This game is almost too good ...

[The Rat King]

I usually use Battle Cry as a way to introduce people to strategy games because its so easy to learn and be effective at. However, I'm starting to wonder if it isn't a little too good in that respect. People get spoiled by the ease of play and the fact that you can win without really knowing much about strategy. When I try to move them up to something more complicated like Axis and Allies Europe they get frustrated because they can't do well right from the word go (like they did in Battle Cry) so they declare that its too hard and they would rather play Battle Cry. Its gets a little tiresome when every time I invite someone to play a game they want to play Battle Cry because thats the one they are good at. I have 9 other games that are just gathering dust because no one is willing to put in the effort to learn them.

[zooooma]

Hello Rat King.

It can be very difficult to recruit A&A players! The A&A series is about as intimidating as a cardboard map, plastic pieces game can get. This is probably why the game is a big PBEM favorite.

If you have Queen's gambit That might be a good next move. The card play is similar to battle cry, and it's otherwise very easy. Still, it might give your friends a taste for variety.

Risk 2210 or Shogun might make good gateway games as well. Maybe Titan. I'm not sure which other games you have, but try pushing for a game that's harder than Battle Cry, but not as hard as A&A.

It may help to lend Battle Cry to someone, or leave it at a friends house. That would force the issue.

If and when you do convince a group to play A&A, you should take a small role, and keep you influence down. Play UK in A&A, or USA in A&A:E. Let your allies play without your strategic guidance. Ideally, they will all do equally poorly, and nobody will get frustrated.

Good luck.
-Luke

[The Rat King]

I have a few friends that are not really into war gaming, but have expressed an interest in playing A&A Europe some day as a group. If that happens then I will do what you suggested and play as the US in order to let them learn against each other. Its more difficult with the original A&A because I could take over any of the 5 nations and tip the balance of the war simply because I know what to do.

As an aside, I heard an interview with Elis Marsallis the other day (he's a famous jazz pianist). He said that when his oldest son was a kid he asked to learn chess. So Elis taught him to play the hard way. Whenever the kid made a bad move Elis would tell him why it was bad and then would immediately make a move that took advantage of the mistake. He never allowed his son to take a move back and he never passed up an obvious oppurtunity just because the kid was learning. As a result, the kid lost a lot of games, but he kept coming back. When he eventually won he knew that he had earned it because Elis would never throw a game. I thought it was pretty cool that the kid had that much drive to win that he kept coming back until he was good enough.

[Skonie]

...here is my two penneth.
I agree Battle cry is a fantastic game. On a recent trip to France it was played continually with my family, nephews etc. It certainly has exposed many "non gamers" to a whole new world or entertainment. I made it more appealing to my son and his cousins by making some 3d hills out of MDF and flocking them..suddenly the line of sight rule became instantly clear to them (excuse the pun!).
Following my success with Battle Cry I then tried the A&A route and hit a huge dead end :( Subamrines etc were too much for the newbies etc. However I did strike lucky with a game produced by Eagle Games (sorry AH but it has to be said they do produce great games)...War Age Of Imperialism! This has been a great hit using the Simple set of rules. Eagle games are very good at producing 3 sets of rules for the same game; Easy, Standard & Advance. However my cunning plan is to now wean my growing group of newbie players onto A&A...just a slightly longer route :)