Seeking advice on hosting a game with inexperienced players

[The Pripet Martian]

We’ve wrestled with the “cruiser or destroyer?” issue, too. Looking for the squared-off stern is a great idea. Another way we dealt with the issue was to organize our storage trays for each power in exactly the same way, so players quickly learn which units are in each compartment, no matter which powers you’re controlling.

In particular, I organized ships as follows: (alphabetical order, top to bottom and left to right) Aircraft Carriers and Battleships in the first compartment, followed by Cruisers, Destroyers, Subs and Transports in separate compartments. Players know cruisers will always be in the compartment right below the carriers and battleships, while destroyers are in the compartment at the top of the second column, and so on.

[koala]

First of all thanks for all the replies so far.

Some takeaways from the real game:

• destroyer-cruiser confusion was indeed a real problem

• I think we overestimated the defensiveness of fleets a lot. There is really a difference in triplea and live games especially because of the battle calculator

• Stuff like Taranto too advanced for us, firstly we needed to get all the basics straight and I think we did good with that

• japan focused on killing china and left UK and US till turn 4

• I think navies have some special appeal. Everybody except russia build them a lot

• without taranto and tobruk, italy was doing really good above 30 income

• germany build too much fleet and therefore russia survived and snowballed

• I think we prevented all really stupid mistakes by warning each other which was really nice

[Polishpowerhouse]

In regards to the destroyer cruiser issue, I put a control marker under the cruiser. Helps easily identify at a glance…attacking or defending

[CWO Marc]

Another thing that might be useful in terms of sculpt recognition would be to print out the unit identification charts I posted over here:  http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=31982.0

I keep a copy of my printouts in a ring binder, as a reference tool.

[GeneralHandGrenade]

I always send them to GeneralHandGrenade’s YouTube channel and tell them to watch the instruction videos before they come over. They are very informative and he’s a heck of a nice guy. :wink:

[Dauvio Vann]

Have the experience players play the weakest countries. Plus once the game starts, don’t help the rookies with strategy. If you do help them, it’s like playing the game for them.

This is a guide line, it is not written in stone.

[Charles de Gaulle]

ANZAC is the perfect starter nation.  It has very little of everything, but it usually does not get crushed like Italy might.  Learning how to buy right, plan, and manage limited resources are important parts of being ANZAC and really help train new players.  Just be sure to tell the U.S. player to watch that Japan does not pick on the little Australian brother  :wink:

[weddingsinger]

@CWO:

One idea that you could pitch to the group prior to the start of the game, and making it clear that it’s entirely up to them whether they want to do so or not, would be to propose that your first game together be a training game rather than a real one.  The game wouldn’t have a winner, and might not even be completed; moves and decisions would be discussed collectively as (or after) they’re made, and players might perhaps even have the option to “take back” a move they’ve just made that is an obvious mistake (though of course they could go ahead and play it anyway, and then see for themselves why it wasn’t such a good idea).  If your group is comfortable with this, it would enable everyone to achieve a certain basic level of competence in a risk-free environment – with the goal being that when they eventually play a real game, they will be less likely to lose because of silly and obvious mistakes.  If your group says “thanks but no thanks” to this idea, that’s fine too because it will implicitly mean that the players are willing to take ownership of any silly mistakes they do end up making; if anyone does end up losing due to such a silly mistake, they won’t be in (as much of) a position to complain that they blew the game in this manner.

This is how we play(ed).  When just two of us started playing global, we often helped each other walk through ideas and options.

In fact, even now, just Sunday morning a reasonably experienced player was handling the Axis for the first time in ages.  Once he decided he wanted to do a J1, I coached him on all his options, including his purchases.

For my partner on the Allied side, he had the Brits and Russia.  During his turn I liked to help him see all his options and the consequences they might lead to.  At first he thought I was telling him what to do, so I clarified I was just saying out loud what I usually do in my own head when I’m the Axis by myself.  Helping him see the whole board and that I hoped he would do the same for me.

[Kreuzfeld]

I would give two general advice:
1. Don’t play your power optimally. The newbie can’t compete with that.
2. Allow the newbie to play his/her own game.

I would recommend resisting the urge to give unsolicited advice. It is important to let new players experiment themselves, and feel like they are in control. The only time you should give advice unsolicited is when the newbie is about to make an obvious blunder. This will usually be due to not remembering the relevant rules, or forgetting some capability. If they don’t remember the rule, you should explain it to them (for example: “fighters can’t land on damage carriers, are you sure you want to take your hits like that?”). If they forget about a capabilty, explain that to them (example: “I can land on you capitol now, it is not defended well enough”, or “Those transporters are undefended”, or “that fleet will be smashed if it is there”)

You could also perhaps spend a little time on the NOs, after turn 3 (or so), when they are starting to get the hang of everything else.

[seancb]

This is how we explain playing the game to new players.

1. Explain to them that this is a “Game of Punishment”
       You will be punished for bad maneuvers, as in Chess. The consequences will be immediate or delayed.

2. There is no timer so think it through. It is your turn so you don’t have to hurry. Next time we play we may expect quicker play.

3. Count to three each and every time you move something because that is the range of an enemy bomber that could kill you.

4. Consult your teammate in private. Don’t blurt out your plans.

5. Read the rulebook when it isn’t your turn. This sorts out a lot of questions.

6. Ask if you are still unsure.

7. If this is in your group (it is in ours for sure), drink beer or some other beverage of choice. It eases the pain of those evil plastic cubes when they have not landed in your favor.

8. Have a good time, win or lose. Don’t be a baby or we aren’t inviting you back. Some griping is permitted but only on absolutely horrible dicings.

Last but not least…
We will play again. Teams will be different. Factions will be different.

[oysteilo]

I would tell them as little as possible and give them a +60 bid for allies and you take axis for yourself. When they loose they will ask why and learn a whole lot