• Hi guys,

    I am fairly new but have played global 40 for two years, just wondering whether anniversary is more balanced than 40 like it seems to be more balanced. Like I always also found 40 less historical like in history the Russians pushed the germans back without the allies landing anywhere, but in 1940 they require allies to land just to survive and are reliant on the allies. Just want to know your thoughts :)


  • @Hopper1999 . It is more balanced, because 1940 is very unbalanced, but the Allies still need at least a bid of 12. I would want more than 12 to play a player as good as me, however. I think I remember that the 42 set up is easier for the Allies though. The Axis can’t hurt them as much on Turn 1, as they can do in the 41set up.

  • 2024 2023 '22 '21 '20 '19 '18

    “It Depends” is the best answer I can give you.

    If we’re talking strictly OOB, no bids, Anniversary is the more balanced game any way you split it.

    However, far more work has gone into developing G40 into its current state than has gone into AA50. AA50 is balanced by the community simply by adding bids for the Allies (varying by scenario and whether you play with NOs turned on/off). G40 is balanced by the community by developing entirely new rulesets and altering entire mechanics to create what is essentially a completely different game to what you buy in a store. Despite these efforts, the Axis still are seen as having a massive advantage in G40, and most ways to play AA50 see the Axis in a similarly dominant position, with the Allies needing large bids to compete.

    NOTE: Take what I said above about G40 with a grain of salt though, I don’t play G40 competitively. However, most members of the community would probably agree with me. Just because a game is more or less balanced than another does not speak to the amount of fun you can have playing said game. G40 is the most popular version of A&A for a reason.

    In my opinion, if you want a balanced scenario, play the 41 Scenario of AA50 without National Objectives. This should give a fair challenge to both sides, as the Axis need to make the most of their massively superior starting forces to narrow the absolutely massive gap in production between the two sides (Axis: 58 (G: 31, J: 17, I: 10) Vs. Allies: 113 + “7” (R: 30, B: 43, A: 40, C : “7” (recall AA50’s odd rules for placing new Chinese Units))). The Axis might have twice the starting punch of the Allies, but without NOs its going to take quite a bit for them to make up the 50+ IPC difference (that’s ~25 IPC of territory they need to capture).


  • thanks guys, i will look into anniversary seems like a real solid game.


  • @DoManMacgee said in 1940 vs anniversary balance:

    However, far more work has gone into developing G40 into its current state than has gone into AA50. AA50 is balanced by the community simply by adding bids for the Allies (varying by scenario and whether you play with NOs turned on/off).

    The ‘community’ may have gone the route of bids, but our Chicago players group has developed a whole set of house rules akin to the AARe (Enhanced) rules for AAR (revised).

    In order to not hijack this thread any further, PM me if interested in getting a copy of the “Chicago Rules” for AA50-41. These rules are 8+ years in the making.


  • @Hopper1999 1940 is better balanced than Anniversary edition 1941 by far. Annversary has fewer units and smaller maps so just a few key movements and dicerolls can destroy you much more compared to AA 1940.
    I did not play Anniversary 1942 properly but I guess it is the same thing compared to AA 1940. I prefer the Anniversary scale and that al are in teh war straight away but it does mean the very first turn becomes even more important…


  • @Magro That’s not an entirely fair comparison. In G40 games there’s plenty of opportunities early on where one side or the other can get diced out of the game (Paris, Taranto, attacking the Yunnan stack, etc.) by taking more casualties than you statistically should as Axis.

    The main perk for G40 over AA50 is that the massive size of the board allows you a bit more freedom in deciding your strategies (UK Factories in Middle East Vs. 100% of income into Fleet, trying to send Russians to various parts of the map to steal cheap NO points, etc.), but the big picture is still pretty static (European Axis can-open their way to Moscow, Russians turtle, Japan does either J1 or J3 and crushes Calcutta/Money islands to wrack up a huge IPC income, US/UK attempts to build a surface fleet to retake Africa/the Middle East + Pressure Germany).

    AA50’s perks are that it has a lower bid than G40 (OOB, anyway) and the game is quick enough to be played in half a day or so.


  • @DoManMacgee I actually prefer AA Anniversary, as no nations are neutral “an hour or three” to begin with. Also it only takes a full day, not 15 hours after setup. The political situation with Japan in AA Global 40 is hard for new players to grasp. It Axis, Allies, Japan axis and special Mongolia neutral plus Dutch East indies neutral. It is two different scaled games, the bigger scale means normally you have some time to react in G40. It is always nice to start just one step earlier (1940) to decide your strategy more though. The dice goods are always a menace. “Playing the odds” is part of the charm off these games. I’d love an Anniversary scenario starting earlier. Maybye some additions from G40 are transferable but I do want to be able to finish in 8-10 hours.


  • @Magro I can definitely agree with wanting an earlier start date. I’ve wanted a 1939 (or earlier, even) game for years.

    GW36-39 is great, but it’s complexity is a bit extreme (in terms of unit types, deep tech tree, complicated rules for minors, etc.), which effectively means that I can only play that game solo (rest of my playgroup has a low tolerance for complex rules).


  • I do have a 39 setup you may want to look at for AA 50.


  • @DoManMacgee PM me your E mail. I’ll send it to you. Take a look at it. Can’t hurt.


  • @SS-GEN PM’d


  • @SS-GEN I will!


  • @Magro said in 1940 vs anniversary balance:

    @SS-GEN I will!

    PM me your e - mail. May leave site after today.


  • @SS-GEN Don’t leave the forum.


  • @SS-GEN i would like them rules if you are still here.

  • '22 '21 '20 '19 '18 '17 '16 '15 '14 '13 Customizer

    You’ll have to refresh my memory on what rules you wanted.

    Oh you want the 39 setup. I’ll have to look for them again. Once I find I’ll send u a PM here to you on this site


  • @Gary-Mark-Scott-Cooper said in 1940 vs anniversary balance:

    @SS-GEN i would like them rules if you are still here.

    PM me here on site your e mail. I can send a 39 rule and setup plus if you want have another file for house rules for anniversary game too


  • AA50 with 42 start and without NO’s is the most balanced version. Bids are usually a single unit.


  • @squirecam said in 1940 vs anniversary balance:

    AA50 with 42 start and without NO’s is the most balanced version. Bids are usually a single unit.

    If you want balance, don’t use the tech rules unless you want to add too much of an element of luck, IMHO.

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