It’s not much of an idea yet. It’s more of a problem than a solution.
The problem:
You want to get together with one or two friends, whom you don’t see very much, and want to play A&A (like the old days).
You have a very limited amount of time. 2 hours or less.
You have limited space for transporting the game. Think carry-on luggage. Maybe checked luggage.
You have to be able to play in a confined space, say a hotel room.
The game has to still allow mulitple players.
laminated paper folding map.
Dice
“chits” of laminated paper for each unit type
“chits” of laminated paper with 1X and 5X on them (to replace chips)
Whole game would fit in a trapper keeper (wow, I just REALLY dated myself) though you would probably be replacing chits pretty often to to loss and wear, but that would be pretty easy and cheap with a saved Word doc, a printer, and some adhesive laminating sheets from Stapes.
The game still takes umteen hours to play.
I should add that the game still needs miniatures. That makes it much more fun for some reason.
OK…
I thought portability was the issue (thus the chits).
But if time is the main factor, and you want to keep things otherwise intact…
At set up, allow each side to do 1 complete build, NCM, and placement prior to first combat (World Restricted). That should create a faster, bloodier game. Also totally destroys most T1 plans by all nations.
Heres my Idea:
ok roll up map stored in tube (drafting tube)
It will be made of vinyl or lamininated.
It will have the icons of the units preprinted on it so you can set up the pieces easy.
5 ziplock bags of pieces.
leave the player aids at home
You carry the tube as a carry on for the plane.
What else can you do?
And put the dice and baggies in the tube.
But use 7 baggies… 1 for dice, 1 for chips :-)
Also, with the “World Restricted” format, you can go 8 VC and have it be a viable game. That should ahve it come in under 3 hours.
Yea and use a sand timer for movement… if you want to go hardcore then do the all axis all allies movement sceme that we are developing under AARHE. It will reduce playing time by 35%
Usually, we know there’s 2 BBs, 1 Carrier, 2 Fighters and a Transport in Hawaii. Karelia has a mass of infantry (about 19) and 2 planes. Yakut has 7 infantry, 1 tank. Germany holds FWA, FEq and Egypt with a screener in Ukraine and the rest of his units in E. Europe. Fighters in W. Europe.
Brition has a carrier with 2 American planes on it, and a transport.
Etc.
Laptop won’t work, it has to be like the good ole days… Foldable map or Vinyl Roll-up, 10 Unit stacking limit per territory, Reduce game to territories the size of Eagle Games Attack! and add keep larger IPC amounts… Carry half your minis and chips with you…
GG
Ah, these are excellent iedas. I wish I had a vinyl map for this weekend.
Take your board to Kinkos and get a color laminated copy. Should not set you back too much in terms of cost, and will take very little time.
Does Kinkos do Vinyl rollups too?
No they suck. And they wont copy material from a produced game. Go to your local Mom/Pop print shop. They dont play politics.
If you print the job using, “File, Print, Kinkos …” they don’t seem to care.
Not sure if I can do vinyl with the online Kinko’s service anyway.
I think vinyl is a send-out service.
Won;t be in time to hlp with this trip, but if you want vinyl, go to a local sign and print shop. Heck, they could make you one that was about 30 feet long if you wanted :-)
The A&AR board is only about 8" x 8" folded up. It turns out that I can fit all of the other peices that I need in my 7" dice tray.
