I would stick with 2 dice (or maybe 2@3). This pick best is just ridiculous. Seriously, the more and more errata (and “FAQ” - lol) they add, the worse the game becomes.
Bombers and tech…
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Well looking back I’ll apologize to Gamer for sabotaging his thread with my anti-tech ramblings. I guess I find that heavy bombers, particularly USA heavies, are impossible to counter if used right. So perhaps house rules changing the way heavies work are in order. I suppose if one plays tech and techs alot then the price of the bomber should probably go up, but on the other hand, unlike in Revised, bomber dominance isn’t so unfair to Axis since they have plenty of incentive to buy bombers and income equalizes pretty quick in AA50.
Sub you make a good point that the meat of the discussion is subjective feelings about what constitutes a good game–for me fairness, balance, vigorous competition and fun for both sides are right up there. The fun consists in being challenged and refining one’s strats and trying to make good decisions in response to dice outcomes. Personally, I never much liked low luck in Revised, but I enjoy playing with it in AA50. The reason is long KGF build-ups seemed common playing ll in Revised, but in AA50 the game tends to break one way or another before the end of 10 rounds. So I find I enjoy both dice and ll settings. I think in both settings, the player with the better game-plan should win 90% or more…I suppose in ll that goes up to around 95%.
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I just don’t care about a win if I got heavies or rockets during the game…why should I take satisfaction in getting luckier than my oppo? When my opponent inevitably complains about the unbalanced dice outcomes, all I can do is apologize for not insisting on a no tech game from the start.
I see your point here.
Yes, I almost feel guilty for drilling my opponent with numerous long-range paratroop dropping bombers.
But that’s your reward for taking the risk of investing in tech, when you might get absolutely nothing for your money. It’s nothing to apologize for. You’re both playing with the same rules. But I know what you’re saying. -
I think in both settings, the player with the better game-plan should win 90% or more…I suppose in ll that goes up to around 95%.
That’s an interesting statement.
I think even in chess, the better player does not win 90% of the time. Because even in chess, there is “situational happenstance”. I’m an advanced chess player, and I would have to be very much better than my opponent to win 9 out of 10. So I don’t know how, low luck or not, tech or not, a better player is going to win 9 out of 10 games against a worse player in Axis and Allies.
Yes, you hijacked my thread, but that doesn’t bother me. Thanks for the apologies.
I like talking about anything A&A related. -
Hey guys -
I wanted to start a discussion about bombers and related tech in AA50.Everyone who played Classic A&A by OOB rules remembers that HB were usually a game-ender, because they were 3 dice apiece, and there was no cap on SBR damage. If the other side didn’t get HB themselves, in a hurry, it was usually game over no matter who was ahead at that point (unless it was very lopsided).
However, I think we may have a similar issue in AA50.
…there are 3 techs (previously 2) that significantly improve bomber performance. Just getting any 2 of them is devastating, especially because the bombers still only cost 12. These techs are so effective, that it is often a good strategy to buy bombers before you even have the techs. Even Italy or Russia, sometimes.Do you think bombers are overpowered or underpriced?
Help me out with my history, here, but did bombers really attack fleets as effectively as they could bomb industrial targets or ground forces? In this game, Long range and/or heavy bombers can pretty much annihilate all enemy fleets, and especially, keep the enemy from ever starting one. Is this unrealistic?
OK, here are some of the things I wanted to discuss. Thanks!
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Immediate tech is also a problem.
Zhukov, you’re a veteran of this game.
Think about it. Immediate tech is only potentially devastating for a few techs.
Most devastating
1. Long Range Air
2. Paratroopers
3. Heavy bombers
4. Mechanized infantry
Not so devastating, usually (talking only of immediacy of effectiveness)
1. Jets
2. Super subs
3. Rockets
Better to get them immediate, but not that big a deal (as opposed to delayed tech)
1. Bonds
2. Artillery
3. Increased production
4. Radar
5. Shipyards
Like you, I’ve been devastated occasionally by one of the first 4 techs at an inopportune time. It’s at times like these, I think maybe I should play with delayed tech for the first 4 (giving time to prepare), which I think is probably the easiest, most effective tweak to the tech game.Not trying to derail the thread here, but I had a thought. What if all techs, or at least just the ones which most people consider the most drastically game-changing, were delayed 1 round, BUT after one rolled for and achieved a tech breakthrough, one could choose either to immediately roll for which tech would then come into play on the next turn, OR one could wait, and then at the beginning of one’s next turn before the tech phase, then roll for which tech would come into play immediately. That way one’s opponent would know that one would have an activated tech next turn, but not which one. You could even require that one declare which chart one would be rolling on for the next turn, but just wait to actually roll the die until then. Just a thought.
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Yeah! Or - you can roll for tech every turn but it only lasts the one game round… You no longer pay for tech; just throw a dice at the start of your turn. If you get a six you can then choose tech chart 1 or 2 and roll again to see which tech you get. This tech then lasts until the end of the game round. A bit random though! :-D
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Why not just use LHTR for bombers?
(larry harris tournament rules)if attacking:
roll 2 dice and accept the lowest oneif SBR:
roll 2 dice, accept highest one, then add 1 -
Yeah! Or - you can roll for tech every turn but it only lasts the one game round… You no longer pay for tech; just throw a dice at the start of your turn. If you get a six you can then choose tech chart 1 or 2 and roll again to see which tech you get. This tech then lasts until the end of the game round. A bit random though! :-D
Interesting. All brainstorming is appreciated.
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Why not just use LHTR for bombers?
(larry harris tournament rules)if attacking:
roll 2 dice and accept the lowest oneif SBR:
roll 2 dice, accept highest one, then add 1Yeah, that’s good, I’m using this in my newest game (except the +1). We’re also delaying LRA a round.
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Another possibility for HBs which SBR is that they only hit on 1-4 which means they max at 8. I’m sure not all bombs hit their targets. Also consider capping the total damage at 1-1.5 the value of the territory.
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