South Africa has an early focus, Abandon Westminster, which increases the rate of autonomy, preparing the country for independence. I decided to free myself from the shackles of Britain. New national focus options – crammed into an absolutely huge tree – speed things along dramatically, increasing the rate at which the country evolves. And it’s now significantly easier to change South Africa’s direction and transform its staunchly democratic population into communist or fascist supporters. Suddenly there are all these distinct options, specifically tailored to the country, that let you explore a vast range of routes, including remaining loyal to Britain and fending off the Axis in Africa, or gaining independence and carving out your own African faction.
That South Africa no longer exists in Together for Victory. Ultimately, managing South Africa is pretty boring, something running a nation during World War 2 should absolutely not be. Since it’s the same tree for all but the war’s key players, it fails to give countries distinct strengths or unique paths.
The generic tree isn’t terrible, it’s just very broad and lacks the historical flavour of its nation-specific counterparts. There’s little beyond its geographical location to set it apart from any other nation, with no national spirit and only the generic national focus tree. South Africa, in the base game, doesn’t exactly do much to capture one’s attention. It’s also a country I haven’t played before, largely because there never seemed like much point. I found myself taking a trip down to South Africa, perhaps tempted by the knowledge that, right now, it’s summer down there. The expansion gives these five nations a serious makeover, and they now sport unique national focus trees, historical and speculative events, and more freedom even while they remain stuck to Britain. Together for Victory promises to change that, at least for the Commonwealth countries: Canada, Australia, South Africa, India and New Zealand. They’re dragging the world into a global war while you’re wondering if you’ve been completely forgotten.
The pace is slow, there are less complex decisions to make, and it never feels like anything that’s going on is nearly as important as what’s happening at the adult’s lavish banquet table. Playing any nation in Hearts of Iron IV beyond the big players, like Great Britain or Germany, is a lot like sitting at the kid’s table.
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