House Rules

In all actuality it was almost pure luck that Russia did survive the war. If Hitler had not split his massive Barbarossa force to attack South, Moscow would have surely fallen. I think the best way to make the game a little more fair is have it start in 1940 or 39 like the new AAE40 will do. Starting at the beginning of 41 like AAE does highlights the ineptitude that Stalin had by not strengthening his front lines and purging his army in the 30’s by killing I believe 70% of his officers. If we are given control in 1939 the German force would be smaller than the Soviets (had the largest army in the world: equaled all other armies tanks put together and had more planes than all others combined), but the Germans have a stronger economy. So the Russian player is given time to move his forces (albeit outclassed forces) into position for a massive offensive by Germany. We could right Stalin’s mistakes and Hitler’s as well (he attacked Yugoslavia right before Barbarossa, killing 6 precious weeks of good weather that would be needed for the Russian offensive). But at the current state the game is pretty accurate, if there is a determined German player and a non-cohesive allied force then Germany will win 90% of the time. But if the allies work together (UK helping out Russia while the US does its thing to invade Europe) then the game swings to a very balanced game where dice rolls and a little luck is what usually wins the day, or a little mistake by either side, which is how the game should be IMO.

A Russian sub in North Sea would prevent Germany from taking 4 IPCs of the Archangelsk convoy in R1! (And of course never again!)
(If Germany has “bad” rolls in attacking North sea maybe even as compensation to save the UK Battleship on occasion!)
Simoultaneaously it allows:
1. Agressive Russian play in Scandinavian territories (1 Art from the cash advance placed as Art in Karelia; transport can load 2 Inf from Archangelsk in R1) - to take IPCs and annihilate the isolated German troops there as fast as possible - and be back in time to face the main German threat! (More money, more inf-build possible for defending Moscow!)
2. Speed up UK retaking its convoy zones to allow for faster development.

I am curious what Larry will say! ;)

I like to play where there are mines in the danish sea that act as anti-aircraft for naval units.  This really deters any major naval invasions of germany or shipping of troops to russia.

Also, to represent Germany’s superior armor, their tanks defend on a 3.

Finally, because the game starts in the spring of 41 and I like to think that one turn is a season, the United States cant enter play until turn 4 (cant do anything in the spring, summer, or fall), UNLESS germany attacks one of their shipping-box thing-ma-bobs or attacks any US units.

ENDGAME

Once victory is achieved on a board, there is no more combat movement or resolve combat on that board. The victor keeps control and remains getting IPC’s for all territories gained. He also regains control for territories he owned at the beginning OF THE GAME. Also you may now non combat move into enemy owned territories and sea zones leaving mixed forces, for example if Japan won the Pacific game a American battleship and Japanese battleship may share a sea zone and do not ever resolve combat. You cannot non-combat move onto an enemy capital after a game is completed for that board. Example, Japan cannot drop of troops on United States or New South Wales. However if you took the enemy capital to win the game you keep control of it and the original owner and his allies may not non-combat move into it.

I’d like to try the free for all rules. It sounds very cool :P

Yuor rules are almost exacty the rules for building IC’s in the original AA game. There the IC’s cost 15, can only be built on a territory you have held since the beginning of the turn, and require an additional turn before building at that location.

The only other addition is that a purchased IC can only build the number of units that the territory is worth.