@djensen:
According to the rules, the US is only restricted from moving into Central Power occupied or contested spaces. It may enter Allied spaces.
Since the US does not start with transports, it would be turn 3 before a Central Power to have the option to attack a territory being defended by a US unit. It’s not so bad.
Turn 1: buy transports.
Turn 1 ends.
Turn 2: move units via transport into, say, Africa
Turn 2 ends.
Turn 3: Central Power has the option to attack.
It only accelerates the entry of the US into the war by one turn.
Agreed, but one turn could make a really big difference in what I expect to be a 10-12 round game. Plus most ppl will say the US has no business being in Africa, or Europe before they are allowed to declare war (neutral powers ground units are normally forbidden to leave their own territories as a neutral power). I’m not sure, but were US troops historically in France, England, or Africa before the official US DOW in April, 1917? I could see US citizens voluntarily joining the allied ranks, but not under the US flag (am I wrong here?).
Besides that in the 4th turn (when the US can DOW if not invited in) US units could actually move from the French coast to defend a French held, or contested Paris (or London). The 4th turn just seems to fast for the US to be in Paris? Hey I’m at war this turn, and I’m already defending Paris, better brush up on my French LOL.
The Germans could also attack US ships, or declare sub warfare on the UK to invite the US in early as well from what Larry said, so why give them another option to come in early by allowing US units to be in places they shouldn’t be. Maybe this is a moot point because in most games the Germans activate sub warfare or attack US ships by then anyway (IDK). In most games won’t the CP want to hold off bring the US in early though, unless they can deliver a blow to US loaded transports in route. I would think the CP would want to have London or Paris under siege, or the Russians about ready to revolt before they have to worry about US troops deep into French soil well ahead of schedule and they did nothing to provoke it.
In any case, I’m sure this will infuriate Flashman LOL. No rail movement for the CP to respond in Europe, but US units can be defending Paris by turn 4 (the turn they can officially DOW if not already in it). Wow here comes the fire works :-D