OK, I know some of this has been posted in other threads, but trying to consolidate this particular aspect of Axis strategy…
The all-out assault on Karelia is a non-winner based on the counter moves I have seen posted. And there is no way for Germany to invade UK or US, and Japan is not going to invade US without a LOT more $.
So what of the purely economic strategy?
Germany pulls back in Europe: abandoning Ukraine and Norway while fortifying Western, Southern, Eastern, and Germany. Air force is reserved exclusively for taking on UK and US navy. Fighter takes out the Egypt sub, fighter against Labrador, bomber and sub on Gibraltar Battleship, 3 fighters (and any remaining Baltic fleet) against battleship and transport around UK.
And for a buy, Germany does a CARRIER and a transport in Southern, balance is INF.
Subsequent round, Germany builds a fighter, a transport, and more INF. And from G3 builds only INF and the occasional fighter to replace losses.
This would allow Germany to “bridge” units into Africa, and for at least the first couple of rounds (except for the US) be un-opposed in Africa, and ferrying in up to 6 INF a round. Carrier, plus a fighter or 2, battleship, and transports should hold up against UK airpower for several rounds also. Meanwhile, Germany is blowing up all UK navy through round 2, and possibly even getting rid of transports as late as G3.
Of course this gets teamed up with Japan building transport/INF builds and “fanning out” to take Australia, New Zealand, Soviet East, Yakut, India, Persia, China, Sinkiang… not really focusing on forcing a head to head with Russia, but instead seeking to take all of UK’s income away, prevent replacement of naval units by UK. UK IPC’s would be the #1 target, with secondary against Russia, then US in Asia and later Pacific islands.
By my count, doing this would drop UK income to 10 IPC’s Germany and Japan would be PLUS 20 IPC’s just from UK territories, plus another 4 from Russia and 4 from USA. Russia would be down 4 in the east, but UP 5 in Europe (Ukraine and Norway) for a net +1. Also by my count, this could be done by the end of Round 3 in a stretch, round 4 in most cases.
Has anyone here had any direct experience with a concentrated UK economic blast? How has it fared? Other than repeated battles against US forces in Africa and Russia building up an unbreachable wall that will eventually be used on offense against Eastern, what counters do you see, or have worked for you?