Monkey wrench in the cookie cutter

[Iriemon]

I am a relative newbie to the SC game and forum, though I've been lurking around for awhile.

It seems to me that Axis SC strategy among the more experienced players has evolved to minor variations of the cookie cutter offense: Conquer the minor countries and hold off on Russia until late '41 until the Wermacht is invincible. The only answer to this strategy has been to give the Russians so many extra mps that they have a shot at halting the Germans and their economic machine. This axis strategy is so successful that in the recent Terif-DP game, the allied bid was 250 1:5:30 -- giving 7500(!) to the Russians.

Is this the best way to play the game?

I have been thinking of an alternate setup to compensate against the German's economic advantage by 1) increasing the join percentages of the US and USSR by sayt 25% each, 2) increasing the USA Industrial tech level to 5 and the SU industrial tech level to 4. The former actions will cause the US/USSR to engage earlier if the standard cookie cutter strategy is played, which will add an element of decision making in the standard Axis strategy of conquering everyting. You'll have to decide: Does it make sense to conquer Sweden knowing Russia may engage in Jun 41 instead of Nov 41? The latter mod makes the US production level effectively 1/3 higher, and the SU's 1/6 higher. That reflect the historical accuracy of these countries greater production rather than just handing the Russians an extra 7500 mps at the start. With the US economy beefed, the threat of a western front will give Germany more concern about how many assets to devote to the western defense vs. Russia.

If nothing else, this change would reduce the size of bids required for a balanced game and would require some novel thinking about strategy as SC is played before the new game comes out. With this setup, I'd think a 1:10 bid system (UK:USSR) around 200 would produce a close match.

I perceive from the threads I have read that the thought of modifying anything but the starting mps is an anethma to some of the veteran players; on the other hand, it makes sense to me to balance the odds a bit in a more playable way and which calls for some possibily interesting new variations and consideratoins on what are by now well entrenched strategies.

[jaket]

There is a nice mod called Weiss 39 mod2. It is a no bid mod that makes some of the changes above. From what I can tell in my first game (H v H) it is very close to even, but only if the Axis is very good. I believe someone on this forum wrote it and distributed it. I can send it to you if your e-mail is public.

[Bill101]

Iriemon, I totally agree with the spirit of your message. I find cookie cutter style games get boring after a while, and agree that the number of MPPs is staggering.

Rather than give the UK any extra MPPs I prefer to give them either a) research chits to put into IT, and IT only, or a higher level of IT, whether it be level 1 or 2 is up to the players to decide.

There are other rules too, such as not allowing Axis forces to land in Canada or North America until the UK has fallen. This frees up both Canadian units for use in Europe, and also means that the allied player doesn't have to watch the Canadian coast turn after turn (which used to be the most boring aspect of the game).

[Korut Zelva]

I'm an intermediate player and after using and after suffering the cookie-cutter about 4-5 times the strategy loses it novelty and the game some of its flavor. That's why I try to play beginners not yet infected by it, it allows me to try "not-so-optimum" strategies, getting away with it and having a good time.

Right now I'm trying declaring war on the USSR before poland falls and before the USSR annexes the baltic state. I won vs the AI but that's no feat. I'm trying it vs a beginner now (with war in siberia on) and it's pretty even. I think I'm gonna win it but I'm sure I'd lose a rematch under the same condition. I like the dynamic of an early russia attack, the armies of my minor allies are actually precious, I can't tech anybody to death and I can't spare anything to do a rampant conquest all the minors. Since I play the slow-paced pbem (I can't host tcp/ip), I like to get in the action right away and not wait for a year and a half of build-up. Of course, the axis situation is hopeless unless the axis player is way better than the allied one but I'm looking at ways to balance the game for the rematch. Maybe having USA neutral, or some extra money/chits for Germany.