Allot depends on the optional rules involved.
Those who dislike 1941 for the imbalance should try a game without NOs.
National Objectives really sway the game in the Axis advantage too much: Give the axis too much money while taking away those dollars from the Allies…
1942 is nice if Russia and UK can contain Germany, but that can be a very hard thing to do without some US help.
USA can certainly go toe to toe with Japan in 1942.