Concerns and Balance Problems with 42.2

I think a good idea for 1914 would be to require at least 1 infantry to be stationed in every territory by the end of a power’s turn (the infantry must be from the power controlling. If they don’t, they won’t get the IPCs from this territory. Not only does it potentially make the game more historically accurate (to symbolize the need to keep civilian populations under control during wartime), but it probably also makes the game more balanced, as the Allies will probably be more burdened with this (since they have substantially larger colonial possessions).

Until recently, it was only bided for the Axis. But now, in more and more games the Allies get a bid. Let`s see what the best bid option/s for them would be…

I) UK & UK Pacific

Definitely the best Allied nation to give bid to. The ideas are planty, but let`s focus on the best:

1) A sub to Atlantic and/or the Mediterranean

A submarine in the Mediterranean can help strike Italy in sz 97 stronger than usual, but a submarine in the Atlantic can help strike both Italy (sz 95 and sz 96) and Germany.

2) Land unit/s to Alexandria and Egypt

An infantry or artillery to Alexandria and mechanised infantry or tank to Egypt can help strike Tobruk more heavily.
An aa gun in Alexandria or Egypt could be of use too.

3) A fighter or tactical bomber

The ideas are Scotland or Malta. One more fighter at Scotland helps in the defense of sz 109 and sz 111 on G1, and helps in the defense of UK against bombing on later German turns. Also it gives it`s share to the defense against Sea Lion.
The Mediterranean fighter gives UK more options either attacking sea or land Axis units, either defending from them.

4) A transport to Union of South Africa

It helps to move to action the two infantry from Union of South Africa on UK1.

5) An infantry to France

If France bids an infantry there, together with it, it can mean a lot in the defense of Paris.

6) A transport to India

To take Sumatra and/or Celebes, then Iraq, Ethiopia or Italian Somaliland more heavily.

7) A marine to India

The same as in the bid above, just lighter.

II) China

1) An infantry for defense

Best to put to Yunnan, then Hunan, then Chahar, and the least to Anhwe.

2) An infantry and/or artillery for offense

Best to put to Kweichow, Szechwan, Hopei and the least to Suiyuyan.

3) A fighter
Good to have one more for striking Japan more easily. Best to put is to Kweichow.

III) France

1) An infantry to France and/or Normandy Bordeaux

It can help to aid in the defense against eminent G1 attack.

2) A fighter to UK

It can help UK early on on defense, and puts more options for some French attack against lonely Axis land or sea units.

3) A sub to Madagascar

A good escort to the destroyer, can soon be moved to the Shores of Indochina/Indonesia or Mediterranean.

IV) Russia

1) Land units to Eastern Europe border territories

An infantry (or AA gun) to Baltic States/Eastern Poland/Bessarabia to prevent (or back off) an early G1 attack on the Eastern Front.

2) Land units to Eastern Europe offside terittories

An artillery to Novgorod/Belarus/Western Ukraine/Ukraine to counter an early G1 attack.
An option is also a tank to Novgorod/Belarus/Western Ukraine/Ukraine/Archangel to aid in the counter attack.

3) Land units for striking Japan

A mechanised infantry and/or tank to Caucasus and Volgograd.
An artillery or tank to Amur.

IV) ANZAC

1) A marine

If put to Queensland or New Zealand it helps ANZAC to take both Java and Dutch New Guinea on rd 1, and to take both Sumatra and Celebes on rd 2.

2) A transport

The same as in the bid above, just taking those territories more heavily.

3) A land unit to Egypt

An ANZAC artillery or AA gun would be good to have there.

VI) USA

U do not bid with USA. It goes to war late, and does not need anything. If U must, bid a small IC to Alaska  8-)

I played another game with India at 5, but I played against myself instead of the AI (first time doing that!).

Russia got absolutely diced in the heavy Ukraine strafe, and so West Russia was abandoned R2 and with no fighter support (Iceland gone G1, no other good routes) Germany rolled over them on turn G5.

Once the fighter route was gone I went heavy tanks in India, hoping to swing out against the Japanese and provide defence for Moscow.  I did have 8 UK tanks about to rush in to Moscow for defence (on UK6), but that would have exposed India on J6 AND Japanese tanks were closing in on Moscow as well, so it would have been a 1 or 2 turn delay at most.  Japan had the luxury of building a factory in Manchuria for north route tanks and just stacking Yunnan with art and inf (with their fleet in the adjacent SZ) and deadzone Burma, so the UK troop buildup in India couldn’t really pivot out of India as much as I thought.  Any foray out of India, and the 5 IPC factory would be gone, so the two armies stayed in the gravitational pull of one another.

I’ve never really done a KJF, but I think that might work a lot better with 5 IPC India.  I might read some KJF strategies and try it out.  So far, 5 IPC India is a failure, haha.

@Baron:

Young Grasshopper has made a video on YouTube  Cliffside Bunker Channel which explains clearly how it works in Global game.

Then you should read my thread on Convoy Disruption for 1942.2.
There is two mechanics invented to try.

Thanks again, took a look at YG’s YT channel and found the explanation for CD.  That clears it up nicely and now we can add that to the game as well.  Should be quite interesting to add this tactic.  He mentioned that it’s the responsibility of the player to point out to the other players where he can be CD’d.  Only thing I don’t necessarily agree with.  Should be the other person’s responsibility to keep an eye on the board for when/where they can CD.  Other than that it looks pretty straight forward now that I’ve seen it explained.

Taking a look at your thread as well.  :-)

@wittmann:

I agree that the Leningrad NO should go. Germany can�  easily capture the city and start building there. Why give it 5 bonus too?

I think that capture a city, or a Capital, should give you a one time bonus. You can plunder a city once, not every day year after year. Now that should put a stop to the back and forth  trading of capitals too.

Iron trade with Sweden and Lend Lease convoys should of course give you NO money every turn

@Uncrustable:

bunch of ignoranuses lol

At least I apologized for that…

So recently I played out a game using this system. After many rounds and one of the longest games of axis and allies I have ever endured, it was a stalemate. As Gargantua predicted, London fell. Though we had Britain with two capitals, there income was combined and allowed to be spent at either side of the board. Even after all unit builds went to London turn one, it fell turn two. So only London income was lost and the Brits fought on from India. Nevertheless Italy become a God economically and militarily. The Brits in the Med and Africa were sunk naval wise and overwhelmed on land by Italy. The German navy became large enough to contend with America, and later on in the game, Italy almost took Stalingrad and successfully took Calcutta for one turn and also controlled all of the middle east. Japan was effectively contained by America, Britain, China and ANZAC and suffered huge losses after very early wins. Japan doesnt stand much of a chance we decided. Russia got hit hard by German attacks and Itailian attacks on their flanks through the middle east. Russia also rolled terribly. But their navy was strong and the capital never fell. America was hard pressed and couldnt fight Germany effectively while also dealing with Japan. It was mostly string after string of failed landings in Africa and the British mainland while sending a token navy to assist the rest of the allies in the Pacific.

Overall, the system sped the game up tremendously and kept all players focused. I find it to be balanced decently. The axis seemed very strong early in the game and kept the allies at bay except in the Pacific. Britain’s economies should be combined probably, but with a better experienced British player this just might create hell for the axis. Great house rule and I will be playing again with my group this way soon.

@Cmdr:

I understand I’ve been out of it for anout 8 or 9 months, so maybe things are different than I remember, but don’t the AA Guns shoot at each target individualy and what is hit is hit?  Or are things different for the escorts now? (Keep in mind, I have the ORIGINAL variant of the rules and a lot of things have been changed with errata adn “hot patches”)

They take casualties not from AA but from defending ftr interceptors