Best game to introduce to new players

1941 or 1942 … but definitely NOT 1940 (either global or separate theaters).

I would have them each control their own power, allow take-backs when they make mistakes for the first couple of rounds and give advice on what kind of moves and purchases to make when needed.

@IWillNeverGrowUp:

1941 or 1942 … but definitely NOT 1940 (either global or separate theaters).

I would have them each control their own power, allow take-backs when they make mistakes for the first couple of rounds and give advice on what kind of moves and purchases to make when needed.

I disagree about what game to play… I would throw them into 1940 Global and watch what they do, some will excel and some will submit… but that is likely to happen no matter what A&A edition they play. They want something more complicated than Risk?.. well that would be Global 1940, they have 6 players total?.. perfect for Global 1940, they wanna have fun?.. Global 1940 is by far the most fun A&A edition out there. I agree that it can be intimidating, but most gamers would prefer to push their brains to the limit, rather than be fed a lesser edition because they might not be able to handle it.

The problem with throwing new axis and allies players into G40 is that it is overly intimidating and takes excessively long.

If the group is used to games such as Risk, then moving up to 1941/1942 2nd edition is the next logical step in complexity and time.

If the group is the kind that WILL sit for hours upon hours and delve deep into strategy, then sure, G40 is a great choice.

Ultimately it depends a lot on the group involved.  In my personal experience it’s usually better to take smaller steps than to jump right in with both feet into the most complex version of a game available.  Smaller steps is the most likely way to keep people interested and wanting to come back for more generally speaking.  Of course, again, it depends entirely on the group involved and how much they are willing to absorb all at once; and the person introducing them needs to determine that for themselves.