How to achieve balance

what is the polar express?  (i have always assumed it was japan trying to take moscow via siberia)

china mod where china goes, then the “real” game starts, finishing with usa then start again with china

Vegryn, I thought the same as you first time I came across the term.  I understand it means attacking the US through alaska.

I agree with Zhukov - Japan’s resources are much better sent to moscow.  Japan doesn’t have an income ratio sufficient to actually take the US (you’re looking at 60 to 45 or so) and no decent US player will let you actually snatch Los Angeles.  At best you slow down an american advance on europe, but at an equal (or most likely greater) cost to Japan’s advance on moscow.

Japan’s attack through Caucasus is much more effective in this version (meaning Japan’s money is “worth more” than the US’s).  With factories in India, Sumatra, Burma (and optionally FIC) you can have 9-11 ground troops popping up right on russia’s doorstep.  You can quickly overwhelm them.  America is relatively further from Europe - they can only shuck troops on transports which is less efficient than Japan’s mainland factories.

That south asia romp for Japan is powerful in AA50.

My gaming group pretty much only plays 1941, NO’s, no tech.  AXIS wins pretty much all the time by now.  Funny thing is we mostly like to play allies for the challenge, but barring really, really, really, really bad axis rolls first turn we feel they are going to win.
  Japan is going to reduce china to 3 provinces first turn and really start to roll with its NO’s.  Nobody wastes much time on polar express except as an annoying throw away attack while they push russia with new ICs and armor.  I’d like to see some more really viable allies strategies here but it seems to us that if germany keeps a decent airforce going the allies have to invest to much in defensive shipping to keep their fleets alive and putting that many points into defensive shipping slows down the KGF that russia is going down to a japanese 60-70 IPC , Germany 50+ IPC and annoying Italian push.

@Telamon:

Vegryn, I thought the same as you first time I came across the term.  I understand it means attacking the US through alaska.

I agree with Zhukov - Japan’s resources are much better sent to moscow.  Japan doesn’t have an income ratio sufficient to actually take the US (you’re looking at 60 to 45 or so) and no decent US player will let you actually snatch Los Angeles.  At best you slow down an american advance on europe, but at an equal (or most likely greater) cost to Japan’s advance on moscow.

You are right: Polar Express is a serious, prolongued jap attack in mainland America by Alaska. The objetive is countering KGF

Here is the idea: USA, ignoring Japan, is conceding a whole theater, the Pacific Ocean, thus ceding Japan the iniciative. Japan now can play USA’s game going KJTDTM (thus backing the iniciative to USA, also conceding American theater) or make a full attack on America

The goal is not taking LA. If you manage it, better. But the menace of doing this or facing losing ala+wcan, thus maybe forcing a trade of ecan and cusa, is enough to forcing USA stop KGF and focus in defense. Now, USA cannot afford send more troops to Africa or Europe until the beat the invassion (a thing that could need 3 or more rounds is done right)

Japan, even in Revised, but much more in AA50, will have enough resources to make both Polar Express and also spare some forces to Africa. UK has to do a choice: fighting to preserve african income or help soviets in Europe (both without USA’s help). If they choose defend Africa, Western Axis will toast soviets. If they choose Europe, Japan will conquer Africa and Axis will have the economic advantage even if USA manages expulse the jap invaders in America.

The hidden agenda with Polar Express is win by economic superiority: soon or later, soviets or USA will colapse due pure numbers (probably will be soviets)

I have tested this strat in Revised in league games and I got better results than my initial games with JTDTM. Since Japan in AA50 is a true monster and euro-axis is also much greater, while allies earn only a bit more than in Revised and Japan gets 4 more trannies than in Revised in J1, the economic teory says that in AA50 Polar Express will be more powerful than in Revised

But it’s even worst: in revised, you could send rogue soviet forces to annoy Japan’s rear in China and Siberia and try recover the iniciative. In AA50, China and Siberia are greater, and the longer distances act as a buffer zone from those annoying attacks: allies will get less, Japan will lose less and will have more time to react those distractions

The best solution to prevent Polar Express is … well, build a Pacific navy from starting

@Lynxes:

Since AA50 did many things to avoid the KGF as the single game-winning strat

:? :? :roll: :roll:

How do you come to that conclusion? Remember that NOs are optional, and yes NOs are what we’re discussing, but even with NOs KGIF is still more effective than KJF. In the real WW2 KGF was more effective than KJF.

It’s very funny that in the LL vs ADS threads many players state that there is no mention of LL in the official rules, so it should not be used, but when AA50/AAR is designed so that KGF is more effective than other strats, you wanna change this, and you still don’t admit you want to change the core of the game!

I got a word from the AA50 main game designer, hope thats worth something……

“I guess I would opt for the money bid… get the money and purchase what you think you need to balance the game.”

@Lynxes:

/Telamon

I agree totally with you, I prefer ICs in FIC, BUR and IND, and once you get started Russia is in trouble. Why don’t you jump in on the bids thread (‘part 2’)? Bids of China inf are right now in lead for what kind of bid people prefer, and I’ve been arguing for that myself. If China gets say 4 extra inf at the front, Japan will be more stretched and it will be easier for Russia to help out both China and India. However, you could argue that UK inf in India would be even better, but that might be harder, to limit bids to just one territory is a bit difficult (free bids will probably be EGY-bound). Also those China rules are a big part of the rulebook and I think people are intrigued by the idea of them getting in use more. Since AA50 did many things to avoid the KGF as the single game-winning strat, a bid system going further in that direction is logical.

Thanks Lynxes.  I think a China bid has a lot to recommend it, but it also has some drawbacks.

• if Germany fails to take Egypt on G1 and the allies have a stronger china, the axis is in for a world of pain
• it’s a bit tricky to fine-tune as it only comes in ‘whole’ infantry bids, plus or minus - unlike cash
• while it might improve the structure of the game (i.e. make continental asia more interesting), it will change the dynamics (i.e. Japan will take longer to get to pressure moscow, which might have all sorts of consequences for strategies in the western hemisphere).  Not necessarily a bad thing, but it could create significant change.  They might even be changes we like?

I like the idea, but I’m not sold on it quite yet…

Our way to balance the game:

UK gets a factory from the beginning (and may build units in Round 1 there) in India, while NOs are used without any changes. We had very interesting games with that so far.

So far in my group we’ve just closed the Dardelles and things have balanced out pretty well.  It takes off some pressure on Russia and they can help out some other fronts.  Didn’t like the bomber optional rule.  AA getting to fire at the fighters doesn’t make sense.  Only played 5 games though, but enjoyed them all.
We play with NOs and Tech, and luck has definitely played a part, but we like it like that.

@npolo:

So far in my group we’ve just closed the Dardelles and things have balanced out pretty well.  It takes off some pressure on Russia and they can help out some other fronts.  Didn’t like the bomber optional rule.  AA getting to fire at the fighters doesn’t make sense.  Only played 5 games though, but enjoyed them all.
We play with NOs and Tech, and luck has definitely played a part, but we like it like that.

You are almost all the way to game play changes we’ve tried / use.

Regarding the SBRs and escort rules, we use them but modify them so there’s no AA shots at the ftrs.

We tweak the tech a bit to be less random, and we have our own China mods as well to slow godzilla.

@Crossover:

Our way to balance the game:

UK gets a factory from the beginning (and may build units in Round 1 there) in India, while NOs are used without any changes. We had very interesting games with that so far.

I like it. There’s got to be a way to get a pacific war going.

For me KGF in A&A terms means all US and UK IPCs vs. Europe. In real terms in the war, the “Europe first” strategy still involved substantial construction and involvement in the Pacific war.

There just isn’t enough money for America to go to both theatres. I think you have to give America a large incentive to go into the pacific. Something that would put America economically above Japan.

I still like changing NOs

For America
-gain 15 ipcs if you own Alaska and Hawaii. (If you ignore Japan they will take one of these territories leaving you with 38 ipcs. If you fight in the pacific you secure Alaska and Hawaii AND you still have a bit of money to send something to Europe. The US fought on 2 fronts in the real war, beleive it or not…… This NO would get USA to a realistic economy.
-get rid of the homeland NO(gain 5 ipcs if you own west, central and eastern US)
-get rid of Hawaii, Midway, Soloman islands NO

I was thinking about this again today.

Things we know
1. Axis has the advantage.
2. Japan is a monster.
3. KGIF seems to be the best way of winning the war as the Allies. This equates to not much of a pacific campaign because there is not enough $$ for the Americans to go east and west.

If the American NOs were changed to
-Collect 15 ipcs if the allies control 3 of the 4 territories…Alaska, Hawaii, Wake Island and Midway.
-Homeland NO is deleted (east, west, central USA for 5 ipcs)

What would this do?

• America would have a large value NO close enough to reasonably defend. This would put American ships in the pacific for sure. This would lead to a pacific campaign, even if limited.
• This would also get America closer economically to the Japanese.
• There would be enough $$ to go east and west. 53ipcs to America each turn as long as they have this NO.
• Since axis have advantage OOB this will put the allies on an even level with the axis powers.

Don’t just dismiss this idea, think about it.

@Flying:

What would this do?

• This would also get America closer economically to the Japanese.

And help stop the ridiculous situation of Japan’s income being 50% higher than America’s…

Don’t know about the exact solution you propose, but I like the way you’re heading.  NOs were a brilliant addition to the game, but some of the current NOs themselves are a bit whacky (and in some cases redundant).  The american homeland one is a bit silly, as it is never in contention - it should have included alaska IMHO.  And the philippines one is too hard to get; if you have the philippines, japan is clearly on the run.  And that crazy UK one about taking japanese islands!?!  :?

@Lynxes:

Since AA50 did many things to avoid the KGF as the single game-winning strat, a bid system going further in that direction is logical.

I don’t think that is true, it seems like the playtesters and designers wanted KGIF to be the most effective strat. Unless you are accusing the playtesters of being totally n00bs…  :-)  b/c that would be the only logical conclusion from your statement.
It’s not different from me playing AA50 with LL, and claiming axis bias, but the game was not playtested with LL, and in AA50 as opposed to Revised, LL or dice makes a difference in side balance. Probably not very much, but it’s notable. Point is, if axis don’t do the right first rnd moves, and/or bad dice, allies will usually win with experienced players on both sides.

Since AA50 seems as balanced as Revised, or better, there’s no reason to believe that the playtesters and designers didn’t know what they did regarding balance and such in AA50. Correct me if I’m wrong…

It also possible to win a KJF, or a balanced strat both in Revised and AA50, but KGIF is definately the most effective strat, other strats are only winnable when the allied player is better than the axis player, or very bad dice for axis rnd1.

We may like it or not, but it seems like AA50 is played out the way it was meant to. It seems like you want another game then AA50, and that is fine, I just think I should mention that (imo) it seems like you want to fix it, when it’s not broken, but you wanted a different game, you make an impression of trying to “finish” the design that you wish AA50 was supposed to be.

Ok, I stand corrected on the JTDTM issue, I didn’t read the rule book  :oops:

Then the playtesters and game designers missed one aspect of the intentions of AA50, but they managed to get the balance as good as Revised, and for me this more important. But I agree that it would be better if the most effective strat was not to have Japan take most of Russia to win the game. As for the KGIF, this is according to history, but the JTDTM is not, so that means AA50 didn’t succeed with the pacific theater balance, but it’s still a better game than Revised.

@Subotai:

It also possible to win a KJF, or a balanced strat both in Revised and AA50…

Not sure I agree that KJF is doable in AA50.
Perhaps with Tech…