What advice should I give new A&A players?


  • All of theses are the exceptions I explain during game play, as play grabs attention more than explanation.

  • 2024 '22 '21 '19 '15 '14

    Greenmustangs point is critical! The main difference between 1941 and other A&A games is the huge disparity between starting Total Unit Value and Starting Income. What this amounts to is a game where unit replacement is very challenging and very expensive, relative to the money on hand. This was my initial gripe with 1941 as a “starter board” because the margin for error is so slim. New players don’t have as many oppertunities to explore silly moves, or learn from combat or purchasing errors, since even one goof can dramatically alter the balance of forces. If everyone playing is equally inexperienced with A&A, this isn’t a huge problem, because units will  just be destroyed in a flash, the game will end quickly, and then you just reset the board and play again.
    ;)

    It gets a bit more challenging though, when one player “knows what they’re doing” but the others don’t. The less experienced players often have a hard time grasping this idea that the starting units are way more valuable, than the units that enter the game through purchasing, and each unit you lose can present a major setback. The desire to fight and destroy enemy units often trumps the desire to “play it safe” wait and not engage, and what happens is they throw away most of their starting units in trades to no purpose.

    My best solution for 1941 with new people, is to just put a little more cash in play. A one time bonus of 10 ipcs during the first round to starting income. Or a repeating bonus of 5 ipcs per nation per round (for holding their capital) can make the game a lot more enjoyable for new people. It gives them some breathing room, and a chance to recover from early screw ups.

    I agree with you completely, the best way to learn is by playing. In that other thread for 1942 sec ed, I suggested that you start with the battle board and stage a lot of example battles, before playing the game itself. The advantage of 1941 is its fast set up time. 1941 drags a bit due to the lack of artillery, but even then, I’d think you should be able to complete a game in the first session, and perhaps even complete a second game. I find that 1941 takes about 2 hours to complete on average. It can go longer, but usually one side can manage to take a capital by then.

    I think your plan is solid. I usually try to stick to the OOB values the first time out since the new guys will be more reliant on the set up cards and graphic information written on the map and the battleboard, because it’s their first time. Of course, there is a trick with that because the current “official” set up doesn’t exactly match the cards. Especially with the US destroyer or the US starting income. That’s why I think its fairly easy to just give everyone an extra 10 ipcs at the outset and an extra 5 each turn at collect income, just to make purchasing a bit more fun for them. It allows them to explore more “big ticket” buys like tanks or fighters or ships, without getting punished so hard by the dude who understands the strong advantage of the infantry push.
    ;)

    Have fun and let us know how it went


  • @Black_Elk:

    Greenmustangs point is critical! The main difference between 1941 and other A&A games is the huge disparity between starting Total Unit Value and Starting Income. What this amounts to is a game where unit replacement is very challenging and very expensive, relative to the money on hand. This was my initial gripe with 1941 as a “starter board” because the margin for error is so slim. New players don’t have as many oppertunities to explore silly moves, or learn from combat or purchasing errors, since even one goof can dramatically alter the balance of forces. If everyone playing is equally inexperienced with A&A, this isn’t a huge problem, because units will  just be destroyed in a flash, the game will end quickly, and then you just reset the board and play again.
    ;)

    It gets a bit more challenging though, when one player “knows what they’re doing” but the others don’t. The less experienced players often have a hard time grasping this idea that the starting units are way more valuable, than the units that enter the game through purchasing, and each unit you lose can present a major setback. The desire to fight and destroy enemy units often trumps the desire to “play it safe” wait and not engage, and what happens is they throw away most of their starting units in trades to no purpose.

    My best solution for 1941 with new people, is to just put a little more cash in play. A one time bonus of 10 ipcs during the first round to starting income. Or a repeating bonus of 5 ipcs per nation per round (for holding their capital) can make the game a lot more enjoyable for new people. It gives them some breathing room, and a chance to recover from early screw ups.

    I agree with you completely, the best way to learn is by playing. In that other thread for 1942 sec ed, I suggested that you start with the battle board and stage a lot of example battles, before playing the game itself. The advantage of 1941 is its fast set up time. 1941 drags a bit due to the lack of artillery, but even then, I’d think you should be able to complete a game in the first session, and perhaps even complete a second game. I find that 1941 takes about 2 hours to complete on average. It can go longer, but usually one side can manage to take a capital by then.

    I think your plan is solid. I usually try to stick to the OOB values the first time out since the new guys will be more reliant on the set up cards and graphic information written on the map and the battleboard, because it’s their first time. Of course, there is a trick with that because the current “official” set up doesn’t exactly match the cards. Especially with the US destroyer or the US starting income. That’s why I think its fairly easy to just give everyone an extra 10 ipcs at the outset and an extra 5 each turn at collect income, just to make purchasing a bit more fun for them. It allows them to explore more “big ticket” buys like tanks or fighters or ships, without getting punished so hard by the dude who understands the strong advantage of the infantry push.
    ;)

    Have fun and let us know how it went

    Yeah, I plan to emphasize that since money to so tight, the units you have are very valuable. I was also thinking of giving them some advice on their first turn moves and in general as the game goes on, though I don’t want it to be like I’m playing for them…do you have any suggestions on how I can achieve a proper balance with respect to advice giving?


  • I can think about as often as possible suggest two things at a time and let the player decides.
    Offering alternatives and the main consequences (1 good and 1 bad), let a lot of decisions burden on the player.

    Can gives general advice for a country about what not to buy, to remain in the game.
    This should let a lot to think about what is needed.

    I agree with Black_Elk, more money allows for some un-smart move without loosing everything.


  • Yes - as BM says give options and allow the player to make his/her own decisions - that’s exactly what I do.  My experience is that those you are teaching will take any opportunity to do their own thing regardless so you won’t be leading them by the nose.

    Hope it goes well.


  • Are there enough units and “chips” in the box to use in a normal game? When I did the initial setup, I ran out of grey chips and so has to put 2 infantry pieces in some territories, leaving everyone with few reserve infantry pieces.


  • Almost! As you say the chips don’t quite cover the set up, so use the units.


  • Sure, the setup is fine, but will there not be more units as the game goes on? Or is that a no because battles will kill more units than the replacements?


  • Yes - you can run out of units and end up using another Power’s. A little lower down this Board is a “Two Questions” thread I started, one of those questions being about sourcing additional units for which I got very helpful answers - have a look.

    Cheers
    PP


  • If you are pieces collector, I suggest to buy another 1941 edition box.
    It can be even cheaper than buying extras pieces.
    Also, there is a lot of unique sculpts in this edition.


  • I am not much of a pieces collector…I can always use Global units in addition, except that I didn’t bring my 1940 games to college with me. Sine our game is tomorrow, I can’t procure extra units at this point. I guess we’ll just have to make do.


  • So, we played 1941 last night, and I’d tentatively say that it was a success! We did not have issues with pieces/chips, and everyone seemed to be having fun (modulo being tired, since the game lasted from 7:30 PM to midnight before we called it a night and declared it an Axis victory). I will post pictures soon.


  • Glad to hear it went well. Hopefully the first of many games ……


  • Here are some pictures of the game. I took them approximately once a round, after the US turn. I was playing the UK. The reduced income and factor production really hits hard in this game: being able to build only one unit in India per turn was frustrating, and I was careless and lose undefended transports and even my fighters in the Caucuses because the Japanese player decided to attack it using his carrier fighters (and thus abandon his navy to be killed by the US).

    The Russian player lost her capital to Germany due to this 2-front pressure (and the fact that the US was mainly focused against Japan), and after that happened, the German player used her units to start mopping up Eurasia. The US player tried invading Japan once, but he lost, with one Japanese fighter surviving. At the end of the game, when it was approaching midnight, he decided to try a last desperate invasion of Japan, but it was easily repelled, and so an Axis victory was declared.

    Now, I’m not sure if I would conclude that the Axis have the advantage in this game, but I certainly think that it’s harder for the Allies to play optimally and they have to be more careful and fight cooperatively.

1 / 2

Suggested Topics

  • Game Balance & Capturing Capitols

    Nov 24, 2018, 2:40 AM
    10
  • 9
  • One Player; New Player Questions

    Jan 19, 2016, 3:03 AM
    11
  • First time player impressions and question about pieces.

    Jun 28, 2014, 3:43 AM
    4
  • The only reason i bought this game is for the new sculpts

    Aug 13, 2013, 7:59 PM
    19
  • Pros and Cons of Axis & Allies 1941: A Review

    Jul 22, 2012, 5:59 AM
    6
  • A&A 1941 Rulebook

    Jul 21, 2012, 7:46 PM
    1
  • Why I am Excited About Axis & Allies 1941

    Jul 10, 2012, 2:08 PM
    11
Axis & Allies Boardgaming Custom Painted Miniatures

57

Online

17.5k

Users

40.1k

Topics

1.7m

Posts