An interlude: The 1940s, WWII-gameplay and the latest family tree:

As we go into the 1940s, I thought I'd take the time to reflect on what this new decade might mean for gameplay. The 1940s were, naturally, dominated by WWII. In the US this is especially true after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. Things that are reflected in the original rules of the challenge by feeding sims cow plant cake and sending them to live elsewhere. Anyone who read this story through WWI knows that's not how I play. So let's take a look at the facts and figure out what this will mean for this particular story and my gameplay:

WWII: going to war (or work) and deaths.

In the US 16,1 million men were either drafted (10 million) or volunteered (6 million) in WWII. Yet what did that mean in relation to the population? According to the 1940 census, there were a total of 65 million men in the US, of which 35 million were between the ages of 18-45 (draft-age after the Pearl Harbor attack). So in other words, 16 million men out of a pool of 35 million. That's a whopping 45% or almost every other man!!! It's a draft on a massive scale, and everyone in the country would be affected in one way or another.

So what does this mean for gameplay? Well first of all I need to figure out who is drafted. Now 18-45 means both adults and YA will be affected, even if YA would be preferred over older men, so for this purpose I've made the decision when it comes to the men in game (NPC or played):

All YA-males will be drafted unless they are...

• in the criminal career (felons were generally not allowed to serve, though exceptions were made)
• students of one of the following subjects: Physics, Biology (these were seen as necessary to the war effort)
• erratic sims (mental or physical illness ment deferral)
• married with underage children in the household and no other men to take the financial burden

Adult males will be drafted if:

• they are in the first half of their age span
• does not fall into any of the categories from above
• are not in one of the following (key)careers: 
• Farmer
• Engineer
• Scientists
• Politicians

If that amounts to more than 45% a few can be given a medical pass and be left at home. If less than 45% I can always send a few more (and many volunteered after all). The soldiers will be moved into separate households and used in gameplay. The drafted men will all be given the soldier career.

Obviously since Anna has a YA male ranch hand, he will be replaced by a woman who takes up his job as he is sent off to war. More women will also be given careers in game to reflect the fact that millions of women started to work to fill up the empty work places.

Deaths and repercussions of deployment: 

Just like I did with WWI random deaths will be turned on for any and all soldiers, as well as any person in a world affected by the war (Mt Komorebi, Windenburg, Glimmerbrook, Henford, Tomarang and Tartosa).

In addition to this:

Two dice will be rolled for any played character to see who lives or dies. If both dice show the number 1, the character dies (based on real life deaths of 2,5% or 418 500 deaths out of 16,1 million employed in the war).

 
Depending on how many has died randomly, and during gameplay, additional dice might be rolled for NPC-soldiers as well at the end of the war until the numbers match up. I will keep the original rule of assigning survivors a negative trait to simulate the mental stress and difficulty when coming home from the war, as that is a part of the rules I actually like.

Some other changes that might affect gameplay: 

• Washing machines, vacuum cleaners and coffee makers started to find their way into people's homes.
• Toys started to be made with plastic, often airplanes or cars for boys.
• New careers such as secret agent, covert operator and scientist became more common.
• Mid century modern became the popular interior decorator style.
• Teenagers started to be a term used and teenagers had defined styles of their own
• Rations were a large part of everyday life during the war - as a result the simple living challenge will be turned on to reflect this. 

And a family tree of what the family looks like before the war:

And the entire clan: