What percentage is luck involved in a games outcome?

@Fleetwood:

Okay, thanks for the reply. Stacking Karelia is a bit of a habit since I’m used to being able to do it against a lot of opponents. Against a considerably lesser player, victory comes quickly that way. The only issue I have with making drops in Archangel is how difficult that makes trading WE since I’m assuming the German player at some point abandons and deadzones it. I would hate to let Germany have it for free or to have the Brits cash out 6 short. The UK might not be able to do both, depending on the German plane placement and how many capital ships are available.

Agreed that Western must be traded, but if USA is in the Med they can take up the challenge (12 can be defended minimally assuming the Kraut figs aren’t on Western).

In my last two PBEM games, one as Axis, one as Allies(in progress) the Axis has won(1 inf to Ukr, 2 inf to Lib). In both, the Japanese controlled Africa, entered the Med, held Novo and were/are able to take Moscow. I think I just need to adjust improve my Allied play to beat better Axis play.

That kind of bid would throw my Axis game off…I wouldn’t allow a bid of 9 unless it was a tech game.

I disagree with your analysis–from what it sounds like, UK1 was played quite well.  Ignoring Japan for a few rounds is not a problem.  As far as I can tell, the main factors contributing to Allied loss were
—not contesting Africa (big one!)
—losing the British fleet (carelessness + your luck)
—Panicking on the USA west coast–your landing in Canada could have been handled easily

Sounds like there was solid Russian play all the way through, and mostly sound Allied play, but with the aforementioned oversights.  If he had shut you out of Africa and not had to rebuild the USA fleet, I’ll bet Germany would have been about ready to collapse by the time Moscow fell.  Generally the Allies can win if Berlin falls even a round or two after Moscow.  I don’t think the idea of letting Japan go for a while and going full bore against Germany is wrong as a big picture approach, it just sounds like a couple of the details were botched.

We switch between the 12 point bid, and the axis again 4 NA’s and the Axis seem to win 50-60% of our games, and the last few months no one can beat them. Axis has one 13 of 17 games since this past september.  We have 20 man group that plays about twice a month.

The plexiglass idea works very well.

I used to have a large sheet of plexiglass that I had attached hex grid to the underside of for use when playing AD&D.  A sheet for a “sliding glass door” replacement panel is a standard size that you can get at a home improvement store and measures about 33" by 75".  I think I had paid about $25 for the last one I bought (circa 1997)

With the plexiglass, you are going to want to also get some small felt “feet” (the little self adhesive felt disks) while you are at Lowe’s and put those on the corners, and a few along the edges.  That will help preent sliding, and will protect your table top.

I think I’d just look at the data afterwards and get rid of any funny data.

@mjkusn01:

Where do you guys play AAR online?

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?board=40.0

Is it more popular to play with 5 players or just have one person be the axis and one the allies.  At the end of the game once one side is completely destroyed, do you play world domination.  My friends and I on Saturdays when we have hours to sit and play continue the game once one side is destroyed and play every man for himself, it definitely makes the game more interesting while you are mopping up the decimated side.

A suggestion for you, so you will have the chance to play USA and Russia.

Go with match play.  Set the victory conditions for the 5 game match. You will play each of the countries once. Draw for pairings for each game, thus changing the partner structure.

Who ever collects the most victories, wins the match. Break any tie by head-to-head.