Minor Axis Powers:
The countries that both remained autonomous within the framework of the Axis Powers, and maintained independent armed forces which they committed to the conflict. As the most powerful of these countries, Italy has been set as the capitol.
Having drawn IPCs from Germany, the Lower Axis will have to strike a balance between supporting the German effort on the Eastern Front and staying powerful in the Mediterranean.
Soviet_Union:
The Soviet Union has been strengthened economically. The Revised Edition makes this country far weaker than its historical counterpart. By 1945 the Red Army was the largest in the world. Though Soviet contributions to the war tend to be downplayed by Western powers, they made the greatest contribution to Germany’s defeat.
With the preponderance of Soviet wealth now West of Moscow, merely holding on until the Western Allies come to the rescue is no longer a viable option. However, if the Allies can tie down enough German Resources, a skilled Russian player may be able to win the war for the allies.
Germany:
The independent Lower Axis player has robbed Germany of a great deal of wealth, but Germany has benefited more from initial units than any other country.
Tight coordination with the Lower Axis player will be necessary for success.
United Kingdom:
The UK was an empire in decline. By 1942 the British were stretched incredibly thin attempting to defend their territories around the world. They were masters of a world class system of infrastructure, but no longer had the resources to leverage it. To simulate this, the UK's IPCs have been reduced, but they posses more industrial complexes than any other nation. (Four)
The British can be powerful in any theatre they chose, but can not afford to be powerful in all at once, making their industrial complexes as much a liability as they are a blessing.
Japan:
Japan's IPC have seen a slight shift into the pacific islands. This encourages the Japanese to emphasize naval and air power. Faced with two allied complexes in Asia and reduced value of mainland territories, it will be more difficult for Japan to dominate the Asian mainland while warding off the American Navy.
Japan can likely capture either China or India while effectively protecting the Pacific Islands. To attempt all three could stretch them too thin, and like the British complexes, the high value of the pacific islands could be a curse in disguise.
United States:
The United States player has a much stronger presence in the Pacific. The increased value of the Pacific Islands, the elimination of the Northeast Canada->Algeria shortcut, and an economically stronger Soviet Union all combine to make the Pacific worth fighting for.
The US is the economic powerhouse, but is furthest from the crucial sectors. In a game designed to create difficult choices for all players, striking the right balance of resources between the Atlantic and Pacific may be the most challenging and rewarding.