Axis and Allies Global 1940 League Rules
(updated Jan 6, 2023)
1 - Anyone can join at any time. No sign up is necessary - just play a game in the league forum with the proper game naming convention (Player1(side) v Player2(side)) and bid amount
2 - You may play anyone in the league.
***(THE FOLLOWING WILL BE ELIMINATED FOR 2024)***
BUT - against one single opponent, there is a limit of best of 3 (that means a maximum of 2 wins against a single opponent). This limit is expanded when both you and your opponent have completed more league games:
0-6 games completed: Limit is best of 3 (first to 2 wins)
7-12 games completed: Can do best of 5 (first to 3 wins)
13-18 games completed: Can do best of 7 (first to 4 wins)
This pattern continues. This total is across all versions - see the color coding in the OVERALL tab of the rankings.
3 - Scoring/Playoffs
(THIS WILL BE REVAMPED FOR 2024)
3a - Each player will start the year in 1 of the 5 tiers based on their previous year’s tier. If there were less than 3 games the previous year, the moderator may make a good faith judgment call in order to more accurately assess the tier, for the benefit of all. If player is new to the league, will start at tier 3 until 3 games completed, then will be adjusted based on those 3 results.
Cutoffs for tiers are 5.50 PPG for tier M (Master); 4.50 for tier E (Elite); 3.50 for tier 1; and 2.50 for tier 2. (Below 2.50 is tier 3)
Players will be awarded points as follows:
Win over tier M, E, 1, 2, 3 earn 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 points, respectively
Lose to tier M, E, 1, 2, 3 earn 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 points, respectively
Point totals are divided by # of games played to arrive at PPG (Points per game)
Points awarded are changed when a past opponent rises or falls a tier - that is, every player’s current point total reflects the current standing of their past opponents.
3b League standings are available online here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pYDcR_d27qG312v_rq2q35wYEEfO6mjrX-Co1nvKrlI/edit#gid=1967139729
If you go to the current sheet and bookmark it, the rankings spreadsheet will pop open to the sheet you want every time.
3c Playoffs will begin as soon as possible after 31 Dec. For each of the game versions played in the league
Balanced Mod (v3 or v4)
Path To Victory
2nd edition (plain out of the box))
there is a minimum # of games required to be in the playoffs.
Bal. mod - 6 games
Path to Victory - 3 games
Out of the Box - 3 games
Anyone playing at least this number of games for the respective version is eligible to sign up for the post-season playoffs. The top 8 players for each game version (by PPG) will be eligible to play for League Champion of that version and will be recorded in the league archives forever.
The champion of the Balanced Mod playoff is considered the over-all league champion because this version is the most popular in the league.
The playoff bracket will be “seeded”, 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5, with the 4-5 being in the same bracket as 1-8.
When more than 8 sign up, the moderator will attempt to make additional brackets in a way that will maximize the average overall enjoyment of participants. The champion of a 2nd bracket in a version is makes the eternal records of the league as well.
Tiebreakers for seeding or getting in a bracket are in this order:
1 - Head to head play
2 - Most games played
3 - Strongest opponent defeated (measured by PPG)
4 - Random number generator
Playoff game results DO count in the subsequent year’s regular season standings (this was voted on in the past, and the large majority wanted this)
4 - Game & rules - The default rules are Regular Dice (that is, not Low Luck), No Technology, and there is Bidding to determine sides.
Base rules are available online here (Europe rules, then Pacific rules): https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/ah/AA_europe_1940_rules.pdf
https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/ah/AA_pacific_1940_rules.pdf
(these files are 200 and 300 MB - large!)
Balanced Mod rules are in the notes in Triple A after downloading the Balanced Mod map. Also, Balanced Mod and Path To Victory rules are located in the top stickied thread in the league forum.
4a The default game rules may be modified by agreement of both players. Low Luck or Tech, with or without Tech Tokens, or almost anything is allowed if you and your opponent agree prior to bidding.
4b Bidding - Bidding is normally used to ensure that both players are satisfied with the side they are playing.
Default settings for bidding:
The term “unit” includes facilities as described in page 27 of the Europe 2nd edition rulebook.
5 - Posting Schedule
The following is for the benefit of waiting players to be able to claim a win on an abandoned game and do not have to be exercised.
5a - Time Limits - There is a 72 hour time limit per move (3 full days). This may be negotiated by the players at game start. If you agree to different time limits, you need to post it at the beginning of the game thread for the moderators to enforce. Of course, longer limits may always be allowed by a player to his opponent during the game - post these in the thread in case there is a dispute, for the moderators.
For good sportsmanship, you should give defender decisions (casualty choices, scramble/intercept/submerge/ kamikaze decisions) to your opponent as soon as possible.
5b - 72 hour warnings: If 72 hours goes by and there is no game-play post from your opponent (i.e. at least a game decision made), simply post “bump” and the number of the bump (Bump#1, Bump #2, or Bump #3), which creates the “warning”. (Note: only post “bump” in your warnings to make it clear you are issuing a warning. Do not add any other text in your warning post.)
5c - “Bump” warning and consequences - Each “bump” warning resets the clock for another 72 hrs. However, on the 4th “bump” warning the offending player will be disqualified and declared the loser for that game. You cannot retroactively issue a “bump” warning (after your opponent posts). “Bump” warnings can be issued for posting of partial turns (for example, someone only posted their combat move), OOL requests, etc. but they follow the same 72 hour requirement.
5d - If a turn is not posted within 14 days of either the previous turn post (or request for decision on casualty choice, scrambling, kamikaze, et cetera) or the end of a predetermined “vacation”, then the player failing to post may be declared in default and lose the game. The 14 days may also be changed by mutual agreement of the players at the beginning of the game, if posted to the game thread.
The 14 day default can be claimed without any of the bump warnings described in 5c
6 - Posting game results - Losing players are responsible to post results in the stickied game results thread. This is so that we know the loser agrees with the game result. Post names of the winner and loser, Axis or Allies, and bid, and provide a link to the game thread. Winners may post the result when the game result was due to time limits of rule #5.
7 - The Season starts on 1 Jan. and ends on 31 Dec. midnight Game results must be reported by 31 Dec. in order to be counted for that year’s season. All game results reported between 1 Jan. and 31 Dec. will be included in that year’s league standings.
8 - Making Assumptions during gameplay - The purpose of assumptions is to reduce the number of game stoppages for opponent decisions (scrambling, casualty choice, intercepting, submerging, kamikazes). Because you are assuming a decision for your opponent, if your opponent disagrees with the assumption made, you should come to an agreement on how to resolve the disagreement. But if you can’t agree, the defender has the right to require the entire combat phase be re-rolled. Or you may seek a moderator ruling. Be very careful with assumptions.
9 - Order of Play - You may not go back to previous phases/turns of the game and make changes without your opponent’s permission.
10 - Fighters on Carriers - (Effective Oct 6, 2023) Triple A does not track what fighters are on what carriers. It is the responsibility of the controlling player to use game notes and/or post to the game thread which fighters are on which carriers when there is more than 1 power’s carrier in a zone with fighters. If a player FAILS to declare what fighters are on what carriers, the opponent and the moderators will assume that they all fighters are on LIKE carriers (for example, all USA planes are on USA carriers) unless placement from previous turns dictates otherwise. The opponent may grant late declarations but does not have to (similar to assumptions in #8 above).
Even without a declaration, it can often be determined what carriers hold what fighters, and anyone looking through the history may be able to determine there is only one possibility. BUT it is respectful and courteous to declare because your opponent should not have to figure it out.
Get in the habit! Declare which fighters on which carriers at the end of each turn if it is not obvious, or rely on the league rule that by default, like fighters on like carriers.
11 - Moderators will make the final decision on any rules, violations of the same, or any other game disputes. Moderator rulings are FINAL. PERIOD.
All of these rules are for the intent of maximizing the fair play and enjoyment of this great game for as many as possible. It’s great when you give your opponent some leeway and you can receive the same, but be careful. If there is any dispute, it comes down to these rules and/or moderator judgment call. You all are awesome, I almost never get asked to step in for a disagreement.
Have fun!!!
League Moderator
Gamerman01
I made a couple of minor changes from 2016:
Ranking requires 3 games instead of 2. Players with 3 games completed in 2016 (was 4 previously) will have carry-over ranking until playing 3 games in 2017 (this is for the benefit of their opponents).
Also, playoff participation requirement reduced from 4 games to 3, for consistency with ranking rules
Dropout rule removed because it’s a rare problem that can be handled case-by-case, and because then all PPG’s can be successfully and correctly calculated at any time for any player.
Removed instructions for Game thread titles to include “16 L G40”
Added RNG tiebreaker to rule 3c
Lower playoffs may start with 4 or 8 players (used to say 8 )
Added reference to BM 1940 rules that are stickied in league
A few other minor, cosmetic changes
I will review and update the 2017 league rules for 2018, but anticipate very minor changes if any. These rules seem to be working well for us.
League rules finally updated for 2020. One minor addition - one sentence added at end of 3a so that excellent players from more than 1 year ago are not assigned the default tier level 3. I think this is minor enough and popular enough that no one will object to the addition at mid-year, thank you.
S Shin-Ji referenced this topic on
