Axis and Allies: Pacific - Inventory of pieces

After I got this game I realized it was missing pieces. This is now the third Axis and Allies game I have gotten with missing parts. Two thumbs down for Hasbro's customer service - IT SUCKS! If you find you are missing a piece, don't even both trying to get a replacement. Some day I'll post my horror story with the Risk - Star Wars: Original Trilogy Edition, but that is a story all it's own.

In anycase, it took me some time on the net, but I managed to track down a list of all the parts that come in this game, so I thought I'd post it here in case anyone else is looking.

Overall: 

1 Gameboard, box (top & bottom), Combat Chart, and parts divider insert

1 First Edition Rules-(minus the Readjusted "Set Up")

1 NPC, "Kamikaze", & Victory Point Track chart

12 BLACK w/WHITE 'pips' d6 dice

1 EACH Japan, USA, & UK "Set Up" Cards 

30 EACH $1, $5, & $10 IPC "certificates"

23 RED 'chips'

110 GRAY 'chips'

6 EACH "Task Force" cards & markers

12 EACH I.C. & A.A. guns

2 EACH U.K. & Australia "Convoy" markers (4 Total)

6 China "Control" markers

16 EACH USA & U.K.-(India) "Control" markers (32 Total)

38 Japan "Control" markers

CHINA

12 Infantry

USA

25 Infantry

12 Marines

20 Fighters (8 F6F Hellcats & 12 P-38 Lightnings

12 Armor

10 Artillery

6 Bombers

8 Transports

8 Subs

6 Destroyers

4 Battleships

4 Aircraft Carriers

U.K.

25 Infantry

10 Armour

10 Artillery

10 Fighters

3 Bombers

6 Transports

6 Subs

8 Destroyers

4 Battleships

3 Aircraft Carriers

JAPAN:

25 Infantry

8 Armor

10 Artillery

12 Fighters

4 Bombers

10 Transports

8 Subs

8 Destroyers

4 Battleships

4 Aircraft Carriers

Age of Empires III: The Age of Discovery - Missing Pieces

I had been looking forward to this game for a long time, but due to other games happening with my local gaming group, I had put off getting this until quite recently... This weekend I opened the game and did an inventory of pieces and found out I was missing on... Doh! A Red Soldier...

In the past I have dealt with missing pieces from Fantasy Flight (two thumbs up for them) and GMT (also two thumbs up), and also Hasbro for Axis and Allies (two thumbs down and I'd be willing to grow a third arm to give them three thumbs down)... 

So anyhow, I read through the messages on BGG and found that I should email a man names Neal about this... Well, that was yesterday and this morning I got an email from him saying the piece would be out in the mail for me tomorrow! So I was very happy to see such great customer service from them!

I am sure all will go well and I'll get my piece in a few days, so I will post a follow up, but so far so good on this small problem!

UPDATE: Neal pulled through, I got my piece in the mail 3 days after emailing him. Way to go!

AT-43 purchase time.

My son wanted this game a few months back and I looked into getting it, but because it was kind of expensive and I was only finding it in stock overseas, I held off because I had heard a rumor on Board Game Geek that FFG would be distributing it in the USA soon... I am glad I didhold off  because now I can get the game a lot cheaper than if I had gotten into it a few months ago... the main box set is going to run me about $55 now, whereas I was looking at spending probably over $100 for it a few months ago with shipping.

Now here is my question... my son is 13 years old and is quite a good gamer, he has played Warhammer 40k and some of the more complex board games as well, so I am not worried about him and the rules for this, but I am not sure what would be best to puchase if I was able to spend about $150 - $200 on this for him... can anyone here tell me what is best for me to buy? Is the boxed set worth getting since I have read it has more basic rules and I'll be buying a new rulebook any way? Or should I skip the main boxed set and get the rule book/army books and other figure sets, etc.

I want to maximize what I can get with the money I can spend on it at the moment, but since I have not played it, or spoken to anyone personally who has, I am at a loss for exactly what to get. I think I am going to order the main boxed set to start, plus the advanced rules book as well... Now if I wanted to spend a little more money and get an extra unit or two that would go well with the main box, do any of you have some recomendations? Something that I could add to each side that would still allow us to use the main set and extra set(s) and keep somewhat balanced games, this will give us a chance to get some good gaming in, see what we like/dislike and then purchase more units according to our tastes.

Thanks for any help anyone can shoot my way.