I think you could just announce that it’s a recon force and which ships would be passing through if it succeeds… maybe put the recon force into the territory for combat and the rest of the fleet could be put on the line between the territories until combat is resolved. If the recon force takes out the blockers in the first round of combat, the ships on the line could then pass through the territory or use their shore bombardment in the territory: but the recon force could not pass through with them and could not bombard with them (they would be out of position, expended munitions, etc.). If the recon force fails to take out the blockers, then the remaining ships may join the combat or they could stay in the previous zone and either way can’t pass through or bombard the shore. The recon force would then have to continue to engage in regular combat or retreat.
1914 House rule for USW
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The German player can roll for USW and still avoid war. However, each time they perform USW a D6 is rolled. It it hits 5+, the next score of the die is reduced to 4+ and finally 3+. When it hits 3, the US player is at war. Obviously, you don’t roll this is the US is already at war.
Now the German player can take chances and still avoid war and the CP have some small advantage.
Another system is to allow the US player while neutral to ship IPC on her Built transports. US can ship up to 10 IPC to UK as aid ( the US player now has less income to buy). The German player can target this income by sinking US transports. The income shipped is kept secret and written on a piece of paper under the transport. Each time the transport is sunk, the German player rolls a die like the system above, except the first score is 4+ not 5+. IN this really the German player has only one known turn that they can trigger war closer but not cause a war. Obviously, the next score is 3+, which most likely will cause war.
However, the note triggered the war anyway so who cares.
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Would Germany have much chance of sinking them with the Atlantic just a couple of SZs wide?
Give subs a first-strike capability and you may be talking, but this will not make USW worthwhile.





