Posts made by smo63

@questioneer:

@smo63:

Wow…said something nice about the games.�  But wait, I thought All other AA games equaled “Candyland” in comparision to G40?

Greg, I’m surprised you actually use the “internet”- seeming how you think Triple A/Online players are inferior to your boys at GenCon.

Shiloe,

I know we jab at each other a lot, but please don’t ever put words in my mouth when you know they aren’t true.

You know I never said that and that you are the one I believe have beat the FTF players down by making comments like, “they have no idea to play the game” Etc.

I never nor will I ever say that anyone is inferior to any one else especially when it comes to playing AA.  All I have said that it is a board game.  And when online players come to play FTF, the are in for a big surprise when it comes to playing FTF.

I thought we agreed that we will never really know if one is better than another.  So, I am not really sure if you are serious or not, but I don’t appreciate you putting words in my mouth regarding this.  If anything, the whole point, is that online players talk smack about the games but when it comes to playing FTF, well there is one excuse after another.

That is why it is so great that I will get to meet Dave J. again…

Peace,
Greg Smorey
Axis & Allies Tournament Director, GM-GEN CON/Origins/SG

@oztea:

How come you have the board before it has been released?

Simple…Because, we got a few copies from Wizards at Origins to give out as prizes and then there is my copy… :-D

Greg Smorey
Axis & Allies Tournament Director/GM - GEN CON/Origins/SG

Guys,

All I am going to provide you is with the Rules that we have come up for the 1942 2nd. Ed. game for GEN CON, based on our play to date of the game.

http://smo63.fatcow.com/pdf/19422ndEDrules3.pdf

So, enjoy.  MM, has also give a really good description of such.

Peace,
Gregory J. Smorey
Event Organizer/Tournament Director/GM - GEN CON/Origins/Spring Gathering
www.headlesshorseman2.com

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. - General George S. Patton

@questioneer:

@miamiumike:

I do not have the board in front of me, so, I do not have all the changes, but here are ones I do know:

a) algeria and libya were 2 territories - now are 3 - add in morrocco - all worth 1 IPC
b) china has been divided into 4 territories (each worth 1 IPC)
c) what was s. europe now has s. europe and I think Italy separate - there is an IC in Italy, but the IPC value is only 3
d) the overall IPC count at the start is almost exactly the same - I think Germany starts with 41 (not 40) and UK starts with 31 (not 30)
e) australia is now two territories (each worth 1 IPC)
f) norway is now split into finland and norway
g) there seems to be just a bit more ‘space’ between germany (berlin) and russia (moscow)
h) africa is just a bit different - including egypt being by itself with I think sudan below it (but sudan is worth nothing)
i) there is now a burma territory
j) western europe is now broken into two pieces - like global

That is all I can remember ATM…

MM

Wow…if this is true then essentially this IS the AA50 reprint…some new sculpts…revised rules, setup and new map essentially…on top of that its almost guaranteed that the same scuplts if not more will be redone- along with other map corrections and such for the new E40 and P40 in the fall…very exiciting.  WOTC has finally done it right- about time.

Wow…said something nice about the games.  But wait, I thought All other AA games equaled “Candyland” in comparision to G40?

@miamiumike:

Gargantua,

Huh, that is so weird. I guess all the hours that Greg and I and our other GM Kelly put into running these events, developing relationships with the players and listening to their ideas and changing things when there is a strong demand AND the large number of cool prizes and A&A gear that are given out was ALL IN MY FRIGGIN HEAD.

Perhaps you should get out from behind your computer and organize an event or two. You may be surprised to find that what works in the online world does not work as well in the real world (remembering of course that A&A is a BOARD game - which was designed to be played on a board and in a FTF environment).

THE POINT IS: People who go to tournaments, expect to play by the latest and understood rules. � They don’t expect to be subjected to arbitrary conditions, and ill-developed course of play, by tournament administrators.

That line is priceless and proves you don’t have the first clue what you are talking about. The people who GO to these tournamants (rather than sit behind a computer and criticize them) have helped develop the tournament AND the rules that are in use today. Larry, by the way, also was involved in the design and setup of these rules - his input was very valuable. But, I suppose the designer of the game really doesn’t have a leg to stand on here, right?

In closing, for someone who claims to know ALL the rules and that they are the ‘understood’ and the only rules out there - it might interest you to know, that BOTH Technology and National Objectives are OPTIONAL RULES in the rulebook. Huh, go figure.

MM

MM,

I second that.  Well put, well said…!  Thanks.

Gregory J. Smorey
Event Organizer/GM - GEN CON/Origins/Spring Gathering

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. - General George S. Patton

@Gargantua:

we wanted people to play asa much as possible, rather than spending additional time trying to figure out what NOs they had or how to get them.

What?

If you’re not competent enough to calculate NO’s at the end of the turn, or incorporate them into general strategic thinking, then you SHOULDN’T be playing Axis and Allies.

That’s like saying, “Lets play the game without Artillery, Cruisers, or Bombers, because we want people playing Axis and Allies, and not spending additional time figuring out what these units can do, and how many options they have”

Absurd.

Hold a risk tournament instead.

Gargantua, Yes, you are a villian and have a small mind to back it.  I can’t believe you were even competent enough to respond to this post without hurting yourself.  As far as those who shouldn’t be playing AA, really only those self proclaimed villians come to mind.

Attacks on a event, system, game that one has never tried or even completely understand what we are talking about, just continues to prove my point about the negative attacks on the FTF AA community.

WotC hires me to create AA game events for all level of players to come, sit down and play AA, FTF, in a fun and exciting environment.  Not in a some socialistic way that most online gamers think they should be.

So, if I were you, and that would never happen, I would just come to GEN CON, play and see how competent you really are at playing the basics of AA whatever version.  Becaue if you can’t win playing the basics, how competent do your really think you are playing in any rules set of AA?  It think maybe you should start with the 1941 game…that might get you a win here or there…

Peace,
Gregory J. Smorey
Event Organizer/GM - GEN CON/Origins/Spring Gathering
www.headlesshorseman2.com
A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. - General George S. Patton

@robbie358:

I will try to make it.  Last year I just played Global '40 two times as well as my Star Trek CCG 1st Edition for a day.
I’d like to mix it up and get into a 50th tourney.  I like ALL the rules, NOs, tech, the works.  We’ll see what the tournament director says.

The tournament director says that we can’t start changing things a month before the CON.  Come and play in the tournament without the NO’s, etc. and then tell me if you think it works.  If there is enough flak about it, then it can change.  But why change something that has worked since the game came out…?  Don’t fix what isn’t broken.  And for anyone to say it is broken without trying it is just plain…well, I won’t go there…

Gregory J. Smorey
Event Organizer/GM - GEN CON/Origins/Spring Gathering
www.headlesshorseman2.com

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. - General George S. Patton

@djensen:

Has anybody ever played in one of Smorey’s tournaments? The backwards bidding took me much longer to wrap my head around. I much prefer the “I will play Allies of you give me 10” and respone, “well I can play Allies for 9!”

Smorey’s is like “I will give you the Allies and 9” and response, “well I’ll give you Allies and 10.”

Next, the Anniversary tournaments seem to use rules that nobody actually plays with. Strategic bombing escorts? No National Objectives?

I may not be playing much AA50 at GenCon as I thought.

Dave,

I bet you didn’t think I would be here responding?  Just curious though, this is the kind of things I was talking about regarding G40 rules and the like.  Onliners continue to knock the system when they haven’t even tried it and used it in the setting by which it was created for.  You and I have discussed this before at length.

On the bid front, we ( myself and a few guys from California) created a bid system that was simiple and easy and it has worked now for 19 years.  It is kind of like an auction.  You know your own game and know what it takes to win under those conditions, so you bid up until you think that is enough….and then your opponent counters with the same.

Bidding 10, 9, is counting backwards and is really “backwards bidding”…so, I am not sure how you can say that about the system we created.  It is all in the positive direction.  It was created online for online gamers.  Again, my point that I have been making for along time now…

@djensen:

Next, the Anniversary tournaments seem to use rules that nobody actually plays with. Strategic bombing escorts? No National Objectives?

I may not be playing much AA50 at GenCon as I thought.

Not sure when you talk about “Nobody”.  Again, speak for yourself and those people that have no concept of the game other than their own opinion.  You know Larry and I have worked hard on trying to transition all the AA games from OB play, with the rules as is, and slightly modify them to have a great game played in a tournament format, FTF, within a time limit.  This is not rocket science nor is it something we can just put in stone and go with it.  We have to try out what we think is best for the game then continue to work it so that everyone enjoys the format by which they basically set.

As far as you not playing AA50.  Why do you say that.  You are defeating your purpose of going to GEN CON and the ability by which you have to voice your opinion on how the system works.  Hey, when I met you several years ago in LA at GEN CON, there was no complaining then and knocking the system?

I really hope you get all your guys together and come and play.  There will be a suggestion box for all those that do play and I am always open to new ideas that work for the best of FTF play.

Hey, everything I have even done at Origins, GEN CON and the Spring Gathering is based on what the players that show up and play want.  Not what the guys that sit behind their computers and play want.  When they make suggestions, we listen and try to do what they want and make it the best system there is to play under the circumstances we are in.  Sweat and simple.

So, please Dave, don’t go knocking the system when you haven’t given it a chance.  These systems are created for everyone, not just the super so called experienced, AA gamers.

Peace,
Gregory J. Smorey
Event Organizer/GM - GEN CON/Origins/Spring Gathering
www.headlesshorseman2.com

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. - General George S. Patton

Greetings AA Gamers,

At this time, I have started to update the Swamp with results and pics from last weeks Spring Gathering.  There will be more coming, but just wanted to get something out for you guys to enjoy… Again, thanks to everyone that came out and made it this the great event it has become and to the sponsors and supporters.  You guys are awesome!

http://www.headlesshorseman2.com/id11.html

Also, I have added a new link and it basically revolves around G40 and the information we gathered from both games at the SGX.  I am going to start including this information so that we can make a good and informed decision on how to proceed with FTF tournament games at Origins and GEN CON and the victory conditions, game rules (Alpha +3), etc.

Any questions or if you have any problems opening the site, let me know.

And don’t forget, Origins is just a month away:  May 31-June3, so don’t delay in registering…

Peace,

Gregory J. Smorey
Axis & Allies Event Organizer/GM - GEN CON/Origins/Spring Gathering
www.headlesshorseman2.com

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. - General George S. Patton

@Krieghund:

@Craig:

(Rumor has it that Avalon Hill will re-release Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition in time for the 2009 holiday season.)

I know of no plans to re-release Anniversary.  I believe the source of this rumor is confusion caused by the fact that the 1942 Edition box art strongly resembles the Anniversary box art.

Krieg,

I have to confirm with you on this…the word has it, that, “once they are gone, they are gone!”

Peace,
GS :x

@Craig:

This wouldn’t be a bad idea if you thought the Revised VCs were good.  But they aren’t.  Leningrad sucks!

Hey, watch it, I reflect that opinion…

Peace,
GS

@Craig:

@smo63:

@packrat76:

i would like to get double the plastic pieces if  thats even possible without buying another whole board game.Does anyone know where you can just get more AA50 plastic pieces?

packrat,

Yeah, I have tons of pieces I can sell, what are you looking for and I can get you what you want fairly reasonably.  I will actually have a ton for sale individually as well at the Spring Gathering VII in Cincinnati, Ohio next month…as well…

Contact me,
Peace :-D

Greg,

It says he wants Anniversary parts.  Do you really have extra parts from the Anniversary Edition? :?

Craig

You are correct…missed that.  Sorry.  I really don’t have many extras for AA50.

Peace,
GS

@packrat76:

i would like to get double the plastic pieces if  thats even possible without buying another whole board game.Does anyone know where you can just get more AA50 plastic pieces?

packrat,

Yeah, I have tons of pieces I can sell, what are you looking for and I can get you what you want fairly reasonably.  I will actually have a ton for sale individually as well at the Spring Gathering VII in Cincinnati, Ohio next month…as well…

Contact me,
Peace :-D

Greetings AA Gamers,

I would like to take just a moment, maybe a long moment, of your time and bring everyone up to speed on the latest and greatest from the Axis & Allies Convention World.

The first item on the addenda is the Spring Gathering VII, set for April 17 & 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio. There have been several questions regarding the AA tournament format as well as which game will be played, AAR or AA50. The answer is Revised. Since AA50 just came out, it is hard to establish a good format for a tournament this early in the game. The SGVII will be a good play test run on the playability of an AA50 tournament format for the rest of the year but for now, the SGVII tourney is Revised. There will however, be an AA50 tournament at Origins and GEN CON run by myself under whatever format we come up with in the meantime.

With this being said, don’t delay in your registration for this year’s Spring Gathering VII. Registrations for events are coming in, so if you want to secure your spots in any of the events, you need to register.

On to additional AA news. Both of the schedules for AA events at Origins and GEN CON have been submitted. Please go to the SmoreySwamp for the times and schedules for each. I hope I got everything down correctly and if there any questions let me know. Now, before any of you go screaming at me, yes, there is some overlap, but in the timeframe allotted, it is the best I could do and it is almost impossible to get every AA game scheduled without some compromise for the prime time slots.

The AA50 tournament at both Origins and GEN CON will be formatted as a qualifier tourney. Basically, there are four times on Thursday and Friday one can play the game and if you/teammate win, you advance to SE round. I am still working on the official rules for this game for tourney play but I can tell you, it will be played in 6 hour time slots with 2 player teams, not three. Victory conditions have NOT yet been determined but something more concrete will come just after the SGVII.

At Origins, we will also be running, ALL AA versions of the game, (except 2nd Ed) at some point and we will also be having our AA minis and WAS games as well.

At GEN CON, the biggest change will occur. The biggest change is in the MEGA Revised Tournament format and starting time. The Mega Revised tournament has been moved from an 8am Saturday start time, to Friday night at 6pm. And the format is three rounds of Swiss play and then the top 4 teams advance to SE play on Saturday night. This does away with the one and done format that so many have complained about for however long it has been. This also gets the tourney on the exact same format of play as the Origins Mega and the Masters…

The Masters Invitational will stay the same and the AA50 tourney will be structured the same as it is at ORIGINS.

Also at GEN CON, we will be moving our location to just down the Hall from the 500 Ballroom, the location we have been in the past several years. We have secured a separate room for A&A Board gaming and A&A Minis together in one room. The location will be Rooms 116 & 117. This is on the same hallway as the 500 Ballroom that we are usually in (but closer to the food court and the exhibit hall). I think this location will work well…You can see a floor plan of the Indiana Convention center at http://www.icclos.com/Assets/userfiles/PDFs/ICCLOS_Marketing_1st_17x22_FINAL.pdf

Well, I guess that is enough damage for one day. Again, please go to the SmoreySwamp for Spring Gathering VII registration and events schedules, as well as the Origins/GENCON Events listings 09. You can also go to the SmoreySwampForum to chat with others about any or all of the information one needs to know about the upcoming AA year. If you have not registered, please do so, it is free and we love to hear from you…

http://aaswampform.forumandco.com/index.htm

If you have any questions, fire away.

Thanks for your time and consideration and hopefully we will see you soon. Oh, and don’t forget to pass the word…

Peace,
Gregory J. Smorey
Axis & Allies Tournament GM - GEN CON/Origins
http://www.geocities.com/headlesshorseman2/smoreyswamp.html

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. - General George S. Patton

Guys,

Sorry for the delay in responding to this and I am not sure if Yope or Squirecam or Dave or Frimmel mentioned it but there is a discussion going on regarding the play of the new AAA game at;

http://aaswampform.forumandco.com/index.htm

Check out if you like…

Peace,
GS :roll:

Wow,

My name was kicked around a bit early in this thread so I thought it appropriate to respond…and for those that would like to trash talk rumors, yes, it is true.  Larry will be at the AA HQ at GEN CON with a least one edition of the game, demoing, etc.  I will also have a few games to give away as prizes but I do NOT believe I will be able to give them at the CON.  They will be mailed personally by WotC/AH to those recieving the game.

SO, if you guys have any vacation left, use it to go to GEN CON…it is worth the penny.  Especially on the AA front.

Peace,
GS
http://www.geocities.com/headlesshorseman2/smoreyswamp.html

Well,

Origins has come and gone. It is Monday morning the day after and to say the least, Origins was somewhat of a big disappointment overall.

For those that have been there before, Origins, next to GEN GON, was a big, CON event that many came to from all over the country. Not so this year. Attendance had to be down regardless of what they say…that would be GAMA. And one of the main reasons had to be that there were no big companies present. WotC/AH, Wizkids, Upperdeck, FantasyFlight(well they had a small booth with no one in it.)literally!, and more were NOT present. Nothing but a bunch of small vendors selling magic and can you say POKEMON! Yes, I would have to say that 50% of all people there were probably connected in one way or another with the big flying Picachue…? I guess gas prices really are affecting travel plans this year, and rightly so…

Ok, now onto the AA stuff. This was even disappointing. Over al,l our numbers were done extremely, as well. Even so much so as to only have two tourneys this year. Our annual Mega Tournament and Guadalcanal.

We had a very small mix of people show to play a few other variants but not enough to have a tournament for those games. I think we had 2 Europe games played, one Bulge, one D-Day but they ended up playing Revised and no Pacific games. This even goes for the minis. We had a total of 4 show up for that over the three days and unfourtunelty, none of them at the same time…sigh…so, we only had one game in all played…

Not a good showing…but as for the Guadalcanal tourney, typical first year event, we had eight for this event and it went very well. Games seem to last not as long as we expected (around 2 hours per game) and a congratulations goes out to Mike Davis of Cincinnati who won this tourney. Great job Mike. Tournament rules included rolling dice for sides, first one to 15 VP wins but if a tie ensued, tie-breakers were: most islands controlled, undamaged airfields remaining and capital ships remaining. This came in handy in one game were once the game was over, both sides had 15 VP but once you ad the others, Jake beat Brian 25 to 24…VP…

As for Revised, for all the smack talk that goes on between AA players, you would think that there would be a bigger effort to come and play but this year we only had 9 teams, 18 showed up to play for this qualifing tourney. Not bad but considering the past 5 or so years, it sold out! So, with that being said, having 9 teams and not wanting to give anyone a bye, I myself and Squirecam stepped in to fill the void. After winning the first two games, we both thought, no need to just throw in the towel at this point. So, we held on to win the whole thing. We managed to go 5-0 to the title beating a GREAT team of Hurley/Furegson in the final.

They made one big error by vacating three areas of the board to KGF and it back fired. Japan took India, control of the Pacific and the Suez Canal and pretty much the control of the world to a victory. All Gemany had to do was hold on to enough countries, even as much as to lose Western Europe and the vicotry was in hand. Germany even went as far as buying a third round carrier to help fight off the onslaught on British transports in the end. It helped so much as to reduce the number of incoming Transports from 12 to 8 and hence securing victory. I do not have the exact final IPC count, Furgeson might have that on his lap top but I believe it was around 200-151.

The team of Squirecam/Smo63 plowed their way thru the Swiss rounds with a 3-0 record counting up victories or 196-155, 197-154, 195-156. And then in the Semi-finals fight a tough battle vs. the team of Yope/Eirc. Yope has the final score on that one and the final, as mentioned above…

We had teams from all over the country playing, we even had a team from CA. Charles McHaffie and company…so, thanks to all that ventured out. I hope you had a good time and see you at GEN CON…

Anyhow, that is my story and I am sticking to it…have a great day!

Peace,
GS :-D

Greetings AA Gamers,

Well I can’t believe that it is only 2 weeks away but Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio will be opening its gaming tables on June 25-29.

I will be running all the FTF AA tournaments again as usual.  We will have a new Guadalcanal tourney that may already be sold out (at least that is what I am told?) and all the other great events including the Mega Revised Tournament.

So, if you have not yet said yes to the weekend, now is the time.  You can go to my web site for all the AA details and schedule of events…

http://www.geocities.com/headlesshorseman2/GENCONOriginsTournamentpage.html

Peace,
Greg Smorey  8-)
Axis & Allies Tournament GM - Origins/GEN CON

Well,

I guess we can say that it almost is…one week away. I know that I have not frequented this site as much as I would like to, but check out this cool AA event set to happen next weekend!

http://www.geocities.com/headlesshor...gathering.html

Peace,
Greg Smorey
Axis & Allies Tournament GM - GEN CON/Origins

Hey Frimmel,

Thanks for the kind words. It is well appreciated. It was great to meet you last year and sorry you can’t make if for this years event.  Coming to a final decision on the date was tough but then we really didn’t have much choice in the matter if we have more than 50 attendees…

Again, thanks.
Peace,
GS :-)