Global 1940 & 1943 Expansions Game Reports

Re: Global 1940 & 1943 Expansions Game Reports

Global 1940 July 4th 2024 Game (start) report #4
(4th day of play on 11/3)

Global 1940 with Expansion Rules & the following optional rules:
Rockets
Heavy Bombers
Seafire fighter planes
Jet Fighters
Japanese Destroyers
King Tiger & SS Heavy Tanks

Agreed a win can happen through Economic Victory or Axis capturing victory cities per the original Global 1940 rules.

Germany - Josh S
Japan - Alex M
UK - Pat H
Russia - mkgionet
USA - Mike K
Report from Japan’s turn in Late 1947 (round 16) USA turn of Late 1949 (round 20)
Longest game I’ve ever played!

First I need to admit that I’m a bonehead! We were all so excited that the game finally ended that we immediately started cleaning up and I neglected to take any pictures - Ugh!

1947
If folks remember, the Allies looked to be in a dire situation at the end of the last report with Germany having pushed most enemy troops out of its territory and poised to make a powerful advance into Russia, while Japan firmly had 5 Victory Cities in hand and was in a position to retake the 6th city. Us Allied players held our breath while Japan took their turn, hoping that the massive US fleet surrounding Japan would focus Japan’s attention more than retaking and holding the 6th Victory City (Shanghai). Tick, tick, tick, tick, pieces move, tick, tick, tick, more pieces move…

YES! Indeed, the fleet around Japan caused him to ignore thinking much about Shanghai and, as we hoped, he committed the majority of his military power to eliminating this fleet. Between games I took a long hard look at the board and realized that if Japan used his 7 strategic bombers on the mainland, with his mainland ground troops, he could not only retake Shanghai, but likely eliminate all of the Chinese infantry to retake Anhwe and place ground troops in Shantung so that USA’s tank army would be blocked from getting to/liberating Shanghai. Thus causing the Axis to hold 6 Victory Cities and win. Thankfully Japan didn’t see this. He did retake Shanghai, but left Anhwe untouched.

The Allies make preparations to retake Hawaii and the Philippines. Japans troops are now primarily concentrated in southeast Asia, India, and Japan.

The US continues to get hammered by German Wolf Packs on the east coast, losing 20+ IPC. However, the Tank Army on the Asia mainland rolls in to retake Shanghai, while China has an income around 20 and continues placing significant amounts of infantry on the board.

UK strengthens Persia & Finland & holds West India.

1948

Taking Barnee’s advice (thank you) the US finally purchases an air base and fighters for Central America. Works like a charm with the wolf packs scattering and being chased down and mostly destroyed by fighters.

Anzac momentarily captures the Philippines before Japan quickly recaptures it. Japan retakes Korea and invades nearby Russian territories. Clearly, the new Axis plan is to focus on attacking Russia on both sides.

Hawaii is easily recaptured and the USA prepares to move troops north to Alaska so they can retaliate against the Japanese invasion of Russia.

UK continues to strengthen Persia and lands paratroopers in various German territories.

Germany makes a massive attack to retake Finland and Leningrad, but then pulls back in order to attack Russia’s Army Group with 2 tank armies and a plethora of ground troops. Russia is able to retake Leningrad and continue reforming armies that are pushed along to the front lines. Russia isn’t able to recapture Finland, but is able to kill off the few remaining troops that had succeeded in taking it back for Germany.

1949 - A Pivotal year!

Germany purchases several transports and a super heavy battleship. It looks like they may be preparing to invade London. They do leave a few territories vulnerable on the front lines with Russia though, allowing a Russian Tank Army to get behind the front lines and on Berlin’s doorstep. Not a real threat to Germany, but it’s a target they’ll need to attack.

USA navy in place in Alaska, ready to come liberate Russian territories from the Japanese invasion.

Japan builds a major industrial complex in Korea and focuses on producing troops there. They pull some troops out of India in order to combat the growing number of Chinese forces, which ends up being a crucial mistake. In a very even battle the UK takes a gamble and goes all in on attacking India. With solid rolling it results in a UK victory! Even better, Anzac takes Burma and Japan has no way to retake India anytime soon. Other territories on the mainland south and west of Shanghai are also taken from the Japanese.

The USA is about to launch their Alaskan fleet over to the Soviet Far East when the Allies see a golden opportunity. Off the coast of Japan are a few transports, (3) Aircraft Carriers, and (6) Carrier Fighters. Even better, all ground troops (even the AA gun) have been moved out of Japan over to Korea and the mainland. The only thing left in Japan are (4) Strategic Bombers. The USA seizes this opportunity and attacks Japan for the 2cd time and scores a victory! At this point the Axis surrender. The Allies have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat!

A very long, but very enjoyable game with lots of twists and turns. The Victory Cities really add an interesting element to the game. I think we’ll be taking a long break before our next game!

@FranceNeedsMorePower

Go to https://github.com/triplea-game/triplea/releases/

Click on the latest version (the top post).

Under “Assets” there should be a set of links. Click on the one that fits your computer (if you use Mac, click on the link with the macos, Windows, the one with windows in it, etc.).

Click on the file in Downloads. It should open up a TripleA downloader similar to the one you used when you first downloaded TripleA. It should open (if there’s an error, it’s probably on your end).

It’s a vast improvement over 2.5 but is very easily navigable.

@SuperbattleshipYamato said in [Global 1940] Balance idea for the Allies:

Give all the technologies of one row (the Allied player(s) chooses) to one Allied power (Allied player(s) choose), free of charge. These technologies apply at the beginning of the game on Germany’s very first turn for those powers. These powers cannot research further. Other powers research normally.

Do this twice with two different Allied powers.

If the Allied player(s) cannot make a decision the Axis player(s) choose (s).

For example, the Soviet Union chooses the first row and therefore has the technologies Rockets, War Bonds, Improved Mechanized Infantry, Advanced Artillery, Paratroopers, and Increased Factory Production, at the start of the game, and the US chooses the second row and gets the technologies Improved Shipyards, Super Submarines, Radar, Jet Fighters, Long Range Aircraft, and Heavy Bombers.

I think this can balance the game significantly for the Allies instead of a bid. If the game still isn’t balanced enough, do this with more Allied powers.

My contention is that Global 1940 is NOT a World War 2 game without technology. It is stuck in 1940l

@copt2 I’m not real familiar with the HBG games. They look way cool but I’ve never really found the time to explore them much.

Sadly, I can only play digitally, so triplea. A lot of House Rules have been added to the “Global 40 House Rules” mod in triplea.

One of them is the “Vichy Rule” which is a combination of Vichy rules.
Oops just noticed i never did add this yet. it’s in “Oztea’s 1939”

Anyway here it is:

Vichy Option Adds Vichy rules.
They are as follows:
If Germany conquers France on turn 2 and only turn 2, it will activate the “Vichy Option”. After their Non Combat Move, each French territory will be rolled for to determine if they become Vichy controlled or not. A roll of 1,2 or 3 and the territory turns Vichy. A 4,5 or 6 and it remains Free French. The only exception is “Southern France” which automatically turns Vichy.

Southern France will also have 2 Vichy Infantry placed there. All Vichy territories and units are represented by the “Neutral Axis”. They behave the same as Non-Vichy Pro-Axis Neutrals.

If any Allied units are present in a territory that becomes Vichy, on their turn they have the option to stay and fight or leave, if possible. The only exception are air units, which are destroyed.

At the beginning of France’s 2nd turn, each French Naval Unit will be rolled for to determine if they become Vichy. A roll of 1,2 or 3 and the Unit is immediately ordered to the Vichy Harbor in Sea Zone 93. A 4,5 or 6 and it remains Free French.

Vichy ordered ships must take the most direct route possible to Sea Zone 93. They may not attack (Player Enforced) but can defend normally. Once a Vichy ordered ship arrives in 93 Sea Zone, it will “turn” Vichy at the end of the turn. Vichy Ships are controlled by the “True Neutrals”. You will need to declare war against them in order to attack Vichy Ships. They may not move and defend only.

If a ship hasn’t arrived in 93 Sea Zone by the end of French turn 3, it will not automatically turn “Vichy” if it enters 93 Sea Zone on the following turns. You may either use “Edit” or decide that the Captain has disregarded his orders and has stayed Free French.

If Southern France is taken over by any Axis player, then all Vichy territories immediately revert to Free French. This includes any Vichy Units that are present.

Vichy Naval Units are rolled for to determine their fate. On a roll of 1,2,3 or 4, the Fleet is scuttled and removed from play. On a roll of 5 or 6, another roll is taken. On a roll of 1,2 or 3, the Fleet reverts to Free French. On a roll of 4,5, or 6, it turns into the Axis player.

If Southern France is controlled by an Allied player (excluding Russia) a roll of 1 thru 5 will scuttle the Fleet. A roll of 6 and the Fleet will revert to Free French. Vichy land territories are unaffected.

If Southern France is taken control of by the Free French, the Fleet and all Vichy territories immediately revert to Free French. If France is liberated, all Vichy territories and units revert to Free French.

Anyway, there are a lot of House Rules that have been added that have been discussed by people here. If you want to elaborate on what yo want to add, I can see if triplea can do it.

If you play strictly Face to face, then i would add the ideas you like and test them out. Let us know how it goes :)

Here’s a list of the House Rules which are mostly discussed here: https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/26089/g40-redesign-currently-taking-suggestions?page=1

Global_40_House_Rules.notes.doc

Hmm … can’t seem to upload the Rules without the code bleeding through. I’ll see if I can change the format for easier reading.

Edit
Also, here are the Captain and Company’s House Rules. You may find some you like there as well. They have a large group ( dozens of players ) in Europe that plays frequently, so quite popular. They spent 25 years in the making. Very well thought out.

https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/36945/axis-allies-global-1940-house-rules-expansion

I like the concept. Maybe not so much if I’m the U.S. or Russian player unless there is some option or hope of getting in the war sooner.  But, varying their  entry into the war mixes up each game.

It is more realistic to move warships from one SZ to another.
But, would you retreat more than 1 TT to repair your Tank?
(Land movement are much slower and falling back damaged Tanks while staying in position with Art and Inf make such delay an issue. You also have to compare between planes for the cost. Aircraft mobility and versatility is way more interesting than 2 hits units which have to return to IC for repair.)

IMO, it is easier to consider that such unit are repaired right on place with spare parts.

A different procedure I suggested a while ago is that you can only repair one and have to pick a damaged Tank as casualty before allocating a hit to damage another Tank.

So, instead of 10 Tanks staying on battle until the 11th hits.
A second hits eliminates a first Tank.
This becomes far less effective, but it is easier to follow a single damaged Tank per stack.

However, I did not search on how to calculate such way of allocating damage.

I would give America Shipyards and Russia Improved Artillery. I really don’t think Germany or Japan need anything. They have so many territories, which equates to too much income. It should be easier for the Allies and I worry it will not be.

I have to put this post in it because it is also related to the actual topic:
@CWO:

Many of the island territories in the Central Pacific which Japan and the US fought to control were little more than coral atolls, volcanic formations or overgrown sandheaps, many of them small in size and some of them barely above water at high tide.  They had few (or no) natural resources, little (or no) arable land, few (or no) indigenous inhabitants, and no industries; the military bases located there had to be supplied from outside with virtually everything they used.  They were for most practical purposes 100% consumers and 0% producers.

The value which these islands had wasn’t as industrial production facilities or as sources of income or of goods or of raw materials.  Their value was to serve as airbases (and in the case of suitable anchorages like Truk as naval bases) which allowed the domination of the airspace and ocean around them, and to serve as the jumping-off point from which to capture the next island group down the line. So if the rules provide no incentive to capture and hold these territories, the historically realistic solution isn’t to give them an IPC value.  The solution is to create a house rule through which possession of an island gives some sort of bonus to a player who uses the island to attack enemy forces around it or as a springboard for an island-hopping advance.