Alpha +2 or +3 for A&A E40

There are no Alpha rules for the Europe or Pacific games yet.  They will come along later.  The Alpha +3 rules can be found here.

I still haven’t figured out why people use alpha rules for AAE1940 at all. Are the OOB rules broken or is there something wrong with them ?

@c64:

I still haven’t figured out why people use alpha rules for AAE1940 at all. Are the OOB rules broken or is there something wrong with them ?

The only thing I can think of for Europe is the Alpha rules significantly improve scrambling.

Alpha + .2 is just about perfect.

Alpha + .3 ….  not so much.

The problem with OOB, is sea-lion is SO EASY!

An apology, in advance, for the off-topic question.

There’s a question I have for any “veterans” on the forum. I have played four games of Europe Edition, and two of Global. In every game, I was the European Axis, and with the exception of my first game, it was an Axis victory. The dice seemed pretty tame, and nothing in the game was too abnormal. Granted, the guys that I play with are below me in skill level, but this ratio still seems a bit wonky. From what I have heard, from my local hobby shop, and from my experience in my first game, the Allies should win the majority of the time. Was this information I was given wrong, and the Axis win more than I was told, or are my opponents just strategically challenged?

The Allies are starting to make claims that the game in rigged so the Axis can win. Of course this is off, but I need an expert opinion to prove them so. Keep in mind that we play with no bidding, but national objectives on.

Which rules are you using (OOB, A2, or A3)?

What is each nation doing or trying to do?

I’m afraid I can’t quite answer the first part of the question. My Axis and Allies “lingo” is, well, sub-par. OOB, Alpha +2 etc., those terms are foreign to me. I can tell you that we are playing with the rules listed in the Europe edition rulebook, minus technology.

The official objective of each coalition is to achieve the capture of eight victory cities, or the Axis capitals. However, if the Axis can knock out one of the Allied powers (Russia, mostly) and the remaining nations aren’t in a position to invade the France or Italy, we’ll usually just call it an Axis victory.

Or, if you were referring for the method of attack for each nation in itself, I’ll tell you that as well. I’ll invade the USSR on G1, put a factory and airbase in Finland on G2 and start building up there. Germany tries to crunch Leningrad on G3 or G4, using infantry from Finland, tanks from the heartland Germany, and, mostly, an airforce that Germany spent the first two or three turns investing in. The infantry cushion the blow, and I get off with the majority of my Luftwaffe. After this, infantry that had previously attacked Bessarabia and Eastern Poland had moved into range of Moscow. I attack, usually on G4 or G5, with the roughly six infantry and four tanks, not to mention the 16-plane (mostly strat. bombers) airforce.

I have also used SeaLöwe a few times, and once sacked England on the second turn. This is perhaps the most prominent example of Allied blundering in my games, this gross misallocation of resources (fighters, not infantry).England always gives Germany a huge advantage, and with the extra IPC’s, and freedom to concentrate on one front, I can take Russia pretty quickly. If SeaLöwe is used, Germany also starts to build many factories, after this victory, particularly in Slovakia and Romania.

As for Italy: if Germany drives for England, they press hard in Africa, with typical success, and both deprive England of recourses, and get fairly uncontested land once London falls. In case of Barbarossa, Italy lands two infantry, an artillery and a tank in the Caucasus, activates Iraq, places a factory in Iraq and the Caucasus as soon as possible. They also blitz Syria, and take Persia. After they land in the Caucasus and hold it for a turn, they fly planes over, then start threatening Stalingrad. Even if they don’t take it, it saps some recourses from Russia.

Hopefully this is enough information, but if it is not, just ask and I will do my best to supplement you. Thanks.

Sorry, I should have clarified.  OOB means “out of box” - the rules in the box itself.  Alpha + whatever means the new rules hat are a work in progress (but there isn’t a version specific to the Europe board yet, so you’d have to adapt them a bit).  From what you said you’re doing OOB.  And tech generally isn’t a huge factor anyway.

Your Axis strategy seems pretty good.  What are the Allies (particularly the USA) doing?

Your games sounds like an interesting match right from the OOB rules. This is my experience as well. So why is everyone so keen on using alpha rules ?  ( I just started Europe one month ago, so are there any cheap victories with OOB ? )

A little off-topic : Is there a dice server for Europe1940 ?

The Alpha rules help to fix some flaws in the game (such as only being able to scramble to protect sea zones around islands, but not Britain, fixing/improving some national objectives, balancing the game in general).

Russia often makes the mistake of spreading themselves out. Only too late do they concentrate on the cities.

UK turtles at first, then fails to pressure Germany and keeps turtling. They also spend too much on the Navy.

US is a case of too little, too late: they don’t land too many planes in the UK, and their D-Day fleet is easily repusled, as Germany has already taken either Moscow or London.

I would play with Alpha +3.

But to balance the game, shift an Italian destroyer from around Italy, to Crete.  OR give the axis $12 in IPC’s to spend pre-game.

Otherwise allies will win 75% or more of the games.

If you can down load the diff rules then you can see all the variable set ups and try each one out. We have been doing just Global for about 3/4 of a year but a year ago it was just the Pacific board and then when I got the Europe game it was all Global
  Some people say its not the tool , its how you use it.  Good luck with your games and the ALPHA+2 or +3 on just the individual boards could be interesting if we need a change of pace

Thank you all for the help. It is very much appreciated, and I got most of the information that I needed. However, I would also like to know one more thing from the experts: in a game with the more skilled players as the Axis, and the rest as Allies, (both sides having prior experience), about how often should the Allies win, using OOB?

So I’ve been playing more AAE40 and have come to realize that Sea Lion is way too easy, as was mentioned by Gargantua.  UK built all infantry turns 1 & 2 but by G3 Germany had 6 transports, 6 inf/art, 1 strat bomber, 4 tact bombers, 4 fighters.  They took it no problem and the US (preparing for Germany to do sealion) still could not take it back effectively within 2 turns at LEAST.

So I looked up the Alpha 3 rules and correct me if I’m wrong but the new AA rule allows you to roll 3 dice for each AA gun at the start of the battle now?  And you are allowed to have multiple “useable” AA guns on the same territory?  Thank you

Yes.  For example, I believe the UK starts with 4 in London.

In our group we’ll have a person get on a roll where they’ll win like 5 or 10 games in a row regardless of what country they are (France doesnt count) and then it will shift to some one else and then their the one to beat
  Also play your dice if it seems that your rolling nothing but 5 & 6’s buy Technologies  or play the Naval Mini’s

Forgive me if it’s been stated but I wanted some quick clarification.  Are the Alpha 3 rules supposed to supplement what’s been stated in Alpha 2 or are they their own rule set?  In other words, should I be referencing both Alpha 2 AND 3 when playing?  I know Krieg mentioned that these are for global, but I really prefer Alpha 3’s rules over the OOB.  Thank you.

EDIT: I also noticed that the US no longer has the NO of +30 IPCs in wartime.  Is this a mistake?

@wwestpro:

EDIT: I also noticed that the US no longer has the NO of +30 IPCs in wartime.  Is this a mistake?

Yes, I would like to know the answer too… I often feel that the US are overpowered and it would be interesting to see what would happen without the 30 IPCs.