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Mark

Perhaps, I am not the only one who is very interested in researching the best Expansion Plastic WWII A&A Pieces/Aids. Being in Austin, your not too far from me in Dallas. Perhaps you can e-mail me direct so we can talk some more? (ingaar@racenter.com)

In response to your posting, here are a few choices that are available to you as well as my comments.

1. My first recommendation HANDS DOWN, is to visit SV Games. (www.svgames.com -click on "Parts - Avalon Hill", which is located on left side of the page) and buy as many replacement parts as you can afford before they run out! For the price this is the best STEAL Of A DEAL on the market today. I have purchased over $50 of their stuff and am 100% satisfied. I would recommend:

a. A&A Europe Infantry. For $3.99 per bag, you get 25 infantry each of Germany (Black), USA (Green), UK/Britian (Tan) & USSR (Red). This is a good deal.

b. Ships, Planes and Tanks. For $3.99 per bag, you get:

Germany (Black)
Destroyers (6)
Battleship (2)
Sub (12)
Bomber (3)
Artillery (12)
Air Craft Carrier (2)
Tank (12)
Fighter (12)
Transport (6)

Russian (Red)
Destroyers (2)
Battleship (2)
Sub (4)
Bomber (3)
Artillery (10)
Air Craft Carrier (1)
Tank (12)
Fighter (10)
Transport (4)

UK (Tan)
Destroyers (8 )
Battleship (4)
Sub (6)
Bomber (3)
Artillery (10)
Air Craft Carrier (3)
Tank (10)
Fighter (10)
Transport (6)

USA (Green)
Destroyers (6)
Battleship (4)
Sub (8 )
Bomber (6)
Artillery (10)
Air Craft Carrier (4)
Tank (12)
Fighter (12)
Transport (8 )

2. My second recommendation is a company you already mentioned. Table Tactics at www.tabletactics.com. John Geisler (whom I meet last year at Origins) is currently one of very few companies that caters to the A&A enthusiast who is looking to add variety and pieces to their A&A gaming table. I personally own:

a. Central Powers ($33.00 per box) which give you tons of playing pieces, in all 5 major powers colors. The best that this box set has to offer are:

1) The destroyers. Before AAE/EEP, TT & Zeno were the only two companies that offered such a plastic unit.
2) The cruisers. Other than Enemy on the Horizon, there is no other company that offers such a plastic unit.
3) The half-tracks (i.e. mechanized infantry). TT is the only company to offer such a plastic unit.

b. A&A Accessories: ($35.00 per box) which gives you tons of playing pieces, in all 5 major powers colors. The only piece from this set that I use on a regular basis in my games is the wonderful looking bomber.

c. Risk 2042: ($29.00 per box) gives you tons of playing pieces, in all 5 major powers colors. The only pieces from this set that I use on a regular basis in my games is 1) the armored car (i.e. either a light tank or an upgraded mechanized infantry vehicle) and 2) the M1 Battle tank (which a friend introduced me to when we played Imps East vs. West.) which I use as a heavy tank.

3. My third recommendation is another company you mentioned. Zeno Games. www.xenogames.com/ Frank Zeno (whom I also have meet at 1993s Origins) . I personally own:

a. World at War. ($46.95 per box) which includes ton of playing pieces (200), in all 5 major power colors, but only introduces two new and original pieces which are:

1) Destroyers. Aside from AAE/AAP & TT, Zenos destroyers a makes a great looking destroyer.
2) Sub Pen: Zeno is the ONLY company that make such a piece.

b. Europe at war. ($49.95 per box) which includes the same playing pieces as World at War but more of them (290), but you need to know that the countries being offered are Russia, UK, France (blue), USA, Germany, Neutrals (orange).

4. My next recommendation, which is the most expensive is to buy is pewter miniatures. I would personally recommend:

a. GHQ at www.ghqmodels.com/M/catalog.php3.
1) GHQ armor is the BEST you can buy on the market today. The size is very comparable to an AA unit, BUT at $8.95 per pack of 5 units, you are going to pay big.
2) GHQ WWII naval units are also great too, BUT if you do not select the right unit(s) you will find out that they are too large to use in any significant numbers on a standard or oversize board. Prices range from $6.95 from 6 subs, $8.95 for 5 destroyers, $10.95 for 1 crusier, to $12.95+ for each capital ship per package. If you do not watch out, one can go broke trying to amass a fleet for each country. Believe me I know!

b. CNC a rival to GHQ. A friend just introduced me to some of their stuff. Their quality and detail is not as good as GHQ, but for the price, I would recommend you look at them too. Their armor is ok, but their ships for the money is a great value. I own about 8 of their ships and am quite happy.

c. Lastly, I will include a company which I believe made (yes I said made) the best WWII aircraft that being Pewter Craft. PC sold exact replicas of every aircraft in WWII, in a scale that was slightly larger than what AA/AAE/AAP has to offer. Their molds came directly from the Department of Defense which was commission for recognition purposes (just like the playing cards). This company is no longer in business, but if you look hard enough you can still find hobby stores that have small quantities. Take a look at www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/min...wtercraft/ which is a web site from a college student that took the time to put Pewter Crafts catalog on the web. I myself own a fair amount of PC's stuff.

5. My last recommendation, (which I have only started to get into) is to mold and cast your own stuff. E-mail me and I will give you more details on this new project.


Hope the above helped out some
Good Gaming
Aaron Ingle
a/k/a AxisNDallas
ingaar@racenter.com

Dear Imp,

Wow! I did not know that you sold plastic pieces.

I just check out your web site, and have a few questions:
1. Do you have any pictures of your pieces?
2. Which 4 major powers (i.e. colors) do your pieces come in?
3. How many units and of which type do you get for $4.00?
4. How many units and of which type do you get for $14.00?
5. What size is your miniature poker chips? Are they the same size as in the A&A?

AxisNDallas