plˈeɪɚz tˈeɪk kəntɹˈoʊl ʌv wˈʌn ʌv fˈaɪv wˈɜːld pˈaʊɚz æt ðə stˈɑːɹt ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi tˈuː ɪn wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː, ɡɹˈuːpt ˌɪntʊ ðɪ əpˈoʊzɪŋ fˈækʃənz ʌvðɪ ˈælaɪz jˌuːˈɛs, jˌuːkˈeɪ, ænd jˌuːˌɛsˌɛsˈɑːɹ ænd ðɪ ˈæksɪs dʒˈɜːməni ænd dʒəpˈæn.
Players take control of one of five world powers at the start of 1942 in World War II, grouped into the opposing factions of the Allies (US, UK, and USSR) and the Axis (Germany and Japan).