Hi guys,
Need some help here - I liked the national advantages from Revised, and want to make them for the new edition.
First - a disclaimer;
I’m aware that historically the original NA’s are questionable - but then, Axis and Allies is a game - not a detailed historical simulation. Because it is the antithesis of A World at War by GMT games - I want it to be simple, yet have some flavour.
Whilst it was easy enough to create NAs for Germany, Japan, the UK and US - Italy was much harder. Partly becuase I’m hard pressed to think of any, let alone six significant advantages that the Italians had.
The Americans were motorised, had heavy industry - the Germans had Stukas and fancy tanks etc etc… Most of my advantages for Italy relate to Germans operating in Italy!
I’ve also yet to test these - so, accepting that I’m not attempting to recreate history, but merely to add flavour to my games - can people give advice from a games persepctive on whether these are too unbalanced, or add a nice bit of chrome without widly affecting game play…
Oh, and we also use the house rule that any subs adjacent to a UK or Japan industrial complex knock off an IPC from that nation’s collect income - best compromise without putting convoy zones on the map - may even make the US vulnerable, but noly the UK and Japan suffered a submarine campaign against them - and in the final analysis, the US campaign actually worked.
(I can’t attach the files, as I’ve made fancy sheets with a national propaganda poster for each nation as a watermark for each A-4 sheet…)
But the text is;
UK
1. R a d a r
Antiaircraft guns in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar hit air units on a roll of a 1 or 2 (3 if Radar is later developed as a technological breakthrough). All other tan territories are treated as normal.
Enigma Decoded
Once per game, after Germany or Italy finishes a combat move, but before it conducts combat, you may make one special move. You may move any number of your units from one space into an adjacent space that was under the control of the Allies at the beginning of the turn. This movement must either be into or out of a space being attacked by Germany or Italy. Moving sea units into an empty sea zone does not count. If moving out of an attacked space, you must leave at least one unit behind. This is the only time attacking submarines may be intercepted.
Colonial Garrison
You begin the game with one additional industrial complex in any tan territory with an income value of at least 1 (You still can’t have more than one industrial complex in a territory).
Joint Strike
Once during the game at the start of a round (before the first player), you may declare a joint strike. That round, you complete your turn as normal, expect that you skip combat move, conduct combat and non combat move phases. On those phases of the US turn, the US player uses your units in his combat move, conduct combat and noncombat move phases together with his own units. You and the US player must agree on attacking casualties and who takes possession of an captured territories, or the opposing player gets to chose. AA fire is rolled separately against each nationality. Weapons advantages or any other national advantages only apply to the units of the nation that gained the development or has the advantage. A joint strike may not be called off once it has been declared.
Free French
Once per game, if the Allies control Western Europe, you may place three of your infantry there for free. (Use the grey American infantry to represent these forces)
Middle Eastern Oil
British infantry may move 2 spaces if they begin their movement in Anglo-Egypt, Trans-Jordan, or Persia during your non-combat move phase.
USA
US Marine Corps
You may build marines at a cost of 4 IPCS. Marines attack on a 2 in the first cycle of land combat portion of any amphibious assault against an island surrounded by a sea zone. Even if supported by artillery, their attack remains 2. (Use the dark Green infantry to denote Marines).
Motorised Infantry
You may construct motorised infantry at normal cost which move 2 and may blitz as tanks do. The mechanized infantry development allows you to match up artillery to moving infantry units. (Use the truck mould to denote mechanised units).
Tactical Air Forces
You may build tactical air forces (TAC AIR) that attack on a 4 or less and defend on a 3 or less. (use the P38 mould.)
War Economy
The cost of buying sea units is reduced by 1 IPC
Silent Service
Non-submerged US Submarines that are in a sea zone adjacent to a Japanese industrial centre cause an additional IPC loss for a total of 2 IPC during the Japanese collect income phase.
B29 Super Heavy Bomber
Once you have developed both long-range aircraft and heavy bombers, you may convert bombers to B-29 units at the rate of one per turn. These bombers have a movement of 8, and roll two dice when attacking. Only one is used in defence. In addition, B-29s are immune from Anti-Aircraft fire when making strategic bombing attacks (I have mini-B29 models for this, otherwise I’d just use a red chip under a bomber)
Italy - where I need ideas and inspiration!!!
Libya Express
Each of your destroyers may act as a transport for one infantry. These destroyers follow the same rules of loading and offloading units as transports do.
Gustav Line
German artillery defends at a 3 or less in Italian tan territories.
Rome-Berlin Pact of Steel
Germany may transfer two units per turn to Italy during the build units phase. These must be converted at the start of the German turn, and therefore unable to be used by the Germans during movement and combat.
Suez Convoys
Britain loses 1 IPC in its collect income phase for each non-submerged Italian submarine in sea zones 13 and 15.
The Soft Underbelly
Infantry in the Italy territory defend at 3 or less.
Axis Forces
If Italian forces hold no territory other than Italy and the Balkans you may place three Axis infantry for free in the Balkans territory during your build new units phase. These are available for immediate use. (I have some green Germany infantry from my first copy of the old Axis and Allies which had printed the americans in grey and the Germans in green, which has been dead handy for US supported Chinese forces, or using the Grey Americans as free french.
Germany
W o l f P a c k s
Your submarines attack on a 3 (4 if you have Super Submarines development) if there is more than one of them at the start of a combat cycle. When there are less than two submarines this ability is lost. Wolf Packs do not improve defending submarines. Enemy Destroyers do not affect this National Advantage. The submarines may come from difference sea zones, but they must attack the same sea zone.
P a n z e r B l i t z
If your attacking forces destroy all defending units in a territory in one cycle of combat, or if no combat was necessary, any of your surviving tanks in the attacking forces may move 1 territory during the noncombat move phase.
L u f t w a f f e D i v e B o m b e r s
You may build dive bombers which attack at 4 and defend at 3. Your dive-bombers may conduct first round tactical bombing runs. They are subject to antiaircraft fire as normal. In the first cycle, if there are no defending fighters present, the dive-bombers hit on a roll of 5 or less in land battles only. Any units hit still fire back normally in the first round of combat. In succeeding rounds of battle the fighters hit on a normal roll of 4 or less. If defending fighters are present this ability is cancelled.
F e s t u n g E u r o p a
You may place one block house in any grey territory that is adjacent to a sea zone. They may not move and defend on a 4 or less. Additionally, during any amphibious assault against a grey territory, all your infantry defend on a 3 during the first cycle of combat. No more than two block houses may be placed in any coastal territory.
G e r m a n S c i e n t i s t s
Weapons development tokens cost 4ipc instead of 5
H e a v y P a n z e r s
You may build heavy tanks at the rate of 2 per turn. They cost 7 IPC and attack and defend at 4 or less. (Use the black heavy Panther moulds) (You can use the Tiger tanks from ‘The War Game’ miniatures - or the Maus. They also do the heavy German subs for the super sub tech).
Japan and USSR to follow when I’ve typed them up, but I think Japan will be the same as revised, along with the Soviets - although I’ve got a red set of Soviets, which I may use to represent Guards units - either the tank or man - or possibly both. Not sure.
Anyway - making no excuses for abandonment of history, I welcome any comments regarding play balance - or if others have been using any national advantages.
