In what phase can I disband my own unit?

I'd encourage you to read the rulebook, which can be found here:

http://www.diplom.org/~diparch/diplomacy_rules.htm

There's a rulebook ......!!

I have read the rule book, but clearly I misunderstood something in my reading. My apologies.

Reading rulebooks is a recipe for disaster. Apparently the Monopoly rulebook says that any player can bid on a property if the person who lands on it doesn't want it. What kind of crazy rule is that?!? And the less said about the rule allowing you to build on someone else's turn in certain versions of Settlers of Catan the better.

Much like in the original Colonial Diplomacy rulebook, which did not include a land bridge to Sakhalin.

You can only disband if your unit is dislodged (in place of a retreat) or if you have fewer SCs than units. So there is no converting from army to fleet or fleet to army where they reside or in a home SC. Your best bet is to get the unit dislodged (negotiate, negotiate, negotiate) and rebuild the other type in an open home SC.

"Reading rulebooks is a recipe for disaster."

I see what you're getting at, but that's a little too broad. Just try talking someone through how to play Axis and Allies rather than throwing them the rulebook and saying we'll play next week.

Better yet, just play to net another SC to be able to build a new unit of the type you want, while keeping the old one also on the board. Just do 15 (or 14) times and you've won the game.

"And the less said about the rule allowing you to build on someone else's turn in certain versions of Settlers of Catan the better."
That rule only exists in the 5-6 player expansion, iirc. It's a shitty (but somewhat necessary) tweak to the rulebook to allow you to play with more people. 5-6 player settles does sort of stink though anyways.

Ankara Cresent, for example, is entirely unplayable without first reading the rules.

Oh god, Invictus, you're right. Axis and Allies has a TERRIBLE rulebook.

I meant it more in the sense that it's a fairly complicated game and you NEED to read, even study, the rulebook to play. Just sort of walking through it like you can do with, say, Risk is impossible. If it's a terrible rulebook it's because there are serious flaws in the game mechanics. I would play it with my cousins years ago, and the only way it stayed fun after a round or two was to add the house rule that you couldn't build more infantry (or any unit) than there were pieces for. None of that token-stacking shit.

I don't know. The best way to learn a game Axis and Allies is to play against a computer on a downloaded version to get a feel of it. The rulebook should only be used to help refine the physical process and clarify a few of the less apparent aspects of play.

Trying to learn a game like that straight out of the book? That way madness lies...

True enough, but the computer version doesn't come up against the problem of too many infantry in the same way. The dice auto-resolve so it cuts down on time, for one, and there's no issue of space. I'm sure there are other problems using the computer version first would create, but it's been so long since I've played either version that I can't think of them.

@Yonni "Ankara Cresent, for example, is entirely unplayable without first reading the rules." In fairness it's pretty unplayable even when you've read the entire canon that is the modernised revised rule book.

I'm teaching the wife Axis & Allies this weekend at the cabin...

How's Starfleet Battles sound like as a Thick rulebook!

Axis & Allies without stacking infantry? How do you even play?

please don't disturb the district's weekend
with your howls of pain Draugnar

I love SFB, but it takes an hour to figure out a minute's worth of game time. :-)