"I could have swore the DOS version allowed me to access other nations in the encyclopedia when I was forming my core"
It did.
"IIRC this version does not"
YRNC (You Are Not Correct)
"nothing I'm seeing of the responses"
<sigh>
*"The Encyclopaedia always allows you to see the other nation's units - press the nation flag and change from the nation selector screen." (Andy Gailey, 4th post in this thread)
*"I would have added "CLICK HERE TO SELECT A DIFFERENT NATION" right above that single flag but since that's the same message that appears in the message bar a the top of the screen when the mouse is passed over that button I just "assumed" it was totally unnecessary." (Don Goodbrand, 5th post in this thread)
I'll let you in on a little secret - you can igmore damn near anything ANYONE else posts about the game (although you'd be smart to at least pay attention to Pyros on game mechanics and Claus on history) but if DRG or Mobhack give you an answer you REALLY should stop and figure they probably know what they're talking about.