Research & Development Discussion - Delta+1

I nix the d8 rule because not all players will have access to d8 to roll.  Also, I am not sure if the inhouse dicey can roll d8.

I’d like to see the 4:2 rule brought back from AARe/AA50e.  You must purchase 4 dice or 6 dice on your first attempt.  If you purchase 6 dice, you automatically get a technology.  If you purchase 4 dice and fail to make a break through, then you may purchase the second two dice and automatically get a break through.

This should only apply to purchased dice.  So if you get 3 free shots, you must still buy at least 4 dice, or buy no dice at all.

Given this change, I’d recommend dropping the price to 8 IPC per die purchased, that’s the same price as a destroyer and it’s not rare to see 4 destroyers or more purchased in a round, so this should not really “break the bank.”

To clarify, if you want more dice than what you get “free” then you must invest a minimum of 32 IPC to get an additional 4 rolls, or you may invest 48 IPC and purchase a technology break through.  Unlike AARe and AA50e, these dice are not “targetted” you get a random break through.

We could have 2d6, and the middle numbers have more mundane tech, while the outer numbers have some game changers, or at least big enhancements.

Like:
2 - Awesome
3 - Fantastic
4 - Excellent
5 - Great
6 - Good
7 - Meh
8 - Good
9 - Great
10 - Excellent
11 - Fantastic
12- Awesome

If you don’t know, 2 dice has increased probability of inner numbers (7 is the highest).  This could make technology a little more predictable, or something.

@Young:

The Research & Development Phase is no longer optional, instead……

And of course my post is erased.

To reiterate that which I just typed out and lost:

This is the only part of this rule I don’t like, chiefly because it is going to have a massive effect on balance, and therefore make it hard to check all rules in playtesting for balance.  Adding this variable to the game means now to accurately test something it will take 10x the tries in order to account for various techs won throughout the game.  My main concern is making Delta balanced and mandating this rule means its going to be much harder to locate that balance.

Also I don’t play with tech, am fine with others doing so, and don’t think the game should /force/ players to tech.

Okay, if Super Submarines doesn’t float everyone’s boat, replace with:

Improved Ships:

• Submarines:  Attack 3, Defend 1
• Destroyers:   Attack 2, Defend 2, Can Shore Bombard at 2
• Cruisers:  Attack 3, Defend 3, Move 3
• Battleships:  Attack 4, Defend 5, AA Gun Ability, 2 Hits to Sink
• Aircraft Carriers:  Attack 0, Defend 2, Move 3, 2 Hits to Sink

The “3” move stacks with Naval Bases.  Theoretically, you could move the carriers the same distance as the fighters on board, but in practice, this would never happen in combat probably.  What it does do is allow for speedy reinforcements to your deployed fleet.  It might also encourage more cruisers to be built instead of mostly destroyers - as the destroyers only move at 67% the improved cruiser speed.

@Zallomallo:

We could have 2d6, and the middle numbers have more mundane tech, while the outer numbers have some game changers, or at least big enhancements.

Permutation.  Excellent idea.  It’s like a craps game.

You get nothing is the 2d6 adds up to 5, 6, 7 or 8.  Get an OK one for 4 or 9, a good one for 3 or 10, and awesome one for 2 or 11, and if you roll 1 or 12 you get the A-bomb.

Another major issue with mandating the tech, is little powers will have little chance to get techs, while US and Germany will be getting most of them.  This is going to make playing ANZAC far less fun than Germany, and remember this is a multi-player game not 1v1.

@Vance:

@Zallomallo:

We could have 2d6, and the middle numbers have more mundane tech, while the outer numbers have some game changers, or at least big enhancements.

Permutation.  Excellent idea.  It’s like a craps game.

You get nothing is the 2d6 adds up to 5, 6, 7 or 8.  Get an OK one for 4 or 9, a good one for 3 or 10, and awesome one for 2 or 11, and if you roll 1 or 12 you get the A-bomb.

I’d like to see you roll a 1 with 2 dice.
Lemme fix that:
No tech - 6 7 8
Mediocre - 5 9
Good - 4 10
Excellent - 3 11
A-Bomb - 2 12

@ er… JimmyHat
That’s a good idea, maybe we could make tech dice cost different based on initial income.  Smaller nations get less use out of it, right?

@JimmyHat:

Another major issue with mandating the tech, is little powers will have little chance to get techs, while US and Germany will be getting most of them.  This is going to make playing ANZAC far less fun than Germany, and remember this is a multi-player game not 1v1.

Well, almost anyone should have a chance at free tech, and they can buy tech if they save up for 1 or 2 rounds (to get 4 dice at 8 IPC, ANZAC shouldnt need more than 2 rounds to get enough cash, neither should India - unless they are trying for it in round 1 and I don’t recommend that.)

I agree, USA, Germany and Japan will get the lion’s share of technologies, but then, Japan and Germany really need them to put the final touches on winning the game, America also could use them to kind of drive the game towards an end.

If anything, the free dice should light a fire under England, India, Australia and Russia to increase the pressure.

@Cmdr:

@JimmyHat:

Another major issue with mandating the tech, is little powers will have little chance to get techs, while US and Germany will be getting most of them.  This is going to make playing ANZAC far less fun than Germany, and remember this is a multi-player game not 1v1.

Well, almost anyone should have a chance at free tech, and they can buy tech if they save up for 1 or 2 rounds (to get 4 dice at 8 IPC, ANZAC shouldnt need more than 2 rounds to get enough cash, neither should India - unless they are trying for it in round 1 and I don’t recommend that.)

I agree, USA, Germany and Japan will get the lion’s share of technologies, but then, Japan and Germany really need them to put the final touches on winning the game, America also could use them to kind of drive the game towards an end.

If anything, the free dice should light a fire under England, India, Australia and Russia to increase the pressure.

If the minor powers save up money to make research rolls, then they are already losing out on boots on the ground…needed to increase their income.  The only real fix would be to reduce costs to them, or to make all tech rolls cost money but on a sliding scale based on a countries IPC level.  Giving free techs is favoring the larger countries and when its game night everyone is going to want to play those countries.

Remember this is still basically an economics game, All countries should have a ‘fire’ lit under them to increase pressure(ipcs)

But back to my original reason for protesting the mandated tech.  When we are playtesting all rules tech is now going to be a major factor, and this variable is going to make playtesting harder.  Essentially it will take more tests to reach the same conclusion, no?

I agree with JimmyHat, Giving tech to the rich is no fair!

@Zallomallo:

No tech - 6 7 8
Mediocre - 5 9
Good - 4 10
Excellent - 3 11
A-Bomb - 2 12

Yeah, that’s right (sorry I’m not so good at math).  Maybe not the A-Bomb but something most powerful for 2 (e.g. heavy bombers) or 12 (e.g. jet fighters).  I think this idea has a lot of potential because the most powerful techs would be least likely to occur.

Free rolls for income:

10 IPC = 1 Roll
30 IPC = 2 Rolls
60 IPC = 3 Rolls
90 IPC = 4 Rolls
150 IPC = 5 Rolls

Purchased Rolls:

2 Dice = 16 IPC
4 Dice = 32 IPC
6 Dice = 48 IPC

You must purchase either 4 or 6 dice at a time, if 4 dice fail, then you may purchase 2 more the next round.
For each 6 purchased dice, you get one free technology.  You must still roll a D6 to figure out which one you got.