Hello Madisonart,
A long post but I thought if you are used to playing operational level wargames (OCS), you must also be used to reading very long rules and players notes ;-). I know I have. I read whole bookworks to be able to play certain games!
I’ll try to give you an idea of a general allied strategy that works for me all the time. Instead of analysing your game and give turn-by-turn advice, which was already provided by ghr and commando. They provided some excellent strategic and tactical notes, such as grabbing Iraq with Russia for example, which I will skip. I’ll just try to give you a very basic, general template that works for me.
I am assuming Germany launces a focussed barbarossa like in your game. So, not elaborating on all the ins and outs of a (surprise) Sea Lion.
Russia:
Russia must start building and moving very defensively, always to the aim of getting the maximum amount of defensive combat values and units in Moskou by the turn Germany can attack it. Also, the building of ART must not be overlooked because those units will improve Russian attack ability while not hurting the maximium defense value in Moskou.
For Barbarossa I build 4ART+7INF a turn pre-barbarossa, complemented with building as much bodies (inf/art/mech) as possible during barbarossa. This usually requires building slow INF and ART in Moskou and MECH in Stalingrad.
If Russia looses no units during Barbarossa (and shouldn’t), the unit-count in Moskou goes up to the 100 with a big fat 225-ish defensive value!
Maybe you are thinking Russia must loose units during Barbarossa because some lonely INF must Always be put in the front areas to prevent German blitzes?
That is not necessary if you defend very strongly in the second area(s) away from the German stack(s) until you reach Moskou where you must hold the line obviously. With this defense, Germany can attack only with ARM+MECH pairs + Luftwaffe (IF it is in range, because some Germans leave the Luftwaffe to ward off the UK+USA). Your stack(s) should have more units AND more combat value than the German Blitz-stacks, so attacking you is highly unfavorable for Germany. The only option Germany now has is attacking 1 area deep per turn because you will kill each and any Blitzers happily (they will Always end next to your big stack(s) and trading inf/art for German ARM/MECH is very favourable).
Moving Russian units defensively (for Moskou) also means that you must not try to attack Finland or to defend Leningrad/Ukraine. Units used here cannot defend Moskou and if Germany just ignores your units stationed there, Moskou is screwed. You can, of course, attack each and any area back if this can be done with equal or less losses than German units.
Bringing back the Siberians + Mongolians (those 18INF+Mongolians around the Japanese Borders) is very important for the Survival of Moscou. Start retreating them at once. The extra IPCs that they protect (7/turn) cannot produce 18-21 INF during the first 9 turns anyway.
A tactical note: attacking German stacks/units adjacent to Moskou is always good if you do not loose more defensive value than Germany looses offensive value. If you can kill the main/big German stack threatening Moskou do it! Even if this means you can’t win but most likely bring the stack down to a few units that the RAF (see below) can mop up after you. Try to keep your air alive if you do this.
Once the Siberians returned, position your forces so that Moskou is unbreachable and Stalingrad + Caucasus can be attacked with much force OR you can take out the main German stack next turn if you move everything into Moskou.
If the Luftwaffe is fighting Americans, the Germans in Russia are now done for. If not, the western Allies have easy time picking off areas in Europe.
UK:
UK1 -> If you think a surprise Sea Lion is possible, build 2FTR + 2INF in London and move your med-fleet to Gibraltar. I 'll not go any further into Sea Lion because this complicates things unnecesarily and I am assuming a focussed Barbarossa anyway. In UK2 it will be very clear no nasty surprise will come.
Kill the Italian fleet asap with favourable odds. UK1 this is possible but it can be done later as well. In the worst case scenario, Italy will be able to sail its TRS/fleet once to put more forces into Africa and then you can destroy it. The extra Italian troops in Africa are also not much of a problem for the UK.
Try to build 2 FTR/TAC (London/SA/Canada) a turn for a while (4/5 turns from the start) and start channeling them -> Africa (-> Persia -> Moskou if need be). The rest of the UK IPCs should either be spent on ARM/MECH or INF/ART/TRS in SA for as long as needed to make sure UK will hold/take back Egypt. Comes turn 6 the RAF is in very good shape and this force is amazingly flexible! UK can fly them everywhere where needed. Afrika should be safe. Maybe taly got their hands on Cairo but you can make sure it is never for more than 1 turn! A viable alternative to this might be building an IC in Persia like was suggested by others.
Once the USA has a strong presence in the Atlantic/Western med, switch to producing STR, TRS, INF, ART + the occasional protection for the growing US-UK TRS fleet. CVs are great for this since the RAF already is huge!
Together with the USA the UK should position so that a large range of targets is under invasion-threat. Berlin, West Germany and all of Italy must be reachable all in 1 turn. The Axis will have a hard time deciding how to position against this flexibility.
While the US-UK invasion force is growing, pound German and Italian factories with STR, so they must pay multiple ribs from their body if they want to reinforce Western Europe. And you just make sure they MUST ;-).
India must build a lot of INF plus the occasional ART/MECH. If you can slide in an extra FTR/TAC, perfect! Take advantage of the DEI for as long as you are at peace with Japan by taking them 1 by 1 together with ANZAC. Defend Burma with everything you have for as long as you can (retreating the Malayan force into Shan State is a good tactical move with a strong adjacent Burma stack).
Once Burma can be taken by Japan without massive air-losses, retreat.
Retreat all the way into Persia, and even further if needed. In the mean time, the British Africa-veterans march into the Middle East to contest Caucasus and Stalingrad if Germany (repeatedly) takes it and/or reinforce India.
Do Not Loose The Indian Army in this stage of the game! Once the Pursuing Japanese (if they pursue at all) come in range of all the extra European UK Air and land units, they will get a nasty surprise…
USA:
A very important reminder first: The IJN is not really that much stronger than the US fleet! It is their (number of) aircraft that you must fear! And those aircraft have a difficult time reaching Hawai/Sydney… If it is not for defending Hawai/Sydney, keep your fleet out of their range.
The USA has multiple options but I just go into my own favourite. Assuming Japan is focussing down India and the DEI, defend Hawai by spending basic here. Basic means that you spend roughly 20% of your total income PLUS what Japan might be spending on stuff that can kill Hawai (on average!). Spend on warships (CV, FTR, DD, Sub). Some of my friends ignore warships and try to stack Hawai with INF + FTR but I Always end up taking Hawai if I play Japan against this.
For the early game, ignore their TRS-builds in this regard, because those cannot kill Hawai if Japan cannot kill your warships + air. Hawai is positioned very good to punish Japan everywhere his air can’t reach you. Keep a keen eye out for his aircraft range when you pinish Japan by raiding his convoys/taking away his Islands one by one.
Once the IJN returns its attention towards you (usually after India fell), USA has no other options than to spend as much on warships and TRS+load as Japan does. Even if this means 100% of its income. Otherwise Hawai/Sydney may fall and that is a Pacific win right there!
Some pretty good tactical outmanouvring may be needed to win but as far as spending and grand-strategical position goes, USA has the upper hand and only looses Hawai/Sydney due to its own mistakes. USA has produced more on warships than Japan for roughly 7 turns and that is enough.
In Europe, the USA must occupy Gibraltar NO later than turn 3, with as much loaded TRS as possible. Ofc those TRS need adequate protection (so keep an eye on what Axis air can reach that spot). Depending on when Japan DOWS, I usually arrive in Gibraltar US3 with 5 loaded TRS and adequate protection.
Before most or all US resources must go into the Pacific (if at all), I tend to produce 10/11 TRS fully loaded, adequate protection against the Luftwaffe (IF it is still in the west, not fighting Russians), which means Carriers with air, the rest AIR.
The odd FTR for scrambling (also a great means to protect the fleet from London, or Gibraltar when the UK placed an airbase there) but mainly STR to drob bombs on Germany together with the UK. Those STR also add a lot of punch to the invasion force when the time comes.
Take out Norway asap, with a token force if needed. Sacrifice a TRS for this if you have to. Loosing Norway costs Germany 8 IPCs!
Take out Normandy/Southern France just for fun and income. Huge amounts of RAF can land there same turn the US took it. If you can still spend in Europe, produce out of those factories. If not, forget it ;-). Keep your TRS nearby and protected to evacuate/attack somewhere else if needed. Liberate Paris only if you can keep it indefinately, and/or Kill Italy now. UK (+ French if you liberated Paris) production should more than compensate if you cannot produce in Europe anymore due to Japan’s actions. My rule of thumb: never loose your invasion force. Do NOT land where you can be kicked out immediately after as you might not have the resources left to replace your army here and the threat must remain intact. If you have lots and lots of IPCs to spend here it is a different story…
Remember: If Germany is making it very hard for the US-UK to gain ground in Europe, Russia will have a much easier time and be on the counterattack even! Germany cannot be strong everywhere at the same time. Especially its Luftwaffe!
The Little ones:
ANZAC must not be fooling around and every action/production must be done with the aim to protect Sydney. The first turns go ahead and take Java/DNG but never produce less than 3 units per turn in Sydney, preferrably as much FTR as you can. Once India has fallen, Sydney must be SO strongly defended that Japan can only take it with major investments and effort, opening up the way for the USA to attack them in their flanks. A lot of Air is also very flexible in switching to the offensive once that becomes an option. 3 ANZAC FTR should be in the NB-AB where the US fleet is positioned for extra protection, as well as the ANZAC fleet. In case of the FTR, only as long as sydney is safe.
CHINA must attack Yunnan as long as possible with as few units as possible to grow stronger in Szechwan. But they must retreat out of Szechwan once Japan is in position to wipe it clean while loosing only 3 to 4 aircraft itself. If you can double their air losses it might be worthwhile to stay a bit longer in Szechwan but your main goal here is to preserve the Chinese army as long as possible!
Hope this all can be of help!