For your reference, the official A&A 1942 (1st Edition) FAQ:
The latest FAQ-sheets for the games of Global 1940 2nd Ed., 1942 2nd Ed. and 1941 are from November 2014 and include the following clarification:
Purchasing Units
Q. Can I purposely purchase more units than I can mobilize with the intent of deciding which
units I want to keep based on the outcome of battles I intend to fight?
A. No. You may only purchase as many units as you will have the ability to mobilize after making repairs
to any damaged industrial complexes. The rules for returning excess units are intended only for
inadvertent over-purchasing.
The latest FAQ-sheet for Spring 1942 is from September 2014 and does not include this clarification.
Has that been left out on purpose? Should this clarification maybe be part of this edition, too?
Yes, it should, but since the game has been obsoleted by a 2nd edition, it probably will not be. However, in cases like this where a rule is clarified in the 2nd edition which also exists in the 1st edition, it’s safe to apply the clarification retroactively to the 1st edition as well.
