i have often wondered if a first turn BB would be a good move.
If you can lure Russian/UK forces into Norway, and Karelia, you get a helpful BB shot each turn (awesome killing an INF or ARM with no retaliation), and you also increased the threat on the UK mainland while having a durable navy.
If you move your med fleet to Gibralter 1st turn, now you have a pretty scary threat on UK, turn 2, with 2 BB shots, and 2 TRN, and all the FTRs/BOM you can plant in WEU (potential 2 BB shots, 6 FTR 2 ARM 2 INF 1 BOM against England… likely killing 6-7 units first round, up to 2 of which dont retaliate… ouch, even if you dont feel like invading UK, you can amphib 1 ARM at UK, and potentially kill 3 units, though a Russian sub sacrifice might be able to prevent the BB shots.
Turn 2 you should be able to destroy any fleet that UK could muster to prevent a fleet unification, so UK and US will have to fortify the UK mainland, protecting Africa and Norway for Germany. UK and US cant go for Africa turn one, cuz you will destroy their combined fleet. And once you merge the 2 fleets…, you can threaten UK, US, keep the Baltic Sea safe forever, or go back to the Med and punish Russia via 2 BB hits against Cau a turn. And with 2 BB, you get a REALLY fun fleet strafing fleet… first 2 hits dont count, combined with the massive GER airforce…
Still, very expensive. I might try it if I get a big bid and lots of extra cash for GER (only 8 more dollars than an AC, which is a standard opening for a lot of players. Bids at DAAK often go for 12-14.
Mateooo