I’m with NoMercy on this one. I’d rather have the 16 IPC and 5 ftrs.
Coincidently, the game I just started with NoMercy could prove be a good test. I’m obviously not sure what NM will do, but at the end of G1 (I purchased 10 inf, 2 arm) I have:
WE: 3 inf, 1 rt, 2 arm, 4 ftrs, aa
Ger: 8 inf, 1 arm
SE: 2 inf, 1 arm, 1 ftr
EE: 11 inf, 1 rt, 5 arm
With minimal forces scattered around, like belo, kar, ukr, lib, and egy.
I really don’t see how UK can make any sort of landing on UK 2, if he decides to risk his air for my ships.
Assuming I need a few inf from EE on G2 trade Ukr/Kar that’ll leave me with ~6 then I move ~7 more to EE from Ger, with the rest of troops to WE (minus possible inf to Egy).
That leaves:
WE: 5 inf, 1 rt, 3 arm, 4-5 ftrs, aa
SE: new placement
Ger: 1-2 ftrs, 1 bom + new placement
EE: ~13 inf, 1 rt, 5 arm
(give or take an inf, arm, ftr here or there)
I would be glad to see UK suicide their existing units and rd 1 buys on any one of these territories.
It concedes Afr for what could be far too long and It is easy for Germany to replace Inf while UK will already be in the high 20’s meaning they are going to just barely be able to fill their 4 trannies for the next few turns.
I think of it in terms of Classic.
As the Allies I don’t usually consider going to WE, GER, or EE on rds 1-3 and in that case Germany has no ships after R1. I’d still go to Afr (usually rd 2) with UK then US, then reinforce Fin (which Russia takes on R2) on Rd 3 and work through Kar.
I don’t see why that wouldn’t work in Revised.
Certainly with a few extra German ships to start in revised you have a few more options, but I don’t buy that an AC must be bought.
I do like the idea if you are going to commit to possibly crippling UK, or you want to take a shot at an Atlantic unification. Strong Afr bid, rd 1 drop the AC. Rd 2 add a trn, Rd 3 add a trn, etc. Make it devasting for the UK to even consider a strike. I think you could play defensively against Russia and still have sufficient income from Afr/Nor and Kar to make this a possibility. But I’m just not a fan of buy the AC and then ignore, seems like a waste.