@-Savage-:
I only play against AI
Why? That’s not playing.
As long as it’s not set to “easy AI”, I find it requires skill to defeat it. AI uses can opener techniques for example, as well as blockers. I just want to get my feet wet before going into a game with a live person.
@Caesar:
Well in G40 which takes place in 1940, the game itself says it takes place before the Soviet-Japanese non aggression (and it does) but then it does something stupid like giving the Flying Tigers which didn’t happen until after Pearl Harbor so the only ‘lend-lease’ air force in China should be one fighter and one tactical bomber FROM THE USSR, not US.
One can’t simply change units in game though, and since this game is going to be Germany invading the Soviets early, pretty much the entire game is after Soviets can no longer support China.
The Soviets’ end to supporting China had NOTHING to do with the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. The Soviets stopped supporting China ONLY because it found itself in a fight for it’s own survival due to the German invasion. It needed everything for it’s own defense. The purpose of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact was only because both parties wanted to prevent a two-front war.
Since Germany will invade Soviets early, for simplicity sake it’s best to have it an American plane instead of Soviet.
@-Savage-:
@Caesar:
Well in G40 which takes place in 1940, the game itself says it takes place before the Soviet-Japanese non aggression (and it does) but then it does something stupid like giving the Flying Tigers which didn’t happen until after Pearl Harbor so the only ‘lend-lease’ air force in China should be one fighter and one tactical bomber FROM THE USSR, not US.
One can’t simply change units in game though, and since this game is going to be Germany invading the Soviets early, pretty much the entire game is after Soviets can no longer support China.
The Soviets’ end to supporting China had NOTHING to do with the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. The Soviets stopped supporting China ONLY because it found itself in a fight for it’s own survival due to the German invasion. It needed everything for it’s own defense. The purpose of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact was only because both parties wanted to prevent a two-front war.
Since Germany will invade Soviets early, for simplicity sake it’s best to have it an American plane instead of Soviet.
No, literally go look this up. Non Aggression is the reason why Soviets withdrew their pilots. USSR did not want to go to war with Japan encase European conflict was going to happen.
If we look at China in AA 1940 the main issue is that the game is the main problem, keep the game simple. If you introduce terrain into the game then China becomes a totally different beast to handle.
Kansu, Suiyuyan, Tsinghai and Shensi are basically a huge desert wasteland, high altitude and very nasty winter weather. In the real war Japan had 0 interest in marching a army over thousands of miles of desert wasteland. Then again in 1940 that is the ideal path for Japan to help against Russia.
Sikang, Szechwan, Yunnan and Kweichow are dominated by mountains and steep valleys. It is treacherous and not a very fun place to mount combat operations in. Once again in real life Japan had 0 interest in getting into a massive fight with entrenched China soldiers in mountains. But in 1940 not a big deal, in fact the path to India goes through Yunnan.
In real life there was basically no desire or effort to take out all of China. All the important areas of China are found on the coastlands and not in the mountains. Japan was perfectly content to play a defensive war with China and keep them pinned up in their mountains. Then maybe the Communist and Nationals might just start fighting each other in the process.
The simplicity of Axis and Allies is the main hang up with China. China was not simple for Japan when it comes to terrain and climate. Which has 0 effect when playing A&A.
In the real war Japan got around the nasty mountains of Yunnan by going through FIC, Shan State, Burma. They by passed all that nasty terrain and went through South East Asia. Japan was held off at the border of India for the entire war.
How did India hold out the entire war against Japan aggression on its Eastern border? Oh, yeah, there is this nasty mountain chain that runs between Burma and India and when you get close to the coast line it is all river/swamp/jungle fighting.
@-Savage-:
@-Savage-:
I only play against AI
Why? That’s not playing.
As long as it’s not set to “easy AI”, I find it requires skill to defeat it. AI uses can opener techniques for example, as well as blockers. I just want to get my feet wet before going into a game with a live person.
Savage is on a recon mission. :)
@Caesar:
@-Savage-:
@Caesar:
Well in G40 which takes place in 1940, the game itself says it takes place before the Soviet-Japanese non aggression (and it does) but then it does something stupid like giving the Flying Tigers which didn’t happen until after Pearl Harbor so the only ‘lend-lease’ air force in China should be one fighter and one tactical bomber FROM THE USSR, not US.
One can’t simply change units in game though, and since this game is going to be Germany invading the Soviets early, pretty much the entire game is after Soviets can no longer support China.
The Soviets’ end to supporting China had NOTHING to do with the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. The Soviets stopped supporting China ONLY because it found itself in a fight for it’s own survival due to the German invasion. It needed everything for it’s own defense. The purpose of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact was only because both parties wanted to prevent a two-front war.
Since Germany will invade Soviets early, for simplicity sake it’s best to have it an American plane instead of Soviet.
No, literally go look this up. Non Aggression is the reason why Soviets withdrew their pilots. USSR did not want to go to war with Japan encase European conflict was going to happen.
No literally, it isn’t lol.
Your second sentence is accurate. Japan didn’t want war either since the Soviet army could slaughter the Japanese really easy, and just recently did in their 1939 border conflicts. The Russian troops in the East when the game starts represent Zhukov’s army, which recently spanked the Japanese and could do so over and over again. The Japanese lacked armor and mechanized units and loved their infantry. The Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact was signed in April 1941. Japan and the Soviet Union have a history of fighting EACH OTHER. This was about securing their borders…not about China.
On the SAME DAY, the two sides also signed another Declaration regarding Mongolia and Manchuria, where the Soviet Union would respect the territory of Japanese controlled Manchuria and Japan would respect Mongolia’s borders. Nothing at all either pact had to do with China. In fact, Japan wanted to end it’s conflict with China. This Pact was signed in April 1941.
In the summer of 1941 the Soviet Union withdrew it’s pilots from China because they were needed home, but still continued to supply China with aircraft until the German invasion(Barbarossa) in June of 1941.
This game starts in 1940, but in the game this Neutrality Pact is ALREADY in affect, because the Neutrality Pact has to come before Pearl Harbor and Barbarossa, and both could begin round 1. Regarding the game, having this aid coming from the West instead of Russia makes sense and simplifies the game because Axis could declare war on the Allies immediately.
@-Savage-:
@-Savage-:
I only play against AI
Why? That’s not playing.
As long as it’s not set to “easy AI”, I find it requires skill to defeat it. AI uses can opener techniques for example, as well as blockers. I just want to get my feet wet before going into a game with a live person.
Savage is on a recon mission. :)
I’m new to these other versions, despite them being out for many years. In the past, I played years and years of just the classic/original Axis and Allies, so I need to learn new strategies before I get humiliated by actual people. lol
If we look at China in AA 1940 the main issue is that the game is the main problem, keep the game simple. If you introduce terrain into the game then China becomes a totally different beast to handle.
Kansu, Suiyuyan, Tsinghai and Shensi are basically a huge desert wasteland, high altitude and very nasty winter weather. In the real war Japan had 0 interest in marching a army over thousands of miles of desert wasteland. Then again in 1940 that is the ideal path for Japan to help against Russia.
Sikang, Szechwan, Yunnan and Kweichow are dominated by mountains and steep valleys. It is treacherous and not a very fun place to mount combat operations in. Once again in real life Japan had 0 interest in getting into a massive fight with entrenched China soldiers in mountains. But in 1940 not a big deal, in fact the path to India goes through Yunnan.
In real life there was basically no desire or effort to take out all of China. All the important areas of China are found on the coastlands and not in the mountains. Japan was perfectly content to play a defensive war with China and keep them pinned up in their mountains. Then maybe the Communist and Nationals might just start fighting each other in the process.
The simplicity of Axis and Allies is the main hang up with China. China was not simple for Japan when it comes to terrain and climate. Which has 0 effect when playing A&A.
In the real war Japan got around the nasty mountains of Yunnan by going through FIC, Shan State, Burma. They by passed all that nasty terrain and went through South East Asia. Japan was held off at the border of India for the entire war.
How did India hold out the entire war against Japan aggression on its Eastern border? Oh, yeah, there is this nasty mountain chain that runs between Burma and India and when you get close to the coast line it is all river/swamp/jungle fighting.
I concur 100%
I played my first game of balanced global on TripleA today, suggested by barney…still against AI to see how it handles. lol
I like it better. China is a little tougher to fight as it requires garrisons. Still simplified versus real life, but in a game you can only do so much.
terrain, weather, fog of war, spotting the enemy, logistics, etc. are all things that are probably better not to model in a “simple” wargame like AxA.
However, hit the House Rules forum if you want rules or inspiration; all of these have proposed rules from the community!
terrain, weather, fog of war, spotting the enemy, logistics, etc. are all things that are probably better not to model in a “simple” wargame like AxA. Â
However, hit the House Rules forum if you want rules or inspiration;Â all of these have proposed rules from the community!
Well the appeal of A&A is it simplicity compared to other games even though it drives some, like me, insane that Japan can take out China and march to the gates of Moscow. I would never propose putting all these extra layers of complexity on the game because it would ruin it. If I want that I will go play SPI WWII, World in Flames, VG’s Pacific War and games like that.
The simplest solution I have seen, that has a precedent (most other A&A games were this way) and makes a marked/strong change in game; without adding units or changing setup is this:
Adjust the turn order to Russia, Germany, Japan etc.
This temporal shift gives HUGE weight exactly where it’s needed by the allies, and deletes the single most back breaking weapon in the axis arsenal - the Italian can opener on the eastern front. Further - Russia is badly in need of reinforcement; and this temporal shift means it’s a “build” ahead of the axis. Exactly the right allotment that’s needed; and it’s not placed on the board prior to setup.
Further; the imbalanced NO’s like 5 for every city and caucusus in Russia, are now appropriate more challenging to achieve; and significant to recieve; instead of the all but guaranteed waltz in.
On the flip side - Late game - the axis can use the G/J can opener; and it can be deadly if played right; but atleast Russia has been in the fight this long; and it’s choices with it’s eastern most forces can deter this outcome.
Wow Gargantua, I got to convince the guys to try this. I am a big fan of the tiniest changes that make big differences.
Some others I have tried:
Every “worthless” territory is worth 1 IPC to everybody at all times.
Collect income at beginning of turn.
Capitals do not surrender.
What does the last one mean?
How did collecting income at the beginning go?
Capitals do not surrender simply means that there is no surrendering of IPCs and that a power does not need a capital to build.
Collecting income at the beginning was interesting, but had some enormous changes to strategy. For instance, Germany won’t bother capturing Caucasus if they know that holding it until next turn is impossible. It facilitates an interest in keeping ground, not just capturing and recapturing. It also makes getting NOs much harder.
Well the idea of collecting income at start of turn is an interesting variant. It is a 1940 version of contested territories in 1914.
Japan swoops in and takes all 4 money islands in one turn. Well, they do not collect on that IPC windfall until after the Allies have a chance to respond. It creates interesting back and forth battles for key terrain where neither side is collecting income on that territory until one side wins and holds for a turn.
Here’s a solution that is easy to implement, with no changes to setup, that comes directly out of the Europe 1940 rulebook:
Help allies in the Europe by adding this Russia NO from Europe 1940 (page 25)
When the Soviet Union is at war:
9 IPCs if the USSR controls Novosibersk
Help allies in the Pacific by replacing the $10 NO for Eastern, Central, Western USA with the Europe 1940 version (p. 26)
When the USA is at war:
20 IPCs if the USA controls both Eastern United States and Central United States
So basically Russia gets an extra $9 a turn and USA gets an extra $10 a turn when they are at war
Well the idea of collecting income at start of turn is an interesting variant. It is a 1940 version of contested territories in 1914.
Japan swoops in and takes all 4 money islands in one turn. Well, they do not collect on that IPC windfall until after the Allies have a chance to respond. It creates interesting back and forth battles for key terrain where neither side is collecting income on that territory until one side wins and holds for a turn.
I agree with this however I think the reason why you get money after your turn is to keep it fair for you the player to collect what you gained and not having to sit there watch your enemy just bomb and capture everything that makes money for you so you’re not in a situation when you are making 60 but by the time your turn comes up, you’re not working with 24 as an example.
More importantly, I think discouraging aggressive play might remove some spice from the game.
I think if anything, it actually gives you reason to be aggressive because you want to stop what they are going to make and you know that your damage will not effect the other player until the 2nd turn from when you captured.
