I think a scenario for a swath of history for the 1880's or 1890's to about the early 1920's using McMonkey's map he sent me could be a workable idea actually, if I could get some help with graphics and the finer points historically that Wikipedia and other websites tend to overlook. I think for players I would have as follows:
-Tsarist Russians
-Bolshevik Russians (disabled till late in the scenario)
-Chinese
-Germans
-British (mostly a naval presence)
-Imperial Japanese
-Shogunate Japanese
Barbarians could represent things like the Boxer Rebels and Northeastern Chinese warlords in the days right after the Emperor's abdication. Any thoughts, anyone?