By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming - What game to buy? Starcraft vs. Axis & Allies Europe 1940

Final-Fan on 13 May 2011

I'm giving myself a large board game purchase, but I'm waffling between StarCraft The Board Game and Axis & Allies Europe 1940. 

I already have Twilight Imperium, so I am wondering how similar it is to StarCraft?  I can see some resemblance when I look at the games, no doubt due to being made by the same people, but are they similar enough to say, "Well, I've already got a game like this, I don't want to pay $100 for the StarCraft version of it"? 

I am also experienced in Axis & Allies.  I (or my family) has the first Nova game, the Milton Bradley game, the Revised game, but not the 1942 game.  I've briefly gotten in on the Anniversary game, and it looked interesting.  I kind of wish I'd bought it during the five minutes it was in print.  I've played the Pacific 1940 game, and it was pretty fun except for the part where it's rigged in Japan's favor.  Is Europe 1940 a good standalone game, unlike Pacific 1940? 

I want some opinions about the games from people who have played at least one of these games, but I would especially like to hear from someone who can compare Twilight Imperium and StarCrat TBG. 

P.S.  I've heard stuff about Pacific 1940 like "cheap card stock", "not enough Japanese tactical bombers", "horrifyingly bad rules that you have to download a book's worth of revisions for", etc.  Have these been addressed by a new printing of Pacific 1940, or has it not been fixed yet? 



Tag (courtesy of fkusumot): "Please feel free -- nay, I encourage you -- to offer rebuttal."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My advice to fanboys: Brag about stuff that's true, not about stuff that's false. Predict stuff that's likely, not stuff that's unlikely. You will be happier, and we will be happier.

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Sen. Pat Moynihan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The old smileys: ; - ) : - ) : - ( : - P : - D : - # ( c ) ( k ) ( y ) If anyone knows the shortcut for , let me know!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I have the most epic death scene ever in VGChartz Mafia.  Thanks WordsofWisdom! 

Around the Network
Final-Fan on 13 May 2011

OK, I would also accept any post that is at least vaguely on topic (e.g. "What's Axis & Allies?") just to reassure me that people are reading this! 



Tag (courtesy of fkusumot): "Please feel free -- nay, I encourage you -- to offer rebuttal."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My advice to fanboys: Brag about stuff that's true, not about stuff that's false. Predict stuff that's likely, not stuff that's unlikely. You will be happier, and we will be happier.

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Sen. Pat Moynihan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The old smileys: ; - ) : - ) : - ( : - P : - D : - # ( c ) ( k ) ( y ) If anyone knows the shortcut for , let me know!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I have the most epic death scene ever in VGChartz Mafia.  Thanks WordsofWisdom! 

Dragonos on 13 May 2011

I don't really have an opinion on which you should get, but I just love the little painted zerglings. so um...free bump?



um..stuff

CDiablo on 13 May 2011

Ive heard decent things about Starcraft, but nothing about AA 1940, what type of game are you looking for. If you are looking for a WW2 vs game I suggest Operation Barbarossa 1941.

I dont have the patience for a game that is as long as Twilight Imperium, 3 hours is a lot to invest in any boardgame. Have you tried looking for an anwser or asking this question at boardgamegeek.com, that site rules.



Getting an XBOX One for me is like being in a bad relationship but staying together because we have kids. XBone we have 20000+ achievement points, 2+ years of XBL Gold and 20000+ MS points. I think its best we stay together if only for the MS points.

Nintendo Treehouse is what happens when a publisher is confident and proud of its games and doesn't need to show CGI lies for five minutes.

-Jim Sterling

Final-Fan on 13 May 2011

Thanks for the responses (maybe I should have put pictures in the OP lol). 

I checked out BGG (links in the OP) but the games' profiles don't have reviews, except for that video series on AAE&P40.  (Skip to the final Part 7 unless you want to know how to play Axis & Allies or see the physical product.)  That video is six months old so I don't know if all the criticisms of Pacific 1940 still hold.

[edit:  HAHAHA found the reviews.]



Tag (courtesy of fkusumot): "Please feel free -- nay, I encourage you -- to offer rebuttal."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My advice to fanboys: Brag about stuff that's true, not about stuff that's false. Predict stuff that's likely, not stuff that's unlikely. You will be happier, and we will be happier.

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Sen. Pat Moynihan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The old smileys: ; - ) : - ) : - ( : - P : - D : - # ( c ) ( k ) ( y ) If anyone knows the shortcut for , let me know!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I have the most epic death scene ever in VGChartz Mafia.  Thanks WordsofWisdom! 

Around the Network
Final-Fan on 13 May 2011

Thanks for the responses (maybe I should have put pictures in the OP lol). 

I checked out BGG (links in the OP) but the games' profiles don't have reviews, except for that video series on AAE&P40.  (Skip to the final Part 7 unless you want to know how to play Axis & Allies or see the physical product.)  That video is six months old so I don't know if all the criticisms of Pacific 1940 still hold.

[edit:  HAHAHA found the reviews.]

[edit2:  Europe 1940 doesn't seem to have any reviews.  Pacific 1940 has one recent one but it doesn't address the issues I mentioned, only that there are popular house rules to overcome the gruesome pro-Japan imbalance.  I'm reading StarCraft reviews now.] 



Tag (courtesy of fkusumot): "Please feel free -- nay, I encourage you -- to offer rebuttal."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My advice to fanboys: Brag about stuff that's true, not about stuff that's false. Predict stuff that's likely, not stuff that's unlikely. You will be happier, and we will be happier.

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Sen. Pat Moynihan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The old smileys: ; - ) : - ) : - ( : - P : - D : - # ( c ) ( k ) ( y ) If anyone knows the shortcut for , let me know!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I have the most epic death scene ever in VGChartz Mafia.  Thanks WordsofWisdom! 

noname2200 on 13 May 2011

I wish I could help, but I haven't played this version, nor did I even know it existed until this thread sprung up. I remember the older A&A Europe game was surprisingly well-balanced, but then again A&A Pacific felt unbalanced in favor of the Allies, so it seems plenty has changed for these 1940 editions.

I must admit though that part of why I'm writing is to ask if there's a halfway decent online version of the game, and if folks from these forums would like to join in. My undergrad years were frittled away playing awesome boardgames (I really miss Napoleon in Europe in particular...), but my current crop of local friends is uninterested in that scene. I know you can play Diplomacy online; are there others?



Final-Fan on 14 May 2011
noname2200 said:

I wish I could help, but I haven't played this version, nor did I even know it existed until this thread sprung up. I remember the older A&A Europe game was surprisingly well-balanced, but then again A&A Pacific felt unbalanced in favor of the Allies, so it seems plenty has changed for these 1940 editions.

I must admit though that part of why I'm writing is to ask if there's a halfway decent online version of the game, and if folks from these forums would like to join in. My undergrad years were frittled away playing awesome boardgames (I really miss Napoleon in Europe in particular...), but my current crop of local friends is uninterested in that scene. I know you can play Diplomacy online; are there others?

I'm not sure.  Online board games are pretty hit and miss in my experience.  A brief search finds these claimants: 
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_can_you_play_axis_and_allies_online
http://www.gametableonline.com/welcome.php
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=80893

battleforces.com does not require signing up, so I tried it, and it's ... did you say halfway decent?  As in "50% of the way to decent"?  Cause that one might be close.    It's not a good A&A simulation, but it has its own weird appeal. 

But it's one of those things where it kind of sucks, but you keep playing anyway.  Do you know what I mean? 



Tag (courtesy of fkusumot): "Please feel free -- nay, I encourage you -- to offer rebuttal."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My advice to fanboys: Brag about stuff that's true, not about stuff that's false. Predict stuff that's likely, not stuff that's unlikely. You will be happier, and we will be happier.

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Sen. Pat Moynihan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The old smileys: ; - ) : - ) : - ( : - P : - D : - # ( c ) ( k ) ( y ) If anyone knows the shortcut for , let me know!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I have the most epic death scene ever in VGChartz Mafia.  Thanks WordsofWisdom! 

Final-Fan on 19 May 2011

Oh, nobody cares, but I went with StarCraft.  Maybe Christmas...



Tag (courtesy of fkusumot): "Please feel free -- nay, I encourage you -- to offer rebuttal."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My advice to fanboys: Brag about stuff that's true, not about stuff that's false. Predict stuff that's likely, not stuff that's unlikely. You will be happier, and we will be happier.

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Sen. Pat Moynihan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The old smileys: ; - ) : - ) : - ( : - P : - D : - # ( c ) ( k ) ( y ) If anyone knows the shortcut for , let me know!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I have the most epic death scene ever in VGChartz Mafia.  Thanks WordsofWisdom! 

noname2200 on 26 May 2011
Final-Fan said:


But it's one of those things where it kind of sucks, but you keep playing anyway.  Do you know what I mean? 


Sadly, I do. We take what scraps we can get.