This is an alternative to use with neutral territories. It works well with maps that have economic values printed on the neutrals.
You must be able to occupy the neutral territory with at least one land unit before negotiating with it. You can only negotiate with each territory once per turn. This is done before the “Purchase units” phase.
Roll two dice and consult this chart:
“Face Value” = the economic value printed on the territory. According to the dice roll, the country may refuse to talk to you or may even join your cause for face value with a boxcar roll. So if you were to negotiate for a territory with a value of “4”, and you rolled a “9”, you would have to pay the bank 16 IPCs for the country to join your cause. It would be up to you whether to pay that amount or break off the negotiations until next turn to try for a better result. If you accept the terms, pay the bank, move at least one land unit into the territory and place your flag there.
This also works well if you have fewer players than you need for a full game. Just make the extra nation(s) neutral, and every territory within the nation an independent neutral. Then each individual territory can be negotiated for. (you’d have to adjust your setup for game balance issues of course)
my friends play something like this but its ours is harder to “sway” a neutral
I thought this was an interesting idea and variant. Love the chart too - thanks for sharing.
This is a pretty cool idea! I may add this as an optional rule in my house rules.
Maybe the more territories you have surrounding a neutral, the more easy/difficult it is to sway?
For example… I’m sure Turkey would be much more interested in considering offers from the Axis, if the entirety of their nation was surrounded by the forces of fascism.
Or if the USA has conquered parts of south america, that will make the other parts more likely to consider offers from America.
For territories that have “NO” value, just set a standard negotiation value of 2 IPC’s.
Maybe the more territories you have surrounding a neutral, the more easy/difficult it is to sway?
For example… I’m sure Turkey would be much more interested in considering offers from the Axis, if the entirety of their nation was surrounded by the forces of fascism.
Or if the USA has conquered parts of south america, that will make the other parts more likely to consider offers from America.
For territories that have “NO” value, just set a standard negotiation value of 2 IPC’s.
True dat…
Being adjacent to each Neutral by way of conquest or starting position should get a modifier of -1 or -2 IPC for each adjacent area that you pay. So if your adjacent to three areas from the conversion attempt you get -3 IPC ( or more) on paying the cost.
@Imperious:
Being adjacent to each Neutral by way of conquest or starting that way should get a modifier of -1 or -2 IPC for each adjacent area that you pay. So if your adjacent to three areas from the conversion attempt you get -3 IPC ( or more) on paying the cost.
Like this idea…also, I think I would make it where you first pay 5 IPCs…period. THEN, based on the dice rolled you can choose to “invest” the rest or leave having spent the “attempt” of 5 IPCs. If you move forward, the 5 IPCs is applied towards the rolled balance due to fulfill the obligations to the neutral. Seems like a “Diplomatic Effort” cost followed up with the “Foreign Investment” to sway them. If you back out of the negotiations after the 5 IPCs you can NEVER attempt to sway that neutral again.
What’s y’all’s take on that idea??
OK 5 IPC is the minimum. If you end up paying 2X or more, the total cost is reduced by 1-2 for each area you occupy adjacent from the conversion attempt.
I think we just created a new rule/option! :-D
It’s way too cheap. Converting Turkey or Spain for $10 or less would give a huge advantage.
It’s way too cheap. Converting Turkey or Spain for $10 or less would give a huge advantage.
Turkey is worth 2 IPC, so the most you would pay is $10 minus any areas you controlled adjacent.
I agree the cost is too low. Perhaps you pay the minimum 5 IPC for the roll plus the result of what you rolled
That or you create specific conditions for each country.
Or make it dependant, not just on the IPC value of the territory, but the size of it’s standing army. Â
Turkey 2+8 (for 8 inf) + die roll effect + 5 for the chance to roll - surrounding territory.
That gets expensive… Â but works in a pinch!
Yeah…all good points. I hadn’t done the math yet…
Maybe the FIVE plus is the way to go. You spent five TRYING to get them to buy into you, and then had to invest something to win their love permanently.
Actually…kind of sounds like marriage…hahahahaa! :-P
-Jim
Other nations should also be able to counter influence.
So… for example, each game round (Right before Germany), each country gets the right to either influence, or counter influence. (Or maybe 1 shot at each)
Then maybe you either build up “political clout” tokens in said territories, that either make it cheaper for you to gain them, or more expensive for your opponents to take them away…
or something.
We’re definetly on to something here…
The rule must be universal without specific encumbrances from nation to nation. That is the beauty of the rule and why it might get adopted by most.
Maybe the FIVE plus is the way to go. You spent five TRYING to get them to buy into you, and then had to invest something to win their love permanently.
I think the chart uses the slots for FAIL (2-7) , which means you wasted/invested 5 IPC but have to try again another turn if you fail. So basically you risk 5 IPC for a shot at conversion ( which will cost you more if you succeed).
So only rolling a 12 will result in the cheapest result ( 5 IPC, plus IPC=to value of Neutral).
Diplomacy rolls should only be on your own turn ( during purchase units phase)
That or you create specific conditions for each country.
Or make it dependant, not just on the IPC value of the territory, but the size of it’s standing army. �
Turkey 2+8 (for 8 inf) + die roll effect + 5 for the chance to roll - surrounding territory.
That gets expensive… � but works in a pinch!
So even if you roll 8 (worst case scenario), you can turn Turkey pro-your side and the other strict neutrals remain strict neutral for 25$? DEAL!! The 8 infantry alone are worth $24 and you get the easy road into Caucasus or Balkans. Spain would be another good deal for USA.
How about a bid system? You pay $5 for the chance to shmooze the diplomats of the strict neutral country. You then roll a dice and if you get 3 or less the auction starts. Your side and the opposing side bid the number of IPCs they are willing to spend on “foreign aid” to turn the strict neutral pro-their side. The side that bids the highest surrenders that many IPCs. They can decide amongst themselves exactly how many IPCs each power will donate to the cause. The strict neutral then becomes pro-whichever side won the auction and can be activated.
@Vance:
That or you create specific conditions for each country.
Or make it dependant, not just on the IPC value of the territory, but the size of it’s standing army. �
Turkey 2+8 (for 8 inf) + die roll effect + 5 for the chance to roll - surrounding territory.
That gets expensive… � but works in a pinch!
So even if you roll 8 (worst case scenario), you can turn Turkey pro-your side and the other strict neutrals remain strict neutral for 25$? DEAL!! The 8 infantry alone are worth $24 and you get the easy road into Caucasus or Balkans. Spain would be another good deal for USA.
How about a bid system? You pay $5 for the chance to shmooze the diplomats of the strict neutral country. You then roll a dice and if you get 3 or less the auction starts. Your side and the opposing side bid the number of IPCs they are willing to spend on “foreign aid” to turn the strict neutral pro-their side. The side that bids the highest surrenders that many IPCs. They can decide amongst themselves exactly how many IPCs each power will donate to the cause. The strict neutral then becomes pro-whichever side won the auction and can be activated.
The auction idea is intriguing…I’d say mostly realistic too. And necessary to prevent Germany on G1 from buying off Turkey right off the bat!
playing with this rule makes one lucky dice roll turn a game around, my friends and i have been doing this for a while. it makes the game more fun for us
We have also tried a variation of this where you don’t use a chart - you try to roll doubles, and if successful, the price of the territory is whatever doubles number you rolled X territory value. (Roll boxcars = 6 X value) By using this method there is only about a 15% chance of it working, if you like lower odds. With the chart its more around 40% odds. I personally like the chart better because it gets money flowing in the game quicker.
