AA50 - Starting the game with techs for each power

If one were playing AA50 with No’s and tech, and one could start the game with every power having 1 tech for 5 IPCs, which techs would be most balanced for the game?

My thoughts are as follows:

Each power may pay 5 IPCs during their Turn 1 Tech Phase and automatically receive their choice of 1 of the 2 following techs without rolling the tech dice:  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards - I don’t feel that these techs would hurt any power and would actually help each power.

I feel that the below would be best for each power.

Germany  –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (If Germany wanted a Baltic Fleet, then perhaps Improved Shipyards would be better.)
Japan        –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but Improved Shipyards is probably slightly better.)
Italy          –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but War Bonds is probably slightly better.)

Soviets    –  War Bonds
UK          –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but Improved Shipyards is probably slightly better.)
US            –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but Improved Shipyards is probably slightly better.)

@axis_roll:

@Bardoly:

Each power may pay 5 IPCs during their Turn 1 Tech Phase and automatically receive their choice of 1 of the 2 following techs without rolling the tech dice:

If you want to open up more oportunities to utilize the ship yards (and really affect changes to the game), just GIVE the tech or GIVE $5 instead of charging the country.

For example, you talked about shipyards maybe enabling a baltic fleet for Germany.  But it costs $5, so that sort of offsets the benefit on turn one, when it would be best for Germany to buy a navy.

While I am not opposed to starting games with techs already in place for free, it seems that it could have a dramatic impact on the first turn moves because of the starting setup.  For example, if Japan were given either Jet Fighters and/or Long Range Aircraft, then it would very likely change the “normal” starting J1.  And there are other techs like that which, if simply given, would be like altering the starting setup.

My main point though, is that giving techs for free is definitely a house rule, while allowing one’s opponent to pay 5 IPCs and you assume that the tech die that he rolls is automatically a “6” and then his Chart 1/2 die is automatically forseen, is more of a gentleman’s agreement rather than a house rule, and as such, could possibly be allowed in League play.

About Germany though, If Germany were to simply build 1 dd, 1 cv on turn 1, then it has already recouped 4 IPCs of the 5 IPC tech loss, and should recoup even more in the turns ahead.

@Dylan:

@Bardoly:

If one were playing AA50 with No’s and tech, and one could start the game with every power having 1 tech for 5 IPCs, which techs would be most balanced for the game?

My thoughts are as follows:

Each power may pay 5 IPCs during their Turn 1 Tech Phase and automatically receive their choice of 1 of the 2 following techs without rolling the tech dice:  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards - I don’t feel that these techs would hurt any power and would actually help each power.

I feel that the below would be best for each power.

Germany  –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (If Germany wanted a Baltic Fleet, then perhaps Improved Shipyards would be better.)
Japan        –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but Improved Shipyards is probably slightly better.)
Italy          –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but War Bonds is probably slightly better.)

Soviets     –  War Bonds
UK           –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but Improved Shipyards is probably slightly better.)
US            –  War Bonds or Improved Shipyards (Both are okay, but Improved Shipyards is probably slightly better.)

That seems weird, and why can everyone get all of them except the USSR.

I’ll try it and update it on here.

What was typed was my suggestions of what I thought each power would choose in this situation, and I didn’t think anyone in his right mind would ever choose Improved Shipyards for Russia over War Bonds, but if that’s what you prefer, then be my guest.