G40 Shipyards Always Active: Tech game option

[Black_Elk]

The basic idea is this, Shipyards Tech for all player/nations from the outset.

Attached below is a tripleA savegame file for testing this option. A way to use the OOB tech rules in G40 for a new type of game experience with increased naval action, by keeping the shipyards tech “always active” for industrial player nations…

The main effect is a reduced cost for all ships, for all players. In the final pages of the Europe 1940 sec edition manual, under the global rules section, the following is proposed as an option for researchable technology.

Breakthrough Chart 2

3. Improved Shipyards. Your sea units are now cheaper to build. Use these revised costs:
Unit IPC cost
Battleship 17
Aircraft Carrier 13
Cruiser 9
Destroyer 7
Transport 6
Submarine 5

Here improved Shipyards is awarded to everyone from the get go, so all player nations will have access to naval units at the cost above. Note especially the cost of the submarine at 5 ipcs and the cost of transports at 6 ipcs.

The 5 ipcs sub is below the cost of 2 infantry (at 6 ipcs). This will greatly increase the likelihood that players may purchase submarines. The transport is no longer a “remainder purchase” since it divides neatly into the cost of 2 infantry units, but is still a necessary buy for many nations, and now a better potential buy than before at 1 ipc less. Destroyers, Cruisers, Carriers and Battleships are cheaper now for the value, especially relative to aircraft, and the major capital ships are more within reach for all player nations. With respect to gameplay I would predict more intense naval action all around, and more entertainment value on the water.

Note the strategic options provided on G1, esp. the option to purchase 5 transports, or additional destroyers and subs. Cheaper Graf Zeppelin etc. But also the options for a power like Japan, UK, Anzac or USA, who often purchase ships as a matter of course.

TripleA savegame with Shipyards “autoteched” to all relevant nations already, for your convenience, in case you want to test the effect on openings…
Global_1940_sec_ed_Shipyards_Always_Active.tsvg

[Black_Elk]

savegame above

Thanks to everyone who made suggestions here…
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=34687.0

I think this Auto-Tech rule, is very simple to implement, since the wording and the cost values are already available in the Europe 1940 manual. Everyone can see it. Whether you choose to use the other techs or not, this one can be “Optioned On” for games with cheaper ships for all.

Basically for anyone who enjoys the Naval sculpts in A&A.
Anyone who wants to see more ships get into the action, and who likes to play a longer G40 Naval game  :-D

[Young Grasshopper]

I like the idea of using an existing tech as a base, it puts everything in a nice package using an idea already threaded into the fabric of the game. However, I’m concerned that this might help the Axis powers more than the Allies.

[Black_Elk]

That may well be the case, though it’s probably unreasonable to expect that an alteration to the unit cost structure can balance the game by sides all alone. :)

Still it’s worth considering the Sea Lion potential, putting that option back on the table, but measured against the cheaper replacement cost of Allied ships. Basically G will lose more in the air trades vs UK ships now, as less Allied TUV will be lost. USA would likely be able to afford more total ships too. Cheaper UK subs for raiding could also be a boon against the med. But however the balance shakes down, it would at least open up the naval game for everyone.

If it proves ultimately to favor Axis, then there may be additional ways to balance.  But I think the concensus in my group is that ships are rather expensive OOB especially for the Allies who have to purchase so many over the course of the game. I think in total TUV, Allies would end up saving more money long term, but Axis would have some cool early options to try and counter this.

[Black_Elk]

Here are few interesting magnified buys the Germans might attempt with their starting income of 30 ipcs.

6 submarines
1 carrier, 1 battleship
1 carrier, 1 sub, 2 transports
1 cruiser, 3 destroyers
2 cruisers, 2 transports
1 destroyer, 1 sub, 3 transports
5 transports

There are other combos, with a remainder left over, or by combining with other land/air units, but those seemed rather exciting over the OOB options for full naval press. Likewise a save and buy G2 can be pretty effective as well.

I think I agree I lean towards shadowhawks assessment, that overall Allies will get the better deal in the long run, for their logistics. Since they have to build the most ships, and see more of their naval units at risk of destruction in the first round, but Axis get some potent options too. Consider also, how the cheaper naval units might be used out of S. France, which has a fairly restrictive cap on med production. The ability to build more effective units here at the reduced cost, could give Germany more options on the med.

For the Atlantic though, I think the advantage to USA will be interesting to explore as well. 52 is a pretty solid opening pile of ipcs to spend. And once they get up into the 70s this cost structure really opens things up for them, though again, there is Japan to contend with too. I’m setting up a FtF game to test these ideas on Friday, but in tripleA the edit is simple enough that I think this could really take off, if it proves entertaining and reasonably well balanced.

[Black_Elk]

Here is another way of implementing auto Shipyards that just occurred to me.

At the beginning of each round* roll 1d6. The hit will determine whether the Shipyards technology is activated for all players.

round 1: hits at 1 to activate Shipyards for all nations
round 2: hits at 2
round 3: hits at 3
round 4: hits at 4
round 5: hits at 5
round 6: auto tech Shipyards for all nations

This means that from the first round, and for each round which the game progresses, the odds of Shipyards will increase. Until the 6th round, at which point the Tech is activated automatically for everyone.

Germany starts the game round sequence so they can roll it. Or, depending on how many players you have, you can alternate the roll each round so that someone else gets a chance to try for the hit.

The logic here is that the Naval Race escalates as the war itself escalates, until it crescendos, and everyone gains access to the cheaper naval unit cost structure at the same time.

Axis have the strong early incentive to go naval if shipyards is activated in the first or second round. Every round after the 3rd the cost structure starts to favor Allied builds. Though even then, Axis can exploit late game naval action.

Naval Race rules: an independent and escalating tech roll, which grants Shipyards for All! :-D

In TripleA this is how you use the roll…

At the start of each round:
“Game” tab > “Roll Dice” > roll 1 six sided die (free roll)

If it hits according to rules above, then
“Game tab” > “Enable Edit Mode” > Add Tech Shipyards for All

*note: you could also choose to make this roll at the end of the game round rather than the beginning. This means the roll would usher in the 2nd round, rolling each round thereafter until Shipyards is activated, or until auto-tech Shipyards in the 7th round. It works either way, though I think it would be more fun to roll Shipyards at the beginning of the round rather than the end of the round and this keeps the value of the roll corresponding exactly with the game round G1 at 1, G2 at 2, G3 hits at 3, and so forth. Its a fairly simple way to get cheaper ships into the game for everyone.

For people who play using the Optional Global tech rules, the Shipyards technology is now removed from Breakthrough chart two. If you roll on 3 on the second breakthrough chart, re-roll the die until you hit one of the other technologies.