Check First: what Version or Ruleset of Axis and Allies is this?

[jasonwclark]

Lots of threads have been posted asking for rules clarifications, referencing previous editions or rulesets. This is to be expected, because A&A has some confusing names for its various releases. It's not like D&D where there is a pretty clear progression 2nd ed, 3rd ed, 5th ed etc. Several A&A boards have come out since the original was released in the 80s. Many of these have a 1942 start date, and many have various editions of their own. In addition to that, when the A&A community talks about these different version they don't necessarily use the published names. When we talk about Classic Axis and Allies for example, that's a name we gave to it later on, not something written on the box.

Axis and Allies 1942 Online is attempting a computer adaptation of one specific edition/ruleset, this one... (2012)

https://www.axisandallies.org/axis-allies-1942-second-edition/

But also using some rules from another even more recent edition, which is Axis and Allies and Zombies AAZ (2018).

Prior to that we also had...

-Axis and Allies 1940 (2010): Europe/Pacific 1940 or "Global" G40 the largest A&A game with the most involved ruleset.

-Axis and Allies Spring 1942 (2009): which would be the first edition of this game here that beamdog has taken on. It removed technology as a feature of the base game, used the exact A&ARevised map but re-colored it topographically, and brought in most of the rules and price structures of the AA50 game that immediately preceded it.

-Axis and Allies 50th Anniversary Edition (2008): "AA50" the 6 man game with Italy and 2 start dates 41/42. It introduced the new defenseless transport mechanics, bomber rules, and price structure.

-Allies and Allies Revised (2004): this is the 5 man game that introduced artillery and destroyers to the base world theater games. It was the first major overhaul of the actual boardgame and core rules since the 1980s.

-Axis and Allies Iron Blitz (1999): this was the last version of the Hasbro CD, which sort of codified the Classic ruleset and is I'm guessing the game that many may remember.

-Axis and Allies (1984): known as Classic. This board also had several editions, so you may also hear a reference to the 2nd or 3rd edition Classic game.


Those are all the world theater games. There are also theater specific games in earlier rulesets, precursors to the current 1940 theater games that players combine to make Global 1940. But of the smaller world theater games the most beloved are Classic and AA50.

If Beamdog made either of those as part of a legacy Axis and Allies Online Game I think it would be a very popular platform. Even if it didn't have the 1940 games, having Classic and AA50 would be really cool and go a long way to shoring up confusion, because the current 1942 game is really based on the Anniversary Edition ruleset, not the Classic ruleset. But it's helpful to see how the game rules have developed, and many still play Classic.

On the Axis and Allies .org boards, we refer to the current game as 1942.2.
In TripleA it is referred to as WWIIv5
There was also a tournament patch put out by Larry Harris which we call 1942.3

For clarity I will probably have to start referring to the ruleset used in this game 1942B. Or 1942 Beamdog or something like that. To distinguish it from 1942.2, because some of the rules are different here, owing to asynchronous stuff and carrier rules.

Again just so everyone knows what's what.

[jasonwclark]

I get what you're saying. I'm sure eventually the best 'players' in the world will be AIs, and soon enough we'll be able to add A&A strategy guides to the long list of things we automated away by going digital hehe, but I just don't know what resources Beamdog has access to right now. Like whether it's realistic for them to pursue that method in a reasonable amount of time, or what threshold in terms of sales or thousands of games played they'd need to meet to make it worthwhile. All I was trying to get across in the last few posts above is that it would be nice to have a computer opponent that knows the basics when the game launches for general release. I've seen it making so woefully incompetent moves, and whether it's faster in this case to just script some things as opposed to teaching the AI how to teach itself how to get better, I don't really know. But I see also that this thread is pinned now, so don't want to get too far away from the reference stuff. Just from a historical perspective, the way it was handled in the Hasbro CD was to have different AI Generals or personalities, at varying levels of competence. As I recall it offered a 3, 4 and 5 star General for each Nation. The more stars the better in that case, though even the 5 star guys made plenty of mistakes in that version of the digital Classic game. For TripleA we have the HardAI, which was created primarily with Classic and Revised in mind, but which works fairly well for game boards that are similar are in scale and where the rules are simple. It does better with this game map for example than it does with AA50 or Global, just because there is less stuff going on in 1942.2 rules-wise than in those more 'complex' boards.

I agree that the first goal should be a PvP game that exactly emulates what happens on the physical gameboard, and that compromises shouldn't be made to the rules just to make the computer opponent play better. Though right now I can't see that as a serious argument for the carriers/transports changes you brought up, since the computer is still getting getting mercilessly stomped, at least from what I'm seeing.

[admiral.wells]

A couple issues I see in the few games I have started....Had an offshore Battleship do a successful attack on an infantry and a little later the infantry ended up killing one of my amphibious force. Wasn't this clarified years ago as an offshore bombardment removes kills and they get no defense? Also, believe it or not had a need to split an amphibious attack in russia (japanese transport). Again, this should be possible right? Also, having trouble just allowing noncombat loaded transports to wander about the seas. Is this possible?

[jasonwclark]

Yeah this is a difference since revised, introduced in the later editions. Each battleship requires an amphib unit to bombard, and the defender when killed returns fire (which I agree feels strange, but that's the way it goes now.) Transports can only invade 1 territory and can't bridge. Sometimes because the transport doesn't create a hostile sea zone in combat, it cannot move into a sz until a warship does first. They don't have a hit in combat, and are basically autokilled if left undefended.

Subs and Transports don't create a hostile sz on non com by themselves, which is significant here for like sz 11 if Germany attacks and prevails. The Brits can swing the zone on non com and tuck in safely behind a rebuilt US fleet. You can move past enemy subs or transports on combat if they're by themselves. Also you must choose between whether you want a battleship to bombard or attack transports, which might come into play.

[-=kirito*48=-]

i love this board game when i was 18+ i play it everyday, i still have the board game with the expansion when they add franch and china , you can play both England and Franch sametime and same for U.S.A and China.

[O Lucky Day O]

I'm curious in the original post, which rules are you referring to in Zombies that this edition borrows?

[DoubleBubble]

Do you think there will ever be the the National Advantages from the Nova Edition of the game?


Soviet Union:

Russian Winter
Once per game, the Soviet player may declare a "severe winter"; until the start of the next round, all Soviet Infantry defend on a 3.

Nonaggression Treaty
When Japan attacks a Soviet territory for the first time, the Soviet player may place four additional infantry in that territory for free. If the Soviet player attacks Japan first, this advantage is invalidated.

Mobile Industry
The Soviet player's industrial complexes may move one space per turn
Salvage : If you win a battle agsinst attacking tanks in a red territory and at least 1 tank is destroyed, place 1 free tank in that terrtitory

Lend-Lease
During the purchase units phase, you can convert units from a friendly power on your territory

Trans-Siberian Railway
Your infantry , AA guns, artillery may move 1 space among Russia, Novosibirsk, Yakut & Buryatia.


Germany
U-Boat Interdiction : Subtract 1 IPC for US & UK income for each German sub on the map

Atlantic Wall
Your infantry defend at 3 vs amphibious assault in gray territories

Panzerblitz
If you destroy enemy units in the first round, your tanks may non-combat move 1 area

Wolf Packs
If you attack with 3+ subs, raise their attack factor to 3

Luftwaffe Dive-Bombers
Your fighters may strategically bomb at D3

Fortress Europe
Your artillery in gray territories defend at 3


United Kingdom
Radar
AA hits at 2

Joint Strike
Once per game, the UK player may declare a joint strike; the UK's turn is completed without conducting combat moves or combat phases. On the US player's turn, that player may move any UK units as though they belonged to the United States.

Enigma Decoded
Once per game, you may reinforce a German-attacked area from an adjacent area

Mideast Oil
If a plane lands in non-combat movement in Egypt, Jordan or Persia, it may move additional areas equal to is normal movement

French Resistance
Once per game, the allies control Western Europe, place 3 infantry

Colonial Garrison
Add 1 industrial complex to your starting setup.


Japan
Tokyo Express
Destroyers can carry 1 infantry

Kamikaze Attacks
Japan launch an air attack without a landing area. It may only hit ships. It is automatically lost in the first round, and does no absorb a hit

Kaiten Torpedoes
Submarines defend at 3 if adjacent to original Japanese territory or island

Lightning Assaults
Transports may move again after invading and invade again

Dug-In Defenders
Infantry in islands defend at 3.

Banzai Attacks
If you attack with only infantry, the infantry attack at 2.


United States
Island Bases
+ 1 to air movement from islands, +1 to air movement to islands

Chinese Divisions
Receive 1 infantry each turn in 1 of there areas: China,Sinkiang,Kwangtung,Indochina

Marines
Your infantry attacks at 2 during the first round of an amphibious assault

Mechanized Infantry
Your infantry can move 2 and blitz

Fast Carriers
Air craft carriers have a move of 3

Superfortresses
Your Bombers are immune to anti-aircraft gun

[O Lucky Day O]

Nova edition was a variant of AA Original, not this version, and wasn't owned or created by Hasbro.

Since it wasn't ever released in any other form after that and isn't currently available for purchase, I'd say it's extremely unlikely.

[nicewolf64]

i really love a lot of those ideas to differentiate the countries

[wes003]

PCor77, you had the exact question I had. I think it would be great to have the National Advantages added to this game. It would give it a whole new dynamic every time you play and I think would make it more fun all around.

[vomder]

So will we see options to play with old maps/rules sets in the future?

[dr2th13]

Hi Dr2th from way back anybody I know here? or remember me??

[ReadyandRaiding]

引用自 Swiggy：

really cool post love it! The Revised version was the one i fell in love with and i am grateful Beamdog chose that aesthetic for the map

I hope Beamdog finds a way to integrate the optional rules from that version, they make Revised my favorite edition of A&A to this day.

[Kitty Meow Meow]

引用自 Tick Tock (Tim)：

引用自 Jeff：

Everyone takes losses in nearly identical fashion. It is extremely rare to take losses in any other way. This is not a failure or detriment

I dont want to play multiplayer, just vs the PC.

If you are just playing the AI then you can pick which units you lose it is only in multiplayer you don[t directly decide.