So do ppl have preferences re: countries / era yet?
Early start really limits playability for some countries, unless we all go late start countries and just go @ max speed, researching and building. But if gamespeed is low because some of the players are occupied fighting it will mean afk gaming for the others really.
I'd also like us to be on same side (or 2v2 if same side isnt possible), but I don't know how you feel about that.
Another possibility could be to go LOL and all go middle american countries or something, but that would go with the consequence of little countries - little wars.
I just don't really know what 4 countries that we can pick that are on the same side and that are interesting to play in co-op, unless maybe if we go for a late start. Going ebil might have germany/italy/japan as an interesting combo even in an early start, but what to pick as 4th country? Persia? (will fight a pretty solo fight then though)
Allied side early start will have UK (lots of stuff to do in middle/far east, even pretty early on, plus help defend France), France? (but will inevitably be run over by Ger pretty soon), Norway could do, Spain will remain neutral (unless that mod that Jon mentioned comes into play) and ims Spain is more into Axis anyway. Balkan area/Turkey are a bit dodgy too, BeNeLux are run over too soon and too little to play any significant importance. Sweden/Finland? Memory fails, but think they remain neutralish? Russia is not really interesting till 1942 and not Allies anyway.
1942 start might have more possibilities, but I'll leave it up to you to have your say first. Plus I'm tired of typing this anyway.