Very tough decision: nearly a 4-way tie for first place. But…
1. Britain. In the few Global games I have played, UK seems critical in the Allies victory worldwide, so it takes number 1. Plus it is on the front lines in both Europe and Pacific.
2. Italy. It has a lot of power to be an auxiliary in many different arenas of the game. Africa, Russian front, Russia via middle east, and India.
3. Japan. Navy, Air Force, and a potential strong land presence. It can spread like a virus. The game I am in the middle of, I am japan, invading russia through china, at the doorstep of Calcutta, poised to decimate Australia’s Navy at Java, and bombing the Minor IC in South Africa to give Italy a chance.
4. America. After it enters the war, all hell breaks loose for the Axis.
5. Germany. It has a lot of different strategies it could take, but in the first three turns faces the impending Russian invasion, and thus, slightly limited in what it can do at first.
6. ANZAC. It is almost too little a threat for Japan to bother with at the beginning, and with the low IPC values of it’s spaces, it doesn’t seem monetarily beneficial either. Yet it can be a significant player if given the time to expand to the nearby islands and build up a force. Like someone said earlier, it can be a fortress.
7. Russia. Being on the frontlines against the most powerful axis player, it has little choice but to throw everything it has in a slow advance against Germany. However, I do enjoy the challenge that Russia poses.
8. France. I’ve never played it, but it has the power to linger on as a continuing nuisance which can be rather comical at times.
9. China. It is a challenge, and maybe I haven’t played it right, but from where I am coming from there is no possible way for China to hold back Japan until Britain enters the war in the Pacific. Nonetheless, can be quite the annoyance for Japan.
