Round 7: GE. build in Romania 2 tanks and mech. infantry, Germany tank and 2 troopers, Western Germany tank and 2 troopers. Germany will hunker down, in the west & south, but, for the east it needs to attack, in order to win this game. Trooper from Hungary heads to Greece, to release from garrison duties a mech. infantry & gun. Forces from Atlantic Wall & France attack the British Forces in Denmark, while units are juggled around, to fill in the gaps in the Atlantic Wall. Denmark is retaken, with IPCs lost GE. 3, &, British 10. The Atlantic Wall is restored!(sans Norway).
Meanwhile forces from Germany, go to help garrison Poland & Baltic States, while forces in Eastern Poland for no lost, take over Belarus. Also forces from Bessarabia & Romania try again to take both Ukraine areas, , both fall!, the road to Stalingrad is opened & Mid-East(not much of a reserve left but the Soviets are in worst shape). IPCs lost GE. 17 & Soviets 29.
Iraq trooper in Egypt moves & retakes undefended It. occupied Alexandria. Two Brazilian troopers board U.S. transport from British Guiana. Also 2 Persian troopers head to reinforce Soviet Caucasus(on the side of the Allies), &, Iraq trooper enters Persia(on way to Caucasus).
U.S.S.R. builds a T.B., 2 tanks, 2 mech. infantry, 1 gun, &, 4 troopers. Soviets must Attack, Attack , &, Attack! to stop the German blitz, everything is retaken, but, Bessarabia & Eastern Poland. Only 4 units (not counting new purchases) are left on the board of a trooper, 2 tanks, &, fighter. Soviets need Western Allies to land in Europe again this turn.
U.S.A. builds minor industrial complex in Norway, 3 transports, 4 tanks, &, mech. infantry & gun. Fleet leaves Norway & goes to off Germany, shells & lands forces with air attack(T.B. from A.C., survives A.A. fire), and, Germany falls! Another fighter from A.C. destroys gun in Poland(it is also lost), while from Norway 2 mechanical infantries arrive in Soviet Leningrad. Keeping GE. is another thing, more like a big raid, still it dilute & wastes Axis manpower to retake it.
Fighter & T.B. arrive in U.K. from East Coat, while bombers from U.K. & East Coast bomb & wipe out all defenders(2 troopers & mech. infantry) in Holland, for no losses. Bombers land in U.K. waiting for next raid.
U.S. tanks roll into & free Tunisia undefended by the occupying Italians, &, transport leaves S. America & heads for N. Africa(with 2 troopers from Brazil), along with transport from East Coast(with trooper & gun). IPCs lost U.S. 17 & GE. 31.
British Empire builds 2 tanks, 3 trooper, fighter, &, transport. S. African trooper arrives in Sudan, heading for Egypt. Fleet sans a DD(stays off Malta) goes to waters off S. France, while transport goes to Egypt & picks up Iraq trooper, returns and lands it, in Italian occupied undefended Malta. Meanwhile a DD & 2 transports in English Channel lands trooper & 2 tanks onto Normandy. While from U.K. 2 fighters & A.C.(off S. France) a fighter & T.B. join the attack, versus, GE.4 troopers, tank, &, T.B. Normandy falls!, for a lost of a trooper & fighter only. Also another trooper lands in undefended GE. occupied Holland.
Finally trooper from W. India heads for Eastern Front via Persia. IPCs lost British 13 & GE. 29.
It. builds 2 tanks. Using fighter & T.B. from S. Italy & S. Germany, and, armor from Yugoslavia & N. Italy. Now It. forces attack occupied Germany, versus, U.S. trooper, gun, &, 2 tanks. Losses all but a It. tank, Germany is back in the game!
Meanwhile trooper enter Albania to garrison it, IPCs lost It. 27, &, U.S. 19.
France cannot build & has no units.
Round Eight: GE. builds(note to keep the game going, I let GE. keep the 47 IPCs they earned in round seven, if not, then it would not be worth playing round eight), for defense only. For France, W. Germany, Germany, &, Romania three troopers are built(a tank & gun is also built for W. Germany).
Hopefully with limited offensive movements, will give GE. time to build up an adequate defense. GE. retakes Baltic States & Uk. (with total of four conquest in U.S.S.R., with only one unit in each one for defense, to buy time in order to build up local units, &, a geographic buffer against the oncoming Soviet forces). Also retake Holland for no lost, a gun & mech. infantry leave Denmark for Germany, and, the final IPCs lost GE. 12, British 3, &, Soviets 21.
U.S.S.R. builds transport, fighter, tank, 4 mechanical infantry, &, 2 guns. Forces from Russia retake Uk., thus blocking GE. drive to the Caucasus, along with Baltic States, &, Eastern Poland retaken. All that in not retaken of the U.S.S.R. is Bessarabia, &, the Axis no longer has any units to spare for the Eastern Front. Losses IPCs Soviets 20, &, GE. 23.
Trooper from Iraq moves to Syria, while 2 troopers from Persia enters Caucasus heading for Eastern Front.
U.S.A. builds 3 tanks in Norway, &, 2 troopers, mech. infantry, 2 gun, T.B., &, 2 bombers in East Coast. Four bombers, T.B., &, fighter, attack GE. forces in France & Holland. All Axis units of 5 troopers & tank destroyed for a lost of U.S. bomber & T.B.(bombers land in Norway & fighter on A.C. in Danish Straits). Two mechanical infantry off Leningrad roll into undefended occupied Poland(Poland the first occupied Allied nation is freed!).
Also U.S. fleet in Danish Straits lands 3 tanks in Poland, while 2 transports leave fleet to return to East Coast. Losses IPCs U.S.A. 23 & GE. 21.
Off East Coast transport leaves with mech. infantry & gun for N. Africa, meanwhile from Tunisia a tank rolls into undefended It. Libya & Tobruk. Also a second tank boards a British transport off Libya & a fighter lands in Algeria(from East Coast). Africa is Axis Free!
Off S. France a U.S transport lands trooper & gun, versus, It. 2 troopers & gun, losses a trooper & gun each side. Losses IPCs 7 each side. Also another 2 transport arrive off S. France.
Brazilian 3 troopers debark off U.S. transports onto S. France, versus, It. trooper. S. France is freed for no lose(It. losses 3 IPCs).
British Empire builds fighter, T.B., 2 troopers, &, 2 tanks. Trooper from Sudan reaches Egypt, from India reaches Persia, &, from Malta DD & transport with trooper to land on undefended Sicily(Sicily falls!). From Normandy 2 tanks roll through undefended France & attack in N. Italy, along with T.B. and fighter from A.C. off S. France & another fighter from U.K.(no lost due to A.A. fire), versus, It. tank, gun, & , 2 troopers. Lost British T.B. & fighter, &, It. lose all units, N. Italy falls! IPCs losses British Empire 23, &, Italy 16. Remaining fighter returns to A.C.
From U.K. 3 transports with DD escort land in undefended Holland, a trooper(Holland falls!). Also the fleet moves to off Germany & lands 2 troopers, gun, &, 2 tanks(with fighter from U.K., no A.A. lost), versus, GE. 3 troopers, mech. infantry, &, gun. Losses British fighter & trooper(13 IPCs), & GE. all(17 IPCs). Germany goes down again!
Italy builds 2 troopers & tank. Using forces from W. Germany & Southern Italy, 4 troopers & tank versus British 2 tanks in occupied Northern Italy. Losses It. 2 troopers(6 IPCS) & Brits. 2 tanks(12 IPCs), Northern Italy is freed!
France builds 2 Mech. Infantry & 2 guns. Forces(built from a one time bonus of 12 IPCs) in France attack W. Germany, tank & 2 troopers versus GE. 3 troopers, gun, &, tank. Losses Fr. all(12 IPCs) & GE. 2 troopers & gun(10 IPCs). Losses are quite acceptable, as this weakens any German attempt, to try to retake Berlin using forces based in W. Germany.
Round Nine: GE. cannot build, sans a trooper all forces abandon Demark & leave Western Germany, to move to N. Italy. Along with a trooper from Yugoslavia moves to N. Italy. While forces leave Greece for N. Italy, while Bulgarian trooper enters Greece, &, troopers from Romania enter Bulgaria & Hungary.
It seems that N. Italy is the last stand for the Germans.
Soviets build 3 troopers, gun, mech. infantry, tank, bomber, &, C. Transport moves to Sea Zone #125. Forces retake undefended Bessarabia(the Soviet Union is finally free of any Axis presence!), along with Romania & Hungary. IPCs lost Soviets 4 & GE. 6.
U.S.A. builds naval & air base & A.A. gun in Norway,&, 3 fighters. Transport leaves S. France & goes to Libya(another transport leaves instead for East Coast), where 2 tanks board it(one tank came from Tobruk), while 2 transports leave East Coast(2 troopers, gun, &, mech. infantry) for Med. Sea. Also T.B. lands in Algeria, &, 2 bombers land in Libya, flying from East Coast.
While transport off Gibraltar lands a mech. infantry & gun onto S. Italy, with air cover of 3 bombers from Norway & T.B. from A.C. in Danish Straits(no lost due to A.A. fire), versus, It. 2 troopers & gun. Losses all It.(12 IPCs), &, U.S. a bomber & T.B.(23 IPCs), surviving air lands in Sicily. Rome falls!
Forces in Poland take over undefended Southern Germany, Danish Straits fleet picks up 3 tanks in Norway, lands one in undefended Denmark, &, 2 in Western Germany for no lost(IPCs lost GE. 3).
Meanwhile Brazilian trooper invades N. Italy, from S. France, losses a trooper each side(3 IPCs), this attack was just to wear out the defenders(GE. tank, mech. infantry, &, It. 2 troopers & tank are still there).
British Empire builds minor industrial complex, air & naval base, &, A.A. gun for W. India, air base & A.A. gun for S. Africa, &, BB & mech. infantry. Transport land from U.K. to Normandy 2 troopers & 2 tanks. Trooper from Egypt moves to Alexandria & another arrives N.W. Persia from Persia. Also 2 Persian troopers arrive to Rostov from the Caucasus.
Transport from Sicily lands trooper onto N. Italy with fighter from A.C. off S. France, also fighter & T.B. from U.K., and, 2 tanks from Germany, versus, GE. tank & mech. infantry, and, It. 2 troopers & tank(no losses due to A.A. fire). N. Italy falls!, only 2 British tanks survive the battle. Losses British IPCs 34, &, GE. 10 & It. 12.
Italy cannot build, trooper in Albania stays put, except for Sardinia there is not much left of “The New Roman Empire”.
France builds fighter, &, tank. Moves from France(2 mech. infantry & 2 guns) to occupied Yugoslavia, versus, GE. gun & mech. infantry.
Losses IPCs Fr. 4 & GE. 7, Yugoslavia is freed!
Bulgaria trooper leaves Greece(Greece is freed, cause Bulgaria joins the Allies), &, trooper returns to Bulgaria. Remaining GE. & It. trooper in Balkans surrender.
Next final thoughts on R.R.
Pellulo
Final thoughts on final game: Germany could have built another industrial complex in Poland(large if possible) to help feed those many reinforcements to the Eastern Front, use Finland to help reinforce Norway, stepped up sub. production to prolong the Battle of the Atlantic.
Also give up a tank, trade it in for a transport off the waters of N. Italy, in order to give some meaningful aid to the Italians in North Africa. Finally let the Iraq troopers attack Allied forces in the Mid-East, because in the next turn, they switch sides to the Allies. Along with the threat of Operation Sea Lion, but, do not bother doing it(you lose too many IPCs for an event that hardly ever seems to work).
Italy strikes hard & fast in the early rounds, but, with so little IPCs the economy overheats. Keep the navy & air intact & feed forces to N. Africa, easy pickings in S. France & Balkans, does not mean enough IPCs are available, to rebuild a shattered fleet & air arm. Keep your forces in the Med. area, sending allot of forces to the Eastern Front, is like getting sucked into a Black Hole.
U.S.S.R. prepares defense in depth, with a reserve(s) to stabilize the front lines. You want to keep the Axis from breaking into the Soviet Heartland. Keep Sea Zone #125 clear & neutralize or lessen the Danish Straits Axis fleet. Also the ability to move a space your Industrial Complexes/destroy them if capture seems immanent.
British Empire to go before the U.S.A., with at least an additional trooper in Scotland, mech. infantry in Egypt, &, fighter on Malta/bomber in U.K.
U.S.A. skip Normandy as a landing site, you cannot build a factory there, instead take Norway(with forces going by land through Finland/landings in Northern Europe). Also a large bomber fleet will help clear an occupied nation of defending Axis when a seaborne invasion is coming. Help keep U.K. from being swamped either helping in N.W. Africa & winning the Battle of the Atlantic.
France defend, defend, defend, once France falls to help in U.K. & N.W. Africa. Also a one time choice, of about a third of IPCs value in units in France, are transferred to N. Africa(for example pull out 3 troopers & gun from France & place them in N.W. Africa).
Pellulo
Future Round Robins? Been doing Round Robins since basic versions of Axis & Allies came out in the eighties, did them while watching David Letterman on his late night show, while my infant daughter slept in her crib(I use to work overnight shifts, so staying up late was no problem). As the game evolved to Europe & Pacific versions, specialty games like D-Day, Bulge, Guadalcanal, sub-specialty like the minis for land & sea battles, simplistic 1941, 1940 Europe(like doing global but in stages), I must have done them all.
What is left of what I would like to do, some day finish D-Day(still have about three scenarios to play), a final game for 1914, do Pacific 1940 to see what effects the Anzacs & China has on play(treating the latter as a fully independent power, gee China makes up about a third of all land partitions on the board!).
Finally redoing the old game master newer version of Fortress America.
While the other Milton Bradly games like Shogun & Conquest of the Empire, has newer versions come out, no need to redo those games. If a newer version of Broadsides & Boarding Parties(my favorite) came out, I might be tempted to round robin it again(I enjoy the Spaniard ship winning a few rounds, no cliques hero Hollywood pirates winning all the time). Definitely never doing Anniversary Axis & Allies game, that is why we have global to play. Much less any air minis game(land & sea games were great in round robin).
As for logging it down really adds to playtime. Going from some details on moves as read in Battle of the Bulge Game, to full details as seen in the current Round Robin of the Axis & Allies 1914 is allot of writing as playtime increases. More details leads to more writing, it is as simple as that. Declining health & eyesight makes it hard sometimes to play(the original Axis & Allies game board looks like a Volkswagen bug compared to a Hummer size 1940 Europe game board).
One thing I discovered is a good chunk of Round Robin of certain games, are never to be written about. As they were done in the pre-P.C./W.P. days(personal computer/word processor era), or, just played with the outcome only noted. Oh well it could have been worse, could have been noted in cuneiform, thanks, Pellulo, Enjoy!
Pellulo
Next RoundRobin is for The Rule Driven Axis & Allies game, of G.I.Joe Battle for the Artctic. There is another rule driven game, due to come out call Battle for the Deep. Science Fiction or Supernatural ? Battle Under the Waves, on some type of the Earth.
I need to play a game/some games, so I can post the G.I. results, hopefully sometime this June 2025, thanks Pellulo
Before we start the RR, theses are the units I house rule into the game. They are for your information only, as the RR only deals with the units that originally come with the game.
This game is lacking in different units, which happily you can house rule them into your game, they are: 1. Submarines atomic for the G.I. Joe(via the U.S.N.), and Advance Diesel Electric(via U.S.S.R. 2.0 & Red China). Neither sub. of each side has nuclear weapons, after all even thought Russia and China are probably Silent Partners to Cobra, they are not crazy enough to ever give them any nukes/nuclear reactors.
Allot of Cobra’s Salt Water Navy is loaned, given, sold at a super discount, or, gifted to them(it is not like Cobra can order a Diesel Electric Sub. thru Amazxn).
Subs attack and defend on a 2, and, move 2 spaces(partially submerged). They can be fully submerged and do not participate in battle, and, can move 2 spaces. Now if a Cruiser is in its hex, or, a hex it wants to pass thru, it cannot stay fully submerged.
Now fully surface it Attacks on a three and Defends on a 1, it is now open to air attack. Special ability on attacking land units, while fully surface, it cannot be counterattack by land units. Can only do this attack once per round, then automatically fully submerged and stays in the hex, after it fired its missile while fully surface.
There is only one sub., for each side, it is given and if lost, it cannot be purchased.
2. VTOL Jet on Carrier, has Attack/Defense of 2/3, and movement of two. There is only one each side, the VTOL can land on any color of its side Carriers and Aircraft Carriers. Again it is given, cannot be replaced.
3. Fighter Bombers are two for each side, cannot be replaced if lost. Attacks 3/5 ( five if the latter is not an aircraft), Defense of 3, movement of 6. These bombers have Sleuth ability, throw die, if three down the enemy cannot target it, for that one time of combat.
4. Hover-Copter has A/D of 3, changed to a 1, when carrying one vehicle /one trooper or two troopers. Moves two spaces. When lands vehicle/trooper(s) they cannot make any moves, also if Hover-Copter destroyed, the vehicle/trooper(s) are lost. They are just freight/passenger(s), cannot fight. Each side has one given, cannot be replaced, if lost. Also Hover-Copter can fly over sea hexes.
5. Missile “Sour Grapes” Land Carrier, used only once, it lowers the value of any numbered hex, down to zero. In other words if you cannot keep a particular numbered vex, then burn it down, useless to the enemy. Only activated when it is the last unit left, cannot be destroyed. Imagine your forces dynamiting camps, supply depots, air fields, roads, bridges, burning down buildings, bobby traps, and, so forth.
There is only one Missile Carrier per side, cannot be replaced or purchase. Once every new turn, the hex value goes up by one, but, on a game system of only about seven turns, its hex value might never go back to what it once was.
6. Fast All Terrain Vehicle/Snowmobile moves two spaces, with one trooper. Can carry one trooper, uses A/D of 2/1, if trooper is destroyed so is the vehicle. Can take a hex, cannot Blitz. The All Terrian Vehicle is given, cannot be replaced or purchase, one per each side. Of course if you have a mini already of a snow mobile, feel free to use that!
7. Heavy Bomber has movement of eight, A/D of 4/1, same rule for Sleuth but the die is 4 down. Special ability one attack on a A.C. will sink it, think BlockBuster bomb. One per side and can only be used once, in the whole game.
Now back to the RoundRobin…
Now back to the RR, this is based on the first scenario given in the rule book. Except for a single trooper and one aircraft( to have combine arms), all air and land units costs are converted into Cruisers.
First references: Cobra’s main base is called North Pole Base(cause it is on the North Pole), the Joe’s main base in Greenland is called Apogee Base. With an imaginar symbol of Cobra base for game purposes is North, the Joe’s base is going South with to the West (left of the game board) is the Americas. Now if you go to the East(right of the game board) is Western Europe.
Now if you go from Cobra’s North Pole Base going South(towards the top of the game board), you most likely run into Asiatic Russia(the old Soviet Far East). Russia makes up 53% of the coastline boarding the Arctic Ocean.
Second Reference: Cobra Commander units are just to be called Red, Destro is Black, Admiral is Blue, Snow is White. Cobra Commander and Destro probably have Generals and Admirals assigned to them. Admiral Haul probably has USMC Joe General and troopers, with Snow Job has a General and Admiral assigned to him.
Scenario 1: Take opposite base, or, have 10+ VP at end of round, or, most VP at end of Round 7, ties are permitted. This will be Cruiser versus Cruiser, with a trooper and jet/war ground attack jet for each colors( in order to have combine arms). Non Cruiser units are cashed in for Cruisers.
White Base 12 Points Value, has 2 C, 1 Trooper, and, 1 Jet.
White/Blue Base 12 Points Value 2 White C and 1 Blue C.
Blue Base 12 Points Value 5 C, and, 1 Trooper and 1 Jet.
Total 36 VP
Red Base: 5 C
Red/Black Base: 2 C and a trooper and Air Gunship all red. Also Black 4 C and trooper and Air Gunship.
Black Base: Has 5 Black C.
Total 24 VP
Round One: the Joes are outnumbered in C(ruiser) units by Cobra. Red units lead by Cobra Commander runs an attack on the main Blue G.I. Joe Base. While the remaining units on the other two bases, all Black( Destro)will mostly attack the remaining two White and White/Blue bases(that way they cannot help the main Joe Base).
Five Red Cs are moving their two spaces, arriving just 1 hex from the main Blue Base(European oriented). Along with two more Cs from the combine Red and Black Base with one transported trooper(will not use the air gunboat/Warthog type of ground attack aircraft).
Blue hunkers down, jet flies to Apogee Base, builds two more C.
Black sends 4 C and trooper to attack Apogee Base, and, more 4 C leave Black Base to go attack the White Base. Builds a C.
White hunkers down and builds 2 C for White Base.
Round Two: Red attacks the hunker down forces in 12 VP Joe Blue Base(towards Europe). Cobra Commander sacrifices a C to destroy a Blue C. Still the battle goes bad for Red, they lose 6 C and Blue loses only 3 C. Attacks lasted 2X cause it was a amphibious attack, an C with a trooper is lost, with Blue loses a C also. Losses total 7 C and trooper for Red, while Blue losses 4 C. Had purchased a C and trooper.
Blue Fighter from Apogee Base & 3 C and trooper from Blue Base to attack Destro 4 C and trooper, that is two spaces from their base. Losses Black all 3 C and trooper and a Blue C and it’s trooper is left.
Black 4 C arrive off White 12 VP Base 🆚 4 C and fighter and land base trooper. Destro has a one plus attack die advantage. Black loses 3 C and White 1 C, Black retreats remaining C. Had purchase 2 C.
White from Apogee Base has 3 C go out one space and take out the retreated Black C( for the lost of a C). Had purchase 2 C.
Round Three: Red…
Round Three:
Red attacks upcoming Joe Fleets of 2 White C and a Blue C with a trooper. They are coming up the coast of Greenland, two spaces from NorthPole Base. There is not enough time to put an ice hex, as you need three to block the lower Greenland approach to the base. All ships lost except Blue with its trooper. Builds 2 C off North Pole base.
Blue lands a trooper on the island worth 2 VP off just below North Pole Base, and, two more C from Blue 12 VP base arrive there also. Builds a jet and a C on its Blue Base.
Black sends a C towards North Pole Base, while sending back two C, to hunker down at Black 8 VP Base. Flies Rattler from North Pole Base to Red 8 VP Base. Builds C and Trooper.
White move a C and trooper to 1VP island below its White Base of 12 VP. While moving a C from Apogee Base towards North Pole Base. Builds a C off White and Apogee Bases.
Round 4…
Round Four:
Red attacks the 2 VP base below the North Pole Base, with two C and a Rattler. Using Cobra Commander’s special ability, all that is left is Blue C and a trooper on the 2 VP island base. Builds a Cruiser.
Blue attacks Polar Base with a C and Trooper, defended by Red C and land base trooper. Blue fleet is lost, moves from Blue 12 VP a C and Jet to Blue 2 VP Base. Builds a trooper and 2 C on Blue Base.
Black C joins Red C at NP Base. Two C midpoint to NP Base and Black home base. Also C and a landed Trooper to 1 VP island just below Black 8 VP base. Builds a C, previously had “iced”, the sea left of NP Base.
White land a Trooper to upper left of North Pole Base, and, joined there by three more White C. Another two C joins Blue C and Jet on 2VP island Base just below NP Base. Builds 3 C, two at 2 White Base and another at Apogee Base.
Round 5: Red hunkers down, builds a Rattler for N.P.Base.
Blue sends two C and trooper to 2 VP island base. Also had sent a Jet and C to attack Red & Black C off NP Base. For lost of the Jet, both enemy C destroyed. Builds Jet and C.
Black needs to break siege of NP Base, 2 C attack Blue C just below the base. Each side loses a C. Now a C with trooper occupied a 1 VP island upper left of Black Base. Another C heads for NP Base. Buys 2 C off NP Base.
White leaves NP region and heads for Black Base with 3 C and Trooper, and, joined by 2 more C from White Base. Jet flies to NP region, a C from Apogee Base heads towards NP Base. Builds a C for White and Apogee bases.
