@bugoo:
And at what turn does your polar express ‘go off’ so to speak, as in becomes a real threat to the US, J2, J3? What is the general shuck setup, 6 trannies moving 8 units a round into Alaska? Factory in Alaska? Factory in Man? Do you still put ICs in India, Burma?
In Revised, the amount of trannies needed was 9: a 4x4 Alaska/Wcan shuck and one more for Africa. Since now we cannot reach Wcan from Japan, probably we need a 4x4x4 shuck. However, in Revised we started with 1 trannie (the other was usually killed by UK) and now we start with 5, so I guess that doesn’t matter. Also, I’d buy 2 trannies, 1 inf J1, so we have 7 trannies for round 2. It means you can use one to Australia and send the others to west, taking Hawaii or approaching in a way they can menace all the 3 key territories: WUSA, WCan, Ala. There’s no way USA can defend the 3 at the same time, even if they started the shuck in WUSA. So Japan will make a big landing in Ala and another small in Wcan if USA stacked LA or a big in Wcan and a small in ala if stacked Wcan. You must also bring some figs/bb/cruiser to the attack
If it works, the shuck will be started round 3. But even round 4 is OK if finally success on the beachhead
About ICs: Alaska, Manchuria and India. If India is not possible, maybe Eind (that would need one more trannie)
Japan has enough income to build all the trannies and ICs needed. The only trick is mastering the timing, and it’s only some difficult in case of USA starting the shuck in WUSA
But the better is that you can shift to JTDTM if really needed. A 2 tra, 1 inf J1 buy is good also for that, nothing will say allies if Japan will dare or not to Polar Express until it really starts (J2/J3)
Anyway, I’m not saying Polar Express is unbeatable. You still need play a good western axis that can hold Euro-Allies until Japan reaches to Africa or USA is in serious troubles (that means a jap stack in Wcan). But I must remember that Western Axis has much more income than Germany in Revised, and Euro Allies income is only a bit higer
And if Japan gets Improved Industry, those are bad bad new for allies