Axis & Allies 1941 First Preview

Hi again Black. Half the fun is learning the best strategies by trying things out. Certainly more fun than reading long complex exposition on this forum! :-o However, a couple of clarifications:

@Black:

You wrote:

G’s opening deployment on the eastern front, however, affords R some short term opportunities and patience may be required to consolidate an unstoppable drive on Moscow.

Pretty cryptic (unless I’m extremely obtuse); this is one puzzle we’re trying to unravel. We’ll work on it!

Depending on R1’s moves, G may need to pull back slightly. For example if R sends everything to West Russia then any force G can get into Karelia, Caucasus or Ukraine is at R’s mercy. It may be best for G to wait a turn and simply put everything it can into East Europe.

@Black:

Thanks again. German air support in North Africa will certainly help slow down the Allied invasion! Looking forward to trying it.

Sorry - I did not mean air in North Africa - which would be a serious distraction from the Russian front. I meant sufficient air in range of whatever fleet the allies can deploy. Examples (from memory) being that fighters in France can get to the North Africa sea zone and a bomber in Norway can slow US attempts to stage naval and ground units via Canada. Initially, such placements can often be made while still being in range of the Russians. As Germany moves towards Moscow it won’t want its fighters to remain in France, but any delay in allied landings across the Atlantic is worth having.

One thing that really makes 1941 a fun, casual game is how easily “crazy” things can happen.  There is never a need to surrender either.  The quick play time and small number or dice allow for total annihilation and everlasting hope (almost.)

@Nowhere-Man said in Game Balance & Capturing Capitols:

@Midnight_Reaper:

Lack of cash hurts both ways, though - it takes a while to build a navy at 12 IPCs, whether it’s the UK or Germany rebuilding their fleet from the first turn battles.

Lack of cash hurts both ways, but what I was getting at, building a fleet from nothing (for Germany) is very expensive and easy to spot coming, while defending England from a Sea Lion doesn’t require a fleet, it only requires far cheaper ground units (a bunch of English soldiers is a lot cheaper than trying to build a big German fleet)… it’s far easier for England to build infantry than for Germany to build a fleet with capital ships transports AND the ground troops to fill the transports, when all England has to do is build ground troops to defend against Sea Lion… yes, Britain will need to rebuild their fleet at some point from initial losses, but if Germany is trying to go Sea Lion before Moscow in 1941 (which was the initial question I believe), the money situation far favors the UK over Germany… unless the UK player is just daft and doesn’t defend England while Germany builds a fleet. As zooma pointed out, the more realistic method for the Axis to win would be to eliminate Russia first, then, using the funds from a dead Russia, build a fleet to attack the western allies.

I’ve played this game a few more times and I’ve come to the conclusion that - contrary to what I expected - the Axis player’s best bet to win the short game is to invade North America, starting in Alaska, and march to Washington. Japan needs to grab some cash and some factories, either from Asia (India and Siberia) and / or the Pacific (Australia, et al) and then start up the invasion fleet. If the US has focused on Germany for the first part of the game, they may have their hands full beating back “Dai Nippon Teikoku”…

-Midnight_Reaper

@taamvan:

unusual?  World hotspots for AxA interest;

South/Central England (The old “Games Workshop” Domain)

Belgium and North Germany  (aka Rooting for The Other Team)

Eastern Dominion of Inland Canadia (The Cliffside Bunka)

Kansas City, Kansas, Leavenworth, KS Warrensburg MO (Team KC: Bold Cold Rolls)

The very shallow south, eg. Tennessee/Ohio (The Battle of Middle TN and Smorey Swamp)

Old TSR country with Long winters "The Lake states MI WI MN"  (Snowed In)

You totally missed a very major hotspot… the deep South… namely Pensacola Florida… though I don’t know if you can consider one guy who plays a “hotspot”.

Or you could add 1 IPC value to every territory. i.e. New Guinea is now worth 1 and Borneo is worth 2.

Well, it’s not hard - then again buying enough navy to get enough troops over (without BB bombardment etc.) can take a LONG time…

@toblerone77:

Totally get where you’re at Hobbes. I’m just sayin that as far as bang for the buck a first edition 1942 outshines 1941 hands down and at less cost. I have all three games anyway plus two copies of Spring 1942. Its just an observation I made after purchase.

Spring 42 1st Ed. is one of the best A&A games IMO since I rather play the smaller games. My main gripe with it is really the map design, specially in Europe. If it’s cheap than 1941 take it. Specially if you’re a piece fanatic ;)

Does anyone have a PDF of the A&A 1941 Rulebook?