Preview: Game Setup

As the Axis, I beat the Allies, played by the hard AI.

The Allies had a 27 IPC bid (9 IPCs per power).

@superbattleshipyamato123 Try reading the FAQ for more about how to properly play '41. There’s more to it than infantry in China and more money for the US.

-Midnight_Reaper

@Nowhere-Man said in Game Balance & Capturing Capitols:

@Midnight_Reaper:

Lack of cash hurts both ways, though - it takes a while to build a navy at 12 IPCs, whether it’s the UK or Germany rebuilding their fleet from the first turn battles.

Lack of cash hurts both ways, but what I was getting at, building a fleet from nothing (for Germany) is very expensive and easy to spot coming, while defending England from a Sea Lion doesn’t require a fleet, it only requires far cheaper ground units (a bunch of English soldiers is a lot cheaper than trying to build a big German fleet)… it’s far easier for England to build infantry than for Germany to build a fleet with capital ships transports AND the ground troops to fill the transports, when all England has to do is build ground troops to defend against Sea Lion… yes, Britain will need to rebuild their fleet at some point from initial losses, but if Germany is trying to go Sea Lion before Moscow in 1941 (which was the initial question I believe), the money situation far favors the UK over Germany… unless the UK player is just daft and doesn’t defend England while Germany builds a fleet. As zooma pointed out, the more realistic method for the Axis to win would be to eliminate Russia first, then, using the funds from a dead Russia, build a fleet to attack the western allies.

I’ve played this game a few more times and I’ve come to the conclusion that - contrary to what I expected - the Axis player’s best bet to win the short game is to invade North America, starting in Alaska, and march to Washington. Japan needs to grab some cash and some factories, either from Asia (India and Siberia) and / or the Pacific (Australia, et al) and then start up the invasion fleet. If the US has focused on Germany for the first part of the game, they may have their hands full beating back “Dai Nippon Teikoku”…

-Midnight_Reaper

the allies cannot win with russia so heavily crushed. The gain in IPC’s for both the axis countries should ensure victory. As germany, take the rest of russia in order to close that theater, even if you lose another West europe germany. After closing that front, focus entirely on GB and take back Europe. You should be able to do this with the gain of IPC’s. Build your navy and keep using the economy to your advantage. Obviously you have more IPC’s than britain, which means you should be able to slowly overrun them. As japan, a navy would serve well to repulse the Americans. BUT make sure you don’t lose japan. So before you build a navy, make sure you have adequate defense on your mainland, and make sure the americans can’t land in Asia (screw Australia, you can take that back, not important) Once you are secure from landings. Use your IPC’s you took from Russia and the Middle east to build a navy that can cleanse your waters. With Both axis focusing on a Navy, you will be able to take the war to their doorstep by giving yourself an offensive fleet that can land troops onto the American continents while forcing the allies to play defensively

link for voting, do it TODAY.

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=32108.0

@HolKann:

But a good board game designer makes its games “easy to learn, hard to master”. It’s a cliché, but it’s true. Unfortunately, Larry Harris does not always adhere to this principle.

Yeah that guy sucks at making games. I never buy any of them.

…wait did you say Larry Harris?

@Frontovik:

@DarthShizNit:

@djensen:

All three games I played, there was trouble with the US going into the Pacific by the whomever was playing US just gave up and went to Europe.

If Japan goes all in on the Hawaii sea zone, the boats on the coast of W. USA are hosed the next turn. Even with an an aircraft carrier and fighter, they can’t win. Not only that, the US fleet can’t even run away! What the US does depends on how Japan plays and Japan can decide to keep the US out of the Pacific for 2 turns which in an eternity in this game.

Yeah, they could go blockade the states, but from where I’m sitting, as long as the US player plays it right then it’s the death of Japan. On US1, with a Japanese fleet of pressumably 1 BB, 1 CV with at least 1 fighter left and a transport in Hawaii (I think moving the british sub up to Hawaii on their turn is a good idea, maybe get a pot shot off and sink the BB or something with their ability, which even further reduces this fleet) you can hit that with 3 fighters, a bomber and a sub (if you really want you could try to retake the island and thus stop japan from bringing in that bomber on J2, but that seems to risky). Even if you fail to win, that attack has probably crippled the Fleet there, and when Japan comes a knocking with the rest of their fleet…so what? They take some more casualites and the entire pacific is wide open to a British navy with the ability to plop down a constant stream of units in two seperate locations close to home, and America will eventually sink that fleet sitting in San franciso Harbor.

Japan has to rely on some super lucky die rolls in those high stake naval battles, and maybe taking India or Australia early. But most likely, like their Russian enemy, they are in fact just screwed, ment to balance out the Russians being screwed…and I will have a blast leading every Banzai charge :). Man, I really need to get my hands on this game.

who would send entire ��� fleet to hawaii? it can get trashed there… i think 2 figs and bomber are better option. then you can use transport to save whatver you can from mainland (southeast asia, china, manchuria, whatever got attacked or needs attacking).

Oh yes I agree. The Japan player would be much better of simply stalling the allies with fighters in the Pacific, and using it’s naval edge to take out India and Australia as soon as possible. Being me I will of course invade Alaska, but that’s only just for fun.

Gentlemen,

I have a 1-700 Royal Navy Ark Royal,  The new AA resembles it fairly close.  The main thing I see for it to truly rep the Ark Royal is it should be a little bit taller.  It looks fairly flat to me.  As for it looking like an Essex or any other USN Aircraft carrier not even a faint resembelance to the Essex class carriers.  It would need a bigger island and more catwalks and 5 inch DPs on the flight deck and be a bit longer.

WARRIOR888