About EVERY single game I’ve seen is griping that the US is just too damn strong in Europe, and that it can completely ignore the Pacific while it whups up with 80+ IPCs on Italy and France. There’s no way the Axis powers can hold against the US and the UK’s combined IPCs for long, and Italy/Germany are mostly thrown on the defensive from the moment the US enters the war.
One thing the 1940 ruleset adds is the possibility of a Sealion, which isn’t that bad of a strategy (at least with the E40 game by itself). If Germany gets decent odds on a G3 Sealion, they have a pretty good shot of taking the UK out of the game, even in Global. Taking ~30 IPCs permamently out of the Allied coffers significantly raises the ability of the Axis powers to hold against the US’s lone 80 IPCs vs. 110-120 IPCs combined with UK. However, as most people have seen, the US can throw together one hell of a rescue fleet by US 1-2, simply by moving its Pacific fleet into the Atlantic. It seems impossible for Germany to protect its transports, build enough defensive fleet to stop the US counter, AND build enough defensive infantry to stop the Russians in the east (not to mention holding London).
Usually the Japs are spending their first few turns setting up in Asia to take over the money islands and finishing off China. Also, they generally do this at their leisure as the US has probably moved its fleet back to the east coast anyway due to the Sealion risk (or sitting pretty with their starter fleet off Hawaii). Why not consolidate off Japan with as many transports as one can put together (maybe leaving a minor fleet off Malaya to do some clean up so you’re still getting island $), and get busy dropping off troops in British Columbia or Alaska? Maybe even build a minor IC in Alaska. If you can force the US to spend 30-40 IPCs a turn to defend the West coast for at least a few rounds, it makes Germany’s/Italy’s job that much easier.
Yes, the Reds will probably be huge, but as in just about every game I’ve seen, the US is a MUCH larger factor to be dealt with, especially in the Atlantic. Has anyone else tried this combo strat yet?