How is the balance with the new Alpha 2 changes? Please give your view.

Capital sack rules: I blame you! Sea Lion would not be a real problem if Canada and South Africa could continue the war (buying units) after the fall of London

@jim010:

I agree that Sealion is still too easy to pull off. It seems the balance between UK london & UK Med forces is not really perfect yet.
I would say UK london should be stronger and UK Med & Africa forces should be slightly weaker.

Agreed.

sounds good.  Arguments and torpedoes be dam’m’ed, I’m still quite sure that the ultimate reason that UK was split in the first place was so that there would finally be a reason to try Sea Lion realistically and still keep UK in the game for the Pacific.  splitting Can/SAfrica out still may make it more interesting, but hey, i don’t need to take either of them to win as the Axis.

I’m also in agreement with the notion that UK Europe is too weak. A G3 Sealion, even with a UK strategy of getting everything home (assuming all previous battles have gone fairly well and that also means letting the Italians run wild in the med) is at best a 50/50 chance at holding.  With the Italians wild, they can get up to 40IPC in a hurry with nothing to stop them but the Americans, and they MUST spend in the Pacific or lose the game economically or by having Japan take 6 cities quickly.

One of the joys of a global game should be NOT having definite strats that work nearly every time. I feel that Sealion is killer for the Allies. Yes, Russia is strong because they do not get hit until G4, but with the 30IPC bump to Germany, plus the NO, and a weak US in the Atlantic, Germany should be able to beat back Russia and hold off the US.

The simple economics of the situation is the Axis is making as much and/or more than the Allies by end of turn 4 AND the Axis has more units typically in play (and better positioning as well).

Seems that a simple bid by the Allies as previously discussed would solve it. Just 4/5 more units in London would make Sealion much more difficult and still have UK making some very tough choices with Italy.  OR, as others have said, allow Canada/SA move forward with the limited IPCs left. Or, the other solution would be to not have IPCs on hand go to the nation taking a capital. Yes, the nation loses the IPCs on hand, but it does not go to the victor. The 19IPC bump that Germany gets for France effectively eliminates 3 transports for a G3 landing and that alone could make the difference.

Tough questions to balance such a robust game. IMHO I really like the new rules, the NOs and the set up. Just feel that Sealion should not be as easy as it is.

We just started our first global game and so far the pacific is fairly even Japan is almost through north china however south china with the UK there is another story. Russia and Japan have not started batttle and why bother if your Japan just have enough defense there to hold the infantry back. Japan on turn 2 attacked the fleet off of the west cost of the US leaving a total loss for Japan and leaving the US with a severly depleated fleet. Germany conquered all of France on Turn 1. Commenced Operation Sea Lion on turn 2 and conquered the UK leaving a tank and an Infantry and is postured to take Novograd at the start of turn 3. The UK tried to take England back with 2 infantry and 2 fighters and had extremely low luck hitting only one infantry. So it comes down to luck of the dice, it seems exteremly even on first glance.

We play with a “bid” for UK (Europe) which we call the Churchill rule.  This usually helps defend Sealion

You have to recite at least 3 lines of Churchills infamous speech at the start of your turn, (sometimes flexible on the amount recited depending on alochol consumption) then for each infantry purchased, you get a 2nd infantry free.  (Half price infantry).  We limit it usually to no more than 10 units, but we sort of just play it by ear when we use it.

Buffing the defense of England would be the only increase to the allies I could fathom.

However, thinking upon it, I think we could do something similar to the Kamikazee rule for England.  England gets 6 Infantry that defend England but cannot leave England for any reason (to include Scotland.)  Once dead, they die.  Each infantry must be paired with a normal infantry unit. (ie, if you had 5 infantry then you could only use 5 England defenders, not the full 6.)

To make it less impactful, maybe they only defend on a 1?

It would make Sea Lion harder while not making England any stronger and not making it impossible for Germany to win.  It would have to be followed up with either moving the VC from Quebec to S. Africa or adding a VC to S. Africa (without making Germany need 9 VCs to win.)  To compensate for a harder shot at England (and thus, a harder shot at Russia too.)

@Cmdr:

Buffing the defense of England would be the only increase to the allies I could fathom.

However, thinking upon it, I think we could do something similar to the Kamikazee rule for England.  England gets 6 Infantry that defend England but cannot leave England for any reason (to include Scotland.)  Once dead, they die.  Each infantry must be paired with a normal infantry unit. (ie, if you had 5 infantry then you could only use 5 England defenders, not the full 6.)

To make it less impactful, maybe they only defend on a 1?

It would make Sea Lion harder while not making England any stronger and not making it impossible for Germany to win.  It would have to be followed up with either moving the VC from Quebec to S. Africa or adding a VC to S. Africa (without making Germany need 9 VCs to win.)  To compensate for a harder shot at England (and thus, a harder shot at Russia too.)

You might be on to something, Cmdr.  England did have the “Home Guard.”  Pretty much a useless militia of civilians, but implementing them as 0/1 Units that can’t move from England proper is a good idea.  Essential, they would act as fodder for other units.  Perhaps the “bid” could be based on the number of Home Guardsmen that one get to play the UK?

@Cmdr:

Buffing the defense of England would be the only increase to the allies I could fathom.

However, thinking upon it, I think we could do something similar to the Kamikazee rule for England.  England gets 6 Infantry that defend England but cannot leave England for any reason (to include Scotland.)  Once dead, they die.  Each infantry must be paired with a normal infantry unit. (ie, if you had 5 infantry then you could only use 5 England defenders, not the full 6.)

To make it less impactful, maybe they only defend on a 1?

It would make Sea Lion harder while not making England any stronger and not making it impossible for Germany to win.  It would have to be followed up with either moving the VC from Quebec to S. Africa or adding a VC to S. Africa (without making Germany need 9 VCs to win.)  To compensate for a harder shot at England (and thus, a harder shot at Russia too.)

sounds promising but must keep sealion viable

Paint up some models in plebian outfits and stick some pitchforks on the end of the guns.  “Civilian” units are massively under represented in AA… probably with good reason, but Russia should get to use them too.

Well, Sea Lion would still be viable, but I figure, with the Home Guard units, it wouldn’t be viable until Round 4 (Just before America enters) or Round 5 (with one round of American reinforcements, which would ease pressure on Japan).

Home Guard:
Cost: 2 IPC
Move: 0
Attack: 0
Defend: 1
Max: 5 on England, ONLY, cannot be built anywhere else.

@Cmdr:

Home Guard:
Cost: 2 IPC
Move: 0
Attack: 0
Defend: 1
Max: 5 on England, ONLY, cannot be built anywhere else.

Not sure if I like the idea of these units being purchased.  I think a strict number of them should be bid on before the game with the restriction that they cannot move from England/Scotland.

@Cmdr:

Well, Sea Lion would still be viable, but I figure, with the Home Guard units, it wouldn’t be viable until Round 4 (Just before America enters) or Round 5 (with one round of American reinforcements, which would ease pressure on Japan).

Home Guard:
Cost: 2 IPC
Move: 0
Attack: 0
Defend: 1
Max: 5 on England, ONLY, cannot be built anywhere else.

I think that deserves a playtest unfortunately I am currently unable to try at this point in time

Interesting idea…

How about if the home guard only appear on the turn that London is invaded? 
In other words, UK gets 3-5 home guard troops (regular infantry) to place immediately prior to combat on the first turn London is attacked.  That would help balance the Sea Lion issue while still allowing UK to do something on the first couple of turns in Africa.

Jennifer, your original idea of removing inf from somewhere else (Africa) and placing it in London is the best.  Adding 3 units would make Sealion on turn 3 dicey at best.

I’m not sure how people are making a turn 4 or 5 Sealion work, though.  UK on turn 4 would have too much to overcome with only 12 TTs.  I think that if London is to be taken, its turn 3 or not at all.

Sealion DOES NOT constitute a game win, by any means.

England is JUST as useless if you bypass them - for turns on end.

Bring on sea-lion - by all means.

Either way I shuffle guys from europe to a territory near uk on R2 and R3. then finish him R4.

there is nothing uk can do. period. Max out the complex on inf try to hold with a fighter, but there is just so much air I sent and tanks and inf  i’d have to miss an entire round and he’d have to hit an entire round before we’re even.

He can attack my drop on R2 and R3. oh sure. and whatever he sends R2 I kill R3. Whatever he sends to attack it R3 won’t be defending UK. so he’ll try to hit it for 1 round and retreat… sometimes that goes bad LOL sometimes that goes good and you still get wooped.

you guys are just very bad.

Like the harder question is: how can you not be able to take UK??? In a LL game or dice? You send pretty much overwhelming odds.
~

Sealion doesn’t constitute a win. I concur. However I believe it is the optimal strategy for axis. However it does make the game really boring.

I rather just give axis a bid under the condition that they cannot take over uk.

Pretty much 15 axis. No attacking UK until after UK has taken his 4th turn (basically you have to do it R5 if at all).

I don’t think its fair that Britain gets a homeguard, if they get one shouldn’t every other power get one?

Germany = Volksturmm
Japan = Volunteer Fighting Force armed with Ceramic grenades, Bushido type stuff.
Russia = Great Patriotic Call to Arms
Italy = … Dunno.
America = Another draft I guess…
ANZAC = Defend the Kangaroos (DTK) lol
France = Just surrender already…

Also R5 uk takedowns are possible. if you buy bombers round 2 and industrial bomb R3-4. You pretty much shut him down. bomb the guy for 20. he can make 5-7 inf? kinda a big difference.

I’d just play with axis bid and no attacking uk till R5+ to include industrial bombing.

@Benerfe:

I don’t think its fair that Britain gets a homeguard, if they get one shouldn’t every other power get one?

Germany = Volksturmm
Japan = Volunteer Fighting Force armed with Ceramic grenades, Bushido type stuff.
Russia = Great Patriotic Call to Arms
Italy = … Dunno.
America = Another draft I guess…
ANZAC = Defend the Kangaroos (DTK) lol
France = Just surrender already…

Missing the point.  The Home Guard is not for historical accuracy; rather, it’s to help balance the game with a little something to deter a G3 Sea Lion.

I still think a bid on the number of Guardsmen is the best idea, because it allows the players themselves to balance the game based on their relative skill and the perceived skill of their opponents.