New World Order - variant with Revised rules on a new, giant custom map

  • Customizer

    NEW WORLD ORDER

    Its the 1.Septemeber 1939 at 4.45cet
    The German operation FALL WEISS just started
    How will the fate of the World turn? …

    Game Design by Sieg and ErnieBommel

    The ruleset of Axis & Allies “Revised” version are used as a basis. Deviations, extensions and exceptions from these are all listed in these Game Notes.
    Available for play, for free, on the TripleA game engine.

    Gameplay and setup have been balanced over a period of 5 years (since 2007), and presently NWO is considered more balanced than any known A&A game.  Bids range between -2 and 2.
    Default is to use Low Luck, however the game plays very well under dice as well.




    Rules:

    • The Rules-Set is A&A Revised (4th Edition), with any exceptions or extensions explained below.

    • A move illegal using Dice is illegal under Low Luck (LL) too.  A move legal using dice is legal under LL too.

    • Neutrals can be attacked in NWO, no penalties apply.

    • Territories can only be strategically bombed up to their value, by default.  Can be changed in game options, (TTL = Territory Turn Limit)

    • Phase order is slightly changed: “Purchase Units” phase now comes AFTER “Combat Move” phase, but BEFORE “Battle Resolution” phase.

    Strategic Hints for Beginners

    • At beginners level, Allies are easier to play. At medium level, Axis is easier (once accustomed to a good opening). At expert level, both are equal.

    • Mastery of the units is crucial. Different units are needed for different tasks. Inf (infantry) are the best value unit in terms of raw power, if needed production capacity is no issue, BigArmor give the most punch if it is. Concerning navy, air units give most all around flexibility, while t-boats give the least, but provide the most raw power for the money. When a movement of 2 is enough, do not buy SuperSubs - subs are much better then. Elites are bad value, but can maximize an amphibious threat.

    • Early Axis objectives: Tunis should fall in round 1, Morocco in round 2, Greece in round 2 or 3 and Paris in round 3. Germany should be able to advance at least into Ukrainskaya. In case Finland is intended to hold, do not underestimate German support obligations via the Baltic. Spain may give Italy or Germany considerable extra income - careful though!

    • Early Allies objectives: UK should get Ankara, Iran and Iraq quickly. The US should prepare some good landing operation somewhere. Russia should exert some pressure to Finland. Consider strategical retreats for the French and the Colonials.

    • Usual hot spots include: Finland, Leningrad, Donetsk, Ankara-Greece, sz25 or the English Chanel, Gibraltar, Eastern Med fleets.

    • UK fighters on French carriers experience awesome effective action range.

    • Paris can be made to fall during Germany’s 2nd turn ( less then 1% total chance of failure) Expensive though!

    • Russia can pressure Finland hard, or attempt to stop Germany early in Ukrainskaya.

    • As Russia, watch out for Estonia! Axis can open the path for additional units by using (Italians), Finns(air) or Romanians(!).

    • Western allies can successfully invade through Spain, France, Scandinavia or even Italy itself (in the order of skill required).



  • Two Thumbs Up!  I’ve played this map on TripleA several times now and it’s fantastic!


  • Great looking game and nice rules!
    Looks very well done.

    I do however notice some historical inacuracies that do bug me though:
    1. Poland has no airforce when in 1939 they did have an airforce equipped with one of the best bombers in the world and numbers of early monoplane fighters.

    2. Denmark seems to have quite a large military compared to that of the Dutch and Belgians whose military forces were far larger.
    The Danish have 3 infantry, a tank, artillery, and another ground unit. While the Belgians and Dutch have 3 infantry each. The Danish contained no armoured divisions of that size, or any armor at all if I recall.

    Are these inacuracies due to balance issues? Just wondering, I do not mean to offend you or your hard work. Thanks.


  • Yea Denmark was defeated in 24 hours. It had no army. perhaps 1 infantry but not more.

    Poland had an airforce and the Germans lost quite a number of planes in that campaign.

  • Customizer

    The white countries on the map are “neutrals”, and they are not active or controlled by any player.  Similar to pacific 1940’s neutrals: if you attack it, they defend, but other than that they do not move or regenerate or anything. 
    So, giving poland bombers would have meant they would have some units defending on a 1, since they wouldn’t be doing any attacking or anything at all since they are neutrals and not player controlled.  Poland actually has quite a large defense already, considering the small value of the territories there, so changing the units which are in there would have only been aesthetic, and could certainly be nitpicked to death. 
    There is a mod though, where Poland, Spain, Greece, and Turkey are controlled by AI players, and are able to attack anyone who enters their territory but unable to move beyond their territory.  Its a pretty cool mod, and it also uses AA50 rules instead of revised rules, however it is not yet balanced even close to the terms that the “original” map is balanced to.

    While historical accuracy is important and always nice to see, Balance is far more important.

    This game has been balanced over about 3 years of continuous play by a very large number of players, and right now it sees very small and very few bids.

    Part of the consideration for Denmark having slightly higher defense than Belgium I think has to do with the choices apparent in this game.  Some games see Germany leaving Denmark alone in order to save themselves from having to defend it against the British.  By making Denmark slightly more expensive to take, it makes this choice more obvious. 
    Beyond that, I would have to ask the map makers, Sieg and EB, the exact reasons for different garrison levels in different neutral territories.  I helped to code some of the map, but did not play any part in the balancing of it.

  • Customizer

    Just want to add that there is a tournament going on for this map.  Free entry, double elimination.  $200 in prize money: $125 to 1st place, $50 to 2nd place, and $25 to 3rd place.  Click here to see the website:
    http://www.biscon.com.au/tourny/dice/index.html

    To download the Full size Screenshot of this map (6mb), click here:

    with units:
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/tripleamaps/files/images/fullsizescreenshots/TripleA_new_world_order_full.png/download

    without units:
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/tripleamaps/files/images/fullsizescreenshots/TripleA_new_world_order_no_units.png/download

    without any color, flags, or anything:
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/tripleamaps/files/developer%20resources/base%20tile%20full%20images/NWOblank.png/download

    Also should mention that downloading TripleA Axis & Allies game engine, you get this map/game automatically because it comes with TripleA.  
    And there are always at least a few people online willing to start a live or play-by-email game of New World Order, in triplea’s lobby.

    Runs on Revised rules (Also called 4th Edition Rule.  4th Edition = Revised)

    so, if you have the Revised rulebook, or you get the scanned rulebook off the internet, then you know the rules. 
    the only changes are:
    1. It is not allowed to make Fighter movements based on the assumption that a Carrier could pass through a potentially cleared seazone in NonCombatMove. (as it actually is legal under Revised/LHTR)
    2. Territories can only be strategically bombed up to their territory value per turn.
    3. Phase order is changed.  Purchase phase happens AFTER the combat move phase, but happens before the resolving combat phase. (no actual difference in gameplay, it just makes larger maps easier to play and make purchases for)

    Things that are not covered by the revised rulebook:
    1. Units and prices are completely different. (and there are specific rules for certain units, like bunkers and the units that can be built only on turn 4 and later).
    2. You may enter and attack ‘neutral’ territories for free.
    3. You may not fly over a neutral territory without attacking that neutral territory first. (ie: you can attack it then retreat after 1 round as a means of flying over if you wish, but this can be expensive to do).
    4. Empty neutral territories may be blitzed.
    5. There is no technology.
    6. Default is to use Low Luck.  Anything legal in dice is legal in low luck.  Anything illegal in dice is illegal in low luck.


  • Yea Denmark was defeated in 24 hours. It had no army. perhaps 1 infantry but not more.
    Denmark has been annexed without real any combat.
    But I agree no more than 1 infantry.

    Denmark seems to have quite a large military compared to that of the Dutch and Belgians whose military forces were far larger.
    The Danish have 3 infantry, a tank, artillery, and another ground unit. While the Belgians and Dutch have 3 infantry each. The Danish contained no armoured divisions of that size, or any armor at all if I recall.

    I agree with De Gaule. No more than 2 dutch INF and 3 in belgium.
    Too much units for germany on the western front.

    While historical accuracy is important and always nice to see, Balance is far more important.
    I don’t agree at all but hey that’s your game…There’s no challenge! Map is well done but you make a little mistake.
    Eastern prussia was seperated of germany by danzig corridor.


  • Replay value and balance had precedence over historical accuracy in NWO. A truly historical setup on this level of abstraction is doomed to lead to one-dimensional gameplay. The map is an hommage to the charms of the Larry Harris A&A game mechanics, not a history simulator.

    options
    means
    variation
    means
    high replay value
    means
    increasing depth of strategical challenge within the community
    means
    unlimited challenge and fun

    Too many games today leave the player with the disappointing discovery, that while seemingly full of choices, the game boils down to one simple optimal approach.

    In NWO, there is a multitude of interconnected hotspots, each with a fine balance of its own. There is no optimal trajectory solving the game for you. If you let your concentration slip in one theater of war for a turn only, if your opponent anticipates your subconscious wishes better then you do his, he will exploit that and win. Still, the map allows for a relatively intuitive gameplay for beginners.

    A hidden plus of NWO is that it inherently attracts a pleasant and mature selection of skilled players.

    Thx to Veq for the post and call me me shameless ; )
    ErnieBommel (retired)

  • Customizer

    while i always see this in the online (live) lobby for triplea, and it possibly the 2nd most popular triplea live game (and most popular play-by-email game), I have yet to see this played in the forum.

    has anyone given this a play-by-forum go?


  • Has anyone played this NWO scenario using a physical map and pieces, F2F or by email?  Which map(s) would work best with this set-up?

    Is the scenario set-up (and/or are the starting assumptions) markedly different from that of the official games?

  • Customizer

    This map is clearly based on post 1945 boundaries, which grates with a 1939 scenario. Particularly noticable with Poland & Yugoslavia, but also Bessarabia/Moldova should have a Black Sea coastline.

    If you want to do a game based on WWII start with map of Europe from 1939, not 1945.

    In 1939 USSR was more in the Axis than the Allies.

  • Customizer

    Off topic but these stats in the screen shots would do quite well for D6 stats when using HBG custom units. Many have posted various rules for D6 stats with limited success.  However these stats may be more accepted with precedence and provenance from tripleA.

    Thanks, Veqyrn.  :evil:


  • @Flashman:

    This map is clearly based on post 1945 boundaries, which grates with a 1939 scenario. Particularly noticable with Poland & Yugoslavia, but also Bessarabia/Moldova should have a Black Sea coastline.

    If you want to do a game based on WWII start with map of Europe from 1939, not 1945.

    In 1939 USSR was more in the Axis than the Allies.

    I don’t know my WWII or European history that well, but thanks for the advise.  Are there any good WWII A&A Europe maps out there with a 1939 point of view that would be good fits for this set up?  Would any of IL’s wonderful maps fill that bill?

    Thanks!


  • yes look up my global 1939 game which came out before global 40



  • Thanks IL!  I was sort of wondering about using that one, or one similar to that one, for this variant.


  • @ErnieBommel:

    Replay value and balance had precedence over historical accuracy in NWO. A truly historical setup on this level of abstraction is doomed to lead to one-dimensional gameplay. The map is an hommage to the charms of the Larry Harris A&A game mechanics, not a history simulator.

    options
    means
    variation
    means
    high replay value
    means
    increasing depth of strategical challenge within the community
    means
    unlimited challenge and fun

    Too many games today leave the player with the disappointing discovery, that while seemingly full of choices, the game boils down to one simple optimal approach.

    In NWO, there is a multitude of interconnected hotspots, each with a fine balance of its own. There is no optimal trajectory solving the game for you. If you let your concentration slip in one theater of war for a turn only, if your opponent anticipates your subconscious wishes better then you do his, he will exploit that and win. Still, the map allows for a relatively intuitive gameplay for beginners.

    A hidden plus of NWO is that it inherently attracts a pleasant and mature selection of skilled players.

    Thx to Veq for the post and call me me shameless ; )
    ErnieBommel (retired)

    As someone who’s played a number of NWO games, I want to voice my agreement with every positive thing that’s been written about this map.

    Maybe there are those here who have played Risk. Then at some point, you went from Risk to Classic or Revised. And realized you could never go back. Once you go from Classic or Revised to this map, you will experience exactly that same reaction.

    I’ve played this map at least 40 times, and I cannot recall any two games being the same. Very high replay value. Also, this map’s element of pure strategy (as opposed to tactics) is very strong. Every major nation except the United States will generally find itself fighting on at least two fronts; sometimes more. “What are my objectives for this front?” you need to ask. “Am I trying to create a static situation; or do I want to advance? What’s the best way of spending as little as possible on my static fronts, so that I can get away with spending as much as possible on the fronts where I’m supposed to be advancing? How can I force my opponents to spend as much as possible on their defensive fronts; so as to distract them from their offensive fronts?”

    One example of this kind of thinking is the naval situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Britain has several options.

    1. Build no new naval units there. This saves money; allowing it to throw more money against Germany. The more money Britain throws at Germany, the more Germany gets distracted from conquering Russia.
      2a) Build a comparatively immobile defensive fleet. This fleet will have a mix of British and Colonial French ships. It will also contain lots of torpedo boats (the perfect naval cannon fodder unit). Torpedo boats can only move one space a turn; making it very difficult to shuttle the fleet back and forth between Cairo and the Aegean. The need to continuously add to the fleet each turn means that your fleet will probably be anchored to one particular sea zone the rest of the game.
      2b) Build a mobile defensive fleet. Same as 2a), except without the torpedo boats. This gives you more flexibility; but it’s a somewhat more expensive option than 2a).
    2. Build an offensive fleet intended to threaten Italy’s Eastern Mediterranean fleet. This is your most expensive option. It also forces Italy to spend a lot on naval units to counter your spending. This could represent the eastern half of a Kill Italy First strategy. (With an American invasion of Spain and American naval supremacy in the West Mediterranean representing the western half.) The problem with spending this much money against Italy is that Germany will be relatively free to go after Moscow. But in this map, Rome and Moscow are of roughly equal importance. If they both fall at about the same time, the game will continue. That’s when things really get interesting! :)

  • Following up on an old topic, are the initial setups for this A&AR variant written down or posted anywhere accessible?  I don’t have the TrippleA app, so I can’t just look it up on the NWO map.


  • http://www.triplea-game.org

    The best solution to the problem is to download TripleA. The above link will let you do exactly that. Not only will this engine allow you to play Larry Harris maps, it also allows you to play a good selection of player-created maps. Some of them are significantly better than any of Larry’s maps, at least to me. (Including New World Order, Rising Sun, and Domination 1914 No Man’s Land.)

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