How will AA42 promote a Pacific Theater?


  • I agree about separate victory condition, fore each nations in the factions. A sort of NOs but they should not give money, they should give victory!

    Maybe the 1 vs 1 game do not benefits of such approach but it is really a good addition to f2f A&A with more than 2 players.


  • @Imperious:

    I think people hate this because it totally repudiates 1 VS 1 player, which was my intention.

    Then it will not be A&A, b/c A&A can be played by 2-5-6 players.

    And there are many who prefers 1vs1 rather than multi.


  • Actually, I started the thread because the number of Victory cities and the victory conditions as well as the IPC value of Pacific territories DID change from AAR to AA50, so I think maybe that will might be possible in AA42 as well. There might not be as many VCs as in AA50, but if Warsaw, Hongkong, Ottawa and Sydney don’t make it into the game that’s not much of a problem. Honolulu and Stalingrad are essential, though, as well as a VC condition where both Leningrad and Stalingrad doesn’t have to be included, since that usually is the same as Moscow.

    I get your idea, Imperious leader, and maybe you could have a combination of IPCs and VCs? Something like the A&A 2nd ed IPC increase condition together with a VC condition for your side. Then you do win together but one power can win more than the other, so to speak, creating some interesting tension if you have a multiplayer game.


  • A sort of NOs but they should not give money, they should give victory!

    yea i dont like NO’s I would rather have strategic resource centers that if occupied reduce the enemy IPC by X.

    So each player could have some area(s) that if occupied by the enemy would cost additional income like what they did in AAE with the oil fields.

    Japan would have theirs on Borneo and Indies
    Germany in Romania
    Soviets in Caucasus ( need a new territory because Caucasus is too large)
    UK would be India and Iran/persia and some sea zones
    USA would be some sea zones, possible hawaii or whatnot.

  • Customizer

    Miss a few days and a thread adds a dozen posts - wow.

    I like the idea of a non- aggression pact.  Maybe with a time limit?  Expire in 4 turns or something.  Simple, and makes Japan look elsewhere.

    Cheers


  • @jim010:

    Miss a few days and a thread adds a dozen posts - wow.

    I like the idea of a non- aggression pact.  Maybe with a time limit?  Expire in 4 turns or something.  Simple, and makes Japan look elsewhere.

    Cheers

    Once again, I think a special rule could be easily bypassed just by a simple redesigning of the map.  Just have Japan have to get through a few literaly worthless Russian territories (0 ipc) and the start hitting up cheap 1 ipc territories that won’t effect Russia’s production that much; add to that a beefed up china, a UK factory, and a US naval presence and I think you will see a Japanese threat to Russia greatly mitigated. No gimmicky rules needed and you still have an openended “sandbox” style of play.

    Besides Russia and Japan did fight each other in the beggining and the end of the war.


  • What if Hirohito changed his mind?

    In some AAR games, Germany can actually capture UK on G2, if the UK player is not focused on ftrs landing in WE G1, or a G1 transport buy, and/or UK landing everything in Africa UK1 and not guarding the capital. This happens probably less than 1 in 50 games, but nonetheless, if the odds are good, the axis player will do this.

    Should this option also be removed by the same inappropriate logic, a “Germany-cannot-capture-any-other-capital-than-Moscow” or “Germany-cannot-capture-London” rules?

    Japan can also take Alaska, this is easy in almost every game, same goes for Australia and India, both in AA50 and Revised. This could not happen in WW2, not if the game starts in 41 or later.


  • The idea of IL, is not to give scripted strategy or force player to do “historical” things. The idea is bound to geography (or maybe geo-policy).

    Why Japan attacked USA at Pearl Harbour? For having free hands in conquering Philippines, Indonesia, Borneo, etc. And why? Because there Japan could found: oil, rubber, metal ores, etc. They are not after cities. And they are also not after capitals. They look for economic resources and strategically relevant territories.
    So the war effort should be aimed to conquer key territories on the map that gives economic benefits, while at same time negating them to the oppoents.
    With a wise allocation of economical objectives that bring victory for the side that conquer them while cripple the oppoennts economy, player have to devise strategy to achieve goals that go in the direction of promoting operation all over the map.

    Another thing, that I have tried to do as an home rules, is victory based on collecting victory points. Each turn a natio ncollects victory points based on the control of key strategic and economic territories on the map. Increasing of such points is the measure of the strategic and economic advantage a nation is achieving while at same time having less point collected “simulate” the moral factor of a nation that may give up in a fight if continually defeated for the control of strategic key points or economical resources or national territories.

    So the victory conditions should be individual for each nations and composed of several factors: economical (IPCs), strategical (control of key territories), moral (bringing war in the enemy territories while preserving own territories). Each end of round victory points are given to each nation for the obvjectives achieved. Victory is gained reaching X victory points, with the additional constraints of having an advantage of Y victory points on the other side. (having less then Y victory points allows the war to continue, the advantage is still not decisive).

    I know, I have gone too much off topic but what I would like to have is a of assessing the winner, simple (counting victory point at the end of the round is not too much complicated) but also bound to the geography and policy of the wolrd.


  • @Romulus:

    Why Japan attacked USA at Pearl Harbour? For having free hands in conquering Philippines, Indonesia, Borneo, etc. And why? Because there Japan could found: oil, rubber, metal ores, etc.

    Maybe the time is right for Axis & Allies: Supremacy edition!

  • Customizer

    Once again, I think a special rule could be easily bypassed just by a simple redesigning of the map.  Just have Japan have to get through a few literaly worthless Russian territories (0 ipc) and the start hitting up cheap 1 ipc territories that won’t effect Russia’s production that much; add to that a beefed up china, a UK factory, and a US naval presence and I think you will see a Japanese threat to Russia greatly mitigated. No gimmicky rules needed and you still have an openended “sandbox” style of play.

    I 100% agree with putting more spaces in the back of Russia and making them worthless.  Crossing 15 000km of swamp, mountans and boreal forest really should be of little gain and quite difficult (Not to mention doing it in winter with the cold, in the spring with the flooding and mud, in the summer with the mosquitoes - and a supply train several thousand kilometres long).  I also agree the same should be done to China as well as beefing them up.  But I doubt that has happened to the game.  House rules involving separate victory conditions like I’ve read so far - but on a time limit so the allies don’t have time to concentrate on only Germany - seem to be the way to go that I like so far.  Within the constraints of the map we will be provided.

    Adding more ships the Pacific I don’t think will work.  I would still take my US fleet and move it to the Atlantic to help cover transports rather than build a new fleet to protect against German attacks.

    Great ideas on here - I’m finding this useful.

    Cheers


  • The point here is what constitutes a victory for each axis power based generally on what they had planed to do and also based on realistic capabilities of these times also treating it somewhat lightly.

    Japan had never any intention or capability to take Moscow for its own victory. The game should focus on what in general terms on what was realistic given that it is based on WW2. Otherwise you might as well add the D$D map and bust out miniatures because thats candyland to bind Japanese victory on helping Germany take Moscow.

    The japanese emperor can cry all day long about “we must take Moscow” but that statement is akin to Hirohito saying we must land on the moon. Japans army could never perform anything more than taking at most one territory away from the Soviets, the other 4,000 miles of land is intense forest and rugged terrain. If japan wasted to move along the railway it would be like the spartan 300 blocking the path, except the Soviets would actually be like the Persians defending against 300 attacking Japanese.

    The game treats German options better as you don’t see Germany taking Australia or something.

    The current OOB rules do script the game historically because the VC have enough of them that are close enough for each axis player to grab without going all over the map and also most games end (rightfully so) when Germany takes Moscow and is still strong in Europe. So nothing is inconsistent with the actual results in games or what actually happened in the war. The key is to corral a bit of the objectives to make the allies to pay attention to both axis players or allow one to win the game.

    Back in the Nova game days it was unheard of to play 2 players. Back then had alot of diplomacy but still the game should treat the goals of each player differently.


  • @Imperious:

    The point here is what constitutes a victory for each axis power based generally on what they had planed to do and also based on realistic capabilities of these times also treating it somewhat lightly.

    Japan had never any intention or capability to take Moscow for its own victory. The game should focus on what in general terms on what was realistic given that it is based on WW2. Otherwise you might as well add the D$D map and bust out miniatures because thats candyland to bind Japanese victory on helping Germany take Moscow.

    But don’t you think just a map redesign could effectivly solve that, rather than different rules for different players?  The way I am kind of imagining it now is the Allies focusing on Germany but they HAVE to send some income to the pacific or else they are in a world of hurt. This can all be done with a manipulation of IPC’s and placing a UK IC or two on the map.  My guess would be more IPC vale on Australia, India, Phil, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Singapore/Indonesia.

    It has to be set up to where if the Allies don’t put up a balancing act effectivly (probably like 70/30 in favour of Europe) they get smashed regardless of if they kill a power first.  Example:  If the allies were to throw EVERYTHING at Germany maybe that would be the cost of an India/Australia factory, China, a lot of IPC’s (perhaps effectivly crippling the UK), and maybe even the USA/Canada would be in dire straights if Japan was completly ignored.  Germany may be dead but ignoring Japan still would cost them the game.

  • Customizer

    But don’t you think just a map redesign could effectivly solve that, rather than different rules for different players?

    I agree, but I doubt we’ll get that.


  • @jim010:

    But don’t you think just a map redesign could effectivly solve that, rather than different rules for different players?

    I agree, but I doubt we’ll get that.

    Perhaps not, but I still think it is fun to think about how it could theoreticaly happen


  • A simple rule to let Japan take some TTs which was unlikely, but not impossible in WW2, is to have a “Japanese cannot move outside restricted TTs”.
    Like China in AA50, although the AA50 China rules are not good…

    If any rules are implemented so that A&A is no longer possible for 2 players, it would ruin A&A totally.

    Most A&A players who play online, here at aa,org, or TripleA, or any other A&A club usually play 1vs1.

    What’s the point in forcing someone to lose b/c of other players mistakes?

    It’s not competitive, it’s unfair, and the (team)players that makes the most stupid moves are most prone to blame others for their own mistakes.


  • What’s the point in forcing someone to lose b/c of other players mistakes?

    This is exactly why i propose that the game has different victory conditions so that either player can win on his own and not have his destiny tied down by another player. The solution is not to just “do everything yourself” and stop playing multi player. Its rather to get back Multi player as the most ( BY far) preferred version because now you just do what you want but at the same time your on a loose team, except you have your own goals.

    In this game it would be possible for Japan to win and Germany lose, or the Soviets win and the western allies lose. It may be possible for the Soviets and Japanese to both win. All of these outcomes are denied in the current game and were also possible outcomes.

    The game has turned away from its original intent which was multi player, and the solution is individual victory conditions because they don’t depend on your ally. AA will do much better if it becomes more of a multi player game. How fun is it to play Risk with 2 players? not much.


  • @Subotai:

    A problem in AA50 is that the Chinese cannot leave China, and this is ridiculous b/c of all the other situations which can happen in a A&A game which is not realistic either.
    So in the China example this actually makes it a worse game b/c realism, as in WW2 Chinese soldiers didn’t leave China, but this rule does not make AA50 a better game, it makes China look weird. This is not important enough to say that AA50 is broken, be it b/c of China or other reasons, still AA50 is way better than Revised, and AA42 will probably also be a better game then Revised.

    @Funcioneta:

    A thing I don’t understand is why Larry made that bunch of totally flawed chinese rules and didn’t do the simpler special rule many of us are asking for: Japan-USSR non-agression pact

    Larry made a difficult one instead the easy one. It’s not a surprise it was a mess

    i don’t think the non-aggression pact will help the historical argument because as mentioned, Russia/Japan were at war at different times during WW2.  On the other hand it was the Pact that allowed Stalin to move the Siberian troops that saved Moscow from Germans.

    I think at the basic level, countries should be able to be open–If italy wants to send it’s fleet to take Australia, great, if China wants to leave China, sweet, if Japan wants to attack Moscow, ok.  But to indiscriminately toss in this historical condition as ok, this one is not; is frustrating.  Why can’t we attack Spain any longer since 2nd Edition, why can’t China leave?  The goals of the powers needs to be along a historical line, and VCs do really help to steer things that way, except Ottawa perhaps, but I think often, probably very often games are looked at in terms of taking capitals and opponents surrendering rather than VCs.  
     Steering the goals to history, then untying powers hands to achieve this seems like a great goal, at least to me.  I’m sure that AA42 will move things along a decent path, as previous entries have also… we’ll see.

    varied goals, where both Japan and Russia could win in IL’s terms are way better than the AAR rule about whichever power came up with the most IPCs being the overall winner


  • Dont need non aggression pact.

    Make all the Soviet territories in the east worthless. They are except perhaps Vladivostok as a warm water port. ( perhaps 1 IPC)

    Make blitzing impossible in specific territories.

    Give the Soviets X forces that remain in some of these territories and make them large enough to make any attack a ridiculous waste of time for japan ( as it should be). Make the Japanese neutral to the Soviets but allow them to attack and make the Soviets unable to move these eastern forces or attack Japanese until Berlin falls.

    perhaps a new VC for each axis: over a period of three turns they must accumulate X total IPC. So in Germany’s case lets say they need to accumulate a total of 150 IPC over three turns. It would be possible but not likely to get this in two turns if they took Moscow ( claimed the Soviets IPC) and had a really good turn after that…then they win. Japan could have a total of 175 IPC total over three turns… you see it would be different and balanced depending on how easy it is to get it, which for japan is easier. Then you fix the IPC to reflect and deny areas not part of historical victory for each axis.

    In terms of allies, say you can do something similar allowing a player to win on his own and not even help his allies. This would be how it was in the war. The only thing is you need to tie the UK USA player as having the same goals. That would present a dynamic in the game for players who love having an ally that works together, while you also afford the option of not doing this for axis and Soviets. Under this way Japan would be helping Germany anymore or flying its entire air force to Berlin on turn 6 or whatnot. You just cut all that rubbish out.


  • @ IL,

    you’re more wright than wrong (in theory), as usual, but I don’t think I’m the only one who also played Classic (boardgame) 1vs1 although most games was multiplayer.

    Your ideas are good, but hard to implement within a necessity of simplicity within the A&A concept.

    Europe is more historical yes, but it’s not uncommon that Italy can take India, but it’s better to let Japan build an IC in India, if the Japs didn’t take India first, Germans/Italians in Brazil is not common, but it happens. Sometimes Italy can take Caucasus, this could not happen in WW2, but Italy could reinforce Caucasus if Germany won this WW2 battle. Italy can take most of Africa, and it’s not uncommon, could this happen in WW2?

    And even if I can win as a single player in a multiplayer game, imo it’s not wise to reduce the option of 1vs1 games.
    If the feeling of victory will be as strong in your A&A multiplayer games (system) even when playing on the losing team, then perhaps, but I doubt it.
    And I don’t think that for f2f (board)games the multiplayer aspect is gone, not in AAR or AA50. The multiplayer problem is mostly for those of us who only play online games, but if we “know” our teammates multi can work also over the Internet.
    It’s not the game design (imo) that is the main problem in the multi vs 2 player games issue, it’s the droppers and quitters, and people who can’t behave properly.
    This shouldn’t be a problem even with the beer and pretzels games?


  • @Imperious:

    The game has turned away from its original intent which was multi player, and the solution is individual victory conditions because they don’t depend on your ally. AA will do much better if it becomes more of a multi player game. How fun is it to play Risk with 2 players? not much.

    i generally argee,

    but does this mean the the soveit and western allies can attack each other or germany and Japan attacking each other

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