My group has found that all the clever ideas for the Allies fail. The Japanese fleet can use the political rules to be in position to launch a devastating attack on T3 against the American fleet. Large air fleets are deployed in Vietnam and Caroline islands. Transports and Carrier are build for additional flexibility.
The Japanese can use their superior starting forces and central position to strike at will. The Japanese have a number of avenues of attack:
1. Smash China
2. Push into India
3. Take the Dutch East Indies (vital for the income flip)
4. Invade Australia
5. Hit the US fleet where ever it is hiding
6. Take San Francisco
7. Take Honolulu
Although Allies can counter some of these, they can’t counter all of them at the same time.
If the CW forces make a maximum effort in the DEI, the Japanese can hit their weakened home areas. If they don’t make a maximum effort in the DEI, the Japanese can swiftly take them from the CW, leaving the UK with little income with the eventual fall of Asia.
If the US tries saving money or dispatching aircraft to the SW Pacific, the Japanese can hit San Francisco. If the US defends San Francisco, the Japanese aircraft in the Carolines can be used to support an attack on Australia.
If the Allies save the US fleet by moving it to New Zealand (and combining it with CW forces), the Japanese take the DEI and threaten San Francisco and Australia.
If the each Allied power launches a separate local attack, the Japanese can defeat them in detail.