Starting to lose my mind with this game

[Brian Cannon]

How the hell does this result happen so often?

https://imgur.com/a/4N8P0Pk

Obviously two different games. Just raging lately at this game. This is the norm rather than the exception as far as Soviet opening moves and its phenomenal success rate

[barnee]

@Brian-Cannon

Idk if this will help

https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/34180/prng-dice-support-group-and-ranting/26

[Brian Cannon]

Not really. I am just amazed at the results of combat in this game truly amazed

[barnee]

@Brian-Cannon

yea I think it’s still in beta and they continually improve it.

In case you haven’t tried triplea it is here

https://triplea-game.org/

[Boston_NWO]

The bomber in ukraine makes it a very volatile battle. It’s definitely a problem with the map setup currently that the outcome is so variable on something that can’t be controlled round 1. If it’s any consolation, Axis still have a substantial advantage and can consistently win even with bad luck. On the other hand, Allies might as well resign if ukraine goes badly.

[Brian Cannon]

I am not so sure about Axis having an advantage after losing that battle, to take back Ukraine, you may have to expose or use armor. I do the standard build if I lose those battles 11 inf 2 arty, just takes forever after that to mass the required forces to push Moscow. Before I can the Allies are nipping at my heels, and I have to divert forces west. Meanwhile the Allies are stacking fighters in Moscow.

[Boston_NWO]

Axis are favored on this map, it’s not balanced. If USA is investing towards Germany, Germany simply has to stay strong with reasonable income and preserving units. Northeast Europe and France should be deadzoned every round. Any progress towards stacking Karelia or further is just gravy on top. Japan can reliably force Allies off Moscow by round 20-30 without taking any risks.

I’m currently 17-0 as axis, so feel like i’m in a position to opine. Axis can reliably win on the current setup without taking any serious risks. I think the losses come from miscalculations or poor purchases.

[Brian Cannon]

What do you mean by deadzone?

[Brian Cannon]

Have started 3 games in the past week or so, as Axis, I only play Axis, this is how each one has started

https://imgur.com/a/hkkBNop

[Brian Cannon]

So how do I respond to this result after these two attacks, do I go all in and hit Ukraine and hope that what I send in there survives the coming counterattack? My purchase after these two attacks if they are successful is always 11 Inf and 2 Arty, if Soviet attack is mildly successful I clean it up with fighters and Infantry from bordering territories, take Karelia, with 3 infantry and move northward to try and stack byelorussia. Send my battleship and transport to transjordan with an inf and arty to try and seal suez and hit British home fleet with 3 subs, 2 fighters, usually my cruiser, but have experimented with just 3 subs and fighters with the logic being that cruiser in the baltic forces Brits to expend airpower possibly on attacking Baltic and may keep your battleship in the Med floating for another turn. Boston NWO I don’t doubt your results, but I am not having same level of success if these two attacks are successful, especially wildly successful like the results I just posted. I do questions the Random dice generator in this game as this result is all too common, apparently my German troops on the Eastern front are equipped with potato guns.

[Boston_NWO]

@Brian-Cannon

Deadzone is a territory that a player can’t move a stack of units without the opponent threatening to attack it profitably. Germany should trade Ukraine with fighters and just enough land to retake. Do not attempt to stack. Don’t leave any infantry in belorussia. Germany battleship and transport and hit Ukraine Round 1 if Russia got an especially nice round 1. In fact I favor this over trans Jordan in many cases.

The key lesson is to trade efficients and don’t engage in stack battles where many units are lost. Germany can safely stack 2 territories and eventually 3. By round 20, the Germany stacks will exceed 60 units and are hard to kill.

The sz7 is 3 sub, Cru, 2 fig. Possibly 2 subs if you are a risk taker. I strongly recommend a battle calculator if you aren’t using. The difference of one cruiser is stark.

[Brian Cannon]

Ok, so where do you initially position your units after the Soviet move? Poland or Baltic states? As far as Dead Zone In Northeast Europe and France, how do you achieve that? By keeping all your fighters in Germany or Karelia? I feel like I have to keep a stack of fighters in Karelia to keep it from the eventual amphib assaults from UK and Britain. I am assuming that you arent garrisoning France with anything significant, and if you are constantly trading France with either US or Britain, how do you send forces east towards Russia? As far as Battleship and transport to Ukraine, I can understand that initial move, I sometimes do as well, but by doing so you are most likely forfeiting it to airstrike in the next round. Sorry for the ignorance, guess I am still learning this variation of A&A, I am far more experienced on the initial version.

[DoManMacgee]

@Brian-Cannon If you’re having problems winning as Germany in this version (aside from atrocious luck which is certainly a factor), it’s probably because you’re not being aggressive enough with Germany.

In Classic (the game from the 80s, what you call “the initial version”), Germany is weak and needs to play defensively. In this version, that is not the case. You should be building 1-2 Tanks each turn, and spending the rest of your money on Infantry and Artillery.

Your path on the Russian front should be 2-pronged.
Path #1: Germany -> Baltic States -> Karelia -> West Russia (paths converge) -> Moscow.

Path #2: Germany -> Poland -> Ukraine -> West Russia (paths converge) -> Moscow.

Although you are encouraged to be aggressive, as @Boston_NWO said, you should not be overly aggressive turn 1. For the first turn (or even the first few rounds if necessary), you should focus on amassing units in Karelia and either Poland or Ukraine, based on how USSR is doing luck-wise. Once you’re confident that you can advance (or if Russia falls back to Moscow), start sending small batches of units into Caucasus, West Russia and Archangel. Doing this will pump your income level up to the high 40s/low 50s (based on how Africa is going), while the Soviets will only be making low 20s/high teens.

Side-Note #1: Your Fighters/Bombers should be in Germany or Karelia, as needed. From there they can cover most of your territories.

Side-Note #2: What are you doing with Japan? If you’re having problems closing games out with Germany you can always change up your Japan game to put a greater emphasis on sending land units into Russia. You can’t exactly field huge armies like Germany can but chipping away at USSR’s income will help accelerate their fall.

[Brian Cannon]

@DoManMacgee You are the only person to recommend two tanks a turn for Germany. 99% of people I hear say you shouldnt be buying tanks until later rounds. I kind of agree with later advice because Germany starts with a lot of tanks. I have always practiced measured aggression with Germany (dice truly suck in online game anything that needs a 3 or less will not hit :( ). As far as Japan, I always do Pearl Harbor, depending upon what British fleet does round 1 I assess my buy of units. I usually buy 2 subs and possibly up to two transports to start ferrying units to mainland Asia. I also try to assess what Allied strategy is, are they going Kill Japan first or Germany so I have to try and react to that, my main goal with both Germany and Japan is to pressure Moscow.

[DoManMacgee]

@Brian-Cannon You do you on Germany. I was just talking about my own personal preference (when I was active on AAO I was like ~114 Platinum as Axis, haven’t played in about a month though). Whether you mix in Tanks or not is up to you and is largely dependent on what the Allies are doing.

The buys for Japan are fine but I don’t agree with Pearl Harbor as Japan. You’re trading units that are difficult to replace with Japan’s economy for USA units that are easily replaced and not even relevant to USA’s overall gameplan most of the time. You should be trying to consolidate your fleet in one location and threatening to attack India (this keeps UK focused on defending India rather than making gains in the Pacific or reinforcing Russia).

You seem to have the general Axis strategy down. Figure out whether the Allies are doing KGF/KJF and respond accordingly, with your eyes always on the prize of Moscow.

EDIT: Have you tries an Industrial Complex as Japan? It’s not always the best move but if the Allies aren’t putting much pressure on Japan it can really help you get into the fight Vs. Russia quickly.

[Brian Cannon]

@DoManMacgee I used to buy industrial complex in Manchuria first turn, but have seen strategies that make this useless. I go with transports first as they make an immediate impact, in later turns I do usually build an industry in Manchuria. My Pearl Harbor attack is a spoiling attack, I do not send in my carrier. It is an attack for defensive purpose only as it keeps the US fleet from massing up in Alaska and threatening home island of Japan or even Manchuria.

[Magro]

@barnee I noticed too the dice results can be insane. Not once in a game but more like once per round.
Probably that is improved with pacthes but I have played teh boardgame enought o know the battle results are just “extreme” to often.
Might be because the computer picks losses and one just press on instead off retearting in a faster online battle too?

[Brian Cannon]

Walked away for a bit, maybe for good. Got tired of starting a game as Axis and watching Soviets roll into West Russia and Ukraine. Last two games I have seen just ridiculous defense results from my units present. First game Soviets lost nothing in West Russia and, lost one unit in Ukraine, second game wasnt much different they lost nothing in West Russia and two units in Ukraine. People can talk all they want about how the game is decided on skill, with dice results like that (and they are consistent in that way) you can forget it. There is nothing random about the dice. I cant attack a territory with one infantry defending without losing a unit, never mind losing nothing at all with German starting units in West Russia and Ukraine.

[JuliusBorisovBeamdog]

Please try testing the Stabilized Dice and fulfil the survey.

[Nosho]

The dice are fine, always have been. The difference is that playing online, you end up seeing WAY more rolls than playing the boardgame, so you end up seeing more extreme results, and this is what sticks to memory.