2 questions.
1: From what I read the standard advice is to max out Joint Strike, and then get army camps to 100% and 2 hours extra hours of idle time.
I will be done with JS this map and at 50% for army camps with points to spare. Should I do time or more army camps. I figure army camps first because I have no life and can go on the computer every 2 hours. Maybe I lose an hour when I start hitting the gym again and of course when I sleep. However it seems pretty close, army camps for 1/3 more army [from 1.5 to 2 times] which helps on drafts and let me take stuff quicker for more benefits or an extra 3 hours a day [1 for 3 hour gym session and 2 for sleep time] which means about 18% more everything.

2: When I hit phase 2, after I get the auto of course, I get the impression it would be better to get 100% army camp and +2 hours to go with the JS, but that would put me over the 1000 points needed. I assume if you go over it doesn't get applied to the 8K points needed for phase 2 spending to enter phase 3 and so on. Are those points valuable enough that it makes up for needing more points for Super Asc.

Assuming you're still early on in the game. If so, I recommend Additional Mercs, put in as much AP as you can afford. You're going to need all those mercs. Phase 2, invest in Alloy Values - to get more money to profit from Markets to buy the additional mercs you now have.

Phase 1 has the best Advs for Ap cost. You should spend way more then 1k on Phase 1. Get 100% IACP and then Idle time, stats(it's cheap and quite helpful but only QoL). After that focus on Additional Mercinaries and Increased Alloy Values. Maxing Inreased Chache money and ore sell values is also really helpful.

I do notice at the end of the game I am loaded with cash after I bought the last merc.