Please help - it seems we play the game wrong

The main thing is it will take a little while for the Allied player to understand the strategy required to win. It will also take a bit to get the mindset needed to execute the strategy.

BOTB is very different from other Axis and Allies games in that one side is managing a retreat instead of both sides trying to attack and conquer. As Allies you are going to lose ground and cities and units and be hopelessly outnumbered but this is not the game slipping away from you.

A few of my often repeated tips:

1. Do not try to stop the Axis cold for the first several turns. You are going to lose ground and cities. You are falling back to a line in the area of Eupen (ideally)/Verviers to Werbmont to Bastogne to Martelange. You are sending only enough reinforcements to the front to give time to build up your strength and stress the Axis supply situation.

2. Your defense must have depth. Two units in the line is many times not as useful as one in the line and one in back. This conserves units and keeps the Axis in front of you. Close gaps in the line but be aware of areas where the Axis can make a hole and cut off retreat of your units.

3. Don’t share your trucks and supplies. Bring on the minimum.

4. Exception to 3. In some hexes (Bastogne for example) add trucks and supplies to spread out hits and protect your combat units. The Allies can spare a few trucks and supplies as ‘cannon fodder.’

@philestar:

I think it would be good if someone could posts a review with poto, video or detailed mouvement.

You want someone to play the game for you? Where is the fun in that?  :-D

Don’t let your retreat get cut off. A unit with no place to retreat has doubled its chances of being destroyed.

Save your starting armor by falling back on Malmedy and Martelange. Hold it back and use it for the depth I was talking of.

The only hexes that should have more than one unit after turn 1 Allied movement are Eupen and St. Vith.

Nearly every reinforcement not needed to close a gap in the line or to give depth on the road running east west between Werbomont and Stadtkyll is going into Eupen or Bastogne until they hit their stacking limit.

Keep a continuous line.

The Axis can not have Eupen, Bastogne, Werbomont or Verviers.

Eupen and Bastogne must be contested bitterly, spitefully, hatefully.

Don’t let Eupen get flanked.

Every move, every decision should be in answer to the questions, “Does this strengthen Bastogne and Eupen?” Always, always asking, “How do I keep Bastogne and Eupen? If I can’t keep Eupen how do I make the Axis pay tremendously high rent?”

The Axis is going to take ground early on, do not waste units trying to stop that which can not be stopped. Don’t give your real estate away but it is okay to sell some of it cheap (St. Vith for example, don’t just let them have it but know that you can’t keep it.)

Bastogne. Bastogne. Bastogne.

Bonne chance!

Also, check out the FAQ to make sure that you’re playing all of the rules correctly.