in Asia should be the first thing to do, preferably Russia. But India should be taken soon after. This decreases both Russia's and the UK's capabilities in Europe and gives you a solid asian base where you can build an industrial complex.
To do so you leave the US fleet alone in the first turn and avoid contact initially buying and using transports to reinforce your troops from Japan to the mainland. The transports can later be used as cannonfodder against the US fleet.