Alpha 3.9 Favors Axis

[Septimus]

Hi everyone,

I think that this topic reflects less an assumed imbalance in favor of the Axis than the general difficulty to play the Allies well. Maybe because it has to fit to the enemies (first) moves, and that, counting a few turns, is unpredictible (and so necessitates adaptation skills and cold blood, calm mind).
Because G1 is, if we talk about strategies guidelines (Sea Lion, Barbarossa), quite scripted (well, G1 won’t be leaving France alive and play an East Coast invasion pattern, for instance). US1 is “completely” free, Pacific, Atlantic, both, no buy, etc. It requires, in my humble opinion, more comprehension of the game, and less tactical notions, as G1 would.

So, even if I’ve played a too few Global games, but read much on that aa.org forum, I may say if there was such a imbalance we’d know it. By the way, I’ve heard that the Allies had a slight advantage so far in Global history, technically. I don’t know if it’s true though.

Let us play and see what happens. � :mrgreen:

[questioneer]

Axis advantage???

Yes during the first 6-7 rounds.  After that they seem to lose steam.  I will say this, I like a G2/J2 attack with the Axis.  I think it gives them the best chance to win, not G1/J1 or G3/J3.  Sealion is great cash for Germany but you keep Russia alive too long and it eventually comes back to bite you late.

If players can play Allies with efficient buys, combat moves and NCMs then they should overwhelm the Axis as the game moves along into the middle rounds.  Coordination is the key for the Allies IMO.  They must coordinate their movement and plans together, especially in a Russian crush strat.

Overall, I still think Axis need a little bid.  I don’t think people will see this though until they play Allies more efficiently and cooperatively like they are meant to be played.

[Rhey]

In our games it seems that the Axis are always in advantage on the Europe board and the Allies on the Pacific board. The Axis just roll up Russia and defending Western Europe is too easy even if the Americans are comming.

On the Pacific board, Japan can’t make a move until the USA is in war. When that happens the Allies will have a lot of infrantries on the mainland and Japan will have too little ground forces (as they couldn’t make enough IPC’s before allowing the Americans in the war, wich is crucial to keep them out because of the Europe board).

[Axisplaya]

@Rhey:

On the Pacific board, Japan can’t make a move until the USA is in war.

This is probably why you got so much trouble with the pacific theater.
If Japan Wait J4 to start attacking, then yeah, they’re in big trouble…

[Rhey]

@Axisplaya:

@Rhey:

On the Pacific board, Japan can’t make a move until the USA is in war.

This is probably why you got so much trouble with the pacific theater.
If Japan Wait J4 to start attacking, then yeah, they’re in big trouble…

but if they don’t, Germany and Italy are in big trouble.

[Cow]

germany/italy can hold their own. What can USA possibly do to them? Takes awhile to get a fleet strong enough to hold sz 97 or drop enough men to cause trouble.

[Rhey]

@Cow:

germany/italy can hold their own. What can USA possibly do to them? Takes awhile to get a fleet strong enough to hold sz 97 or drop enough men to cause trouble.

buy some bombers and SBR germany and possibly italy into rubble, depending on what the allies still have in the meds. SZ 97 isn’t the answer btw to an allied victory. I always put up a US fleet strong enough in SZ 100 (I think? the channel) to protect 5 UK transports and ferry 10 troops across each turn while I keep SBR’ing Germany with enough bombers. If I could do this from turn 2 or turn 3, some axis player would make me really happy, let alone turn 1. Offcourse one would have to consider the Pacific but with Japan weakened since OOB rules and now an extra Russian front, they don’t move that swiftly as they do in OOB.

[Cow]

You can SBR west germany but not germany… where will you land if you bomb germany?

Japan is still strong, any half decent japan player can force USA to spend at least half his income on the pacific to stop you from taking all the VCs necessary for a pac win.

[Guest]

Sometimes you can land in Novgorod

[Cow]

early mid game yeah, but it is -5 russia bonus at least. late game hopefully you have taken russia or at least middle east and egypt. bombers usually do other things than SBR majors in europe.

[Guest]

@Vance:

Sometimes

[theROCmonster]

agreed axis are pretty well favored. I think allies need at least a 12 bid at min. Problem is even if US goes 100% pacific Japan can hold off US for 8 rounds of US buys of all pacific. Then by the time US lands in europe, round 10 or 11, Russia is dead and Italy has 50+ ground units and Germany has 100+ units… Game unballanced sorry.

[theROCmonster]

Planes as allies to russia does nothing. Just more units for germany to kill in moscow. Japan is a lot more powerful than what people are are indicating. I agree with carl that adding an airbase in gibralter would help out a ton with ballance issues, and possibly giving US an extra sub off panama or something.

[Cow]

it is not too bad though. just slight edge for axis, g1 is a bit dicey and so is japan when it uses all air to hit infantry stacks.

It is still the best version so far and many believe it is well balanced. The russian NO from africa is what is holding the allies together it seems.

[Alsch91]

Isn’t it a problem though, when the metagame develops towards requiring Russian units to blitz around in a very non-Russian theater?

I liked Global’s compartmentalization of powers.  It made this game unique among other AaA games.
'42 is a good game too, but the convention of Japanese fighters in France seemes a bit odd at times.
It works, and the game is very balanced, but I like G40’s lack of situations like that.  I’d prefer it not to move in that direction.

[Rhey]

@Cow:

You can SBR west germany but not germany… where will you land if you bomb germany?

Japan is still strong, any half decent japan player can force USA to spend at least half his income on the pacific to stop you from taking all the VCs necessary for a pac win.

You don’t need to bomb Germany, bombing all the other IC’s from Germany is enough. That way Germany has a hard time reinforcing western-europe or Italy and has to spend less IPC’s on Russia.

[Cow]

not really. the 3 minors off russia and germany itself is good enough. you got to do at least 10 to west germany and 3 to france which is fine.

[theROCmonster]

Completly agree with Alsche. Love this game. I’m not complaining I just wish the allies would get a couple more units. In my oppinion it is easier to play as axis, so the allies should have a small advantage. Something like 52% chance of winning would be great since the allies are a lot harder to play.

[Cow]

Well most A&A games involve bids for a reason. Perfect balance is hard to test out when dealing with a game that involves dice as they can swing either direction. Plus bidding down is a nice way to determine who plays what.

I like the africa/medit setup the way it is currently. I would like the russian NO from africa to go away, Iraq is fine. In compensation a russian bomber and an artillery somewhere would be nice, in fact it would make russia less boring to play.

[Rhey]

@Cow:

not really. the 3 minors off russia and germany itself is good enough. you got to do at least 10 to west germany and 3 to france which is fine.

ehm we’re talking about a J1 or J2 attack here… Germany won’t have ANY of the minor IC’s from Russia. So their only functional IC is the one in Germany by G3 (or G4). Therefor the USA is still able to land in Novgorod and make a bombing run back to the UK while bombing Germany again. The IPC’s Germany has to spend to be able to buy some units to attack Russia are way too valuable.

Unless you’re going all out on a pacific victory, I don’t think pulling the USA in the war too soon, is advisable.

Also because Japan is a lot weaker compared to OOB and has an extra front with Russia compared to the Pacific stand alone version.