NationStates Jolt Archive

I just picked up the Revised edition (with artillery and destroyers) and me and my friends are thoroughly enjoying this board game. We had had our fill of LOTR Risk!

Do you play Axis & Allies?
Any stories of glorious victory?
Agonizing defeat?
Any strategies or tips for a new player such as myself? :p

I don't know how the new game is set-up but in the older version if you did it right and you were lucky you could get Germany to take out GB on the first turn. Send some ships and maybe a fighter or two to attack the fleets aroung GB. Then send a transport with two infantry and as many planes as you can muster to attack GB. Sometimes it works and it destroys GB on the first turn.

No longer possible, the revised version splits up the sea quite a bit. In the old version Britain was surrounded by only one sea zone. Now there are three or four, and no German naval elements can reach GB on turn one.

The British naval units in the Mediterranian still get pwned though. :p

No longer possible, the revised version splits up the sea quite a bit. In the old version Britain was surrounded by only one sea zone. Now there are three or four, and no German naval elements can reach GB on turn one.

The British naval units in the Mediterranian still get pwned though. :p

Oh that makes it harder. Yeah I remember the first time I figured out I could do that and my friend who was GB was so angry.

Oh that makes it harder. Yeah I remember the first time I figured out I could do that and my friend who was GB was so angry.

Actually, in our latest game, it was Britain who managed to land in Western Europe on turn one.

He was booted out on Germanys next turn, but it certainly slowed the German advance in Russia. :)

Actually, in our latest game, it was Britain who managed to land in Western Europe on turn one.

He was booted out on Germanys next turn, but it certainly slowed the German advance in Russia. :)

Yeah that definately sucks. The only way for Germany to win is to take out either GB or Russia very fast.

Yeah that definately sucks. The only way for Germany to win is to take out either GB or Russia very fast.

Not true. All Germany really needs to do is take out Korelia in turn one. Then Russia is stuck buying 8 infantry every turn, just to keep in the game.

I haven't seen the new version, but Axis and Allies is the best board game ever.

We had had our fill of LOTR Risk!

I got really sick of LOTR Risk a long time ago. Nowhere near as fun as the original. Even Fortress America was better. Anybody remember that one?

Any stories of glorious victory?
Agonizing defeat?
Any strategies or tips for a new player such as myself?

Too many games played to remember many victories/defeats, but one heartbreaking loss (as Germany) came on the eve of victory. I was massing troops for a march to Moscow to take out those pesky commies. All three allies launched an all-out suicide attack on one turn. Moscow was, of course, taken out on my counterstrike, after sending all they had trying to retake Korelia. Then the UK took out my navy, but got their entire airforce annihilated. They would have fallen the next turn. But a small task force of Americans was then able to sneak in under air cover and with the dark one's own luck, managed to bewitch the dice- with one damn infantry killing my last three defending FIGHTERS. I had never seen such lucky dice for him, and unlucky ones for me. Of course, my dice would have rocked if I was playing Risk, but oh well.
Strategy wise...
I've almost always played with four players instead of five. One person is always the UK and Russia, because one of the two is always on deaths door quickly if someone any good is playing Germany. Technology is underrated because people don't want to spend a tank on them. Even the Tech that sucks is still pretty damn good. People even tried passing house rules raising the cost to 15 because I got Heavy Bombers AND Idustrial in two consecutive rolls one game. That game didn't last long. :gundge:

Best opening strategies:
Russia- Don't lose Korelia. EVER. You need UK help early on or Germany will waylay you. Try not to spend all your money on infantry, or you will face a neverending swarm of Panzers.

UK- Don't get overconfident in your navy. Germany can sneak in and take you out the second you blink. You need to help keep the pressure of Russia early on, and for God's sake don't let Germany nickle and dime you in Africa.

USA- Put pressure on Japan, FAST. If you don't, Japan will land troops and help put the squeeze on Russia. Also, you MUST go for tech, even if it is just one a turn. It will help you put your considerable resources to better use. Buying a factory in China is risky, but if you are going to do it, do it on turn one.

Japan- All out attack on Pearl Harbor on turn one. Even if you can't land troops and take it, you will cripple the US fleet and keep the Americans off your back for a few turns. If the US builds a factory in China, you MUST take it immediately. And put pressure in Russia. Don't sit back and try to build a navy, and try to go toe to toe with the US fleet. You will eventually lose.

Germany- Pick one- Russia or the UK. Your goal is to take one of them out. You know your opponents better than I do. Whomever is more aggressive, THAT is your target. Because they are the ones who will have more resources away from their capital. Panzers for Russia, Fighters for the UK. Spending a tank a turn on Tech is ok, but it slows you down. Most of the tech doesn't help you much, but If you get Industrial, they might as well surrender.

Thats pretty good advice right there. I used to play that game alot awhile back. Kind of hazy, but I remember a good first move for the russians. Invade the second eastern european country in from the Ukraine at the start. The zone with the most troops built up. Invade it with just enough pieces where you know you cant hold it, but it still wastes time and material getting it back for the Germans. After that take all of your men and put them on Karelia, everything you can muster. I liked to keep the tank units behind at russia, to keep an attack force optional.

Hopefully with the divided German buildup at the front, your opponent will think twice about lurching into Karelia at the start, which is usually the best strategy for Germany. That zone is the most pivotal in the game.

It always seemed that once Russia goes, the game is almost impossible to win for the allies. GB should immediately send its aircraft carrier planes into Karelia for extra defense on the first move, while the 2 US planes should immediately go to the GB aircraft carrier on theres.

For Japan, my personal favorite to play, you have to strike Pearl hard at the beginning. After that, mopping up the Asian seaboard is pretty easy for the next 3-4 moves. Japan is in the best position to gain some valuable production points, take advantage of it quickly and they become a dominant force before US even has time to build up an army.

Kind of hazy, but I remember a good first move for the russians. Invade the second eastern european country in from the Ukraine at the start. The zone with the most troops built up. Invade it with just enough pieces where you know you cant hold it, but it still wastes time and material getting it back for the Germans. After that take all of your men and put them on Karelia, everything you can muster. I liked to keep the tank units behind at russia, to keep an attack force optional.
Hopefully with the divided German buildup at the front, your opponent will think twice about lurching into Karelia at the start, which is usually the best strategy for Germany. That zone is the most pivotal in the game..

That works sometimes, but if you have a defensive player as the UK, Germany will take you out in three moves (at most) if you weaken your forces like that. I always used to pull out of the forward territory, and solidify Korelia. It spreads out the Germans more, plus you conserve your infantry til help can arrive.

I could just sit in Germany and build a lot of tanks and sweep Russia off the board. Having your forces concentrated in Europe makes it easier to defend also.

I am the Greatest Axis and Allies player on Earth becuase I am the luckiest roller on the earth. I once rolled 8 infantry dice and hit 7 and that was just infantry.
My friends would get so pissed off they would flip the game over and quit. I would wipe out every German unit every time Karelia was invaded I did this every time we played. I have found the key to the game usaully is Russia if russia lives the allies live if they die the allies die however there can be exceptions.

My freinds and i once played a single game of Axis and Allies that lasted from 7PM to 8AM with just a few breaks we never slept, the cause of the long game was the back and forth on the eastern front and when the soviets finnaly broke thru, the Germans held out on CRETE for 12 turns

Axis and Allies... Ah, the good old days ;)

Back in the day we'd pull all nighters with a case of beer, or two.

I was piss poor in that game. I can remember playing the US and losing Alaska and then Canada and then the game, after I failed to defend Hawaii.

I remember playing the Axis and having the person I was playing against taunting, "Sun never sets, bitch!" as he stretched out England just to make a point.

In my defense, my friends, who where the only people I ever played against, would go off and win tournaments of the game. And I may have won a few games, just they pail in my memory compared to my humiliating defeats. (I was the one they first tried their three round victory with Russia on, that they later did to some poor bastard at a tourney...)