Notation used: WUS=Western US, CUS=Central US, EUS= Eastern US, sz= sea zone, DD= destroyer
I’ve posted a few USA first strategies for OOB. When play testing the American response to my earlier strategies, I found central US to be vital. Basically, if West US is threatened, I pull back to central US, build there, and that way I can redeploy to either coast. If Japan takes West US, I trade it as needed. I usually pull back the starting navy to W.US turn 1, from there if Hawaii is a no go zone on turn 2, I send fleet to east side of panama(sz89) canal to link up with the ships bought in central US sea zone turn 1.
With this conservative play, when Japan moves to sz64(west of canal), I move the whole US fleet(from sz 101+sz89) to sz89(east of the canal). The central US land units move to E.US, I build mechanized as defenders for East US, so I can still trade W. US if needed. I only lose the game if Australia falls, before I liberate Hawaii in this scenario.
There is a danger, that your fleet will die in sz89 from a German navy/air, Japanese air one two punch, but it is a setback, and London survives this scenario.
It may be radical to trade West US. However, I favor a play style that seeks not to put my pieces out of position trying to defend multiple fronts. It seems optimal to concentrate forces, and force the opponent to “pull the trigger” and place his pieces out of position first, then I respond and simple logistics gives me the edge against a protracted Japanese assault.
In this threads scenario, here are my builds for U.S.:
Turn 1: 2 carriers(wus/cus), 1 transports(wus), 1 Destroyer(wus), 1 infantry(cus:because I run out of infantry filling Hawaii-standard play)
Turn2: 1 carrier(wus),2 transports(wus/eus), 2 destroyers(wus/eus),2 infantry(cus) (Hawaii gets abandoned as both fleets can hit it)
Turn3:(threat detected-German fleet at 91) 3 infantry(cus),3 fighters(eus), 1 inf(wus) save 10 IPCs
Turn 3: defensive moves (assume worst case scenario: I am caught flat-footed) Units pulled out of Hawaii last turn into WUS simply move to CUS, with all air units stacking EUS. WUS fleet moves through peaceful Japanese fleet to sz 89 to link fleets. 1 DD attempts a feeble block in sz102 to force Italy to clear for German invasion. CUS land units move to EUS (I keep all excess land units unable to fit on Hawaii bound transports here, this should be your starting land forces(-3 land units[art,2inf] sent to WUS turn2, tank and mech can reach EUS) + 5 built infantry (as 1 built turn 1 is in WUS bound for CUS this turn.)
EUS turn 4 defense (alpha+.2)= AAgun, 7 infantry(5 bought), 4 mechanized infantry, 1 armor, 8 fighters(3 bought), 1 tactical fighter, 1 bombe r+ 1 uk inf and artillery from [Ontario turn1/Quebec turn2] Note: US is at war on UK’s turn 3, thus UK may enter US.
CUS = 1 artillery, 7 infantry(3 bought, 2 from Hawaii,2 from WUS) 2 UK fighters (moved to Newfoundland turn3 when pressure lifted off capital)
WUS= 1 infantry
sz 89= 1 Battleship, 3 Cruisers, 4 Destroyers (2 bought), 2 carriers (1 bought), 5 transports (3 bought), 1 sub
sz 102= 1 Destroyer(bought turn2)
sz 101= 1 Carrier(bought turn1) 2 UK fighters. This permits US to stramble 3 air, if German’s try to hit CUS.
The above is sub-optimal, as Japan could win with 6 cities if they take Kwangtung,Phillippines,Hawaii,and W.US turn 4, with a German capture of CUS-US land unit take back force destroyed. If this is a possible outcome, it would make more sense to stack all units in CUS and trade EUS capital for 1 turn or place more air units in CUS and make EUS a gamble, or split fleet if able. Note: as stated, this is sub-optimal and a result of being caught flat footed turn 3. Or…position India/Anzac for a city liberation/defense turn4.