Why fight in Africa?

[Dual_Cored]

Just a question for some of the WW2 historians. I'm playing as Italy, and I'm wondering why I should devote so many resources to the fight in Africa. There isn't a huge pool of resources, the infrastructure is low and my troops suffer attrition from the desert climate. Why not abandon it and send the manpower to the fight in Europe?

[Rakad]

You don't need slaves? ;)

[TarheelTeddy]

Suez

[RoastCoffee]

If the Axis takes Suez and Gibraltar, they've locked up the Mediterrean. If they take Suez, then resources, I guess. Also, in some builds there are pretty decent oil resources to defend in Western Libya.

Otherwise, where as the Allies do you base from to launch attacks into mainland Europe (from the Med)?

[alexh0079]

Originally posted by Dual_Cored:

Just a question for some of the WW2 historians. I'm playing as Italy, and I'm wondering why I should devote so many resources to the fight in Africa. There isn't a huge pool of resources, the infrastructure is low and my troops suffer attrition from the desert climate. Why not abandon it and send the manpower to the fight in Europe?

As other have said; if Anglo-French control of the Suez was lost, the Axis have control over the region and they've effectively cut off the seaflow of any resources from British or French holdings in Mesopotamia, and any resources and assets from their Asian holdings have to divert to an alternative route that goes around Cape Good Hope or the tip of South America-either of which would brought them within the cross hairs of German submarines.

[Dual_Cored]

Good points thx guys

[BetterBite]

Malta and Cocksika are litteraly someplace you can invade Italy from.

[JackieCat]

North Africa is a great way to get to the oil of the Middle East. And it will help lock up the Mediterranean for the Axis.

[alexh0079]

Originally posted by BetterBite:

Malta and Cocksika are litteraly someplace you can invade Italy from.

I usually ignore an Italo-Sicilian invasion and proceed straight to France; the Royal and French Navy are busy playing ass-grab with the Italian Navy, which means zero action to be found asides from the occasional under-equipped Division.

[Dual_Cored]

Originally posted by avantech:

In HOI, for me Africa is as futile as America or Asia or Australia: too much hassle for what they provide. Deserts, jungle, terrible infrastructure, little IC, years of slow tedious progress to annex a big nothing.

The game (and the war) is about Europe. Japan is fun but too far away, nothing really interesting around it, just hopping from one small pointless island to another.

The US is a distant giant and not very challenging, being so powerful and away from danger. As an opponent, it's also a (unrealistic) pushover once you manage to invade it.

So, after you win in Europe and Russia, the rest is mostly just a grind.

That's kind of how I view the fight for Africa too in this game. Resources wasted for what you gain.

[happy]

Suez, GIlbraltar and the fact that colonial africa had enough infrastructures to sustain armies(france was defeated but its southern armies were still fighting for the allies, i assume same goes for belgium)

if germany ignores africa, africa becomes a haven for defeated armies, and the brits surely know how to incorporate revengefull foreign corps.

[billy]

seuz.....gibraltor.................................malta

though in the game for the axis you can easily not be affected much by these compared to real life

[Kadrush]

Suez and Gibraltar, in the second case you might need nat spain support. As soon as you control or contest both the possible landing sites in europe are cut by half allowing you to focus your defenses.. If you manage to control the bosphorus somehow mainland italy is safe for the rest of the war.

[Dave]

You cut them off by taking Gibraltar and Suez and then march south to conquer South Africa, invade Great Britain and win the war before the US joins.

[Beamin' Folks]

Originally posted by DD TarheelTeddy:

Suez

that is a very good answer

[Beamin' Folks]

Originally posted by Dual_Cored:

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