How many turns on average does a game take?

That would be nice, but hes my tourney partner  :-)

We do have a lot of people to play against but unfortunately they’re all good.

Do I paint over the plastic pieces that come with the game?

You can but the small, soft plastic miniatures aren’t ideal for taking paint.  The ones like the boats with flat surfaces should do fine.  You can prime them first, but its hard to do detail at this scale unless you’re really good.  Another consideration is that you will have to mass produce quite a few minis in order to have full sets for most of your games, otherwise you’ll end  up mixing painted and unpainted stuff which is kind of confusing to the eye.

-What if I mess up? Do I just wash the paint off and start over?

Not after things dry.  You can use the technique of wiping wet paint (I use cotton gun cleaning rag) away from unintended areas, this works like an eraser.  If you recoat/re-dip a small mini like these all your detail will be lost in layers of paint.

-What is the purpose of buying the expansion miniatures?

for fun.  FMG sells a lot of cool sculpts but they are not universally used in AXA, primarily in other similar games (eg Global
War)

-Are expansion miniatures already painted?

No, unless you buy them that way eg Axis and Allies Miniatures Game

-Can expansion miniatures be used to play my 1942 2nd ed?

Yes, but they are only variant sculpts (eg different halftracks, different tank models) or house rules.

Game questions:

-Is it difficult to learn?

Yes, though not for a wargame.  Rules are fairly simple though subject to much interpretation if not read carefully.  Should take 3-5 games to get good then 3-5 years to get awesome.

-How long does a came last on average?

42.2; About 4 hours to surrender, a bit longer until victory conditions.  G40/G42 take more like 10 hours-14 hours.  WW1 5-7 hours.

-How does A&A compare to say, the hexagonal war games of the 70s and 80s?

It is much less complex than a chit game.  Logistics and “rock-paper-scissors” unit balance aren’t in AxA.  Combat and movement are dramatically simplified.    Where chit games (aka Avalon Hill) games are a detailed, complex and abstract slog, axis and allies is a lighter, more “army men” sort of game with the depth coming from repeat play and learning from mistakes.  The quality of the pieces and the layout of the map are a huge draw in comparison to large paper maps, hundreds of similar, boring pieces and rules that are incomprehensible outside the context of each game.    Games like Memoir 44 and AxA try to capture strategy, tactics in a more playable and engaging format than a realistic, unit by unit, “order of battle” style game, but try to be much more in depth than games like Risk where there are no unit types and every team is essentially the same.

@Argothair:

– this strategy is my proposal for how to go a little faster than normal.

Gotcha.  In that case, I was running the numbers and you could in theory make an attack on Rd 3 with a slight twist.
First a couple things would be helpful for a round 3 move:

1)  I think Russia needs to take out Ukr and eliminate 1 G ftr.  This may not be the best attack for Russia, but it eliminates 3 attack points for Ger.
2a)  Moderate risk - Germany buys some replacement air power. 
Heavy Risk - Germany buys an AC and DD for the Baltic.
Either of these can jeopardize the UK’s ability to place or move to Sz 8.  You can live with Germany buying a replacement ftr but it’ll start to get dicey if their attack points get up to 25 or 26.  Bonus points if your UK dd downs the Ger bom in the Med or the Ger BB heads toward Egy/Trj on G1.
2b)  Any threat of a unified German fleet in Sz 8 on G2 or G3 can really muck things up.

So…  Assuming G isn’t going navy or heavy air (2+ planes) on G1 and you have an opening…

UK 1 - Buy 3 inf for Ind and save the rest (22 ipc).  You could save all of it, but 53 ipc should be enough for UK 2.  Bonus points if your trn and dd will be safe in Sz 10 on G2, seems unlikely though since there will probably be at least 1 G sub in Eus Sz.  Otherwise you can move to Sz 11 with 1 inf, 1 arm in Ecan.  Move Ind or Egy ftr to Wrus (or US Asian ftr on US 1)
US 1 - Buy 1 dd (protection against a surviving G sub), 4 trns, 2 inf.  Alaskan/Wus troops to Wcan.  All other troops to Ecan

UK 2 - (with 53 IPC)  Buy 3 ac, 1 dd, 1 inf (Ind)
Place in sz 8 with 3 ftrs (2 uk, 1 wrus), move dd, trn back to Sz 10
US 2 - (with 40 ipc)  Buy 3 trns, 5 inf, 1 rt
DD, Cru, 4 trns to sz 10, 8 units to Ecan

End Rd 2

Sz 8 - 3 ac, 6 ftrs (3 uk, 3 us), 1 dd

UK Rd 3 - Buy 1 dd (if additional fodder needed) other wise 3 trns and ground troops.
UK could attack Nwe via Canadian troops

US 3 - (38 ipc)  buy 3 trns + ground troops

US 3 potential attack on Fra:
8 ground units, 3 ftrs, 1 bom, 1 cru shot (plus possible Asian ftr)

Not a bad attack.  Sound be ~12 units, ~29 hit points.

US Non Coms - 6 units to Ecan, 3 trns to Sz 10.  US BB, trn, dd form Pac should be around too.

Placement - 3 trns in Sz 11 troops on Eus.

By Rd 4 UK is ready to join in and US can follow up with at least 6 units on US 4, then another 6 on US 5, etc.  Same with UK.

Similarly I’m looking for 1940 Global map to print.  Anybody?

Hi again. Bombers can do Strategic Bombing against a Factory and damage them. This makes placing units harder or more expensive.
Battleships and Cruisers can aid in an amphibious assault; that is called a Bombardment.

sz15 can be attacked with 2 fig 1 bom, vs 1 bb 1 cru 2 tran the odds are

61% all G units dead
15% only 2 trans left
17% BB + 2 trans left
7%  all G units survive

This is asuming that the UK destroyer at sz17 was killed with G air on G1.

Either Germany needs to buy more navy to protect the BB, or it must either attack Egypt G1 or take Gibraltar on G1.
Otherwise it will be possible for the UK to launch a solid attack.

@MistuhJay:

@UrJohn:

It depends on your strategy.

–CV, AP & 3 INF

why would you need a third CV when you start with two already?

I don’t think you’d need a 3rd CV on J1. By the time its J1, you may be down to 1 CV. If the UK attacks your SZ 37 fleet and wins soundly, then Japan starts off on the defensive. You may want a 2nd CV.

If you don’t buy any navy/air force on J1, then the US can take the initiative in the Pacific. You will be hard pressed to do everything the IJN needs to do: protect Philippines, Borneo, East Indies, Japan, Kwangtung and Manchuria; chase off or destroy the USN; crush India; and pick up Australia, New Zealand and/or Africa.

The latest “preview” is up. Special tanks to Variable for writing this great review/overview:

http://www.axisandallies.org/p/axis-allies-1942-second-edition-game-review/