Questions about AAZ

[LincolnsTopHat]

60 to 180 minute runtime??  :x An insult to the brand

[djensen]

A&A Minis is about 45-75 minutes per game.

[Bob77]

Hmmmm…very interesting. MOD…use the new zombie spin, but instead of zombies they are partizan or sympathizers. Cant wait to see who the zombies are deployed and or utilized

[General Veers]

This could have potential if the zombies were used exclusively by a desperate Germany in 1944 in a Wolfenstein-y way. I guess they could have shared this tech with Japan as well. At that point the other Axis wonder weapons should be integrated as well.

[CWO Marc]

@Midnight_Reaper:

1. Your source for the above was?

Part of the info can be found here…

http://avalonhill.wizards.com/games/axis-and-allies/zombies

…though I don’t see any info on the designers.  I note that the designer credits mentioned by I.L. consist entirely of folks who’ve worked in the fantasy / magic / horror / sci-fi game genres, rather than military gaming, which I guess isn’t surprising in view of WotC’s main product lines.  I also can’t help wondering what the result would be if, to keep things balanced, a design team consisting entirely of wargamers were to produce a WWII military-themed version of a classic fantasy or horror game like, let’s say, Dungeons and Dragons.

[CWO Marc]

@LincolnsTopHat:

Is there any way for Zombies to cross bodies of Water?

On a related note: Can the zombies carry out kamikaze suicide attacks, given that they’re already dead?

[Afterword]

Not a fan of the idea. I hate zombies. Wish it could have been Axis & Allies but set in a different time period. Axis & Allies: WWIII or something. Or use the A&A system for another time period like Axis & Allies: 1588. A fantasy A&A would also be neat. I’d conquer the world with WWII era technology and DRAGONS and WIZARDS.

I’m also concerned about the length of the game.

Also, here’s an article about it in Spanish: https://www.houseofgames.it/2685-2/

[Rank Carcass]

My initial reaction first:
If its cheap and full of new sculpts that I can use in my other games, maybe… very small maybe.
:? Zombies  :?
As previously mentioned would much rather have the same type of game mechanics in an alternate future senario, pre-industrial or ancient history angle. Even a sci-fi would work galactic version.
Ill need to see the map, rules and units. Until then I reserve judgment with serious disbelief.

But my kid (early 20’s) immediately said:
That’s Awesome I’ll play the #$@! out of that!!!

So if you’re looking to expand the game to new players this may be a great starting point. Since my kids friends would also join in on this too.

[djensen]

@Rank:

My initial reaction first:
If its cheap and full of new sculpts that I can use in my other games, maybe… very small maybe.
:? Zombies  :?
As previously mentioned would much rather have the same type of game mechanics in an alternate future senario, pre-industrial or ancient history angle. Even a sci-fi would work galactic version.
Ill need to see the map, rules and units. Until then I reserve judgment with serious disbelief.

But my kid (early 20’s) immediately said:
That’s Awesome I’ll play the #$@! out of that!!!

So if you’re looking to expand the game to new players this may be a great starting point. Since my kids friends would also join in on this too.

This is what I’m hoping. It gets the next generation of gamers into Axis & Allies. And it allows new designers to create variants that are true to the spirit of A&A but as shorter games. 3 hour A&A? I so in.

I also realize we all love Axis & Allies as is but I understand why it doesn’t come to the table (at least for me), it’s a really long game. I could play 4 sessions of other heavy modern board games in the same amount of time (okay, excluding Twilight Imperium and Eclipse).

[Afterword]

@djensen:

@Rank:

My initial reaction first:
If its cheap and full of new sculpts that I can use in my other games, maybe… very small maybe.
:? Zombies  :?
As previously mentioned would much rather have the same type of game mechanics in an alternate future senario, pre-industrial or ancient history angle. Even a sci-fi would work galactic version.
Ill need to see the map, rules and units. Until then I reserve judgment with serious disbelief.

But my kid (early 20’s) immediately said:
That’s Awesome I’ll play the #$@! out of that!!!

So if you’re looking to expand the game to new players this may be a great starting point. Since my kids friends would also join in on this too.

This is what I’m hoping. It gets the next generation of gamers into Axis & Allies. And it allows new designers to create variants that are true to the spirit of A&A but as shorter games. 3 hour A&A? I so in.

I also realize we all love Axis & Allies as is but I understand why it doesn’t come to the table (at least for me), it’s a really long game. I could play 4 sessions of other heavy modern board games in the same amount of time (okay, excluding Twilight Imperium and Eclipse).

Yep. I see this not so much as something I would be interested in but potentially as a gate to other things.

Like an official A&A computer version with every version. TripleA is okay, but an official one would be nice with a better UI.

And yes, SciFi/Fantasy or pre-industrial A&A would be cool. Would probably be more scenario-driven in the latter case, though.

[Narvik]

Please add a question from me.

Does this game come with plastic miniatures, and if so, are they in the classic scale, and if so, will Germany get the mark IV Tank that we have been waiting for ?

Thank you

[djensen]

I’ve already sent the questions but I can add followup questions as needed.

[DoManMacgee]

Looks like I missed the boat while trying to mentally process that they weren’t kidding about the Zombies.

If you send a follow-up question, can you ask:

1. Will the game be distributed in retailers, like 1941, or to hobby shops only, like the G40 line?

2. What is in the game that will appeal to long-time fans of the series?

Context: 1941 gets a lot of flak for not bringing anything new to the table (not counting sculpts, of course). Revised, on the other hand, managed to import the Destroyers/Artillery from the spin-offs while remaining mostly on the same level of complexity as 3rd Edition.

A better way of asking my question is a variation of the one you made in your first post. Where will this game fall on the spectrum of 1941/Revised/AA50/G40?

3. Alternatively, is this game even going to be a strategy board game? (Midnight_Reaper raised the possibility of a card game on the last page).

4. Longshot, but MSRP/Release Date would also be nice, but I’m sure we’ll be getting that regardless.

[Midnight_Reaper]

@DouchemanMacgee:

{snip}
3. Alternatively, is this game even going to be a strategy board game? (Midnight_Reaper raised the possibility of a card game on the last page).
{snip}

IL said that the game’s credited designers were:@Imperious:

Axis & Allies & Zombies is designed by Mike Mearls (Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate, Dungeon & Dragons 5th Edition), Scott Van Essen (Magic: The Gathering, Transformers TCG), and Ryan Miller (Magic: The Gathering, Duel Masters TCG).

That’s a combined resume of one board game https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/228660/betrayal-baldurs-gate, one role playing game (D&D 5th Ed.), and three trading/collectable card games (Magic: The Gathering, Transformers TCG, and Duel Masters TCG). Now, I’m sure these designers have helped in more minor ways in numerous other games. But given this collection of expertise, I would expect to see a card game of some sort from these three.

Will A&A:Z be a card game? I don’t know. But at this point, I wouldn’t rule it out, either.

-Midnight_Reaper

[djensen]

Here are the questions I sent:

1. Who are the game designers? (Is the answer below correct?)

Mike Mearls (Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate, Dungeon & Dragons 5th Edition), Scott Van Essen (Magic: The Gathering, Transformers TCG), and Ryan Miller (Magic: The Gathering, Duel Masters TCG)

2. Generally speaking, what does the map look like? Is it a world map? A specific theater like Europe or Pacific? Or a more specific battlefield like D-Day?

3. How are the Zombies played? Specifically are they a non-playing force or does one player control the Zombie faction?

4. Is it Axis vs. Allies vs. Zombies (every faction for themselves)? Or is it Axis plus the Allies versus the Zombies?

5. Game play is listed as 60-180 minutes. What was the longest game during playtesting?

6. The announcement mentioned “streamlined gameplay.” Can you elaborate on that?

7. How many pieces will be included in the game?

8. What are the dimension of the map?

9. Will there be any dramatic rules changes?

10. Do the rules maintain the spirit of Axis & Allies area control?

11. What role will sea units play? Is there any way for Zombies to cross bodies of Water?

12. Besides “chainsaw tanks” and “zombie mind control rays” are there other new weapons and abilities?

13. Will there be nuclear weapons?

14. What is the time period of the game? Pre-WWII? During WWII? Post WWII? Or some other time?

15. Are there cards involved in game play?

16. After AAZ, should we expect to see more Axis & Allies games in the future? Will they be serious, “zany,” or a combination?

I just now added these follow-up questions:

17. What is the MSRP of the game? (approximate or exact, if you have it)

18. What is the release date of the game? (approximate or exact if you have it)

19. Will the game only go to specialty gaming stores? Or will it also go to retail outlets, like Target?

[frimmel]

Looks like you’ve covered all the things that come to mind for me.

[djensen]

I’ll be posting the answers tomorrow. A few items are “still in development” but they answered nearly every question.

I really want to talk about this … I’ll wait.

[taamvan]

1941 was at target on sale for $20 so I’m def. thinking yes it will be sold there,

but they end up liquidating many of these types of games (pandemic, sonar, xwing TTWG ($12 not $40!! bought 9 copies) etc.)

(which is to say if you can wait you can probably get this for $30 unless it flies off the shelf Target is pretty aggressive about liquidating games and rotating the selection)