Good Hearts of Iron 4 nations for: 3 players coop, 2vs2 versus and 1vs1 versus scenarios?

[Zeprion]

The most popular multiplayer games are either 2 players coop or +20 players versus where all the significant nations are taken by a player. But what about middle ground scenarios?
What are some fun and balanced nations to play 3 players coop, 2vs2 versus and 1vs1 versus?

Personally, I believe that there are a lot of interesting such scenarios, but players don't usually take the time to think about them and the game doesn't outright present them to you, these are some interesting scenarios I can think of:

3 players coop:
1) The European Allies -> England + France + Soviet Union (Can pick Sweden, Greece or Turkey instead of Soviet Union)
2) The European Axis -> Germany + Italy + Nationalist Spain (Can pick Hungary, Romania or Sweden instead of Nationalist Spain)
3) The Czech Entente -> Czechoslovakia + Romania + Yugoslavia (Czechoslovakia picks "An Entente of Our Own") - Better with DOD DLC.
4) Cordon Sanitaire -> Czechoslovakia + Romania + Poland (Romania picks "Cordon Sanitaire") - Better with DOD DLC.
5) World War 1 Part 2 -> Germany + Hungary + Italy (Germany picks "Return of the Kaiser" and "Assassinate Mussolini", Hungary picks "Restoration of Austria-Hungary") - Better with DOD & WTT DLC.
6) The Chinese War -> Nationalist China + Communist China + Xibei San Ma (They can fight each other after the war with Japan is over) - Better with WTT DLC.
7) The Japanese War -> Japan + Manchukuo + Siam (Must be a really good Siamese player to survive out there without Japanese support) - Better with WTT DLC.
8) The Western Allies -> England + France + Netherlands (now that Netherlands has a unique focus tree) - Better with MTG DLC.
9) Allies in the Pacific -> India + Australia + New Zeeland (all puppets of England who will fight Japan) - Better with TFV DLC.

10) North American World Conquest -> Canada + USA + Mexico (Canada picks "Patriation" to eventually break free from England) - Better with TFV & MTG DLC.
11) South American World Conquest -> Mexico + Brasil + Argentina (USA only guarantees Americans nations from nations outside America) - Better with MTG DLC.
12) The Nordic Lights -> Norway + Sweden + Finland (USSR will eventually attack Finland leading to the war, and Germany attack Norway)
13) Middle Eastern World Conquest -> Turkey + Iran + Iraq (Can pick Saudi Arabia instead of Iraq but Iraq has more starting manpower and factories)
14) The Baltic Resistance -> Lithuania + Latvia + Estonia (Germany will demand Memel from Lithuania and USSR will attack by 1940)
15) The Benelux Resistance -> Netherlands + Belgium + Luxembourg (France will send troops if you join the Allies after Germany invades you) - Better with MTG DLC.
16) International Revolution -> USSR + Finland + Turkey (Finland and Turkey go communist, can pick Republican Spain instead of Finland or Turkey)
17) The African Uprising -> Liberia + South Africa + Ethiopia (Difficult to win against Italy as Ethiopia, South Africa picks "Anti-Colonialist Crusade") - Better with TFV DLC.
18) The Great Nations -> Netherlands + Sweden + Poland (Netherlands forms Benelux, Sweden forms Scandinavia, Poland forms the Commonwealth) - Better with WTT DLC.

2vs2 versus:
1) El Classico -> England + France vs. Germany + Italy (Can pick USA or USSR instead of France, can pick Japan or Sweden instead of Italy)
2) Eastern War -> Germany + Italy vs. USSR + Romania (Can pick Turkey or Finland instead of Romania, can pick Finland instead of Italy)
3) Asian Clash -> Nationalist China + Communist China vs. Japan + Manchukuo (Can pick Siam instead of Manchukuo, can pick any warlord instead of Communist China)
4) West vs East -> USA + Mexico vs. USSR + Turkey (Can use England instead of Mexico, can use Communist China instead of Turkey, the war starts after the Axis and Co-Prosperity Sphere are defeated)
5) South American War -> Argentina + Chille vs. Brazil + Bolivia (Fairly balanced fight, Brasil is better than Argentina but Chille better than Bolivia)
6) North Balkan War -> Romania + Bulgaria vs. Yugoslavia + Hungary (Fairly balanced fight, Romania is better than Yugoslavia but Hungary better than Bulgaria, can pick Greece instead of Hungary, make Italy, Germany and USSR go Democratic to avoid World War II)
7) European and Nordic War -> Germany + Sweden vs. USSR + Finland (Sweden as double the manpower of Finland but Finland has national spirit "Sisu")
8) Middle Eastern Conflict -> Turkey + Iraq vs. Iran + Afghanistan (Fairly balanced fight, Turkey is better than Iran but Afghanistan is better than Iraq)
9) World War 1 Part 2 -> Imperial Germany + Monarchist Italy vs. England and Monarchist France (Germany picks "Return of the Kaiser", France picks "The Council of Rambouillet", can pick Austria-Hungary instead of Italy) - Better with WTT and LaR DLC.

1vs1 versus:
1) The Developers' War -> England vs. Imperial Germany (Germany picks "Return of the Kaiser")
2) El Classico -> Germany vs. USSR (Can pick USA or England instead of USSR)
3) The Pacific War -> Japan vs USA (Mostly a battle with ships and airplanes, can pick Nationalist China instead of USA, in that case, it's mostly a land battle)
4) The Small Balkan Conflict -> Greece vs Bulgaria (Fairly equal nations, make Germany and Italy go Democratic to avoid World War II)
5) The Nordic War -> Sweden vs Finland (Sweden as double the manpower of Finland but Finland has national spirit "Sisu", make Russia go Democratic)
6) The Brasilian Uphill -> Brasil vs Argentina (Brasil is sightly stronger than Argentina)
7) The Polish Uphill -> Poland vs Romania (Poland is sightly stronger than Romania, make Italy, Germany and USSR go Democratic)
8) The Romanian Uphill -> Romania vs Yugoslavia (Romania is sightly stronger than Yugoslavia, make Italy, Germany and USSR go Democratic)
9) The Yugoslav Uphill -> Yugoslavia vs Hungary (Yugoslavia is sightly stronger than Hungary, make Italy, Germany and USSR go Democratic)

Specials:
1) 5vs1: Fight for Independence -> Canada + South Africa + India + Australia + New Zeeland vs England (All Commonwealth nations pick the focus to break free from England and form their own faction)
2) 4vs1: Face the Giant -> Venezuela + Colombia + Peru + Bolivia vs. Brazil (Minor South American nations fight Brazil, adding Argentina would make it too difficult for Brazil, can try without Bolivia)
3) 3vs2: Third Balkan War -> Romania + Yugoslavia + Greece vs. Bulgaria + Turkey (Make Germany go Democratic to avoid World War II)
4) 3vs1: Chinese Civil War -> Communist China + Xibei San Ma + Sinkiang vs. Nationalist China (Communist China can rush to annex Shanxi and Nationalist China annex or puppet Yunnan and Guangxi, make Japan go Democratic to avoid war with them)
5) 2vs1: The Sandwich -> Canada + Mexico vs. USA (Canada picks "Patriation" to eventually break free from England)
6) 2vs1: The Asian War -> Nationalist China + Communist China vs Japan (The classic asian war with the main nations except Manchukuo being players)

What do you think about these choices? Are they balanced and interesting? Do you have any other suggestions for interesting multiplayer scenarios?

 

[Premu]

Some thoughts to specific scenarios:

UK + France + USA coop seems to be pretty boring for the USA for me. With both France and the UK as human players they should be able to deal with the Axis pretty fast before the USA will even enter normally. If you speed up the entry of the USA, it turns into a complete roflstomp against the Axis. I'd repalce the USA with one of the larger Commonwealth nations like Canada.

The Axis coop scenario suffers from the fact that there will be not that much cooperation between Japan and the European nations. They'll basically fight two wars independently from each other. For a coop, I'd replace Japan with an European Axis minor, for example Hungary.

 

[Bunnytob]

Some of the 1v1s don't look all that impressive - Hungary would get smashed by Yugoslavia unless it is allowed its MP back, and the Poland-Romania conflict is limited by the border of 2 or 3 provinces. So I have some suggestions:
Globally: Toggle off the AI if you're doing a verses. This stops the AI altogether.
Eastern War: Romania's a bit of a weird pick because of its borders with the rest of the Axis. It's basically a whacking great salient. One of the typical 'extra' Communist countries is Iran, though you might want to buff their starting industry and core Iraq and Afghanistan to them. Turkey is another option.
El Classico: There are many ways to spin this, though it's usually an uphill struggle for the Soviets purely due to the way the game is balanced.

I'd also like to add a few more:
The Two Internationals: (2v2) Germany + Italy vs Soviet Union + Communist France. Communist France is nowhere near as weak as regular France, and Germany might not get enough time to snowball - though the Soviets would be somewhat stunted too.
Turncoat: Democratic Germany + Democratic Hungary + Democratic Yugoslavia vs Soviet Union + Communist France + Communist Czechoslovakia. This one may require some buffs to the democratic countries, especially as Germany loses half her military right off the bat. Maybe include a Democratic Romania (instead of having the Soviets eat it) or allow the UK to join in.
Asian Smash: India vs China with a Neutral Japan and Decolonisation UK. French Indochina, Nepal, Bhutan & Siam should be a no-man's land. Pakistan & the Warlords also need to be dealt with. (India may need a few buffs. Alternatively, just use the Raj.)
Fascism Clash: Italy + Yugoslavia vs Germany. Why have one mountain clash when you can have 2? This should be sparked by Demand Slovenia. (Optional: Add Hungary as an ally to Germany.)

 

[Zeprion]

Some thoughts to specific scenarios:

UK + France + USA coop seems to be pretty boring for the USA for me. With both France and the UK as human players they should be able to deal with the Axis pretty fast before the USA will even enter normally. If you speed up the entry of the USA, it turns into a complete roflstomp against the Axis. I'd repalce the USA with one of the larger Commonwealth nations like Canada.

The Axis coop scenario suffers from the fact that there will be not that much cooperation between Japan and the European nations. They'll basically fight two wars independently from each other. For a coop, I'd replace Japan with an European Axis minor, for example Hungary.

Goods points. Although having a minor like Canada far away from Europe will make the Canadian player miss most of the fun in the same way the USA player will. Better replace USA with the Soviet Union, that way they are all majors and in Europe. Or alternatively Sweden, the strongest non-combatant in Europe. And Greece, a weaker France that will likely need UK support to survive. Turkey is also a viable choice as a non-combatant, it doesn't get pressured like Greece but you have more industry and manpower potential.

For the Axis, good point, Europe and Asia will feel like playing separate games. You can try picking a minor like Hungary or Romania. But you could also try Nationalist Spain or Sweden. Nationalist Spain seems to have more action, including in Africa, and more potential to become a major nation than the other 3.

Some of the 1v1s don't look all that impressive - Hungary would get smashed by Yugoslavia unless it is allowed its MP back, and the Poland-Romania conflict is limited by the border of 2 or 3 provinces. So I have some suggestions:
Globally: Toggle off the AI if you're doing a verses. This stops the AI altogether.
Eastern War: Romania's a bit of a weird pick because of its borders with the rest of the Axis. It's basically a whacking great salient. One of the typical 'extra' Communist countries is Iran, though you might want to buff their starting industry and core Iraq and Afghanistan to them. Turkey is another option.
El Classico: There are many ways to spin this, though it's usually an uphill struggle for the Soviets purely due to the way the game is balanced.

I'd also like to add a few more:
The Two Internationals: (2v2) Germany + Italy vs Soviet Union + Communist France. Communist France is nowhere near as weak as regular France, and Germany might not get enough time to snowball - though the Soviets would be somewhat stunted too.
Turncoat: Democratic Germany + Democratic Hungary + Democratic Yugoslavia vs Soviet Union + Communist France + Communist Czechoslovakia. This one may require some buffs to the democratic countries, especially as Germany loses half her military right off the bat. Maybe include a Democratic Romania (instead of having the Soviets eat it) or allow the UK to join in.
Asian Smash: India vs China with a Neutral Japan and Decolonisation UK. French Indochina, Nepal, Bhutan & Siam should be a no-man's land. Pakistan & the Warlords also need to be dealt with. (India may need a few buffs. Alternatively, just use the Raj.)
Fascism Clash: Italy + Yugoslavia vs Germany. Why have one mountain clash when you can have 2? This should be sparked by Demand Slovenia. (Optional: Add Hungary as an ally to Germany.)

True, the Polish Uphill and Yugoslav Uphill battles aren't that interesting because of this factor. But the Brasilian Uphill and Romanian Uphill still remain viable for when you want to prove something.
For the Eastern War, Iran is too underdeveloped. With Iran the game will be too unbalanced.

Good choices.
The turncoat is an interesting 3vs3, but sounds too overpowered for the communists. They have France stronger than before and the Soviet Union against a weaker Germany. Italy has to be part of this so that they would at least have a chance. The man nations would be Communist France + Soviet Union vs. Democratic Germany + Democratic Italy. From then on: Democratic Hungary and Yugoslavia vs. Communist Czechoslovakia and Romania. And even in that form, is a bit too easy for Czechoslovakia to fall.

I also forgot about the most basic 1vs1 - the Spanish civil war.