Ok….so I DL'ed the game and got it running.....

In The Zone last night I saw someone with instructions on playing without a CD. It looked like you needed two programs - one that converted your CD into a file on your hard drive, and then another that run it as a ‘virtual CD’. I wrote the info down but don’t have it with me right now. I will try it tonight and let you know if it works.

The board game is clearly the best for fun and general entertainment. Of course, you have to have ready made people to play with. The CD is a great option if you don’t have a play group, or if you wish to expand your horizons. It is also the best way to learn quickly, as you can play in real time against many different people…and you can always get a game, regardless of time zone etc. Simply login to the zone.com, make your way to the A&A section and enter the W@W room. You can get a game there pretty much anytime…day or night. I agree with those who say that the CD AI is crap…it is. Totally useless IMO. But, you never need to play it…as a human is always available. Regarding bugs…there are some. Many people don’t realize that patch 1.3.3 fixes most of them. The rest of the bugs have fairly easy and common workarounds. There is no impediment whatsoever to playing the game over the internet against a live opponent and for the most part it is very smooth and very similar in look and feel to the boardgame. Regarding clubs…there are many, for both the CD version and also Play By Email (PBEM). For CD check out spring1942.org or Balance-of-Power.net For PBEM check out AAMC.net All of these orgs are free to join. Regarding club play…you will find it is a very dynamic community. Many friendships are formed on-line. Real time on-line chat on the zone.com provides a forum for chatting about anything, or just hanging out. I wouldn’t suggest these are a substitute for in-person friends, but you can derive a lot from these communities, and they go far beyond nameless and faceless game playing. Face to face tournies are also often organized locally, regionally through these clubs. As well, they are another great way to meet people in your city who enjoy the game. If you cannot find the CD, simply visit the sites of Spring or BOP and request help. Chances are someone will point you in the right direction or even ‘burn’ you a copy of the CD. It has also been found at times through sharing engines like Gnotella etc where you can down load the entire disk…provided you have high speed access. SUD

@EmuGod: The patch should also solve the problem of the opponent buying subs and either not using them or not placing them. Really? I have it patched and the US still often buys 8 subs and places 2.

I think the best strategy is to divide Germany. The U.K. can purchase enough units to invade the capital, but it would: 1. Take at least three rounds to build the force, 2. Come at the expense of Africa, 3. Rely on wise Russian and U.S. players. Either way, you are going to experience massive casualties. You can take them in the form of infantry in the west, or fighters and bombers through the air. -Strike that-, I am not looking at my map, but isn’t it true that the fourth fighter move from the U.K. would take either an aircraft carrier or violating neutrality in Switzerland? Either way, they’ll have to get past A.A. and survive battle at the expense of infantry, and remain sitting ducks if they land in Switzerland…OR…cost you way too many IPC’s for an aircraft carrier. I suppose you could take Finland/Norway in R1, and use that as a base for your fighters, but that would preclude attack until R4. Okay…suppose you scratch the fighter strategy & go “All-Bomber”. You blow 15 IPC/rd on a bomber and say…minus 3-5 IPC in Africa, you now have 11 IPC/rd to spend on one infantry & a transport (R1), three infantry (R2), and a transport and an armor (R3). Round four would be the attack round. You go in with four bombers, amphibious assault, (considering the BB survives), two armor, four infantry, (considering the Luftwaffe hasn’t taken out that “spare” transport), and two “throwaway fighters”. A nice force, indeed. Germany has their average six infantry, four armor, three fighters…or maybe not, thinking you are coming after W. Europe. Let’s compromise & say two fighters, one bomber and the all important A.A. guns. This would be the best-case scenario. The best I might ever see. You’ll usually lose almost all of your sea units as the U.K. before you even purchase a unit, but if you have what you can consider a “navy” remaining after R1, it is feasable, but definitely not probable. If you are looking to “save time”…this probably is not the best way to do it, unless the German player is ignorant enough to leave his capital under-fortified amid a building U.K. force. Summary: Possible, but not probable. Feasable, but not likely.

exactly….you don’t want a game thats too short, or too long. Although its nice to change it up every now and again…

Seems like it to me too. We play w/ 2nd Edition rules w/ the exceptions of RR & Submerging Subs. A bid is getting closer… Ozone27

I thought we were talking about Classic A&A, not Revised A&A?  Because if we are, then you are incorrect.  Subs cannot submerge.  Hence my above post about the subs not being able to withdraw because there is no friendly seazone to withdraw to. No, technically I’m not incorrect, - but sorry, for not being explicit. “Submerge” is a part of the 3rd edition (cd-r) rules playable on the classic board, and very popular. Not 2nd edit exactly, but still rules for the classic board. Basically a “2nd edition extended”, really. I could have said explicitly that I was playing a 3rd edition CD-game, I just thought it was obvious, since I was referring to the CD-R game (The “classic” CDRvideo game, not a revised map). The CD-R contains 2nd edit rules as well as the specific additional 3rd edition rules: (east-west canada/submerge/naval occupation/arial retreat)  + the very popular rule options: “two hit battleship”, “USSR restricted” etc. Many people actually play with these rules on the classic board as well. On boardgames in my house-club/playnights (now 3 groups of people) we very rarely play “strictly 2nd” (we soon got bored!). Much more often we play 3rd edition with option: “two hit battleship”, - but yeah, soon we will catch a revised A&A - i believe) Concerning the nasty Kriegsmarine-destroying monster bug: This awful bug apparently comes creepin’ both in the 2nd and 3rd rules on the CD-R.

I have played many 5-way “every man for himself” A&A games. We’ve done it two ways, both original setup for each player (using the reference cards) and the scanario where everyone gets an equal number of units at the beginning, all to be placed on their capitals. We like the latter better, but both work. For both versions, we set a time limit, and whoever has gained the most territory points at the end of the last round wins. Each player gets his country assignment randomly, and yes, it definitely makes a difference. GB is the toughest by far, so that player will have to use diplomacy to survive. Germany and Russia will fight each other to the death unless they form a nonagression pact (which is usually broken eventually). Japan and th US are in the best positions to win, but often end up in a similiar war of attrition as Germany/Russia. I love this version of the game because it is totally open-ended, there’s no tried and true strategy to win. We make everything tradeable, IPC’s, territories, units, whatever. If you can make a deal, go for it. The only rule is that trades must be physically transacted during one of the “traders” turns. Other than that, all standard rules apply. This might be right up your alley, Patriot. Give it a shot.