WAR ROOM NATIONAL ADVANTAGES (Optional House rule or Expansion)

[oztea]

Another callback to what Larry had included in past versions of Axis and Allies that many players were fans of. This is an attempt to create a version for War Room. Each faction would get between one to six national advantages, assigned randomly in a way determined by the players. (random die roll, roll three dice and pick two, etc)

GERMAN REICH

1. Synthetic Oil -
   German research into synthetic fuels was considered cutting edge for its time, making up for the severe lack of petrochemicals.
   When bidding for Oil in Phase 2, Germany is always considered to have bid one oil, in addition to any oil normally bid, including zero.

2. Stuka Dive Bombers -
   The iconic howl of the JU-88 dive bombers came to define the German war machine, and instill terror in the opposition.
   When determining force advantage in Phase 4, if Germany has more air units than the opposing forces, then the Axis forces are considered to have one more unit type than they otherwise do. This breaks ties in favor of the Axis and can result in them counting as having a 4th unit type.

3. V-1 Buzz Bombs -
   These early cruise missiles were the original “vengeance weapon”, allowing Germany to strike back at the enemy home-front.
   Once each turn Germany may, as an order, launch one free Strategic Bombing Raid against an industrial target within three space of a port it controls. The attack rolls two strategic damage dice. However, if any enemy fighters are present, the attack rolls only one die instead. (The order is written as “V1”)

4. 88mm Artillery -
   German 88’s were a well calibrated and deadly piece of the German arsenal, and an ever present threat for Allied tankers.
   In battles, half (rounding up) of your artillery may, instead of adding any dice to your dice pool, generate one automatic red hit if placed in the Anti-Air stance or an automatic green and white hit if placed in the Ground stance.

5. U-Boat Wolf Packs -
   German submarines as an economic warfare asset almost brought the economy of the United Kingdom to it’s knees.
   German Submarines roll two dice when raiding convoys instead of the normal one. Also you begin the game with one submarine under construction for free at an industrialized territory you control.

6. Blitzkrieg -
   German “lightning war” was based on using mechanized formations to complete large encirclements of enemy formations.
   German armor may be used to satisfy a pinning requirement and then still carry out their order with the rest of the command. German tanks also pin two enemy land units each.

IMPERIAL JAPAN

1. Dug in Defenders -
   Intent on holding this new territory until the last man, the Japanese constructed elaborate fortifications on these islands.
   Japanese Garrison forces always roll against an enemy who has units coming ashore on an originally Japanese island territory that was uncontested. (even if other Japanese commands are present) When doing so roll before normal combat and four dice instead of two. More than one enemy unit can be destroyed in this way.

2. Fanatical Devotion -
   Many Japanese were convinced their Emperor was a living god, and saw the deaths of Japanese soldiers as his divine will.
   When converting casualties to stress in Phase 6 you may always ignore up to two infantry and one fighter or carrier fighter.

3. Kamikaze Attacks -
   A strategy of desperation, the Japanese sent aircraft on suicidal missions in an attempt to change the course of the war.
   Japanese air commands will obey orders to move four spaces instead of the normal two. However all air commands who do so will be considered destroyed at the end of the battle. You may cancel this order normally.

4. Super Heavy Battleships -
   Japanese battleships were designed to be bigger and more durable than the battleships of any other nation.
   When purchasing a battleship it costs you either one more iron or two more OSR to produce, however ‘Wild Hits’ (Black Dice) can never be assigned as damage on your battleships.

5. Banzai Charge -
   The fearsome rallying cry of the Japanese army, preceding a human wave style attack, and an attempt to stampede the enemy.
   If you have more infantry in offensive posture than your opponent then each of your infantry in excess of theirs (in offensive posture) generate one additional die.

6. Submarine Carriers –
   A unique design that provided Japan the capability of launching air attacks from totally unexpected positions.
   Once per round, one of your fleets that contains at least two submarines may launch a fighter as if a carrier was present.

ITALIAN EMPIRE

1. Light Tanks -
   Italian tanks weren’t as durable as their contemporaries, though their reduced complexity meant they consumed less resources.
   Italian tanks cost one less iron to produce, however they may not choose to take the defensive stance in battle if the enemy force contains tanks.

2. East African Holdouts -
   Though beaten into a guerrilla war, some Italian units held out in Ethiopia until 1943, presenting a problem for the Allies.
   Italy begins the game with control of Horn of Africa. Claim the card from the British Commonwealth player and place a land command there with one infantry and a fleet command in M-5 with one sub.

3. Latin Axis -
   Franco had been approached about joining the Axis multiple times and if fortune favored the Axis a bit more then he may have.
   While France is controlled by the Axis, Spain is considered Pro-Axis Neutral. Also while France is uncontested, if Italy gains control of Gibraltar or Egypt, then Italy may mobilize Spain’s army and gain control of it at the end of any turn while these condition are met.

4. Sicilian Strait -
   Sicily presented a problem to Allied planners, without first controlling it an attack on the Italian mainland would be very risky.
   Allied land commands may not enter Italy from Sea Zone M-2 without Allied control of Sicily. Italian commands may treat Sicily as adjacent by land to Italy for its land commands only. (Not adjacent by rail)

5. Mare Nostrum -
   “Our Sea”, the stated goal of Mussolini’s new Italian Empire, total dominance of naval traffic in the Mediterranean Sea.
   Italian ports afford four dice for Port Advantage instead of the normal two. Also If there are no Allied ships in the Mediterranean (M1-M3) at the beginning of Phase 6 then Italy receives one free medal before stress is calculated.

6. Fleet in Being –
   A lack of fuel kept the Italian Navy at anchor for most of the war, while here it was safe from attack but still a major threat.
   Italy may, at any time when it could otherwise reorganize commands, move ships back into port. These units are placed on Italy under an Industry token as if they were under construction. Only as many ships as their industry can currently support (take damage into account) may be placed under the token in this way. They return to the sea zone only during Phase 5.

SOVIET UNION

1. Sea of Mud –
   The infrastructure of Russian frontier was almost totally unimproved, and the increased traffic had turned it into a quagmire.
   At the beginning of Phase 3, before any moves are made, choose one Axis land command on original Soviet territory (or Ukraine/Belarus) and roll three dice. Pin up to three land units matching the colors rolled. Yellow being infantry, Blue being artillery, or Green being armor.

2. Katyusha Rockets -
   Known as “Stalin’s Organs” these simple yet effective rocket artillery pieces added a tremendous volume of fire to an attack.
   One command of your choice each game round may fire Katyusha Rockets. In this battle only, each of that command’s artillery on Ground stance generate an additional die.

3. Scorched Earth Policy -
   Having been forced backward into the Motherland, commanders made the decision to leave nothing for the enemy to use.
   During each Direct National Economy phase, choose any one original USSR card held by an opponent and flip it to its embattled side before they collect resources. Afterward it returns to normal.

4. Not One Step Back -
   Front lines were measured street by street, house to house, and Soviet forces held on tenaciously to vital resources.
   The USSR may collect the resources from the uncontested sides of up to two cards in embattled territories it controls. (USSR choice)

5. Red Army Conscription -
   The vast manpower pool of the Soviet Union could be drawn upon to create new divisions from its great expanses.
   Roll two dice during the Refit & Deploy phase. For each yellow or wild result you are awarded one free Infantry. Place them immediately under a single command in one currently controlled and uncontested original USSR territory that does not contain industry.

6. Partisan Forces –
   Various forces attempted to expel the Axis occupation from their territory, and often coordinated with nearby Soviet armies.
   One order space for the USSR may be used to order Partisans to attack Axis forces. An Axis controlled territory adjacent to a Soviet controlled territory may be targeted (either may be contested). Roll four dice following the rules as if a garrison force was attacked. (Order written as “Partisans”) The order must be written in the last available order slot and is resolved last. May not be used against Japan while the Non-Aggression pact is in effect.

BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

1. Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command -
   “So much owed to so few”; the RAF had saved the United Kingdom from invasion in 1941 and was now on guard permanently.
   The United Kingdom territory may always deploy one carrier fighter that it may place on itself or in any adjacent sea zone as if a carrier was present during the appropriate phase.

2. The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire -
   With holdings around the globe, vital supplies and raw materials could be shipped in from the colonies for the war effort.
   If the UK controls, and no Axis fleet commands are adjacent to: United Kingdom, Eastern Canada, Western Canada, Egypt, Gibraltar, South Africa and India then the UK receives a free Civilian Good during the Refit and Redeploy phase.

3. The Great Liberation -
   The United Kingdom was home to many of the governments in exile of Allied nations who had previously fallen to the Axis.
   The first time any of: Norway, Denmark, France, Poland or The Balkans are captured by an Allied Forces Nation, place a command of UK infantry there representing the Liberated forces of that territory. The number of infantry to be placed in the command is equal to half of the strategic value of the territory. (rounded up).

4. Code Crackers -
   Researchers at Bletchley Park cracked the German Enigma code, giving the Allies a tactical forecast of future Axis actions.
   When bidding for turn order, if you are ever in a tie it is considered that you break the tie.

5. Night Bombing Raids -
   Bomber Command had already taken losses above Germany, so while the Americans bombed by day the British did so at night.
   In attacks where no other Allied Forces commands are present, and you have only sent air commands, when these commands conduct a strategic bombing raid, you may elect to do so at night. If so, both sides roll half as many dice as is in their dice pool during both the air battle stage and strategic attack stage. (You round up, Axis rounds down)

6. His Majesty’s Royal Navy -
   It was the jewel of the British military and the largest in the world; but the loss of a capital ship would be a wound to its pride.
   The British Commonwealth begins the game with one free battleship under construction at the start of the game. However, the first time a British Commonwealth battleship is lost as a casualty, count it as two when calculating the stress it generates.

UNITED STATES

1. Heavy Carriers –
   Larger hangers, flight decks and fuel reserves enabled U.S. Carriers to put more aircraft into the air than the opposition.
   US Fleet Commands that contain at least two or more Carriers generate one additional carrier fighter.
   (Maximum of one additional fighter per fleet command)

2. Lend Lease -
   The Arsenal of Democracy, the United States loaned and leased military equipment to the other Allied Powers by the ton.
   During each Refit & Deploy phase you may attempt to send material aid to one your allies. Choose one ally and roll a die. Yellow is a delivery of infantry equipment, Blue an artillery, and Green is an armor. Red, White or Black are a Civilian Good. An awarded unit must arrive at a port of your choice that ally controls.

3. Red Ball Express -
   Fighting a war thousands of miles from it’s home-front, the US had to move supplies efficiently to keep it’s troops fighting.
   During Phase 4, Option to Repair, the US may repair all of it’s damaged units in the battle by paying only one supply.

4. Manhattan Project -
   The only nation with the means to develop an atomic bomb, the United States did so to find a way to end the war more quickly
   Roll one die at the beginning each turn’s Phase 7 to attempt to develop the Atomic Bomb. A roll of Blue means it has been developed and no further rolls are needed. From that point on during Strategic Bombing Raids if at least one bomber survives to roll a strategic attack against an industry, then in addition to any other effects the attack directly deals one point of stress. If the target contained an enemy capital it does two points of stress instead.

5. Abundant Supplies -
   With its home-front not under direct threat, the United States war economy was able to create an abundance of supplies.
   The United States can issue one more order per turn that other powers. (divide one of it’s order boxes in half) allowing 10 total orders. United States Command Stacks may also contain 9 total units.

6. US Marines -
   Fighting all its battles overseas meant the United States would need well trained units capable of making seaborne landings.
   United States Infantry each roll one extra die when participating in an amphibious invasion.

CHINESE UNITED FRONT

1. Peasant Uprising -
   The population of China resisted Japanese occupation, only a continued military presence could keep these areas in line.
   If Japan holds a card of an Original Chinese territory, China can issue an uprising order there. (The order is written as “UP”) When resolving China’s orders, if the territory has no Axis units on it roll a die; on a result of Yellow the card is immediately returned to China.

2. Flying Tigers -
   Volunteers from the western powers manned aircraft in a desperate attempt to thwart Japanese air supremacy.
   As long as India is controlled by the Allies Forces Nations then during Phase 4, before any dice are rolled, China may place one carrier fighter in one hotspot within China. So long as China controls at least one other original territory.

3. Burma Road -
   Critical supplies for the war effort had to trickle in to China through harsh wilderness terrain.
   At the end of each Phase 7, if the Allied Forces Nations control Burma, India, and Szechuan, (and no more than one is embattled) then China receives a free artillery or civilian good, your choice.

4. United Front -
   Though the two factions were rivals, cooperating to defeat the Japanese was necessary, albeit politically complicated.
   Each Refit & Deploy phase China may recruit one extra infantry from The Communist People’s Republic of China. However there is a price, one extra infantry may be mobilized for one point of stress. Begin the game with one extra infantry in any of your commands.

5. Merill’s Marauders/Chindits -
   Various Western commandos and special forces units operated within China to aid them in their war against Japan
   As long as the United States and/or British Commonwealth have no units within any original Chinese territories then during the Refit & Deploy phase they each may mobilize one of their infantry under one of their industry tokens at a Chinese controlled territory instead. (Special mobilization is not permitted if one or more United States or British Commonwealth units are already within Chinese territory)

6. Insurgency Tactics -
   Frequent sabotage on railroads and warehouses perpetually hampered Japanese operations within the Chinese theater.
   As your first order of the game, you may order a bomb token to be placed on any Chinese territory or Chinese territory occupied by Japan. On each subsequent turn you may issue one order for a bomb token to be placed on any territory you control, as long as it does not already have a bomb token. (Order written as “Bomb”)

[oztea]

US # 2 Changed to allow Lend Lease of Civilian goods on Red/White/Black instead of a reroll.