Pros and cons of the game

[slo]

So I am about to get this instead of Global…Like all of you I love A and A but i am very interested in the game mechanics this game offers. I have been watching and reading as much as i can as I wait to find a copy for sale but just wondering overall what are the pros and cons of the game?

thanks

slo

[DoManMacgee]

G40 or GW1936 and its siblings?

My take on the 3 is:

• War Room: New System that’s not like Axis and Allies despite some similarities and being made by the same guy. Has balance issues but is a fun casual experience that can be completed the most quickly out of the three games being compared here, but not as fast as an older Axis and Allies Game (game runs about as long as AA50). Has more-or-less the same units that were in AA50 with a borderline non-historical setup that lets you start Operation Barbarossa and attack Pearl Harbor in the same opening round. The best game out of the three here for Casual Play, as the new system is a breath of fresh air for the series.

• G40: The largest and grandest-scale Axis and Allies Map that will (probably) ever be made, as Larry is no longer associated with WotC/Hasbro (who owns A&A and has given us such “gems” as Zombies and Online). Has a large variety of units and extra rules/objectives attempt to keep the game interesting. Has its fair share of major balance issues that render the game basically unplayable without a huge bid or a major addition of house rules (which is problematic, seeing as this is already the most complicated A&A game rules-wise). Definitely the best game out of the three for A&A Purists or people who don’t want to learn a new, even-more-complicated rules system though.

• GW36: A sort of cousin to A&A that’s not really that similar of a game once you really get into the rules. And let me tell you there are a lot of rules. The game is fun and is easily customizable with official and optional expansions from HBG (the company that makes the game) that add everything from new unit types to new playable countries. Has the most potential/long-term play-ability out of the three games here, but is also the most complicated rules-wise and often times it feels more like you’re simply reenacting WW2 than having any sort of control over its outcome.

So, tl;dr:

• Best for Casual Players: War Room
• Best for A&A Purists/Players who don’t want to be bogged down by rules: G40
• Best for WW2 Enthusiasts/Hardcore Wargamers: GW1936 Family

[Noneshallpass]

On the logistcs/budget aspect :

• War Room: One game to buy. Everything you need is in the box unless you want the Jumbo pack expansion. You need a large round table for the map and another medium to large table for cards, pieces, battle boards and to roll dice. One game can be played in a single day once you have a good grasp of the rules.

• G40: You have to buy both AA Pacific and AA Europe games to combine them. You can play with what’s in the box, but there are a lot of nice third-party (i.e. HBG) upgrades to customize your game, make everything look better and replace the out-of-box cardboard pieces (plastic factories, ports and airbases, damage markers, etc.). You need a large rectangle table to play. Can be played in a long day with experienced players who know when to give up.

• GM36: No two boards are alike. You buy the map from HBG and then customize everything, from units to facilites, according to your own taste. It helps if you have a lot of other AA games to scavenge for pieces, chips and markers, but buying everthing will get expensive. Obsessive-compulsive types beware! Not all models and colors of units are available so painting pieces seems inevitable. Depending on the size of the map you buy (there are three, going up to 5x10) you will need a large room and and a very large table. The setup alone takes at least an hour and needs to stay in place for a long time since you can’t finish a game in a single day, so this is not a game for the kitchen table… But once you graduate from G40 to this, you will not go back.