Player Number - Country Distribution

[exilautor]

Hiya,

how should one distribute the nations if playing with 3-5 players?

There is one recommendation in the manual; if playing with less than 6, Italy and Germany should always be controlled by the same player (roughly the same as in the previous editions)

What's up with 3 or 4 player games? How to distribute the nations? Can you recommend the game with less than 5 players?

Greets,
exilautor

[captainjack]

It's up to you, but here's what I prefer:
3 player:   1 - all 3 Axis
               2 - Russia & UK
               3 - US & China

4 player:   1 - Germany & Italy
               2 - Japan
               3 - Russia & UK
               4 - US & China

5 player:   1 - Germany & Italy
               2 - Japan
               3 - Russia
               4 - UK
               5 - US & China

[TG Moses VI]

3 player:   1 - All 3 Axis
               2 - UK & China
               3 - US & Russia

4 player:   1 - Germany
               2 - Japan & Italy
               3 - UK & China
               4 - US & Russia

5 player:   1 - Germany
               2 - Japan & Italy
               3 - Russia
               4 - UK & China
               5 - US

Though, I like it when Italy is jointly controlled by the Axis powers. 

Giving China to another Allied power help speeds up the game. 

[Imperious Leader]

4 player:   1 - Germany & Italy
               2 - Japan
               3 - Russia
               4 - UK, US & China

this is my suggestion.

[tin_snips]

4 player:   1 - Germany & Italy
               2 - Japan
               3 - Russia & US & China
               4 - UK

that's how my group plays it 

[Funcioneta]

When my China mod is released:

1 - Germany, Italy (Western Axis)
2 - Japan (Eastern Axis)
3 - UK, USA (Western Allies)
4 - USSR, China (Eastern Allies)

It should work well for FTF games, with W. Allies player sitting left, Japan sitting right, W. Axis sitting center-left and East Allies sitting center-right.

[Flying Tiger]

In a 3 player game I would prefer...

1- Allies
2-Japan and Italy
3-Germany

[Constantinople]

I like the idea of Russia and China.

In my experience, just playing Russia alone is excruciating becz of little choice in options other than plodding to a conclusion agst Germany.

China gives Russia a welcome diversion and it allows a choice of strategies, where it did not have choices before IMHO.

We will have to try that next game.

[kendric]

in the 41 scenario, there is no china if japan knows what its doing. There will be like no moves for the player controlling them to really do. Before their first turn its likely they will have no units, or almost no units. So its not much of a break from their regular routine. There isn't a good division because of this. US is kinda slow, UK and russia are the only fast action ones.

[Funcioneta]

Yep, it's true even in 1942 (China cannot attack there because fighter is dead round one anyway), but the order I suggested is for my mod, that will have a China that can do something better than giving free IPCs to Japan

[Black_Elk]

I think its always better for game pacing if you split the Axis team (Germany_Italy and Japan) instead of splitting the Allied team.

The reason is basically that the Allies require more coordination, which results in more pauses in the action so that they can discuss strategy, which in turn causes the pace to drag. If you have 4 players then this isn't an issue, but if you only have 3, I think its better to just have a single Supreme Allied commander. Japan and Germany_Italy are set up such that they only need a very minimal amount of coordination, and even then only durring the endgame. The Allies by contrast, need to have a plan worked out from the get go.

In previous versions of the game, a split Allied Team also made the need for an Axis bid a little less critical, because invariable someone on the Allied side goofs a key coordinating move somewhere along the way.

[mwindianapolis]

Thats all good, but if you are going to play a game with that many contries, you really ought to get 6 people. A game is designed the way it is so players need to conform to that.

[Romulus]

I have a play group of four players should I play only A&A Europe? 

We are playing anniversary splitting both team, and we are so organized:

Axis:

Germany and Italy;
Japan.

Allies:

UK and USSR;
USA and China.

[Imperious Leader]

6 player:   1 - Germany & Italy
               2 - Japan
               3 - Russia
               4 - UK, US & China
               5- giant ants
               6- Godzilla

[Romulus]

I am wondering which may be the NOs for Godzilla and Giant Ants ... other than rampage all around!