Axis and Allies RoundRobin Battle of the Bulge
Pellulo
This variant is of mostly gun vs. gun with at the end of reinforcement board, a lone tank and trooper, to give it combine arms. Much literature on this game, has given it a spin of the ease for Axis forces to win, so far in the variation of foot vs. foot, ditto armor, gun vs. gun is the closes to an Axis victory so far.
Round One, I increase the hex ability of guns from three a hex to six, as always the Axis clean up pretty good, taking out nine Allied guns, to no lost to the Axis. From a South-North Axis the Germans advance one hex out, except for the top three northern hexes. Gaining 3 victory points, and, capturing supply tokens.
Round Two, Germany goes first, and, combat gets passed back and forth for three times. Axis lose three and Allies five (one truck for former & two for latter). Losses are heavy due to those guns firepower of three dice rolls. Gaining 5 VP, it goes up total of 8 VP for Axis.
So far Allies cannot cover all hexes, some are cover by only one gun. Germans are not so far behind, in the same problem, as it gets harder for forces, to get to the front lines (bulk of Axis guns, still in Germany!).
Round Three, Allies go first, and clean up, as most Axis forces, use up scare transport space to get up to the front line, not enough guns/supply tokens. The few places the Allies attack, they have local superiority, and Axis losses are eight and Allies only two (this time the former losses two trucks and the latter one truck). Later on in the game, with only 50% of their trucks left (no captured US trucks), will cripple the Germans, especially with another truck out of action, “locked up”, unable to move. The US stills has 75% of their transports left, eight of them freely available for transport. Axis pick up another I V.P., for a total of 9 V.P.
Round Four, Axis Bastogne & Allied St. Vith are for the taking, unfortunately forces are not available for either side. Allies losses are none, and, Axis are eight. The lost of transports has peaked out the Germans, they spent this round, just shoring up their front lines, also they gain another point, V.P. is now 9. Practically all Allied Forces are at the front, while the bulk of Axis forces are still not seen battle. Axis going first did not help them much.
Round Five, Allies go first, even with no air activated, the losses both sides are 4 each side, and, Germany gains another one VP, total of 10 V.P. Allies take back a hex, the Northern hexes, look more like a invasion of Germany. The only Axis Northern transport is “locked up”, while the others are trying to service the Southern hexes.
To save the hassel of the game being to easy for the Axis, I handicapped both sides, in movement & attack, in regards to using the tokens (using regular rules, at end of Turn One, Allies lost 13 units,&, 12 tokens. Axis moved one hex out from a N-S axis, except for the heavier losses, gridlock soon appeared).
Round six, game ended, with transport problem, the Axis are not going to win this game. But if they had no transport problem, it might have come out differently. Guns may not have the move ability of armour, but, do carry a wicked punch. Perhaps a variant with self-propelled guns?, thanks, Pellulo
