Old Second Edition gets another go!

We rolled out the classic again this Sunday with a couple twists. In the first game we used the tech houses. 10 IPC's bought you a black Monopoly house which you could place in any of your territories. At the beginning of every round you get to try for a 6 for every lab you own. It's a bit cost restrictive and only Japan and USA got them in the first game.

USA did pretty good with it Japan not so much.

Game One:

Newf: USSR

Ray: Germany

Me: UK

Mugsy: Japan

Dan: USA

Soviets took Berlin

In game two we decided to use cards, which are an enhancement Ray came up with long ago, you buy cards 2 for 5 IPC's or 1 for 3. these cards will tell you to deploy a free Bomber, for yourself or the enemy, which you would do right away. Other cards might be kept to play at a strategic moment. Anyway it makes an old game new again and is fun once in a while. 

Game Two:

Dan: USSR

Mugsy: Germany

Ray: UK

Newf: Japan

Me: USA

Soviets almost take Berlin before the white flag is dropped

Not worth saving

We saved the game last week but a fresh, sober look at the board shows Germany with 3 fighters, 1 armor, and 1 infantry in Berlin and nothing left on the board. UK holds Italy, and France, while there is a Soviet T-34 in East Europe. The win goes to Mugsy and Newfie Dave while Ray and I take the loss. I have got to be the worst German player in history and my end doomed the Axis in both games last week. All respect to the dice gods and their penchant for loving new guys, the loss had a little to do with 8 defending infantry out of 10 hitting in one roll.

Today we will try the tech house rule and maybe play AA42.

2nd Edition!

New player today. Mr. Bentham from Newfoundland was here today so we had 5 players and didn't try any new rules out.
Newfie Dave: USSR
Me (Dave): Germany
Mugsy: UK
Dan: Japan
Ray: USA
Germany did not hold on very well, Soviets rolled all hits, Japan paid too much attention to USA, and UK did a pretty good job presuring Germany. Allies win!
We started a second game with Dan leaving prior to start. Germany is left with only their capitol and Japan is in no position to pressure Soviets. We're maybe going to finish it next week but it does not look like a game worth completing. Thus we will leave that games score for next week.

Back in the Garage!

I moved the game table back out to the garage this Friday. It was nice in the basement with the fireplace going for the winter but the garage is much better.
I found an interesting post on Boardgamegeek.com by Iron Fist (Eater of Worlds) involving tech centers instead of scientists. I'll talk to the guys about using this rule. Basically instead of buying dice each round, or buying scientists, you buy a tech center and place it in one of your territories. they cost 10 IPC's and each nation can purchase a maximum of 4, however they can be captured.. You would roll for tech at the beginning of each turn, one die for each center you have. 10 IPC's seems like a lot but they are still there if you get one unlike scientists.

Debut of Ray's German Units

Ray had been working on his Germans all week and debuted them on the board yesterday. Didn't quite work out for Hitler, but the pieces look amazing, particularly the planes. Mugsy wasn't planning on coming but showed up and took over Japan during round two. Germany/Italy was the weak link this day, I'm starting to think that Sea Lion is the only way to keep Germany as a viable threat. Before I forget, we played the Anniversary Edition with the 1942 Setup and I was the Allies, Ray the Germans/Italians and as I said Mugsy was the Japanese. A good game that took around 7 hours with an Allies victory.

The Allies Confirm History!

We got started around 14:00 yesterday and managed to get 2 games of  AA42 in. First game was Ray as Allies and me as Axis and the USA crushed in Pacific while UK and Soviets did the same in Europe. Ray started with a different move by not attacking anything except the Baltic fleet in round one with USSR. this seemed foolish but created a huge wall of Infantry that German dice could not get through.

Game two we switched sides and I tried Mugsy's plan from a few weeks back of building a Brazil factory. This worked well and the US pounded France as the Indian, Australian and Atlantic fleet from UK all managed to make it to the Mediterranean to invade Italy. The Soviets amassed a huge wall of T-34's from the north and was about to take Berlin when we called the game at around midnight.

Allies win the day. I must learn a better plan for Germany as this is my weakest country.

Two Player Game Today

Just Ray and I today. We'll be playing A&A 42 today and possibly a game of 2nd Edition if there's time.

Score Keeping

Every year we get together on Remembrance Day and play from 08:00 until the beer runs out. Last year this was around 02:00. I've decided that this should be our Super Bowl and will run it across the boys tomorrow during our game. In the mean-time I've gone back and recorded all the scores since our first game after 11-November-2010 and broken them down into wins and losses as an all around standings and standings for each individual game including wins as Axis and as Allies. Hopefully we can come up with a suitable trophy for the over all winner come next November.

Not sure who will be playing tomorrow. Last week Mugsy couldn't make it but Dan made a rare appearance.