This sounds less believable than a fairy tale. You cannot build a strategy upon poor UK play. Most experienced UK players buy plenty of land units and fighters and no ships.
Ichabod is absolutley correct. Sealion is never in Germany’s hands. It is based upon UK purchases and dice roles. Of course buying land units on G1 will dramatically reduce Axis chances of Sealion, but walking into a game with the mentality that you are going to take London or lose trying is not being flexible enough.
No 1914? Not that it’s my favorite or anyone else’s anyway…
Played this at my last 1914 game session. Everyone liked it except the UK player, but I think he was just playing his role seriously.
Thanks for sharing an amazing story. Among us “fanatics,” sometimes we forget to just enjoy Axis and Allies the same we would did checkers as children. We get so deep into strategy that we forget that the people we are playing with are our friends, comrades, family. Indeed, it is exhilarating to play seriously (even if you need half an hour to play a turn), and the strategy and depth is amazing. But sometimes I just like sitting down with some new players and playing “blindly” and ignoring risks and optimal gameplay. Perhaps the most interesting game I ever played was my first Global 1940 in which we all, truthfully, played terribly.
There is nothing comparable to playing A&A with your family.
Thanks. I was quite angry when this happened to me and another player pointed it out. Then I ended up finding a better move, leaving the submarine behind. In my case, I wanted to retreat the battleship to a port so I had no alternative but to give up the attack. Good to know.
First off, make sure you have the latest version of the setup which includes 6 Russian (not 3) infantry in Moscow, an American infantry in Northwestern China, and an American destroyer on the East Coast. Also, the US has a starting income and IPCs in hand value of 17 not 15. If your game already has all of this, you have a newer version.
Quick strategy guides:
Soviet Union:
Don’t spill yourself all over like water. You have enough infantry to move up with a stack and not worry about German counterattack. Consider being offensive for the sake of income: Manchuria, Finland sometimes. Keep the Caucasus at all costs. Make sure the Allies are sending units to help you constantly. The only thing you build is infantry and tanks. Don’t lose your fighter.
United Kingdom:
Be offensive in Southeast Asia. Keep resistance to Japanese invasion in the south. Send units to Russia by the Middle East. If Germany attacks Egypt, kick them out, but I don’t recommend pursuing the Mediterranean any further. Like Panic said, use that India factory constantly. Don’t be afraid to build in Australia. When possible, start dumping troops into Europe. Air units are good to back up small navies and armies.
United States:
Get a naval presence in the Pacific as soon as possible. Battleships are really overpowered in this version so I recommend one or two at all times. Consider using the Sea Zone outside the Soloman Islands because you can hit the whole Pacific from there. Don’t let Japan take down your navy, but crush them when they separate to take islands. Consider sending air units and even ground units to Russia via Norway, North Africa, or the Far East. Help the UK keep a pressure on Europe. Bombers have amazing range and can hit nearly every Axis position if stationed in Russia.
And don’t forget the propaganda.
The following situation needs clarification:
A German submarine and a British battleship are sharing a sea zone. As the UK, I want to attack that submarine with a destroyer and a fighter, but I would prefer to leave the battleship out of the battle so I can retreat it. However, if I am attacking that submarine, I am forced to use the battleship in the fight, correct? Or could I move the battleship out first as a combat move? There is the rule that says that a ship may move away from a hostile sea zone as a combat move, but technically a submarine does not make a sea zone hostile.
In short, I would not be able to send the battleship away, but instead it would have to fight, correct?
Larry Harris actually suggested adding the bonus 2 infantry in Yunnan. I always use that.
Some easy suggestions:
China can get one artillery instead of an infantry every turn. (E.g. if China owns 6 territories, it can get 2 infantry and 1 artillery.)
China can get one tank or AA gun instead of the artillery as long as China does not already have one.
I also like what Argothair just said: the US can buy one fighter for China if the original is lost.
Almost every A&A game that is in Axis favor can be easily and historically balanced by bolstering China.
I was referring to a 1939 setup variant I made for 1940. I never played or intend to play HBG 1939. It is too complicated in the wrong way. I am also disgusted with its treatment of France and Holland. And what happened to Belgium? Lol.
This ruleset can be easily used for standalone Europe and Pacific 1940. Implementations of these rules for Larry’s 1942 setup as well as others such as Oztea’s immaculate 1941 and even my 1939 are being tested.
And behold! We are back where we started. To send US forces down to Australia or not to send? Ti send the whole fleet or not to send? I still say that I like having America in two places. Earlier posts have proved that Japan cannot ignore either the north or the south without difficulty. The best Allied offensive maneuvers rely on mobility, calling your enemy out of his armor, and not allowing the Axis to focus it all in one place.
The main argument for splitting up an American task force is that Japan typically has to deal with both halves.
Japan does not have the resources, units, or incentive to go after you on both fronts. Just sit back and keep the imperialists sweating because they are spread too far as a result of your threats.
I have three ways of cracking the nut. My personal favorite, a smaller aerial and low-cost naval force in Australia to counterattack Japanese counterattacks in the Dutch East Indies. Meanwhile, a larger American navy up north is preventing an equal portion of the IJN and its airforce from moving anywhere. Japan eventually gets stretched too far and forced to spend more IPCs on the Pacific than Asia.
Another option: the historical approach of hitting Japan at its Pacific core. The obvious place to go is the Caroline Islands where you can threaten so many places at once. Iwo Jima, New Guinea, and others can be used as well. The problem with this strategy is that it requires quite a bit of spending in order to make keep an American fleet safe in the heat of the Japanese forces.
And the last option: the late-war method of subs and bombers. Spam the Pacific with so many submarines that Japan is getting convoyed uncontrollably and afraid to push around its transports. Meanwhile, use Russia as a springboard to bomb Japan and Chinese factories as well as get a land war started up north.
These are just a few ways you can hurt Japan. There are many other great Allied strategies such as the famous Alaskan/Aleutian shuttle line and the lesser-known “Fortress Singapore.” But nearly all strategies require distraction, pressure, and keeping your cool. The point is this: don’t just stack all your American navy in one place. Unless Japan has become inferior in their naval assets or unable to spend on ships, you’ll just spend the whole game doing nothing (unless you manage to get deep enough into the Pacific that Japan cannot rely on blocking you with a single navy in Japan/Philippines/etc.
Hopes this helps you control that beast of a nation.
The standard setup shows one French infantry in French West Africa. The rules have been updated to clarify that this is a Vichy troop.
Your ideas have been implemented in the streamlined update.
It may be hard to see, but in entirety, these additions give the Allies a small boost.
(French rules have been updated for clarification.)
Global 1940: de Gaulle’s Edition
This is an expansion to the standard 1940 2nd Edition setup and rules that adds eleven nations complete with politics, more units, and NOs.
Note: some powers start with more IPCs in hand then their starting income. For instance, Germany starts with 30 IPCs in hand but a starting income of 24. Likewise, Finland starts with 3 IPCs in hand although its starting income is only 2. This is done to allow favorite purchasing options to still be viable and give minor powers the option to build on their first turn.
New turn order and starting IPCs in hand/income:
Germany: 30/24
Poland: 0
Finland: 3/2
Soviet Union: 37
Mongolia: NA
Japan: 26/25
United States: 52
China: 12
Holland/Belgium: 0
Siam: NA
United Kingdom:
Europe: 28/17
Pacific: 17
Italy: 10
Greece: 3/2
Romania: 3
Yugoslavia: NA
Hungary: 3
Bulgaria: 3/1
Commonwealth:
ANZAC: 10
Canada: 8/7
South Africa: 4
France: 19
*Vichy France
*Free France
Pieces:
Use the 1914 pieces to represent Poland, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Holland/Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, and Free France. These nations may not purchase mechanized infantry, bombers, or capital ships. (You can use an artillery upside down for AA guns. The lack of destroyers in the WW1 sets will require something else however.) Only infantry sculpts are needed for Mongolia, Yugoslavia, and Siam. Roundels can be repurposed from 1914 (e.g. the French WW1 roundel can be tilted to represent Holland and even Yugoslavia). Of course, you can always go online to get premium equipment from HBG.
Poland:
Poland’s capital is the victory city Warsaw. Eastern Poland is an original territory of Poland and will revert control to Poland if Warsaw is liberated. Poland is politically attached to the UK.
Setup:
United Kingdom: 1 infantry, 1 fighter, -1 British fighter
National Objective:
Upon the first liberation of Poland (the territory), add up to 9 IPCs of Polish units there for free.
Finland:
Finland is NOT an Axis power. Finland and the Soviet Union may declare war on each other immediately. Finland and the Axis powers are neutral to each other until BOTH parties are at war with the Russians. Finland may not declare war on a Western Allied power unless first attacked by one of them. The Western Allies may declare war on Finland if Germany and Russia are at war. Finnish ships must stay within the Baltic Sea while Finland is neutral to the West. Finland (the territory) acts as a capital for Finland. Vyborg is an original territory of Finland and will revert control to Finland if taken by an Axis power.
Setup:
Finland: 4 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 AA gun, 1 fighter, minor industrial complex
Sea Zone 115: 1 cruiser, +1 Russian destroyer
National Objectives:
Finland earns +1 IPC for each territory controlled: Finland, Vyborg.
Finland earns +5 IPCs for control of Leningrad.
Holland/Belgium:
Holland and Belgium are politically attached to the UK. Holland/Belgium (the territory) is their capital, but it has no industrial complex. Belgian Congo is an original territory of Belgium, but it is controlled by the UK at the start of the game. Should Holland/Belgium be liberated, Belgian Congo and the Dutch East Indies will revert control to Holland and Belgium. The Allies may no longer “land-grab” unoccupied Dutch territories. In ANZAC’s national objectives, Dutch New Guinea counts as being Allied.
Setup:
Belgian Congo: 1 infantry
Sea Zone 106: 1 cruiser
United Kingdom: 1 fighter
Borneo: 1 infantry
Java: 1 infantry
Sumatra: 1 infantry
Celebes: 1 infantry
Dutch New Guinea: 1 infantry
Sea Zone 42: 1 cruiser, 1 submarine
Formosa: +1 Japanese infantry
Hainan: +1 Japanese infantry, +1 Japanese artillery
Sea Zone 34: +1 Japanese cruiser
New Guinea: +1 ANZAC infantry
National Objective:
Upon the first liberation of Holland/Belgium, add up to 9 IPCs worth of Belgian/Dutch units there for free.
Greece:
Greece is alligned politically with the UK. Greece (the territory) acts as a capital.
Setup:
Greece: 4 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 tank, minor industrial complex
Crete: 1 infantry
Sea Zone 99: 1 cruiser, 1 submarine, 1 transport
National Objective:
Greece earns +1 IPC for control of Crete
Bulgaria:
Bulgaria begins the game neutral. Bulgaria may declare war on the Western Allied powers immediately. Bulgarian units may not move into Axis-controlled Russian territories while Bulgaria is neutral to the Soviet Union. The Allied powers may declare war on Bulgaria any time. Bulgaria may not declare war on the Soviet Union unprovoked. Bulgaria does not need any indsutrial complex to build but may only build in Bulgaria.
Setup:
Bulgaria: 4 infantry, 1 artillery
Slovakia/Hungary:
Slovakia and Hungary are politically attached to Germany. Slovakia/Hungary (the territory) acts as a capital.
Setup:
Slovakia/Hungary: 2 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 tank, minor industrial complex, -2 German infantry, -1 German tank (German fighter stays)
National Objective:
Hungary gains +1 IPC for each territory controlled: Hungary, Yugoslavia.
Yugoslavia:
Yugoslavia is alligned politically with the UK. Yugoslavia does not use IPCs or production facilities.
Setup:
Yugoslavia: 6 infantry
Partisans:
Yugoslavia never buys units. Instead, on EVERY turn, Yugoslavia deploys 1 free infantry in Yugoslavia during the mobilize new units phase. This partisan removes Axis control upon mobilization. If there are one or more Axis units in Yugoslavia, those Axis forces will have to decide (on their turn) whether to move away or attack this Yugoslavian troop.
Romania:
Romania is politically attached to Germany. Romania (the territory) acts as a capital. Bessarabia is considered an original territory of Romania and will revert control to Romania if taken by an Axis power.
Setup:
Romania: 4 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 tank, minor industrial complex, -2 German infantry, -1 German tank
Sea Zone 100: 1 cruiser, +1 Russian destroyer
National Objective:
Romania gets +1 IPCs for each territory controlled: Romania, Bessarabia.
Mongolia:
Scrap all the old rules regarding Mongolia. Mongolia is neutral but may join the Allies if any of the following occurs:
any Axis power invades a Mongolian territory
any Axis power passes between Russia and western China
Japan invades any Russian territory (granted that Russia has not attacked Japanese-controlled Chinese territories adjacent to Mongolia or Korea)
Moscow or Berlin has fallen
the Axis control 5 victory cities on the Pacific map
Mongolia does not use IPCs. Instead, when Mongolia is at war, it places one free infantry in any original Mongolian territory it controls. While neutral, Mongolia may freely move its starting forces within its borders.
Setup:
Place the Mongolian infantry as indicated by the silhouettes on the map and then add 1 infantry each to Central Mongolia and Tsagaam-Olom.
Siam:
Siam is a neutral Axis power and is separate from Japan politically. Siam may declare war on any Allied powers immediately. If UK/ANZAC declare war on Siam unprovoked, Japan may declare war on UK/ANZAC without getting the U.S. involved. Siam may not attack French territories without declaring war on UK/ANZAC. Siam does not use IPCs and simply deploys one free infantry in Siam every turn (only if at war). Japan may not move into Siamese-controlled territories without first declaring war on the UK.
Setup:
Siam: 4 infantry, -2 Japanese infantry
The Commonwealth of Nations:
The nation of ANZAC is expanded into a new nation, the Commonwealth. This power has three split economies, ANZAC, Canada, and South Africa that share armies and a turn. Canada’s capital is the victory city Ottawa. South Africa (the territory) also acts as a capital. Territories gained in Europe (the continent) go to Canada. Territories gained in Africa and the Middle East go to South Africa. Exception: Morocco and Algeria go to Canada. Territories gained in the Pacific map go to ANZAC.
Setup:
Nova Scotia: 1 tactical bomber, 1 infantry, airbase, naval base
Quebec: 1 infantry, 1 tank, 1 fighter, minor industrial complex, -1 British infantry, -1 British tank
Ontario: 1 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 AA gun, 1 mechanized infantry, minor industrial complex, -1 British infantry, -1 British artillery
Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba: 1 infantry
British Columbia: 1 infantry
Sea Zone 106: 1 destroyer, 1 transport, -1 British destroyer, -1 British transport
Sea Zone 71: 1 destroyer, 1 transport, -1 British destroyer
South Africa: 2 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 AA gun, 1 mechanized infantry, 1 tank, naval base, minor industrial complex, -2 British infantry
Rhodesia: 1 infantry
National Objectives:
Canada gains +3 IPCs if the Allies control London.
South Africa gains +3 IPCs if the Allies control Egypt.
United Kingdom Europe gains +8 IPCs if the Commonwealth controls all its original territories on the Europe map.
France:
After the fall of Paris, France is divided between Vichy and Free France. Free France will represent the units in Normandy, the United Kingdom, and Sea Zone 110. French Equatorial Africa and the New Herbrides are also Free French. All other territories and French units from the setup are Vichy. The Allies are allowed to attack any Vichy units or territories. Axis units may not move into or through Vichy territories. Exception: Japan may seize French Indo-China from Vichy. Vichy France and Free France both have no capital, but they may build and fight under stringent rules. Since the money in French hands is surrendered to the conqueror of Paris, Vichy and Free France will not have IPCs to spend until turn two.
Vichy France:
Vichy France is controlled by an Axis player. Vichy may purchase units with the IPCs it generates and place them on the factory in Southern France. Vichy units may freely move within their territories, but they may never attack or wonder out of their own borders. Vichy naval units must remain adjacent to Vichy territories. If the Allies launch an amphibious assault on a Vichy territory from a sea zone containing Vichy naval units, the Allies must fight the French ships first. Also, an Allied navy may not pass through a Vichy navy if en route to attack a Vichy territory. In other cases, Vichy naval units do not influence national objectives or movement at all. In Italy’s NOs, Vichy territories are considered Axis.
Free France:
The Free French receive a bonus 3 infantry in Equatorial Africa as well as 1 cruiser in Sea Zone 82. With the IPCs generated from the territories it controls and its NO, Free France may mobilize units in any Free French territories it controls or the United Kingdom; ships may be placed adjacent to any of these places. When the Allies conquer a French territory, they must decide whether to keep it for themselves or give it to Free France.
All Vichy will become Free French on the collect income phase of Free France if it is turn four or later and one of the following occurs:
Southern France has been taken by an Allied power
the Allies control Morocco and Algeria
the Allies control Normandy
If Paris is liberated, France receives the normal troop bonus and Free France becomes the nation France and acts like a normal power for the rest of the game.
“The flame of the French Resistance cannot be extinguished.”
National Objective:
Free France gains +2 IPCs if the United Kingdom is in Allied hands.
What good American player would lose his cool if Japan was playing so defensively that ANZAC could do as he pleases? I consider an American navy forcing Japan to keeps its ships in the defensive AS WELL AS let ANZAC keep money islands a worth-while effort. Japan cannot ignore Allied gains and then wait for the US to move further. Those first Allied gains can be detrimental. Unless Japan is going for Russia or something, it must keep a hold on the important places in the Pacific.
No money islands, no fuel. No fuel, no war.
Axis and Allies is not for picky gamers of any sort. Even the slightest issue can ruin the entire eight-hour experience.
I have the advantage of many replacements on my side, so I don’t even give second chances to people that act wrongly. I am not letting one person’s sour mood ruin the experience. Seriously, we invest so much time and effort into this game and getting bad dice rolls is annoying enough. Why add in more misery?
Unless it is family or something, I advise you to tell her how it is, and if she does not change, say bye bye.
I do have several family members who fit perfectly under this category. Fortunately for me, they do not like Axis and Allies. I know I am not the most influential person, but I have tried helping them for years, and they still act like five year olds when they lose. Some people just don’t like competition. I have found that only a few females really like to play Axis and Allies. (You know, the adventurous, positive, video-gaming, taunting, tomboyish type.)
One more note: do you have a certain code of play? For instance, those who forget the rules must suffer, dice falling off the table are invalid, you must finalize your purchases before moving, etc. I find that low luck helps a lot of people who just get furious when their glorious plans go down in flames because of extreme dice results. (I must confess, I am liable to keep telling people if they were lucky or not.) Another thing you can do is consider giving people a second chance if they just can’t get a hold of the rules. I often do this for new players and even go so far as to point out all their options.
I hope you resolve the issue without too much trouble. Keep in mind that the problem might be partially you as well. So what if your opponent rolled well and is happy about that? I usually use such opportunities to crack jokes. “These guys were Vichy, that’s why they stink like rats from a Boche dungeon and roll sixes.” It is all just fun and games anyway right? Of course we don’t want to take the fun out of our games though…
The idea is not to move first, but let Japan move first. For example: ANZAC takes Java and Japan simply must take it back. Whatever Japan sends down there you destroy as the US. If Japan is not careful enough and sends too much down there, US can move north and hit the homeland.
Indeed, the key to Axis victory is concentrated determined attack. The same applies to World War II itself. The Axis got spread too thin. However, as we experience with alternate victory conditions, strategies, and setups, we have found it to be a lot mor fun and fair to try unorthodox methods and massive assaults across a wide front. With the Allies, fighting out losing battles like Leningrad can be interesting as well even as a legitimate way of slowing down the enemy. There is an element of fun and variety and even balance when players try different routes and get the dice rolling. Too many players are afraid to defend with unfavorable odds because the Axis are always attacking with huge force.
In essence, yes, suboptimal Axis play is more preferable in the gaming point of view.
