I don't ever venture in here, so, take that for what it's worth. My two cents would be Italy takes advantage of the Spanish Civil War to do more than send 'volunteers' and declares war on the Republicans. A successful campaign puts them on the French border and emboldens Hitler to turn west first. Between the two European Axis partners, they take out France before England can fully mobilize. It didn't happen in a board game, but, that's how it played out in a Hearts Of Iron II game I played as Italy.