Confirmed: NOT a joke, game will be released

It certainly is a wonderful game. Enjoy!

@Nowhere-Man said in Game Balance & Capturing Capitols:

@Midnight_Reaper:

Lack of cash hurts both ways, though - it takes a while to build a navy at 12 IPCs, whether it’s the UK or Germany rebuilding their fleet from the first turn battles.

Lack of cash hurts both ways, but what I was getting at, building a fleet from nothing (for Germany) is very expensive and easy to spot coming, while defending England from a Sea Lion doesn’t require a fleet, it only requires far cheaper ground units (a bunch of English soldiers is a lot cheaper than trying to build a big German fleet)… it’s far easier for England to build infantry than for Germany to build a fleet with capital ships transports AND the ground troops to fill the transports, when all England has to do is build ground troops to defend against Sea Lion… yes, Britain will need to rebuild their fleet at some point from initial losses, but if Germany is trying to go Sea Lion before Moscow in 1941 (which was the initial question I believe), the money situation far favors the UK over Germany… unless the UK player is just daft and doesn’t defend England while Germany builds a fleet. As zooma pointed out, the more realistic method for the Axis to win would be to eliminate Russia first, then, using the funds from a dead Russia, build a fleet to attack the western allies.

I’ve played this game a few more times and I’ve come to the conclusion that - contrary to what I expected - the Axis player’s best bet to win the short game is to invade North America, starting in Alaska, and march to Washington. Japan needs to grab some cash and some factories, either from Asia (India and Siberia) and / or the Pacific (Australia, et al) and then start up the invasion fleet. If the US has focused on Germany for the first part of the game, they may have their hands full beating back “Dai Nippon Teikoku”…

-Midnight_Reaper

In 1941, yes, the only place the Russians can build a navy by default (without capturing Berlin) is to place the great Soviet Fleet in a land-locked sea, making it 99.9% useless.

Of course, building a Soviet Fleet in-general (even if you could send it out into the world’s oceans) is usually about 99.8% useless.

If you’re dead-set determined to build a great Soviet Navy to rule the waves and invade Japan with, there’s really only about two choices you have.
A) Capture Berlin, build fleet there, be the envy of the Allied Navies
B) House-rule in that you can build Industrial Complexes in 1941… Charge 15 IPCs and place a complex on the board so you can build a navy or whatever else (I know 1941 doesn’t come with them, you can literally use anything to denote an Industrial Complex, from an A&A complex used from a different version of A&A to Monopoly Hotels or even a Penny, it doesn’t matter, as long as everyone agrees what you’re using for Industrial Complexes).

A&A 1941 is a 2 to 5 player game… no matter how many players you have, there are always two teams/sides… Axis… and Allies (hence the name)…

The game is won when one team or the other reaches its victory conditions… like taking the enemy team’s capitals (say the Allies win if they take Berlin and Tokyo).

By the rules of the game, its team vs team… there is no backstabbing your allies by the rules. Of course in your own home you can modify the standard rules all you want if everyone at the table agrees, but since you’re asking a straight up question on an A&A forum… no… it’s not a free for all, there is no double-dealing across team lines… either the Allies win or the Axis wins. Victory conditions are stated in the rules, but by the rules, there is no backstabbing or “free for all”.

@jluna1273:

LOL, well of all the fine qualities that my wife possesses, patience isn’t one of them. The first Global 1940 game played lasted 18 hours. She’d never seen anything close to what we did, and thought we were crazy.

Then it’s a good thing for her that, to the best of my knowledge, Larry Harris has no plans to develop a game called “Axis & Allies: The Hundred Years’ War”.

LOL There’s practically nothing on the board!!!

I would keep pumping out MEN.

The more men Japan builds, the harder it will be for the US to take it, and they won’t be able to afford it.

The same goes for Germany.  Infantry are going to be your best friend here, you’ve conquered Russia! Now it’s about killing everything off of the mainland.

As Japan, I would build up Fighters after securing my capital.  They have long range, are cheaper than boats, and the US will have to buy expensive carriers to keep them away.

@UtahJazzfan8:

Weather sucks here also. It’s been windy and rainy… probably in the mid 30s right now!!!  :-P

Thanks for the tips. I’m hoping to start my first game of A&A tomorrow after work.

2 feet of snow just dropped in a few hours here lol :P.

I wish you luck, I’m sure you’ll have fun.

@HolKann:

But a good board game designer makes its games “easy to learn, hard to master”. It’s a cliché, but it’s true. Unfortunately, Larry Harris does not always adhere to this principle.

Yeah that guy sucks at making games. I never buy any of them.

…wait did you say Larry Harris?