MOVED: AAE Scenario: Europe 1939 (France, USA, Germany, Britain, USSR, Italy)

@SS-GEN
“Europe 1999 is not a very balanced game, but …”

It sounds like this may have softened the German attacks on Russia, which is probably a good thing, balance wise.

@knp7765:

Hey moralecheck,
I finally got around to trying A&A Europe with Italy placed between Russia and Britain.  I haven’t actually finished the game, but it’s about 5-6 rounds in and the Allies really seem to be winning this one.  The US has taken France, the Allies totally rule the Atlantic, the Italian Navy just got whacked and Russia is building steam on the Eastern Front.  Plus, the US and Britain have strong invasion forces ready to go on England and their transports are out of range of the Luftwaffe, or what’s left of it.  I figure another 3-4 rounds max and the Axis will be finished.

However, I don’t think this has to do with the turn setup.  Rather some pretty decent strategy on the Allies side and a few rather unlucky dice rolls for the Axis (particularly on the Eastern Front).

As for placing Italy after Russia in turn order, I don’t think it really made much difference in the overall Axis gameplan.  With this game, Italy is not really affected by Russia and mostly tangles with British forces, although I did manage to send a few Russian units to back up the British in North Africa.  Also, except for the island of Crete and Morocco, Germany really has no presence anywhere in the Mediterranean and they spend their time duking it out with Russia while trying to keep the British at bay.

My next idea would be to put Italy after England and before the USA.  With England getting the chance to move first in North Africa and the Med, that would probably drastically change Italian strategy.  I don’t know when I will get to try this though since AAE40 is released now and my copies from FMG are already with UPS and on their way here.  So, I’m going to be busy with that for a while, not to mention trying out the massive Global game.

By the way, that is another interesting idea you had about Germany and Italy sharing a portion of their IPCs.  Italy could sure use that since even starting with 10 it is not much to build forces with.  Their only advantage is that it is hard for Britain to get more troops and equipment down there.  It seems to me though that Germany has too much trouble with Russia and needs ALL of their money to fight that battle.

The tournament has startet, but “late entries” would theoretically be possible for the next few days, if players with “byes” would agree to give them up!

Sweet Jesus! has it really been 6 years (oh yeah gray hair now-)  The personal issues I described pulled me away from it, but I don’t see why we can’t pick up where we left off.

When I play tested this with some AAE rookies, well they didn’t work as a team (I was the axis). A combination of bad dice rolling by me especially in the east, and their lack of team work ensured the war went into 1947!  In that particular game, Italy was the real “winner” as the Allies were not really able to dislodge them from North Africa, until fall, 1944.  In any event, that particular game was AAE as it is supposed to be set up but with the following changes:  Italy was her own power of course allied to Germany.  The German Territory stayed at six Ipcs, Vichy France is activated as it’s own power collecting 3 Ipcs, which they hand over to the Germans anyway  , N. Italy was worth 4 ipcs instead of 2.  Added to the Italian fleet was 1 sub, and 1 additional trans. North Africa looked like this: Spannish Morrocco- undefended and no one collecting the Ipc, Algeria I french inf, Tunisia 1 French Inf (oh and Vichy had 3inf).  Italy had control markers on Corsica and Sardinia. The Western Med SZ had the Vichy Fleet: 1 Battleship, 1 Destroyer, 1 sub.  The rule was- if an allied power attacked the Vichy Fleet each piece rolled a die prior to combat the results were 1-2,  join the allies (and be available for the attack) 3-4 join the axis (and be available to defend), 5-6 “scuttle” and the piece is removed from play.  Some other changes were, Germans could build inf up to the Ipc value in Finland, Hungary, and Rumania.  The USSR could build inf up to the Ipc value in any territory it controlled at the start of the war. So, I put the '39 version on the back burner, just to play test some things. I think it would have been different against experienced players.  Almost forgot - The Axis could “lend” units to each other (like Allied Patriotic War Rule-Soviets can claim a piece and replace it with one of their own). And Axis could “split” the oil money.  It was fun but like shooting fish in a barrel if you know what I mean.  Anyway, I promise to work on the set up and post the results here for all to share, comment, bitch and moan about etc.  Take care, God Bless.

No thanks, I’m not a big fan of these variants, just curious :lol:

That’s how you win. But if you can’t, you’ll at least go down in a blaze of glory.

Right