These house rules are for players that like A&A Global, but want a more manageable and shorter game. The base game of A&A 1942 and some components from A&A Global are required to play. Anything not mentioned is the same as the OOB A&A 1942 Second Edition.

Rule Changes

Industrial Complexes
Industrial complexes either have a value of 3 or 10. The number corresponds to the number of units that can be produced there per turn. New Industrial complexes may not be built. If an industrial complex is captured, it is damaged to its maximum value.

Strategic Bombing
Industrial complexes may be damaged to twice the number on the industrial complex. Bombers roll 2 dice and pick the highest result.

Fighters may be sent to escort the bombers, and enemy fighters in the territory that is being bombed may intercept. Escorting and intercepting fighters cannot participate in any other battles that turn. Escorting and intercepting fighters hit on a 1, and defending bombers hit on a 1. After any casualties are taken, any remaining bombers are fired on by AAA as normal.

Island Bases
Friendly air units on islands may participate in the defense of an adjacent sea zone. Surviving air units return to the island where they originated from and cannot participate in any other battles that turn.

AAA
Units with AAA dice fire at the start of a battle on the attack and defense.

Straights
Straights are marked on the map by a naval base token in the territory. Naval units cannot move between the sea zones specified unless the territory with the naval base was friendly controlled at the start of their turn.

Central America
Prevents enemy naval movement between sea zones 18 and 19.

Northwestern Europe
Prevents enemy naval movement between sea zones 5 and 6.

Gibraltar
Prevents enemy naval movement between sea zones 13 and 14.

Turkey
Prevents all naval movement between sea zones 15 and 16.

Egypt
Prevents enemy naval movement between sea zones 17 and 34.

U.S. Supported Chinese Forces
During the United States mobilize new units phase, they may place 1 purchased Infantry in each of the territories of Yunnan, Szechwan, Anhwei, and Sinkiang if they are friendly controlled. The territory does not have to have been controlled at the start of the United States turn.

Unit Changes

Anti-Aircraft Artillery
Cost – 3
Attack – 1
Defense – 1
AAA dice – 1

Mechanized Infantry
Cost – 4
Attack – 1*
Defense – 2
Move – 2**

*Attacks at 2 with a paired Tank.
**Can blitz.

Mechanized Infantry can be paired with any land unit to give that land unit a move of 2 and allow them to blitz.

Tank
Move – 1

Submarine
Attack – 1

May submerge after the first round of combat even if there are enemy Destroyers present.

Cruiser
AAA dice – 1

Aircraft Carrier
Defense – 1
AAA dice – 1

Battleship
AAA dice – 1

Damaged Battleships may only be repaired if they are in a sea zone that is adjacent to a friendly industrial complex that is not damaged at the end of their turn.

Setup Changes

Soviet Union
Russia – 10 IC, 1 AAA, 1 Mechanized Infantry, 1 Bomber
Karelia S.S.R. – 3 IC, 2 AAA
Caucasus – 3 IC, 1 AAA
Vologda – 3 IC, 2 AAA

Germany
Germany – 10 IC, 1 AAA, 1 Mechanized Infantry
France – 3 IC, 1 AAA
Northwestern Europe – NB, 2 AAA
Finland – 3 IC, 2 AAA
Italy – 3 IC, 1 AAA
Bulgaria Romania – 3 IC, 2 AAA
Ukraine S.S.R. – 3 IC with 6 damage, 2 AAA

United Kingdom
United Kingdom – 10 IC, 1 AAA
Eastern Canada – 3 IC, 2 AAA
Gibraltar – NB, 2 AAA
Egypt – NB, 2 AAA
Union of South Africa – 3 IC, 2 AAA, 1 Mechanized Infantry
India – 3 IC, 1 AAA
Western Australia – 3 IC, 2 AAA

Japan
Japan – 10 IC, 1 AAA
Manchuria – 3 IC, 2 AAA, 1 Mechanized Infantry

United States
Eastern United States – 10 IC, 1 AAA, 1 Mechanized Infantry
Central United States – 10 IC, 2 AAA
Central America – NB, 2 AAA
Western United States – 10 IC, 1 AAA
Yunnan – 1 Infantry
Szechwan – 1 Infantry
Anhwei – 1 Infantry
Sinkiang – 1 Infantry

National Advantages
Optional.

Soviet Union
All land units cost -1 IPC.

Germany
Anti-Aircraft Artillery and Tanks get +1 defense.

United Kingdom
Aircraft Carriers require 2 hits to kill. Fighters cannot land on damaged Aircraft Carriers, and any fighters on an Aircraft Carrier when it is damaged are destroyed. Damaged Aircraft Carriers and Battleships may be repaired at the end of the U.K. turn if they are adjacent to an original U.K. territory or a friendly industrial complex that is not damaged.

Japan
Infantry, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, and Artillery on islands get +1 defense. Destroyers may transport 1 Infantry and follow the same rules as Transports.

United States
All air and naval units cost -1 IPC.

@willdan5 1942 SE with the tournament setup is pretty balanced. Germany will defeat Russia 1v1, but it isn’t a 1v1 game.

If I am playing Japan, I am happy if ANZAC is doing anything other than building submarines, transports, and infantry.

I like DK’s hybrid map.

I am trying to make it slightly more realistic while still trying to keep it as simple as possible. I am still open to changes as I get more games in with these rules and see what works and what does not.

The extra starting units is meant to balance the start and eliminate the need (or want) for a bid.

Giving AAA an attack and defense value makes them feel like a unit and makes them more useful for 5 IPCs.

Giving transports defense is more realistic as they would have had some weaponry or escort. They still have to be taken last as casualties.

Lowering Bombers and fighters stats makes ships more relevant.

No new industrial complexes makes it harder for Japan to go for Moscow, and just makes the game feel more realistic in general.

Loosing your money when your capital is captured was gamey. Now you can still produce units as long as you control an industrial complex.

Producing infantry was meant to be if you no longer controlled any industrial complexes. All the rules of industrial complexes still apply (you cannot produce more than the territory’s value, and you cannot produce on territories that you just captured that turn.

These house rules are meant to make the game more realistic while staying as simple as possible.

Battleships cost 14 IPCs. They cost 1 IPC to repair.

Switzerland has an IPC value of 4.

The U.K. can only produce up to 4 units per turn in India. If India is captured by the Central Powers, the Central Powers cannot produce units there.

If a capital is captured, the IPCs are discarded and not taken by the capturing power.

Neutral territories that are not home territories still get units if invaded.

Sea units, except submarines, must end their movement when they enter a sea zone with enemy mines.

Units that retreat from a contested territory cannot move into another contested territory. They may move into any adjacent friendly territory.

There is a combat move and a non-combat move. During the combat move, units can move into neutral, contested, and enemy territories. The non-combat move comes after combat. During the non-combat move, units that did not move during the combat move and did not conduct combat can move into friendly territories. Land units can move an unlimited number of territories during the non-combat move within their original territories.

Optional Manpower Rule

Keep track of the infantry that are destroyed for each power. If a power has had 2x the number of their infantry destroyed as their starting IPC value (rounded up), they may only collect half of the total IPC value of their territories when they collect income (rounded up). If a power has had 4x the number of their infantry destroyed as their starting IPC value (rounded up), they may only collect the IPC value of their capital territory when they collect income.

#2, plus I have been thinking about making factories the only place where tanks, airplanes, and all ships except transports can be made from. The Ottoman Empire would not have any.

@8d88 if you think that the USSR is too weak, just give them a Bomber in Russia. It opens up a few more options for them.

I added a PDF here. I made a few changes after another game with starting fleet positions.

Version 2

1941 Scenario
Removed a German destroyer from sea zone 5.
Added a German destroyer to sea zone 13.
Removed a Soviet destroyer from sea zone 4.
Added a Soviet destroyer to sea zone 16.
Removed a UK aircraft carrier and fighter from sea zone 12.
Added a UK aircraft carrier and fighter to sea zone 2.

1942 Scenario
Removed a Soviet destroyer from sea zone 4.
Added a Soviet destroyer to sea zone 16.

There should be a PDF link at the top of my post so you don’t have to use BGG.

@FranceNeedsMorePower copy. I wouldn’t say 1941 is super well balanced. Same as Anniversary or 1942.

@FranceNeedsMorePower
I think you are confusing 1941 with the 1941 setup for Anniversary.

I am trying to introduce A&A to more people, and thus using 1941, but it needs some modifications. The first moves are so scripted because there are so few pieces to start with, and you can’t buy any more expensive units because of how little money you make. These changes make the setup more interesting and historical, while also keeping it simple to keep this the introductory version of A&A. No modification of game components is required, although owning other A&A games is recommended for more pieces. Feedback is appreciated.

Axis & Allies 1941 Second Edition.pdf

The minor axis units are in the game because someone wanted them represented. Balance is not the reason as if they were German units the number of them could have been adjusted to make it balanced. I think it would have been better if either they were not included, or they were fleshed out more to allow a third player. As is, they complicate the game for no real purpose.

You are crazy. Just invest a little in the German fleet (1-2 destroyers) and buy another transport. An airbase in Norway is a good idea and will cover the fleet.

If I am playing Japan, I am happy if ANZAC is doing anything other than building submarines, transports, and infantry.

@DoManMacgee they are different than the German infantry, but they are not a big enough factor that they should have been included. It complecates the game for no purpose.

They should have not included the minor axis powers as separate. It just complicates things unnecessarily. They don’t really serve a gameplay function.

Updated with a new 1941 setup.

There are also new naval movement and scramble rules.

@CentralCommando
You will be pleased to see there are more units in Africa.

I completely forgot about the Italian unuts in east Africa, that’s why they never moved.

The factory in Korea producing 10 mechs a turn is my preferred strategy with Japan. You think it slowed me down? 2 minor factories in China can only produce 6 units.