Cool 3d printer for making axis and allies pieces….one at a time...for $1,500!

Well “back in my day”, growing up as a teen/young-adult in the 1980s, we didn’t have much in the way of computer games.  Back then every game was a board game of some type for the most part, and while I did play extensively the more “grognard” hard-core board wargames like just about everything from Avalon Hill and SPI, and Axis and Allies was just another game I got into in my youth which was simpler to play with my friends.  There was always something “beer and pretzels” about Axis and Allies back in the 1980s that to this day still attracts me to the game.  I’ve recollected (is that a word) and customized my current 2nd-Edition version of the game, and spent quite a bit on extra units, printed game-boards and the like… all with few people to play against, but it’s part game, part collectible, and its fun either way.

Anyone who watched both Battle of Britain and Dunkirk understands which of the two is a better war movie

@empireman:

I saw somewhere that the Ark of the covennant is in ethopia.

Ethiopian Lies.

@axis_roll:

OK, can we take this premise is a slightly different direction?

what makes a great A&A player?
[Not sure if these are in order of importance of not, we can argue that after we create a list]
Also assuming a 1-on-1 game.  Team dynamics are a whole other discussion.

1).   Experience

Knows the game and the ‘better’ strategies and more important territories as well some of the nuances of the game (like sub / DD interaction / vulnerabilities as well as how to coordinate moves with your allies countries)

2).  Vision / Ability to see 2-3 rounds down the road in a game.

If you can not see what your opponent is trying to do to you or have a strategy for your side (at least a general one), it’s hard to win.  Knowing HOW to win is not hard (your objectives), you can gleen that from the rules, knowing HOW to achieve those are much more vital

3).  Understanding / mitigating the risks

Take good odds battles, unless you are falling behind, you might starting increasing your risks in order to increase your chances of winning.

4).  Determining who is winning / losing (very tightly related to 3)

If you think you are winning when you are in fact losing, your moves may be counter productive.  An example helps to explain my point.  If I think I am winning, I may have no sense of urgency to force my opponent to counter my move(s), or properly increase my risk exposure.

5).  Being able to realize AND take advantage of an opportunity

Many times in games, a battle may go awry for/against you (dice will do that!).  Sometimes it can be so bad that no level of contingency plan you have created can save you EXCEPT for your opponents failure to realize and exploit this weakness.  Good players recognize these situations.

6).  Realizing any unit is disposable to meet your objective(s)

Often times, a player is hung up on the COST of some units that are risked/lost.  “Oh, I took france but it cost me 3 bombers to do it!”
Well that just might be the best move for the situation, ESPECIALLY if you can afford it or needed that battle to get back into the game (see #3 about mitigating the risks)

Please feel free to add to my quick list.  I am sure there are many more.

Very solid list.

I had some fun with that PC game.  Not great, but fun enough.

awesome scale models. that guy does good work

@No?isdum:

Could someone explain how a universe that wants to go from order to disorder(2nd Law of Thermo?) can have evolution (theory) as a key element (no pun intended.) Or is mixing law from one science with theory from another science impermissible?

We had that in other threads.
The point is semi-understanding of thermodynamics.

2nd law of thermocdynamics: more correctly:
In a closed system processes that reduce entropy are not happening.

The earth as a system is not closed: we get energy from the sun!

just short, but that covers the point

ok, thanks