Best posts made by Der Kuenstler

Hey all, it’s been a while but I’m catching the Axis and Allies bug again. I ran a game monthly game night for six years with the same type map and can’t get excited about setting up the exact same thing again. I think it’s the Aries in me - I love to create.

So I was thinking about a new type of map. A basic limitation on maps is how far a human can comfortably stretch across them to reach things. For me this is about 41 inches. This means that the world map view lacks detail.

But what about a map where the main historic theaters (like Europe, East Asia, and Pacific) are large (blown up) and thus more detailed and conductive to tactics, and the other areas (like South America and most of Africa) are represented abstractly around the edges like maybe in blow up boxes as the original AA 1984 map had?

Does this kind of concept sound intriguing to you or would you rather still play on a less detailed overall world map?

“Going too far is as bad as not going far enough.” - Chinese proverb

I read this saying in a book of quotes the other day and got to thinking about house rules for Axis and Allies. Is it possible to go too far?

I would estimate my game group uses about 90% rules that can be found in official game manuals and 10% house rules. But I love tinkering with rules - it’s as much a hobby to me as building scale model kits. I have a master list I made of things I’d like to add to our game before I say “it is done.” 12 of them are new units and 10 are rule additions and changes.

What motivates you to make a house rule?

1. Desire for Historical accuracy - I read history books and see something glaringly inaccurate in the current rules and think “Oh we should change that.”
2. Boredom - after several sessions the game can become stale and repetitive to me. (Probably faster than for others, I admit.) I think - “Oh, this would add some spice, let’s put that in.”

What are the pitfalls of too many house rules?

1. Loss of the identity of the game “Axis and Allies.”
2. Loss of community - I sometimes find myself unable to comment on the many threads here because my game map and rules are not exactly the same.
3. New players can get overwhelmed with poorly explained house rules.
4. Regular players can get discouraged with having to adjust to new changes and quit.

What stops me from implementing a new house rule?

1. Sentiment - For example, I have fond memories going back years of strategic bombers attacking ships @ 4, even though that wasn’t historically true. I’ll probably never change that in the rules, just because of its warm familiarity.
2. Lack of clear thought - it is easier for me to dislike something in the rules than to have a clear idea that improves them. For example, I may not like AA guns shooting down 1/6 planes. But if I am wedded to using six sided dice for some reason, then what would work better?

What should I ask myself before making another house rule?

1. Will this rule make the game more fun? This I think has to be the first priority, as that is the point of a game IMO. If everybody is already having plenty of fun, then adding another rule to remember may not increase the enjoyment.
2. Will this rule make the game more accurate historically?
3. Is this rule even necessary? For example, I’ve been thinking of adding machine guns to the game. But the argument could be made that an infantry unit already includes machine guns in it, as reflected by their defending twice as good as attacking.

Is there a point when you should pronounce the game “finished?”

Well, Axis and Allies is a relatively new game. It came out in the early '80s, which makes it about 30 years old. In comparison, Chess is over 2000 years old. Monopoly is over 110 years old, and I read recently that it is coming out with some rule changes now.

I would say, stop making house rules when you get to the line where you are having maximum fun, and adding more would only complicate things and spoil it. That is one of the big challenges I suppose - finding where that line is.

I’d enjoy reading others’ thoughts on this subject…

“The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril”. - Winston Churchill

Dear old Winston wouldn’t have to worry about u-boats if he were playing the latest editions of Axis and Allies today. The current OOB rules make destroyers so powerful that just one of them can turn a wolf pack of submarines into a litter of baby kittens.

According to the current rules, just ONE destroyer can do these things:

• Stop any number of enemy subs from a surprise strike in a sea battle

• Stop any number of subs from submerging (even 100 or more!)

• Stop any number of subs from going through the sea zone it is sitting in

• allow air units to hit any number of subs in the zone it is in

It is no wonder that there is no proper battle of the Atlantic with these rules in place.

On the other hand, the rules say that ANY of your ships or those of your allies have NO EFFECT on convoy disruption. Look at this picture from the 1940 RE rulebook:


There is plainly a British DD sitting there in the same zone as the menacing u-boats. Yet the DD does nothing to stop any of them from raiding the convoys there. Huh?

The answer to this unrealistic mess is to do what artillery does with infantry. Their powers work when being matched on a 1:1 basis. Just as one artillery does not make 10 or more infantry attack @ 2, one Destroyer should not be able to stop 10 u-boats from leaving the Baltic Sea. I’m proposing that the destroyer’s powers be limited to a 1:1 basis with subs, like this:

1. SUBMERSIBLE: One destroyer and two fighters attack three u-boats. Only one of the u-boats should have to stay. The other two should be able to submerge and escape.

2. SURPRISE STRIKE: If one DD is in a naval task force attacking four subs, only one of the subs should lose the surprise strike ability, not all four. One DD cannot be everywhere.

3. TREAT HOSTILE ZONES AS FRIENDLY: If five subs want to come out of the Baltic and there are two British DD’s blocking their way, only two subs should have to stop. The other three should be able to get by.

4. CAN’T BE HIT BY AIR UNITS: If a DD and three planes attack 2 subs, all the hits should apply to only one sub. The other can submerge.

5. CONVOY DISRUPTION: DD’s should stop it on a 1:1 basis. As in the picture above, if three subs are there with an enemy DD, only two of the subs should be able to disrupt convoys.

To me this would enable subs to compete with destroyers and make a real battle of the Atlantic possible.

A hybrid is “Something of mixed origin or composition.” Hopefully a hybrid can combine the best qualities of different stock. My idea with this variation is to try to create kind of a “game of the ages” by compiling what I think are the best rules from the different Axis and Allies editions over the years, along with my favorite House Rules, into one game.

SEE PAGE 3 FOR 7.0 UPDATES OF THIS

SEE PAGE 4 FOR 7.3 UPDATES OF THIS

To make this map I started with Imperious Leader’s AA 1942 map. IMO his maps are the best looking maps out there. Other maps I’ve seen are utilitarian - they get the job done, but there is not much beauty or immersion in them. Anyhow, I started with IL’s 1942 map and with his permission, added in elements of AA Anniversary edition, AA Classic, G40, and a few good house rules sprinkled in. A few of the many map changes are:

• All territories have values on them
• All countries incomes are increased
• Added Italy - used color Italian flags
• Added China
• Mongolia shape improved - no longer a giant kidney
• Made German flags match stock markers
• The three straits are marked
• Added several places of historic interest
• Egypt is all one territory divided by Suez Canal
• Added 3 territories to Germany
• Added 5 territories to UK
• Added 6 territories to Russia
• Added 10 territories to China
• Added 2 Territories to USA
• Added Pripyat Marshes
• Added convoy raiding, 3 vital convoy areas
• Added Tibet
• Added Trans-Siberian Railroad to Russia
• Lightened dividing lines of all sea zones
• Added flags to all neutrals
• Added large roundels to capitals as in classic
• Moved map up to exclude some of the white snow
• Enlarged the Med Sea and slightly lowered Africa

***The Fonts may not look right or you may see missing letters in the Mediafire viewer, but after you download and view them they should look good.

IL gave me permission to allow the map to be downloaded here (Version 1.0):

http://www.mediafire.com/view/1bmoeowvwte19bz/DKs_HYBRID_AA_MAP.pdf

This updated map has two slight tweaks. (1.1) The Spanish land strip between Gibraltar and Portugal has been restored. Also, the UK land strip was removed from Ireland so that the Axis cannot attack UK’s capital via Ireland by land.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/c9aa54hl7tyq4zl/DKs_HYBRID_AA_Map_(1.1)_.pdf

Map version 1.2 - France divided in half, East Front territories given to Russia, and China given a capital, as shown in my you tube video “Map Patches.”

https://www.mediafire.com/file/m7xudoypp1sqnjp/DKs HYBRID AA Map (1.2).pdf

Here are the rules that go with the 1.1 map (Updated 10/15):

http://www.mediafire.com/view/o9z748zex278sfr/xsrules-6.2_ed.pdf

Here is a sub tutorial that goes with the rules:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/brx43iei8eep410/sub_tutorial.pdf

Map JPEG with complete setup on it (1.0):

http://www.mediafire.com/view/i263k41oi04gxe1/ZZ-2014 MAP 30 X 17.5 RR SETUP.JPG

Setup Cards (1.0):

http://www.mediafire.com/view/t9pgdbcuuglo498/DK_AA_setup_cards.pdf

Reference cards:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/e6dj634tyu6lt5x/Reference_cards.pdf

Regular Battle Boards:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/crczff85r5jfguu/Battleboard-6.pdf

Smartboard Battle boards (Updated 9/15):

http://www.mediafire.com/view/guvv6n4pu0gz6ga/Battleboard-6.6.pdf

Copy Cards

https://www.mediafire.com/?dg2q52nvif52j38

Hope you find this helpful, or at least interesting. :-D

THE 7.0 UPDATED VERSION OF ALL THIS IS FOUND ON PAGE 3 OF THIS THREAD. (UPDATED 9/3/16)

CWO Marc: I like your additions!

#11: There shouldn’t be too many house rules, otherwise you’re no longer playing Axis and Allies. And I think part of “manageable” is making the house rules consistent with the spirit of the game. This will make rules easier to remember. For example, you pretty much roll dice for everything in this game. You should leave that part in there with your house rules if possible.

#12 - I like the idea of purpose - people can accept change if they understand why there is a change. It may be for a historic reason, logical reason or gameplay reason, but do have some purpose behind your change, and explain it so that makes sense to people.