Re: Field Marshal Games Pieces Project Discussion thread

Cannot find many threads that really get into this version of the game in great detail. Played 1 full game of it so far, and love it. (I was originally a Classic player all the way.)

Anyway, few questions to maybe spark some discussion on this:

Which official version is this map closest to? Also which “official” rule set does this variant use? Spring 1942 edition?

Bidding: on the few posts I found on the topic, it seems people think this map favors the Axis and they actually bid allies. Either I am reading posts on a different version or I just suck, because it seems like the Allies are in pretty good shape in this map from the beginning and they can do some things right out of the gate to slow what needs to be a rapid Axis assault. E.g. China being a distraction and the UK being able to defend most of its colonies for at least 3 turns.

I am still not entirely sure what the best opening moves are for the Axis, which is what I would really like to discuss in depth here if other folks have some more experience with this game. For instance, what odds should the German player take to try and take Leningrad first turn? It seems like their Northern fleet cannot last more than a turn against a good UK player, so should you just sacrifice it and take worse odds on a Leningrad assault if the Soviet player leaves you, say, a 70% chance? (I am usually the kind of player that only attacks with overwhelming odds, e.g., 90% and above. Even 85% makes me nervous…) How can the Germans ever keep their Northern fleet alive? Do they need to? (It seems like the English can kill it turn 1 no matter what the Germans do.) If you cannot take Leningrad T1, is it better to instead focus like a laser on a later round (T4 or 5) take over of Stalingrad with a huge mass of tanks and infantry that you slowly plod over there?

Is a rapid take over of Africa impossible against a UK player who adequately defends Syria and Egypt T1 and who rapidly stacks Gibraltar with numerous planes and troops? Should the Italians forego Africa and put everything into a Russian assault? Is Western Turkey a viable take-over to open up another avenue for Italian ships and/or tanks into Russia or Africa?

Do the Japanese sacrifice their fleet to kill the US at Midway or do they ignore them entirely and focus everything on India? It seems like focusing on anything else is ultimately a mistake, at least thats how my last game played out.

So many questions! What do you guys think is the optimum opening Axis move?

Did you get that from Historical Board Gaming? I downloaded the same map and rule set. Since then I’ve completely reworked the map and rules. I’m currently in the process of possibly getting it published.

Bump!

I have it, but am holding onto it for further playtesting on the set-ups.

Europe is being slightly changed in terms of the map, and there will be some minor additions to the rules.  These changes will probably be part of the map/rule package I am looking into producing.  Pacific would be released this way as well if all falls together.

Cheers

I think you should add cavalry because the British had a cavalry division at the start of the war. Also the ANZAC’s had cavalry divisions even though the did not use them in Gallopoli and will you include rules about terrain such as the hills in turkey that meant the ANZAC infantry became fodder. Also will there be sea units used for transportation? You could also create a tech that meant Art could fire poison rounds that decreased Inf def and also killed halve of Inf stack.

German Forces:
Unit Type Movement Attack Defense Notes

Tiger Tank 2 9 9 Takes 2 hits, attacks are preemptive  against enemy Tanks first
Panzer tank 3 6 7
Panzer Grenadier
(Mechanized Infantry) 3 4 6
Tank Destroyer 2 7 8 All hits go against enemy armor first
Volks- Grenadier 1 2 4
Fallscirm- Jager (airborne) 1 5 5
Artillery 1 4 4 1  Hex range
Heavy Artillery 1 6 4 2 Hex range
Neberwerfer Rocket 1  + +  +/1 Hex range, each enemy rolls one d6 1=hit, 2-3= unit shocked.
Fighters any 6 8
Jet Fighter any 6x2 10 No interception
Bomber any 8 2 Preemptive attack, ground forces cannot fire back (except Artillery)
Jet Bomber any 6 9 No interception

Allied Forces:
Unit Type Movement Attack Defense Notes

Tank 3 4 3
Mechanized Infantry 2 3 3
Tank Destroyer 3 4 3 All hits go against enemy armor first
Anti -Tank Gun 1 3 2 All hits go against enemy armor first
Airborne 1 2 2
Artillery 1 2 2 1  Hex range
Heavy Artillery 1 4 2 2 Hex range
Fighters any 2 3
Bomber any 3 2 Preemptive attack, ground forces cannot fire back (except Artillery)

all combat is one round duration. all air combat occurs first. if any extra planes are availible they can go against land targets. only artillery can hit planes.

Artillery Guns Anti-Air Defense
Artillery (both regular and heavy Artillery) units may fire at each air unit entering or flying across the air space of its territory during attacking combat movement. Each defending artillery unit rolls against each plane and a result of a 1 on a D12 results in a hit. The maximum number of Artillery units that can roll against planes in this fashion is limited to two. Note: each plane is rolled separately by type and can only be attacked preemptively. Example: 2 Allied Bombers and 2 Fighters attack a hex with German forces including one Artillery unit. The two Bombers are rolled together, yielding results of 3 and 5 (both misses). Next two fighters are rolled with results of 1 and 2 (one hit). One fighter is destroyed with the remaining planes able to perform their combat mission. Remember: each defending Artillery unit has one first shot attack at each air unit. Losses are removed immediately before the air units’ fire back. Attacks by the surviving planes can then proceed in the normal fashion.

I will adjust values for d12 dice. Note: allies not finished.

still need some good supply rules but i need more information on the OOB supply rules. might just use them.

each ammo chit allows one combat action
each fuel drum chit allows one hex of units to move full movement

germany starts with x number of chits in each catagory

allies do not have a limit but some limit on combat actions.

use OOB air power rules but add some rules for jet power say one plane for germany is jet.

also need some optional rocket rules V weapons:

V-2 Rockets
Allow the German player to conduct one V-2 attack per turn. This may be in addition to a similar event from an action card. The attack can be conducted into any Allied hex and each ground unit rolls with 1-2 counted as a hit, 3-4 unit is “suppressed” and cannot move that turn , and 5-6 no effect. The German player has six such attacks per game. Attacks can also be conducted against Allied fuel depots again hitting on a 1-2.

Jet Power
Allow the German player to substitute up to two of his daily air power allocations for one Jet fighter (Me-262) and one Jet Bomber (Ar-234) each turn till the end of the game. They can “save” this allotment until a specific turn and launch the balance of what was withheld until a turn of their choosing. Air Interception missions cannot be performed against Jet planes. They also cannot conduct Paratrooper drops. During aerial combat each Jet Fighter rolls twice against enemy planes. Secondly, allow the Allied player one Jet Fighter (Gloucester Meteor) each turn which performs like any other fighter except it can also avoid all enemy air interceptions.

using jet power may involve using additional air units for allies.

LOL… yea thats been a long time ago. The game plays very well with basic search and engagements.

using the Zeppelins, subs and carrier make for additional fun.