Krieg has reason, until we know the true deployment, we cannot really know if the game is broken.
But the pictures of Gameboardgeek cannot be the true deploy, because China can be toasted the first turn without possiblility of recover unless soviets invest heavy resources (a option many here don’t like).
Many probably don’t know the basis of Pacific fighting. There are two ways of fighting Pacific for allies in revised: by land (ICs at India, China) and sea (Pacific USA’s fleet) or only by sea (Pacific fleet alone or aided by Australian IC). In revised, both strategies work.
If this setup would be the true, it would mean a broken game, needing heavy bids for China. Why?
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First option, land + navy attack: You need both China and India alive, or Japan can focus on the lone survivor. Killing China in round 1 is too easy to do. Without China, India will fall even with soviet support. With China and India fallen, Japan can focus on beating the Pacific fleet or at least stopping it until Germany and Italy toast soviets. In Revised, a Japan victorious on land could reach about 40 ipcs. Now, with bonuses and additional income from China and Siberia, that cannot be properly defended by soviets with so distance, they can reach 50 even without Australia and N. Zealand. Enough production for, say, spent 40 ipcs to simply match USA’s income and another 10 to send some token forces agains soviets. Probable result is a draw in Pacific and germans conquering Moscow
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Second option, only navy: now, you don’t need send many troops to conquer India. With about 7-8 guys there (or even worst, zero if they choose escape to Caucasus), even the initial forces can beat easily India, so japanese navy can increase quicker and even beating USA’s Pacific fleet or conquer Australia or Hawaii. Now he have the same Godzilla-Japan we would have in KGF. In revised, it would mean the same 40 vs 40 ipcs, but here it would mean 50 (or more) vs 40. Allies would only have a chance if UK puts more boats on Australia’s IC, but even then is a draw, not a advantage for allies, because of added Japan income
Thus leaves us with all the people using the same old KGF. But now Japan goes to 60+ IPCs, probably near 70, not the usual 45+, and can attack american mainland, spent money on bombers/techs to strategic bombing Moscow, making a Godzilla tank dash to Moscow or any other wicked trick they can create with so many advantage
I think the developers said they wanted make more fights in Pacific, and with so nerfed China and bad logistics for UK and USA, and so many income for Japan there would be so few options for fighting Pacific or even for allies win the game. So, I think this cannot be the true setup. Add this to the fact the developers don’t want talk about setup. Do you really think they would let someone making a photo of the real setup if they want nobody know it until we have the game?