Here is 5 of n for discussion of my Classic House Rules
Here are my rules for developing weapons technology in the Milton Bradley edition of A&A. These rules are optional. My rules have two ways of developing weapons - random research and directed research.
Random Research
Random research works mostly the same as regular rules - buy dice at 5 IPCs per die, roll purchased dice, if you roll a 6, you managed to stumble onto a new technology. If using the technology chart in my Post 6 (New Research Tech for Classic), rules will be provided in that post. If using the standard Milton Bradley technology chart, follow the rules in the “New Ways to Get the Same Old Technology” section below. Technology gained from random research takes effect at the end of the player’s turn.
Directed Research
Directed Research is for those who want to know when they will get their hands on these technological terrors they’ve been spending money on. On a player’s turn, they can choose to roll randomly for research or they can make a directed research attempt (DRA). A country can have a maximum of two DRAs at any one time.
To make a directed research attempt, select the technology desired. If using the revised technology chart, rules will be provided in my Post 6. If using the standard Milton Bradley technology chart, follow the rules in the “New Ways to Get the Same Old Technology” section below. Once an available technology has been selected, the player then pays 10 IPCs to the bank and rolls a d6. On a roll of 1 or 2, the player needs one more turn; a roll of 3 or 4, two more turns; a roll of 5 or 6, three more turns to finish the research.
Each subsequent turn, the player has the option of paying 5 IPCs to advance the research. On the turn that a player makes their final payment, the technology takes effect at the end of that turn. On the player’s next turn, they may start another DRA.
Directed research attempts also have the following restrictions: not more than two DRAs on-going at any one time, can only start one at a time, must wait a turn to start another one if they have two at the same time at the start of their turn.
If the player does not pay on their turn, their only penalty is having to wait yet another turn for their research (no penalty for “missed” payments).
Using this system, a player can get any one technology in 2 to 4 turns for a cost of 15 to 25 IPCs.
Combining Random and Directed Research
If a player is doing directed research and then decides to roll randomly, this is allowed. If the player randomly researches the same technology that was being developed with directed research, the player recieves the technology rolled for just as if the player had never started any research on that technology. The player will receive no refund on any previously-spent research funds and may not redirect the previously-spent directed research funds to another research project - research is over. This doubly researched technology will be available at the end of the player’s turn.
The only restriction on random and directed research is that a player may not undertake two directed research projects and then conduct random research. Combining one directed research project and random research is allowed.
New Ways to Get the Same Old Technology
While my rules include a revised technology chart, these rules work with the standard Milton Bradley technology chart with one proviso - if your game has the standard technology chart and directed research, research into Heavy Bombers should be denied until after successfully researching both Long Range Aircraft and either Jets or Rockets. Research into the two of three technologies could be in any order and could be done with random or directed research.
When rolling for the random result of a successful random research attempt, if the player rolls a 6 (Heavy Bombers) and is not yet eligible to research Heavy Bombers, the player will re-roll. If the re-roll is also a 6, the player may choose any remaining available unresearched technology for the player’s result.
-Midnight_Reaper
