Two questions:
1. Who thinks Japan is too strong with the 29 planes? It seems to throw the balance off in the Pacific, and Japan could really cause problems in Europe if the planes fly to Germany. I would rather see Japan have a stronger navy with a couple more transports than have so many planes that can threaten larger areas on the map.
2. Is ALPHA going to be official for the global game? A lot of players on this board seem to think it helps to balance AAP40, but what about global? Larry Harris has endorsed ALPHA, but it is still not in the official Pacific40 Erata.
1. It has 28 planes, but it is too strong. That’s why alpha reduces this number, but it also reduces the allies’ air force by the same amount.
2. It takes a while for this to be tweaked and put into the errata.
Japan already has a strong navy with 2 battleships and 3 carriers. it does not need more. What it needs are more land forces, which alpha provides: it adds 6 inf to China and Korea while removing 2 inf from japan
@Captain:
Two questions:
1. Who thinks Japan is too strong with the 29 planes? It seems to throw the balance off in the Pacific, and Japan could really cause problems in Europe if the planes fly to Germany. I would rather see Japan have a stronger navy with a couple more transports than have so many planes that can threaten larger areas on the map.
2. Is ALPHA going to be official for the global game? A lot of players on this board seem to think it helps to balance AAP40, but what about global? Larry Harris has endorsed ALPHA, but it is still not in the official Pacific40 Erata.
I am one of the few who didn’t think Japan was to strong with 28 planes, but after playing Alpha I prefer it in AAP40 and AAG40 and as both the axis and allied powers.
Alpha is fast looking to be the new set up but takes time to put into official capacity as Calvin pointed out.
I am looking forward to playing Alpha as my group has not tried that yet. I am not sure the Axis need 28 planes to start.
@Chompers#2:
I am looking forward to playing Alpha as my group has not tried that yet. I am not sure the Axis need 28 planes to start.
The axis in Alpha actually start with 30 planes
I didn’t count before posting but the main point I was thinking of is Japan seems to have bit to many planes in non alpha set up. Not saying it makes the game unbalanced but I think it would be cooler to play a Japan with a better mixture of units.
@Chompers#2:
I didn’t count before posting but the main point I was thinking of is Japan seems to have bit to many planes in non alpha set up. Not saying it makes the game unbalanced but I think it would be cooler to play a Japan with a better mixture of units.
It is much better and means that Japan actually has to build some planes if they want the same dominance of the skies.
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Japan already has a strong navy with 2 battleships and 3 carriers. it does not need more. What it needs are more land forces, which alpha provides: it adds 6 inf to China and Korea while removing 2 inf from japan
If your land units are at a premium and you have excess air units, would it not make sense to choose air over ground as casualties in select battles?
For example [OOB Global] when hitting Yunnan [3 inf] send in air and less land to keep the land units in tact. Choose these “excess” air units as casualties. Strike concentrated Chinese and UK land units with air to clear the board. Eventually, you’ll get your ground units there and the plane level would “balance” out.
This is not what I do in games_, but it does make sense in some cases and would not require changing things. I’d say maybe two-dozen games saw me select a plane in order to capture a key land area or keep a key land unit alive.[Like when trying to capture a capital.] Many times in Pacific40 I “taught” a new player not to concentrate Chinese units next to Yunnan without the UK air force, as I often flew in 16+ air to wipe away 10 or fewer units for 3-4 planes.[Especially if it nabbed the Chinese fighter.]_
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Japan already has a strong navy with 2 battleships and 3 carriers. it does not need more. What it needs are more land forces, which alpha provides: it adds 6 inf to China and Korea while removing 2 inf from japan
If your land units are at a premium and you have excess air units, would it not make sense to choose air over ground as casualties in select battles?
For example [OOB Global] when hitting Yunnan [3 inf] send in air and less land to keep the land units in tact. Choose these “excess” air units as casualties. Strike concentrated Chinese and UK land units with air to clear the board. Eventually, you’ll get your ground units there and the plane level would “balance” out.
This is not what I do in games_, but it does make sense in some cases and would not require changing things. I’d say maybe two-dozen games saw me select a plane in order to capture a key land area or keep a key land unit alive.[Like when trying to capture a capital.] Many times in Pacific40 I “taught” a new player not to concentrate Chinese units next to Yunnan without the UK air force, as I often flew in 16+ air to wipe away 10 or fewer units for 3-4 planes.[Especially if it nabbed the Chinese fighter.]
I have a regular opponent who loves to throw planes at infantry, so far he has yet to come close in beating the allies._
I have a regular opponent who loves to throw planes at infantry, so far he has yet to come close in beating the allies.
Does he attack and build 3 transports J1? and grab India with 3 carriers, and 6 transports by turn 5? I did not say attack infantry with planes every turn, there are times when you should and times when you shouldn’t. IMO you can lose 6 planes OOB Pacific before you have to worry. That’s enough to clear all of China’s land units turn 2 in “certain” situations. Meaning they can not counter attack your land units.
Most of us are finding the Axis struggle in Global. This means they need every plane they have and more.
I am going to the alpha set up a try. I am wondering if the loss of planes for the allies might hurt them more perhaps?
Most of us are finding the Axis struggle in Global. This means they need every plane they have and more.
I do not find the axis a struggle, lately our group has been finding the exact opposite.
@ Chompers#2 Alpha set up is so much better I would definitely give it a try.
I printed up the Alpha set up today. After looking at I am thinking it is much better. This will prevent England from flying all the Pacific planes they start with in normal set up to Africa and pushing back Italy. It should also force the US to spend some more points on Navy and Airforce. The Austrialian fighters also can hurt the axis a lot so as Japan I will be glad to see them go. Finally the extra inf in Manchuria should help peel some points off Russia.
I should be trying the set up today against the least experienced gamer in our group. He will be the allies. Later in the week I may play the best player in our group but I will have to convince him about the set up. He thinks Japan will be hurt too much by losing seven planes.
I printed up the Alpha set up today. After looking at I am thinking it is much better. This will prevent England from flying all the Pacific planes they start with in normal set up to Africa and pushing back Italy. It should also force the US to spend some more points on Navy and Airforce. The Austrialian fighters also can hurt the axis a lot so as Japan I will be glad to see them go. Finally the extra inf in Manchuria should help peel some points off Russia.
I should be trying the set up today against the least experienced gamer in our group. He will be the allies. Later in the week I may play the best player in our group but I will have to convince him about the set up. He thinks Japan will be hurt too much by losing seven planes.
He shouldn’t be. I was as well but after trying it I would never go back. Extra infantry divisions for a Soviet invasion, and less planes for the allies to use as well. Pure fantasticness!
We are about 10 hours into the game and I am the closest I have ever been to a win as the axis. Japan has busted through India and destroyed a large US Navy that was sent into the Pacific to stop them. I also currently hold Honolulu.
I did a sealion turn G4 even though my plan was to attack Russia because my opponent spent to many early Brittish points in Africa and I decided I needed to keep him honest. America reclaimed Britain but I was able to have a 93 point German turn of spending and even now the British have not recovered in Africa. The German airforce has been blowing up the Royal Navy as it appears along with my U boats. I am not very deep into Russia but I have a stack of about 75 Inf and art faced off against a similiar Russian Stack. Italy is also growing a large stack as well. Japan is now very close to be able to offer Assistance to Germany and Italy in Europe. THe axis big three is closing the gap in IPC spending against the allies big three.
We are going to continue the game later this week and it could still go either way. I have made a lot of mistakes as the Axis as I normally play allies but I think the axis are more fun to play. But I have to say I like the Alpha set up much better.
But I have to say I like the Alpha set up much better.
It is incredible how much better it makes the game from both sides.
