From Rick Heli
Subject: playback.4

Year: 1936	Turn: Jan/Feb
Axis: 16S		Allied: 16S [fail]
Commentary: The traditional race between the German and French tanks for
	    control of the Rhineland was won by the Nazis when the Frogs
	    failed to get their option off (the German's would have won
	    the race in any event as I had the initiative).  No Spanish
	    Civil war...

Year: 1936	Turn: Mar/Apr
Axis: 32S		Allied: 19P [fail]
Commentary: Japan decided to put the petal to the metal and go to war with
	    Russia ASAP.  The Commonwealth and France tried to guarantee
	    Rumania & Greece, but failed.  The initial battle in the Russo-
	    Japanese war was won by Russia.  No Spanish Civil war...

Year: 1936	Turn: May/Jun
Axis: 23S		Allied: 7
Commentary: Japan takes the opportunity of war to gear up (production multiple
	    moved from 1 to 2).  The Allies finally get an option off as
	    Stalin successfully purged.  The Russo-Japanese war resulted in
	    an inconclusive battle.  No Spanish Civil war...

Year: 1936	Turn: Jul/Aug
Axis: 5P		Allied: 42S
Commentary: Germany started playing her usual Balkan resource games by
	    supporting Bulgarian claims against Rumania.  Russia successfully
	    surrendered to Japan, thus avoiding a prolonged war.  No Spanish 
	    Civil war...

Year: 1936	Turn: Sep/Oct
Axis: 6P		Allied: 12S
Commentary: Germany continues to garner the Balkan resources by supporting
	    Hungarian claims against Rumania.  The US geared up (production
	    multiple is now 1/4) and talked about joining the League of 
	    Nations.  No Spanish Civil war...

Year: 1936	Turn: Nov/Dec
Axis: 3S, 12P [fail]	Allied: 19S
Commentary: The first chance to get 2 options off for the Axis, and I blow
	    one of them.  Japan signed an oil agreement with Dutch and they
	    demobilized at the same time.  In the meantime, France and Britain
	    guarantee Rumania and Greece, and offer financial credits.  Guess
	    what, we have a Spanish Civil war!  Seeing as how it was winter,
	    and the attackers could not win a victory, neither side wanted
	    to engage in combat.  FDR was re-elected in a landslide...

Year: 1937	Turn: Jan/Feb
Axis: 12S [fail]	Allied: 10S
Commentary: Arrgh!  I failed again trying to woo Rumania back into the Axis
	    camp.  Russia supports the Spanish Republicans.  Since we are
	    still in winter, neither side presses the attack.

Year: 1937	Turn: Mar/Apr
Axis: 12S		Allied: 6
Commentary: The Axis tried to woo Rumania back into their camp by offering
	    an oil and a military agreement.  France offered an economic
	    pact with the Benelux countries.  Fighting finally broke out in
	    the Spanish Civil war as the Republicans (controlled by Russia)
	    attacked the Nationalists (controlled by Italy).  The battle was
	    a resounding victory for the Nationalists.

Year: 1937	Turn: May/Jun
Axis: 13P		Allied: 13S [fail]
Commentary: Germany geared up to a production multiple of 2.  France tried
	    to match the gear up (and strengthen the Little Entente), but
	    failed.  In Spain, another victory for the defenders (Nationalists)
	    against the attackers (Republicans).  The Nationalists are now 
	    just one victory away from winning the Civil war...

Year: 1937	Turn: Jul/Aug
Axis: 18S		Allied: 11S
Commentary: Hitler offered a non-aggression pact with Poland and demobilized
	    the German army in an attempt to propagandize the minors.  The 
	    Commonwealth supported the Republic (before it was too late).  
	    The final battle in the Spanish Civil war was fought as the 
	    attacking Nationalists overwhelmed the defending Republicans.  
	    The War is over, and it took less than a full year, so Franco 
	    is firmly in the Axis camp.

Year: 1937	Turn: Sep/Oct
Axis: 11S, 21P		Allied: 13S
Commentary: Germany got off two options, both aimed at grabbing much needed
	    resources.  Germany offered Sweden an economic/military agreement
	    and they offered Russia a non-aggression pact.  France tries for
	    a second time to gear up but fails.

Year: 1937	Turn: Nov/Dec
Axis: 22P		Allied: 13S, 21P
Commentary: Italy signed the Pact of Steel with Germany and invaded Albania.
	    France finally geared up and they strengthened the Little Entente.
	    Russia accepted the non-aggression pact with Germany in order to
	    get those cheap INFs.

Year: 1938	Turn: Jan/Feb
Axis: 2S		Allied: 2S [fail]
Commentary: Italy signed a peace treaty with Yugoslavia and disarmed (as
	    a sign of goodwill and an attempt to sway more minors).  France
	    attempted to sign a treaty with Spain but failed.

Year: 1938	Turn: Mar/Apr
Axis: 24P		Allied: 24S
Commentary: Both Germany and Britain decided to gear up on the same turn.
	    The German production multiple is now 3 and the British is now
	    2.  Britain used the opportunity to increase the British navy
	    with US loans.

Year: 1938	Turn: May/Jun
Axis: 7 [fail]		Allied: 25S
Commentary: The Axis tried to sign the Anti-Comintern Pact, but failed.
	    France gears up again (moving from a production multiple of
	    1 to 2) and signs military links with the Benelux countries.

Year: 1938	Turn: Jul/Aug
Axis: 7, 25P		Allied: 26
Commentary: The Axis finally signed the Anti-Comintern Pact and Italy gears
	    up (production multiple to 2).  The Commonwealth, not to be left
	    behind gears up again (their production multiple is now 3) and
	    they add the Indian factory.

Year: 1938	Turn: Sep/Oct
Axis: 29S		Allied: 29S [fail]
Commentary: Here's where Germany makes it big move; Germany demands the
	    Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.  The Allies, hindered by the
	    French political effectiveness (less than 7), fail to answer.

Year: 1938	Turn: Nov/Dec
Axis: 30P		Allied: 2S
Commentary: The Axis got the initiative, so were able to annex Czechoslovakia
	    without the Allies being able to respond.  France signed a
	    military and economic pact with Spain.

Year: 1939	Turn: Jan/Feb
Axis: 44		Allied: 18S [fail]
Commentary: Germany, running out of options to play (and because it was getting
	    dark), decided to start the General War by declaring war against
	    France/Commonwealth.  Britain and France attempted to guarantee
	    Poland, but failed due to the poor French political effectiveness.

Final Build Point totals [WiF 1939 starting totals in brackets]:

Germany: 176 [248]	Commonwealth: 346 [409]
Japan: 326 [298]	France: 137 [201]
Italy: 156 [173]	Russia: 157 [161]
			US: 254 [310]
			China: 64 [66]

US Entry: -4 (+1 at end of DoD)

Minor Countries final positions:

		Allied (+)			Axis (-)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C   15						Bulg, Hun
o   14
n   13
t   12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P   11						Den, SpN
r   10						Port, Swe
o    9		Pol
     8		Yug				Iraq, Rum
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I    7						Aust, Neth
n    6
f    5		Gre
     4						Fin, Per
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3						Turk
     2
     1
     0		Bel				Nor

Additional Notes:
	The following minors have +1 INF: Neth, Tur, Rum, Swe, Belg, Hung, Bulg
	The following minors have -i INF: Yugo

Analysis:
	Rick and I did a DoD victory point calculation.  CW just beat GE
	to win the game (375 to 373), but the Axis just edged out the Allies
	(933+100=1033 to 1011).  This suggested to us that this is a
	reasonably balanced game.  Here are my opinions on the +`s and -'s 
	for each side:

Axis +'s:
	Spain is Pro-Axis
	The Suez Canal is still open
	Japan & Italy are around 1939 starting BPs
	The Allies have no controlled minors (especically Poland)
	France & Britain are below 1939 starting BPs
	A lot of Pro/Infl Axis minors (don't need to attack to get resources)
	US entry is -4

Allied +'s:
	Germany is below 1939 starting BPs
	The only Axis controlled minors are Bul and Hun (no Rum or Swe)
	No Siegfried line
	Russia & China are around 1939 starting BPs
	Austria is only Axis Influenced (Axis can't move through it)
	War declared in Jan/Feb
	US League of Nations is in effect

Overall, I would say the game is tilted in favor of the Axis (Spain really 
helps!), but not overly so.  The US entry is -4, which is OK for the Axis, 
but not overly so.  The invasion of Poland is an extra +1 US entry because
of Axis 18 and Japan needs to go for a major assault (don't forget the League
of Nations!).  Germany being below the 1939 BP goal is bad for the Axis as 
they can't just sit around, they have to go out and attack.  Russia is as
strong as we have seen her after DoD, and so are France and Italy for that 
matter!  I would like to play this one out (I think it is viable scenario).