China Free Mod version 0.1

[Funcioneta]

• I think AA50 gives axis too much advantage in 1941 scenario and a slight advantage in 1942 because of China status
• I think China has too complex rules that give no balance, fun or historical accuracy to the game

So to fix those two things, I release house rules in the form of China Free Mod

For now, the rules are untested. I think axis could still have a slim advantage in 1941 even with this fix and 1942 should be balanced. Help me testing them. I’ll play any side you want. The test games will be with NOs and techs and 13 VCs rules for this purpose. I can play one test game at the same time, but anyone interested in this can play against other and mail me the results or post in this thread.

Those matches will not be only for testing the mod. They will be also for fun! So tech and NOs are mandatory, at least against me  :wink:

[Funcioneta]

China Free Mod 0.1 Rules

• Delete the whole page 10 of rulebook. All rules that are only for China are canceled. China plays as any another playing power, with normal rules. This means China can go out China, buy tanks, research and any wicked thing normal countries can do. Of course, no poping inf or building out of ICs. If you are wondering what China can and cannot do, ask you if Italy can do. The same reply is valid for both
• Manchuria and Kiangsu still are chinese “starting” territories. Per example, if soviets liberate Manchuria, it reverts to China control
• China plays 6th, after Italy and before USA, in both scenarios. China is a fully independent power without relation with USA’s turn
• China’s capital is Chongquing, in Sikang (it represents Koumingtang’s base)
• Sikang’s value is now 4
• Ningxia’s value is now 2

NOs for China:

• Burma Road: 3 IPCs if allies control all of India, Burma and Yunnan
• Fading Sun: 5 IPCs if allies controls all chinese starting territories (including Manchuria and Kiangsu) plus Kwangtung

***** Setup (for both scenarios) *****

*** Fukien (Fuk)
1 Inf

*** Suiyuan (Sui)
1 Inf

*** Hupeh (Hup)
1 Inf

*** Yunnan (Yun)
1 Inf

*** Sikang (Sik)
3 Inf
1 Ftr
1 IC
1 AA

*** Ningxia (Nin) (This territory boosted status represents communist forces)
1 Inf
1 Art

*** Chinghai (Chi)
1 Inf

And the map for AABattlemap, 1941 scenario is this …

aa41chinamod.AAM

[Bardoly]

I’m willing to give it a try, but can someone create pieces for China?  Probably the naval units wouldn’t be needed for now, just the land/air units.
Also, it seems that you have possibly buffed up China a bit too much.  Perhaps 1-3 inf should be removed from the western territories of China.

[Imperious Leader]

China is too strong. make the infantry at 1-1 and perhaps it will work.

[Funcioneta]

@Bardoly:

I’m willing to give it a try, but can someone create pieces for China?  Probably the naval units wouldn’t be needed for now, just the land/air units.
Also, it seems that you have possibly buffed up China a bit too much.  Perhaps 1-3 inf should be removed from the western territories of China.

I can play axis if you like. I think I have the old pieces in some place, in the other PC. I’ll post the file when I can

[Funcioneta]

@Imperious:

China is too strong. make the infantry at 1-1 and perhaps it will work.

My purpose is testing it. I’ll play axis against any person who thinks China is now too strong

[Bluestroke]

I want to add this to your AA50FuncionetaCHG map.
( a AA50 Variant-Alternate 1941 setup, I made from earlier comments you made on items missing in Gen Con pics -AA50 variant folder. )
A fair amount of people are downloading that map.

Or would you believe this to be a different map? 
I like to try lots of options.
Your testing online-I believe, we are playing face four player games -will pitch it for next game session-and let you know how it turned out for us.

[wodan46]

I don’t think this is a problem for Japan.  While China is stronger, it now has 5 more IPCs worth of value to capture, a capital to be sacked, and an IC it can seize.  The last one in particular is a huge boon to Japan.

Before, Japan could reliably conquer India/China/Indonesia/Siberia without breaking a sweat in a turn or two.  Now it has enough forces to challenge it, but potentially even more spoils to seize.

I like it.

[Funcioneta]

@wodan46:

Before, Japan could reliably conquer India/China/Indonesia/Siberia without breaking a sweat in a turn or two.  Now it has enough forces to challenge it, but potentially even more spoils to seize.

Yep, that was the idea: a stronger opposition but also a greater prize. Also, I was thinking on Japan’s SBR on Chongquing: if, say, China colects 12-13, even with a SBR of 8, China colud repair and still buy 2 guys.

I wanted change things only in China, so I had to boost them to 4 units each turn to give them a chance, because in 1941 you cannot receive aid from a India IC (Japan has too many trannies). Also, I stick with Ottawa as VC instead Chongquing (after all, you have still Shangai).

Someone said Italy is mini-me of Germany. I like think in China as mini-me of USSR

[Funcioneta]

@Bluestroke:

Or would you believe this to be a different map? 
I like to try lots of options.
Your testing online-I believe, we are playing face four player games -will pitch it for next game session-and let you know how it turned out for us.

It should be a different map. The one you did with my speculations changed some units here and there for other countries. I changed things only to China this time. Your work is great, Bluestroke, and I like much the comments you add to each territory. You could paint the Burma Road as in AAPacific map

I have still to test it online, but I played FTF with China Free Mod last Saturday. I played USSR and UK and let China, USA and the axis to my two novice pals. The chinese player buyed mostly inf with a bit of art for China, and a Pacific fleet for USA. Axis player purchased navy well, but failed to ferry enough troops to Asia, so China finally managed reach Fading Sun NO after 4-5 rounds  :-o. Japan was too afraid from my soviet stack at Buryatia and failed to buy a IC in Manchuria. Not representative game because of novice players but still shows now China cannot be ignored. Japan could take Australia still, and was still colecting 40 IPCs when Germany fallen by a UK anphibious assault because of axis player forgot defend enough

I suggest you use Chinese markers from AA Pacific if you have them, and fleet markers also. Also, I used the numbered counters for marshalling cards of Revised to represent changed value of Sikang and Nimgxia. Sikang is a pain to stack because is too small for his new capital status  :|

[Bluestroke]

@Funcioneta:

@Bluestroke:

Or would you believe this to be a different map? 
I like to try lots of options.
Your testing online-I believe, we are playing face four player games -will pitch it for next game session-and let you know how it turned out for us.

It should be a different map. The one you did with my speculations changed some units here and there for other countries. I changed things only to China this time. Your work is great, Bluestroke, and I like much the comments you add to each territory. You could paint the Burma Road as in AAPacific map

I have still to test it online, but I played FTF with China Free Mod last Saturday. I played USSR and UK and let China, USA and the axis to my two novice pals. The chinese player buyed mostly inf with a bit of art for China, and a Pacific fleet for USA. Axis player purchased navy well, but failed to ferry enough troops to Asia, so China finally managed reach Fading Sun NO after 4-5 rounds  :-o. Japan was too afraid from my soviet stack at Buryatia and failed to buy a IC in Manchuria. Not representative game because of novice players but still shows now China cannot be ignored. Japan could take Australia still, and was still colecting 40 IPCs when Germany fallen by a UK anphibious assault because of axis player forgot defend enough

I suggest you use Chinese markers from AA Pacific if you have them, and fleet markers also. Also, I used the numbered counters for marshalling cards of Revised to represent changed value of Sikang and Nimgxia. Sikang is a pain to stack because is too small for his new capital status  :|

Ok, I will start a new map this week and post back here when its up.
And thanks, for the feed back on the comments added to the map. 
I have been unsure of how people were reacting to the factoids I added.

[Funcioneta]

Tried again the mod in FTF against the same guy (novice). I was axis this time, so I had to face China as full power by 1st time. It was a crazy game, that for sure (I won, but Germany had only inf when finally my pal surrendered). About China in this game, I finally managed defeat them after 6 blody rounds of fight, but, this is the interesting thing, India IC managed survive until the surrendering because I was too busy with chineses and the Pacific USA fleet to make a serious attack on India (we had 2 big sea battles in Pacific ocean, one lost, one won). But there were no hope against a 4 IPCs jap IC and a horde of german inf, so allies surrendered.

Seems it works: a serious opponent, but a big prize when China is finally defeated. I wonder if a more experienced player would resist more, probably yes

[Funcioneta]

A note: not having to explain that silly page 10 of the rulebook to novice players saves tons of time. Another reason to try the mod

[Unknown Soldier]

I really like the idea behind this. China should be an independent power, and Japan should not be able to wipe them off the map in a couple turns.

However, the Axis are at a severe disadvantage with these changes. Which is not good, because many people (including myself) feel that the Allies may already have a slight edge. Yes, there are more IPCs in Asia for Japan to conquer now. Yes, they have a capital to sack. But the this just does not make up for the fact that by the time Japan finally overcomes China, the Allies will be throwing a V-E day parade in Berlin.

I think you need to beef Germany up significantly for this to be balanced. In fact, I’m not even sure you can balance this without rewriting the victory conditions. But I do like the idea as part of bigger, all-encompassing mod, perhaps.

[Funcioneta]

Well, I’m one of the guys thinking axis has a great advantage, as I said in my 1st post, and that is the strongest reason to make this mod. If finally allies would have the advantage, this mod would not be needed.

Any case, I would prefer delete that starting USA bombers than giving more power to germans (if allies have advantage with the mod), or we could end with a german parade in Moscow too soon.

Let’s see if I find the time to make a AABattlemap module of the mod …

[Funcioneta]

A note: I’ll send by e-mail a file with chinese tanks, artillery or such to anyone willing to test this mod with AABattlemap. It’s an old file, but it should work.

[Bluestroke]

Ok, here is the map with Funcioneta’s China Mod 0.1. 
I probably did not complete everything, exactly, the way you wanted,
but I hope it captures your intentions for the Variant; 
It can be found here under the folder AA50 Variant maps, 
as AA50FuncionetaChinamod;
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=db7389213b434449d2db6fb9a8902bda

Please review so I can edit my errors,

enjoy.

[Funcioneta]

Yaaai! It’s super good!  :-) I like how Burma Road continues to Chongquing (after all, you cannot collect money without the capital) and also the cities in it. Commie China roundel is good also, and the mentions of KMT and CCP in their bases

I also like very much China added in order of turns and starting cash spots. Both NOs marked in yellow also good.

But the better is the now greater territory of Sikang. This is very needed, because in the two games I played the mod using the real board, Sikang was full of units from the begining.

Excelent work! You get a +1 karma.  A great work as always :-)

[Bluestroke]

@Funcioneta:

Yaaai! It’s super good!  :-) I like how Burma Road continues to Chongquing (after all, you cannot collect money without the capital) and also the cities in it. Commie China roundel is good also, and the mentions of KMT and CCP in their bases

I also like very much China added in order of turns and starting cash spots. Both NOs marked in yellow also good.

But the better is the now greater territory of Sikang. This is very needed, because in the two games I played the mod using the real board, Sikang was full of units from the begining.

Excelent work! You get a +1 karma.  A great work as always :-)

Great, glad you like it, thanks for the ideas.
I am making a MaxiumBlue map with all the ideas I like from online. 
I would like to add this idea, I of course would list you for your credit,
enjoy.

[Pvt.Patterson]

That would eat japanesse forces for breakfast. You really could only attack the UK or China and not both. China could only make one unit per turn.
Mabye with a Japanse tank and 2 art on the mainland to compensate
that woud make it a more even battle but you would also have the CCCP breathing down your nech with up to 9 inf. Thats bad for teh lighting war japan needs to out IPC the US.
Looks good on paper. tweek it a bit more see if its possible to give china a fighting chance without tottaly bogging down the jappanesse.