The UK can either start shucking men into Norway while they wait for the US to show up,
That doesn’t really materialize. With 10+ planes parked in Western Germany, you won’t be able to land for some time, unless you plan on throwing away your transports. UK 1 you have no transports in Europe. If you then buy additional transports UK2 to combine with the lone TT from Canada, then you won’t have enough protection against those planes. If you buy all protection for that 1TT from Canada, it won’t be able to land on Norway until Rd 2. If you attack that early, then you’ve moved away from your airbase protection, lowering your defense by 3 Ftr, meaning whatever you’ve moved to Norway can then be wiped out.
Anything that does land (assuming you’ve amassed enough protection), then those planes attack Norway instead of the fleet, with 2 land units and 2 offshore shots.
If Germany sees this strategy developing, they can start to buy 1 ss a turn as extra fodder when their planes attack.
If the UK is to take and hold Norway, it won’t happen for several turns. By the time Germany can’t take it back, they’ll be close to victory anyway.
**or focus on additional shipbuilding to make sure the Italians will never be able to block US arrival in the Med. **
This doesn’t work too well either. I just posted above that the Axis have seen victories at the end of Round 5 (not typical)! And 6 (Usual). Italy doesn’t need to block to prevent a landing. They’ve been stocking Italy up with guys. Germany parks their airforce in Southern Italy. 9 TTs worth of stuff can’t take that.
Especially since Rd 4 on, Germany is spending most of it’s 50+ ICs on defense. Mechs in Germany can move anywhere as needed for def or counter attacking.
**Because of this I would argue that the US has more than just the 1 shot at taking Rome as mentioned earlier- they should have at least a shot with attacks on US5 & US6, provided that another wave of GIs is right behind the first one. **
Ah, but my experience has been that the first wave is always the biggest (due to the build up). Any successive wave will only be however much the US can buy in a single round. 5 TTs worth of Inf and Art? Guaranteed by Rd 5 Germany can drop 10 Tanks a turn in Western Germany. They’ll be making 60+ even before Moscow falls. That’s a whole lot of counter attacking power.
**Even more chances if you still hold Cairo, which I would consider likely given that you’ve tied the hands of the Japanese. **
I’m not sure how that relates, actually. Japan taking Cairo is such a longshot. The UK has too many blocking ships that Japan won’t get there until very late.
And I disagree that it’s likely the UK has Egypt. If the UK spends their money on ships for attempted Norway landings, etc., Italy starts with enough units to take Egypt.
The only way to stop this massive hammer-blow is for Japan to threaten Hawaii or Sydney sufficiently,
Actually, it’s the opposite. The Japanese player must threaten India. If they don’t, and it’s clear they’re gunning for a different VC first, then India is free to help reinforce Egypt.