Do transports count?

For the sea battle, yes; for the land battle, no.

Lots to think about here.  Thinking about the Polar Express and the entire game itself, the phrase, “For everything gained, there’s something lost” comes to mind.  If Japan is in W. Canada, it halts the US shuck, but if they’re in Asia, it forces Russia to spend more to defend against Japan.  Every game I play as Japan, the thought always crosses my mind to send my 4 transports to Alaska/W. Canada, but I can’t ever come to terms with it because of all those units you take away from Asia.  Even if the US was out of the picture in Europe because of having to deal with the polar express, I don’t see how Germany could overcome Russia and the UK by themselves anyway.

As far as simply bidding a Jap transport….that works well regardless of whether you go after the US or not.  It’s a win-win for Japan.  I just won an Axis game with that transport in SZ50 implementing a KRF.  It’s key to grabbing income very early on–income that you wouldn’t normally get a hold of that soon.  I was able to hold Africa for a while with Germany as well.  I admit, I was pretty fortunate to do that without the German bid.  Overall though, I definitely recommend bidding the Jap transport.

Correct.  TRNs do not have to be FULL.

If a transport LOADS during Combat movement, it must OFFLOAD in Combat Movement also (i.e. amphib assault).

Craig’s clarification is one that is often overlooked, even in games on this site.

The important things that I want to emphasize about TRN’s…

1.  They can carry UP TO 1 INF and any 1 other land unit.  But they can carry only 1 unit of any land type (this comes up often from new folks thinking they HAVE to have an INF and something else in order to use a TRN).
2.  Once a TRN offloads it is DONE for the turn.
3.  Forget the term “bridge”.  It is just a regular load and offload, with a movement of zero spaces for the TRN.

@Weekend:

Assuming the territory in question is friendly when you drop off your troops during Noncombat.  If it is enemy territory, then the answer is no – you must do that move during the combat move phase.  (And await the results of the seazone battle to see if your amphibious assault ever hits the beach).

Right.

Yes, you can do the move described in the first post (move, then load, then offload).

I believe the theory behind not allowing transports to offload in two territories is the fact that deployment into significantly different areas will take time.  For example - if you have a division in Alaska, and another in Western Canada, and there are no enemies nearby, you could meet up halfway and get on a transport.  But if you are on a transport and offloading, that transport would have to sail to a different region to offload troops in any geographically significant other location.  So FUNCTIONALLY, the transport can only offload into one territory.

Before, transporting a tank was a joke, something you didn’t do unless you had extra transports.  It was a 3-2 unit, so a 2-2, 2-2 artillery infantry combination was better.  Now, tanks are on par; amphibious invasions are much more like land attacks.  So the end result of the increased defense and transport ease is that the artillery is what it should be: a supplement unit both amphibiously and not.  I applaud avalon hill’s new rules on land units because it is both realistic and feasible.  I don’t really see that one of the poll options adaquately shows my view.  I would say “it’s all about the money”, but when in this game is it not always about the money?