For A&A.org’s villain, you’re pretty friendly to play against… I appreciate the banter! It’s a big part of what makes the game fun.
I’m ok with no LL rules - I need to get used to it if I’m going to play people online. Infrastructure and I play with a simple LL variant that we created - the first 6 pips in a battle count as a hit, as long as 7 pips are present. You count from the lowest to the highest… example:
Attacker 6 infantry and a fighter = a hit plus a roll at 3. Defender 2 infantry and an armor = a hit plus a roll at 1. The nice part is, as the battles get bigger, you roll more dice. And, with very small battles, you still have to sweat it out… a sub vs a destroyer is still just a sub vs a destroyer.
With 24 infantry, 4 artillery, 6 armor etc. only the first 6 attacking infantry count as an auto hit on offense, for example, so you still have plenty of dice rolling.
It tends to make games last a little longer, and be more strategy based… but luck certainly rears it’s head, and you deal with it. The thing I hate is the vast swings in luck, as it is a narrow indication of ability in either direction. I’m not better than someone else because I was able to knock two planes out of the sky with three rolls of an AA… though maybe placing the AA in the territory in the first place gave me the chance for luck… :)
I do recognize that many times, people create their own opportunity to get good dice, like your decision to scramble. That’s where dice meets choice to create an advantage.
Also, I do like the idea of a choice for dice or LL… but it’s for another time and place.
That’s my soliloquy for the day.
I see that my German turn allowed an aggressive first purchase for Russia… a villain after my own heart! Personally I like aggressive play when playing either side.
As far as rethinking my position, I have many playtests to go! What I’ve found is that as Germany, you really have to sweat the first round, and in A2 that wasn’t the case as much. It really stems from the French AA gun. I don’t mind it from a historical perspective, I just wish 1 infantry had been removed to account for the new casualty and the new probability of hitting a plane. I don’t think Germany needed harder decisions up front.
And you’re right, it ain’t over! I have one hand tied behind my back, but I’ll claw and scrape my way out, if I can.
Japan purchases a Minor IC and 2 Transports.
Combat
Swim into Siberia, walk into Chahar and Anhwe.
Hunan
a
Rolls: 2@1, 2@2, 3@3, 2@4; Total Hits: 32@1,: (2, 4)2@2,: (6, 6)3@3,: (2, 5, 4)2@4: (2, 4)
dRolls: 2@2; Total Hits: 02@2: (6, 6)
Yunnan
aRolls: 2@1, 2@2, 1@3, 3@4; Total Hits: 52@1,: (1, 2)2@2,: (2, 6)1@3,: (2)3@4: (1, 6, 4)
dRolls: 4@2; Total Hits: 24@2: (3, 2, 6, 2)
StalingradskiGargantuaT1JAPcom.AAM
