I think a potentially interesting 1942 scenario might start with the USSR and end with Germany. So keeping an identical turn order but only changes who begins.
This is different from say v3 1942, where the turn order actually alters and Japan and Germany switch positions. I think that sort of thing can be somewhat confusing for players, who might get used to a certain turn order sequence, or for peeps like me who probably have some version of Turn order dyslexia if it's variable lol. By doing a USSR opener I think that recalls the Classic or whatever mid scale game which is has traditionally been set in 1942 and has the Russians going first. Though I don't think there's ever been a board or popular scenario that has Germany going last in the turn order.
That could be fun, since it inverts the current situation quite a bit a bit. Now Allies must telegraph their intentions over the course of the game round, and then having Germany as the lead Axis player to close out the round. For a 1941 game it makes sense to have Japan going towards the end, because that then allows for some time before the Pearl Opener. Essentially so that the Europe side of the map can reflect a slightly earlier timeline, or where the hourglass is telescoping around the board, similar to how the map warp does this to highlight a particular time/place for focus - the way the current game 1941 set up.
For 1942 though, Axis high water mark, it might be fun to have Germany in that position, since Pearl will have already occurred and that script can be sorta retired in favor of the Allied counter thrust towards the Central Pacific. Similarly, by 1942 it's more viable to have Allies already Torching, so for the Allies it means less reliance on Transports to move into position. For example, might have an opener where USA is already in control of Morocco or Guadalcanal, or where the starting forces are positioned more front line. Or at least moreso than they would be for a date in 1941, where USA doesn't really enter into the mix until after being attacked on J1.
Something like the following for a sequence...
USSR > Italy > Britain > Japan> USA/Pacific Allies/China > Germany
Then back to USSR for round 2 and repeat. On the whole I think that it's unavoidable to have can openers with Germany/Italy and USA/Britain/China etc creating a checkerboard vibe on the front lines. But I think this could be diminished somewhat by shifting Axis to the end the game round on G's turn for a 42 variant.
Another possibility for such an approach, is that we wouldn't need to frame the VC win as necessarily balanced by sides. So one could create a situation where the computer needs to control fewer VCs in order for their team to claim victory, whereas the human player might need to control more. Making it somewhat more likely for the player to suffer a TKO loss by VCs compared to the TKO win by VCs. Part of the challenge with the current framing by sides, is that computer will never be able to coordinate as well as the human player can, but then if they are given more to work with (more starting units, or units from bonuses, tech unlocks at the ready etc, a turn order sequence advantage etc) then it's a lot simpler to make a game where the computer is still putting up a pretty tough fight, despite not being as deft as the human at logistics and multi-attacks understanding terrain and such.
I think it might be easier to fine tune, because then you can concentrate the energy for GCD 1941 on just making a really fun/challenging experience for the human Axis, GCD 1942 for the human Allies. And in the launch menu, we could have AI default to control the opposite team. Players would then also have a way to play either scenario on Easy Mode, because switching sides on 1941 or 1942 would be like playing the scenario on a Easier difficulty setting by sides. If that makes sense
Clearly it'd be a fair bit of work to do a whole second scenario, but might be fun, and since a lot of the work is already in place. Like it could use the same tech progression and the like, just advanced a bit by which round we start off.
To me the main advantage of a 1942 scenario when playing as Allies vs the computer, is that it allows you to assign control of many more territories to Starting Owner Axis. So for example the central Pacific or North Africa when already controlled by team Axis, allows team Allies to decide which power to take those territories with. I think this would be a lot more familiar, where say USA might conquer TTs in the central Pacific for themselves as opposed to liberating it for Britain or Pacific Allies. Allows for a somewhat earlier potential bout between Japan and USSR, which could be entertaining as a way to keep team Allies on their toes towards the end, or to them using more Kamikazes or to have Germany using stuff like Rockets, like before the outcome is already determined.
Just kicking around, I'm currently playing as Germany so just thinking about how it might look if they went last instead of first lol
ps. Here's the save to G10. Just managed to knock off London finally! lol Lots of back and forth across the middle. I think I should have gone after UK a little sooner, but I wasn't sure if activating the conscripts would come back to haunt us. We just held position in North Africa and slowly built up a battle fleet around the Sub HQs. Went for Sea Lion in round 8 after making certain we'd have enough transports to get the job done. Think it should be coasting from here I think. Soviets are still packing a punch and Allies are pretty deep in Africa, but now we're positioned to command the Atlantic and redirect so probably a just a round or two left unless the Allies have an ace up their sleeves I'm not seeing, but I think the nukes are a ways off yet hehe.
2025-2-12-1941-Global-Command-Decision_G10.tsvg
G10.png
