Playing forum games via TripleA is easy, especially if you’re already familiar with TripleA. The process of playing-by-forum is nearly identical to playing by email.

Let’s assume you’ve never played TripleA before. Follow these steps:

1. Download and install TripleA.

Use this link to download TripleA: TripleA Download. It is available on all modern desktop platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Use the latest stable version (as of writing it is 1322). Depending on your system, you usually want to either download tripleA with java or the triplea all platforms zip. Once you download it, clicking the exe file should install it for you.

2. Start TripleA and download the appropriate maps.

To download maps, use this guide from the TripleA War Club: Finding and Installing Maps for TripleA

Some of the maps include:

World War II Revised, based on Axis & Allies Revised

World War II v3, based on Axis & Allies 50th Anniversary Edition

World War II v4, based on Axis & Allies 1942

World War II Pacific, based on Axis & Allies Pacific 1940

World War II Classic, based on the original Axis & Allies 2nd Edition

Europe, based on Axis & Allies Europe (1999)

Invasion USA, based on Fortress America

Check out the other maps too! Big World 42 and Pact of Steel are popular user-created maps that come pre-installed with TripleA.

3. Play around with TripleA and see how it works.

Start a “Local Game” using the map you are interested in and check out how it works. Everything is done with a mouse. Speed commands (like hitting ctrl to select all) are very similar to Battlemap commands. It could take a few games to get used to it. If you don’t want to practice by playing against yourself, then log onto the live lobby for a game or two to practice.

4. Get ready for a play by forum game.

Once you get a feel for TripleA, let’s move onto using it to play-by-forum.

First, if you’re not already a member of the Axis & Allies.org forums, you’ll need to create an account here.

The program has its own dice server, and when you play in PBF mode, it will email you the dice results. So the email addresses for all players need to be registered with the dice server. Visit http://dice.tripleawarclub.org and register your email. Once you do that, check your email and click on the confirmation link.

PBF is very similar to PBEM (play by email). See this helpful guide: TripleA PBEM Visual Guide.

5. Start a forum game.

Now you’re ready to start a forum game.

Start a new topic in the “Play Boardgames” section in the Axis & Allies.org forums and make note of the topic id.

Now open up TripleA

Click “Start PBEM Game” (see the PBEM guide link above for a visual guide).

Enter the email addresses for yourself and your opponent(s) in email address field. If there are lots of email addresses, just separate them with a semi-colon.

Choose the dicey server you want (normally http://dice.tripleawarclub.org/)

In the “ID” field, put in the 5 digit url for the thread you started (for example, the url for this thread is 25868).

Now turn on “post turn summary” and “post save game file”

Click “test post” and check the A&A forums thread. The test post should post within 20 seconds.

Then click “play” and execute your turn.

6. Automatically post your turn to the forums.

At the end of your first turn, a box will come up asking if you want to post the save game file and summary. Click yes. Once you are finished with your turn, the system will auto-post the turn summary and attach a save file.

7. Continue playing with your opponent.

When your opponent plays, he/she simply opens the attached save file. Then “Start PBEM Game”. The URL and the email addresses should all be there, and post save game and post turn summary should be on. But double-check anyway. Do the test post. Then press play!

8. Enjoy the technology!

That’s it! You play the game out this way, and there is no need for typing and no need to worry about checking your opponent’s map for accuracy. Everything your opponent did in his turn can be viewed using the “Game History” function.

View an Example of Play by Forum

To view an example of how it works see this game: DarthMaximus vs. Zhukov

Post turn summary has some minor bugs for aa50 related to the turn summary for the USA/China turn, but this does not effect playability. Everything related to past turns can be viewed using the game history and any dice outcomes will be emailed to you as they happen.

Have fun and enjoy the technology!

If you have any questions, discuss this post on the forums here: http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=25868.0