United Kingdom National Advantages
1. Radar
Britain’s radar alerted it to the threat of German planes crossing the channel.
UK owned antiaircraft guns in tan territories hit air units on a 2.
2. Joint Strike
The most powerful strike in the war was the joint Allied assault on Normandy. The planning required to launch this simultaneous invasion has never been equaled.
Once during the game at the start of a round (before the Russian turn), you may declare a joint strike. That round, you complete your turn as normal, except you must skip combat move, conduct combat, and non combat move phases. On those phases of the U.S. turn, the U.S. player may use your units in his/her combat move; conduct combat, and non-combat move phases together with his own units. You and the U.S. player must agree on attacking casualties, or the opposing player gets to choose them. Antiaircraft fire is rolled separately against each nationality of air units; all anti-U.K. dice are rolled before any anti-U.S. dice are rolled. Weapons developments or national advantages still only apply to the units of the power that gained the development or has the advantage. A joint strike may not be called off once it is declared.
3. Enigma Decoded
Working in a secret facility in Bletchley Park, Alan Turing’s cryptographers broke the codes of the Nazi Enigma machines. They could then send false messages back.
Once per game, when Germany finishes its combat move phase, but before its conduct combat phase, you may make one special move. You may move any number of your units from any one adjacent space into one friendly sea zone being attacked by Germany (Germany moving sea units to an empty sea zone does not count). Alternatively, you may move any number of your units from a sea zone being attacked by Germany into an adjacent friendly space, but you must leave at least one of your units behind. This special move otherwise follows the rules for a non-combat move. If your units survive, they remain in the space to which they were moved.
4. Commonwealth Troops
The British Commonwealth Troops served in all theatres in World War II–from Europe to North Africa to South-East Asia and the Pacific.
During your mobilize new units phase, you may place one of your infantry for free in any tan territory with an income value higher than 1 IPC if you control it.
5. Allied Resistance
France fell quickly to the Germans. Thousands of French patriots who would otherwise have died in battle on the frontlines later rose up against the occupiers.
Once per game, if the Allies control Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and/or Norway, you may place two of your infantry there for free during the mobilize new units phase of your turn.
6. Colonial Garrison
World War II represents the height of the United Kingdom’s colonial empire. Two decades later the Commonwealth was a shadow of its world-spanning former self.
You begin the game with one additional industrial complex in any tan territory with an income value of at least 1. (You still can’t have more than one industrial complex in a territory.)
7. Mideast Oil
The United Kingdom’s 1920 division of the Middle East tapped into the power from the sands. The Germans tried to get that power for themselves.
If an air unit you own lands in Anglo-Egypt, Trans-Jordan, Persia, or the Caucasus during your noncombat move phase, it may then move an additional number of spaces equal to its normal movement.
8. Flying Boats
The Lend-Lease Act gave Britain PBY Catalina flying boats, which were handy because of their ability to land on water.
Your bombers may land on water.
9. Battlecruisers
The HMS Hood, an Admiral class battlecruiser, had the firepower of a battleship while still having the speed and armor of a regular cruiser.
Your battleships may move 3 spaces.
10. Escort Carriers
To counter the U-Boat menace, the Allies created auxiliary carriers which can bombard ships while having air cover.
Your destroyers may carry 1 fighter each (put them on the same sea zone as the destroyer).
Japan National Advantages
1. Tokyo Express
The Japanese High Command used destroyer convoys to ferry infantry. Allied forces at Guadalcanal dubbed this the “Tokyo Express”.
Each of your destroyers may act as a transport for one infantry. These destroyers follow the same rules for loading and offloading units as transports do. Your destroyers can also conduct shore bombardment (using an attack of 3) in an amphibious assault, but not when offloading infantry.
2. Kamikaze Attacks
In 1944, Japan formed the first official “Special Attack Units.†The pilots willingly flew their planes–filled with explosives–into enemy ships
At the start of a sea combat (both attack and defense qualify - but never on land), the Japanese player designates any number of his fighters (not bombers) as Kamikaze fighters. Your attacking air units may make a combat move without having to land in a friendly space afterward, using their full range of movement (4 regular, 6 with Long Range Air) to reach the target sea zone. In the first cycle of combat, Kamikazes hit in the opening fire step of combat (meaning, their casualties cannot hit back) - each Kamikaze specifies one specific enemy unit which it tries to hit (several Kamikazes could specify the same target unit, but they cannot call off an attack or change targets once conduct combat begins). Kamikazes hit on a 4 in attack and defense (5 on defense with Jets). Kamikazes cannot be hit by enemy units! Instead, they automatically die after the first cycle of combat, whether they have hit or not.
3. Super Dreadnoughts
Dreadnoughts or leviathans like Yamato and Musashi were the largest and most powerful battleships the world has ever seen.
Your battleships attack and defend on 5.
4. Dug-In Defenses
The Japanese used natural terrain, such as caves and forests, along with bunkers, pillboxes, and trenches to defend themselves against amphibious landings.
All your infantry on islands are immune to shore bombardment and defend on a 3.
5. Banzai Attacks
A fearsome rallying cry of the Imperial Japanese Army, “Banzai!†meant, “May you live ten thousand years.â€
When you begin an attack with only infantry, all those infantry attack on a 2. This also applies to any amphibious assault in which all your attacking units in the land combat (other than those conducting shore bombardment) consist of only infantry.
6. Kaiten Torpedoes
Kaiten manned torpedoes were controlled by suicidal pilots for better accuracy.
At the start of a sea attack, you may designate as many of your submarines as Kaiten.
-In the first cycle of combat, Kaiten hit in the Opening Fire step of combat (meaning, their casualties cannot hit back) - each Kaiten specifies one specific enemy sea unit which it tries to hit (two Kaiten could specify the same target unit, and may declare a secondary target, so if they both target the same thing and the first one hits, the 2nd Kaiten may attempt to destroy the secondary target). Kaiten hit on a 3 in attack and defense (4 in attack with Super Subs). Enemy units cannot hit Kaiten! Instead, they automatically die after the first cycle of combat, whether they have hit or not.
-Kaiten are still subject to destroyer detection. If detected, must first kill a DD first before getting a chance at the primary target.
7. Naval Advantage
The Japanese Imperial Navy ruled supreme at the Pacific before the Battle of Midway. They had supercarriers, super submarines, battlecarriers, and Shinyo suicide boats.
-Your aircraft carriers can carry an additional 1 fighter.
-Your submarines and battleships may carry up to one fighter.
-At the start of a sea attack, you may designate as many of your transports as suicide boats. In the first cycle of combat, suicide boats hit in the Opening Fire step of combat (meaning, their casualties cannot hit back)–each suicide boats specifies one specific enemy sea unit which it tries to hit (two suicide boats could specify the same target unit, and may declare a secondary target, so if they both target the same thing and the first one hits, the 2nd suicide boats may attempt to destroy the secondary target). Suicide boats hit on a 3 in attack and defense (4 in attack with Super Subs). Enemy units cannot hit suicide boats! Instead, they automatically die after the first cycle of combat, whether they have hit or not.
8. Mounted Infantry
A mixture of horses and tanks was common in the Imperial Army.
Your infantry may move 2 spaces. However, they still may not blitz.
9. Guerrilla Tactics
Japanese infantry operated well on forests because they employed guerrilla tactics.
Your attacking infantry and tanks fire on the Conduct Opening Fire Step of combat during the first cycle.
10. Imperial Guard
The Japanese Imperial Guard were elite soldiers that protected the Emperor. They were also used for military operations on a limited basis.
Once per game, if your capital gets attacked by at least one ground unit, you may place 2 infantry there before the Conduct Combat Phase.
United States National Advantages
1. Lend-Lease Program
During World War II, the U.S. military began administrating what became known as the “lend-lease program”. In this program, the U.S. gifted its allies with an array of military equipment, munitions, and ships.
During your mobilize new units phase, you can convert any U.S. units to equivalent U.K. or Soviet units. The conversion can only take place on an allied territory or in a sea zone adjacent to an allied territory containing an industrial complex. Remove the all affected units from play and replace them with the same unit of your ally’s color.
2. Chinese Divisions
The Chinese had three hundred divisions in 1942. President Roosevelt spent much of the war trying to get Chiang Kai-Shek to do something with them.
During you’re mobilize new units phase, you may place one of your infantry for free in one of the following territories if you control it: China, Sinkiang, or Kwangtung. This free unit is in addition to the group of units you just purchased.
3. Marines
“Send in the Marines!” was a popular U.S. rallying cry in World War II.
Your infantry attack on a 2 in the first cycle of the land combat portion of an amphibious assault. Even if supported by artillery, their attack remains 2.
4. Mechanized Infantry
With its fleet of trucks, the U.S. Army was the most mobile force of soldiers in World War II.
Your infantry have a move of 2 and may blitz as tanks do.
5. Liberty Ship Program
In 1941, the U.S. embarked on a massive expansion of the merchant marine fleet under the auspices of the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. The standard Liberty ship was the centerpiece of this program.
Your transports now cost 6 IPC’s.
6. Superfortresses
The B-29 Superfortress carried the biggest standard bomb load of any wartime bomber.
Your bombers roll one additional die each when conducting a strategic bombing raid. They defend on a 2.
7. Great Wall of China
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese National Revolutionary Army fell back to the Great Wall.
Your infantry on China and Sinkiang defend on a 3.
8. Naval Industry
After Pearl Harbor, the US tried to rebuild its Pacific Fleet.
All Naval units cost one less IPC for the entire game.
9. Paratroopers
The United States and Great Britain used glider troops and paratroopers largely during WWII.
Your bombers may act as transports; they may load, carry, and drop up to two infantry. You must declare during your combat move phase that your bomber is doing a paradrop. They don’t need to land afterwards; you can choose to destroy them. When dropping units, bombers can’t attack. Hostile antiaircraft guns roll one die for each bomber doing a paradrop and each unit being dropped. You may not paradrop during your noncombat move phase.
10. Filipino Guerrillas
The HUKBALAHAP helped pave the way for the US invasion of Leyte.
Once per game, if the Allies control the Philippine Islands, you may place three of your infantry there for free during the mobilize new units phase of your turn.
