Game report for 1914…from Larry Harris


  • Looking again at the setup picture, I think Turkey AND Russia have ships in the Black Sea.

    You cant rely on this, not one of these pics were ever accurate in any AA game. Some blockhead just set up these pieces and they didn’t get in the planes or tanks, so they just thru together whatever they had at the time.


  • It’s been said that if Germany had cavalry in the west in 1918 they could have exploited the gains of the Spring offensive much better. By that time, their cavalry was almost all stationed on the eastern front, holding down the tt ceded by russia.

    The Allied kept large cavalry units in the west throughout, but they were kept in reserve waiting for a breakthrough that never came. Only in the Hundred Days Battles did they have the chance, and played a big part in rounding up German prisoners.

    As I understand the combat rules, a lone tank attacking a single defender is effectively invulnerable. It might be worth using tanks for nuisance attacks, forcing contested status on lightly defender areas.

    The game has no Cavalry, why talk about it?

    Tanks reduce hits in this game, so buying them saves “lives”…but you have to have infantry because of the pairing rules bonus.

  • Customizer

    A little confused on some points:

    When we get to the battle board, Larry says you have to have at least one infantry survive as the last unit, even if it means taking other units as casualties. Got that. But does this mean that you cannot have stacks in land areas which contain no infantry?
    Does it mean that, for example, you could not station aircraft in a rear area without infantry present, because they wouldn’t be able to fight if attacked?

    Also says that infantry of a friendly power do not count - does this mean that friendly units can fight in an attack, or just when defending?

    For example, the “Alsace-Lorraine” area is contested between 5 French and 5 German units. The British move 5 units in to attack the Germans. Do we assume that the French units sit in their trenches holding their own sector of the front, and cannot participate or be taken as casualties? If so, the reference in the battle board description is curious.

  • Customizer

    But there aren’t any planes or tanks to start with. My guess is that its accurate. Although its curious there are no French is central Africa…

    @Imperious:

    Looking again at the setup picture, I think Turkey AND Russia have ships in the Black Sea.

    You cant rely on this, not one of these pics were ever accurate in any AA game. Some blockhead just set up these pieces and they didn’t get in the planes or tanks, so they just thru together whatever they had at the time.


  • I guarantee you that setup is wrong. 100%.

    When we get to the battle board, Larry says you have to have at least one infantry survive as the last unit, even if it means taking other units as casualties. Got that. But does this mean that you cannot have stacks in land areas which contain no infantry?
    Does it mean that, for example, you could not station aircraft in a rear area without infantry present, because they wouldn’t be able to fight if attacked?

    He didn’t say that yet but it makes sense. I bet you need one infantry to claim even income ( sort of a garrison rule)

    Also says that infantry of a friendly power do not count - does this mean that friendly units can fight in an attack, or just when defending?

    Turns are separate, so only in defense they roll together.

    For example, the “Alsace-Lorraine” area is contested between 5 French and 5 German units. The British move 5 units in to attack the Germans. Do we assume that the French units sit in their trenches holding their own sector of the front, and cannot participate or be taken as casualties? If so, the reference in the battle board description is curious.

    If that happens it has not been established how that works based on the current information.


  • Well looking at a blown up picture of the map setup, all of the Austrian units that Larry used in his attacks are where he said they would be (He leaves one inf in the territories he moves troops from)…so it could be accurate.

  • '16

    @DarthShizNit:

    Well looking at a blown up picture of the map setup, all of the Austrian units that Larry used in his attacks are where he said they would be (He leaves one inf in the territories he moves troops from)…so it could be accurate.

    Yet USA and Italy are using red chips instead of blue…
    They always have inaccurate pictures of a set-up, I doubt it would be correct this time.


  • On the topic of long range artillery, the best way to house rule them in at a later date will be with Grey AA guns cannibalized from other AA games. (with so many country colors, this would be the easiest and cheapest way)

    All in all, I like how this is shaping up.


  • Just use the ones from the other game when it comes out.


  • @Imperious:

    I guarantee you that setup is wrong. 100%.

    But that is not to say that the setup is 100% wrong. Just because we can’t trust the setup does not mean that what see see on there won’t be there. Like all promo pictures so far, it would be safe to assume a lot is the same and a lot is different.


  • I didn’t say it was 100% inaccurate. I said that the setup is not totally accurate, and i am 100% sure of this. Probably 20% of it is accurate because those areas have at least one infantry.

    The pieces we see are the ones that will be in the game, just that many of the pieces are not even on the map…for anybody.

    This is typical because WOTC does not always have ready the pieces when the picture is taken. Very typical for them.


  • This seems pretty cool thus far! Does anyone else feel just 4 rounds to get to 1917 seems a little quick though? Especially since decisive battles will be few and far between with one round attacks? The CP has just 4 attacks to crush the allies before America and it’s power house economy comes over and puts the hurt on. If the game follows history the CP is done once the US shows up in numbers. They really needed to take France out before then to win, but maybe it will take the U.S. a couple rounds to really do anything. Over all I’m liking the rules, but still wish there was a blow up box for the Western front.


  • I think this will be a nice and short game. Less dice rolling and one movement sequence makes it a quick game. I bet it takes US about 2 turns to even get into battle, so figure turn 6 the CP will feel it.


  • @Admiral_Thrawn:

    This seems pretty cool thus far! Does anyone else feel just 4 rounds to get to 1917 seems a little quick though? Especially since decisive battles will be few and far between with one round attacks? The CP has just 4 attacks to crush the allies before America and it’s power house economy comes over and puts the hurt on. If the game follows history the CP is done once the US shows up in numbers. They really needed to take France out before then to win, but maybe it will take the U.S. a couple rounds to really do anything. Over all I’m liking the rules, but still wish there was a blow up box for the Western front.

    Perhaps the Naval situation will have it optimal for Germany being a bit more aggressive with their subs than they were in the war. It does seem a little weird that it is so soon, but that would be a plausible way to explain the early US entry if the turns are less than a year but USA comes in on 4.

    As for the blow up box, have you played The Great War on TripleA?


  • IL, maybe it will be a quicker game and that definitely would be cool. For most people A&A is too long and hard to get new people to devote the time. Just us super fans love the 12 hour gaming sessions. And it probably will and should historically take the US a little time to actually really hurt the CP so it will work out fine.

    Vorbeck, yes I have played that and I love that idea of the blow up box. Adds so much for the western front. In this game it will be like two spaces probably that France and Germany just put men in over and over. Seems kinda boring. The blow up box allows some movement while giving it the impression of not really getting anywhere. Plus it’s awesome on that game in Triple A when you send units from the larger strategic map to the blow up box. It really gives it a thematic sense of sending men into the trenches. I will probably make house rules for this game to include that if there is a way to make it balanced. Maybe future deluxe editions could include the blow up box. We’ll see.


  • They phased them out since classic, then went with larger maps eventually as the solution. I don’t think we will ever see those again.


  • I’m most interested in the Turn Time,4 does seem a bit rapid to get the US in so I keep thinking
    a Turn Year will be divided into monthly/Seasonal  periods of some sort.


  • Perhaps the US gets to start BUILDING at turn 4, but starts with no units.
    So that way, their entry to the war will really be like turn 6 or 7

  • Customizer

    If it starts with no units how is it going to invade Haiti and Mexico?


  • Thats why the allies should get Zeppelins, and travel where they like and bomb.

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