@Gwlachmai:
I would think that a combined US income might provide a bit of incentive to keep Japan from making a J1 attack in the Pacific. Especially in light of potentially giving the US a 60-70 IPC income boost. I can’t wait to try the combined game. The only real debate with my gaming group is do we play Europe alone a few times first or just jump right in.
Hell, I would like to see just how they balance the Global game more than anything. Or unbalance it. Who would want to play Europe by itself anyway?
Europe and Pacific by themselves just seem like the Axis powers have objectives spread out at the extreme corners of the map, and lack any real reason to concentrate their forces at any particular area for long. Since the Allied powers don’t have attacks coming from the opposite sides of the map, any moves they make are somewhat scripted and lack any real decision making (compared to Global). In the Pacific campaign, Britain HAS to attack Burma and French Indochina with land units. Britain doesn’t have to worry about Italian or German units coming through Persia or the Suez as a second front. Not much room for different builds.
The most fun part of Axis and Allies is seeing Japanese and German troops meet up in the Causcasus and hold off Russian counterattacks. Or Italian carriers, German planes, and what’s left of the Japanese fleet come through the Suez to stop the Allied fleet off Italy. Teamwork. If you start rolling crappy as Germany in AAE40, you can’t expect Japan to come through India and save the day for you. With only one (or two, if you think Italy is a power) Axis sides in Europe and Pacific the game is not going to be as fun.
