Best posts made by Andy Palmer

Two things I don’t like about the OOB Research and Development rules are:

1. Too much randomness with success, You could spend 25 and get 5 breakthroughs or spend 100 and get none.
2. Too much randomness on developments. You have very little control over what breakthroughs you get. You could be the Soviets and get Improved Shipyards instead of something useful like Radar.

A more realistic approach would be one in which you choose what to research and work toward that goal. In that light, I’ve put together the following proposal.

Step 1: Buy Research Dice
Each research die cost 5 IPCs and is specific to one development. You can buy as many research dice as you like, but only one each turn may be applied to each development.

Step 2: Roll Research Dice
Track the value rolled on each die for each development chosen

Step 3: Mark Progress toward Development
Apply the value rolled to the target for that development. If you meet or exceed the target value, you gain that development. Any excess points are lost.

I’ve put together a list of developments, by nation, including some I feel are better incorporated into the game full-time (i.e., paratroopers) as well as some new ones as ultimately, it’s easier to remove items from this list than add to them.
Key: Development [target number]

GERMANY
Advanced Artillery [10]
Rockets [10]
Paratroopers [5]
Increased Factory Production [15]
War Bonds [20]
Improved Mechanized Infantry [10]
Super Submarine [15]
Jet Fighters [15]
Improved Shipyards [15]
Radar [15]
Long-Range Aircraft [15]
Heavy Bombers [20]
Multi-Use Artillery [10] AAA gain an attack value of 2 and can choose to defend with a value of 2 instead of making AA attacks.
Wolf-Pack [5] Submarines can be combined with other submarines. A matched pair of two submarines increases the attack value of both submarines from 2 to 3.
Condor Spotting [5] Strategic bombers can be combined with submarines. A matched pair of a strategic bomber and a submarine increases the submarine’s attack value from 2 to 3.
Advanced Raiders [10] Battleships and Cruisers roll 2 dice for Convoy Disruption instead of 1.
Tiger Tanks [15] The defense value of your tanks increases to 4.

SOVIET UNION
Advanced Artillery [10]
Rockets [20]
Paratroopers [10]
Increased Factory Production [10]
War Bonds [20]
Improved Mechanized Infantry [15]
Super Submarine [20]
Jet Fighters [20]
Improved Shipyards [20]
Radar [15]
Long-Range Aircraft [15]
Heavy Bombers [20]
Movable Factories [10] During the Noncombat Move, you may move an industrial complex you control to another eligible territory you control within 2 spaces. An industrial complex may not mobilize units on a turn it is moved.
Conscription [5] Infantry can be mobilized in any originally controlled territory. No more can be mobilized in a territory in a turn than the IPC value of the territory.

UNITED STATES
Advanced Artillery [10]
Rockets [20]
Paratroopers [5]
Increased Factory Production [10]
War Bonds [10]
Improved Mechanized Infantry [15]
Super Submarine [15]
Jet Fighters [20]
Improved Shipyards [10]
Radar [10]
Long-Range Aircraft [15]
Heavy Bombers [15]
Marines [5] Infantry performing amphibious assaults in the Pacific map have an attack value of 2 rather than 1. This is not increased when supported by artillery.
Atomic Bomb [30] A successful strategic bombing raid will destroy the industrial complex (remove it from the map) rather than damage it. May only be used once per turn.

JAPAN
Advanced Artillery [15]
Rockets [20]
Paratroopers [5]
Increased Factory Production [15]
War Bonds [15]
Improved Mechanized Infantry [20]
Super Submarine [10]
Jet Fighters [20]
Improved Shipyards [10]
Radar [15]
Long-Range Aircraft [15]
Heavy Bombers [20]
Long Lance Torpedoes [5] Cruisers and battleships can be combined with destroyers. A matched pair of a cruiser or battleship and a destroyer increases the destroyer’s attack value from 2 to 3.
Destroyer Ferries [5] Destroyers can carry 1 infantry unit, similar to a transport.
Pillboxes [10] Infantry on islands have their defense value increased from 2 to 3.

UNITED KINGDOM
Advanced Artillery [10]
Rockets [20]
Paratroopers [5]
Increased Factory Production [15]
War Bonds [15]
Improved Mechanized Infantry [15]
Super Submarine [15]
Jet Fighters [20]
Improved Shipyards [10]
Radar [5]
Long-Range Aircraft [15]
Heavy Bombers [15]
Big Wing [10] Intercepting fighters can initiate a second round of air combat after the bombing has occurred

I wasn’t sure if it was necessary (or prudent) to develop charts for Italy and ANZAC.

Feedback welcomed and I’m especially interested in more flavorful historical development ideas.

Thanks - Andy

Playing Axis and Allies 1940 Global, I’m finding strategic bombing to be very effective. Even with 5 US and UK fighters in the United Kingdom, the Germans are still able to bomb the UK to oblivion each turn, forcing a spend of ~12 or more each turn to undo the damage enough to increase their forces.
While at its core, I understand and agree with the effectiveness of the bombing attacks, it is the ineptitude of the defending fighters, the “interceptors”, that seems misaligned with the heroics of the Battle of Britain.

If I were to house rule that interceptors hit on a 2 or less, instead of just a 1 (with jet fighters at a 3 or less), while escorts and bombers remained a 1, what is the consensus on what that would do to game balance?

Thanks - Andy

I wanted something that better represented some of the capabilities and uses of the IJN destroyers. Their ability to carry troops was used heavily in battles like Guadalcanal and their long lance destroyers were a well respected weapon. Instead of just giving an attack of 3, I came up with the long lance tactics, to ensure the bonus was restricted to true naval battles and not when sub hunting.

Japanese Destroyers
Cost: 9
Attack: 2
Defense: 2
Move: 2
Unit Characteristics
Japanese destroyers were unique for two reasons: their powerful long lance torpedoes and their doctrine of ferrying infantry units. Except the characteristics above and where mentioned below, they are treated as destroyers for all other purposes, including Anti-Sub Vessel.
Limited Nationality: Only Japan can purchase Japanese destroyers.
Long Lance Tactics: Cruisers and Battleships can be combined with Japanese Destroyers. A matched pair of a cruiser or battleship and a Japanese destroyer increases the Japanese destroyer’s attack value from 2 to 3.
Carry Units: A Japanese destroyer can carry land units belonging to you or to friendly powers (provided both powers are at war). Its capacity is 1 infantry unit. Units on a Japanese destroyer are cargo; they can’t attack or defend while at sea and are destroyed if their transport is destroyed.
Loading and Offloading: A Japanese destroyer can load cargo in friendly sea zones before, during, and after it moves.
Loading onto and/or offloading from a Japanese destroyer counts as a land unit’s entire move; it can’t move before loading or after offloading. Place the land units alongside the transport in the sea zone. If the Japanese destroyer moves in the Noncombat Move phase, any number of units aboard can offload into a single friendly territory.
Land Units belonging to friendly powers must load on their controller’s turn, be carried on your turn, and offload on a later turn of their controller. This is true even if the transport remains in the same sea zone. Whenever a Japanese destroyer offloads, it can’t move again that turn. If a Japanese destroyer retreats, it can’t offload that turn. A t Japanese destroyer can’t offload cargo onto another transport. A Japanese destroyer can’t load or offload while in a hostile sea zone. Remember that hostile sea zones contain enemy units, but that for purposes of determining the status of a sea zone, submarines, u-boats, and transports are ignored.
A Japanese destroyer can load and offload units without moving from the friendly sea zone it’s in (this is known as “bridging”). Each such transport is still limited to its cargo capacity. Once it offloads, it can’t move, load, or offload again that turn.
Amphibious Assaults: A Japanese destroyer can take part in an amphibious assault step of the Conduct Combat phase. That is the only time a Japanese destroyer can offload into a hostile territory.

I have found the use of submarines in Global pretty underwhelming. While the Axis don’t need any help in the OOB game, I did want something that would provide the desired flavor, within the scope of A&A (and understandably balanced by some benefit to the Allies).

German Submarines (U-boats)
Cost: 7
Attack: 2
Defense: 1
Move: 2
Unit Characteristics
German submarines, commonly known as u-boats, benefited over their opponents with advanced tactics. Except the characteristics above and where mentioned below, they are treated as submarines for all other purposes, including Surprise Strike, Submersible, On Station, Treat Hostile Sea Zones as Friendly, Doesn’t Block Enemy Movement, Can’t Hit Air Units, and Can’t Be Hit by Air Units.
Limited Nationality: Only Germany can purchase German submarines.
Wolf Pack: German submarines can be combined with other German submarines. A matched pair of two German submarines increases the attack value of both submarines from 2 to 3.
Condor Spotting: Strategic bombers can be combined with German submarines. A matched pair of a strategic bomber and a German submarine increases the submarine’s attack value from 2 to 3.

@GEN-MANSTEIN said in Island Bombardment:

Why not have them bombard anywhere on map instead of just the pacific ?

Nothing in the rule limits it to the Pacific; that was just my initial flavor text. It would work equally well on Iceland or Malta.

I figure there aren’t too many things classified as Islands that would have air bases so far away as to make them invulnerable to shore bombardment. The air fields on Guadalcanal and Wake island certainly got hit and both Hickam and Pearl could be hit from the sea. By definition, this ability assumes no defenders. Even a single scrambling fighter or defending destroyer nullifies the ability.

I figured 8 was too low, given than being able to be in two locations is worth >0. Perhaps 9?

Thought of another one.

UNITED STATES
Anti-Aircraft Cruisers [10] When defending, your cruisers may make 3 attacks like an AAA instead of using their defense value of 3.

AA Guns - I think the price is fine at 5. I still buy them but rarely more due to their limited usefulness than their price. i.e., if they cost only 3 I wouldn’t buy more than I do today. At the end of the day, as written, they are more of a deterrent than an actual combat unit. Want to make them “feel” like they are worth 5? Give them the option of AA fire or a defense value of 2 in each combat. Flak 88s certainly killed enough Matildas in North Africa.

Cruisers - Yeah, as written, there is certainly an argument for reducing them to 11 (though I wouldn’t touch the Battleship cost). They really need something a little more to make them worth 12, whether its the ability to bombard facilities on islands or even an R&D option to create Anti-Aircraft Cruisers that can act as an AA gun rather than using their 3 defense value.

Tactical Bombers - I think they are perfectly priced at 11. Their ability to attack at a 4 both on land and at sea is powerful, arguably more so than the fighter’s ability to defend at a 4. I think perhaps it is only the relative cost of the strategic bombers that make them seem a poor buy.

Strategic Bombers - I would pay 13 for these; I may even pay 14.