Global 1940 is the best Axis & Allies game


  • @Tall:

    Since “Allworkandnoclay” only finished some of my factories before he went on another “world exploration” I plan on using HBG/Shapeway’s smaller Factory as a Minor Factory along with my OOB Industrial Complexes for my Major Factories.

    Nice paint job!  Painting bricks on the factory chimneys must have taken a lot of squinting and an impressive degree of eye-hand coordination.


  • By the way, the flags painted on the IC sides gives them a nice resemblence to these factories from “War Comes To America”, the final film in Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight” series.

    Frank Capra German Factory.jpg
    Frank Capra Japanese Factory.jpg


  • That sounds really awesome paul!..… I always imagined Germany starting with Panzer 3’s, then moving up to Panzer 4’s, then the panther and Tiger maybe even going to King Tiger (with Battleship stats)… If that really gets implemented I am sure there will be a lot of balancing issues to work out but I am up to the challenge :)… P.S. Have been checking out pieces you got from Allworknoclay for some time now and i can’t wait for more (especially excited to see what he does with French Inf) P.S.S. I am so nerdy I watch one of the why we fight movies to get pumped for an upcoming Axis and Allies game :p

  • Customizer

    CWO Marc & Others,

    @CWO:

    @Tall:

    Since “Allworkandnoclay” only finished some of my factories before he went on another “world exploration” I plan on using HBG/Shapeway’s smaller Factory as a Minor Factory along with my OOB Industrial Complexes for my Major Factories.

    Nice paint job!  Painting bricks on the factory chimneys must have taken a lot of squinting and an impressive degree of eye-hand coordination.

    ––Yes, I’d agree that “Alllworkandnoclay” is the best A&A painter that I’ve seen, although other people may have seen better. But the problem with true professional artists is the same as with other artists in that their interests change every 6 months or so,….thus nothing new from him in quite a while.
    ----I must point out that the only hand-painted national ensigns on my factories were the Italian, Anzac, and British “Union Jack”. All of the others were decals from I-94 Enterprises.
    ----BTW,…does ANYONE know of any source for British ‘Union Jack’ decals??? I have approx. 60+ pieces that we’ll need to do still and decals would make it much faster & easier, too!

    “Tall Paul”
    p.s.- In case you’d care to see his “Jack” Infantry I’ll post a link to my painted pieces thread. Just scroll down to the UK-Far East Forces and click for that thread.
    http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=29550.0


  • I find it’s really fun to disagree with Allweneed, so here goes:

    Seriously though, I agree with all your points which I did not quote.

    @allweneedislove:

    4. better pricing of units. reducing the cost of naval and air units has led to a greater variety of units being purchased.

    This was the hallmark of AA50, not G40.

    6. strategic bombing raids are a legitimate but not overpowering strategy. how complexes are damaged and repaired is excellent. there is now a bigger reward for bombing but still plenty of risk, and the defender can have a counter strategy by having interceptors.

    Main point is true (due to +2 Strat bombers with 2nd edition), but AA50 included escort/interceptor rules and max damage was double the value of the territory, which was adequate.  So strat bombing raids were legitimate but not overpowering in AA50 as well.

    9. national objectives add mini in game objectives that add strategy and can encourage play to areas of the map that otherwise would be ignored.

    Again, AA50 pioneered this.  G40 continued it, and actually some of the national objectives suck.  Bad.  But AA50 NO’s were all pretty solid.

    10. transports taken last as casualties now has more naval units being purchased and a greater variety in those purchases. earlier editions had the allies creating a super navy that was unsinkable. once this point was achieved the allies would rightfully stop building navy. the navies had a few loaded carriers defended by huge amounts of transports. now, how navies are built and deployed, involves many more decisions. there is much more naval action with many fleets being sunk.

    This is kudos to AA50.  Just continued on to G40.

    11. politics and declarations of war(dow). depending on which round japan issues a dow, the game plays out very differently. there are benefits, different strategies, and different tactics for each different round that japan declares war. there is great game design in each round of dow having equal opportunity for victory.

    Yes, although P40 really sucked (at least until the latest revisions) on this aspect.  J1 was the no-brainer decision.  EVERY TIME.

    13. global 1942 scenario. the game has a whole new set of strategies to explore with the alternate start. http://smo63.fatcow.com/pdf/G42setup2013424.pdf

    OK, but this could be done with any A&A game so is not unique to G40

    14. most importantly the victory conditions as it drives all choices from purchases, to attacks to movements. the axis having 2 separate victory conditions adds many layers to the game.

    Yes, but 6 VC’s in the Pacific when 4 of them are gimmes and 3 of the others are not that major and the Axis can win without taking a major world capital/power center and no matter how badly things are going in Europe SUCKS

    all older games were won by economics and the axis had to overtake the allies(most easily achieved by taking moscow). although they had victory cities it was for a world total and to reach this total you had to being winning economically, so while it might seem that players were making a push for victory cities we were all actually just playing for an economic victory. in older editions after the either side reached their victory city conditions you could keep playing to total domination and the same side would win. the axis still have an option to go for an economic victory but it is not a necessity.

    Not exactly true.  The original had “economic win” for Axis which was like 84 IPC’s.  But achieving this level would not necessarily mean the Axis would always win if the game continued - it provided an alternate way for the Axis to win without necessarily being able to take over the world.  And that was one of the oldest versions of the game.
    Again, I prefer a game where you are vying for the ability to dominate the world, compared to this G40 rule that no matter how badly Germany and Italy collapse and no matter how quickly, if Japan can sneak in and take Hawaii or Sydney after taking India and hold for just one round, the Axis are victorious.  That’s complete crap.

    Out of time - have not read the rest of the OP yet


  • If I took the time, I could come up with a pretty good sized list of reasons that I do NOT prefer G40

    #1 It takes way too much effort and time to play.  (To play WELL, I might add)

    #2 None of the unit ranges were changed from the original game even though the map size is VASTLY different.
    Bombers still 6, fighters still 4, boats still 2, infantry still 1
    Bases and mech infantry partly help compensate for this, but still.  Room for improvement.

    #3 Back to back moves by USA/China/UK and near back to back by Italy/Germany
    Impossible to stop can openers

    #4 Ahistorical starting setup
    I thought this was G40.  So why are there so many units that are clearly there at startup to represent forces that did not exist until 1941 or even 1942?

    #5 Game released horribly incomplete
    MASSIVE rule changes and placement changes made along the way.  For example, unlimited scrambling from an airbase but only from islands.  Japan is an island, UK is not.

    #6 Imbalance between Pacific and Europe
    Not as bad after tweaks were made, but powers in the Pacific still have disproportionate number of units compared to Europe.

    Out of time -
    Anyone, please feel free to add to my last of “cons” - I would love to read them.

    Oh, biggest con of all:

    I do not look forward to making A&A moves (playing A&A online) like I did with AA50.  It often feels more like work than play now.  Partly due to my play style, no doubt, but still.  That’s not good.
    Oh, and this despite the fact that I almost always win.  If it’s not that fun even when you’re winning, that tells me something.  :-P


  • Aw, come on, no responses yet?
    How disappointing

    Surely even Allweneedislove has a thing or two he actually doesn’t like about the best Axis & Allies game as compared to others.

    Anyway, yes, I am actually losing interest in G40 now.  A little too big.  It’s too busy.  Sweet spot is somewhere between AA50 and G40, I think.

    #7 Takes too long between an individual’s powers turns.
    In previous versions of A&A, it doesn’t take as long to come around to your turn again, when you can follow up on what you set up the turn before.  (i.e. Russia2 to Russia3, USA4 to USA5)  I think this game often loses the flow, with too many powers involved.

    Bigger isn’t always better.

  • Customizer

    Gamerman01,

    ––To be honest,…I thought a response would be redundant. All of us are human, well MOST of us anyway :-D . So there might be just as many “opinions” as there are people to hold them. ALL are equally good and/or right FOR THEM. Thank goodness we are blessed with enough VARIETY in the different games of A&A that are available!
    ----I, personally, LOVE the grandness of global-40 and can’t wait to play HBG’s global-39 which I just ordered. For me, the ULTIMATE will be HBG’s 1936/39/40 Global game coming out next year.
    I spoke with Doug and he confirmed that the long time span covered in this game had the Evolution of Units included and should be the “Ultimate Next Step” in A&A gaming.
    ––It goes without saying that it would be a longer game, so if that isn’t your interest, OK. There are still many other versions of A&A to love. As for me,…I can’t wait to have a GRAND GAME with 5+ people for a long game! WOW!
    ----Ultimately,…to each his own (preference).

    “Tall Paul”


  • :-)
    Thanks for the thoughtful response, Paul


  • @Gamerman01:

    Anyway, yes, I am actually losing interest in G40 now.  A little too big.  It’s too busy.  Sweet spot is somewhere between AA50 and G40.

    Bigger isn’t always better.

    Hear, hear. I have yet to enjoy a f2f game of G40. China and ANZAC are the bane of my existence as I wait for my turn to come around again. Playing 10 hours to get through 6 rounds is disappointing.

    Now a game whose complexity falls between AA50 and G40? THERE’s something I could get behind.


  • As Tall Paul said “to each his own” And for me the closer I can get to actually having something strategically equivalent to being the Commander of a nations might, the more fun I have. And I find that the larger the scale of board game the more I feel like Rommel, Zhukov, Montgomery, Patton, MacArthur, Yamamoto, etc, therefore the more fun I have. Yeah rounds take longer to get back to you, but that is a matter of patience. Not to mention you have much more to do when your round comes around and therefore more time to think. Gamerman if your not having fun then switch up your play style and/or play a more uncomfortable power then your used to, make challenges for yourself. If your still not feeling anything then I think you have worn this game out for yourself and should be playing AA50 instead of G40 as you have said so many good things about it. Who knows, maybe one day G40 will give you some appeal again


  • Thanks  :-)

  • '22 '20 '19 '18 '17 '16 '15 '14 '12

    Having played G40 A LOT, I have a different take than Gamerman on the problem with it.

    I think the main drawback is that with larger map and air/naval bases the moves are automatically limited and easily anticipated, reducing any fog of war element and requiring a vigilant player to spend a lot of brain power figuring out what his enemy can do and counter it.

    In this respect G40 is more like chess than traditional A&A.

    The solution?  Ironically I think the solution would be placing a lot more units on the board and more tech that’s more easily accessible.  This would mix up the possible moves enough so there would be no point in trying to run all the permutations.  This would also probably extend playing time, but that wouldn’t bother me.

    The only other way to solve this issue would be to introduce a bunch of crazy “limit rules” on movement, such as: You can’t invade southern Italy until you control Sicily, or you can’t invade Japan until you control both Iwo Jima and Okinawa… Or you can never invade Germany by sea…etc.


  • @Karl7:

    and requiring a vigilant player to spend a lot of brain power figuring out what his enemy can do and counter it.

    This is one of the things I was trying to say

    I’m glad you weighed in.  This is a great topic - I hope to see more viewpoints come through here

  • Customizer

    Guys,

    @Gamerman01:

    @Karl7:

    and requiring a vigilant player to spend a lot of brain power figuring out what his enemy can do and counter it.

    This is one of the things I was trying to say

    I’m glad you weighed in.  This is a great topic - I hope to see more viewpoints come through here

    ––While everything both of you said is very true,…other factors also come into play, WHATEVER version of A&A is being played. Gamer EXPERIENCE,…and/or the brain dexterity of players.
    ----While I think ALL of us would agree that ten hours for six rounds of play is EXCESSIVE,….the answers to this problem would be more experience for the players involved and/or a time limit for turns. I myself don’t like limits, but some form of “discipline” is most definately required in this instance.
    ----Also, simply changing the strategies from the “same old thing” and developing something new would keep it fresh. Also changing nations that each gamer plays would do the same. My ‘gang’ are always developing “something different” to try and surprise their opponents with and this keeps it Fun.
    ----A&A is a GREAT GAME, and IMHO G-40 is currently the best variation. At least until
    HBG’s Global-1936/39/40 comes out next year.

    “Tall Paul”


  • 1. Karl I love your pic of Marx with sunglasses xD

    2. I love the idea of having these “objective” territories having to pave the way for an overall final objective, adds a nice historic value. However, I think it is going to be a pain in the ass trying to implement this with it to not upset the game balance and or make game not fun anymore. if you do It correctly though i think it could be sweet :)

    P.S. considering a German sea invasion would require allied control of Denmark (and Norway?) for entrance into the Baltic, I think that if Germany can’t take back Denmark after a round then Germany is bound to lose anyways :P


  • OK I think one of the differences in our experiences is that some of us always play 1v1 and others are only playing 1 or 2 powers.

    It’s a lot more tedious to play all the powers on one side, than focusing on one and having all this time while everyone else is playing, to formulate your SINGLE next move…?

  • Customizer

    @Gamerman01:

    OK I think one of the differences in our experiences is that some of us always play 1v1 and others are only playing 1 or 2 powers.

    It’s a lot more tedious to play all the powers on one side, than focusing on one and having all this time while everyone else is playing, to formulate your SINGLE next move…?

    ––Amen, Brother!
    ----The first dozen or so games I always had to play 3-4 players and so wasen’t able to “concentrate” on any one nations counters to the Axis players turn. I’m glad we’ve since gotten another player and are working on getting two more. Once we’re able to get these (and hopefully some more) new players
    up-to-speed on G-40,…I’m going to spring HBG’s Global 1939 on them. Then next year,
    HBG’s Global 1936/39/40 game.
    ----I can’t wait! I’ve had painted/decalled Air Transports, Paratroopers, Marines, Marine Raiders and other units just sitting around just waiting to being played with.

    “Tall Paul”


  • @BluGerman:

    P.S. considering a German sea invasion would require allied control of Denmark (and Norway?) for entrance into the Baltic, I think that if Germany can’t take back Denmark after a round then Germany is bound to lose anyways :P

    There doesn’t have to be a next round ;-).
    If UK is strong enough to kill Berlin, US can land a token force in Denmark (and Norway if it hasn’t already) then UK leapfrogs into Berlin same round. Nothing Germany can do about that except stack Berlin.


  • Yep… That would be problem #3 on my list

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