I guess I am just not satisfied with rushing Russia as being the only real option for Germany in Alpha 3.
My moves as russia are tank and mech to Turkestan, leave 2 inf in cauc. As soon as Germany DOW’s, tank and mech to persia (through east persia that UK has taken), and the next turn Iraq. That’s already an extra inf and art for russia for 4 turns or so.
the 4 more territories in Africa (I almost always do tobruk) are not to farfetched for russia to get 2 or 3. by round 5, depending on when Germany invaded. Most italian players won’t sit in east africa or libya and make the UK come get them, they will go for the IPC grab while they can. I don’t think it’s a good thing that to avoid having a russian bear, the italian player must sit and force brits to take him out.
Anyways, like I said, it seems the “solution” is to just rush russia before these bonuses can have a real effect. That makes for pretty boring games in my opinion, and isn’t really a solution at at all.
Anyways, with 2nd ed. coming out, likely to be with the A3 rules, it looks like anyone wishing to play that will be in for a barbarossa-only game that gets very predictable very fast.
“Also, when Russia falls (unavoidable since Germany goes Russia each time anyway),”
To me, the above quote is the problem (not the person that said it, just the fact that it is probably true). I just don’t think this NO was thought out very well. Sealion was dead enough with all the other changes, this was not necessary and can make for some pretty absurd situations (my opponent went sealion and I am making 19 IPC from 4 IPC worth of territory, and if USA were interested in comitting more to defend transports in the med, I would have 6 more with Sardinia and Sicily.)