Capturing and Re-Capturing Capitals (was: Help me, I'm a beginner :D)


  • Hello, my name is Adrian and I re opened my Axis and Allies Europe 1940 game box more than 10 years after I got it as a present. While playing it nowadays with my wife and tried to learn the best I could all the rules, I got in a sort of loophole while I captured London with Germany. So, according to the rules (as I understand them), I got all 29 IPC’s of England, as it didn’t get the chance to spend them, it’s turn being after Germany’s. All good and well until England (played by my wife) re-captured London and at the end of its turn collected 29 IPC’S. But it didn’t get the chance to purchase any units on its next turn, as when Germany’s turn came around, you guessed it- I re-re-captured London. So here we didn’t know anymore if:
    1- did Germany get again England’s IPC’S for the second time?
    2- can this get repeated in a loop with England at a huge disadvantage being after Germany, and thus when it comes around for its “buying reinforcements” turn, they can buy nothing, because Germany captured London, but then England recaptures London, collects income just for Germany to steal the very next turn?

    I hope I was clear and you understand the sequence I was trying to explain, if not, I will try to simplify it in a layer post.

    Thanks for whoever will be replying and clarifying this loophole for me and thanks for making this forum. I completely love this game!

    Adrian

  • PantherP Panther moved this topic from Website/Forum Discussion
  • 2025 2024 '23 '22 '21 '20

    @Adiloi Welcome to the forum. The answer to your questions depend on which version of a
    Axis and Allies you play.

    Typical out of the box (OOB) rules which probably apply here since it sounds like that is what you are doing. Assuming that is true:

    1. yes. Each time a capital is captured, the attacker gets that country’s IPCs.
    2. In principle this could continue in a loop, but a couple of items prevent this in normal game play.

    The main one is that if the Germans take UK and get their money, the US or UK have to take England back. Thus they have to have the forces available to get it.
    Another is that if England does not have its capital at the end of its turn, then it does NOT collect any IPCs, regardless of how many other territories it owns. So there will be nothing for the Axis to take.

    However, you have hit upon a significant tactical decision in the game --> when to liberate a captured capital is very important to the overall strategy of the defender. If it is going to be easily re-captured, you are essentially helping your opponent. This is rarely a consideration in London–if the Germans take it, they will want to keep it–and the US will do just about anything to take it back. But in a global game (which you aren’t currently playing) trading India between the Japanese and UK pacific is often a real conundrum.

    Other versions played on this site, change this rule such that capturing a capital only gains income the first time. Each successive capture only returns the money to the bank, i.e., no one gets it.


  • @surfer
    Thank you so much for your reply.

    That’s the thing, that England did re-take London before the end of its turn, so it collected their money, but Germany retook it on its turn and stole (again) England’s ipcs, so England had again nothing to spend.
    So, to resume, is it “correct”, according to the official rules that:
    G1- capture London- takes money
    E1- no money to buy units, recaptures London, collects income but then:
    G2- captures London- takes money
    E2- no money to buy units (and we could go on)

    Thanks a lot again
    P.s. yes, I am playing the Europe only version

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