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Russian, pick a short scenario and play it many times, until you have some competency. This should also give you a good feel for the capacity of the AXIS forces. Then play as the AXIS.

But isn't it the same case as WITP? Allies are best for newbies because they will certainly win without trying too hard. Allies can even afford to bungle during the first year as in history.

Judging by some of the WitP:AE AAR's, the Japanese can easily take a beating in 1942-1943 already. The odds of getting to the German border before 1944 are pretty much 0 against a competent Axis opponent. Like in WitP:AE, the challenge for the Allies will probably be to wear down the Axis as quickly as possible, and winning as early as possible. One nice feature in WitE is that there are no true crippling blows, aside from those aimed at minor Axis units as those don't come back when destroyed.

I don't really have a favourite side, although I usually end up playing the Axis as I like playing as the defender. In this case, I'm mostly playing as the Soviets.

Destroying 3 Panzer divisions in 1941 (a very impressive feat if you can do it) is not the end of the world for the Germans, as the divisions will come back and will be reasonably up to strength prior to the 1942 summer offensive. Losing 3 carriers prior to mid-1942 in WitP:AE would potentially have a much greater impact.

Both sides can recover in some way from the damage done to them, even the late war Germans. You might be eventually fighting regimental sized units, but they're still there and they're still stubbornly holding on to their ground.

I don't think it's physically possible for the Axis to win an auto-victory in the first 12 months (of the first 52 turns, only 17 are clear weather ones with historical weather), at the earliest in about 15 months so in the 1942 summer offensive. The Axis player who gets to the outskirts of Moscow or who captures Rostov in 1941 (even though it's an unnecessary adventure that will wreck you in the winter) gets a cookie.

I am downloading this game as I type. I will be playing first as the Soviet side. As normal in games of this topic and scale, my first playthrough will solely focus on me not allowing my city (Leningrad) to fall as I learn system. [:)]

Soviet of course. Always nice to kick some fascist ar*** [:)]

I suspect I will end up playing as the doom... er as the Axis too [:D]

Soviet. Gotta have my Tank Armies and wall to wall artillery.