Axis & Allies - the board game

[DrSpike]

I tried to play this MP a while back, but the net code was notoriously buggy. Might be in better shape now though.

[Panzeh]

Don has the best A&A strategy I've read here

It's based on averages and expected results but not contingent on them.

[Dinner]

I used to love to play the UK in A&A but it's been years since I've played.

[Fake Boris]

Originally posted by Dissident
the computer game is faster to set up . And when a player starts losing he can't just hit the board and mess all the pieces up

Sadly, it's ridden with bugs. For instance, US planes landed on a UK carrier in the UK sz tend to "reappear" to Eastern Canada.

[Fake Boris]

A small but simple rules adjustment seems to help the Axis a lot: make it that boats can go from the Baltic to the North Sea (and vice-versa, of course) only if Western Europe is under friendly control.

That way, no silly amphibious assaults on Germany.

[Fake Boris]

Originally posted by solo
I think the U.K. are second most fun to play, because they also have so many options. I also like a factory right off in India, and often add another in South Africa on the first turn, but much depends on how well Germany does on its first turn. If the Germans neglect to take out all of the British ships within reach, many other possibilities open up.

A British factory in India greatly increases the odds of an Axis victory. It's a big mistake.

The one in SA is, to my knowledge, even worse.

[Jon Miller]

it is all about two things

concentration (usually against Russsia/Germany) and infantry

it is because infantry are by far the best bang for the buck (based on statistics)

and of course concetrating enables you to wear down a nation more than the opposing side wear down you

Jon Miller

[CapTVK]

It´s about killzones and att/def and kill/loss once you master those principles you´re well on your way.

[CapTVK]

Originally posted by DrSpike
I tried to play this MP a while back, but the net code was notoriously buggy. Might be in better shape now though.

You might take a look at Triple A. It´s an open source version for MP A&A in java. I´ve heard it´s been received quite positively by A&A players.

[Fake Boris]

Thanks for the suggestion. The official Hasbro version sucks and it's a no-no.

[FlameFlash]

Any idea where to find this java version?

And what's this about nation-specific rules? The only nation specific rules I ever remember were for Japan so that airplanes could kamikaze.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Oncle Boris
A British factory in India greatly increases the odds of an Axis victory. It's a big mistake.

The one in SA is, to my knowledge, even worse.

I agree. If the British don't support the European theater then it is gone.

[Sparrowhawk]

I disagree (and not surprisingly, agree with Solo).

IPC's are key to victory for either side and either factory helps to secure/hold Allied IPC's.

I like the South Africa Factory myself, and use British to hold Africa, and contain/repulse the Germans there.

/me

[Fake Boris]

There is no way you can assuredly prevent Japan from getting India on the first turn. The best thing you can do is:

4 inf, 1 British ftr.

Then, Japan can attack with 4 inf, 1 ftr and 1 bmb.

The odds of Japan being able to capture the territory is 47% if they are unwilling to commit their planes (that is, if you will allow retreat of planes in an amphibious assault), but it rises to 58% if they'll let them go for the IC - obviously, letting go a plane or two for an IC in India on turn 2 is the winning bet.

If Japan doesn't make it, true, it's in trouble, but if it is succesfull then the Axis has won. In other words, that 58% chance of winning the game is much more than the Axis standard of 5%. Then even if it doesn't make it, a good German turn 2 can offset the defeat if they manage to expand in Africa - don't forget, you have defended India at the expense of Egypt.

You might land a Russian fighter (or two, even worse) in India, which would make it 4 inf, 3 ftr, but then that means the Germans will rape Russian ass, and that's even worse than option 1 of 4 inf and 1 ftr.

Trust me, the British IC in India sucks, big time. If you don't believe me I dare you to a game.

[Fake Boris]

As to the British IC in South Africa, it is mostly useless, for the following reasons:

1. If you choose not to defend India, Japan will take it, assuredly. If they don't, it means you have not spent enough on your navy, in which case Germany is sodomizing Russia in Karelia.

2. If you choose to defend India, you are forsaking Egypt to the Germans, which means that the IC has to be built on turn 1 in order to pump units on turn 2 (because Germany will have at least two armors in Egypt), using the SA inf as a buffer between Egypt and SA in Kenya/Rhodesia to avoid a German blitz on turn 2.

3. Thus, if you build two ICs on turn one, Germany is setting the rules in Western Europe because of the absence of a UK navy, and Russia is screwed.

QED