Do you actually own copy of Axis & Allies (any version) or just play tripleA?

[toblerone77]

Well? Lots of people talk smack but what games do you own?

[Witt]

Do you mean A&A games?
I threw out my Classic as I thought I had too many games and had  stopped playing it as I had so many others to choose from.
I own every game since Pacific came out in 99. (Think it is 10 games.)

I also have 15 US Civil War and WW2 box games.

[Pacific War]

I don’t know what triple a is??  I bought the original A&A back in the 80’s.  I also bought other A&A games as they were published including:

Europe

Pacific

Battle of the Bulge

D Day

Guadalcanal

Anniversary

Revised

Europe 40

Pacific 40

A&A 41

I think that’s it.  I’ll be buying 1914 before the summer is out.  I also play a bunch of other wargames but some of my favorites are the Columbia block games, especially Victory.  Old Avalon Hill games have always been near and dear to me too and I have many titles going back as far as the first version of Gettysburg which was in the original lineup back in the 50’s.  But, of course, my absolute favorite boardgame of all is Pacific War which is my own design.  It has the coolest “box” (more of a roll actually) of any game I own too:

[Witt]

My second game was Avalon Hill’s D-Day. I found it while living in Caen, studying French.
How cool and lucky to own and play a battle for France while living there!

Pacific War: I have two Gettysburg games, but do not think they are very good.
I have five of The Gamers series: Civil War Brigade. I used them more for reference.

[Pacific War]

A lot of the early AH games aren’t very good from a Historical standpoint but I’ve always overlooked that and just had fun with them.  I’m a little biased though because I discovered these as a kid and have many fond summer day memories of them.  They are like time capsules to me.

[Karl7]

I own all the Milton Bradley Game Masters series (except the ship/pirate one) and have multiple copies of the the rest since Europe 1999.

I am a sucker.  :lol:

[CWO Marc]

I own all the A&A board games, most of them in multiple copies.  The only ones of which I have only a single copy are the Milton Bradley edition, plus the three regional games (D-Day, Bulge and Guadalcanal).

[IWillNeverGrowUp]

@wittmann:

I threw out my Classic …

HERESY!

50 board games and counting on the game wall … a few of them do happen to be A&A.

[Gargantua]

I believe I own 2 or more copies, of every version of Axis and Allies…

[Witt]

@IWillNeverGrowUp:

@wittmann:

I threw out my Classic …

HERESY!

I know!
It was before I knew of the existence of this forum.
Wanted to free up space.
Miss it now, tattered and overused though it was.

[LHoffman]

I own many A&A games. I went through a period of feeling like I needed to a copy of every A&A game that came out, but have since grown out of that. I do not have the original, original Pacific or the new '41 and '42 games, but I have the rest, including Anniversary. But my brothers and cousins mostly just play Global 40 now, so the other games are mostly neglected.

I got a TripleA account at the behest of someone here who wanted to play with me… we never finished our game. I like TripleA, it is very convenient, though can be annoying in the sense that the turn cycle rules are so rigid… but I really don’t like playing on a computer screen or not being able to take in the whole board at a glance. But I suppose that is a minor inconvenience to be able to play A&A with someone on the other side of the Earth.

At this point in my A&A relationship I am to the point of customization based on what I want in the game. Especially since I have been around long enough to notice the flaws and shortcomings of the OOB Axis and Allies… any OOB A&A for that matter.

It began with painting pieces and then buying the HBG/FMG custom pieces, then looking into games like Global War 1939 (which I really have not explored too much yet). Much of my ultimate desire for Axis and Allies is in a holding pattern until I can finally get settled in my new house. Then I feel like I can start on projects like painting my own pieces and making a table and using the Global War board and such.

[JamesAleman]

I have every Axis version since(and including) Milton Bradley’s 1980’s version. I use boards and keyboards to wage world war.

[Gargantua]

I have Larry Harris’s copy of his Nova version.

[JamesAleman]

@Gargantua:

I have Larry Harris’s copy of his Nova version.

Jealous….but do you have all 4 of the gamemaster series? Shogun, Axis, Fortress America, and Broadsides and boarding parties?  :evil:

[toblerone77]

2 copies of classic. AAE/P original versions.DDay. BoB. Global 2ed. Pac40 first edition. The grail Aniversary. Spring 42. AA42SE. AA41. 1914. Table Tactics sets all except Central powers. Every HBG battle piece in every color except white and the new Japanese set. Last but not least I do have tripleA but it’s used for solo or hot seat games.

I created this topic to see how many people who play competitively actually own a copy of at least one hands on game. I also frequent the Customization forum and noticed that most who take the time to build rooms or make custom works of art have a huge passion for this game. What I noticed was they don’t have thousands of posts and if they do they’ve been here a while.

Case in point one of our friends here has built a fantastic game room with detail that makes one feel as if you had been transported to a war time office or bunker. This freind created a thread expressing thoughts on the game from an experienced point of view. Needless to say many subsequent comments acted as though it was the stupidest ignorant comment ever made. It was even called whiney. These comments were made a lot of times by people I doubt have ever played anything but tripleA.

I know a lot of work and dedication goes into tripleA and I by no means wish to offend or discredit thier fine work. I will simply point out that for some of us that clink of the dice, the sculpts we paint, that run to the fridge to get a buddy a beer in between turns, and that second checking of the mail box for our HBG order is what the game is about. Our points are valid too. We’ve been playing a while too… just un-plugged.

[LHoffman]

@toblerone77:

I know a lot of work and dedication goes into tripleA and I by no means wish to offend or discredit thier fine work. I will simply point out that for some of us that clink of the dice, the sculpts we paint, that run to the fridge to get a buddy a beer in between turns, and that second checking of the mail box for our HBG order is what the game is about. Our points are valid too. We’ve been playing a while too… just un-plugged.

These tangible and intangible differences between physical and electronic playing make all the difference in the world and why I think most people would prefer to hang out with friends and play a game than play via TripleA.

Yeah, TripleA is a wonderful innovation that allows for many games that would otherwise never be played. But as advanced as electronic mediums may become, they cannot compete with in-person playing IMHO.

While I guess that it would be possible, I find it very unlikely that someone who does play TripleA has never played Axis & Allies in person before. Just seems odd that they would not first be introduced to the boardgame.

[toblerone77]

@LHoffman:

@toblerone77:

I know a lot of work and dedication goes into tripleA and I by no means wish to offend or discredit thier fine work. I will simply point out that for some of us that clink of the dice, the sculpts we paint, that run to the fridge to get a buddy a beer in between turns, and that second checking of the mail box for our HBG order is what the game is about. Our points are valid too. We’ve been playing a while too… just un-plugged.

These tangible and intangible differences between physical and electronic playing make all the difference in the world and why I think most people would prefer to hang out with friends and play a game than play via TripleA.

Yeah, TripleA is a wonderful innovation that allows for many games that would otherwise never be played. But as advanced as electronic mediums may become, they cannot compete with in-person playing IMHO.

While I guess that it would be possible, I find it very unlikely that someone who does play TripleA has never played Axis & Allies in person before. Just seems odd that they would not first be introduced to the boardgame.

I think you’re right in the vast majority of cases.

[toblerone77]

I’m just saying computer matches do not make one an expert in Axis & Allies. TripleA is fine I have nothing against and admire those who put so much effort into the effort to make it possible. However not owning a copy of the game in any form and trashing the ideas of us old schoolers because we’re not GTO or TripleA addicts, is like a guy with a bus pass picking a fight in a biker bar over why Hondas are better than Harley’s in thier opinion.

I’ve seen some here even attack HBG and complain about thier efforts to improve the game because it complicates the game too much. These guys are living the dream. God bless em! Call it assumption but I think it’s jealousy and envy from exclusively online players.

[Tall Paul]

Guys,

––Well, for my Dad, brothers, and I it started when I was a little kid in the late 60’s/early 70’s when I watched, and then played RISK with them.
––In the 80’s I bought 2 copies of the “original”, (now “classic)” A&A game which we were all crazy about.
––For various reasons we all got busy and missed out on all of the other versions until the 1940-Pacific and Europe came out allowing us to play Global-40 games. My brother had his map enlarged to 48" x 108" and made in black & white. I had mine enlarged to the same size, only in color. His remains constantly set-up and ready to play in the meeting room of the small grass strip airport that he owns and we play on it almost every week-end.
––When the 2nd Edition rules came out for Global-40 we continued to use our same maps along with the new rules.

––As far as AAA goes, my job as a railroad conductor being a 24/7/364 “lifestyle” hasn’t allowed me to participate in any online games. I think they would be Fun,….and I’m sure the experience would make be a better player.
----However, I must say that as good as I suspect the AAA games are,…I get SO MUCH MORE FUN in a face-to-face game. The joking, camaraderie, and “shared experience” of having Fun with actual people is much more satisfying to me, especially when an unexpected move or strategy is thrust upon someone.
––I would imagine a lot of people prefer face-to-face games. I confess to being a “people person” and derive a lot of Fun from seeing others also have Fun. But I also suspect that since I’m over 50 years of age I’m simply used to things being this way, unlike some younger people who seemingly have grown up on the internet and consider it’s impersonal experience as normal.

----Also, I really get a LOT of enjoyment from seeing real, three-dimensional units marching across the map, especially if they are painted. IMHO detailed/painted units add a huge amount to my “gaming enjoyment” and I hope to one day have an entire set of them. To this end I must say a big Thank you to HBG, FMG, “Allworkandnoclay”, “SgtWilTan”, and “LHoffman”.

––Also, I might point out that my background is that of an historian rather than a gaming ‘nerd’. I say that term with the utmost respect for all. I’m simply pointing out that I love this game as a sort of living, breathing history in simulation of many new and different situations. It’s Fun, keeps the mind sharp, and makes for a lot of memories,….both good and bad,…haha.

----IMHO Axis & Allies is the best game in the World!

“Tall Paul”

[CWO Marc]

What I personally like so much about the boardgame incarnations of A&A is that I get to move real little plastic models on a real mapboard on a real table.  I have nothing against online games and I have no problem with people who prefer the electronic version of A&A; my individual tastes simply don’t happen to be for online gaming.  Like Toblerone and Tall Paul, I find it more satisfying to handle actual sculpts.

Two of the first WWII movies I ever saw – Sink the Bismarck and Midway – feature multiple scenes in which high-level naval officers stand around large map tables, scrutinizing various small wooden markers which depict the major warships of the two adversaries, pondering their next decision or moving the markers to reflect the evolving situation at sea.  Sink the Bismarck shows one such table (on the British side, in the Admiralty’s Operations Room), while Midway shows two such tables (a Japanese one aboard Yamamoto’s flagship and an American one at Nimitz’s headquarters).  I remember thinking how cool these tables looked, and being struck by the way in which these officers seemed to be playing a complex, high-tension game with quite deadly real-world consequences.  So when A&A came along, I was happy to get a chance to have the same kind of fun.  As newer A&A games started being published, with more sculpt varieties and bigger maps, it didn’t take much to turn me into a piece junkie.  And when the first-edition Global 1940 mapboard came along, I took the step of assembling a dedicated gaming table for it, complete with a sheet of acrylic to cover the map.  I’ve gotten a lot of enjoyment out of my table and my sculpt collection, and they add an extra kick whenever I re-watch those two movies on DVD.