Vietnam ? No, I dont think a baby killer game will sell.
Ummm… please… as an American Vet, please don’t go there… unless you were there, I don’t think you should be sticking labels on things.
For the record, babies die in every war, including WWII.
I am a vet too, so I know. Politics are banned on this forum, so we are now in a minefield. What I think, is that WWII was a clean fight, it was pure evil against good men, and the conflict had a winner. Most of the modern conflict cant be won, there are losers on all sides. We lost in Vietnam, even after committing war crimes like the use of chemical weapons against civillian villages. And every family in US have a relative with PTSD. Even the designer of A&A, mr Harris, is a vet from the 82 airborne. So I figure there are no way in … a frozen place… that WOTC are going to make a Vietnam game. Too much bad feelings. And of course, no offense. This is just IMHO, man.
Now, what I belive will happen, is that, since Larry actually lived several years in France, and love France, and based on the fact that he made the Guadelcanal game just to honor his fathers service there, that his next game will either be the battle of France in 1940, not very likely since US need to be involved if he wants to sell this game, so my bet is a new D day game, or maybe a Normandy operational level game, or a Global 3 edition game. My 2 cent.
@Private:
Actually I do think there is a market for other than ww2. Perhaps more so outside the US given their shorter history. I would certainly be interested in a Napoleonic or Punic Wars version.
As far as I am aware of, the world of board games are split in American games and European games. Amtrash, as we call it here, are based on very simple game mechanics, like KISS, keep it simple stupid, and good looking plastic miniatures. A&A is targeting the American audience. Here in Europe we got what you call Eurotrash, boring games with complicated rules and wooden game pieces. The ancient world is a theme in a lot of our games. Based on this knowledge, and again no offense and IMHO, I can tell you for sure that the next A&A game will be about WWII. There are no way, in a hot place ?, that we will ever buy A&A Punic wars 440 BC. Period.
Maybe this is common knowledge here, but I hadn’t seen anyone mention it: Larry’s next game is apparently called “War Room”. People who attended an event last year at the Army War College apparently got a look at it:
The next Strategic Wargame Event is “Grand Strategy Formulation in WWI/WWII” using a commercial boardgame series, “Axis and Allies,” moderated by Mr. Larry Harris, on Wednesday, 25 May from 1400-2100 at the Army Heritage and Education Center (AHEC). This event will feature all of the major games in the Axis and Allies series and is open to the public. Mr. Harris will also debut “War Room,†a new game design currently in playtesting, during this event.
http://www.usamhi.army.mil/banner/article.cfm?id=54299
There are a few comments on the associated meetup page, but nothing that tells us how the game looked or played.
http://www.meetup.com/en-AU/CentralPAGameClub/events/231096495/
That was all that some medium-effort googling came up with. Would love to hear more from anyone that was there last May.
I believe that a battle of France game has been already created by someone(i forget his name). A global 3rd edition is the best bet. Make those with Plastic Factories, printed on bases with damage counters. Add on blow up boxes. Add neutral plastic Infantry. Maybe even new French Units with their own sculpts. They could go nuts, maybe 4 piece board that doesn’t fold like Anniversary. Who knows.
A&A punic wars, 440 BC? That would totally hook us A&A players(just kidding).
Guys! Larry Harris finally announced the next chapter in the Axis and Allies universe! Here’s a clip:
Switzerland is often thought of as being a country that remains neutral and does not get involved in armed conflicts. In 1847 Switzerland found itself in a war with an unusual enemy: itself. Civil war broke out in November 1847 when several Catholic cantons (administrative divisions) formed the Sonderbund and broke off from the rest of the largely Protestant cantons to prevent the formation of a centralized government.
The fighting between the Swiss government and the rebelling cantons lasted only twenty-six days and ended with the surrender of the rebels. Throughout the month of fighting, only eighty-nine were killed. Several months later a new constitution was enacted, ending the independence of the cantons and transitioning Switzerland into a federal state. Now, take charge as either the Swiss government or the rebelling cantons, with over 400 detailed unit sculpts covering infantry, cavalry, cannons, fortresses, churches and dairy farms… the fate of Switzerland is in your hands!
Axis and Allies: Sonderbund War will be available in local and online retailers on the 8th of June… pre-order your copy now!
https://www.harrisgamedesign.com/AxisandAlliesSonderbundWar.html
Guys! Larry Harris finally announced the next chapter in the Axis and Allies universe! Here’s a clip:
Switzerland is often thought of as being a country that remains neutral and does not get involved in armed conflicts. In 1847 Switzerland found itself in a war with an unusual enemy: itself. Civil war broke out in November 1847 when several Catholic cantons (administrative divisions) formed the Sonderbund and broke off from the rest of the largely Protestant cantons to prevent the formation of a centralized government.
The fighting between the Swiss government and the rebelling cantons lasted only twenty-six days and ended with the surrender of the rebels. Throughout the month of fighting, only eighty-nine were killed. Several months later a new constitution was enacted, ending the independence of the cantons and transitioning Switzerland into a federal state. Now, take charge as either the Swiss government or the rebelling cantons, with over 400 detailed unit sculpts covering infantry, cavalry, cannons, fortresses, churches and dairy farms… the fate of Switzerland is in your hands!
Axis and Allies: Sonderbund War will be available in local and online retailers on the 8th of June… pre-order your copy now!
https://www.harrisgamedesign.com/AxisandAlliesSonderbundWar.html
VERY FUNNY. You could have had me fooled. The URL takes the cake.
“using a commercial boardgame series”
These games and wargaming are popular in the military, they have been used to TEACH strategy. We have a player here that works at the Army Staff College, Leavenworth KS, and they use the games as demonstrative tools with takeaway real life lessons.
If you read it more carefully, I don’t think a new game is being played or made, just being used as a demo to get people in the army university system more excited about war gaming as a teaching/learning tool, and its fun.
Other genres won’t ring like WW2. The lack of mobility warfare and combined arms makes any realistic game from before that era a “set piece” game, for the most part. This is battle lines drawn, campaign/theatre based action…not maneuver and fight as we are used to in our “simple” wargame.
After WW2, nukes aren’t fun. They make for a rather boring game, though it exists (Supremacy) and has many editions, but not all that many current followers, I suppose. Ships and armies are just wooden blocks…they don’t have a ton of character.
For those who are looking for a grand strategy WW2 game that is more complex and comprehensive than AXA, look to GLOBAL WAR, an non-traditionally published game by Historical Board Gaming. Note that you must already have a piece-set (such as the one from Global 40 x 2), plus more custom or bespoke pieces to cover any variants or upgraded rules sets you may want.
And to my good friend YGs point, I don’t see a 40.3. This game is well worn, well tested, fairly balanced (except in expert play), and can be played many, many times before you get bored (or die). The community was a little miffed that a 2nd edition came out and made their $200 purchase semi-obsolete, and I think LH heard that loud and clear.
The theatre games (dday, Guadalcanal, bob) are cool looking and felt fresh, though they are out of print. Unf, the attempts to make them very different from the “mainline” games also means that they are sort of unfamiliar in their execution to most people used to the bigger scale games.
The theatre games (dday, Guadalcanal, bob) are cool looking and felt fresh, though they are out of print.  Unf, the attempts to make them very different from the “mainline” games also means that they are sort of unfamiliar in their execution to most people used to the bigger scale games.
Yes, they messed up on the tactical games, inventing new battle mechanics that nobody understand, and D day was even scripted, you had to land on the designated spots, and the dice decided how many units you could mobilize each turn. Not good.
What they should do if they release a new D day or battle of Normandy game, is to keep the classic A&A system. Each player collect an IPC income every turn and spend it on any kind of units at his own decision. And the units keep the classic cost, like infantry cost 3 IPC, artillery cost 4, tanks cost 6, fighters cost 10 etc. And keep the A&A combat values too, inf attack at 1 and defend at 2, tanks attack at 3 and defend at 3 or less, just like we are used to. Infantry move 1, tanks move 2 etc. Dont fix rules that are not broken. BotB really suuked.
I figure Germany goes first, as always. They purchase new units, and place them. Blockhouse is the obvious new unit, defend on 3 or less, and roll preemptive against the invaders, in the same way AA guns roll preemptive against aircrafts. Basic system. Then US goes, and on this new map there are no printed landing zones. The US player have to figure out where he wants to make his amphibious assault, and where to drop his paratroopers. If US drops his paratroops in the city of Paris, remember this game is supposed to have a larger map, then the paratroopers die, like they would in the real war, but that is the players choice, not because of scripted rules.
I figure this new D day game should have a SBR phase before general combat, just like in Global 40, where Stratecical Bombers can bomb facilities, like airfields, ports, the factories where new units are mobilized, and maybe even carpet bomb stacks of land units too, even if that would be something new. Fighters and Tacs should work the same ways as in Global 40, the way we are used to, and not in a strange strafing way with its own sequence that nobody really understand and only rarely happened during the real war.
So, what I say is, make a D day game and use the OOB Rulebook from Global 40. All A&A games should be streamlined.
@Hunter:
Guys! Larry Harris finally announced the next chapter in the Axis and Allies universe! Here’s a clip:
Switzerland is often thought of as being a country that remains neutral and does not get involved in armed conflicts. In 1847 Switzerland found itself in a war with an unusual enemy: itself. Civil war broke out in November 1847 when several Catholic cantons (administrative divisions) formed the Sonderbund and broke off from the rest of the largely Protestant cantons to prevent the formation of a centralized government.
The fighting between the Swiss government and the rebelling cantons lasted only twenty-six days and ended with the surrender of the rebels. Throughout the month of fighting, only eighty-nine were killed. Several months later a new constitution was enacted, ending the independence of the cantons and transitioning Switzerland into a federal state. Now, take charge as either the Swiss government or the rebelling cantons, with over 400 detailed unit sculpts covering infantry, cavalry, cannons, fortresses, churches and dairy farms… the fate of Switzerland is in your hands!
Axis and Allies: Sonderbund War will be available in local and online retailers on the 8th of June… pre-order your copy now!
https://www.harrisgamedesign.com/AxisandAlliesSonderbundWar.html
VERY FUNNY. You could have had me fooled. The URL takes the cake.
No, that was not funny. It was unnecessary and uncalled for. We have A&A lovers in this forum with heart issues, and we dont need to wake up to this kind of BS. Its not even april 1, this happened in a casual and random day, just out of the blue. Elected President Trump complains about all the fake news this days, and now it happened here too, in our own A&A message forum, a fake new right in our face. This was so unnecessary. OMG.
After WW2, nukes aren’t fun. They make for a rather boring game, though it exists (Supremacy) and has many editions, but not all that many current followers, I suppose. Ships and armies are just wooden blocks…they don’t have a ton of character.
Supremacy has been reimplemented as Supremacy 2020 - they’ve seriously ramped up the pace and it’s not boring at all.
True there aren’t many followers, but it’s only been back for < 2 years, and it’s a small company without the marketing power of Hasbro or FFG.
I’m a big fan and I run a little blog:
https://fieldmarshalshandbook.wordpress.com/
Regarding pieces, yes, they are more like Diplomacy Pieces than A&A pieces. I think they are meant to look like low detail images on a computerized war-room map. A recent expansion has added more unit types, and a miniatures upgrade should be available soon.
That said, we really don’t need 2 WWIII games with plastic mushroom clouds. I’d enjoy seeing a tactical level WWII game set in the Russian Front. Not sure about a Global 1939 scenario.
@Hunter:
Guys!� Larry Harris finally announced the next chapter in the Axis and Allies universe!� Here’s a clip:
Switzerland is often thought of as being a country that remains neutral and does not get involved in armed conflicts. In 1847 Switzerland found itself in a war with an unusual enemy: itself. Civil war broke out in November 1847 when several Catholic cantons (administrative divisions) formed the Sonderbund and broke off from the rest of the largely Protestant cantons to prevent the formation of a centralized government.
The fighting between the Swiss government and the rebelling cantons lasted only twenty-six days and ended with the surrender of the rebels. Throughout the month of fighting, only eighty-nine were killed. Several months later a new constitution was enacted, ending the independence of the cantons and transitioning Switzerland into a federal state. Now, take charge as either the Swiss government or the rebelling cantons, with over 400 detailed unit sculpts covering infantry, cavalry, cannons, fortresses, churches and dairy farms… the fate of Switzerland is in your hands!
Axis and Allies: Sonderbund War will be available in local and online retailers on the 8th of June… pre-order your copy now!
https://www.harrisgamedesign.com/AxisandAlliesSonderbundWar.html
VERY FUNNY. You could have had me fooled. The URL takes the cake.
No, that was not funny. It was unnecessary and uncalled for. We have A&A lovers in this forum with heart issues, and we dont need to wake up to this kind of BS. Its not even april 1, this happened in a casual and random day, just out of the blue. Elected President Trump complains about all the fake news this days, and now it happened here too, in our own A&A message forum, a fake new right in our face. This was so unnecessary. OMG.
Sarcasm much?
Not so much. Its too many fake news in the media today, just ask Trump, and we need to draw a line somewhere.
My guess for the next game.
1. A&A D day pimped up, this time with new and bigger infantry, making the old ones obsolete, and still not enough chips, as usual. Map the same, with scripted rules.
2. A&A Europe 1939. The global takes too long time to play anyway, and it always were two separate wars in fact. But this time Germany and Russia are allied, and former neutrals Norway, Sweden and Finland does not stay neutral this time. After the Nazi Commie attack on neutral Poland, all other neutrals will this time follow the OOB global 40 rulebook and join the other side. I wish they had in the real war too. Anyway, I figure the company got tired of historical correct players whining when their game did not follow the historical path, and their making of house rules like Vichy and several non aggressions treaties and impassable territories, in their struggle to make the game scripted. And yes it bothers me too when I see the German or Japanese navy off shore of Madagaskar. That never happened during the real WWII. Maybe in WWI, but it should not be allowed to happen in WWII. Anyway, this time they start the game with an Alternative history timeline. And for the first time, A&A players are set free, we dont let the burden of history books impact our movement decisions. The game will still be short of chips. And maybe short of the new Blockhouse unit too, so we need to order 2 copies right away, man
…and that was maybe the best comment I have ever written on this forum
Not so much. Its too many fake news in the media today, just ask Trump, and we need to draw a line somewhere.
My guess for the next game.
1. A&A D day pimped up, this time with new and bigger infantry, making the old ones obsolete, and still not enough chips, as usual. Map the same, with scripted rules.
2. A&A Europe 1939. The global takes too long time to play anyway, and it always were two separate wars in fact. But this time Germany and Russia are allied, and former neutrals Norway, Sweden and Finland does not stay neutral this time. After the Nazi Commie attack on neutral Poland, all other neutrals will this time follow the OOB global 40 rulebook and join the other side. I wish they had in the real war too. Anyway, I figure the company got tired of historical correct players whining when their game did not follow the historical path, and their making of house rules like Vichy and several non aggressions treaties and impassable territories, in their struggle to make the game scripted. And yes it bothers me too when I see the German or Japanese navy off shore of Madagaskar. That never happened during the real WWII. Maybe in WWI, but it should not be allowed to happen in WWII. Anyway, this time they start the game with an Alternative history timeline. And for the first time, A&A players are set free, we dont let the burden of history books impact our movement decisions. The game will still be short of chips. And maybe short of the new Blockhouse unit too, so we need to order 2 copies right away, man
Maybe with a Pacific 1939? Give the Pacific powers more time to build up and have massive fleet actions along with a slow creeping Japanese hoard taking China little by little.
@Hunter:
Maybe with a Pacific 1939? Give the Pacific powers more time to build up and have massive fleet actions along with a slow creeping Japanese hoard taking China little by little.
Yes, correct, and maybe they even draw the Europe and Pacific maps in a way so that they fit together, and let people play a global game. I know it looks like a bad idea, but you know how A&A players are like. The best about a 1939 startline, is we dont need a dedicated US player. Hey, maybe we can let the China player take care of US too, if the game drag out long enough to involve US too ?
…and that may have been my worst post ever…
@Hunter:
Maybe with a Pacific 1939? Give the Pacific powers more time to build up and have massive fleet actions along with a slow creeping Japanese hoard taking China little by little.
Yes, correct, and maybe they even draw the Europe and Pacific maps in a way so that they fit together, and let people play a global game. I know it looks like a bad idea, but you know how A&A players are like. The best about a 1939 startline, is we dont need a dedicated US player. Hey, maybe we can let the China player take care of US too, if the game drag out long enough to involve US too ?
You will need a dedicated US player later in the game as they play a huge role in the Allies.
…and that may have been my worst post ever…
Really? LOL. your best and worst in the forum in the same thread.
And yes it bothers me too when I see the German or Japanese navy off shore of Madagaskar. That never happened during the real WWII.
Stupid. Yes, it did happen…
A quick google search of “Battle of Madagascar” shows many links listing the Japanese ships off shore of Madagascar.
Another quick google search of “Kriegsmarine Madagaskar” lists U-boats and their operations in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar.
@AryanRights:
And yes it bothers me too when I see the German or Japanese navy off shore of Madagaskar. That never happened during the real WWII.
Stupid. Yes, it did happen…
A quick google search of “Battle of Madagascar” shows many links listing the Japanese ships off shore of Madagascar.
Another quick google search of “Kriegsmarine Madagaskar” lists U-boats and their operations in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar.
What are your intentions for becoming a member of this community AR?… name calling in your first post is not an ideal start.
Yes, strange comment from a first post. Not a true A&A player, probably somebody who signed in by accident.
Anyway, meanwhile on the HGD forum, former moderator Elbowshances and the guy behind GEN CON and Origins, GSmorey, both heavyweight voices in the A&A community, have posted comments on the thread I linked to in page 1. We are now waiting for Larry to answer. The tension about the new A&A game is now so tense we can practically hear a hair falling to the ground, man
