Sweet Jesus! has it really been 6 years (oh yeah gray hair now-) The personal issues I described pulled me away from it, but I don’t see why we can’t pick up where we left off.
When I play tested this with some AAE rookies, well they didn’t work as a team (I was the axis). A combination of bad dice rolling by me especially in the east, and their lack of team work ensured the war went into 1947! In that particular game, Italy was the real “winner” as the Allies were not really able to dislodge them from North Africa, until fall, 1944. In any event, that particular game was AAE as it is supposed to be set up but with the following changes: Italy was her own power of course allied to Germany. The German Territory stayed at six Ipcs, Vichy France is activated as it’s own power collecting 3 Ipcs, which they hand over to the Germans anyway , N. Italy was worth 4 ipcs instead of 2. Added to the Italian fleet was 1 sub, and 1 additional trans. North Africa looked like this: Spannish Morrocco- undefended and no one collecting the Ipc, Algeria I french inf, Tunisia 1 French Inf (oh and Vichy had 3inf). Italy had control markers on Corsica and Sardinia. The Western Med SZ had the Vichy Fleet: 1 Battleship, 1 Destroyer, 1 sub. The rule was- if an allied power attacked the Vichy Fleet each piece rolled a die prior to combat the results were 1-2, join the allies (and be available for the attack) 3-4 join the axis (and be available to defend), 5-6 “scuttle” and the piece is removed from play. Some other changes were, Germans could build inf up to the Ipc value in Finland, Hungary, and Rumania. The USSR could build inf up to the Ipc value in any territory it controlled at the start of the war. So, I put the '39 version on the back burner, just to play test some things. I think it would have been different against experienced players. Almost forgot - The Axis could “lend” units to each other (like Allied Patriotic War Rule-Soviets can claim a piece and replace it with one of their own). And Axis could “split” the oil money. It was fun but like shooting fish in a barrel if you know what I mean. Anyway, I promise to work on the set up and post the results here for all to share, comment, bitch and moan about etc. Take care, God Bless.