The 3rd canal; Skagerrak–a rules change proposal...

[Ozone27]

Y’know crypt, TG, I hadn’t thought of that! Germany would have to split her defense forces between Western Europe and F/N, so neither terrotory would be well-enough defended. Germany would have to do this because, strategically if not economically, it’d make Norway as important as Western Europe. Germany’d have to be making a LOT of money to be able to beef up buth territories to the point where they were well-enough defended, and that’d leave precious little resources for fighting Russia.

There’s got to be a better way–the way it is now, F/N is just this wierd little island way out in the North Sea, undefendable by Germany and without resupply…

Ozone27

[cystic crypt]

@Ozone27:

Y’know crypt, TG, I hadn’t thought of that! Germany would have to split her defense forces between Western Europe and F/N, so neither terrotory would be well-enough defended. Germany would have to do this because, strategically if not economically, it’d make Norway as important as Western Europe. Germany’d have to be making a LOT of money to be able to beef up buth territories to the point where they were well-enough defended, and that’d leave precious little resources for fighting Russia.

There’s got to be a better way–the way it is now, F/N is just this wierd little island way out in the North Sea, undefendable by Germany and without resupply…

Ozone27

But that’s part of the beauty of the game. I was thinking of starting a post similar to this, but it always seems that there is just “one more thing” that one would like to do in a turn. The F/N situation you mention relates to this. With RR - Germany can always move a tank out, attack with it, blah blah blah - infinite options. With the allies - the question is if/when to attack it (usually not “if”). The thing is, the sit just brings a few more questions to the game table (which makes things a little more interesting i think).

[TG Moses VI]

Well maybe you can help the German out with a change to your canal rule. What if German forces from WE can move in and out of Norway/Finland, but the Allies can’t? This might work just as well and force the Allies to rethink how to deploy their forces along the Eastern Front. Just a suggestion… :wink:

[yourbuttocks]

I ussually use the troops in Finland to help take Karelia early in the game, if you cripple the British navy it is feasible. However, it is difficult to keep Finland, though after Russia is contained/captured it is easy to send the troops to recapture/defend it, ussually as a precursor to an invasion of Britian.

[Ozone27]

@TG:

Well maybe you can help the German out with a change to your canal rule. What if German forces from WE can move in and out of Norway/Finland, but the Allies can’t? This might work just as well and force the Allies to rethink how to deploy their forces along the Eastern Front. Just a suggestion… :wink:

Yeh…it’s just not very elegant–like, WHY can the Germans do something the Allies can’t? I dunno…

Ozone27

[cystic crypt]

@Ozone27:

@TG:

Well maybe you can help the German out with a change to your canal rule. What if German forces from WE can move in and out of Norway/Finland, but the Allies can’t? This might work just as well and force the Allies to rethink how to deploy their forces along the Eastern Front. Just a suggestion… :wink:

Yeh…it’s just not very elegant–like, WHY can the Germans do something the Allies can’t? I dunno…

Ozone27

'cuz the Germans blowed up all the infrastructure as they left . . .
blowed up REAL good!!!
woooo weeee!!!

[Ozone27]

WOOOHOO!!! YYEAAAHHH I’m into it!!!

Ozone27

[TG Moses VI]

“Yeh…it’s just not very elegant–like, WHY can the Germans do something the Allies can’t? I dunno…”

Elegant!? Let me tell ya, war isn’t about being “elegant.” So why can the Germans do something while the Allies can’t? Why is Russia Restricted? Why is their Axis Advantage? Why is there bidding involved? It’s all because we need away for the Germans and Japanese to have some sort of chance of winning this war. I know it’s not the most balanced thing, but at least we can do our best to help our Germans out. Hey, if you build it, someone will explain it. :roll:

[Ozone27]

@TG:

“Yeh…it’s just not very elegant–like, WHY can the Germans do something the Allies can’t? I dunno…”

Elegant!? Let me tell ya, war isn’t about being “elegant.” So why can the Germans do something while the Allies can’t? Why is Russia Restricted? Why is their Axis Advantage? Why is there bidding involved? It’s all because we need away for the Germans and Japanese to have some sort of chance of winning this war. I know it’s not the most balanced thing, but at least we can do our best to help our Germans out. Hey, if you build it, someone will explain it. :roll:

Good point!

I also hate Russia Restricted/Axis Advantage for this exact same reason. But you are very much correct–they are essentially necessary evils…

8. …like 2-hit BBs… 8)

Ozone27

[fixitman]

“Hey, if you build it, someone will explain it.”

now thats the funniest but truest comment ive seen in a long time, it soooo expresses what happens on message boards. mind if i barrow it for a sig?

[cystic crypt]

@fixitman:

“Hey, if you build it, someone will explain it.”

now thats the funniest but truest comment ive seen in a long time, it soooo expresses what happens on message boards. mind if i barrow it for a sig?

well, Yourbuttocks would prolly appreciate it about as much as Moses - and Moses, i’m sure, would love it if you did.
unless YB beats you to it.

[TG Moses VI]

Sure, you can go ahead with my little quote. The “Hey if you, build someone will explain it” is very true to life. I bet when someone “built” RR, AA, and bidding, they didn’t think of the historical consequences whatsoever, right?

But when you start thinking about it, some of it does make sense. Here, let me “explain”

1. Russia Restricted: The game says that it starts in Spring, 1942. Since the particular month is not given, one might say the game starts in May 8, 1942. This would coincide with German troops beginning their offensive against Russia on the Crimea. Therefore, the Russians, undeniably, would’ve been on the defensive (as shown in RR).
2. Axis Advantage: Sounds a little farfetched for one side to have “better” units, right? However, the fact was that Japan’s subs were much better than the rest of the world at the time. Well maybe not their subs, but their torpedoes were the most advanced with longer range, better detonation, and better accuracy compared to the Allies’ (and in particular USA’s) torpedoes at the time. The Germans getting “jet power” is true as they did have a huge advantage in propulsion and rocketry (ex. Me-163, Me-262). However, it remains to be seen how Germany got jet fighters so early in the war.
3. Bidding: I can attribute this to the fact that Spring 1942 was the Axis high point of the war. With extra morale and “national” boast compared with the feeling of despair for the Allies, maybe the Axis were able to increase production and enlistment. It’s not the best explanation, but it’s worth a shot.

So if you come up with you “Canal Rule,” I’m sure some A&A player someone will find a way to explain it.

[TG Moses VI]

I sure it’ll work out for the Germans being able to launch surprise inf/arm assualts into Finland/Norway with the support of the Luftwaffe. This forces UK/USA to be cautious when landing troops there. However, I think that this should be more of a “Germany only” type rule. As SUD pointed out, with the Allies also having the ability to Canal Cross, this forces Germany to keep troops stationed in the Fatherland, not pretty when you’re also trying to hold EE at the same time.