AA42 has been revealed….. now what?

@Krieghund:

The Dardanelles and Fighter Escort/Interceptor optional rules are included.

So is it an actual rule this time, or still an optional rule?

I think in tough economic times they are making a great decision to release a low priced version of the game.  I probably won’t buy it as I already have revised and 50 but I do believe it will bring new people to the game as paying $135.00 (CAD) for the AA50 will just scare a lot of people away.  I would bet that the number of people that bought AA50 that did not have any previous experience with the game, or were not urged by someone of the likes, is extremely microscopic.  I would never have purchased AA50 first before purchasing AAR, it was just too expensive.

Also, I may be the minority, but I hope they do not reprint the AA50 anniversary edition, not right away anyway.  I paid the price I did because I wanted to be one of few who owned the game.  I don’t want them flooding the market with more and more reprints.  It brings the value of my game down (not just monetary value either).  I would rather see them do what Disney does and re-release the anniversay edition every 7 years or so.  This way can continue to release NEW battle versions and buying AA50 will be an exciting event, every 7 years or so  :-)  Just my opion, for what it is worth.

A&A42 will be sold on the market, if it will be unsuccessful then it will be a bad move. No one is forced to buy it no one is forced to like it. At same time every one may express his/hers opinion about the game. The only thing required is the respect for the work other people did.

Also Anniversary has been criticized in several ways. The Japanese have a too much high income after a couple of turns. Allies can not win. No Axis can not win. China rule are stupid. Sub are useless. Supersub are BS. etc.

It seems that all the copies made has been sold in a small amount of time. If it will be reprinted it will be sold in great quantity, even if it cost about 100$.

Now, numbers of copies sold is not an absolute index of quality in a game nor is an index for us strategy-wargames fans. In fact, for me, Settlers of Cataan or Puerto Rico are for sure less interesting of A&A. So, from a business point of view AH and Wizards have an objective: selling the boxes. They try to obtain this goal with their strategy. They are not a brotherhood for the diffusion of A&A or other similar initiative. They are a business company on the market.
According to me they may sold more boxes with an alternative and at least decent marketing and advertising campaign but these are theirs problem.

What care for us is: A&A42 is revised with SIMPLIFIED and CORE Anniversary rules, with the same map with a new graphics, and new (and useless) russian ships miniatures, without money (I have several tons of IPC money at home if I need I can use them) no paper and no pencil (but also anniversary come without table and chairs and they are NEEDED to play the game).
Ok, it is accetable for me. Not the A&A of my dreams but accetable. Moreover the real requirement about boardgame is: having friends to play with.

My Revised is usured and I am already playing it with Anniversary rules and I never use tech (even in Anniversary). At same way in the past I played Europe and Pacific with LHTR rules. In fact, spending half an hour before a game for checking and rememebrign to alla players the defense of the tanks, when sub may submerge, etc., is a waste of time. Using the same ruleset avoid this waste of time.
Having a family of games requires having same basic rules to be applied to different scenarios. So if A&A42 had introduced a NEW SET or rules different from Anniversary I had considered more problematic than having the same ruleset. So this is ok for my and my playgroup.
The map and the setup are the same, this is a missed occasion for sure (another, also in Anniversary there are a lot of missed occasion). They could have “adjusted” the set up adding, for example, a sort of bid to the Revised setup, moving some of the units around, and could have made some modification to the map. They have not done, an it is a pity.

Finally, I will buy A&A42 for replacing my usured Revised. I am not going to go in ecstasy for this game but it will see a lot of play in my playgroup, and this is an important thing.
I agree that maybe they should have reprinted Anniversary, leaving to us the task of adapting our Revised to Anniversary rules an units. They have the idea that they could make money making such adaptation officially.

Three points I’d like to touch upon:

1.  Affordablility.

The greatest hoax in the world is that Wizards made you believe AA50 costs $100.  AA1942 retails for $35.  Clearly Wizards had you, the customer’s best interest, in mind with 1942.  Yet, I wonder how much would it cost Wizards to “upgrade” the game components of AA1942 with those found in AA50.  $10?  $20?  $50?   The answer is on the lower end.  In fact, I would be surprised if the manufactuer’s cost per unit of AA50 was more than $5 over AA1942.  It all comes down to economies of scale.  Produce more copies of AA50 and the price goes down.

There could been a version of AA50 on store sleeves right now  – at this moment – for less than $50 retail.  KGB’s argument that even $50 may be too much is certainly justifiable.  However, look at the most successful “toy” on the children’s market for the past two decades: Video Games.  If parents are willing to shell $60-$70 per video game as stocking stuffers, then there’s no reason that copy of A&A (which is larger and more tangible) can’t be underneath the Christmas tree.

Side Note:  I bought my copy of AA50 for $60.  I still have the packaging slip to prove it.  Don’t believe it for a second if Wizards or Larry Harris tells you they barely made a profit on AA50.  The reality is that they made a killing on AA50.  Which is why they’re so quick to rush out AA1942, to milk even more money from you guys.

2.  Play Time.

When I was at the Eindhoven Board Game Con, I came across the most remarkable facsimile of Axis and Allies.  It was a Euro-game depicting World War II in Europe.  Think AA:Europe but at an even grander scale.  What’s important is that the board had breakaway sections to allow players to customize the scope – and play length – of their game.  For instance, if you wanted to portray the Normandy Operations, you could simply swap out the Western Europe tile for a similar tile of France broken up into many territories.  The same could be done with the Eastern Front and Southern Europe.  New board setups were provided for whatever option the player chose.

Why couldn’t Axis and Allies: 1942 be more like this?  Simply have Eastern Europe and China as break away sections.  Or if Wizards is lacking in know how, just include a glossy mat of 1942 with AA50 for beginners.

Wizard’s criteria for “sound business” is to make the client PAY for a copy of AA1942.  And when he tires of that the client can PAY AGAIN for a $200 copy of AA50 on ebay.  Brilliant.

3.  Pieces.

Not much of an argument can be made here.  You could buy 1942 just for the pieces and the price point would be similar to what you pay for pieces from a third party retailer.  However, to do so is to – again – perpetuate a broken system.  This is a clear sign to Wizards that fans are perfectly content to replace their pieces by buying a new game.  As opposed to Wizard’s quality assurance department providing fans with replacement pieces SEPARATELY when they run out.

I’m with Jennifer here: in this tough economy, how can you justify spending even $20 on plastic playing pieces of 1942 quality?  You cannot.

Quit whining. The 1942 ed is a beginners game. Anniversary ed is the cornerstone-game that we play, and next year we get Advanced A&A Pacific and Europe. All games with the same basic rules and combat system. This is great. Remember when we had MB Classic unchanged for 20 years ? Now we got new games every year.

But, there is a “but”. WOTC are bussiness-men. They do this for money. So we buy this beginners edition and get new refreshed pieces. Next year when the advanced Pacific and Europe games come, we might get new Italian pieces too, and maybe halftracks and divebombers or neutral infantry. So just buy this game and stop beeing so cheap.

WOTC are business-men. They do this for money.

or bananas…

Or a nice tree to live in…

@squirecam:

@Krieghund:

The Dardanelles and Fighter Escort/Interceptor optional rules are included.

So is it an actual rule this time, or still an optional rule?

Optional.

@Adlertag:

Quit whining. The 1942 ed is a beginners game. Anniversary ed is the cornerstone-game that we play, and next year we get Advanced A&A Pacific and Europe. All games with the same basic rules and combat system. This is great. Remember when we had MB Classic unchanged for 20 years ? Now we got new games every year.

But, there is a “but”. WOTC are bussiness-men. They do this for money. So we buy this beginners edition and get new refreshed pieces. Next year when the advanced Pacific and Europe games come, we might get new Italian pieces too, and maybe halftracks and divebombers or neutral infantry. So just buy this game and stop beeing so cheap.

What??? Anniversary ed is the cornerstone-game that we play?? Ive got some news for you, most of us “whiners” dont play that damn game because they released so few copies and in this world wide global recession cant afford to pay $200-$300 off e-bay!! Ok, so they release new games every year, so what. If the quality is going to go down this road why is that a good thing?? Also I seriousley doubt this new “simple” version is going to bring in 1 new player. Not one!! How would they know it is different and simple? Its not like WOTC is doing any advertising about it being the easiest AA to play. From what I see they didnt put “New easier to play” on the box. Someone is going to play this because they know someone else who plays.

WOTC are business men and do this for the money?? No shiiat!! But who the hell said business men who want to make money are always right? GM, Ford, ect ect……they all wanted to make money but their designs sucked so bad the higher ups made all their money and ran their companies into the ground. Believe me, if this game somhow sells your not stupid enough to believe your gonna get halftracks and divebombers or neutral infantry are you?? If im a business man and the crap I just released sold, why the hell would I spend more money on new molds and all that kinda thing. If they actually do what you think they will then I can say they truly are stupid!!! Bottom line, if this game sells dont expect to much of an upgrade, they want to see if they can cut costs to the bone and still sell. If it doesnt they will either not upgrade the game for a very long time or they will make another awesome game like AA50!!

I find it laughable that people think revised and now 42 is some simplistic kids game compared to AA50. So there’s less pieces and territories. Is Chess just a simple game? AA50 is cool but a lot of it is just needless bells and whistles.

@TG:

When I was at the Eindhoven Board Game Con, I came across the most remarkable facsimile of Axis and Allies.  It was a Euro-game depicting World War II in Europe.  Think AA:Europe but at an even grander scale.  What’s important is that the board had breakaway sections to allow players to customize the scope – and play length – of their game.  For instance, if you wanted to portray the Normandy Operations, you could simply swap out the Western Europe tile for a similar tile of France broken up into many territories.  The same could be done with the Eastern Front and Southern Europe.  New board setups were provided for whatever option the player chose.

Why couldn’t Axis and Allies: 1942 be more like this?  Simply have Eastern Europe and China as break away sections.  Or if Wizards is lacking in know how, just include a glossy mat of 1942 with AA50 for beginners.

What’s the name of the game?

Yeah, post a link to that game

@squirecam:

With $12 bombers, KGF will be even easier than before too. And a German navy build will be more difficult, given the less defensive punch to carriers, less defensive power of subs, and inability to prevent allied mass bombing.

The best AAR players will tell you that they never lost to a German naval build, and by that I’m not talking about a single transport which will most probably be killed on UK2 rather than UK1. But a huge German naval build is a very inefficient strat.
Imo, the same concept as KJF.

@marechallannes:

@TG:

When I was at the Eindhoven Board Game Con, I came across the most remarkable facsimile of Axis and Allies.  It was a Euro-game depicting World War II in Europe.

What’s the name of the game?

Actually, I intentionally left out the name because I’m not 100% sure on it.  It was a German game and I think the title roughly translates in “Europe at War” – but don’t quote me on that.  Maybe our German fans here can help us out on that. ;)

This was at the Eindhoven Gaming Con three years ago.  You might be able to find pictures of the game at the Spellenspektakel website: http://www.spellenspektakel.nl/Home/1/SPELLENSPEKTAKEL.html

@Col.Stauffenberg:

I find it laughable that people think revised and now 42 is some simplistic kids game compared to AA50. So there’s less pieces and territories. Is Chess just a simple game? AA50 is cool but a lot of it is just needless bells and whistles.

Okay, I’m going to have to call you on this one.  Exactly what parts of AA50 did you find “Needless Bells and Whistles?”  Technology?  National Objectives?  Printed Currency?  Because the only missteps I can think of is the placement of the Chinese Fighter and the lack of a Victory City in Cairo.  Other than that, I thought AA50 was a superbly crafted game.

Better than Xeno’s Europe at war I hope…

http://www.xenogames.com/productspage.php?code=0407

@TG:

@marechallannes:

@TG:

When I was at the Eindhoven Board Game Con, I came across the most remarkable facsimile of Axis and Allies.  It was a Euro-game depicting World War II in Europe.

What’s the name of the game?

Actually, I intentionally left out the name because I’m not 100% sure on it.  It was a German game and I think the title roughly translates in “Europe at War” – but don’t quote me on that.  Maybe our German fans here can help us out on that. ;)

This was at the Eindhoven Gaming Con three years ago.  You might be able to find pictures of the game at the Spellenspektakel website: http://www.spellenspektakel.nl/Home/1/SPELLENSPEKTAKEL.html

@Col.Stauffenberg:

I find it laughable that people think revised and now 42 is some simplistic kids game compared to AA50. So there’s less pieces and territories. Is Chess just a simple game? AA50 is cool but a lot of it is just needless bells and whistles.

Okay, I’m going to have to call you on this one.  Exactly what parts of AA50 did you find “Needless Bells and Whistles?”  Technology?  National Objectives?  Printed Currency?  Because the only missteps I can think of is the placement of the Chinese Fighter and the lack of a Victory City in Cairo.  Other than that, I thought AA50 was a superbly crafted game.

Mainly the extra territories and NO’s. Printed currency is redundant but the Technology was awesome. I’m not bad mouthing AA50, just defending Revised and 42 as no less difficult. (I think AA50 is pretty easy since it tells you what you’re supposed to do with the NO’s)