RUS/GER border - an overview of the changes from 2ndEd, over AAR, to AA50

  • 2007 AAR League

    Checking back at your old 2ndEd board, I realize that the game of Axis and Allies really has developed a lot.
    I maybe no place, is this as obvious, as in the GER/RUS border.

    I began writing a post, on how Germany is negatively effected by the RUS/GER Border changes.
    However, I got caught up in tracing the changes in this area of the board. From 2ndEd, over AAR to AA50.

    What has happened is that we have had a lot of new territories added over the years. And the balance of those territories, as counted in IPC Value in % of Total IPC Value on Board, has increased!

    Number of Non-Scandinavian Land Areas between Germany and Moscow:
    A&A/2ndEd:

    • 4 Areas (EEU, LEN,UKR, CAU), whereof 1 Non-capital IC (LEN)
    • Totalt IPC Worth of Areas: 12 IPC or 8,2% of Total IPC Value of All Map

    AAR:

    • 8 areas (EEU, BLK, LEN, BEL, UKR, ARC, WRU, CAU), whereof 1 Non-capital IC (CAU)
    • Total IPC Worth of Areas: 21 IPC or 12,7% of Total IPC Value of All Map

    AA50:

    • A whopping grand total of 12 Areas! Whereof 2 Noncapital ICs. Territories are:
      Poland 3 IPC
      Czech/Hungary 2 IPC
      Balkans 3 IPC
      Karelia 2 IPC + 1 IC
      Baltic States 1 IPC
      East Poland 1 IPC
      Bulgaria/Romania 2 IPC
      Arcanglesk  2
      Belorussia 2
      Eastern Ukraine 1
      Ukraine 2
      Caucasus 4 +IC

    • Total Base IPC Worth, is 25 or 14,0% of Total Base IPC Value of All Map
      (With Base IPC I mean IPC worth Before counting effects of NOs)

    So, we’ve seen an evolution where the area between Germany and Moscow grows in relative importance. Also, we get 300% more room to move & maneuver within (12 areas in AA50 VS a mere 4 in 2ndEd!). That has to be a good change…

    I’m a relative conservative guy, when it comes to gaming. But checking out these changes - and others - makes me eager to welcome AA50 into my gaming collection whenever it will make it’s way over to Sweden.

    I am very interested what you guys think about the RUS/GER border changes.

    In what way will it effect gameplay? Ì’ve got two big questions:

    • Will we see still see territory trading on the GER/RUS border?
    • How many rounds will a standard game take to complete? More or less than AAR?
  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    The biggest thing that jumped out at me when I first saw AAR was that Germany got +8 IPC and Russia got squat.  Japan got +5 IPC but England got squat.

    Always seemed to me that Russia got the short end of the stick.

  • 2007 AAR League

    The AAR map changes were mainly four (except for new units & unit tweaks in cost & abilities):

    1 More starting IPC to German & Japan (playbalance reasons)
    2 Addition of territories to GER/RUS border (a true game enhancement IMHO)
    3 Addition of Pac Island territory values (to encourage more action in Pac)
    4 Downgrading of relative IPC value of Eastern Russia (to discourage JTDTM)

    Of these abovementioned four changes, I think Number 1 and Number 2 were succesful.
    Number 3 DID encourage MORE action in Pac, relative 2nd Ed , just not enough for my taste
    Number 4, well , sure relative less income came from East Russia, but it did NOT discourage JTDTM-strats!

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    Yea, but I still think given all the other upgrades, Russia could use a 3rd fighter (start it out in the east or something so it can’t really be used in the first round) or an increase in Karelia/Archangelsk to 3 IPC.

    Just my opinion.  Always irritated me everyone else got oodles of goodies but Russia was stretched even more thing with the same IPC value as in classic.

  • 2007 AAR League

    You will not like what you see in AA50 then…
    Sure Russia got a starting income of 30, but 0 planes, 0 rtls, and only 1 (one) arm at gamestart…


  • The Rus/Ger border got better from Classic to revised, and it seems even better in AA50, but for me it’s all the other changes which make revised much better than Classic.

    I also think that most changes to the map and rules in AA50 will be better than revised, although I don’t think all A&A players will stop playing revised, it seems that the AA50 will take longer to finish, as there are many more spaces on the map.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    @Perry:

    You will not like what you see in AA50 then…
    Sure Russia got a starting income of 30, but 0 planes, 0 rtls, and only 1 (one) arm at gamestart…

    That could be acceptable iff (if and only if) Russia has adequate ability to defend herself until they get enough equipment to fight back.

    Russia was never a power house of mechanical war machines. (They had a bloody horse cavalry after all!) but they did have planes and tanks.

    Besides, with an increase of cash (as long as it is proportional and not making her even weaker compared to the axis) would allow her to make different choices for gear.


  • Greetings,

    Thanks Perry, nice breakdown.
    I believe the rule changes in AA50 will the big difference. 
    item:I see the point of  more territories for deployment options, defensive requirements and offensive possibilities, a nice leap, in the AA50 evolution of the game.  ( Remember well, the days of Classic, 2 spaces between Berlin and Moscow-in your face from get go, no room to recover from bad dice. )

    Item:Rules;the CT’s non-combat status and sub cover from air, seasoned with lower naval unit costs and the cruiser, I like those changes he most.  We have not even begun the expanded SBR capacity and Bonus IPC moves.  This is the most evolved set of rules, maybe almost mature( enchanced. )
    CMDR Jennifer and Perry, have you guys played the new AA50 subset w Abattle map?  I don’t play online, just face to face with my group.  So we don’t have a wider variety of opponents, then you guys who play online?
    What has been your experience, hae you have attempted some games?


  • I actually thought Eastern Europe was good as 8 territories. We’ll see how 12 goes.

  • 2024 '22 '21 '19 '15 '14

    I think Norway is going to be much more important to Germany under this set up, than it was in Revised. If the AA50-41 info is correct, I’m going to be sinking that British battleship every game, and moving a good portion of the air defense from France to Norway, at least for the first round.  Seems way too easy a kill to pass up, and at least that will shut down any immediate threat to Scandinavia, while still covering Russia and the critical sea zones around the UK/North sea. The situation on the eastern front seems a bit slower on the uptake, especially with no Russian air, so I think its probably best to concentrate on England first.

    Right now I’m liking the 8 inf 1 bomber buy for G, since they have very little infantry fodder at the outset. At least according to the current info/set up. Maybe even two rounds worth, before seriously pushing with the armor.

    What buys are you guys looking at for Germany?

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