After Action report and questions

[Gargantua]

Played a game yesterday.  Axis victory by Turn 7.  Axis skill level was a level or two better than allies, but it was still a decent climb.

A few questions:

1. Can German planes attacking on the second impulse, land on territories captured in the first impulse?

2. Istanbul was attacked overland by German forces.  However - what happens to the Naval units?  They become Pro-Allied?  How are they activated or used?  Or because they are associated with instanbul, are they now full british?

3. If an attack against a neutral fails, does it just become Pro-allies/Pro-axis?  Or does it automatically join the other side?

Other notes

• Definitely liked that neutral countries had defensive units.  We didn’t see Canada conquering South America.
• Liked that Battleships can hit subs, makes a big difference
• Spain becoming pro-axis on capture of Leningrad was interesting (Liked)
• Not being able to build a minor in territories captured was extremely difficult, I have mixed feelings on this… good and bad, what does everyone else think?
• Italy lucked out in our game, UK made the mistake of exiting the Mediterranean and losing Egypt I1.  However, the consensus was that if this didn’t happen, Italy was doomed.  Will have to play this again and see.

[koba]

Gargantua.

A few questions:

1. Can German planes attacking on the second impulse, land on territories captured in the first impulse?

I’ve never tried this and have always considered that unless explicitly granted in the rules, no, another turn is necessary in order to land planes.

2. Istanbul was attacked overland by German forces.  However - what happens to the Naval units?  They become Pro-Allied?  How are they activated or used?  Or because they are associated with instanbul, are they now full british?

There is now a provision which works like the Vichy rolls to be applied to neutral fleets. It is under " Strict Neutrals" p. 30 in the rulebook.

3. If an attack against a neutral fails, does it just become Pro-allies/Pro-axis?  Or does it automatically join the other side?

It becomes pro-allies/pro-axis. Example exists under “Strict Neutrals” on p.30.

Other notes

• Definitely liked that neutral countries had defensive units.  We didn’t see Canada conquering South America.
• Liked that Battleships can hit subs, makes a big difference
• Spain becoming pro-axis on capture of Leningrad was interesting (Liked)
• Not being able to build a minor in territories captured was extremely difficult, I have mixed feelings on this… good and bad, what does everyone else think?
• Italy lucked out in our game, UK made the mistake of exiting the Mediterranean and losing Egypt I1.  However, the consensus was that if this didn’t happen, Italy was doomed.  Will have to play this again and see.
  Same scenario regarding UK fleet exiting Mediterranean in our game occurred. This fleet contributed to the ultimate destruction of the Japanese fleet (and–-I agree— would have been completely disastrous for the Italians if employed in the Med.)

[Moose11]

Good points, Gargantua and Kobe.  If German planes, during G1 2nd impulse, cannot land on territory captured during the first impulse, does this mean that the German fleet cannot pass through the Denmark straits during the 2nd impulse if Denmark was captured by Germany during the 1st impulse?

I like the new rules regarding Holland and the DEI.

I agree that Italy is extremely disadvantaged with the new set-up.  I also believe that Japan should not have lost any veteran troops considering that China has two more infantry, a starting income, and AA guns.

Finally, the comments Gargantua made with regards to neutral countries having defensive units was based upon house rules we co-developed.  These worked very well for us on the weekend.  For interest (and maybe for the new set-up rules being developed), our house rules are reproduced below:

1.  Coastal battleships attack at 6, defend at 6 (regular battleships attack and defend at 8).  When hit, they attack and defend at 4 (as opposed to 5/5 for regular battleships).  Coastal battleships should not have the naval bombardment ability.  Coastal means a ship must END it’s movement next to a territory with the same original roundel as the territory it started next to.  Naval bases give +1 movement to coastal ships.
2.  When a neutral capital falls and the coastal battleship moves to the closest friendly naval base which is not adjacent to a territory with the original roundel (e.g. Portugal falls), then the ship becomes immobile, like Vichy units.
3.  Paratroopers may not be dropped on industrial complexes unless they are accompanying an amphibious or ground assault.  Bombers dropping Paratroopers do not roll attack dice.  Only one AA shot per bomber.  If the AA shot hits, both bomber and paratrooper (if applicable) are lost.
4.  Once a minor axis power is attacked, it becomes activated and acquires income.
5.  The following are additional true neutral starting troop placements (for South America, Mexico, and Mongolia, we used Argentina’s 47,000 troops during WW II as the baseline).  The rest were for better playability:
Chile - 1 infantry
Peru - 2 infantry
Colombia - 1 infantry
Venezuela - 1 infantry
Mexico - 4 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 armour
Baja – 1 infantry
Ulaan Baatar  - 2 infantry
Zavkhan – 1 Infantry
Riyadh – 1 infantry
Medina – 1 infantry
Ireland – 1 infantry
Afghanistan – 1 infantry
Belgian Congo – 1 infantry

[americancyco]

I could be wrong but we always allowed German planes to land in captured territories during 1st impulse.  Usually helps with the Invasion of Poland.

[Tigerman77]

@americancyco:

I could be wrong but we always allowed German planes to land in captured territories during 1st impulse.  Usually helps with the Invasion of Poland.

Planes can not land in a zone that has been taken on that same turn. The German double impulse is still considereed 1 turn. If Denmark is taken on the first impulse the straits are open because it is under German control. Try playing with the optional Air base and Naval base rules. This will change the strategies of all the countries but plays more realistic in my opinion.

[Tigerman77]

I think if Denmark is neutral then the straights should be open to any country. Germany should take Denmark to keep the UK fleet from entering….I will add this in my 6.1 rules coming out this weekend.