[Global 1940] Blitz After Attacking With No Casualties

[Vendetta]

This is a much simpler proposal than my gargantuan research overhaul. I have Global 1940 in mind but it’s probably valid for any version of the game.

I dislike the meta that has developed as a result of the traditional Axis & Allies tank blitzing rule, which favors the defending player holding their army one space behind the front line to avoid being overwhelmed by an attack from several directions - but leaving 1 token infantry in each front line territory to halt enemy tanks from blitzing two spaces.

I dislike this for similar reasons to why I dislike the out-of-the-box rules on destroyers and submarines - 1 destroyer can neutralize a whole stack of 5 submarines. It’s unrealistic, and it also makes for poor gameplay.

Why should 1 infantry be able to halt a stack of 5 tanks? Again, it passes neither the realism test nor the gameplay one. It neutralizes the tank’s special breakthrough and shock role all too easily and predictably.

My proposal is this: tanks (and any other blitzing unit) are only prevented from blitzing if they fight a battle where the defenders inflict at least one casualty on the attacking force - i.e. if you invade that territory with 1 infantry and kill him, and he doesn’t land a hit on you, your tanks are then free to invade one more territory.

Tanks become much scarier when you play this way - you won’t be sure what exactly it takes to stop them, and you can never be 100% certain that a breakthrough is impossible. Defense in depth remains a valid strategy - but now you have to think more about how strong of a blocking force to leave behind in your front line territories.

I think the Path to Victory modification, with its expanded number of Eastern Front territories, would especially benefit from this rule.

[SuperbattleshipYamato]

@Vendetta

Good proposal. I didn’t really like your initial criticism, but your solution sounds great.

Hopefully it’s an option for TripleA.

I assume the mechanised infantry that are blitzing with the tanks count as tanks under the rule (so if an infantry does hit and it’s assigned to a mechanised infantry, the tanks still have to stop).

[Vendetta]

@SuperbattleshipYamato Yes, my thought is that any casualty inflicted upon the attacking force, even if it’s just to a regular infantry, would count as substantive enough resistance to prevent the tanks from going on to blitz.

[SuperbattleshipYamato]

@Vendetta

Thank you for clarifying!