How would stack limit affect balance?


  • I like the classic A&A more than the revised edition in terms of face-to-face games, it just seems to play much quicker.
    The endless infantry stacking bothers me at times though and tends to slow the game down considerably.
    I wonder how a stack limit of say 10 land units max per territory would affect game balance. I imagine the European front would become much more interesting since you have to split your forces.
    In the D-Day version there is a stack limit of 8 land units per territory so the idea is already there.


  • That would pretty much detroy Germany, since USSR could stack, and USA and UK could just amphib in.

    So much for Germany…

  • Moderator

    Allies:

    Rd 1 -
    UK - AC, trn
    US - 4 trns (total of 5 now), save 4
    Rd 2 -
    UK - 3 trns (total of 4 now)
    US - trn, 6 inf, 2 arm
    Rd 3 -
    UK - trn, inf
    US - planes, move forces to Fin (8 inf, 2 arm)
    RD 4 -
    Max German Defense ~10 inf, 4 ftrs, 1 bom
    UK attacks with ~6 inf, 2 arm, 3 ftrs, 1 bom
    Ger hold with ~3-4 inf, 4 ftrs
    US attcks with ~8 inf, 2 arm, 2 ftrs, 1 bom

    US takes Berlin by losing planes.

    So Germany would have 4 rds (maybe 5) to take Mos.

    From the G perspective:

    Essentially Kar will be an immediate deadzone.  Germany would probably be able to make an immediate lurch to Ukr in rd 2 (due to 10 unit limit) b/c at max Russia could only have 10 in Kar.  But the Ukr-EE forces will ensure that Kar is infact a deadzone.  Which means the bulk of the Russian forces are in Mos and Cauc.  But then Germany can just go EE to Kar with the Ukr forces protecting in case Russia trys to hit Kar.  Or Germany can go 10 in EE, 10 in Ukr, 10 in Cauc forcing Russia out of Kar quite easily then.

    Infact, WE would be a deadzone as well b/c of this and I think that would benefit Ger until the Allies can make their direct assualt on Berlin.  They only have to deal with a max of 10 units.  While Ger and SE can have 10 each plus arm in EE.  You strafe WE (with needed numbers), retreat to Ger or SE, then place in the other if the Allies try to land in WE.

    I think Germanys initial numerical adv would give them the position they’d need against Rus.  Now could they get 10 units to both Kar and Cauc, while having their armor protected in Ukr by Rd 3.  I’m not sure if they can.

    You might see more ftr purchases and you certainly would speed up the game.


  • Good analyzis. It might be a good idea to have a higher stack limit for capitals, maybe 15 or 20.
    A good point about fighters being a more attractive purchase, they don´t count against the stack limit so their value is increased.
    One of the reasons I´m thinking about this is that I´m trying to introduce A&A to a new group of casual gamers. The giant stacks that usually materialize in A&A tend to drive people away.
    My idea is to only use actual units (since I have two copies of the game) which will make the game more simple for newbs. Most of the territories on the board can handle 10 units since the units are so small in the classic game. Then the capitals have blow-up boxes so they should be able to fit a bigger stack of units.
    BTW, I feel D-Day has shown that A&A is considerably nicer when you do without the chips aand just use actual units.

  • Moderator

    I definitely think 10 is too low.  Depending on R1, the Russisans can have (and in some cases need) 12-16 inf, 3 arm, 2 ftrs in kar at the end of R1.

    I think a stack limit of 20 for all territories with capitals being 30 or something might work.  I think 20 will safely cover (at various stages of the game) all territories except: Ger, EE, Kar, Ukr, Mos and Novo.

    Also you could try to only limit inf.  Say 15-20 inf per ter, but you could have as many arm, ftrs, etc as you want.

Suggested Topics

  • 16
  • 3
  • 1
  • 13
  • 3
  • 10
  • 14
  • 4
Axis & Allies Boardgaming Custom Painted Miniatures

37

Online

17.0k

Users

39.3k

Topics

1.7m

Posts