Battle of the Bulge results

[hkytown1]

I bought this game new in 2006, tried to play it once and put it awy until today.  My friend and I said that today would be the day we would give botb another try.  I have been reading all these posts and questions and the FAQ’s for the past week now and thank goodness for all this info.
The game was a lot of fun once you tell yourself that this is no traditional AA game.  I was the allies because I read that a lot of people said the axis blows right through the allies and I thought I was up for the challenge….Let’s just say, My buddy had enough victory points by turn 4 for the W …oh well.
His blitzes and my poor supply placement cost me the game but next time, I will be prepared, Again, Thanks for all the info on this game guys.
Just got AA50 on ebay for $220.00  :|(blaaagghhh) :| so looking forward to playing that next.

[frimmel]

The Allied learning curve is steep. You kind of need to play the Axis to learn to play the Allies. You need to really understand what the Axis is trying to accomplish and what is hampering them from doing it before you can solidly execute Allied strategy.

Also if the Axis was able to hamper you with Blitzes you probably aren’t giving your defense depth.

[hkytown1]

Yea, we are going to play this and Guadalcanal again soon. I was explaining to my buddy that’s this game is not about body count. You said it best frimmel, “The object is to not destroy the enemy, you just want to make him go somewhere else.”

And now I must show my 5 year old son all of these face icons… :evil: :-D :-) :roll:

[sdpoulter]

Hi Frimmel,

I was the friend that hkytown1 was referring to when playing BOTB.  I understand about the Allies needing to fall back slowly and have enough depth behind them to slow the Axis especially the blitz move, but what I think we both had a hard time understanding was the supply tokens.  It seemed like I, the Axis, had a bunch of supply tokens leftover that were not even used.  We would use a supply token per movement, but you do not use supply tokens when bringing in reinforcements do you?  I know you can carry them on a truck, up to six, into the areas but the truck stops when it encounters and EZOC.  I just felt like I had more tokens than I could deal with and it did not seem right.

The game was really fun and we are getting together again to play soon.  I have also recently entered into the War at Sea miniatures and as an aviation nut cannot wait for the Angels 20 miniatures to come out next month.

[frimmel]

You use a supply token for each hex you want to attack from a single hex.

You use a supply token for each hex that has units you want to move. This includes units to be picked up by trucks. You may pickup supplies without paying a token.

You pay an extra token to each hex that has tanks you want to make a blitz move (one additional hex after they would have to stop.)

Reinforcements do not have to spend supply tokens to come onto the board.

Reinforcing tanks may spend an offboard supply token (either from that turns new tokens or tokens not put on board from earlier turns) to make a blitz move at the end of their coming onto the board move (one additional hex after they would have to stop.) This is for each division. Blitzing all of the reinforcing tanks the Axis get on turn two requires three off board tokens.

The Axis get nine new tokens each turn and the Allies get eleven.

If the Axis has ‘too many’ supply tokens first check to make sure you are paying them out properly during combat, movement, and reinforcement. Your game sounded like it went very fast and it takes until past the fourth turn for the supply issue to really present itself. If you are capturing supplies you’ll alleviate or postpone this difficulty.

[Hobbes]

@Death:

It seemed like I, the Axis, had a bunch of supply tokens leftover that were not even used.

In addition to Frimmel’s advice regarding the Allies, it is essential that they avoid that the Germans capture any supplies or trucks, specially those located on the starting supply dumps. The US needs to spend as many as possible of those either in attacking or moving them on round 2.

[sdpoulter]

Thanks guys, it does sound like we were playing correctly.  I forgot that I did capture three hexes that had Allied supplies.

[frimmel]

If it’s any help, I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone’s first game where the Axis didn’t win decidedly.

[Witt]

Just played two games. Forgot how much I loved being the Germans!
Will let my wife play them next time.
How can the allies win?

[frimmel]

@wittman:

Just played two games. Forgot how much I loved being the Germans!
Will let my wife play them next time.
How can the allies win?

That is well covered ground. Pretty much every thread that isn’t a simple rules questions  turns to Allied strategy. You might try this one: http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=25608.0

[Witt]

Thanks. Never said I wanted the Allies to win!
Have had Allied victories, just not the last two. My wife was unlucky.
Never thought of defence in depth though. Having a stop line like you described. Will look at it later tonight.