Infantry shooting down planes is such bs and not just because it makes no sense but because planes cost 10 or 15 IPCs while infantry cost 3. I was wondering if anyone had made some changes that work pretty good. I was thinking that neither infantry or tanks should be able to attack air but then the I realized the only ground unit left is AA, which have to roll a 1.
I don’t think this is BS at all. Remember the combat in Axis and Allies represents combined arms not just dog fitting etc. Additionally, air is already pleanty powerful in the game as is, and if it were anymore so it might not make sense to built much else. Axis and Allies is realistic in the regard that most industrial output of any nation will be guys and tanks not planes.
Agreed (w/ DS).
A fighter defending at a 4 as an infantry attacks at a 1 is appropriate IMHO. In the meantime, one could consider “dug in” infantry as defending at a 2 w/ anti-air etc. Also ftrs have huge “speed” advantage in their squares travelled/turn.
As far as costs go - again i agree w/ DS. The battle for Britain involved planes, but the biggest battles were masses of infantry and armor and the game should reflect that.
I always thought of the AA in the game as the big artillery kind and the infantry’s ability to shoot down aircraft as something more mobile, like anti-air machine guns. That’s beside the point, though, as the whole thing is pretty abstract. The ability for a unit of lesser value to destroy one of much greater value is an important part of the game, I think. To get hits with infantry consistent enough to put fighters in serious danger, however, would require an investment in them of significantly more than 15 IPCs, though. It all balances out in the end. Besides, who would bother with many ground troops if fighters could attack them with impunity?
Well are you guys talking about Axis and Allies the board game?
In this area it would be the older “Classic” or 2nd Edition game released by Hasbro in the 1980’s. The newer version by Avalon Hill is discussed in the “Revised” area.
I have to agree with the others that air is fine the way it is now. Yes, your planes can be shot down by a 3 cost INF, but so what? If you are crazy enough to send in planes without the fodder to ensure their survival, they should die.
It is also very similar in a historical sense. When planes are making ground attacks, sometimes they would come in low, 40-150 ft off the ground and straffe the battle. This was done because is was often not practicle to drop bombs from fighters on large groups on infintry and calling in bombers is a bit pointless because the INF woudl more to quickly for the bombers.
This being said, with planes flying that low overhead, it is very possible that and INF or tank mounted gun could shoot them done.
Maybe we need to increase the price of AA and let it hit on a 2 or less.
But yea, for game mechanics you need to have infantry be able to defend against fighters. Otherwise, you’d loose 24 infantry to 1 fighter because none of them can shoot back.
One thing that does need to happen is that fighters need to be made cheaper, right now a fighter costs half as much as a battleship, during WW2 fighters cost an average of $40,000 a piece, battleships cost in the millions. Another problem I have with fighters is that there is no way of simulating strafing runs in this game, I agree that infantry should be able to defend against air, but I disagree that a fighter strafes 30 men, and can only take out one of them. I think that fighters should roll once for every 5 infantry, I believe this would make it fair for both sides. About changing the prices of them, me and my brother cut the cost in half because of they are only that much more useful than an armored division.
Shaaza:
That was fixed in Revised. Fighters cost 10, Battleships 24. You can’t really reduce that fighter cost much more without also reducing attack/def capability. (I have no problem with the 6 IPC fighter, att 2, def 2, move 4)
Also remember that one piece is NOT one unit.
A BB may be a single BB 9plus obligatory escorts). But a FIG is at least a squadron, more likely an entire air wing.
