Italian canopening is even more effective when combined with the Germany “Dark Skies” option with lots of bombers. The tanks+mechs+bomber attack options means that the Allies cannot place moderate-sized stacks within two spaces of the German/Italian main stack. Russia ends up cowering in Moscow with a few minor exchanges each round. UK ends up with a strong stack near Iraq, never daring to move it too close to the Germans.
Meanwhile the huge range of the German bombers give that power flexibility to find opportunistic attacks:
*Allied ground forces in W. Europe
*Allied ships in the Atlantic
*Allied ships in the Med
*Push into Siberia
*Mid-game Sealion or Egypt attack
I am not saying that this plan guarantees victory, but it allows League players to aim towards eventual victory in G13-17. Most face-to-face games end up with a Moscow attack on G5-8 when the Axis players just decide that the numbers look close enough. With the battlecaculator and more time on PBEM/PBF games, Germany can comb through the options every turn and patiently wait for the right opening with a big TUV swing.
