Do you play Axis & Allies spin-offs?

[Whiterook]

So, the Axis & Allies boardgame that came out a couple decades plus ago has seen quite a few reincarnations. Do you play any of them, how regularly, and what do you think of them?

[Whiterook]

Well, I own all but Guadalcanal, and play them all. to varying degrees..now there's a big shocker, eh?

Miniatures is my favorite, followed by D-Day and Battle of the Bulge. I play all of them solitaire mostly, but head-to-head competition is a blast. I have played Miniatures in tournaments.

Battle of the Bulge isn't quite what I expected, but it's not bad. I like the transport mechanism this game offers. The "Bulge" line that you have to keep realigning is a major pain, though; yet oit does lend a "situational awareness" factor nicely to the game, and probably mimics what I picture as what tracking a battle could have been like in the HQ's.

D-Day is a blast solitaire, and I play it faithfully every June 6th. And also when I want to burn an afternoon with my I-Pod! I find it very enjoyable.

Miniatures is my baby, and have a decent investment in a very nice OOB. It is a very solid miniatures wargaming system, that keeps it a little more on the simple side of typical miniatures, yet good substance. I generally hate "collectable" systems, as I have long since been a school lad that can swap my castoffs, and I have bnever solid a thing on EBay, so I'm pretty much stuck with what I have...which is not a bad thing!

[Pirate-Drakk]

I've only played the computer version which had some issues crashing and making me upset. Especially in the online multiplayer mode where I've played with up to 3 players at once on the phone.

(3-way calling is GREAT for mulitplayer online gaming...you can daisy chain at least 4 or more players if multiple people have 3-way. 4 is the max I've done. Is a blast!)

Never played the board game version. A & A is a good balance of simplicity/complexity/simulation and just plain FUN!

I highly recommend it to both newbie and oldie gamers.

[TRDG]

I think I "kinda" played a part of a game a couple years ago, no clue what/when /where though........sorry buddy.

Cheers

TRDG

Tom

[MAGNA]

We drag these out every Christmas at least. Good for multi-player. Standard game, Europe, and Pacific. Sometimes we play Europe and Pacific at the same time - very interesting and as Pirate said - a lot of fun.

[KG_Panzerschreck]

I have the original version of the game, before Avalon Hill got ahold of it. I also have D-Day. This past Christmas i bought my one nephew a starter set and booster pack to get him started in A&A Minis.

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by Pirate-Drakk

I've only played the computer version which had some issues crashing and making me upset. Especially in the online multiplayer mode where I've played with up to 3 players at once on the phone.

(3-way calling is GREAT for mulitplayer online gaming...you can daisy chain at least 4 or more players if multiple people have 3-way. 4 is the max I've done. Is a blast!)

Never played the board game version. A & A is a good balance of simplicity/complexity/simulation and just plain FUN!

I highly recommend it to both newbie and oldie gamers.

Ohhh darn, I completely forgot there was a computer version of the original out there. I saw it in BJ's years ago, and kicked myself for not snagging it...now, I guess after hearing your report PD, I'm good with having not picked it up.

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly with your endorcement on Axis & Allies boardgames playability...it's a great system, even if some of the spin=offs are a tad weak.

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by MAGNA

We drag these out every Christmas at least. Good for multi-player. Standard game, Europe, and Pacific. Sometimes we play Europe and Pacific at the same time - very interesting and as Pirate said - a lot of fun.

Oh, I love that fact that you have both Europe and Pacific going at the same time. Separate games, or do you morph them together somehow? The latter never even dawned on me, though I'm not sure how it would be possible.

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by KG_Panzerschreck

I have the original version of the game, before Avalon Hill got ahold of it. I also have D-Day. This past Christmas i bought my one nephew a starter set and booster pack to get him started in A&A Minis.

Yeah, it's cool on Axis & Allies Miniatures, in that you can get the starter set and a booster or two, and have enough to start gaming right away. It's a cool part about the system.

I'm curious, based on your post....do you feel Avalon Hill (in it's latest incarnation) was a bad influence on the Axis & Allies title?

[MAGNA]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

Oh, I love that fact that you have both Europe and Pacific going at the same time. Separate games, or do you morph them together somehow? The latter never even dawned on me, though I'm not sure how it would be possible.

We just play the two at the same time and see whether the Axis can actually win one or the other or both. It is hard to win both.