[Global 1940] SiredBlood Rules Summary

[Argothair]

I recently got back from a Global 1940 tournament in Orange County hosted by SiredBlood, where we got to play three games each with SiredBlood’s fascinating house rules. SiredBlood has a full set of cards and videos that will walk you through his new rules step-by-step, but they can take a long time to read and/or watch, especially if you’re already familiar with the rules for OOB Global 1940 play. So, to help spread awareness of these fun new rules, I am writing up what I see as his key additions to the OOB ruleset. Note that all of these rules were invented by SiredBlood, and he has not asked or authorized me to write this post – I’m just writing this up as an unofficial fan. I don’t claim that this is a 100% complete list of his rules, only that it’s enough to get you up and running to try out his ideas.

STRATEGIC BOMBERS

Strategic bombers can only roll dice or be claimed as casualties on the first round of combat. After the first round of combat, if your strategic bombers survive, set them off to the side as if they had retreated. Note that this means that strategic bombers no longer auto-kill undefended transports. Instead, you roll one die per bomber, and kill one transport per roll of 4 or less.

Each strategic bomber may be used to deliver up to 2 infantry as paratroopers, even without any technology. Both the strategic bombers and the infantry must begin their movement in the same territory. If delivering paratroopers during the combat move, you must invade the same territory with at least 1 land unit for each infantry you want to deliver as a paratrooper. For example, if you are attacking Egypt with 3 tanks and 1 fighter, you could deliver up to 3 infantry as paratroopers to join in the attack. Bombers do not roll any combat dice during turns when they are delivering paratroopers. Bombers on delivery runs trigger AAA rolls and may be chosen as AAA casualties, and if they are hit by AAA, then their cargo is also automatically killed.

Any strategic bomber that did not participate in combat may deliver paratroopers during your non-combat move. Both the strategic bombers and the infantry must begin their movement in the same territory. The destination territory must already have at least 1 land unit from your faction (Axis or Allied) per infantry that you want to deliver during non-combat. When delivering troops during non-combat, your bomber may land in the destination territory (if you owned it at the start of your turn) or may continue flying using any remaining fuel.

CRUISERS

Cruisers now defend at 4 instead of 3 when paired 1:1 with friendly battleships.

NAVAL BLOCKADES

It is no longer possible to blockade an entire enemy fleet with only 1 destroyer. Instead, each defending surface warship can block the movement of up to 3 enemy warships. When attempting to pass through a blockade, you must leave at least three warships behind in the blockaded sea zone for each blockading surface vessel. As the attacker, you cannot include submarines in your screening force unless the defending blockade includes at least one destroyer. (If the blockading force includes no destroyers, then your submarines can slip through the blockade anyway.) You may declare attacks and amphibious assaults on the far side of the blockade, but none of these attacks occur unless and until your screening force defeats and wipes out the blockading force. (This is similar to how an amphibious assault will not occur if you fail to win the naval battle in the sea zone immediately outside the coastline you are invading.)

In order to send transports past the blockade, you must have at least one surface warship remaining to escort the transport. For example, to get a transport past one blockading enemy cruiser, you would need 4 surface warships – 3 to screen the cruiser, and 1 to escort the transport.

RAILROADS

All industrial complexes generate a “rail allowance” that enhances your non-combat movements. Any land unit may move by rail. Units moving by rail may move up to 3 spaces, but may only move through/into territories that you have owned since the start of your turn. The unit moving by rail must have started its turn in the territory with a factory. Each factory can provide a railway for a number of units equal to the territory value of the territory where the factory sits. For example, a factory in Novgorod (value = 2 IPCs) could move up to 2 land units each turn up to 3 spaces each.

RETREATING RUSSIAN FACTORIES

Any Russian-controlled minor industrial complexes may make a non-combat move of 1 space to an original Russian territory that is currently in Russian control and that is worth at least 1 IPC. A complex that moves has its production capacity lowered by 1 unit on the turn that it moves. For example, if you retreat your factory from Novgorod to Archangel, it would only be able to produce two units that turn (not the usual three units). For each factory that you move, you lose 1 IPC from that turn’s collect income phase, as if you had been convoyed by a submarine. In addition, a factory that moves loses its entire rail allowance for that turn (the railroad is assumed to be busy moving heavy machinery and engineers).
CHINESE CAVALRY

China starts with a bid of 3 cavalry units, which attack at 2, defend at 1, move up to 2 spaces, cost 4 IPCs, and blitz like tanks. In addition, China may buy more cavalry units at any time, even if the Burma road is closed. In addition, if the Burma Road is open, China may buy up to 2 tanks over the course of the game for 6 IPCs each. The neutral Mongolian units that would normally be infantry are instead replaced by neutral cavalry.

UNIFIED BRITISH ECONOMY

The UK Europe and UK Pacific economies are unified and treated as a single integrated economy. The British player may not spend more than 20 IPCs per turn on the Pacific side of the map. If India is conquered, the conqueror loots up to 10 IPCs from the British economy, regardless of how many territories Britain owns on the Pacific side of the board. If London is conquered, the conqueror loots up to 20 IPCs from the British economy, regardless of how many territories Britain owns on the Europe side of the board. In addition, if London is conquered, the British economy is fractured into a Canadian economy and an Indian (UK Pacific) economy. The Canadian treasury starts at 7 IPCs and starts with control of units located in or off the coast of Canada. Canada does not start with control of formerly British territories in Scotland, Africa or the Middle East, and may not build new factories outside of Canada. Canada may capture and then use enemy-held factories in Europe, Africa, or the Middle East.

ITALIAN LIBERATION CORPS

If the Allies ever conquer Rome, Italy immediately switches its loyalty to the Allied faction, and becomes controlled by the Allied player for the rest of the game, even if the Axis later re-occupy Rome. However, at the moment that the Allies conquer Rome, any and all Italian territories that are occupied by at least 1 German land unit are immediately converted to German control. In addition, any Italian land units that are stacked up with at least 1 German land unit are immediately converted to their German equivalents. For example, suppose Northern Italy has 2 German tanks and 6 Italian infantry, and Yugoslavia has 1 German fighter and 3 Italian tanks. If the Allies conquer Rome, Northern Italy would become a German territory with 2 German tanks and 6 German infantry, whereas Yugoslavia would remain an Italian territory and would contain 3 Italian (Allied) tanks. The German fighter would be forced to retreat to the nearest German-controlled territory.

ADDITIONAL NATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Germany: 5 IPCs for having at least 5 submarines on the map during your collect income phase (after deploying reinforcements)
Russia: 3 IPCs for owning all of Ukraine, Urals, and Siberia.
Japan: 3 IPCs for owning each otherwise 0 IPC US or UK Pacific island (e.g. Guam, Midway, Fiji, etc.)
Japan: 5 IPCs for owning Burma
Japan: 10 IPCs for owning all of China
Italy: 1 IPC each for owning any of Ethiopia, British Somaliland, Italian Somaliland, Sudan, and Kenya

TECHNOLOGIES

Any country may research one technology at a time by making one payment during its “purchase reinforcements” phase. Germany, Russia, Japan, Britain, and the USA start with “Phase 1” progress toward a technology of their choice. All other countries start at Phase 0.

To advance from Phase 0 to Phase 1 costs 4 IPCs.
To advance from Phase 1 to Phase 2 costs 4 IPCs.
To advance from Phase 2 to Phase 3 costs 4 IPCs.

To advance from Phase 3 to Phase 4, you must roll one six-sided die, and pay the number of IPCs shown. For example, if you roll a 3, you would pay 3 IPCs. If you roll a 6, after you pay 6 IPCs, you immediately discover the technology.

Once you are at Phase 4, you may buy any number of six-sided dice for 1 IPC each. Roll all of the dice together. If any of the dice show a 5 or a 6, you immediately discover the technology. If none of the dice show a 5 or a 6, those dice are wasted, you remain at Phase 4, and you may purchase more dice on your next turn to try again.

You secretly choose which technology to research when you reach Phase 1. You do not have to reveal which technology you have acquired until the first time you use the technology. For example, if you develop Long-Range Aircraft, you can continue to move your fighters 4 spaces per turn and keep your technology a secret. This can help you maintain the element of surprise.

Once you have discovered a technology, you may immediately begin researching Phase 1 of a second technology, but this is rarely a worthwhile investment.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

The game ends at the end of France’s eighth turn. At that point, check to see if the Axis currently hold at least 12 out of the 26 available victory points (VPs). If so, the Axis win. If not, the Allies win. It does not matter who controls which victory points until the end of the game – all that counts is who controls the victory points at the end of turn 8.

(1-8) Berlin, Rome, Paris, Warsaw, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manila (1 VP each)
(9-16) Calcutta, Sydney, Honolulu, London, Cairo, Leningrad, Moscow, Stalingrad (1 VP each)
(17) Control all of Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Italian Somaliland, British Somaliland (1 VP total)
(18) Control all of Persia, Northwest Persia, Iraq, Caucasus (1 VP total)
(19) Control all of Java, Sumatra, Celebes, Dutch New Guinea (1 VP total)
(20) Control all of Ukraine, Urals, Siberia (1 VP total)
(21) Control all of North Africa (Morocco through Egypt) plus Crete and Greece (1 VP total)
(22) Control all of China (1 VP total)
(23) Control all of Burma, Shan State, Siam, Malaya, and French Indochina (1 VP total)
(24) Control at least 4 Pacific islands, including Hawaii and Borneo but not Ceylon, originally owned by UK or US (1 VP total)
(25) Allies do not control Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, Crete, or Malta (1 VP total)
(26) Axis have at least 4 land units in each of Normandy, Holland, Denmark, and Norway (1 VP total)

[Hambone]

Nice summary of the rules used at the tournament. Also good to print these off just to have on hand.

[carsonbparker]

I love these rules. My only thought would be “can one play with the victory conditions but with an open ended game”, instead of playing a distinct number of rounds whether it be 8 or ten rounds? I guess you can play until one sides concedes or maybe holding a a certain amount of victory points for a specified number of rounds. I’m aware that if Tokyo, Washington or Berlin fall the game is over but was wondering if Sired Blood’s Group play a version where the rounds aren’t strictly specified.

[phd_angel]

Thanks for the summary. I think it reflects well Sireblood’s rulebook.

1- I’m not entirely convinced that the cavalry unit is a necessary addition. Any thoughts?..

2- Is there a list of the territories with resources and oil somewhere? I don’t have his map yet, but have markers I could use on my G40 map.

[General 6 Stars]

Did you want me to send you rules of game by e mail ?

[General 6 Stars]

I can text you pics of the map too if you need.
You could look at map Sat if u wanted to show and play allies with me. I got a Gib plan too that u kinda wanted to try.