Which side does axis and allies favor?

[Militarized Milkmen]

Hey everyone, I’m talking bout my brother again. So according to anything I’ve ever read axis and allies 1940 is a rather axis heavy game. I assume this means it’s easier to win as the Axis. I’ve always taken it for granted but my brother refuses to believe it. Is it true that the game is easier for the axis? If so could people cite some evidence showing this. If not could people cite evidence showing this?

[Arthur Bomber Harris]

If you are new to the game, whoever is better will win with either side. Usually one person has a very defensive personality, focusing more on not losing than pushing towards a goal. That will inevitably lead to defeat as the other person finds weaknesses and builds an income advantage.

It takes a large number of matches to have the natural Axis advantage manifest itself in face-to-face games. Don’t worry about the imbalance until you are able to predict what happens during the first six rounds of gameplay based just on the first round of dice rolls and spending. Fun game for both beginners and masters.

[Dougy Mac]

@arthur-bomber-harris
I have a defensive personality, but I also really like a large-scale counterattack, which is why I like being the Allies. I usually win, mostly because of the Soviets; I hamper down the Germans’ speed, and build a couple of tanks/artillery every round, and the counterattack that follows gives time for the other Allies to come and wipe out the already-busy Germany. I works for me.

[Dougy Mac]

@rommel13579
Sorry, it works for me.

[Dougy Mac]

@militarized-milkmen
So for me, the Allies are usually better. However, most other posts I’ve read say the Axis does have the advantage. Maybe my brother is just bad?

[Arthur Bomber Harris]

@rommel13579 If you are playing a competent Axis player and there is not a bizarre outcome to the 1st round, there should be no opportunity for the Soviets to counterattack before R6. Here is a standard move sequence for the Northern option:

I2/G3: E Poland
I3/G4: Belarus
R4: retreat to Moscow as it is impossible to stand toe-to-toe with Axis forces or prevent an Italian canopener
I4/G5: Bryansk with additional planes if necessary to provide defense

My guess is that you are playing against a weaker German opponent who overspends to defend the Atlantic seacoast instead of focusing a vast majority of resources into the push to Bryansk or Rostov. Most beginners struggle as Axis as they are too reactive in their strategies and don’t focus on the Prime objectives.

[Dougy Mac]

@arthur-bomber-harris
My brother (who is my opponent) usually goes for a full Moscow attack; he declares war G2, attacks E Poland, then Belorus, Smolensk, then Russia. He sometimes also sends a force to take Ukraine. I usually send a strong counterattack, diminishing his force, and then defend Moscow. How would you say to knock out the Soviet Union quickly?

[AndrewAAGamer]

@rommel13579 said in Which side does axis and allies favor?:

I usually send a strong counterattack, diminishing his force, and then defend Moscow.

I am curious as to what this counter attack looks like. What are the German forces and what are the Russian forces?

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris is correct. The Axis side is heavily favored in OOB and the Russians have no chance of attacking German forces if the Germans are being played properly. It is all the Russians can do to hold Moscow!

[Dougy Mac]

@rommel13579
Also he leaves behind most of his air units to attack Britain. And would you suggest Britain building a Minor IC in Egypt on its first turn?

[Dougy Mac]

@andrewaagamer

1. What is OOB? 2. My opponent sends one strong central force to Moscow, and I use my forces defending Leningrad and sometimes Kiev to attack him while the rest of my force defends Moscow. He does leave behind his air force, so that helps me.

[AndrewAAGamer]

@rommel13579 said in Which side does axis and allies favor?:

@andrewaagamer

1. What is OOB? 2. My opponent sends one strong central force to Moscow, and I use my forces defending Leningrad and sometimes Kiev to attack him while the rest of my force defends Moscow. He does leave behind his air force, so that helps me.

OOB is Out of Box. It refers to the Global 1940 2nd Edition game. In comparison to, for example, BM3 or Balanced Mode 3.

Do you have more specific details of the correlation of forces?

[Dougy Mac]

@andrewaagamer
The counterattack force? That consists of at least 12 infantry, 4 artillery, and several tanks, not made to destroy the force, but to make it so that the remaining German force will not be able to take Moscow.

[AndrewAAGamer]

@rommel13579 said in Which side does axis and allies favor?:

@andrewaagamer
The counterattack force? That consists of at least 12 infantry, 4 artillery, and several tanks, not made to destroy the force, but to make it so that the remaining German force will not be able to take Moscow.

Russia is attacking with 12 infantry, 4 artillery, X number of armor and 2 fighters and a tactical bomber. No mechanized? How many armor???

Germany is defending with what? Where? When? G2 Eastern Poland? G3 Belarus?

Without better details it is impossible to comment. However, there is no way Germany should be losing MORE than Russia in this counter attack which means it would be to the detriment of holding Moscow instead of the benefit of. Is your brother sending everything Germany can against Russia or just some ground troops?

[Dougy Mac]

@andrewaagamer
My amour varies form 5-7, Germany has only ground forces; he leaves his air behind to attack the U.K. Germany’s force is pretty much all of the ground forces from Germany, Greater Southern Germany, Slovakia-Hungary, Romania, Poland, and 3-6 tanks that he buys on G1. He adds some mechanized infantry along the way.
My specific counterattack force varies because I may or may not be able to get some troops to Moscow before he cuts me off. The main reason I counterattack instead of defending Moscow with these troops is because his force -going through E Poland, Belorus, Smolensk, then to Russia- cuts off my troops so that Germany would reach Russia before I could. So I attack.

[AndrewAAGamer]

Thanks for the details.

So, it looks to me like the Germans should have on G3 in Belarus 25 infantry, 5 artillery, 6 mechanized infantry and 4 armor or 40 units and DFP of 84.
It seems to me the Russians can get a lot more in than you mentioned however figuring your numbers of 12 infantry, 4 artillery, 7 armor, 2 mechanized, 2 fighter and 1 tactical that is 28 units and 57 OFP.

So, kill about 10 and lose about 14. Not a very good counterattack it seems. 12 more infantry makes it 12 to 14; still not a good counterattack. Since the Russians are basically losing twos and the Germans 1’s you want the Russians to kill more than they lose.

[AndrewAAGamer]

@shadowhawk That is true if there are A LOT more unattached infantry attacking. In this case there are only 8 unattached infantry with the 12 infantry scenario so on Round 2 the Russians are losing two’s as well. If there are 24 infantry then it is not till the 3rd round.

[MarshmallowofWar]

Andrew is correct – those infantry you’re losing in your first pass are more valuable on defense than on offense unless you are going to kill more German units than you lose in Russian units.

Marsh

[taamvan]

@militarized-milkmen

Hello. Most (war)games have a “critical path” (often called META though this is inaccurate and a backronym).

This means that if you play the game so much, you break it down into its core points, you can exploit this as much as possible in order to win.

However, when you are playing with people of varying skill levels, just having fun, or trying new ideas–the game is perfectly balanced and great fun.

Imagine riding a bicycle at 20mph with friends. Keeping up is easy, being ahead is easy. Now imagine riding a bicycle at 50mph with the most conditioned guys with the best bikes…I’d fly off the track.

That’s balance. You may find that the game is easy to win with one side or another, or impossible. That’s only bc its new, and you havent raced against 100+ other people.

Wait for it…

[Dougy Mac]

@rommel13579
I also don’t use my mechs to attack.