Total Victory:  In the normal rules, a military win occurs when either
side captures two enemy capitals, but with the Total Victory rule, it
is also a requirement that you and your alliance's capitals cannot be
in enemy hands.  Basically this may prolong the game, and perhaps a
wise opponent may use this rule to throw a small wrench into what may
seem to be an easy victory.

Placing Your Naval Units in Enemy-Occupied Sea Zones:  With this new
rules variation, you may place new naval units in *enemy-occupied* sea
zones adjacent to industrial complexes you have owned since the
beginning of your turn.  It is up to your enemy to either retreat from
the sea zone or attack your ships.  This changes the game a fair
amount, although no side can claim an unfair advantage.  In the normal
rules, placing your ships in enemy zones in effect constitutes a naval
blockade and shutdown of enemy shipyards.  The optional rule
neutralizes this tactic, and allows full use of all shipbuilding
potential.  I would be interested to hear what experiences you have
had with this rule in the short-term, say the first 2 or 3 turns.

The next three optional rules weigh the advantage towards the Axis
alliance.  The second rule, Restricted Attack, seems to be the most
popular, judging strictly by what I've read on the net.  I don't
believe that Milton Bradley suggests using all three at once; I would
think that the Restricted Attack rule would give the most advantage,
then the Weapons Development Benefits, then the least advantage to the
Axis would be the No New Complexes optional rule.  This FAQ is open to
a change of opinion on this, and if you're looking for something to
do, play a couple of games using each of the three last optional rules
to see which made the most difference.

Weapons Development Benefits:  This rules variation gives the Germany
player Jet Power and the Japan player Super Submarines at the start of
the game.  Super Subs would help Japan decimate the American Pacific
fleet and keep the Pacific for itself, and cheaply!  German Jet Power
may not be as useful to Germany as Subs to the Japanese, since Jet
Power is a defensive capability; and Germany needs more offense than
it does expensive defense.

Restricted Attack:  The USSR player is not allowed to attack until the
second turn, which in effect gives Germany a great opportunity to set
the tone of the European theatre, and it also denies the vulnerable
USSR time to prepare a defensive posture.  It is a far-reaching
optional rule.

No New Complexes:  Only industrial complexes placed at the start of
the game are used.  If you are a player that likes to set up a new
factory in India or Finland-Norway, you will have to change your
style. If you rarely build new complexes, this rule will not make much
difference. As previously stated, though, this is a controversial
rule. The point is that Japan not being able to build a new complex in
Asia is a greater detriment to the Axis than the Allies.