Prior to playing a standard, 6000 yr civ game, you play a brief world war 2 scenario. The axis stands for the idea that each civs charecteristics are determined by the biological, racial charecter of its people, estabished 6000 years or more previously. The allies, though divided by much, are agreed in denying this idea.
If the axis wins, then "race is destiny" and you play with unique civ charecteristics determined in 4000 BC. If the allies win, then all human groups have the POTENTIAL to evolve in any particular direction, and you play without unique civ charecteristics.
Lord of the Mark