Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play

[genken]

I have searched for this on the forums and cannot find a reference to it. In the setup for Germany there are 2 pieces for aircraft carriers. I am axis and I started an Africa Korps movement but US entered the war in turn 1. Now I will need 2 carriers to guard the med in SZ 91 but I also want to place a carrier in SZ 113 to counter a possible Russian attack formulated by my cunning opponent. I can use a plastic chip in SZ 91. Is it permissible in the rules for Germany to have 3 carriers in play?

[taamvan]

Of course. In some early editions pieces were limited to what was in the box. NO MORE. If you add extra pieces or custom ones, you can have TEN (10) German ACs.

Except in Classic. Or maybe thats wrong.

[taamvan]

Either put some chips under em, or grab proxies out of another set.

[DizzKneeLand33]

I don’t ever remember a version where you were limited to what was in the box…

[barnee]

@DizzKneeLand33 said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

I don’t ever remember a version where you were limited to what was in the box…

hmm…actually, I seem to remember people saying some of the earlier games did ? Not a 100% on that tho. Maybe @Panther knows ?

[655321]

Yes you can do it. In situations like this I use a little piece of paper or a lego piece as a stand in.

[DizzKneeLand33]

Right, this would work. I mean, how do you limit the amount of aircraft carriers to two, but you can have like 87 in one sea zone (with chips)? This isn’t monopoly… :D

EDIT: By the way, if you have 87 german AC’s in the Central Med in 2nd edition, ain’t no way Allies are taking out that German fleet. Just sayin…

[Krieghund]

@taamvan said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

Of course. In some early editions pieces were limited to what was in the box. NO MORE. If you add extra pieces or custom ones, you can have TEN (10) German ACs.

Except in Classic. Or maybe thats wrong.

That’s correct. In Classic, the number of unit stacks was limited to the number of pieces available. In every game since then, it’s been legal to use a proxy if you run out of pieces.

[DizzKneeLand33]

@Krieghund said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

@taamvan said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

Of course. In some early editions pieces were limited to what was in the box. NO MORE. If you add extra pieces or custom ones, you can have TEN (10) German ACs.

Except in Classic. Or maybe thats wrong.

That’s correct. In Classic, the number of unit stacks was limited to the number of pieces available. In every game since then, it’s been legal to use a proxy if you run out of pieces.

By “classic” I assume that means “first edition” in essence? I guess I don’t remember that being in the rulebook.

So, the rules indeed did allow for 87 carriers in one SZ, but you couldn’t have a carrier in more than two spaces on the board? That’s just bizarre… makes no sense at all.

[Krieghund]

By “Classic”, I mean both the 1st (1984) and 2nd (1986) editions of the Milton Bradley version.

[genken]

Thanks taamvan, DizzKneeLand33, barnee, 655321 and Kreighund. I remember the rule in classic but I had not had an occasion to need it until now. Our current game rages on. US destroyed both carriers in SZ 91 but luftwaffe fighters survived.

[DizzKneeLand33]

@Krieghund said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

By “Classic”, I mean both the 1st (1984) and 2nd (1986) editions of the Milton Bradley version.

Well, every 2nd edition game I’ve ever played has not had this restriction, especially in any of the PBEM clubs. Was there a change to 2nd edition rules post printing or did we all just play it wrong? :)

And thanks for the great info @Krieghund !

[Krieghund]

There hasn’t been a change. In fact, the rule was mentioned in the 1991 rules clarification document. You must have been playing it wrong!

[Panther]

@DizzKneeLand33 @Krieghund
Both rulebooks, first edition and second edition, state on page 7:

Plastic Chips…
Stacked chips must always be topped off by the identifying unit piece.

Second edition rulebook continues:

NOTE: Because of this “topping off” action the number of stacks is actually limited by the number of units in the game. For example no player could have more than two stacks of aircraft carriers because there are only two carrier units per player in the game.

[DizzKneeLand33]

@Krieghund said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

There hasn’t been a change. In fact, the rule was mentioned in the 1991 rules clarification document. You must have been playing it wrong!

Well, that explains it. I wasn’t playing PBEM 2nd edition until the early 2000’s – no one would play with me irl in 1984… :(

[barnee]

@DizzKneeLand33 said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

@Krieghund said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

There hasn’t been a change. In fact, the rule was mentioned in the 1991 rules clarification document. You must have been playing it wrong!

Well, that explains it. I wasn’t playing PBEM 2nd edition until the early 2000’s – no one would play with me irl in 1984… :(

1984 wasn’t a good year for me either if it makes you feel any better :)

[The_Good_Captain]

Piece count limitation definitely exists in classic and usually affects the IC and AA pieces as they are communal builds.
I addressed this and other small rules unique to AnA classic in my video series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_u_mOFTcQA&t=91s

It’s also addressed in this FAQ by Larry Harris:
http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/pdf/A&A_Classic_FAQ.pdf

[aequitas-et-veritas]

@genken said in Can Germany have more than 2 aircraft carriers in play:

I have searched for this on the forums and cannot find a reference to it. In the setup for Germany there are 2 pieces for aircraft carriers. I am axis and I started an Africa Korps movement but US entered the war in turn 1. Now I will need 2 carriers to guard the med in SZ 91 but I also want to place a carrier in SZ 113 to counter a possible Russian attack formulated by my cunning opponent. I can use a plastic chip in SZ 91. Is it permissible in the rules for Germany to have 3 carriers in play?

Why do you think that you need CV’s to protect the Med.?
I am curious, wouldn’t Bmbrs doing the same Job and give you more flexibility?
So now you spent 48 ipcs for three CV’s and 32 are lost compared to 48 = 4 Bmbrs plus your Ftr’s and the Allies player would have had to think about it sailing to Gibraltar…just my thoughts…