1.4 rundown

Well, having played with the 'group' last night, there are certainly improvements. Some icon pictures have been updated, some troops added/removed, updated technologies at the start, and its much harder to bring countries over to your alliance! Both me (Italy) and Mike (Japan) are about as 'Fascist' as you can be on the triangle, but are still 7 or so points away from being able to join the Axis. This should hopefully mean the ENTIRE WORLD doesnt join the Allies by 1937. Oil is much more costly to ($2:1 Oil) so its taken 6 months or so for the world economies to stabilize with all the trades going on (for instance, I use money the UK gives me for supplies to buy rare materials from then, which i think trade to Japan for money to buy oil from Venezula, which they use to buy supplies from me)...

 

More importantly, massive amounts of influence may not be needed to keep the US from becoming an ally in 1937. Trading was more dificult with the increased payouts for items. Energy and Steel were not major issues but the oil almost killed me right from the start. I did notice along the boarder with the northern Chinese sect, a large change over our last game. While my troops were further of the boarder, they fortified with alot of Militia and garrison forces rather than the infantry I encountered last time around.

 

Ran a game in SP last night as Japan. AI co-operation in china was very apperant with divisions from each Chinese sect exept Yunnan moving troops to support the others. Annexed the northernmost sect (forget which one it's called) and promptly lost half that territory to Nationalist, Communist, and Xbi San Ma(sp?). I also noticed a new event similiar to the Independant Croatia event.

 

Shanxi is the northernmost Chinese Warlord Province/Country/Domain. Certainly good to see the troops helping each other out, instead of restricting themselves to their own borders (like the Portuguese, not helping the Nat. Spain in our old Axis game).

 

glad to hear the AI isn't hoarding its troops anymore.