What's the Hardest Country to Play in MP?

[unmerged(56137)]

Indeed, the UK is probably the hardest challenge since Its industrial base is comparable with japan yet its supposed to fend off the whole axis. Its navy is big but isn't top of the line, its lands are usually the target for expansion by its enemies after vichy with italy claiming north africa, japan claiming india and germany claiming the british isles. Its very critical what the UK does in the first year of the war as that can pretty much decide the fate of the game.

But the USA is probably pretty tough too, although it got the best tech teams, huge IC and a big navy. Its supposed to lead 2 offensives in the pacific and atlantic. A screw up in the pacific means the defeat of australia and new zealand plus a land invasion threat. A screw up in the atlantic could be very costly for the allied side as they're usually beaten up by the time the US enters and if the reinforcements don't arrive the allies start losing ground.

But from what I've seen in our last sunday game, seems china is pretty hard to play or at least try to survive with pre-jap invasion. Facing the full onslaught of japan with all the other major powers unavailable to aid it and fighting with inferior troops and alot of militia.

3. You got the moral bonus of defending democracy

Funny, when I play axis I get a moral bonus of being a dictator :rofl:

 

[Lord Ederon]

UK is though, but it is one of the most rewarding countries if you are able to handle all the troubles and force your enemies to back down. But most crucial thing in any MP game is competence and partially luck of your fellow alliance partners - France/Canada/USA for UK, Italy/Japan for Germany and Allies in general for SU. Once your ally is in trouble and you are too busy handling yours to help him, you are in deep shit as well.

So I'd say that most important factor is your team -well, let's call it- quality, regardless of country. You can have easy time as UK with good teammates as well as worst nightmare in the other case.

 

[unmerged(53322)]

With no restrictions Germany is without a doubt the hardest. It is 100% IMPOSSIBLE to win without a FANCY set of rules set up to weaken the Allies' advantage. Germany it out-IC'ed by two of the three allied powers usually, and UK has a significant amount, the only chance Germany would have is to have a German-Soviet alliance, because if Germany allies USA, then the USSR will destroy him, and if he goes with Italy and Japan vs USSR and USA, then Germany will also take a horrible drop. With a good set of rules UK is probably the hardest to play. USA is also extremely difficult, as you have to research and build EVERYTHING, and you have to use it effectively to influence the war before Germany can gain too much ground in the Soviet Union

 

[Mr.G 24]

I hear a lot that a 36' Germany is hard to play because there is a 36 USSR which gets rid of handicapps early on and then has about the same IC and more manpower, anything Germany has against the USSR is offset by US and UK.

In the 38' scenario in which I play, I have seen Russia get annexed, bitter peace, get halted at the gates of Berlin by a new alliance of Germany and the UK, also in the current game Germany and USSR are at a stalemate a pre war borders with niether side having the ability to launch prolonged offensives. But at the same time Japan has invaded the US.

Skill should not be underestimated here and all major countrys stand a chance if they play thier cards right.

 

[Cohen]

I'd say it mostly depends on the house rules of your group / game.

Given a historical vanilla 36 (with timelimit for Jap dow in dec '41, for barbarossa in spring '41, and no war pre danzig), I feel the Germany in the worst situation given a importance / difficulty ratio.
For the '38 I think it's Italy, just cause they start with a crappy situation and with all divisions capped at 70 Strenght.

UK is actually difficult, but I realized a good UK player can always keep his homeland if he plays properly, til the cavalry comes to save their asses.

 

[unmerged(56137)]

Italy is probably the only nation that starts in a better position in 38 that you cannot reach from 36 with 2 years buildup. It has alot IC, techs are better, I believe the land doctorine is switched to mobility focus (right ?), its navy is better prepared for war, it has a bigger military (although capped) and its generally well geared for war, specially with the navy which is critical for it. However 36 does allow you to customise the nation to your own playing style and avoid all the unnecessary stuff that might have been better invested elsewhere.

If france is played by a human player in 36 then germany would probably be much worse off as the french buildup will make for a much tougher & slower invasion which will in turn delay barbarrosa and ruin the time frame for german victory.