5 IPC armor: does it work?

@Der:

I recently updated my unit prices to AA global version, but the original rules to Spring '42 say that armor is 5 IPC, 3/3/2, instead of global’s 6 IPC, 3/3/2.

I’ve been playing AA since the 80’s and still can’t get comfortable with the 6 IPC price. It just “seems like” it should cost 5 IPC.

In your gameplay experience, does AA Spring '42 play out well with 5 IPC armor? Or does everyone buy too much armor and ignore infantry? I’m asking because if it works well like it is then I’m repricing my armor back to 5 IPCs.

You see the armor strategy being played against less experienced players, Germany buys 8 armor on G1 and Japan builds 2 ICs and starts pumping 6 armor per turn. But against experienced Allied players it won’t work.

With an armor cost of 6 IPC Germany, Japan and Russia will suffer the most from the changes. The JTDTM (Japanese Tank Dash To Moscow) will cost more, it will also cost more for both Germans/Soviets to increase their armor stacks and you’ll see more artillery being used.

To me the jury is still out regarding the increase… I’ll need to play several games with the 6 IPC cost before deciding.

@Der:

Thanks for the answer - from reading other posts it appears one purpose of the $6 armor was to make mech units more appealing in the global game, which 1942 doesn’t have.

2nd Edition may have mech infantry and tac bombers - I guess it depends on how much complexity they can afford to add within the 60$ game price. But at the same time mech infantry could help more Germany and Japan against Russia…

Armor seems very powerful in the 42/41 ruleset (as it is in Revised as well).  I think it was even stronger in 41 because all the extra territories made armor’s mobility more useful.

In 42, it was/is common to see both Axis buying mainly armor in a bid to double-team Moscow before the Western Allies could intervene.  Armor rushes are very strong but not unbeatable as Hobbes mentions above.  5 ipc armor does not “break” the game but it is an exceptionally useful unit–when mixed properly with infantry.

I appreciate the price change in Global because it encourages us to try other units and other strategies.  In cases where you need mobile offense, you don’t just buy tanks–you gotta find the proper mix or tanks and mech.