• On saturday I will be playing a game of Axis and Allies with some friends I met on new years eve (They played on wednesday for the first time, and EVERYONE involved wanted another game on Saturday - a first!).

    We will be playing this second game of ours with all the National Advantages. As it’s our second game, I was wondering whether or not we need to implament a bidding system if we are using the National Advantages; in addition to this, what bids should be allowed? Does the Axis alone get some additional cash to buy some extra units at the start?

    Advice would very much be appreciated.


  • I don’t think a bidding system is necessary if it’s everyone’s second game only.  Just play the sides you want to, for now.

    The bidding system is in place to strengthen the Axis position, since it is perceived by experts to be the weaker side.  Each side bids the amount of extra IPCs they would be willing to accept in order to play Axis.  Multiple counter-bids are implemented until one side is not willing to go any lower. The team that eventually bids lowest gets the honour (and those IPCs, to convert into units and place on the board before the game starts, or to save as cash.)

    In a game where everyone is new, that allies-advantage is not as relevant, so the bid is not really required IMO.  Also, the National Advantages do a tremendous job (especially if you play with all 6 for each nation, haven’t tried that yet) of unsettling the traditional balance of power, so the allies-advantage is not as readily assured.

    ~Josh


  • I wouldn’t use NA’s or bids if it is everyones second game unless you are experienced with other war games. Concentrate on getting the basics and getting a feel for the flow of the game before you start mucking things up with extra rules. Just my $0.02.


  • That’s a good point too, which I should have made as well.  You might want to get a few games under your belts before you start in with the NAs… they create a lot of exceptions to the rules which can make things confusing.

    ~Josh

  • 2007 AAR League

    At least maybe just choose one NA for each power, or something like that.

    I’ve been wondering about playing a game where each side gets to choose a tech or two, that might be interesting. Give the different armies slightly different “personalities”.


  • I’m an advanced Axis & Allies player, and the other players have all wanted to play Axis and Allies for a long time (but couldn’t get a copy nor knew anyone with one). I have every copy ever printed, including the World at War expansion by Xeno Games. All people are veteren Hearts of Iron 1/2 vets too so we all have a higher standing than most new players to the game.

    We want to use all the national advantages; in that case with this level of experience behind the game, is bidding needed if we all have 6 NA?

  • 2007 AAR League

    Lord Raffles,

    I am in a similiar situation with a brand new game and folks who want to play.  Since the one game we have played ended in an Axis victory that included an all German Africa and Japanese forces in Mexico, I don’t think we are in need of “play balance” as much as “playing experience”.  I am more focused on making sure we understand and are following all the rules.  As it was, when I reviewed the rules (OOB) the day after the game I found several ommissions in our play in addition to various inconsistencies in the rules themselves.

    Rather than worry about NA or even bidding, I’m just making sure everyone has a copy of the rules before game day and we agree on how to interpret them.  For play balance, we just let the loser of the last game pick countries and teams for the next game.  If that doesn’t work, I plan to institute some fine old “barracks rules” where the player in the lead at the end of each round has to take a shot of rum.  That always seems to balance out play pretty quickly.

  • 2007 AAR League

    @Lord:

    I’m an advanced Axis & Allies player, and the other players have all wanted to play Axis and Allies for a long time (but couldn’t get a copy nor knew anyone with one). I have every copy ever printed, including the World at War expansion by Xeno Games. All people are veteren Hearts of Iron 1/2 vets too so we all have a higher standing than most new players to the game.

    We want to use all the national advantages; in that case with this level of experience behind the game, is bidding needed if we all have 6 NA?

    IMO the bidding is a red herring anyway - the few units you get are not significant compared to the variance in results from the dice in even a single battle. My first game I placed my bid in Libya, had bad dice and failed to take Anglo-Egypt, but then won the game anyway without Germany getting ANY extra African income. The bid is an insignificant factor next to strategy, tactics and just plain old luck.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    Uhm, all the National Advantages out of the box rules? (As in no special modifications like the Larry Harris Tournament Rules or house rules) would be INCREDIBLY over powering for the allies.

    You might want to get the LHTR (Larry Harris) from DAAK.de or Flames of Europe, etc and use those NAs.  Or another good option is to roll a die twice for each nation, the number that comes up is the NA you get (re-roll if you roll the same thing twice in a row) and then let the Axis pick 2 NAs each (Out of the Box versions, 1 if Larry Harris) to kinda even the game out.

    A good bid to counter that is 12-15 IPCs in units for the Axis (either LHTR or Out Of Box.)

    Let us know how it goes.  I find the NAs add a lot of dynamic flavor tot he game.

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