Balancing Cruiser (CL) and Battleship (BB) units with other A&A units

I think the USA non-combat turn zero pretty much balances the game 50/50! If you want, you can give the Axis a bid of 3 to 6 IPCs, but I doubt it’s necessary.

I don’t think Russia gets erased by Germany. Russia actually starts with a healthy number of troops even out of the box, and because Russia goes before Germany, Russia has a chance to shape the European map in its favor. With an USA turn zero, the Allied Atlantic fleets will survive, which means much earlier Allied pressure on Norway/France/Morocco, which really limits Germany’s ability to secure a permanent economic advantage against Russia. In other words, in my opinion, the problem with the OOB 1942.2 setup isn’t that Russia is too weak – it’s that the US & UK are too weak. Giving the USA a zero turn helps protect both US & UK assets, which fixes this problem.

Related to #2, if you haven’t already read Black_Elk’s sticky thread on Russian Openings, you really need to. It will totally change the way you see the 1942.2 board.
https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=35487.0

@Yavid:

not revisiting the list nearly as much as I haven’t added in HBG’s UK set and will have to double check because I believe the French got some units since my last update. But yes I find it useful.

I had not entered the 2nd Japan set or the UK set HBG released, those have been added. and the going nuclear set HBG just released.

Lets suppose that units generated by the mobilization of minor ally nations can visually be distinguished rather than simply merge into the armies of the controlling power.

This might just mean, for example, a yellow stripe on a French infantry to mark it as Belgian. With all the new pieces available if you contact WOTC this becomes practical.

What differences might these units have?

+1 in combat when defending their homeland; -1 elsewhere, or if their homeland is under enemy occupation?

e.g. - If Poland is under German occupation, will Polish units in the Russian army be less effective fighting for Russia, unless it means fighting over Poland itself?

option to place a new unit in the respective homeland each turn (with a sensible total limit - probably the original starting number; i.e. you can never have more than 3 & 1 Belgian inf and art).

One might extend the principle to colonies, e.g. marking some UK units as Canadian, South African, Indian, Anzac etc.

Would separate Bavarian units be representative of German political divisions?

Polish corps in the Russian army?

Austria-Hungary might have a real problem…

Attached are the D12 Unit Rules and National Advantages I use for a 1941 set up of HBG’s 1939 MAP.

National Advantages are a combination of good ideas from this forum over the years.

Unit Stats Global Map D12.xls

@knp7765:

Hey Yavid,
You mentioned a mechanized AA gun but we currently don’t have a piece to represent them. When AMERIKA comes out we will. At least for Germany, Japan and US.

Sorry guys I had to do without a computer for a few weeks (long story).

But yeah I thought around the time the announcement for '42.2 was made and that AAA units were going to be a thing HBG would start putting AAA units in there sets. I had visions of Bofors and Quad .50 running through my head. Axis and Allies Minis has alot of good ideas on what units to make for a mobile AA gun. Half-tracks carrying Quad .50 Wirbelwind tanks stuff like that. But it looks like either it wasn’t thought of or discounted. So painting some Amerika pieces seems like what going to be what I’m doing.

Soviet Union/Partisan/0/1/1/Can be built in any red terrirtory/1/Infantry with roundel under it

How about making it 0/1/0 Cost 1, and can build in any original Soviet territory up to IPC value. That will limit the number, movement, and use of these troops, but still helpful during a German invasion.

Hmmm, an interesting set of ideas.  I am planning to do the same, using the original Pacific and European games for my summer history class and historical gaming class.  I have some home rules for Pacific that I use, where I have increased the game to 6 players: the US, British India, Australia, the Netherlands East Indies, China, and Japan.  For the European Game, I am planning to add Italy, using the pieces from the Anniversary edition.  There will be theater commanders for the US and the UK in Europe and the Pacific, and a separate commander for Australia.

I do have rules for Lend-Lease, and also Lend-Lease certificates that I use.  I have modified the rules a bit for aircraft and shore bombardment, and Japanese Infantry are a bit harder to kill.  When I add Italy, it will have the option of changing sides during the game, or even staying neutral.  It does mean reworking the IPC for the Europe game, but such is life.  Should be interesting when it is finished.  I am also writing a combined rules set for the game.

How about these varient pieces such as,

Blockhouses (I use the mall units from Tri-opoly)
Improves infantry defense to 3 on a matching 1/1 basis. Must have at least 1 infantry in territory to construct. Units hit by a blockhouse during an amphibious assault cannot counter-attack on the first round.
During an offshore bombardment from a battleship, hits are assigned to blockhouses first.
Finland/Norway, Germany, and Western Europe each start with one.
Atk: 0
Def: 3
Move: 0
Cost: 5

Half Tracks (includes armored cars)
Can blitz as a tank.
Considered a tank when transporting.
Carries 1 infantry OR 1 artillery, 2 spaces.
Starting placement: On every territory that contains 1 infantry and 1 tank.
Atk: 2
Def: 2
Move: 2
Cost: 5

LHP / LHA / LHD
Carries 1 fighter and 2 infantry units, no artillery or tanks (If you use chopper units they carry that instead of fighters)
Atk: 1
Def: 3
Move: 2
Cost: 16 (same as carrier)