• Table Talk in Axis and Allies

    What is considered table-talk in Axis and Allies?

    In cards, table talk is considered communication by a player with another player with cards in their hand, usually contrary to the rules of the game. Such communication may be through explicitly naming cards, but it is far more common to try to give hints which the opposing players will think innocent, but which will be understood by the player’s partner.

    In the games of Axis and Allies, I consider table talk to be for other allied players to strategize, make suggestions, or give hints for a player when it is not their/his turn.  When you have allied players micro-managing another player’s turn and constantly suggesting and reminding that player on strategies, to remember to move this token here or there, it begs the question why do you have the player playing in the first place?

    What I would like to do with my group is limit this form of table talk in our gaming sessions.   Are there other examples of table talk? What has your group’s experience been with table talk and the example above?

    Cadwaladr


  • We allow some table talk for the allies or they step back and talk when it’s not there turn. Micro managing is not allowed.
    If a side request a private meeting you get one before Germany plays and or Russia for 5 mins but sometimes it goes 10 mins do to games getting better the more everybody plays it.

    Some guys use a timer. Times up that’s it. Some even have a rule you lose icp’s if it gets out of hand.

    Also plenty of time in between turns to grab a bite of food and a drink or we grab food and eat during your requested meeting alone with your side.


  • -when it’s not their turn
    So if it is Germany’s turn the UK/Russia/US player can talk away from the game so long as that does not interfere with the flow of Germany’s turn, yes?

    I like the use of timers in general and loss of IPCs for taking to long. Maybe something that can be of use in my group.

  • '17 '16 '15

    never tried it and enforcement would depend on who you play with, but what about IPC cost to talk to your allies ? Probably an unnecessary complexity. Just a thought

  • 2024 '22 '21 '19 '15 '14

    I think the micromanagement problem is pretty difficult, since it really comes down to player personality when you have an overly domineering member on one of the teams. In general I think table talk is kind of unavoidable in this game, since the game requires so much coordination (at least on the Allied end of the equation), and far from prohibiting it the rules seem to encourage constant consultation. Not being able to coordinate with teammates is a pretty severe handicap. Still, I think everyone finds it pretty annoying when one person tries to run the show for a whole side. It’s one thing to have a supreme Allied command, but another when it’s just constant pleading and arguing and demanding “do this! Don’t forget this!” etc. But compared to the peanut gallery, it’s hard to squash that entirely when it’s teammates engaging in the banter.

    I think SS has a good suggestion there, where instead of trying to prohibit it completely, you just try try to put it on quarantine, accomodating the need but establishing specific times when it should occur and specific times when it shouldn’t. Like combat movement/noncombat movement is hush time. Still I don’t really know of a good way to strictly enforce this behavior. A cost in ipcs for interruptions seems a little draconian, but if the problem is that persistent maybe it’s worth exploring. The way barney has it might make more sense, where instead of a penalty it’s more of a gameplay cost, like 1 ipc to send an “urgent communication” during the combat/noncombat movement phase. Explained like agents in the field delivering a top secret dossier or something haha. I kind of dig that


  • @Cadwaladr:

    -when it’s not their turn
    So if it is Germany’s turn the UK/Russia/US player can talk away from the game so long as that does not interfere with the flow of Germany’s turn, yes?

    I like the use of timers in general and loss of IPCs for taking to long. Maybe something that can be of use in my group.

    Yes as long as its not delaying Germany or Japan.

    @barney:

    never tried it and enforcement would depend on who you play with, but what about IPC cost to talk to your allies ? Probably an unnecessary complexity. Just a thought

    An option for sure.

    @Black_Elk:

    I think the micromanagement problem is pretty difficult, since it really comes down to player personality when you have an overly domineering member on one of the teams. In general I think table talk is kind of unavoidable in this game, since the game requires so much coordination (at least on the Allied end of the equation), and far from prohibiting it the rules seem to encourage constant consultation. Not being able to coordinate with teammates is a pretty severe handicap. Still, I think everyone finds it pretty annoying when one person tries to run the show for a whole side. It’s one thing to have a supreme Allied command, but another when it’s just constant pleading and arguing and demanding “do this! Don’t forget this!” etc. But compared to the peanut gallery, it’s hard to squash that entirely when it’s teammates engaging in the banter.

    I think SS has a good suggestion there, where instead of trying to prohibit it completely, you just try try to put it on quarantine, accomodating the need but establishing specific times when it should occur and specific times when it shouldn’t. Like combat movement/noncombat movement is hush time. Still I don’t really know of a good way to strictly enforce this behavior. A cost in ipcs for interruptions seems a little draconian, but if the problem is that persistent maybe it’s worth exploring. The way barney has it might make more sense, where instead of a penalty it’s more of a gameplay cost, like 1 ipc to send an “urgent communication” during the combat/noncombat movement phase. Explained like agents in the field delivering a top secret dossier or something haha. I kind of dig that

    Yes agree here. Germany and Italy are always going to have some table talk which is normal. Same thing with UK-US. If UK wants US to buy or do some kind of moves and it takes 1 min no problem. Some of it you just can’t avoid like B E says.

    As far as enforcing the timer or pay I never had to do that and probably won’t. When I mentioned that in above post it was 1 or 2 people on site said thats what they do in another Table talk thread discussion.

    If your the host put your foot down to a certain point and let them know. Hope it don’t happen but I’ve heard of a person or 2 get kicked out of group do to there neglect. Sometimes it sucks when you only have a few people too and you need those players.

  • '18 '17 '16

    Winning the game requires coordination between allies. This is not Risk or cards, you can’t just play your own game as if there are no other players/nations on your side. The notion that you shouldn’t talk to your teammates about strategy is ridiculous. The more talk the better. We all become better players when we put our heads together and devise strategies.

    That doesn’t mean that you have to put up with one player bullying his teammates into doing exactly what he wants them to. There’s a difference between acting like an a-hole and teammates helping each other.


  • Well, no one is bullying anyone that I have seen.

    Its more over-strategizing each round, seemingly inviting discussion for each combat operation by allies.

    Not discounting valuable advice from your allies which we all seek, my view is that this level of co-ordination in-turn each round takes away from individual play and is time consuming. For me, something challenging may be lost when allies overly depend on other’s impute on each strategy.

    In the end, each player controls the country so at some point individual play is necessary.

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