AA50 Rules Errata and Q+A

@taamvan said in Anniversary 2017 Reprint - rule changes?:

The reprint could have re-organized the setup charts, which are not very rationally laid out and appear to just wander around the area and put the units in a different order in each list. In the better organized versions, the lists are alphabetical, or some snake around the land then the sea–but it would be more rational to have some uniformity to that, rather than just a messy list without any rhyme or reason.

As to the tournament rules, the game is VASTLY different in that setting than OOB. The NOs add a ton of money, the tech adds a lot of randomness. I think the tech favors the allies because they are well-positioned to invest in that starting on turn 1, and would probably make better use of most of the random outcomes than the Axis.

I find both games to be quite imbalanced, towards the Allies. There are no other maps where fighters can fly in one move from US to London, then from London unblockably to Moscow (over the top, 4 moves). There are more layers of buffer territories for moscow–almost as many territories in the “maze” as global. In the 42 scenario, the Germans just punch themselves out really quickly trying to fight in the russian maze. And the 5$ tanks are a big boon for Russia because it can fight Germany on even terms. You might argue that goes both ways, but in most of our 41 and 42 games, Germany has to buy DEFENSIVELY, all game–not just $5 tanks. The Allies have easy choices of what to buy–tanks for russia and fighters for the other two powers, until Russia is absolutely untakable. India without a factory is a lost cause. Both setups are an easy 5-turn KGF, OOB.

In the tourney, its a 6 turn game with less than a 6 bid for either side. The Allies won 1-2 more games than the Axis did, in 2018, under these parameters. I think the only way this is possible is for the Axis to grab Sydney, India, Karelia, and then hold those, plus the original Axis cities. They can lose 1 and still win a tie, I believe.

Not having watched the invitational games in detail, that’s the only conclusion I can draw from the available data.

This is an odd reply to a question about the rules being reprinted…

@LincolnsTopHat:

Just curiously, how do you plan on getting it printed? I’ve been looking around, and so far most printing sites are almost as expensive as getting the game itself.

Oh, printing the map isn’t about saving money (unless it was 2016 and you were trying to “make” AA50 without spending $500+ on E-Bay for an out-of-print used copy of AA50).

TBH, I’d be surprised if you could print a map for under the price of the game… the purpose of printing the map is usually to make a BIGGER map that is a single piece without creases or separate board issues for a more enjoyable way to play the game (I have printed maps for all my versions of A&A… I like bigger maps without the creases).

If you’re looking to save money, by all means, buy the game and play on the board that comes with it… that’s the cheapest way to play AA50 (at least in 2017).

Why dont you use triplea for these games?  much easier to use than aabattlemap

Couldnt pass up the irony of the 8 year wait

Here’s a list of the rules that have changed: http://harrisgamedesign.com/pdf/Anniversary_Rules_Changes.pdf

Here’s an article on new rules: http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/bb2/viewtopic.php?t=1682

There is a thread in the Find Players and Game Discussion section for people looking for AA50 games.

Holland… you may wait a while.

@Sherman:

What would have made the game more interesting is if they changed that rule so that you collect only half of your income, because counterattacks from somewhere else would have been a realistic possibility. Thoughts?

I like this idea, new house rule to pose to the guys.