In regards to the WEU IC, I think it is an inefficient way to maintain the German navy, when all you need to do is keep it nice and safe tucked away in the Baltic, and then slowly build it up just enough to make it very inefficient for the allies to kill it.
The advantage of this is allowing Germany to keep exchanging Nor and only have to protect WEU.
My usual strat is
Turn 1: TRN to baltic
(why? because it makes the UK attack of the baltic fleet very risky, that 8 Dollars gives you a very good chance of killing those 2 FTR and bomber, and even after a strafe, you can still take back NOR with the surviving 1-2 TRN. If UK decides not to attack, they have to deal with a nice little Operation Sealion possibility
If UK builds lots of Fighters or a fleet within range that can attack the Baltic fleet, I will
Turn 2: 1 AC and maybe a fighter to Baltic.
Odds are, this AC (for 16) plus 2 fighter landing on it, will make any UK attack costly or suicidal. The AC also gives Germany a LOT of flexibility threatening the Allies fleets, exchanging Norway, and using the fighters on the Eastern front.
All remaining fleet builds will be just enough to prevent a profitable UK or US attack… whether its a SS, another AC, or even a Battleship, if I have the inclination and extra cash from a successful Africa trip. The US and UK combined might have a pretty nice sized fleet, but they only get to attack separately, against a very strong defensive Baltic fleet.
The advantage of this play is that it really eases up Germany’s need for a strong defense, basically just sending 1-2 INF a turn to WEU, with fighters landing there. It keeps the allies from getting a foothold in Norway, and if they decided to take out the Baltic fleet, odds are they are leaving Africa along. It also speeds up the INF train from GER to LEN to ARC… if you so desire.
Ild rather have UK building SS, DD, AC and BB than INF that are going right to NOR, LEN or Algeria. And once they decide to take the fleet out, they get to absorb hits from 2-4 fighters on the Acs, 2 SS DD 2 TRN and whatever else might be there, costing lots of TRN and Fighters.
Its a little costly, but with the protected NOR income, the easier defense of Germany and Eastern Europe, the excess UK and US naval and airforce expenses, and the flexibilty of an airforce based in the baltic, I think spending an average of 8-10 IPC a turn is worth it, and if things go badly after turn one, just stop with the turn 1 TRN build and dont bother with the AC etc…
Nothing is funnier than watching 2 UK Fighter and BOM attack the deceptively strong baltic fleet turn 1 of 2 TRN 2 SS DD and getting toasted in exchange for a sub or 2 that dont have a purpose otherwise. OR seeing a German Baltic fleet with 2 AC and 1-2 BB by turn 8-10, with the UK income dwindling to 20ish, and no hope of ever clearing the fleet.
This strategy is helped if the UKR fighter survives (it usually does because I bid 1 INF to there most games) and if Africa goes well (which is also usually the case because UK and US are having to spend so much keeping the allied fleets safe from the German navy and airforce, and JApan is dropping troops in EGY by turn 3-4.