Axis & Allies 1942

This week marked the release of AAG1940 Alpha 3 by Larry Harris. I made up some sweet set up cards but my printer is down and I couldn't print them up, also after less than three days of being out I assume they will be updated as game reports come in. My first impression of the Alpha 3 rule set is that it is very off center. Many of the new rule changes don't seem in line with balancing the old Alpha 2 such as the National Objective for UK and USA occupying France. I was under the impression that the new N.O.'s were going to be an incentive for USA to go into the European theater more heavy but it seems that this N.O. is not enough. The new Anti Aircraft Gun rule is also very strange at first look. Most capitals start with more than one now and they can be taken as casualties and their ability to attack planes has changed. Each AA may fire up to 3 times each depending on how many planes come in but may not fire more times than there are planes. This I like but taking tham as casualties is totally against every rule so far. As I said these are my first impressions and once we play test them the situation may be totally different, either they will have changed, or my impression of them might. Don't knock it till you try it seems the best approach.

On to today's games:
AA42 Game 1
Ray as the Axis
Me and Mugsy as Allies

Ray tried something completely different for him and bought a Battleship round one for Germany.
It was sunk immediately and the metal would have been better served making Panzers!

He later bought a factory for Norway and as you can see it fell right into the hands of the USA. A desperate push into Moskva occurred prior to this photo and failed miserably.

Germany surrendered though Ray thinks the Japanese could have kept things alive, this photo says otherwise.

The second game would prove to be way more interesting.

AA42 Game 2
Mugsy as the Axis
Ray and I as the Allies

In this game I tried something different with Russia. I bought only infantry the first round and concentrated all my forces into West Russia, crushing and forming a wall of infantry that marched all the way to Berlin. Before that happened though, and I should point out that we were playing with the cards that we some times use in the Second Edition game, Germany managed to take Berlin and collected 64 IPC (plundered income and collected income) the next round I went into Berlin with everything I had and was so excited to do so I forgot to make my purchases. I defeated him and left 2 Inf and 2 Tanks in his capital and collected 46 IPC + the 64 he collected and the 40 I didn't spend.

Lucy for me I had some non combat moves that saved me from the humiliating fact that Japan could have pulled the triple wammy and took the German money AND the British money, as My lack of purchase left Moskva empty. We had time before the guys ride got there and played it out a bit allowing me to place 4 bombers and 8 tanks in the capital and Caucasus, as well as a Battleship, Aircraft Carrier and sub in the Baltic Sea.

Axis surrendered for the second time today and our next scheduled game will not see me participate as I have tickets for my son and I to see Night of Champions in Buffalo in two weeks. Victor (my son) is so excited, it's his tenth birthday and we're going to a WWE pay-per-view! Live! I hope C.M. Punk kicks the crap out of Triple H!