@Hobbes:
there are veteran players on GTO forums who claim that Russia can fall as long as the US holds the Pacific islands… I’m still trying to prove/disprove that hypothesis.
We make some assumptions, ending with Russia falling and US grabbing the Pacific islands. This has to be round five or six at least. So what do we know?
1. We know UK doesn’t have a particularly healthy navy reinforcement to Russia (or at least it shouldn’t), BECAUSE Russia fell. (If there are loads of UK troops ready to secure Moscow after Germany grabs Moscow for a single turn, then Russia didn’t really “fall”).
2. Probably Germany controls Africa.
3. US has at least two carriers, four fighters, and at least two destroyers in the islands south of Japan. Plus one or two transports, and controls certain 4 IPC islands.
Now here’s the key assumption that I think these GTO vets are making. I would guess they think the Japanese fleet is destroyed. If the Jap fleet is destroyed, then US has logistic advantage with amphibious assaults on territories, and probably US and UK can work together to harass European coast/Africa/finish Japan (not all of those, but enough to get a win)
But if the Japanese fleet is NOT destroyed - and it should not be, because Japan can always just run away - Germany can get into the mix. Then, I think Axis have the advantage.