Let's try using tags in house rules and customizations

I’d rather have cheaper, defenseless transport planes myself.

I think that’s totally reasonable, Midnight_Reaper. You could introduce cheaper air transports into this roster without breaking anything important. My preference is for more expensive air transports because the extra price thematically represents (a) the up-front cost of developing the technology and tactics (nobody has to spend money on researching paratroopers for this roster), and (b) the relatively limited supply of air transport available during World War II. There’s a fun little article below about how most of the American Air Force’s transports were either hastily converted civilian planes, or wooden gliders manufactured in piano factories. If the Americans had to make do with makeshift equipment, you can only imagine what the Italians were using.

https://amcmuseum.org/history/world-war-ii-transport-and-troop-carrier/

Strategically, air transports provide a much deeper threat into enemy territory that requires a much larger garrison. E.g. if you put an assault boat in the English Channel, it threatens Normandy, Holland, Norway, Hanover, and Denmark. If you put an air transport in London, it threatens all of those plus Paris, Marseilles, Gibraltar, Morocco, Milan, Berlin, Poland, Finland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. It’s not that I expect anyone to fly many air transports into a battle to use as fodder; it’s just that spending 12 bucks on one air transport can force your opponent to spend more than 12 bucks on extra defending infantry.

In terms of rules simplicity, I have tried to eliminate the concept of the “defenseless unit” from my unit roster. I find automatic combat losses to be something of a downer, and I’d rather use that spot in the rulebook for a more interesting rule.

All of that said, again, this is mostly personal preference – if you want a $9 defenseless air transport with 4 movement, that’s almost certainly fine.

GRASSHOPPER’S INVITATIONAL - HOUSE RULES

Victory Objectives & Tokens: New Victory Condition Rule

Once a victory objective is achieved, a victory token will be awarded, the side with the most victory tokens at the end of the day wins the game. Victory tokens are awarded immediately upon completion regardless of when, or how the objective was achieved. Also, a token can never be taken away once earned, and they may never be awarded twice for the same objective. It doesn’t matter which round the game ends, however, a win or a tie can only be declared at the end of a full game round.

Tournament Rule: On top of any victory tokens earned during each game, teams that win their game outright will receive a bonus victory token, and teams that finish a game without allowing their opponent to claim a victory token will receive a bonus victory token. Tie breakers for declaring teams that advance to the medal round games will be total game victory tokens first, followed by any bonus victory tokens next.
Here is a list of all victory objectives for each side…

Axis Powers

London -The Axis control London
(R&D) *The nation that takes control
Moscow -The Axis control Moscow
(R&D) *The nation that takes control
Calcutta
-The Axis control Calcutta
(R&D) *The nation that takes control
Sydney
-The Axis control Sydney
(R&D) *The nation that takes control
Africa
-The Axis control Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Tobruk, Alexandria, and Egypt.
(R&D) *The nation that controls the most
Pacific -The Axis control 6 victory cities on the Pacific map
(R&D) *The nation that controls the most Europe
-The Axis control 7 victory cities on the Europe map
(R&D) *The nation that controls the most

Economy
-All 3 Axis powers have a combined total of 136 IPCs on the income tracker
(R&D) *The nation that is earning the most
Allied Powers

Berlin
-The Allies control Berlin
(R&D) *The nation that takes control
Rome
-The Allies control Rome
(R&D) *The nation that takes control

Tokyo
-The Allies control Tokyo
(R&D) *The nation that takes control
Africa -The Allied powers control all non-neutral territories on the continent of Africa
(R&D) *The nation that controls the most
Liberation
-The Allies have liberated London, Paris, Calcutta, or Sydney
(R&D) *The United States
Philippines
-The Allies have liberated the Philippines
(R&D) *The United States

Asia
-The Allies control the Burma road as well as Hong Kong and Shanghai
(R&D) *The United Kingdom

Pacific
-There are no Japanese Capital ships on the board
(R&D) *The United States

Fortunes of War: New Research & Development Rule

Research rolls are no longer used to develop breakthroughs, instead, a system called “Fortunes of War” will be used where nations get free development rolls when victory objectives have been achieved. Once a victory token is gained, the nation with the corresponding (*) instructions listed with each objective will choose a breakthrough chart, and make a free “Fortunes of War” roll with the resulting breakthrough taking effect immediately after their turn has ended.Any breakthroughs gained by the UK regardless of which side of the map a token was achieved will effect all UK purchases and all UK units on the board.

Modifications to oob breakthroughs are in red italics, Paratroopers have been replaced with Super Carrier Decks, and breakthroughs among the 2 charts have been re-positioned for balance.

Breakthrough Chart #1

Heavy Artillery
All artillery now support up to 2 attacking infantry and/or mech infantry each

Rockets
Each operational airbase may launch a rocket at an enemy facility up to 4 spaces away, roll 2 dice per rocket and apply the highest result for damage.

Jet Fighters
All fighters now attack at 4 or less, and defend at 2 or less when escorting or intercepting.

Long-Range Aircraft
Maximum movement range for all air units is now increased by 1.

War Bonds
During the collect income phase, roll 2 dice and collect IPCs in the amount shown on the highest roll. (For UK war bonds, Calcutta will gain IPCs from the lowest roll, London will gain IPCs from the highest roll).

Blitz Tactics
Mech infantry now attack at 2 or less if paired with a tank as well as artillery, they may blitz without tanks, and they may tow 1 artillery unit each during the non-combat movement phase.
Breakthrough Chart #2

Super Submarines
All submarines now attack at 3 or less.

Anti-Aircraft Radar
All ainti-aircraft fire from AA artillery, or AA guns built into facilities now defend at 2 or less.

Improved Shipyards
Battleships, Aircraft Carriers, and Cruisers are now 3 IPCs cheaper, and Destroyers, Submarines, and transports are now 1 IPC cheaper.

Mass Production
The mobilization capacity of all production facilities has been increased by 2. Also, you may remove 2 damage markers for the price of 1.

Super Carrier Decks
All aircraft carriers may now carry up to 3 fighters and/or tactical bombers each.

Heavy Bombers
When attacking during a battle or a SBR, roll 2 dice for each strategic bomber and select the best result.

Bonus Income: New & Modified National Objectives

Germany (in addition to all original NOs)
-5 IPCs if an Axis power controls London

Soviet Union (2 NOs which will replace the original National Prestige NO)
-5 IPCs if there are no Axis warships in sea zone #125, and the Allies control Archangel as well as London
-5 IPCs if there are no Allied units on any original Russian territories

Japan (in addition to all original NOs)
-5 IPCs if Japan controls all original Chinese territories

United States (in addition to all original NOs)
-5 IPCs if the United States are at war with the Axis powers

UK Europe (in addition to all original NOs)

5 IPCs if there are no German submarines anywhere on the board other than in the Baltic Sea (sea zones 113-115), the Black Sea (100), and the Caspian Sea (unnumbered)

ANZAC (in addition to all original NOs)
-5 IPCs if the Allies control Cairo (when at war with Germany/Italy)

Payload & Navigation Modifiers: New SBR Rules

The +2 damage bonus for each strategic bomber during strategic bombing raids will now be distributed like such…

+1 Damage - if the strategic bombers rolling for damage have departed from an operational airbase.
+1 Damage - if the strategic bombers rolling for damage did not encounter an enemy interceptor.

Capital Purge: New Rule

When a capital is captured the first time, all cash on hand will to the nation which takes it, however, each time the same capital is captured after the first, all cash on hand will go to the bank.

Update -

Combined UK Commonwealth Nation

Works great! Played it out and it seems to be balanced and it allows for greater viability as the Allies.

US Rules -

The 2 IPC’s taken off from buying a bomber in Western US works fine and allows for some historical accuracy

The Free French

These units now move with the Commonwealth and attack and defend along with them.

Vichy France

Now moves with Italy instead of its own turn

NO’s

The NO’s are now an optional addition and you can pick and choose which ones are played in your game

Corrections

SS/Red Guard/Rangers/Commandos should move 1 instead of 2.

Canadian Sub starts in SZ 120 not 101

The Spain rule hasn’t come into play, as the German player has not been able to roll a 6, more on that later
R&D works like a dream and creates new tactics for the powers

Lend Lease

Gives the Russian and UK Player a better chance against German and Italian Aggression - Works well

I don’t see an option to share the deck publicly on there site. I have the images saved. I could upload them or send them to you if you want them.

Hi, just want to shear a simple, but fun FFA house rule. You can have quik matches that only takes a few hours.

This has only been played on the anniversary addition.

pick a nation (has nothing more to say than what color you start with) through dices to establish who starts. pick any country value 1-6 you want to start in, role a dice, if the dice shows more or equal to the country you picked you place a factory and an AA, and your turn ends. If your dice role is less than the value of the starting country, you can’t place anything, and you turn ends. This is only for the starting country. each country you want to capture you have to fight that country’s value worth of infantry (a 1 value country, fight one infantry. 10 value country fight 10 infantries) optional: if you want a faster game, and more initiative to attack each other, and encourage allies against the strongest, you can set victory condition: reaching the end of the (72) income table.
-you don’t play with national objectives, other that that movement/combat rules are the same

Plz tell me what you think, or have any improvement suggestions. Have tried this a couple of times and it’s really enjoyable.

I was actually thinking about this at work tonight. It could be a really cool concept.

Right - but using the latest rules for straights - you can make a rule “subs cannot conduct convoy raids while inside protected straits” - so the subs would have to come out to make the raid and remain in that zone for the rest of the turn.

Remove heavy bombers technology and do the following

Replace Heavy Bomber tech with Atom Bomb /  One successful Strategic Bombing attack per turn destroys everything in enemy province.

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Additional Ally advantages

Superfortress / USA starts with bombers (B-29 superfortress) that move at 8 spaces and have an attack value of 5. (only 1 roll per bomber)

Marines / USA player can designate all Infantry units (beginning of the turn) in one amphibious assault as Marines. Attack at 1-2. (artillery does not increase attack value)

Home Guard / UK player Infantry on the United Kingdom territory defend at 1-3.

Industry Movement / Soviet player may move one of his Industrial Complex units each turn at a rate of 1 movement point. (cannot move and produce on the same turn)

USSR economic penalty / (ally disadvantage) Allied forces occupied in the USSR or occupying USSR Territories prevents USSR from collecting IPCs from these territories. The reasoning behind this is the cost of feeding and caring for the foreign forces and also the cost of countering the anti-Communist political propaganda that these forces would introduce to the Soviet populace.

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Additional Axis Advatages

Kamikaze / Japan player may move one Ftr per turn its full movement allowance and attacks at 1-4. Whether it survived the attack or not it is eliminated after the battle.

Panzerkorps / German player may designate one of his armour as SS Panzerkorps during each of his player-turns. May designate any Armour as SS at beginning of the turn. Attacks at 1-4 and defends at 1-5.

U-Boats / Germany builds these subs at 6 IPCs, but must be deployed in the Submarine Pens. Encourages Germany to expand its Navy

Submarine Pens / The territory of Germany has a built in Sub Pen. The Sub Pen works by giving shelter from air attack to Subs in the Baltic Sea Zone. New U-boats must be placed here.

Kiel Kanal / With this variant Germany can still move ships from the Baltic to the Atlantic to avoid the North Sea and UK waters. Must control Western Europe. Germany navy can avoid sea zone surrounding the UK. The Kanal counts as 1 movemnt space. And Axis must control Germany and Western Europe to use it.

Just like actual war, USA will be encourage to spend money to research A-Bomb tech and drop them over Japan with its superior bombers, or possibly Germany.