Length of Average Game

[JeffM]

I run an Axis and Allies gaming group and we have played numerous games of 1940 Global.  In a 10 hour, one day gaming session my group will generally play to about turn 5 or 6.

I really enjoy playing 1940 Global; however, it is a very long game.  I would categorize it as more of an “all weekend” game, rather than a “one sitting” game.  If played well, I think that 1940 REALLY gets interesting around turns 7-9… with this in mind, I think that Global is best played over multiple days or online via Triple A.

[stroutqb22]

When I play it only takes 4-7 hours before you can tell who is going to win but I am way better than the people I play against and I hurry things up.

[pete6982]

5 to 6 hours.

[zanetheinsane]

We specifically ban battle calculators at the table. One, I feel it goes against the spirit of the game to sit there and plot out the computer simulations. Two, it adds a ton of time while people sit there and try to plot out the “optimal” attack running sim after sim until they get what they feel is the “perfect” outcome.

Either learn a little A&A napkin math probability or know some general probability (like what the difference between 3 and 4 planes is when you have 6-10 infantry, etc).

If you want to speed up G1, put a minor factory on France to start the game and set up all of France’s units on the battle board to start the game.

[pete6982]

We give a 10% IPC bonus if your Purchase New Units and Declare combat moves happen in under 5 minutes.

[AK_Grown]

We play just about every Saturday.  Average game lasts roughly 10 hours.  We’re usually in turn 9-13 by the end, depending on who showed up.

Opening turn & turn 3-Japan are usually our longest turns.

I’d say 1 hour per turn, usually 5-10 minutes to a round.

If you want to speed up G1, put a minor factory on France to start the game and set up all of France’s units on the battle board to start the game.

We have started doing this since France is a first round hit anyway.

[Kreuzfeld]

@pete6982:

We give a 10% IPC bonus if your Purchase New Units and Declare combat moves happen in under 5 minutes.

feels like china, russia and anzak gets alot of extra income.

how about this; 10%  extra income for each power on each side if they use less than 45 minutes (allies), 30 minutes (axis) on all purchases, combat and noncombat moves in a full gameturn.

my fingers are so clumsy that I would never get this 10% bonus with  UK/ger/japan/uk. even if I had the entire move planned.

[Maddog77]

It’s been about 1 year since I played, but 1 hour a round is about what I averaged. 12 hour game at a minimum.
Regarding any electronic game battle & odds simulator -anybody shows up at my game w/ one they don’t play or leave it in your car. I think that’s just taking it too far. It’s a board game for pete’s sake. It requires HUMAN skill and intellegence. Not electronic gadgets. JMHO.

[Red Harvest]

For Global it took us about 18 hours of continuous play to end on turn 8 with the axis in conrol on both sides of the board (USSR, UK-Eur &  UK-Pac, gone.)  Several players were below the min constraint.

[Kreuzfeld]

@Maddog77:

Regarding any electronic game battle & odds simulator -anybody shows up at my game w/ one they don’t play or leave it in your car. I think that’s just taking it too far. It’s a board game for pete’s sake. It requires HUMAN skill and intellegence. Not electronic gadgets. JMHO.

I can see how you say this. I think It all depends on playing style, most of the people in my crew is perfectly capable of calculating by hand and getting fairly close to the results of a combat simulator, problem is, it takes time. Imagine the russian first calculating if he can attack, and then calculating if he has to retreat, and then decideds to stand still, 20-30 minutes easy. Since we know everyone are able to do this, we decide to speed this process up by punching the numbers instead.

we play relaxed and people use along time to think about the moves, and count all possible attacks and counterattacks. We rarely see any huge battles. I like the calm nonstress enviroment.

[theROCmonster]

@Kreuzfeld:

@Maddog77:

Regarding any electronic game battle & odds simulator -anybody shows up at my game w/ one they don’t play or leave it in your car. I think that’s just taking it too far. It’s a board game for pete’s sake. It requires HUMAN skill and intellegence. Not electronic gadgets. JMHO.

I can see how you say this. I think It all depends on playing style, most of the people in my crew is perfectly capable of calculating by hand and getting fairly close to the results of a combat simulator, problem is, it takes time. Imagine the russian first calculating if he can attack, and then calculating if he has to retreat, and then decideds to stand still, 20-30 minutes easy. Since we know everyone are able to do this, we decide to speed this process up by punching the numbers instead.

we play relaxed and people use along time to think about the moves, and count all possible attacks and counterattacks. We rarely see any huge battles. I like the calm nonstress enviroment.

Well said. I’ve never brought a battle calc with me to a game, but I might start. Really tired of counting out the hits of all the huge what if battles.

[KaLeu]

I recently played a game that lasted for nearly 12 hours, and we had still only arrived at round 7 or so. We more or less agreed that the Allies would probably win, but we would have preferred to continue if time had allowed us to.

So I thought that maybe we could have adjourned the game. Which leads me to a question: has anyone created playing aids for adjourning an A&A game? I’m thinking of a form containing a list of territories, sea zones, units, IPC’s and the like.

[Zhukov44]

@zanetheinsane:

We specifically ban battle calculators at the table. One, I feel it goes against the spirit of the game to sit there and plot out the computer simulations. Two, it adds a ton of time while people sit there and try to plot out the “optimal” attack running sim after sim until they get what they feel is the “perfect” outcome.

I can understand the reasons for your rule but the downside is it will favor the more experienced players at the table who can do calculations in their head.

[Kreuzfeld]

@Herr:

I recently played a game that lasted for nearly 12 hours, and we had still only arrived at round 7 or so. We more or less agreed that the Allies would probably win, but we would have preferred to continue if time had allowed us to.

So I thought that maybe we could have adjourned the game. Which leads me to a question: has anyone created playing aids for adjourning an A&A game? I’m thinking of a form containing a list of territories, sea zones, units, IPC’s and the like.

we have an archive map shelf, where the single maps fit in, so we put it in and move it back out when we want to play again.

I have seen systems where people use a flat panel, with 3 inches high edges, that way they can be stacked on to of eachother, while using limited space (can be stacked on top of a closet as an example). we also take pictures in case things fall appart

[KaLeu]

Thanks, yes, that would work. A friend of mine who has a big enough table that he can do without for a while has also offered to just leave the game standing. But while it’s the easiest option when adjourning the game, it does seem a bit inconvenient if the continuation doesn’t follow all that soon, or is even played elsewhere. So what I was thinking of, would be a list where you could easily mark what’s in each land or sea zone.

[vonLettowVorbeck1914]

My turns usually take about 10 mins as axis, 2-3 mins as allies (not counting UK or late-game USA)(not counting die rolls. I find that making a few mistakes in a fast-paced game is more fun than making no mistakes in a game where you can take decent naps if it is not your turn.