The sides were balanced...
Wrong. The combination of one-side-defends-only, 50 - 50% side assignments, and japanese plane set for offense, showcases the fact that the D3A is so helpless, it is only slightly more destructive than a C47. It's a fun plane to fly, but, realistically, any allied who gets shot down by one got sloppy.
The Japanese were forced to field 60 D3As.. which meant their fighters are outnumbered 210:140(+/-) right off the bat. All the allies have to do is dispatch the fighter cover and then go have a free for all buffet feeding on the Vals. B25s probably wouldn't fare much better.. except they might be able to out run some of the allies.
On a different note, the one-side-defends-only, 50 - 50% side assignments, Late European Theatre, and American planes for offense is a balanced fight. The B17s and B24s are capable of defending themselves against an attacker ( unless the attacker is very good and/or, the bomber gunners are very bad ).
This isn't new, we've seen it before, and I can't fault anybody for not recognizing it before I did.. which was about the time 1 brewster and 2 I16s were breaking down my D3A's digital structure.
Looks like some side assignments are going to change for frame 2, so maybe that will even it out a bit.
Still lovin' it.