Balancing Cruiser (CL) and Battleship (BB) units with other A&A units

I tried a SS5-DD6-TP8-CA9-CV12-BB15 increment cost for warships.
It allows more units at sea.

My planes were cheaper too (and different in combat values) Fg6 TcB8 StB10

Inf, Art and AAA were added too.
Here is the link with a word document to the modified set-up and units.
I Hope these players aids could help.

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=36833.msg1469053#msg1469053

Well I’ve well expanded out of the A&A universe though it is still a first love. There is a HUGE world of games that we especially as US gamers have overlooked outside of A&A. WWII has a plethora of games out there if you’re willing to explore.

However, in the UK market especially, there are many, many, many games covering even the smallest and largest battles of history varying on complexity.

I would encourage anyone to take a dip in this pool. I actually got my wife to not only play but ask for more of Memoir '44. Sure it’s not A&A but it’s WWII and some day A&A may be “go to” game.

So, while A&A is a favorite, a smaller, weirder, not necessarily A&A game can be the gateway to WWII without “overwhelming” potential a “war game junkie” with the likes of G40 or even AA41.

It seems backwards but more “complicated” games with a smaller scope can really convert people to the thought “well this is really fun, what else have you got?”.

This seems like a very interesting system, I’m definitely going to explore this concept with my buddy next time we get a chance. I remember I once tried to play Classic with my friend Oddie using a full fog of war secret move concept. Basically we tried simultaneous phases (ie. all nations purchase at once, then all nations move at once etc.) Roughly modeled things on Risk II’s system (the old cd game by Microprose of the classic RISK boardgame) for “Same Time” Risk.

We used a screen for each player (similar to the old Dungeon Masters screen, a tri-fold that stands upright.) Purchase was planned, written down, and then hidden behind the screen, not revealed until placement. Movement was written down on an index card and kept secret until both players had recorded all their moves. Same thing for Non combat. It was very important in this case to enforce strict separation of game phases, and to write down everything, which was rather involved.

For combat we always rolled the “border clashes” first, so if both players tried to move across the same border (territory to territory) then that combat was always rolled first and both sides as if their units were “attackers.” After border clashes was the normal combat phase for all players, at the same time, with standard attack and defense. Going basically from the left of the board to the right in order.

It was not a terribly successful approach on game balance, since the game is balanced for tbs, but it was fun for a trial. The main issue we had was trying to find a way to take a TBS game, and make it into a “Same Time” game, this necessitates a completely collapsed turn order and more money HRs to work. And after my buddy moved, I just never had anyone around who was motivated enough to try and figure this stuff out.

Trying to do a Same Time Classic game was also the first one where I ever tried to include variable income bonus rolls, and set bonuses to starting cash. Since the turn order advantage was nonexistent, it was necessary to introduce more money for the game to work on a practical level. Basically finding that if you double the starting cash values for each player, and then randomize bonuses thereafter to about double normal income per round, it gave nations enough money to each to basically counterbalance the effect of trying to do all phases at the same time for each nation. (Since everyone is throwing units everywhere, and since the destroyed TUV in round 1 could then be replaced, later in the game, instead of being lost irreparably in the first round.) It was fun, but required a lot of rethinking, in terms of the basics of how the game operates. The "Same Time idea always seemed a better solution for me than a collapsed TBS order that has all Allies going at once, and then all Axis. Same time had it so that all the purchases, moves, combats and placements occurred at the same time for all Nations.

The ideas CWOMarc is suggesting seem like they might offer something similar in the way of secrecy, but without requiring the full “Same Time” dynamic, where everyone does the same phase at once. I’m intrigued to try it out.

As for the cards, I tried my Income bonus rules again last monday, and again I am convinced that Global can support this fairly well. I have yet to introduce the rest of the gamephases into the card game, but feel confident that given the right set up, Axis and Allies can support a random draw mechanic. Just need to keep drafting and testing until I get the right mix

I have something new in mind. A game with OOB.1-tt-movement. A Major power is only allowed to attack once in a turn.

First Three powers have mandatory attacks: Austria -> Serbia. Russia -> GE. GE-> Belgium.

A power collapses if 3 of its Home-tts were captured by the enemy. (Russia 4 tts) (or if the capital is lost) Game is over if two CPs or three Allies are finished.

OE, Italy and other minor powers enter war as they did historical. It is not allowed to attack them before their entry.

Neutrals are impassable.

Capturing tts doesnt pimp your income. Minor powers if not captured generate their own units (they can spend their own IPCs every turn they survive)

Not sure about the initial Setup-armys:

Maybe:

Belgium 6/2
Portugal 1 (it will after entering war consequently produce one Inf per turn surely without getting captured)
Bulgaria 8/2
Romainia 7/2
Serbia 6/2
Montenegro 3/1
Arabia 2
Greece 3/1

India can build max. 16 IPcs per turn.

Rest you can see on the map.

USW means a 12-sided dice if one Sub manages to be in a zone when US/GB collect income.

US-initial Setup has 6 more Inf.

6 more Infs for Russia.
Austria gives 3 Infs and 2 Art to GE.

GB gets one more transport in India.

1914NEWDEAL.png

oooo I like the options the germans get with swapping the bat for an acc.

That’s got to come in handy!

Haven’t done the research on this, but I’m just throwing it out there.

What if the Axis powers together needed a total of 12 VC, instead of 8 in Europe, or 6 in Pacific? Also, Allies only need to capture 2 Capitals to win.

Thoughts?

@adam.hall:

@skinny1:

I found a pack of these at a Dollar General store. They were on sale for 25% off so with tax the pack of 4 cost $.80. Thanks for the tip. I can’t wait to paint these and add them to my games.

Good to hear you tracked some down; are they exactly the same? Paint 'em up and post some photos.  :-)

Yeah, they are the same. Package was a little different but the pieces are the same.

@SSG:

Uhhh….Switch, was that last ‘chits’ a typo or a Freudian slip? :-D

Um, BOTH.  Because keeping up with this little laminated squares is a pain :-)