In Axis and Allies, how do you choose which player plays which country? [closed]

Question

Can players choose because there enough diversity of interest so that everyone can get their first or second choice?

Do you use a bidding system where players "bid" for a country by specifying the "handicap" there are willing to take to play it?

Do you "draw" for country as in diplomacy?

Is there a consensus that the "newest" players play the U.S. (or Britain) while the more experienced players play the harder countries?

Answer 1

Whatever works for your group. Only if multiple players want to play the same country is a "method" even necessary. Until your group knows the game well, handicapping is extreme; use random selection, but even then only to break contentions

Answer 2

I'll assume we're talking about "global" A&A versions (whole world map)

Is there a consensus that the "newest" players play the U.S. (or Britain)

Good question! I found out that US is the worst option for new players because over and over they are overwhelemed with the question: "what to buy?" "when do I get to roll some dice?". With no exceptions they have ended up rushing wich results in either loosing their fleet or loosing their ground units, with frustration feeling that had no impact in the game.

I think these setups might help:

3 players:

• US: most experienced
• RUS + UK: intermediate
• AXIS: less experienced

5 players

• US: Most experienced
• UK: next most-experienced
• JAP: third-most
• RUS: second least-experienced
• GER: least experienced

The reason is: US that us and UK may loose heavily at the beggining of the game; and between begginers, those with germany have more chances to smash russia, so an exp player in UK balances.

Most importantly, new players should get the chance to buy and roll many dice :)

Do you use a bidding system where players "bid"

There is a bid system. In short, if your group agrees that either axis or allies are weaker; you start bidding the ammount of cash that the players will get if they get the weaker team (axis or allies):

• start at 1, no one takes it? bid is 2.. so on.

You can assign the amount between the nations that got it (i.e. if bid is 5 to axis, you can distribute germany 5 jap 0, or germany 4 jap 1, etc)

You can then buy units with this extra cash and place them in a friendly territory before the games starts, max one per territory. You may also not buy anything and save the cash

Hope it helps

Answer 3

It depends on the people you are playing with. My group just need to talk to find a solution. But since we play more games when we play we switch nations with every game so everyone can play his favorite nation at least one time.