To be fair, either I’m not understanding the question the way Idi is presenting it, or I’m really bad at reading the rules:
(Also, Larry put in a ninja edit in red with the new Alpha + .2 ruleset on his website…)
http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=4167
Soviet Union
When the Soviet Union becomes at War with Japan
4. Collect 12 IPCs, once, at the beginning of the turn following an unprovoked declaration of war by Japan on the Soviet Union. Theme: Recognized national emergency.
Japan
When Japan becomes at War with the Soviet Union
2. Collect 12 IPCs, once, at the beginning of the turn following an unprovoked declaration of war by the Soviet Union on Japan. Theme: Recognized national emergency.
So.
Not really sure what Larry means by “an unprovoked” war dec there, does he mean before the US enters the war proper or at all? Historically, Japan wasn’t attacked by Russia until near the end of WWII, late in 1945. Technically, a 1940 Global game could be played where both Russia and Japan are still neutral to the very end, right? Unless “an unprovoked” war dec means anything else.
It seems that the IPCs are paid by the bank, not the aggressor power. If I was Russia, and I just declared war on Japan, would I send a big pile of resources for the Japs to spend as a present to equip more troops to defend against my attack? That really doesn’t make much sense. I agree that the rule would make more sense economically by providing a double punch for breaking the truce (i.e. Russia’s loss is also Japan’s gain), but I guess its better that’s there’s any kind of penalty of all for breaking neutrality than the no-holds-barred “truce” from the OOB rules.
IF the money IS coming from the BANK into the defender’s coffers, it makes pefect sense for the Japs to declare war on Russia if Moscow is just about to be captured by Germany on the next round before Russia’s turn. The breaking neutrality rule would probably make more sense if it let the defender place free units worth 12 IPCs rather than the money itself.