New Thoughts and Revisions After a Few Months of Playing

Glad I could help.

Ouch, thats some serious bad dice there Omega, uh… I mean Robert :p

Let the Italians Hold France, and Keep Germany in a Position to fight Russia and be able to push the Allies off of France if Italy Fails to Hold.  Italy, if they lose france should be able to Weaken the Invasion forces enough to the opoint where GE can easily take it back without spending to much of their Resources on it. Then Keep pusshing the Italians back In for the Defence

Persia is the true center.  When it falls, allies are usually screwed.  If held, Berlin typically falls.

AA50 is much more complex than revised, so it will take longer make safe conclusions. There are still some players who think there’s no need for bids in revised. But even if AA50 is as balanced as revised, its much easier to make big mistakes and lose games b/c of ineffective playing strats.
Its actually difficult to lose against axis (w/o bids) in revised if the allied player wants to win. This issue can be much more complex in AA50, b/c the game is more advanced, and it’s more difficult to know the most effective ways to win.

The last days I’ve seen several players not using bids in the lobby. So maybe more players are starting to learn allies better, which could mean that in the end a bid will be needed for axis…  :-)
Also, I’m not using bids when playing ADS.

@Chi:

So again the question is asked, the standard/default game, 1941 with no optional rules and therefore without National Objectives does the default game favor the Allies?  I’m curious what you all think?

Most players here agree that w/o optional rules allies have advantage in -41, and with NOs 41 is favored to axis.

I think you can win against me if you play axis and I’m allies in 41 w/o optional rules. I lost a couple of games with this setting.

With NOs on, I don’t think you will win against me anymore than you will win against me or other decent players if you are axis in Revised playing w/o bids.

I’d probably go for a surge into china while holding the line against Germany.  Never seen this before though so I don’t know for sure, usually Russia just gets beat on while US/UK try to get something going.  My usual Russian strat is kill as many German and Japanese units as possible.

@JWW:

@Cmdr:

Does winning without your technologies coming into play count?

Sure it does! I’m having trouble seeing how the axis have a real chance right now. Maybe I’m wrong?!?

The Axis are currently winning a large majority of the games, regardless of tech or NOs.  Its widely believed that this will even out or switch eventually.  Though its still unclear, I suspect that NOs help Axis, who need money desperately, while techs help Allies, who have money but need something to turn that into tactical or strategic leverage, something they are very short of.

The reasons why the axis have the advantage are the following:
1. The Axis go first, whereupon they sink well over half of the allied fleet, and easily demolish a dozen territories on the first turn before they have a chance to regroup.
2. Without a fleet, the Allies have to wait a turn or two before they can have a significant impact on Eurasia/Africa/Indonesia.  By that time, Axis will have conquered pretty much all of it except Russia and the fringe territories.
3. Upon the end of turn 2 or 3, the Axis has as much or more money than the Allies.  While they are now spread out and vulnerable like the Allies were on turn 1, the difference is that the Allies still have to expensively transport troops in to attack, while the Axis do not.

Keep in mind that if you are playing with NOs, by the end of Turn 1, Germany will have 50ish Income, Italy will have 20ish, and Japan will have 45ish.  By the end of Turn 2, that will go up to 55ish, 25ish, and 60ish.