Looking through these threads, I appreciate what you guys are doing in changing the game, but honestly, it’s not at all the Axis & Allies that I have in my boxes – to balance this game, you are making so many changes that you really should call it a different game. And, balancing units doesn’t balance out territories, so if the problem is the way that the territories connect then you are almost spinning your wheels a little.
After some experience with other games, may I suggest that people take a look at the mechanics of games like New World Order in TripleA and even World At War? Here is why: those games are much more balanced than Global 40. They don’t even really require a bid. There are bombers that cost 14, there are then after 4 turns bombers that cost 12 for some nations (att def move of 4/2/5) and others get them at 18 (5/2/8), and the ones at 18 even give support. What keeps the game in balance is 1) the spacing of the territories and map construction, and 2) the fact that infantry grunts only cost 2, not 3. That is a huge difference in the dark skies strategy, and dare I say that it destroys bomber only purchase strategies against the Russian front. There are more units in these games as well (and it sounds like you are incorporating more units into your mod, so I’d take a look at those too).
Again, this is a different game, but instead of making change after change with little testing (after all, that seems to be how the initial game was developed lol), perhaps looking at those comprehensive mechanics of a different, well-functioning game may help.
Otherwise, I honestly would prefer going back to AAG50 where at least the game was less complex and more balanced. I do still like my actual Europe and Pacific board games tho – very cool when set up. They just don’t seem to be very balanced from a league perspective (and having to bid 25-30 is not balance).