Oztea's 50th Anniversery House Rules (10 "Cut and Dry" rules)

These rules have been through about 20 games by now, with some slight modifications from time to time
2 Pages of rules, 1 page of FAQs, it doesnt get much simpler while incorperating some of the new 1940’s rules.

Easy to print, easy to understand, printem out and try em!
Larry Harris FAQ as standard, except for the interceptors, use my modified version.

Decided to add the rules directly to the forums for easy viewing

House Rule 1 – Straits
The following straits are added to the game board, unlike canals, a player needs only to control one territory to control naval access to the adjacent sea zones. Submarines and air units may move normally.

1. Gibraltar – No sea units may cross the border dividing zones 12 and 13 without control of Gibraltar
2. Denmark – No sea units may cross the border dividing zones 5 and 6 without control of Northwest Europe
3. Dardanelles – No sea units, not even subs, enter or exit zone 16 without control of Turkey

House Rule 2 – Changes to Production
1.Industrial complexes are now divided into two categories; factories start as major unless otherwise noted.
a. Major Factory – 30 IPCs – Produces 10 units (2 factory pieces) (Territory must be 3 IPC or more)
b. Minor Factory – 12 IPCs – Produces 3 units (1 factory piece) (Territory must be 2 IPC or more)
Both have “built in” AA protection during strategic bombing as if an AA gun was present.
2. Minor Factories may be upgraded to Major factories for 20 IPCs, taking effect on the next turn.
3. Factories may not be built on Islands. Major Factories may only be built on originally controlled territories.
4. One Victory City you control (without a factory in the territory) may produce one infantry per turn so long as you controlled it at the beginning of your turn.

House Rule 3 - Fighter Escorts and Interceptors
Fighters can participate in strategic bombing raids. Attacking fighters may escort and protect the bombers, and they can originate from any territory, range permitting. Any or all defending fighters based in a territory that is strategically bombed can participate in the defense of the industrial complex
1. Interceptors fire at “2” and escorts fire at “1”, for one combat round only. Bombers cannot fire.
2. AA fires at the remaining bombers (not on the fighter-escort). Remove casualties.
3. Surviving bombers may then strategically bomb. 
 If the attacker or defender has the Jet Power breakthrough their fighters fire with +1
 If the attacker has the Heavy Bomber breakthrough their bombers fire at a roll of  “1”
Fighters participating as either an escort or a defender cannot participate in other battles during that turn.

House Rule 4 - A Stronger China

1. China begins the game with two additional infantry to be placed in any Chinese territory during setup
2. China always rounds up when calculating how many infantry it receives.
3. If the Burma Road is intact, one infantry China would normally receive may instead become an artillery (India, Burma, Yunnan are Allied controlled)
4. Chinese forces may attack and occupy Burma and French Indo-China; however China does not benefit from these territories when calculating how many units it receives. Control of Burma reverts to the UK.
5. If China captures a factory, of either type, it receives one free artillery there during the place-units phase.

House Rule 5 – Russo-Japanese Non Aggression Pact
The first time one power attacks the other in one of its originally controlled territories and until the attacker captures a territory it has attacked; all that powers defending units (in it’s originally controlled territory) gain a bonus of +1 to their defense value this phase. The Attacker’s unit’s attack value is reduced by 1 during all combat against that power this turn in the opposing power’s originally controlled territories. (Infantry have no attack value when not supported by artillery) The first power to break the pact, may never utilize benefits from the pact in a later turn.

House Rule 6 – Ports
Territories with a Factory, Victory City, or AA Gun are considered to have a port.

1. To move into port, treat the unit as if it was moving onto the adjacent land territory, expending one movement point to do so. These units remain in the original sea zone, mark them with NCMs beneath.
2. While in port, these vessels are not to be included in normal naval combat. They may only be attacked by air or submarine. These units are protected by an AA gun if present; however while in port their defense value is reduced by 1.
3. When attacking a territory with ships in port, the attacker must enter the sea zone with the units in port, then expend a movement point to enter port OR reach the land territory containing the port then expend a movement point to enter port to attack.
4. When leaving port, (including after an attack) a movement point does not need to be expended to return to the original adjacent sea zone or territory, units must return there automatically after combat.
    If a territory is captured while ships are in port, they are immediately ejected from port, conduct combat as necessary, both fleets fight using their attack values. No fleet may retreat from this combat
    Transports may not load or offload to any territory other than the respective port territory while in port.
    Amphibious invasions may not be launched against territories by unescorted transports if there are enemy combat ships in port.
    Submarines may not submerge when in port. Attacking subs may not stay in an enemy port after combat.

House Rule 7 – Attacking Neutrals
The countries of Spain, Sweden, and Turkey may be attacked by the axis powers. Each country has a 3 IPC value and an army of 6 Infantry and an AA Gun. If attacked by the Axis, place Chinese infantry there. These countries continue to fight on as if there were a single independent Chinese territory, following the rules for China. (May not leave their borders, may not place with more than 3 units, if liberated they remain neutral) In the case of Spain, there is a chance the Fascists will side with the Axis, and one die rolls worth of infantry are placed as German instead. Also place a Victory city in Turkey or Spain if the territory is captured by the Axis.

House Rule 8 – Changes to Units

1. Tanks – Tanks now cost 6 IPCs instead of 5; they retain all of their abilities.
2. Battleships – Battleships must return to a friendly port if they are damaged, the repair is free of charge.
3. Carriers – Carriers now cost 16 IPCs, and require two hits to sink, when damaged they can not hold any planes. Carriers have no attack value. They repair in the same way as battleships (see above).
4. Artillery – During Amphibious invasions, defending artillery shoot preemptively on the first round of combat, remove the casualty immediately, as if it had first strike. Artillery however, must be taken as the first casualties from off shore bombardment if required.
5. Bombers – Bombers may now carry paratroops as standard, exactly as outlined in the breakthrough.

House Rule 9 – Changes to Setup
Germany            
1941 – Additional Submarine in Sea Zone 5, Minor Factory in France
1942 – Additional Submarine in Sea Zone 5, Minor Factory in France
Soviet Union
1941 – Minor Factory in Karelia and Caucasus
1942 – Minor Factory in Karelia and Caucasus
Japan
1941 – Minor Factory in Manchuria, Additional fighter in Japan, AA gun Caroline Islands
1942 – Minor Factory in Manchuria, Additional fighter in Japan, AA gun Caroline Islands
United Kingdom
1941 – Artillery and AA Gun in Gibraltar, Minor Factory in Australia, and East Canada Ships in SZ 35 and 41 start in port
1942 – Artillery and AA Gun in Gibraltar, Minor Factory in Australia, and East Canada,Additional Infantry in Egypt
Italy
1941 – Additional Infantry in Italy, Sub in SZ 14
1942 – Additional Infantry in Libya, Sub in SZ 14
United States
1941 – AA Gun in Hawaii, Transport in SZ 56 and Battleship in 53 start in port, Additional Fighter in SZ 44. Additional Infantry on Western US
1942 – AA Gun in Hawaii, Additional Fighter in SZ 53, One transport in port in SZ 10

The following victory cities are added to the game board bringing the total to 24: Players must agree on a victory condition before the game starts. [24 – Total Victory] [20 – Major Victory] [18 – Minor Victory]

Johannesburg – Union of South Africa
Cairo – Egypt
Vladivostok – Buryatia S.S.R
Bucharest – Bulgaria Romania
Saigon – French Indo-China
Helsinki – Finland

House Rule 10 – Changes to Technology
The categories of technological breakthroughs are hitherto divided and modified as such: The player may choose from the following categories. If you achieve two successful tech rolls in the same turn, you may re-roll your random tech if you desire.

Economic Technology
1 or 2 – War Bonds – As standard A&A Anniversary Edition Rules
3 or 4 – Rockets – As standard A&A Anniversary Edition Rules
5 or 6 – Increased Production – Repair damage at a cost of ½, Minor Factories may produce 4 units.
Air Technology
1 or 2 – Long Range Aircraft – As standard A&A Anniversary Edition Rules
3 or 4 – Jet Fighters – As standard A&A Anniversary Edition Rules
5 or 6 – Heavy Bombers – Roll 2 dice and apply the better result in combat. Strategic bombing as normal
Naval Technology
1 or 2 – Improved Shipyards – Carriers now cost 14, the other prices change as normal
3 or 4 – Super Subs – As standard A&A Anniversary Edition Rules
5 or 6 – Radar/Sonar – In addition to standard Radar, Destroyers fire at subs preemptively in combat.
Land Technology
1 or 2 – Mechanized Infantry – As standard A&A Anniversary Edition Rules
3 or 4 – Advanced Artillery – As standard A&A Anniversary Edition Rules
5 or 6 – Heavy Armor – All Tanks now cost 7 IPCs but now have an attack and defense value of 4.

FAQ

Q: [House Rule 6] Explain again how ports work, I don’t understand
A: Imagine the port, as if it was an imaginary sea zone existing on the border dividing the sea zone from the land territory. To move into this zone costs a movement point, for whoever does so. However moving out does not expend a movement point. Let’s use the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor as an example. The Japanese air units in SZ 57 move 1 space to SZ 53, they then must expend a further move point to enter the port. Conduct combat, with the Battleship having a -1 penalty to its defense value. The AA gun in Hawaii does fire at the planes.
After combat, the Japanese planes are allowed to move out of port for free, either back to SZ 53 or to Hawaii itself. Moving to Hawaii itself is a legal move; however since these planes cant land there it is a waste of a movement point. Moving to either of these territories does not use a movement point. Assuming the Japanese air units move to SZ 53, they have 2 moves left. The Japanese carriers may not participate in the port attack, because ships may not move into attacking a port (except for subs).

Q: [House Rule 2] If I build a factory on India, can I mobilize a unit there at the victory city before the factory is operational?A: Yes, you may. However once the factory becomes operational next turn you may only place units at the factory.

Q: [House Rule 4] If China captures a factory, can that factory be strategically bombed?
A: Yes, however this has no effect on the bonus artillery that china receives, so it is not recommended.

Q: [House Rule 8] How does an amphibious invasion work, considering that artillery now fire preemptively?
A: Conduct combats using the following steps. 1) Artillery fire, casualties are removed immediately. 2) Fire AA gun, if present. 3) Conduct off shore bombardment, hits from these units must be assigned to artillery if any are present; otherwise these hits are assigned to other units as normal. 3) Attacker fires, defender assigns casualties. 4) Defender fires, attacker assigns casualties. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as necessary.

Q: [House Rule 10] How does Sonar work?
A: If there are enemy subs present in combat, destroyers fire preemptively at a 1:1 ratio. Other destroyers fire normally.

Q: [House Rules 6 & 8] How and when may ships repair in ports?
A: A ship need only trace its move through a friendly port to repair itself, in the combat or non combat move phase. This is done by moving into port, then out of port for free, then one more move point is available, you can not enter port if there is an enemy combat vessel in that sea zone during the current phase.

Q: [House Rule 10] If I have 3 tech dice, and roll 3 6’s, what happens? Also, what happens if I get the same random tech?
A: You only benefit from the two 6’s bonus, and may re-roll your random tech. You always re-roll if you would otherwise receive a tech you already have. In the case of the two 6’s bonus, you may re-roll your tech if you would like a different result from what you would have gotten normally.

Q: [House Rule 4] If China captures French Indo-China, who controls it? Also if China controls only Manchuria, what does it receive?
A: China controls French Indo-China if it captures it, use an upside down NCM if necessary. If only Manchuria is controlled, China gets 1 territory, rounded up, therefore 1 infantry, and bonus artillery.

Q: [House Rule 7 Does Turkey connect to Europe by land via Bulgaria Romania?[/u]
A: Yes, it also borders Trans-Jordan and Caucasus.

Q: [House Rule 7] How does attacking a neutral territory work? How do they work after they have been attacked?
A: Just as if you were attacking any other territory, after you declare the attack, place 6 “Chinese” infantry. If they survive, they remain there. This country operates as if it was a “one territory china”, it can’t leave its own borders, it does not collect IPCs, but has one territory, and rounds up, thus building one infantry each turn. It can’t place its infantry if there are already 3 or more units there. It is friendly to the allies, just like china. In the case of Spain, when you attack it, 1-6 of the infantry there might just be German, it’s random. Determine how many by die roll when you attack it. Only AFTER the axis captures either Spain or Turkey is a victory city placed.

Q: [House Rule 5] How does the Russo-Japanese Non-Aggression Pact work, it seems confusing?
A: Because of the treaty, both sides forces are in a defensive posture in a very unforgiving wilderness. That is why the defenders units get a +1 bonus to their defense value, and the attacker gets a -1 penalty during his attacks IF they break the pact. Combat in china doesn’t break the pact because it is neither originally Russian nor Japanese. The turn after a territory is captured, war has been declared and combat returns to normal.

50 to 40.doc

Updated rules slightly, added rules to first post