The 'reality' that WaWseems to assert is that the Axis powers never could have won a protracted war. Thus, a seperate auto-victory possibility has been created fort he Axis, representing (I'm guessing a bit) that a number of quick and decisive Axis victories might cause the US and other Allied powers to balk at getting involved. This, in turn, leads to some overt and covert scripting. Dates are set where the US and Germany will attack Country X and Y on Date Z.
Ok, I think that's an argueable thesis... but it's not one I'd personally buy into, and I don't think it's as interesting as some of the alternatives.
The above scenario has lead to a very rushed and almost railroad tight gaming experience when I play the Axis. By far, the most accessible victory is the one being mentioned: hit the USSR from both ends and hope you get the win before the US shows. Creativity in approach is punished in a number of ways. The US is a financial juggernaut unrivalled by the combination of any three other countries, and so any plan must be nearing completion when they enter the dance. Japan's laughably-low population base and miniscule production make any confrontation there an exercise in futility, and Germany has its own problems.
Note that the above case doesn't provide a whole lot of strategic thought left for the other players either. China is essentially a non-power in the game. Russia might be fun, trying to stall a two-front war in the Homeland, but the WA is left bombing and hoping until the US enters, by which time it is all mop-up.
Personally, I don't buy that USSR are would have inevitably entered the war, just as I don't buy that the US's involvement was inevitable. I think it would be far interesting to interject some chance in the above. Have the AI make a list of all of the events that have happened in the previous turn that might incite them to war. Weight the factors variably: territory conquered, friend countries abused, sovreign nations overtaken, production on the rise, army size, and more. Total these factors into a percentage chance, and have the Ai roll for whether it enters the fray.
Moreover, do the same with automatic victories. Make taking a capitol city cause a *chance* for surrender. Make taking a great number of supply points cause a *chance* that the other countries will withdraw.
This would changce the game so much for the better. No longer could I count on certain borders being safe until certain specific times. No longer could I know when a certain country would enter the war - or even if they would enter at all!
I admit that I am in love with plausible 'what if' games. I think we all are. My father and I have always had great fun talking about the what-ifs in WW2. What if Hitler had waited a year, producing enough U-Boats that supply between America and Europe was almost impossible? What if he had never attacked the USSR? What if Pearl Harbor had never happened, and Japan had instead concentrated on Karafuto and China? These are the questions that cause me to play these games, and that's what I'm missing right now: more what-ifs.
