Global 1940 Review?

@Bakufu:

Hi All,

I looked through the first 5 pages but don’t see anything relating to a review of A&A 1940 Global setup.  My friends and I are long A&A players, with our favorite edition being the anniversary edition, and we’re thinking of stepping this up to the Global 1940 edition.  Can any of you briefly explain your thoughts on this edition?  I read most of the rules and while they’re interesting, I feel they’re potentially limiting.  I.E. how does the “forced peace” type of deal play out for your games (where America can’t attack by turn x and Soviet Union cant attack so and so by turn x, etc)?  It’s seems incredibly restrictive and frustrating.  Besides, 3 turns for us takes us a long, long time.

I also noticed that IPC’s can only be purchased for certain parts of the map, I.E. IPCS collected in Pacific can only be used in Pacific theater.  Is this true?  Seems excessively limiting as well.

All in all I REALLY wants to like this game, I just have reservations from what I’ve read so far.  My group would be on the same page.  The board is beautiful, the miniatures are great, and the new units seem awesome.

Please help me out!  Much appreciated, guys.

Regards,
Bakufu

For one the IPC’s division only applies to the UK.  The UK is the only economy that is split.  Everyone else can put IPC’s on any location they can.  As far as the declaration of war, since there are 9 economies, Perhaps have someone who is playing the US also play someone who is already in the war.  Russia usually gets attacked early enough in the game that they are dragged into the war by turn 2 or so.  If Germany takes London in its turn 3, then the US can go ahead and attack.  I have played a few times and the game lasts SOOOO LONG sometimes up to 30 turns, that its not particularly limiting in my opinion.

Bakufu - I won’t get into too many particulars.

I’ve been playing A&A in one form or another since it came out in Milton Bradley form in 1984… and after playing Global, I won’t go back and spend my time on any other version. Anniversary took the game to an amazing place, but Global blows Anniversary away.

Immerse yourself in the rules… just jump in and play a game. Download the latest setup and ruleset, and enjoy.

This game is the matured evolution of an already fantastic game.

Can I somehow get paid for what I just said?

When it comes down to it the restrictions on war declarations last for a very small part of the game.  If you’re already familiar with A&A then this shouldn’t be a difficult game to pick up.  The one thing you should know, though, it that it’s much larger scale.  More nations, more units, longer game, etc.  As other people said, the split Europe/Pacific economy only applies to the UK.

I’m not going to give out free advertising, it’s not my job, but I definitely love AA1940 Global.  It’s by far my favorite Axis and Allies game, and it’s also my favorite board game in general of all time.

The Stand Alones are pretty good too.

Europe is better than Pacific, but both are a hell of alot of fun.

Global takes the game from the typical Axis and Allies starting “play scripts”  and molds it into “There is so much going on, you get to make the same or different decisions as historically were presented to each side”

It’s very open ended, dice are much less a factor than before, and logistics + strategy much MORE of a factor now.

Get the game, and get the led out.

And get some optional rules where Russia has it’s own Victory Conditions!

Do you remember your first time playing the Annaversary Edition, the board was bigger with more vibrant colors, there were new powers and units introduced, and the strategic possibilities seemed endless. Now fast forward to Global and I’m sure you will feel the same way all over again. There are a few issues however, like the fact that the rules are scattered over 2 books, 3 FAQ threads and 2 (about to be 3) modifications. Also, the political situations are a bit confusing, but if you learn what you can, play the game as you know it, but understand that you can’t know everything, you will be fine. There are some really great things about global (the new air and naval base units are revolutionary & the China rules are better) but there are also some disappointing things (you may wish to revert to the AE SBR rules and use the AE money) But overall, it is the latest most upto date A&A and for all purposes, you and your friends should try it (besides, what other edition gives Germany A 50/50 shot at invading London and still win the game?). Don’t worry about all the variables and political situations, you will learn them in time, but I believe that the majority of the new material is superior to all past editions ( like how neutral territories are treated and how units can be combined for better attack value). There is definitely enough here to dive in and forget the games flaws, and the fact that it constantly gets modified by the designer, gives this game the potential to rise above it’s problems.

The naval aspect has been improved, with the option of extra movement if you go from naval base to naval base.  I personally don’t like the new CV rules, pretty sure even a CV has defensive armament and therefore can fire at enemy shipping.  Also after playing the game I feel another area that is clunky would be the DOW system.  I don’t have a solution, but the current system is not right.

Provided you can schedule large chunks of time for the first few matches, and also the ability to keep the board up between sessions you should pick it up easily.  Now that I think about it when I first started playing, the first few games we were missing Scrambling options, had to redo the first turn because both of us kept forgetting it was even an option.  After a game or 2 though you should be fine.

@JimmyHat:

The naval aspect has been improved, with the option of extra movement if you go from naval base to naval base.  I personally don’t like the new CV rules, pretty sure even a CV has defensive armament and therefore can fire at enemy shipping.  Also after playing the game I feel another area that is clunky would be the DOW system.  I don’t have a solution, but the current system is not right.

Provided you can schedule large chunks of time for the first few matches, and also the ability to keep the board up between sessions you should pick it up easily.  Now that I think about it when I first started playing, the first few games we were missing Scrambling options, had to redo the first turn because both of us kept forgetting it was even an option.  After a game or 2 though you should be fine.

It’s extra movement from a naval base - it doesn’t matter if it’s to a naval base.  And as far as I know carriers could always fire, but this time they can’t fire when attacking.  In real life carriers were built to launch planes, and the planes were the main weapons they carried, if not the only ones (though that’s still pretty formidable, as it turns out).

Buy both you wont regret it,  and down load the ALPHA+2 rules and print them out

Yeah that was my point.  I understand not letting trn ships have an attacking value, but a carrier task force?  They do have guns…

Plus you have all the escort ships running in the carrier task force, although it could be argued these are represented now by the dd and CA models.

@JimmyHat:

Yeah that was my point.  I understand not letting trn ships have an attacking value, but a carrier task force?  They do have guns…

Plus you have all the escort ships running in the carrier task force, although it could be argued these are represented now by the dd and CA models.

Yeah, I’d argue that the carriers in-game represent only carriers, not carrier task forces.  And cruisers and destroyers are their escorts.  A&A isn’t the kind of game to go into all the different ship classes and stuff.

I have played both the Anniversary edition and the 1940 Global games, and I have to say that the 1940 game is a much deeper game.  The naval yards, air fields, and scrabbling rules add a whole new layer to the game that you just do not see with the Anniversary edition.

I know that you mentioned the political situations as a cause for concern (Russia/ USA not being at war at the start of the game), however, keep in mind that this game starts at a much earlier period in the war… The Axis have a lot more options as to where they are going to attack and how they want to win the war.

Don’t get me wrong, Anniversary edition is awesome, but the 1940 games takes Axis and Allies to a whole new level.

@shadowguidex:

I’m not going to give out free advertising, it’s not my job, but I definitely love AA1940 Global.  It’s by far my favorite Axis and Allies game, and it’s also my favorite board game in general of all time.

I’m not going to hand out any compliments or anything, but that’s a really good post.

Yeah, I love the Global 1940 game and can’t get myself to go back and play the earlier versions anymore.  Occasionally, I will still play Battle of the Bulge or D-Day for something a little different, but when I want the whole world version, I just can’t go back to Revised or even Anniversary.  It’s got to be Global 1940.

@knp7765:

Yeah, I love the Global 1940 game and can’t get myself to go back and play the earlier versions anymore.  Occasionally, I will still play Battle of the Bulge or D-Day for something a little different, but when I want the whole world version, I just can’t go back to Revised or even Anniversary.  It’s got to be Global 1940.

This is my opinion as well.  The other games just seem so simple, easy, and boring.  Nothing beats Global 1940 in terms of replayability.  This game can be played a hundred times, each time with a hundred different strategies.

The size of the map is getting a bit better with each installment.  You used to be able to fly a bomber from Omaha or Texas to Moscow!!!