First pics from GenCon

@captainjack:

I’m curious to know the difference between the light tan neutral territories, and the light green neutral territories?  Are the Lt. Green able to be “purchased” similiar to Classic?
Thanks.

Haha. Nevermind, I answered my own question.  (it’s just the different terrain, right…)

@Lynxes:

OK, subs at ‘1’ defence, makes sense. When I look closer at the map, I see it as well. Is the rest correct?

AA-gun        5/1/-/1

I’m just going on memory here, but I think AA guns cost 6 IPC now.

man, why did my vacation end two weeks ago…  :-(
would love to spend LOTS of time digging into this info! Read everything in this thread  so far, of course, but weren’t able to dechiffer all of the pictures at BGG.

Anyhow, it looks to me that it is only 5 spaces from Vladivostok to Moscow? Not much of a difference from Revised, so the Jap Tank push to Moscow might still be a valid strat?

Then again, I suppose the beefing up of the Chinese forces the Jap to spend IPCs and units to take out China.

Really interested to discuss playbalance in this edition…What would the standard bid bei in A&A Anniv Ed you think?  :-D :-D :-D  8-)

Here is a partial post from someone over at the Swamp - maybe you saw it, maybe you didn’t, but just some quick points of interest…

Quote
Some points of interest for me:

1. The strategic bombing changes are big. Being able to make life hell for the Germans by constant strategic bombing will open up a new way for the US to do something meaningful prior to the 60 minute mark of a game
2. Germany only starting with 4 fighters makes the Germans pick and choose what they really want to do. They don’t have that huge air umbrella to hit north, south, east, and west all at the same time.
3. That Italian fleet is very strong in the beginning. There are all kinds of possibilities to use it for because of the offshore bombardment capability it has.
4. Japan with 3 carriers and 9 fighters to start, enough said.
5. Japan really only having access to a slew of 1 IPC countries to conquer early on and the way Southeast Asia is designed now, it throws a wrench into Japan getting fat by taking it’s own backyard and setting up industrial complexes.
6. Germany going 1st now is big, the Russians get to take it on the chin to start.
7. Russia has no fighters to start. Really they have nothing but infantry to start (maybe 1 tank, 1 artillery, and the rest is men? something close to that)
   Quote

Yes on that same point we should look carefully at the set up and form preliminary strategy assuming its the correct setup for 1941 scenario.

Also get an inventory of the total starting pieces for each nation so we can form a balance sheet based on total IPC.

But we need a final clarification on what the other poster sees on the map as far as unit values and ill try to get something from larry to verify.

SBR is gonna be fun and most likely they use the CAP rules from AAP and the fighter escort rules from AAE.

Airpower is gonna be really critical.

ON the subs if they are really 6 IPC they must have limited combat interaction… most likely at the start of combat they interact and not during every round on normal surface naval combat.

How does China recieve units? Do they get an extra inf for every country they control and have to place it in this country or can they all place in one territory (Szechuan)?

Can they fight together with US units, i.e. use US-airforce for attacks?

Runs to get new boxers

glad I ordered 2,looks great.Really like the Italians,the Chinese pieces I though were Japanese at first :lol:

great find everyone,thanks.

@Imperious:

SBR is gonna be fun and most likely they use the CAP rules from AAP and the fighter escort rules from AAE.

Airpower is gonna be really critical.

I really hated escorts, with that rule I just don’t see any advantage to bomb the IC. It’s like trying to have sex with a meat grinder.

Italy really, really should have been light gray.

Axis will be real hard to play. Can’t wait though.

All axis and all allied turn with blockhouses to deter DDay too soon will be tried in my lab.

I get the feeling that they have really hurt the Axis through all the changes they have made.

@variant:

I get the feeling that they have really hurt the Axis through all the changes they have made.

Concerning the map, sure yes. But consider the turn sequence. Axis is always first. As Japan is (most likely) before UK in both scenarios, their units have much more impact and second: they have tons of naval units and 9 fighters in the 1941 scenario! I.e. you can balance everything by just adding enough (extra) units!

@Atlantikwall:

@variant:

I get the feeling that they have really hurt the Axis through all the changes they have made.

Concerning the map, sure yes. But consider the turn sequence. Axis is always first. As Japan is (most likely) before UK in both scenarios, their units have much more impact and second: they have tons of naval units and 9 fighters in the 1941 scenario! I.e. you can balance everything by just adding enough (extra) units!

All Italy ends up doing is dividing up Germany which forces Germany to work with less IPCs. It also prevents Germany from gaining more IPCs in Africa.

Italy is too weak at 10 IPCs that it will be a weak link as opposed to actually helping the Axis. The map also prevents Russia from helping Germany on the Russian front.

If estimates pan out, there will be a 29 IPC gap between Allies and Axis. To me it looks like its going back to the original A&A when Axis was so underpowered that it rarely won.

The Allies always have more IPC’s then the Axis.  In revised Germany is the second largest IPC country and Japan is tied for third with the UK.  So as far as the Axis being at a loss is normal.

Also since most of the time we play 1 vs. 1 I think I will use Italy as a homeland security force to defend W Europe from a foothold invasion.  Then Germany can focus on the Russia and / or Africa.

LT

@LT04:

The Allies always have more IPC’s then the Axis.  In revised Germany is the second largest IPC country and Japan is tied for third with the UK.  So as far as the Axis being at a loss is normal.

Axis were underpowered in both Classic and Revised. They became more balanced with Revised and it should have become even more balanced with the new one, but they seem to be becoming more underpowered.

@variant:

All Italy ends up doing is dividing up Germany which forces Germany to work with less IPCs. It also prevents Germany from gaining more IPCs in Africa.

Italy is too weak at 10 IPCs that it will be a weak link as opposed to actually helping the Axis. The map also prevents Russia from helping Germany on the Russian front.

Invading Italy is actually harder for the UK to achieve since they need 2 transport fleets, 1 to pick units on UK and drop them on Algeria, then another on the Med to assault Italy. It also means having to deal with the Italian fleet first. And if G makes a run for Karelia then the UK will either have to choose between both.

@Hobbes:

@variant:

All Italy ends up doing is dividing up Germany which forces Germany to work with less IPCs. It also prevents Germany from gaining more IPCs in Africa.

Italy is too weak at 10 IPCs that it will be a weak link as opposed to actually helping the Axis. The map also prevents Russia from helping Germany on the Russian front.

Invading Italy is actually harder for the UK to achieve since they need 2 transport fleets, 1 to pick units on UK and drop them on Algeria, then another on the Med to assault Italy. It also means having to deal with the Italian fleet first. And if G makes a run for Karelia then the UK will either have to choose between both.

Not just a transport fleet, but it needs enough security for these transports - DD, CR, SS

@captainjack:

@Hobbes:

@variant:

All Italy ends up doing is dividing up Germany which forces Germany to work with less IPCs. It also prevents Germany from gaining more IPCs in Africa.

Italy is too weak at 10 IPCs that it will be a weak link as opposed to actually helping the Axis. The map also prevents Russia from helping Germany on the Russian front.

Invading Italy is actually harder for the UK to achieve since they need 2 transport fleets, 1 to pick units on UK and drop them on Algeria, then another on the Med to assault Italy. It also means having to deal with the Italian fleet first. And if G makes a run for Karelia then the UK will either have to choose between both.

Not just a transport fleet, but it needs enough security for these transports - DD, CR, SS

In revised you could mass Germany’s Air Force in W Europe.  They would be posed like a wagon wheel.  The German Air Force was at the center and the UK navy would have to move all the way around it.

That would always make the Allies extra careful.

@Flying:

@Imperious:

SBR is gonna be fun and most likely they use the CAP rules from AAP and the fighter escort rules from AAE.

Airpower is gonna be really critical.

I really hated escorts, with that rule I just don’t see any advantage to bomb the IC. It’s like trying to have sex with a meat grinder.

Italy really, really should have been light gray.

Axis will be real hard to play. Can’t wait though.

All axis and all allied turn with blockhouses to deter DDay too soon will be tried in my lab.

I’m not familiar with this rule - can someone explain for me?
Thanks.

What rule:

CAP rule from AAP

or

Blockhouse rule from AA D-Day

The CAP rule.  I’m not familiar with ‘escorts’ for SBR.
Thanks.

CAP stands for Civil Air Patrol (If I remember correctly)  FTR’s still only have a limit of 4 spaces but I think this rule let them “patrol” empty SZ’s without a carrier.

Basicly they can be placed on SZ’s on the non-combat phase without needing to land on a carrier.

I don’t know if they could move 4 spaces out on say US1 and then move back 4 spaces on US2 or if they had to move 2 and 2.

I think that’s how it went but you may want to double check.

LT