I wonder if the sale prices mean they are about to put new out version(s) and those ones will be obsolete.
I don’t feel as though WOTC were totally on board with releasing 2nd editions which makes me sceptical about their involvement in a possible 3rd Edition. That said, I don’t feel there’s any reason to kill the 1940 prints, aren’t they the most popular of all the WOTC A&A games?
@Young:
I wonder if the sale prices mean they are about to put new out version(s) and those ones will be obsolete.
I don’t feel as though WOTC were totally on board with releasing 2nd editions which makes me sceptical about their involvement in a possible 3rd Edition. That said, I don’t feel there’s any reason to kill the 1940 prints, aren’t they the most popular of all the WOTC A&A games?
We dont know for sure. But they are the most popular.
Based on the talk in this thread between Larry Harris and some fans, I figure we get a new A&A game this year, man.
Based on the talk in this thread between Larry Harris and some fans, I figure we get a new A&A game this year, man.
I read it, turns to politics very quickly. But either another WW1 game or American Civil war is what people want
@Hunter:
I read it, turns to politics very quickly. But either another WW1 game or American Civil war is what people want
I seriously doubt that another WWI game is what most people want… oh sure, you can always find somebody who says they want this or that, but to say the majority of people would be demanding another WWI game, I just don’t see… in the history of wargames from the 1970s to present, and from board to computer, WWI Trench Warfare just isn’t a headline grabber that most people pay for. WWI games have always been a very, Very niche market, and I don’t see that ever changing.
Maybe he will make another WWI game, but it would never sell as well as if he made another WWII game. That’s just how things are whether or not you think it should be that way. [shrug]
I must agree with Wolf on this, a game with no Tanks isn’t gonna be a big hit. I have read all 7 pages several times, and Larry pretty much rule out any ancient time game, Napoleon area, Civil War and pretty much WWI too. What is left is obvious a WWII game, and this also happens to be Larrys favorite theme. But we dont know if it will be operational level, like BotB or Dday, or a strategic level like the classic A&A never ending line of games. A Global game with a 1939 startline would be cool, imagine Norway and Poland as playable powers, with nation specific Norwegian and Polish plastic soldiers. Would be a bestseller of all times, man. And the Blockhouse as a new unit. The only issue I can point my finger at, is he says the game will involve Kickstarter. I was not aware that WOTC had to use Kickstarter to get their games out, so maybe this is not in the A&A franchise, but Larrys personal game release ?
edit, oh forgot to mention, he says this game will target the A&A audience, and it will come with plastic miniatures. Yeah, good luck with that.
second edit, he also says he has used the last 3 and a half year working on this. So it better be good.
I must agree with Wolf on this, a game with no Tanks isn’t gonna be a big hit. I have read all 7 pages several times, and Larry pretty much rule out any ancient time game, Napoleon area, Civil War and pretty much WWI too. What is left is obvious a WWII game, and this also happens to be Larrys favorite theme. But we dont know if it will be operational level, like BotB or Dday, or a strategic level like the classic A&A never ending line of games. A Global game with a 1939 startline would be cool, imagine Norway and Poland as playable powers, with nation specific Norwegian and Polish plastic soldiers. Would be a bestseller of all times, man. And the Blockhouse as a new unit. The only issue I can point my finger at, is he says the game will involve Kickstarter. I was not aware that WOTC had to use Kickstarter to get their games out, so maybe this is not in the A&A franchise, but Larrys personal game release ?
That sounds awesome. An Ultimate Axis and Allies game would be awesome.
40,41,42 setups would be great along with 39 setup. I dont know about norway and poland being a playable power. But maybe adding the Dutch and minor axis powers would be awesome.
I must agree with Wolf on this, a game with no Tanks isn’t gonna be a big hit. I have read all 7 pages several times, and Larry pretty much rule out any ancient time game, Napoleon area, Civil War and pretty much WWI too. What is left is obvious a WWII game, and this also happens to be Larrys favorite theme.
Could also be post WW2 as there is a LOT of war material available there as well.
edit, oh forgot to mention, he says this game will target the A&A audience, and it will come with plastic miniatures. Yeah, good luck with that.
Good luck? A&A has plastic miniatures, so why not another “dudes on a map” game from Larry?
second edit, he also says he has used the last 3 and a half year working on this. So it better be good.
3-4 years is actually a pretty typical development time for a board game.
Could also be post WW2 as there is a LOT of war material available there as well.
No, I dont think so, because he said the game will have a US player, and that rules out most of the local tribe wars in Africa. And I dont think a Global 1990 nuke them game will sell. The first player to push the bottom wins, it will be a short game for sure. Second turn we are all dead. No, that wont sell. And how many American heros did we see in Vietnam ? No, I dont think a baby killer game will sell. Is it a sniper game based on Falluhja or Kabul ? I cant see that type of game compete with the pc shooting games. No man, what we will see is either a new D day game with new sculpts and new combat rules, or the 50 Anniversary game with 3 new starting dates and Blockhouse as new unit, and maybe Norway as playable power for the 1939 start line.
Go figure
Vietnam ? No, I dont think a baby killer game will sell.
Ummm… please… as an American Vet, please don’t go there… unless you were there, I don’t think you should be sticking labels on things.
For the record, babies die in every war, including WWII.
An all in one 1940 Global 3rd Edition is the safest project to fill the corporate coffers… anything else would be just scratching a creative itch with the risk of financial loss attached (including any and all theater operation games).
For the record… I said the safest bet vs. the risk of loss, I didn’t say “anything other than G40.3 will lose money”.
Actually I do think there is a market for other than ww2. Perhaps more so outside the US given their shorter history. I would certainly be interested in a Napoleonic or Punic Wars version.
@Young:
An all in one 1940 Global 3rd Edition is the safest project to fill the corporate coffers… anything else would be just scratching a creative itch with the risk of financial loss attached (including any and all theater operation games).
For the record… I said the safest bet vs. the risk of loss, I didn’t say “anything other than G40.3 will lose money”.
Honestly, I agree. A third edition would be great. If they got some input from the community, that would be awesome.
Vietnam ? No, I dont think a baby killer game will sell.
Ummm… please… as an American Vet, please don’t go there… unless you were there, I don’t think you should be sticking labels on things.
For the record, babies die in every war, including WWII.
I am a vet too, so I know. Politics are banned on this forum, so we are now in a minefield. What I think, is that WWII was a clean fight, it was pure evil against good men, and the conflict had a winner. Most of the modern conflict cant be won, there are losers on all sides. We lost in Vietnam, even after committing war crimes like the use of chemical weapons against civillian villages. And every family in US have a relative with PTSD. Even the designer of A&A, mr Harris, is a vet from the 82 airborne. So I figure there are no way in … a frozen place… that WOTC are going to make a Vietnam game. Too much bad feelings. And of course, no offense. This is just IMHO, man.
Now, what I belive will happen, is that, since Larry actually lived several years in France, and love France, and based on the fact that he made the Guadelcanal game just to honor his fathers service there, that his next game will either be the battle of France in 1940, not very likely since US need to be involved if he wants to sell this game, so my bet is a new D day game, or maybe a Normandy operational level game, or a Global 3 edition game. My 2 cent.
@Private:
Actually I do think there is a market for other than ww2. Perhaps more so outside the US given their shorter history. I would certainly be interested in a Napoleonic or Punic Wars version.
As far as I am aware of, the world of board games are split in American games and European games. Amtrash, as we call it here, are based on very simple game mechanics, like KISS, keep it simple stupid, and good looking plastic miniatures. A&A is targeting the American audience. Here in Europe we got what you call Eurotrash, boring games with complicated rules and wooden game pieces. The ancient world is a theme in a lot of our games. Based on this knowledge, and again no offense and IMHO, I can tell you for sure that the next A&A game will be about WWII. There are no way, in a hot place ?, that we will ever buy A&A Punic wars 440 BC. Period.
Maybe this is common knowledge here, but I hadn’t seen anyone mention it: Larry’s next game is apparently called “War Room”. People who attended an event last year at the Army War College apparently got a look at it:
The next Strategic Wargame Event is “Grand Strategy Formulation in WWI/WWII” using a commercial boardgame series, “Axis and Allies,” moderated by Mr. Larry Harris, on Wednesday, 25 May from 1400-2100 at the Army Heritage and Education Center (AHEC). This event will feature all of the major games in the Axis and Allies series and is open to the public. Mr. Harris will also debut “War Room,†a new game design currently in playtesting, during this event.
http://www.usamhi.army.mil/banner/article.cfm?id=54299
There are a few comments on the associated meetup page, but nothing that tells us how the game looked or played.
http://www.meetup.com/en-AU/CentralPAGameClub/events/231096495/
That was all that some medium-effort googling came up with. Would love to hear more from anyone that was there last May.
I believe that a battle of France game has been already created by someone(i forget his name). A global 3rd edition is the best bet. Make those with Plastic Factories, printed on bases with damage counters. Add on blow up boxes. Add neutral plastic Infantry. Maybe even new French Units with their own sculpts. They could go nuts, maybe 4 piece board that doesn’t fold like Anniversary. Who knows.
A&A punic wars, 440 BC? That would totally hook us A&A players(just kidding).
Guys! Larry Harris finally announced the next chapter in the Axis and Allies universe! Here’s a clip:
Switzerland is often thought of as being a country that remains neutral and does not get involved in armed conflicts. In 1847 Switzerland found itself in a war with an unusual enemy: itself. Civil war broke out in November 1847 when several Catholic cantons (administrative divisions) formed the Sonderbund and broke off from the rest of the largely Protestant cantons to prevent the formation of a centralized government.
The fighting between the Swiss government and the rebelling cantons lasted only twenty-six days and ended with the surrender of the rebels. Throughout the month of fighting, only eighty-nine were killed. Several months later a new constitution was enacted, ending the independence of the cantons and transitioning Switzerland into a federal state. Now, take charge as either the Swiss government or the rebelling cantons, with over 400 detailed unit sculpts covering infantry, cavalry, cannons, fortresses, churches and dairy farms… the fate of Switzerland is in your hands!
Axis and Allies: Sonderbund War will be available in local and online retailers on the 8th of June… pre-order your copy now!
https://www.harrisgamedesign.com/AxisandAlliesSonderbundWar.html
Guys! Larry Harris finally announced the next chapter in the Axis and Allies universe! Here’s a clip:
Switzerland is often thought of as being a country that remains neutral and does not get involved in armed conflicts. In 1847 Switzerland found itself in a war with an unusual enemy: itself. Civil war broke out in November 1847 when several Catholic cantons (administrative divisions) formed the Sonderbund and broke off from the rest of the largely Protestant cantons to prevent the formation of a centralized government.
The fighting between the Swiss government and the rebelling cantons lasted only twenty-six days and ended with the surrender of the rebels. Throughout the month of fighting, only eighty-nine were killed. Several months later a new constitution was enacted, ending the independence of the cantons and transitioning Switzerland into a federal state. Now, take charge as either the Swiss government or the rebelling cantons, with over 400 detailed unit sculpts covering infantry, cavalry, cannons, fortresses, churches and dairy farms… the fate of Switzerland is in your hands!
Axis and Allies: Sonderbund War will be available in local and online retailers on the 8th of June… pre-order your copy now!
https://www.harrisgamedesign.com/AxisandAlliesSonderbundWar.html
VERY FUNNY. You could have had me fooled. The URL takes the cake.
“using a commercial boardgame series”
These games and wargaming are popular in the military, they have been used to TEACH strategy. We have a player here that works at the Army Staff College, Leavenworth KS, and they use the games as demonstrative tools with takeaway real life lessons.
If you read it more carefully, I don’t think a new game is being played or made, just being used as a demo to get people in the army university system more excited about war gaming as a teaching/learning tool, and its fun.
Other genres won’t ring like WW2. The lack of mobility warfare and combined arms makes any realistic game from before that era a “set piece” game, for the most part. This is battle lines drawn, campaign/theatre based action…not maneuver and fight as we are used to in our “simple” wargame.
After WW2, nukes aren’t fun. They make for a rather boring game, though it exists (Supremacy) and has many editions, but not all that many current followers, I suppose. Ships and armies are just wooden blocks…they don’t have a ton of character.
For those who are looking for a grand strategy WW2 game that is more complex and comprehensive than AXA, look to GLOBAL WAR, an non-traditionally published game by Historical Board Gaming. Note that you must already have a piece-set (such as the one from Global 40 x 2), plus more custom or bespoke pieces to cover any variants or upgraded rules sets you may want.
And to my good friend YGs point, I don’t see a 40.3. This game is well worn, well tested, fairly balanced (except in expert play), and can be played many, many times before you get bored (or die). The community was a little miffed that a 2nd edition came out and made their $200 purchase semi-obsolete, and I think LH heard that loud and clear.
The theatre games (dday, Guadalcanal, bob) are cool looking and felt fresh, though they are out of print. Unf, the attempts to make them very different from the “mainline” games also means that they are sort of unfamiliar in their execution to most people used to the bigger scale games.
