How does strategic bombing work?

[stromwall]

How does strategic bombing work? Is it more or less effective than before?

[Krieghund]

Welcome, Stromwall!

Strategic bombing works pretty much the same as in Revised, except for how the damage is applied.

Instead of directly draining IPCs, each point of damage applies a damage marker to the industrial complex.  Each damage marker reduces the unit production capacity of the industrial complex by 1.  Once the damage to an industrial complex equals the value of the territory it is in, that complex can no longer produce units. The maximum number of damage markers an IC can sustain is twice the IPC value of the territory it’s in, and any excess damage is ignored.

Damage to industrial complexes can be repaired during the Purchase Units phase for 1 IPC per damage point.  Repairs take effect immediately.

For example, if an IC in India (3 IPC territory) is bombed for 4 points of damage, the owner must repair 2 of the damage points in order to produce one unit there.  The owner must repair all four points for full production.

This makes SBRs less effective than they are in out-of-box Revised, but more effective than they are in LHTR.  It also gives the victim more flexibility in how to deal with the damage.

[stromwall]

Thanks Krieghund!

So if I understand it correctly - for each bomber that survives the AA-fire, I throw a dice and sum up the hits. I.e. the impact is far more powerful since you loose both an IPC (needed for repair) and production capacity for each hit.

[Krieghund]

Not exactly.  You lose the IPCs or the production capacity.  You can choose not to repair the damage and keep the IPCs, but if you do you must suffer with decreased production.  This allows you to strike a balance between regaining full capacity and purchasing at least some units.

Here are some examples:

1. Germany has 35 IPCs, and the Allies bomb Germany, inflicting 20 damage points and reducing production capacity to zero.  Under the Revised system, Germany would just pay 20 IPCs and have 15 left to spend.  Under the Anniversary system, Germany could spend 15 on repairs (bringing production capacity back up to 5), then spend the other 20 on two tanks, one artillery and two infantry.

2. Germany has 35 IPCs, and the Allies bomb Germany for 10 damage points, reducing production capacity to zero.  Rather than having 25 IPCs to spend, Germany can elect to spend only six on repairs and buy five tanks and an artillery.

3. Germany has 35 IPCs, and the Allies bomb Germany for 3 damage points, reducing production capacity to 7.  Rather than having 32 IPCs to spend, Germany can elect to spend nothing on repairs and buy five tanks, an artillery and an infantry.

[allies_fly]

How does the game keep track of these damage points?
I don’t have the new game to see that mechanism.

[Krieghund]

There are damage markers.

[allies_fly]

@Krieghund:

There are damage markers.

A stack of 20 in one territory?
Do they stack nicely?
Or do you use the same chips that are used to represent additional units (like inf, tanks, etc)

[Krieghund]

@allies_fly:

Do they stack nicely?

More or less.  If you have a lot you can always make more than one stack, since territories with high IPC values tend to be fairly roomy.

@allies_fly:

Or do you use the same chips that are used to represent additional units (like inf, tanks, etc)

You could always use a stack of chips with a damage marker on top, just as with units.

[AxisOfEvil]

So those damage markers stay on for the duration of the game? I think we all agree that the OOB rules on SBR in revised was broken. You could reduce germany to no income, and the game would end soon after that. So there was no way i wasnt playing without TTL. this new game throws TTL out the window. Does this new SBR strat break the game again? Germany would be pretty crippled, if the allies had a goal of keeping 20 markers on berlin, and 12 on SE. Or wait, where is germany second IC, do they have one?

[allies_fly]

@AxisOfEvil:

Does this new SBR strat break the game again? Germany would be pretty crippled, if the allies had a goal of keeping 20 markers on berlin, and 12 on SE.

There have been some concerns voiced over this, but Krieghund ensures us that in the context of the entire game, SBRs are not a concern.

The jury is still out for me.

@AxisOfEvil:

Or wait, where is germany second IC, do they have one?

It is my understanding that Germany only starts with one IC

[Krieghund]

@AxisOfEvil:

So those damage markers stay on for the duration of the game?

Until they’re repaired.

@AxisOfEvil:

I think we all agree that the OOB rules on SBR in revised was broken. You could reduce germany to no income, and the game would end soon after that. So there was no way i wasnt playing without TTL. this new game throws TTL out the window.

Not entirely.  There’s still a limit - it’s just bigger.

@AxisOfEvil:

Does this new SBR strat break the game again? Germany would be pretty crippled, if the allies had a goal of keeping 20 markers on berlin, and 12 on SE.

I sure hope not!

@AxisOfEvil:

Or wait, where is germany second IC, do they have one?

No.