Motivation & Game Design - WWII Global Conflict
Countries should have motivations for staying at peace or going to war. In a game like Hearts of Iron each country should have a motivator for it's actions. Developer/Modifier goal should be to avoid non-historic war entry pre1939.
In other words the initial set up should be such that any major country which can declare war immediately should have sufficient motivators to wait (i.e. superior production allowing faster build up of strength than their opponents). Minor countries should be intimidated by the potential for the Allies to become nervous and declare war on them.
Democracies - these are prevented by game design from declaring war (until "war entry level" rises high enough).
Facists - may declare war at any time and thus their should be a reason for not immediately waging war.
Communists - ??? What are the game design limitations?
Influencing Factors
Discourage War
Encourage War
The Major Nations
France - ??? ready in 1936, democracy?
Germany - lacks oil, thus desire for more oil, armed forces small - desire time to build them. Peace time economy should be superior to their opponents - this may be modelled partly by a lower demand for consumer goods during peacetime.
Italy - already at war (Ethiopia)
Russia
UK - economic powerhouse, desires peace but shouldn't tolerate too much Axis aggression.
The USA is historically isolationist with ample resources and industrial capacity. Due to war entry level they can't just wreak havoc on the rest of the world because of their superior economic might. The USA armed forces start weak and should take time to build before they are prepared for war.
The Minor but Critical Nations
Austria - Germany wants to annex Austria
Czechloslovakia - Germany wants territory
Finland - Russia wants territory (Winter War)?
Poland - Germany wants territory