You know, on paper SBRs are not so good. However, I can tell you from experience, when you are Russia or Germany and are on the receiving side of those SBRs, it is HORRIBLY over powered. smile
Let’s say this, if England and America go heavy SBR, and they can do it and keep Africa in most games, then Germany could have a very serious problem. -32 IPC a round maximum, probably averaging -16 IPC a round (which is 50%, a good guess in my opinion.) Now, if you set it up correctly, Russia should have taken E. Europe territories (Ukraine, W. Russia, Belorussia, E. Europe, Balkans and Norway) so they can mass troops against Germany and consolidating power there.
On the other side, if Japan and Germany go heavy SBR, and they can do it without too much effort, that could be a maximum of -24 IPC from Russia a round (their entire pay chit!) or at least an average of 12 IPC a round, still a MAJOR hit to the pocket book.
On the other side, what do you lose? Maybe a bomber. However, I’ve seen plenty of games where SBR campaigns were waged and won without a single bomber shot down. (I won two of them in league this year alone.)