A&A Variant that adds a twist to the game

I would highly, highly recommend going “Three-Turns per Round”.

Axis Powers go first.

Then, Russia & China go.

Finally, Allies go.

If you have 8 players that know what they’re doing, this makes a very intense G40 game happen in about 7 or 8 hours.

Axis and Allied forces can attack together.  Russia may not attack with Allied forces.  China also may not attack together with Allied forces.

I use WWII Russians and control markers for Bolsheviks. These are controlled by the CPs, but cannot attack outside original Russian areas. Some sort of Siberian railway track to represent the arrival of Allied (i.e. anti-Bolshevik) forces from the east.

Something else I’ve experimented with is the release of POWs; if the war with Russia ends, G & A get a number of infantry to represent the release of prisoners held in Russia. This can be extended to any power being knocked out of the war.

My main change is that collapse is based on national morale, based on casualties suffered & bombing raids on the capitals as well as losing battles and tt. Its fairly obvious that collapse based on income levels favours the CPs too much.

I’m looking for folks interested in collaborating on a project to create an Axis & Allies variant, based on the Hasbro rules, but incorporating a new map and various additions. This would be something in the spirit of HBG’s 1939 Global War product.

Specifically, I am looking for at least two people. One person to help with rules development, and one person to develop the map, for which I presume we will want to use Photoshop.

In terms of how this project might be different from G1940, 2nd ed:

1. The new map will be larger than that published by HBG. The theme will be turning formerly minor powers into functionally playable nations that can add optional depth to the game by bringing more of the map into play (e.g., South America).

2. New minor powers, developed in the context of an alternate history. Portugal is turned into a playable minor by the preservation of her Brazilian colony. The Dutch and Belgians are merged so that the Dutch are more robust. The Greeks have succeeded in achieving the Megali Idea in Anatolia. Argentina and Siam are elevated to playable minors by division into a larger number of territories.

3. A new political system that allows players to attempt to influence neutral nations.

4. A Fall 1938 start date, at which only Japan, China, and Russia are at war. The French move before Germany and can opt to reinforce their defenses or attack in an attempt to enforce the terms of Versailles. The Russians have also delivered an ultimatum to the Finns.

5. A new combat odds system based on a d12.

6. A selection of new unit types, including paratroopers, air transports, and interbellum units. In some cases, players will begin the game with “legacy” assets (e.g., older battleships) that they may not actually build in-game. Minor powers may purchase certain types of naval and air units from major powers, at a premium.

7. Simultaneous turns, to speed gameplay.

8. New National Objectives that reward players for achieving particular goals, apart from occupation of Victory Cities.

9. New rules to address national defeat (e.g., activation of Vichy France).

10. New core concepts, including a “naval combat search” that simulates the difficulty of locating enemy fleets, as well as optional supply rules. Carrier-based fighters may now scramble to support combat in adjacent map spaces.

Please leave me a private message if interested.

@Razor:

Maybe the inherent Carrier defense value should be boosted, to compensate for the weaker fighter. Let say you can land 2 planes on the Carrier, but the Carrier itself has a little fighter force just to close combat self defense, making the carrier defend on D3 ?

Very good idea: it is a can opener. It gives much room to compensate.
Maybe you can even give it the classic A1D3, if necessary for balance.
Or even going that far: A2D3, so almost all of the OOB A3D4 Fg + A0D2 Cv= A3D6, will be converted: Fg A1D2 + CV A2D3 = A3D5.

Just suppose that there is a bunch of escorting ship/fighters wich can not be separated from the Carrier unit.

It can probably solve a lot of balance problem.

You guys are gonna get my thread removed with that kind of talk. Remember what happened to the concentration camp house rule thread…. ZAP!

I prefer simplicity. I prefer to have them operate like minor ICs except their bonus is one research die per turn instead of producing units. (when not damaged). I’m okay with a cap of 1 tech per turn. I’ll pass on the captured technology raid rule. I think having your enemy capture your research facility (and the free roll each turn after that) is reward enough.

Having them operate like minor ICs let’s you build them on 2 iPc territories, which is necessary if someone like Anzac hopes to ever acquire any technology.

Overall it’s a great concept.

Tac bombers should not be able to do as much damage as strat bombers. We have same rule, but the tacs damage is halved rounded up for 1-3 damage to a facility. Far more realistic.

This last post pushed it over the edge.