Learn to play online.
I like having a timer idea. It creates a bit of excitement in determining your purchases and movements as you are “on the clock”.
I also think most of the first 1-2 rounds are or at least should be pretty much pre-determined. It helps if in the early going people play the same nation a few times in a row so that you can minimize the learning curve of implementing that nation’s strategy.
1. Germany
2. Soviet Union
3. Japan
4. US/China/UK
5. Anzac/Italy
6. France
That shortens the turn order a bit and really doesn’t conflict too much. Just try to be sure someone isn’t controlling China/US/UK all at the same time. Better to have 2-3 people managing those 3 countries than just 1.
The biggest key I can give you is to eliminate table talk during the round. No talking except between each round. Give a 10 minute window between rounds for bathroom, refreshments, smokes, and strategy. Each side leaves the board for 5 minutes so the other can talk shop over the board.
It also helps to have a pen and paper and write down your moves and whats coming from where beforehand. The greatest plans never turn out exactly right, but at worst you have a record of what you missed, what worked and notes around what happened. At best you have a speedy plan to move through the game. In example, its really frustrating waiting for Italy to decide what to do with its fleet on Round 1, so the strategy should be pre-planned with contingencies for what the UK decides to do instead of spending 15 minutes debating, 10 minutes deciding and less than 5 minutes moving / rolling dice.
try guadalcanal! it’s the best one yet
Thanks for your replies, although i’ve tried most of the suggestions you have made except maybe changing the turn order. I wasnt sure if any balance issues would result from changing the turn order.
I’m currently in the process of finding more people to play with but as someone mentioned, soap and water + random boardgaming enthusiasts are had to come by. Sure I can hit up my local games workshop and ask there, but i’m repelled by hygene issues.
I was more thinking along the lines of a variant that ends the game after a predetermined number of turns and counts up victory points somehow. Has anyone played to a certain number of victory cities? Perhaps reducing this number will help. But with a beast a large as this i’m worried changing rules will affect balance.
I play AAG40 to some success. I think you need to impose a time limit and be sure there are no distractions. I like the Germany/Japan at the same time deal, but when you have 2 players it obviously wouldn’t work.
At lrast you know what to get them for Christmas, good luck on finding a good group
My sons and I will play a round or two an evening. Sometimes it take almost a month to complete a game, but we don’t get burned out on it that way. It helps having a room I can leave the game up in too. We have been connecting up w/ others through these forums and playing 12-14 hours games! That works too!
What I do over summer when I play with my dad is we roll for the opponent and take turns at our leisure.
TRIPLE A !!!
if you want quicker games TRIPLE A !!!
you can play axis and allies on triple a. the dice rolling is in the program, you move the pieces by click and drag, it has a history, no typing, built in calculator. etc etc etc. great program. you get much faster games.
played a 10 round AA50 game in 3 hours. :D
My sons and I will play a round or two an evening. Sometimes it take almost a month to complete a game, but we don’t get burned out on it that way. It helps having a room I can leave the game up in too. We have been connecting up w/ others through these forums and playing 12-14 hours games! That works too!
This is a good idea. I could leave it set up for a while and play by forum.
How would I go about doing that? Could anyone direct me to the correct area?
Cheers.
