@MidnightExpress:
That’s a cool photo. The German units look similar to the original MB Classic grey. Is it just the lighting, or are they grey instead of black?
They are spraypainted dark grey - I’m kind of old school about some of the piece colors - never liked the gloss black Germans.
Actually rolling a “1” with 6 planes is harder than you think. There is a 66.51% chance you will roll a one when rolling 6 die, not 100% - check here:
http://www.edcollins.com/backgammon/diceprob.htm
I honestly don’t know why they don’t just leave the numbers alone for the one round of combat - simultaneous fire - so the fighter escorts would attack @ 3, interceptors defend @ 4, bombers defend @ 1. That would hurt something!
Surely your enemy won’t bother with interceptors unless he has a chance at taking out bombers.
Yeah but if your interceptors are firing @ 2 like in these new rules, you are going to likely take out twice the fighters you lose.
The current alpha 3 rules for convoy raiding are not that great, in my opinion. They do not fit with the rules of strategic bombing which is also a type of economic attack. For example:
1. In strategic bombing, the higher number you roll, the better. In A3 convoy raiding, you don’t want to roll higher than a 3.
2. In strategic bombing, there is a risk of losing planes from AA fire each time you try it. In A3 convoy raiding, there is no risk. You just roll and see how much hurt you do.
3. In strategic bombing, only bombers (or tactical bombers if you have them) can do it. In A3 convoy raiding, all surface warships and carrier based aircraft can do it. Some you roll 2 dice and some you roll one die.
4. In strategic bombing, the damage is immediately applied to the IC bombed. In A3 convoy raiding, the damage has to be remembered and subtracted from your income collected.
Most of this is needless and only complicates and subtracts from the enjoyment of the game, IMO.
BEHOLD, THE SIMPLE CONVOY RAIDING SYSTEM:
• ONLY Submarines have the ability to attack the economy of enemy nations by attacking convoys. Â
• Convoy symbols can be found in different sea zones on the world map. Each convoy symbol has a small roundel on it that identifies what nation the convoy belongs to. Â
• There are three conditions that must exist for a convoy attack to occur:
1. The sea zone must have a “Convoy symbol†image.
2. The sea zone must be adjacent to one or more enemy controlled islands or territories,
unless it is printed as “Linked to…†a specific sea zone or area of the world. Â
3. At least one of your subs must be within or be moved into the sea zone during your combat phase, and the intent to attack the convoy must be declared.
4. Roll one die per attacking sub in the zone and add. The convoy owner now must pay
one of the following amounts, whichever is less: Â
a: the total amount of sub damage done. (dice roll total)
b: the cap amount for that zone. (Each convoy zone has a yellow “cap†number printed on it.) Â
c: the total economic value of the territories the convoy owner owns that are adjoined or “linked to†that convoy zone.
5. ASW reprisal: Each convoy is assumed to have escorts guarding it. These escorts
can now try to search for and depth charge the evading sub(s). The defender rolls one die for every enemy sub that attacked. For every “1†rolled, the attacker loses a submarine. Â
• If an enemy destroyer from any enemy nation is in a convoy zone, no convoy raiding can be done there. Â
• Only one convoy raid can be done per zone per turn. Â
• Once a Sub does a convoy attack, its move ends in that zone.
• When territories change hands, it makes it possible to do a Reverse convoy raid in a convoy zone. Say the USA player takes over the Philippines. Japan can now Convoy Raid the USA player in the sea zone around the Philippines.
Here a Japanese sub has moved into a US convoy zone. Japan rolls a “5” - the most the USA has to pay is the cap number, however, which is 4 IPCs.
The USA pays the bank 4 IPCs immediately. The USA then rolls one die for ASW reprisal. USA rolls a “3” - miss. Done.
In this pic there are two USA subs in a Japanese convoy zone. However, there is a Japanese DD there so no convoy raiding can happen. Â
This zone is printed as “Linked east” - this means if all British holdings are taken in the East, this zone shuts down.
Â
Here a German sub is in a USSR covoy zone, but since the Germans have taken over Karelia, the most damage the sub can do is reduced to 2. Â
This system I believe:
1. Is simpler - only subs can do the raiding and this emphasizes their role
2. Is self-limiting - as with bombing raids, there is a 1/6 chance you will lose a sub doing a convoy raid. “Everything is sweetened by risk”
3. Is easier to apply damage - it is done immediately and doesn’t have to be written down or remembered. Â
4. Mirrors strategic bombing better as an economic attack.
Am I right in thinking that any defending interceptors are removed immediately and completely from the air battle without being able to return fire if they are hit by the attacking bombers and/or escorts? This is what seems to be implied by the rules but I just want to be 100% sure. Thanks.
Maybe this is to try to simulate the interceptors concentrating on attacking the enemy bombers and not giving full attention to the fighter escorts.
Here is my new revised chart - it is a little more realistic. Now there are three columns - the first is if the country you are negotiating with is pro-your side. The second is if the country is pro-neither side, and the third is if the country is against your side.
Notice now it is harder overall to get a neutral to join you and more expensive. (after all, historically neutrals did not participate - it should be hard to get them to join) It is even harder to get a neutral who is against you to join you. (The chance that a neutral will talk to you is printed above each column in the form of a percentage.) The highest economic value of any neutral on my map is 2.
On my map, Turkey has a value of 2, will spawn 5 infantry if it joins the war, and is pro-axis.
This means there is only about an 8% chance that Turkey will even listen to the British. Italy has a 28% chance of getting somewhere with Turkey, however. If Italy rolls a 9 in negotiations with Turkey, it would cost Italy 2x7 or 14 IPCs for Turkey to join the Axis. Keep in mind however, that Italy will gain 5 infantry for pursuing this, worth 15 IPCs. Italy is pictured here having successfully negotiated for Turkey. There is one Italian unit on top with the five Turkish infantry represented by the chips in the stack below. Italy can begin using these units on his next turn. We gametested this the other night and it works well.
Mongolia on my map is more historically marked - it says “Pro-USSR Communist, Anti-all others” this means that it is doubtful if Japan or the USA will get anywhere with Mongolia - only the USSR has much of a chance.
If Russia successfully negotiates with Mongolia, then 4 infantry will be raised there to join the allies. �
I have plenty of computer games but I still enjoy getting around a table, rolling dice and moving armies around. I think there will always be a market for that, or at least I hope so!
Thanks! Maybe some FMG dice for Christmas, eh? Can’t justify buying them now with all I’ve sunk into the room so far.
@Der:
Well I’m using the Interception rules on Larry Harris’ website where both attackers and interceptors have to roll ones to hit. Using mathematical odds, you would have to have 4 fighters posted there to have a 51.77% chance of rolling a one and shooting something down. This is not much of a deterent to approaching bombers as not many can afford to keep that many fighters sitting around. Fighters defending at 2 might keep the bombers out, though.
they DO defend @ 2, thus making attacking fighters fodder @ 10ipc/ea just to barely damage a factory. makes SBR a stupid move unless you have an opponent w/ 0 fighters.
http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=6491
Well I’m using the Interception rules on Larry Harris’ website where both attackers and interceptors have to roll ones to hit. Using mathematical odds, you would have to have 4 fighters posted there to have a 51.77% chance of rolling a one and shooting something down. This is not much of a deterent to approaching bombers as not many can afford to keep that many fighters sitting around. Fighters defending at 2 might keep the bombers out, though.
In the '42 2nd edition rules it says:
1. Attacking bombers & escorts fire @ 1
For each “1” rolled, defending interceptor is removed (no chance to fire)
2. Surviving interceptors fire @ 2
Attacker chooses the casualties and removes
3. Surviving bombers Proceed with AA fire and bombing raid
These rules are a little different from all other editions. What do you think of them? Are they the best yet? If so I may adapt my rules to use these.
I wouldn’t mind the new units if they would stay stocked up on the staple units first.
Mine are all painted yellow - I think it’s closer to an earth color to match the other nations and it looks better.
In Russia we tell you when it’s winter.
Wow…I could see maybe a random die roll but that’s a bit much. The Japanese should then be able to tell you when your men got malaria.
Depends on how much of a stickler you want to be. I usually end up playing with newbies, and there is a lot to think about when you are learning, so I let them do something if they forgot.
I think I remember writing one of those letters. I remember how the old rulebook used to finish almost every paragraph with an exclamation point.
“Use chips as combat force substitutes whenever you want to save space!”
Heh heh - I was never familiar with NAs - now I’m glad. Since we got off on colors, I always thought yellow Japanese was a bit racist.
Blue Brits, Blue Americans would be better than Blue Russians
I dunno -it does get pretty cold in Russia.
Heh heh - that was hilarious! :lol:
