Global 1940 first game in years

[tchenao]

I have played one entire game Global 1940 for the first time in years. I got into this game watching Young Grasshopers videos when I was living in Canada back in 2016.

I got my copy of Pacific 1940 and Europe 1940 back then and played a few games. Then we moved back to Spain and the game has been lying around until we got our new house.

Now that I have the space I got Ambizi’s map file printed in vynil and put in PVC of 5mm, so it was back in the table.

Because of COVID and the lack of players in my area (someone mentioned that half of the community out there is Canadian, right?), what I did was watch strategy videos from Young Grasshopers, General Hand Grenade and some other youtube users and apply their strategies.

Young Grasshopers’ strategy for Germany and Japan, General Hand Grenade for the Russians and a third youtube member whose number I keep forgetting (my apologies) for the UK strategy. I took care of US myself.

Of course I could only apply the strategies for the first turns and then move it from there, but I had so much fun doing this for the past few days.

I also played with the tournament victory conditions from Young Grasshoper to be able to finish one game within a week (I can only play after work, so I do not have much time).

The Allies obliterated the Axis. I wanna say the other youtube creator is called Sireblood? His UK strategy really held the Italians and Germans back, and in the Pacific Japan started really well with a J2 attack, but it all went south from there, to the point that by the end of the game (after 14 turns) they were only in Japan itself, while Anzac, US and the Brittish controlled the whole map.

Germany made it to Stalingrad, but was held both in Leningrad and Moscow.

So in the end the Axis only achieved the objective of controlling the North of Africa, while the allies achieved several (controlling all the Chinese territories, not having capital ships from the Axis on the board, liberating Philippines, controlling the 18 islands in the Pacific and controlling Malaya, Kwantung and Shangai).

The war was mainly won in the Pacific side. I had tons of fun and I really hope I can convince some of the people in my gaming club to give this a try, whenever the circumstances are better.

Cheers!

[mikawagunichi]

Welcome back!

A few question for you:

Did you play with a bid and if so what units were purchased?

Did you play dice or low luck, and if dice did the Allies get lucky on many occasions?

Very interesting that the Allies would win this game, especially “obliterating” the Axis, without at least one of the two above being a major cause.

[tchenao]

@mikawagunichi thanks

You will have to excuse what is probably being an ignorant in terms of an Axis and Allies player, but I am not familiar with the bidding system actually (if you care to elaborate, I will be thankful).

All the purchases of the first turns were based on what the various youtubers I was watching did. To give you an example, Germany purchased an aircraft carrier, a destroyer and a sub (if I recall correctly), you can check that on Young Grasshopers video about German strategy.

The only one that went a bit further in terms of what to purchase was General Hand Grenade in his video about Russian strategy. He gives you a complete list of purchasing for several turns, basically a combination of land units and units to counter attack (tanks, planes or artillery), but mostly land units (infantry).

I am sure I made many mistakes, but answering your question, I played with dice and yes, the Allies got really lucky when it mattered the most.

I recall one time Germany was attacking London, I got 12 hits out of 16 possible on a 2 for the Brittish. In that same battle, the German bombers rolled all 5 and 6 in their turn, so yeah, luck had a lot to do with it.

I should have said that the Axis was obliterated mainly in the Pacific. Germany actually was the only thing giving them hope, but they failed in the Sea Lion operation (twice) and could only get to Stalingrad.

[mikawagunichi]

@tchenao

Gotcha.

Most players consider the game to be quite unbalanced in favor of the Axis. So the two sides will bid (in terms of IPCs) before the game and the lowest bid team will play the Allies. The bid can be used to place additional units before the game starts.

Sea Lion is definitely a much riskier strategy than just going straight for Moscow. Most people only go through with it if London is not well protected after the first round. A failed Sea Lion is pretty much a game ender.