Alpha 3 Intelligence Report - Straight from the front lines!

I think that the biggest thing that needs to be changed in Alpha 3 is to either strengthen Italy or weaken Russia.  Rather than reward the US with NO’s for its involvement in the Atlantic, I think that the starting placement needs to be adjusted so that Russia’s survival depends on the US opening a front in Western Europe.

For the Italians, I would suggest either combining the Italian fleet into 1 sea zone or modify the Italian air force to give it more punch.  As it is, Italy has too few resources to be effective against the Russians and it is never able to stand up to the Americans in the Med.

As for the Russians, I would eliminate the Archangel bonus when at war… as it is, Russia is able to stand against Germany without US involvement.  I think that decreasing their bonuses while at war is in order.

It is so easy to negate the Russian Archangel NO. I have yet to see a game where Russia actually collected it.

I feel like all these changes might make it swing the other way.

@JeffM:

I think that the biggest thing that needs to be changed in Alpha 3 is to either strengthen Italy or weaken Russia.  Rather than reward the US with NO’s for its involvement in the Atlantic, I think that the starting placement needs to be adjusted so that Russia’s survival depends on the US opening a front in Western Europe.

For the Italians, I would suggest either combining the Italian fleet into 1 sea zone or modify the Italian air force to give it more punch.  As it is, Italy has too few resources to be effective against the Russians and it is never able to stand up to the Americans in the Med.

As for the Russians, I would eliminate the Archangel bonus when at war… as it is, Russia is able to stand against Germany without US involvement.  I think that decreasing their bonuses while at war is in order.

I am very much in agreement with you about Italy.  I asked LH for Italy to get 1 Destroyer so that the half of their fleet with 2 transports would not be destroyed on UK’s first turn so easily and risk free.  I would be thrilled if he just did some combining of the fleet as you suggest or beefing up Italy’s Air Force.  That being said I don’t think he agrees with me about Italy so the best we may see is Italy swapping out one T. Bomber for one S. Bomber.  I don’t think just doing that will result in the balance we are looking for though…

@Cmdr:

He mentioned something about the possibility of relocating the fighter and tactical bomber to S. italy as well, so Germany didn’t have to do that job.

I think that is one of the best ideas so far.  I never understood why 2/3 of Italy’s air force was in a territory that didn’t have the air base and wasn’t the capital.

@Cmdr:

Yes, I enjoy it as well.  The talk is relocate Fighter, TB to S. Italy, convert TB into SB.

I think it is cool to save some of the German Air Force and all but that means if UK does the fleet raid on it’s first turn Italy will lose most of it’s Air Force with most of it’s Navy.

That is a large amount of real estate to lose before even taking their first turn…

@Cmdr:

That all depends.  You can still choose to move German fighters there and use those, or you can keep your fighters for Germany nad use the Italian ones.

That is true and I did not think of that.  That means when the UK takes it’s first turn I get to pick my poison at least :(

Any word if LH is going to do anything to give Japan a boost?  I would have preferred to see Italy stronger or Russia weaker but at this point I will be happy with anything the Axis get to give the game more Balance.

@Cmdr:

Not to my knowledge.  To my knowledge he’s only talking about reassigning equipment in the Atlantic and moving the Mexican NO to anywhere else.

IMHO the Axis could use a little more help than that.

It looks like I will have to go back to the drawing board to find a way to win as the Axis against my friends :(  Operation Sea Lion here I come!

I still like the 6VCs on the Pacific side, 7VC on Euro side would definitely get America involved on Euro side- maybe :|

Sounds like he’s talking about keeping the Mexican NO, and changing the Archangel one to require US trns.  I like this idea, its a good compromise in that it requires US help to get the bonus, leaves the Mexican NO for possible raiding, and in my games Russia has gotten this NO perhaps 15% of the time.

@Zallomallo:

I should probably put this on the Harris website, but I like 2 per territory that the US liberates, or takes from European Axis.  (maybe Pro Allied too? probably not)

Or perhaps two IPCs per US bomber stationed in England up to a maximum of 6 IPCs(8?) symbolizing the US effort of bombing Germany.

I would like to see the U-boats a bit more potent. Once Germany loses them there’s hardly any incentive to rebuy any. Also, the sz in which they can currently do some damage are very easily defended and at the cost of at most 2 IPC to the Allied player he will, on the subsequent turn, destroy 1 or two subs. That’s a heck of a lot more IPCs worth…

I always liked the rule (optional?) in revised that each German sub in the Atlantic by the end of each last Allied turn makes the Allies pay 1 IPC to the bank.

I don’t really see the need to do an Alpha 3 at all… what’s wrong with alpha2?