@Martin @elche @dawgoneit @Ragnell804 @kwaspek104
That was a lot of fun, thank you all!
Hopefully, we can do this again next year. Regarding balance, I feel very strongly that games need to be played with the “Restricted Attack” optional rule but also that neutral territories need to be impassable.
In every game as the Allies, I invaded Spain early in the game. I have played hundreds of games of classic in the last five years and have not seen this strategy fail. It cripples Germany and almost guarantees an Allied win. Nobody used Spain against me when I was the Axis (Elche did but it was around turn 18 - far too late).
At a minimum, I strongly recommend playing this game with “Restricted Attack” and Impassable Neutrals.
I also recommend allowing tech starting on game turn 4. The affect of doing this is that it prevents the long, drawn out, slow death of one side or the other. When the ‘loser’ realizes he is losing, he can roll for tech and hope to catch heavy bombers to try to get back in the game. Otherwise, games go on and on and on (I would use the game between Elche and I as an example). Tech speeds up the game which is especially important in tournament games. In my experience, it does not break the game or create a lucky winner…so long as it is not accessible unit turn 4.
Finally, I recommend using the optional rule “No New Complexes”. I feel strongly (and its been my experience) that they favor the Allies and don’t do the Axis much good. The Allies don’t need the help that the complexes provide. I understand this adds a lot of “flavor” so I’m totally fine to play with them - but if the Allies know how to use them early in the game, its difficult for the Axis to recover.
In conclusion, I hope we have a tournament next year and I think perfect balance is achieved by using:
1) Restricted Attack
2) Impassable Neutrals
3) No tech until turn 4
4) No new complexes
I think the first two are a necessity. I think the second two make the game perfectly balanced but are not a necessity.
Thanks for the games and hope to play again next year.
**If anyone wants to see what Spanish Harlem looks like and why its so awful, see this video and go to 8:44. If you use Spanish Harlem against me as the Axis, I will lose the game. It just cannot be beaten.
