Hi folks,
I'm the axis player and initiator of using these "unhistorical" historical variants. The whole concept is introduced in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=78&t=46406
Before posting the text here, I sent it to Morris, because he is one of those who has written about balance problems in ceaw. One way to change balance is to speculate with some historical variants. He suggested a game. So this is the background.
About this game. Changing historical variants is one instrument to give compensation to Axis (needed in any game) and in this particular game to give extra support for me against Morris. I hope that with the help of these settings I'm able to give him an opportunity to learn new skills, because this time Axis are not the same they usually are. Old challenges, old skills. New challenges, new skills.
I wanted to skip Sitzkrieg-turns, so it is 1940 scenario. Italy+Hungary was the smallest possible benefit for axis allowing early attack to Yugo and Greece. (But I still made many mistakes in both operations.) We didn't have these:
-Rumania (important if I needed oil)
-Spain (important if I were after med)
-Bulgaria (not needed)
And here is the "historical explanation" for free oil, and the possible consequences.
++++++++++++++++++++
"High-tech Germany is oil independent, and doesn't need oil in Caucasus or Iraq."
So let's imagine this kind of history: "German synthetic oil industry was well developed already in 1930's. Germany was a leading green tech country, for instance engines needed less fuel. Also new some abundant oil fields were found in Ploesti." After knowing all this, we dare to tick 'oil consumption' option off.
The situation, where Germany is not hungry for oil, would bring many possible consequences that are historically meaningful. Axis would have no need to pursue for Caucasus (neither Stalingrad?). North Africa campaign is not intended to continue to Iraq. That's why Mussolini fears that he would be left alone in Africa, so maybe it is enough for him to establish the Roman empire in Europe, from Spain (?) to Greece. (Plaid's was complaining about Med theater is too slow for Axis.) And Allies don't need to bomb Ploesti or synth plants in Germany, bombers can do something else.
