http://triplea.sourceforge.net

As Soviet Union I prefer to buy something like 2 mechs and a tank for my forward ICs and set up for an quick strike into Finland/Norway and Iraq on Turns 4/5.  Those NO IPCs come in handy, but it has to be a hasty retreat thereafter.  Sometimes, if the German army is split I can pull off one or two successful attacks against the rising tide, but only if I don’t leave myself vulnerable to the counterattack.  Of course, if Germany attacks prior to Turn 4 then the Soviet invasion of Scandinavia/Iraq must be abandoned.

@gperson2:

I cannot find a starter pack for this anywhere on the internet. Do they still exist?

I have a bunch.  What exactly are you looking for?

@Cinefyl:

1. do I NEED a starter/base set to get the rules for a particular flavor (Task Force, Flank, Zebra, etc.)
2. Does a base/starter set have enough pieces and parts to let us actually get started (even on a limited scale) to give it a test run without spending major $$$

Thanks!

1. You don’t need a starter or base set to play if you download the rules.  Each domain (land, War at Sea, and Angels 20/Bandits High) is independent and incompatible with the others.  Within each domain, all sets are completely compatible and no set is necessarily better than another.  The exception is perhaps with the land based game.  In the first four sets the vehicles were not always to scale.  Players call them version 1 or V1.  From the set 1939-1945 and thereafter, the vehicles were much more to scale.  We call them version 2 or V2.  Many, but not all of the vehicles were then reissued.  Many of the soldiers were as well, but they are essentially identical.

2. The starters have barely enough to get started.  I highly recommend buying some boosters or used collections on eBay.  Btw, I have a few extra unopened 1939-1945 (land game) starter sets and a number of War at Sea boosters:

Flank Speed, x1 booster
Condition Zebra, x1 booster
Set V, x1 booster
Surface Action, x19 boosters

PM for more info if interested.  Good luck and have fun!

I have a huge collection and am looking for people to play.  Are you still on island?

Screen Name: z0m4d
US state or Country u r located in: Hawaii
City name: Ewa Beach
your interests ie. AAM, WaS, A20, A&A board games or other: AAE40SE, AAP40SE, AA1914, AAM, WAS, Angels 20

It’s been a while since anyone’s replied to this, and I’m not sure if you guys are still around, but I’m looking for some regular A&A players.  Mostly enjoy 1-on-1, but not against multi-player games, either.  I have AAE40SE, AAP40SE, AA1914, AA Miniatures, War at Sea, and Angels 20/Bandits High.  Hope to get some games going!

Dumping units into Africa itself only takes away Italian IPC and NOs.  The whole game really rests upon Cairo.  Can Germany take Moscow (and the other USSR VCs) while Italy holds Cairo before losing any European VCs?  Once we realized that, my friend playing Germany dumped all original fighters into Africa, supporting the Italian move to Cairo.  He also moved the German surface ships to the Med.  Once Italy took it, it was impossible to take back in any reasonable time length.  Also, Italy should keep harassing Gibraltar, as time is more important than units at the middle to late stage of the game.  Finally, Italy sacrificed a few destroyers just to slow US progress in the Med.  The Allies had no chance.  This, even with USSR taking Finland, Norway, and Iraq early, for a combined IPC increase of 16 (not including typical war-time NOs).

The problem for US, despite the massive income, is the cost of transports and game time to move them.  I’ve planned a very precise, efficient use of time and money for the US, but it’s still a slow train to get moving.  The problem for USSR, of course, is placement.  But building arty on the front, mech infantry/tanks in Moscow and Volgograd, and falling back as necessary was just enough to slow the German/Italian onslaught.  (Which, btw, Italy should definitely commit a small contingent if not else than to threaten a German blitz.)  UK should focus primarily on Africa and not losing the homeland.

@Juhlius:

Can a lonely sub in sz 109 convoy disrupt both Scotland an UK?

In theory, yes, but in game play, no, a single sub cannot disrupt both Scotland and UK.  Vessels in SZ 109 can disrupt both Scotland and UK, but no more than the combined 8 IPC value (2 Scotland + 6 UK).  A single sub can’t cause that much disruption, though.  You roll two dice (subs only) and add the rolls of 1, 2, or 3.  So the most a single sub can disrupt is 6 IPCs.  If you had two naval war vessels in SZ 109, it’d be possible to max out at 8 IPCs.  Hope that answers your question.

And I’ll add that for USSR, be prepared to cede territory.  Fall back and give up your factories for free if necessary.  If he’s serious about the Eastern Front, there’s nothing you can do to stop it.  If you save all your units and withdraw into Moscow, you can at least hold out much longer.  Make sure you always leave one unit in every territory to slow the blitz.  If he leaves his tanks exposed or lightly protected, consider attacking them.  It might be better to withdraw just before winning, depending on the counter-attack options.

And for the Iraq strategy I mentioned earlier, that only works if UK has reached NW Persia, if your southern tanks and mech infantry are stationed at Caucasus, and Germany has not attacked early.