Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version

[Dagon81]

This is an expanded version of A&A Anniversary, wanted to add some rules and options we saw in other editions like national advantages, air and naval bases, tactical bombers and the French as a non-playable power. All in all, it adds more flavor and options to the game and after playing many of the other A&A games, still feel like this is the best global version in terms of playtime so wanted to upgrade and get some of the improvements of the other versions included in this one.

The biggest challenge was including France… wasn’t very happy with how the 1940 Global edition deals with this power as I wanted the Vichy France/Free France dynamic in play. Playtested it many times and seems balanced; adds a new challenge for both the Axis and the Allies as the French situation changes with each round.

Let me know your thoughts :)

[Argothair]

It looks interesting – I’m also unhappy with the way France is treated in most A&A games, although I’m not sure that reincarnating France to slowly fight over west Africa is a good solution – does it really matter who controls French West Africa or French Madagascar? They’re usually of very little strategic and economic importance.

Tactical bombers could be a lot of fun if done right, although I find it very odd that they are allowed to bomb airbases / naval bases but not factories. Bombing air/naval bases is a very niche move that rarely pays off – I would like to see tactical bombers that can do at least some damage to factories, and strategic bombers that are of little or no use in regular combat.

Hard to comment on your national advantages without seeing the full list, but your cards are beautiful; I like the design. The French national advantages you display seem balanced.

I don’t think airbases will have too much effect on Anniversary; the map is already pretty accessible by air. You can fly from London to Moscow in one turn even without an airbase, for example. Airbases might possibly put the Italian fleet at slightly more risk if it ventures away from the central Med, and they might be of some use in the south Pacific.

The naval bases will dramatically change the game, especially in the Pacific. US and Japan are now one turn’s move away from each other, which requires you to garrison your home territory much more assertively. The Caroline Islands are now in range of India, and India is now in range of northwest Australia (although if you’re coming from the Sydney sea zone, you still can’t quite make it to India). Overall I like the effect of these changes; they help simulate the fog of war by providing more options.

In the Atlantic, the USA is now one move away from France, which I think will cramp Germany’s style a bit too much. Historically, the USA had no ability to invade France in June 1941 when Anniversary starts, or even in December 1941 when the USA joined the war – the north African landings weren’t until November 1942, and northwest Africa was much, much more lightly defended than France. In practical game terms, Germany is very short on infantry in the first two rounds of the 1941 scenario, and being forced to either leave 3-4 infantry behind in France or reserve 3-4 infantry in Germany to counter-attack an American landing in France will seriously slow down German expansion possibilities. That’s one way to balance the game, but it’s not my favorite – I’d rather see the Axis expand well out of the gate and then be contained later in the game by big Allied national objectives, as in Balanced Mod. Maybe I’ll make some balanced mod NOs for the Allies in Anniversary!

[Dagon81]

Thanks ;)

France is non playable, either Vichy France or the Free French Forces. Vichy French units just defend their territories on land battles and whenever an amphibious assault takes place from the sea zone with their sea units. Whenever a non-occupied territory joins (through diplomacy) the Allies (Free France) /or is captured you place one Free French token on that territory. The more of these tokens on the board, the higher the probability other territories (and their units) join the Allies through diplomacy: At the end of each round you roll one die for each non-occupied Vichy territory and these join the Allies on a roll of the same value or lower than the number of tokens on the board.
Joining the Allies means you can change the units for either US or UK equivalent units. The IPC income of these territories goes to the UK if its French West Africa or Madagascar. The occupied territories of France or Morocco-Algeria don’t join the Allies through diplomacy; these territories have to be captured.

The text on the Free French Cards is not the final and correct one but almost. These are not quite National Advantages like for the other powers but rather events and rules for France.

“Tactical bombers could be a lot of fun if done right, although I find it very odd that they are allowed to bomb airbases / naval bases but not factories. Bombing air/naval bases is a very niche move that rarely pays off – I would like to see tactical bombers that can do at least some damage to factories, and strategic bombers that are of little or no use in regular combat.”

Correct, they can bomb factories as well in my rules.

Air bases can make a difference as they allow air units to defend on adjacent sea zones and allow interceptor fighters. On the Pacific side they re crucial for movement as well. Naval bases, they limit the places where you can repair capital ships as well as where you can build new sea units if you have a factory as well. Also for increased movement. These can only be used for movement during non combat movement.

9 NA for the main 5 powers, 3 for Italy and 3 for China.
Some of the national advantages:

[Argothair]

OK, that’s kind of cool the way the diplomatic influence over the Free French tends to cascade and pass a tipping point – the more territories they control, the faster they gain more through diplomacy. That’s neat. I still think they’re kind of small potatoes, but they’re very fun small potatoes.

Your national advantage cards look much nicer than most professionally published game cards that I’ve seen – would you be willing to share the graphic files so I can use the graphics in my house rules? I’d love to have either a .png or .gif of a blank card, or an .svg of a filled-in card.

Also, are your frogmen actual infantry units that load and unload from a destroyer? Or are they sort of invisible ‘notional’ units that just give you an extra attack roll without using any pieces?

[Dagon81]

Sure, i’ll send you a card file. The frogmen are invisible units, you get one die roll and can retreat the main unit, either the destroyer or submarine, without engaging in battle.

[djensen]

Is it just me or do these posts look so much more spectacular on the new forum than the old?

[Dagon81]

@djensen said in Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version:

Is it just me or do these posts look so much more spectacular on the new forum than the old?

I agree on that ;)

Really nice clean look on this new forum.

[Dagon81]

@Argothair said in Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version:

OK, that’s kind of cool the way the diplomatic influence over the Free French tends to cascade and pass a tipping point – the more territories they control, the faster they gain more through diplomacy. That’s neat. I still think they’re kind of small potatoes, but they’re very fun small potatoes.

Not just small potatoes ;) Makes a difference…specially the French navy as these defend for the Axis, and at some point might turn Allied. Also 2 less IPCs for the British at the start of both scenarios. And more difficult to land and capture Morocco-Algeria…

[djensen]

@Dagon81 Would you mind sharing the card file here? What format is it?

[Imperious Leader]

The art is great, but i feel the advantages are too great and imbalance the game.I think its best to post ideas here and continue and have people look for a nice picture to go along with the card? Free stuff should be something else, and Infantry defending at three in all Soviet areas is a huge deal.

[Dagon81]

@djensen said in Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version:

@Dagon81 Would you mind sharing the card file here? What format is it?

No problem at all, the original one is .psd, but I’m sharing as .tiff format, keeps the layers and seems a more common file type… If you prefer the other one let me know.

The link on dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/asofk0d0huairy0/Front.tif?dl=0

[Dagon81]

@Imperious-Leader said in Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version:

The art is great, but i feel the advantages are too great and imbalance the game.I think its best to post ideas here and continue and have people look for a nice picture to go along with the card? Free stuff should be something else, and Infantry defending at three in all Soviet areas is a huge deal.

Some of the advantages are a bit overpowered but most of them are original to A&A Revised edition… the Russian Winter is exactly as it was on that version. I mean, all the major power have 9 NAs…plenty to choose from or even remove from play if you feel they are way too powerful. In fact, seems the best number of NAs to use on a game for each power is 3…more than that and you start to forget using them…

The complete list of National Advantages:

[djensen]

@Dagon81 Where did you get the artwork for the cards?

[Dagon81]

@djensen said in Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version:

@Dagon81 Where did you get the artwork for the cards?

The illustrations got them on random websites, many hours searching for the the right ones… As to the card design itself, done it myself. The same for the card backs.

[Imperious Leader]

@Dagon81

Can we get this is in PDF, .ai or .PNG?

I want to print from crisp images an playtest these

[Imperious Leader]

@Imperious-Leader

Plus can you make a few more for Italy ( a full sheet) and Possibly some neutrals like spain, turkey, iraq, etc?

[djensen]

@Imperious-Leader said in Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version:

@Dagon81

Can we get this is in PDF, .ai or .PNG?

I want to print from crisp images an playtest these

Yes, this, please!

[Imperious Leader]

@Imperious-Leader

One more thing the Germans have too many u-boat items, can you make more dealing with luftwaffe, volkstrum, Waffen SS, or perhaps even have a collection of “Generals” that aid attacks and you can play one per turn?

[Dagon81]

@Imperious-Leader

Yes, sure. I have the ready to print files in .jpg on dropbox, the link is down:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wli8ficivgzh28y/AADLVC127x_UTCC5F2aAcIW7a?dl=0

Even though the files are .jpg these are maximum quality files. Printed through these guys: https://www.thegamecrafter.com/
they did an amazing job. There’s even a “Enable Linen Texture” option and let me tell you that the cards look amazing, these guys are professional. Poker Card size deck.

Also, there’s a rules booklet, you can print with these guys as well, choose Medium Booklet. I might change a few things in the Tactical bombers section, I don’t think I mention that these can bomb factories as well…

I guess the Free French tokens are optional, you don’t really need them but adds a nice touch. You’ll need 5 of these. Medium Circle Chit. The thing is, I believe they only print big quantities of these, and I had another project and printed the remaining punch outs as tokens for the other project.

As to the miniatures, http://www.historicalboardgaming.com/
You’ll need 2 sets of Factory tokens that include air bases and naval bases, about 3 - 4 Tac Bombers for each power, 2 French roundels and French units: 2 Submarines, 2 Destroyers and 1 Cruiser.

[Dagon81]

@Imperious-Leader said in Axis & Allies Anniversary upgraded version:

@Imperious-Leader

One more thing the Germans have too many u-boat items, can you make more dealing with luftwaffe, volkstrum, Waffen SS, or perhaps even have a collection of “Generals” that aid attacks and you can play one per turn?

Thought of something with these ones:

Like tactical bombers able to defend as interceptors and a defensive system in the Baltic for the Germans including naval mines and the coastal batteries on the Danish straight…something like whenever an Allied fleet moves into SZ5 you roll a die for each sea unit…a roll of 1 is a hit, similar to AA. Waffen SS could work…whats on your mind?