Balance is good, with a considerable improvement over the original AA40G rules and turn order. We’re taking about 4 hours per turn - and can only play the game because all the animals live outside, and my family treads softly around the pool table with this game set up. The board is 2 inches too wide (north-south) to fit in the pool table.
From a game mechanic pov - I would like to see all facilities damaged from conquest to put some price on the Risk-like momentum of taking those French and Soviet factories that seem to start the game with German design templates, and the Brit Shanghai (etc.) naval yard that is oh so ready to help the Japanese navy.
Have Fun,