Bolt out of the Blue Feedback

[Elxaime]

On another note, who's winning? I know quality of player is a factor but I hear from some that NATO's to easy and others that WP usually wins.

I think player skill has a big impact, as well as a willingness to tolerate risk.  My sense is that the present version favors NATO a bit,  Here is a rundown sector by sector (which I've shared with Cesar):

Jutland
Decent chance for a Pact advance if you bring both GDR 3rd Army Divisions north (although this has ripple effects to the south).  The big challenge here is that Pact reinforcements are the brittle Poles.  But this front can be relatively fluid, if the Pact gets across early.  So the balance here is a fine one.

I Korps and I Legerkorps
It is relatively easy for NATO to mire the Pact in the north and create a "ghost front" where almost all the bridges get destroyed, or only a few remain unblown, which allows NATO to focus on just a few crossings.  In the north, the Pact takes a risk to cross any river just with bridging units, e.g. without a unblown on map bridge, as shallow bridgeheads are, in my experience, wiped out by good players, especially with TIS as the North accumulates a surplus of Bundeswehr, Dutch and US heavy MBTs.  However, maybe this is just because the Pact needs to be more aggressive.  However, my gut level is that the Pact doesn't have the force dominance, in terms of numbers on the scene initially, to make a strong push.  So this area may need some attention, assuming the goal isn't that it in fact become an early static front (not sure whether it should be a design goal to make all fronts fluid or not, that is questionable, so maybe this is right where it needs to be)

BAOR
Probably in decent shape, as plenty of room for maneuver, given that there isn't a major river between the two sides.  This sector though is a candidate for WW1 stalemate after day one, since it is the natural place for both sides to funnel forces as other fronts become static.  But probably, like Jutland, a fine balance as the current setup does give Pact some ability to advance early.

III Korps and I Belgian
Fine balance here.  A lot depends on the decisions made on allocating the III Korps units.  The Pact can beat up on the Belgians early, if NATO is unwary.  But like the north, this has a higher potential to also turn into a "ghost front" of blown bridges and neither side usually makes this a main arena (Pact would need to strip BAOR to do that, which is inadvisable).

V US Corps, VII US Corps, Canadians and II Korps (north area)
While lower density, this is a fine balance and can have some nice mobile cut and parry.  The main issue here is that the 22nd USSR Army is the only real mobile threat.  8th Guards Army runs into a wall by mid-day in Fulda and it is not uncommon to see NATO begin its own offensive out of Fulda early.  Between 8th Guards and 22nd Army is 5th GDR Army, whose three divisions are best used conservatively and defensively, particularly if NATO, as often happens, decides to pick on them with Leopards and M1s.  The GDR will melt away if hit hard, although they can shelter behind the border fence and have good defensive terrain.  US V and VII Corps, while outnumbered, are solid quality and it is just a matter of time and preference for this sector to turn into a NATO offensive sector

Danube
So many Czechs with so much artillery, plus low NATO density, keeps this sector fluid and fun.  Never got far enough to see how the Czechs do mid-game once they cross the river, as numbers is about all they have going for them.  But I'd say this sector is finely balanced, especially since Austria is the weakest link.

Best guess is about a 60-40 NATO edge, between evenly matched players.  But mileage may vary.  I may be wrong as I am about to give Cesar a rematch where he may display ways the Pact can be more potent than I could make them!