Round 3: Japan's air attacked Pearl Harbor and damaged the U.S. Navy.

Germany continues to push east. Germany's income (170) and Soviet income (171) are now virtually tied. In the research phase Germany gained a star towards Panther tanks tech. One star left to go.

In the Soviet research phase, the Soviet player gained Advanced 1 tech. A very good advance for later. It also had a randomly chosen tech give it one star towards Improved Sub. Useless. The Soviets must withdraw from Smolensk, as the Germans in that area are too strong. If the Germans stack Smolensk, they will be only two moves away from Moscow. The Soviet Union loses all its cash when Moscow falls for the first time. But after that, the Soviet Union is allowed to collect income normally. All the same, the Soviets would strongly prefer not to lose Moscow. If Moscow does fall, the Soviet Union would be reduced down to one research center, at least until it can be restored.

Japan continues conquering southeast Asia and building factories there. However, Tonkin is under pressure from the British. Japan chooses not to build a factory there as it would be too much risk. Japan has finished off the fleet at Pearl Harbor. Also it has conquered Manila, despite the trenches the U.S. had been building there. This was important, because now the U.S. no longer has a good spot to build a factory in that region. The U.S. is prevented from building any factories while at peace, which is why there was no American factory built there thus far. Japan continues to make slow progress in China. It conquered Hong Kong. It would have liked to begin its invasion of the East Indies, but its local transports were needed to ship units to Tonkin, or to invade Manila. Japan built four more transports, because there were too many units not being shipped off Japan.

Japan's second turn. One star towards late war production (Japan tech category). That was the final star needed, unlocking that tech. Bonus income for Japan! The other tech advance was shipyards. Less costly transports and cruisers. Japan is very pleased with this research phase.

Japan is invading Cochinchina, a territory in southeast Asia which would make a decent spot for a factory. It is building a factory for Bangkok. It also invaded Tonkin, another decent spot in southeast Asia for a factory.

Its build was largely land units, plus a transport and three destroyers. Also a medium bomber to send to China.

Britain's second turn. It researched "Canada" tech, which provides a free infantry each turn in Canada. Also one star towards industry tech. One more star, and it will add +2 to the unit placement capacity of its factories. Very useful for a nation with a far-flung empire.

British build: Italy's constant strafing of Britain's North Africa force is getting annoying. To solve the problem Britain is building four fighters. Also more land units and transports for Africa, India, and the Indian Ocean. Some destroyers for the North Atlantic.

Italy's second turn. Tech chosen randomly. One star towards Mechanized Infantry. Not what Italy had wanted.

Italy is growing its force in North Africa. But it is not yet time to attack the British. One problem: Italy's unit placement capacity is mostly in northern Italy. But it would wish to exert offensive pressure to the south, in north Africa. This is creating a situation where units are being placed in North Italy, then plodding their way south for a bit before they can be shipped.

U.S. turn. One star towards fleet carrier, with only 1 star left to go! One star towards Wartime Production, with only one star needed. A good American research phase, even though there is no instant gratification.

Still limited peacetime income. Its spending all went to the Pacific.

Germany's second turn:

Air phase: strafed Soviet land units adjacent to the Germans. Damaged the Red Army. The Soviet Air Force is not strong enough to challenge the Luftwaffe at this time.

Research phase: gained Extended Range. In future turns German dive bombers will be able to reach further in to Soviet territory. Gained Advanced tech 2. Now Germany can build up to two SPCs. That wouldn't do it any good right this instant however, because Germany hasn't yet unlocked the tech for any advanced units. Germany's third tech advance was chosen at random, and is the V1 rocket. The V1 has no game effect. But there are other techs further down that tree which do.

Germany's build was all land. It was going for quantity, so lots of anti-tank guns. Its income has risen to 163.

Soviet second turn. Research phase. A tech chosen at random, going towards strategic bomber tech. Ouch. But, an advance towards unlocking KV-2 tech (heavy tanks). Only one star left to go on that one. However, the Soviet Union has not unlocked any Advanced tech, which means that it cannot yet build any Special Production Centers (SPCs). The KV-2 heavy tank is useless until the Soviet player has at least one SPC with which to build KV-2s. Not that the Soviets have fully unlocked KV-2 tech just yet.

Soviet build phase. It had a lot of leftover MPs at the end of round 1, giving it 46 MPs to spend for round 2. 46 conscripts. Also it collected full income at the end of round 1, giving it 192 PUs to spend for round 2. It has plenty of cannon fodder (conscripts), so it needs firepower to go along with that. Field guns, heavy guns, and tanks are good options for firepower.

Place new units. One unplaced conscript. The Soviet Union could have placed it well to the rear. Instead it will save the conscript for next turn, when it can be placed a lot closer to the front. The Soviet Union has large unit placement capacity, even after the loss of Leningrad.

America's first turn. Research.

America gets good income bonuses from its USA tech. That's why USA is a primary focus of one of its research centers. The other research center's primary focus is on fleet carrier. The U.S. starts off with one star towards fleet carrier tech, so this would be a good opportunity to unlock an advanced unit for the U.S. to produce. The U.S. chose Advanced as a secondary focus, in hopes of being able to build Special Production Centers (SPCs) to produce advanced units. The U.S. is allowed to have up to four SPCs, tied with Germany for most in the game. The other secondary focus for the U.S. is Piston Aircraft. You need extended range to start with, but after that there are some good piston aircraft techs available.

One star towards Extended Range. The other research advance was shipyards. That's a 1 PU reduction in the cost of your transports and cruisers. Also that builds towards other good surface ship techs. This is very good news for a nation which will soon be in a naval war against Japan.

The U.S. build screen. The U.S. has limited building ability while at peace.

U.S. unit placement: 2 trenches for Manila. Trenches can be placed without a factory. But only 2 trenches max per territory per turn. The trenches won't stop Japan's invasion of the South Pacific, but they might slow it down. The rest of the U.S. units were placed in the Pacific or in San Francisco. The U.S. is unable to move units while at peace, so it went straight from unit purchase to unit placement.

The U.S. collected income of 36 PUs and 4 MPs. Okay, that's not much. Granted. This is the U.S.'s peacetime income. At the end of its third turn it will collect 50% of its true income. At the end of its fourth turn it will collect 60%, then 70%, and so on, until it has fully ramped up. How much will America's income be once it's fully ramped up? 227 PUs, 13 MPs. Plus whatever income it is able to add to that through neutral farming or technological research.

Currently Germany's income is 142 PUs and 15 MPs. Japan's is 94 PUs and 8 MPs. Germany hopes to expand its income at the expense of the Soviet Union. Japan hopes to grow its income through conquest in the South Pacific, China, and southeast Asia. Japan isn't looking to invade the Soviet Union any time soon. Japan would be content with a stalemate between the Soviet army in Vladivostok and its own army in Manchuria.