“Right now the allies have gone 100% KGF. This results in a 90+ IPC Japan before Berlin falls.”
No way. Even Uncle Joe (who thinks the Axis can win) says Japan at 70.
I think Japan peaks at about 65 (50 + all 3 National Objectives).
Uncle Joe-
In both of your and our games, the situation appears to be about the same. I agree with your numbers in the broad sense (though I think Japan is slightly lower-65 rather than 70). Its what happens next that matters.
At roughly the end of turn 5, your numbers are approximately right. Japan has taken India, China, Australia, all of the Pacific (more or less-maybe not quite all of China, maybe all of China but not yet Australia, but generally right). US/UK have landed in Morocco (or have landed, and perhaps been kicked out of, western Europe). Germany is on the defensive in the East (probably holding Poland, perhaps holding one or two of the border regions in Russia). Russia is getting the strength to continue pushing west. italy/Germany hold the top part of Africa (minus Morocco) and perhaps part of the interior of Africa (from blitzing German tank).
But now, US/UK threaten to either permanently hold western europe or conquer Italy (and take their money), and will be pouring 6-10 ground forces into Europe per turn. Thus, Germany/Italy have to defend western Europe. Which allows Russia to continue to press from the East (into Poland, into Rumania/Balkans, wherever Germany is weakest). Germany/Italy lose their national objectives (US/UK in western Europe as well as Morocco-sometimes Gibraltar just to ruin the NO). ON TURN 6: Italy probably falls. Poland possibly falls (and Germany proper is now threatened by all 3 allies).
Japan: to achieve 65 income, at the end of turn 5, they have: a fleet down in Australia. A fleet in India. Some (not alot) ground forces in Western/central China. some (not alot) ground forces in India. Factories in Japan and a few coastal areas-perhaps Manchuria, Vietnam, maybe even the islands in the Pacific worth 4. Thus, ON TURN 6: Japan build a whole bunch of ground forces-in Japan, in Manchuria, in Vietnam (which are 3 turns from the front lines!!-they won’t be in the fight until turn 9!). The fleet near India can threaten Madagascar or the east coast of Africa (worth maybe 2-3 income). The fleet in Australia spends turns 6,7 and maybe 8 just getting somewhere useful. The ground forces in China and India plod one space forward-to the space west of India, to the space west of western China-for another 2 dollars.
In short, I think your and our games are pretty similar at the end of turn 5. But turn 6, Italy falls, Japan builds a bunch of stuff in Japan, and captures 4 dollars worth of irrelevance in central asia and east africa. Japan may be a monster, but its an irrelevant monster.
Steve