Can you write the rulebook better? Make the game playable out of the box (you should have added 2 more infantry to each box at the very least)?
Also the color issues with the chips are an issue.
Slightly bigger board. Charge a bit more perhaps?
Can the Central Powers lose a game? Like give USA more units or something? USA is pretty much a non factor in this game and when they get moving, Russia is already out of the game.
I can understand why the optional rule was written, because it is extremely advantageous to take Russia out. There is still a weak Italy and the Italy first strategy is viable. When Italy goes, America has a hard time liberating it to say the least. Central powers still end up going after Russia, because what else is Hungary going to do?
The Allies are left with one offensive option, which is to focus on the Ottos and to take it out first. That is unacceptable.
I prefer playing the Axis, which in this case is the Central Powers, the problem is that in every board after 50th anniversary the axis have been stronger than the allies. 50th the axis advantage was small. In Global Japan is ridiculous and in Europe if the axis feel like getting the middle east, they can do so easily (airbase German air to the Italian held Alexandria or if UK attacked Tobruk round 1, Italy can dump men on transjordan or shuffle units to syria). Bombers are ridiculously effective against Russia more passive games. If Russia gets less than 3-4 air from the allies flying in, Germany takes Moscow round 6 no problem. In all the 1942 maps after global the axis advantage is real.
If you start to tally up axis wins on the tournament and league boards, it is in the axis favor, despite bids going to the allies.
What I am trying to say, is that can you flip the script for once and make the game advantageous for the allies?