I tried this mode as Germany just few turns, I like the idea, but there some problems:
I too have been playing Germany, and I'd agree that the research rate is too slow compared to the passage of time. I'm playing the 1939 scenario, and through four years, I've gotten four tech advances, with a general plan of building military units to increase the land.
Other issues I felt were skewed:
1) The UN voting on a nuclear non-proliferation act before nukes have been invented (here here again, down with the UN! Germany left the League of Nations in October of 1933, so they shouldn't be bound by silly UN rules. The Solviets were also expelled from the League of Nations in 1939, as well.
2) Axis being able to sue for peace with Briton. I offered, he took it quick, and now I'm just rolling over the Leage of Nations with no worry, since I don't have to worry about Briton's navy or cover my back.
3) The league of nations having Infantry IV, while Germany has Infantry I. This makes you have to have good air and artillery support, and make it a *major* offensive (5-6 turns) to take over Denmark, Belgium, and Holland. Taking them over is more difficult than taking Paris. In history, Holland dropped in five days, and Belgium in 14. Even Norway only took 30 days to fall.
4) Only being able to make up to two Activists at a time. While I agree there should a limit, making only two effectively limits you from spreading Axis into Russia in an attempt to sway them if you use Blitzkreig tactics...the activists are always rushing towards my newly conquered League of Nations towns. I might suggest upping that to three, perhaps four as the limit.
5) The inability of Germany to build Labour camps from the start. The first one, historically, was Oranienburg outside of Berlin, in 1933, so they should be able to keep building them from the start.
6) The fact Spain is not a facist state. Ignoring the problem that the League of Nations is too powerful to start, Franco had solid control of Spain by 1939, and in fact owed hundreds of millions of lira and Reichsmarks to Italy and Germany at that time (to support the civil war). They should start out a facist with good ties to both.
Overall, I *LOVE* this Mod. Thank you very much for taking the time to put it out there. I look forward to when it's finished and balanced. I'll post more observations as I come across them.
-Shawn