Since we’re discussing Pseudo-flames I’m going to trash talk about my upcoming game with DM(only with a playful intent). First of all its not if I will beat him but how bad. Everyone knows I was the one that turned DM to the Dark Side and that I taught him everything he knows, but we are going to once again see that the student cannot beat the master and he is still my apprentice. After I beat him for his incredible audacity to challenge me I will take on a new more powerful apprentice to do away with him once and for all. There have I hyped up this game enough yet.
I’m brand new to computers, but have been playing A&A for over 30 years with maybe 5 or 6 hundred games under my belt. Any tips on going from the boardgame to the computer? Do I need to buy a game cd or something? If your’e a grandmaster at the board game, will it take much to become a grandmaster on the computer? Are the rules and map the same? Once I get this computer crap down, I’ll give anyone in the world a serious run for their money!
I would say there is a huge learning curve btwn playing and home and the human talent online. This is largely b/c the AI in all versions is weak and the game is very unbalanced under 2nd Edition rules against the Axis with the regular and RR ruleset. To compensate for this clubs started allowing pregame “bids” to be made for the Axis which is basically an extra allotment of units that is added on the board prior to R1. For example in my game against DM I bid 24 to be the Axis and am placing and additional 8inf on the board from the startup. This is broken down as 2inf added to Manchuria, 2inf added to EEuro, and 4inf added to Libya so every square on the board is the same as the original startup but for those three squares which now look like this 5inf ftr-Manch, 5inf arm-Libya and 5inf arm ftr-EEuro. Making this kind of alteration to the basic game allows the Axis to achieve much greater initial might which makes it harder for the Allies to take advantage of them early and it forces the allies to concentrate their attacks thereby protecting some places that might otherwise be attacked. For example a standard move in non bid no RR 2nd Edition games has Britain attacking Kwantung on B1 from India with 2inf ftr, however, I will almost guarantee that DM will not do this now b/c I’ve added to Manchuria. Also b/c I’ve added to Manch and EEuro he probably will not be able to attack Germany in Europe and Japanese Manchuria on Russia1.
I’d say the most difficult thing for new players to understand is the ramifications of a bid, how to use it and where the appropriate amount is to bid to be the Axis. Too little and you won’t do much to help your cause, too much and a skilled player will under cut you and defeat you with the Axis. Although, I would say a general problem for new players is bidding too low like under 20ipcs of units which should not win with the Axis against skilled opponents. Often times though this is a product of a inability to adjust to playing the Allies against a bid and therefore low bidding to avoid having to play them. That is in most no bid games it is so easy for the Allies to win that there is no need for those who play them to make critical decisions with the understanding that it will mean making a sacrifice. An example of this is playing the Russians with the understanding that you will lose Sfe and Yakut but that you want to make sure you do not lose Novo. This means retreating a lot so as to focus on Germany early but switching back to Japan later on in the Mid game when the other Allies are positioned to pick up the slack for Russia in Europe. Or another example is giving up Asia on turn 1 as the Western Allies US and UK so as to guarantee you can hold on to Africa in the long run. These are critical but tough decisions to make which require a lot of experience and patience but also the recognition that every game cannot be played the same.
The general rule of thumb is that it takes about 3-5 games to really start to get it and another 10-15 to really master your play. So if you really push yourself you can easily made a huge improvement after 5-10 games. The key is to find good players, play them, and learn from your mistakes.