Guardian5
12-23-2003, 11:00 PM
The hardest thing in warfare is determining the enemy's strength and location. A method of playing Axis and Allies that best simulates this 'Fog of War' is called the double blind. I submit these optional rules to be playtested for inclusion in the upcoming revised edition.
A double blind game takes three complete sets of Axis and Allies, space for each board hidden from view of the others, and at least one additional player (let's call him the Referee).
The Axis players get a gameboard with only Axis playing units continuously shown. The only Allied pieces on the board are those that are in land or sea territories adjacent to Axis units.
The Allied players have their own board with reversed set-up.
The third board is a master board used by the Referee that has all playing pieces located on it.
The Referee is to maintain the master board's integrity and place/remove units on the other two boards as they are observed/obscured. He also controls the purchase units/weapons development phase of the game, and keeps it secret from the opposing sides.
Territories must contain military units to make scouting reports on adjacent territories. Empty territories (territories without military units) report only flag changes. For example, in Africa if the Axis players have destroyed the Allied units then as the rest of the continent changes flags, the Allies would get reports they lost control of a country and to whom, but not know exactly what German or Japanese units were in each territory. Once a military unit moves into a territory it reports all adjacent territories/sea zones.
By the rules, combat orders must be issued to all units before the combat phase. Therefore, it is possible to attack territories/sea zones without knowing what is inside of them. Once all combat has been declared the referee organizes the combat and reveals any unveiled pieces on the appropriate board. At the conclusion of combat the referee will again unveil and/or remove any units on the appropriate board based on the combat outcome.
The Pacific Theater becomes a very dangerous black hole of information. As the US and Japanese fleets run around, occupying islands and fortifying them becomes even more important, simply to report enemy fleet movements and compositions.
Once a game is played with these double blind rules, going back to seeing all the pieces almost becomes information overload. The biggest drawback is the space and material required, but the games are truly amazing and the increased element of suspense make it memorable.
Respectfully,
Ryan
A double blind game takes three complete sets of Axis and Allies, space for each board hidden from view of the others, and at least one additional player (let's call him the Referee).
The Axis players get a gameboard with only Axis playing units continuously shown. The only Allied pieces on the board are those that are in land or sea territories adjacent to Axis units.
The Allied players have their own board with reversed set-up.
The third board is a master board used by the Referee that has all playing pieces located on it.
The Referee is to maintain the master board's integrity and place/remove units on the other two boards as they are observed/obscured. He also controls the purchase units/weapons development phase of the game, and keeps it secret from the opposing sides.
Territories must contain military units to make scouting reports on adjacent territories. Empty territories (territories without military units) report only flag changes. For example, in Africa if the Axis players have destroyed the Allied units then as the rest of the continent changes flags, the Allies would get reports they lost control of a country and to whom, but not know exactly what German or Japanese units were in each territory. Once a military unit moves into a territory it reports all adjacent territories/sea zones.
By the rules, combat orders must be issued to all units before the combat phase. Therefore, it is possible to attack territories/sea zones without knowing what is inside of them. Once all combat has been declared the referee organizes the combat and reveals any unveiled pieces on the appropriate board. At the conclusion of combat the referee will again unveil and/or remove any units on the appropriate board based on the combat outcome.
The Pacific Theater becomes a very dangerous black hole of information. As the US and Japanese fleets run around, occupying islands and fortifying them becomes even more important, simply to report enemy fleet movements and compositions.
Once a game is played with these double blind rules, going back to seeing all the pieces almost becomes information overload. The biggest drawback is the space and material required, but the games are truly amazing and the increased element of suspense make it memorable.
Respectfully,
Ryan