Grasshopper's Alternative R&D

Hey Guys,

I am working on an house rule for the research and development in G40!

The plan is that every nation has the chance to do research (except china).
This gives new strategic possibilities. For example, German rocket attacks in round one.
The ipc expenditure is calculated from the income of the respective nation:

What do you think??

We do our technology country specific as such:

Germany
2 – The jet age begins and the ME-262 takes to the skies. Fighters defend at a 5 during ground attacks and scrambles, and defend at 4 during strategic and tactical bombing.
3 – King Tiger tank is developed and rolls off the assembly line. Armor now attacks on a 4.
4 – Type IX U-boat is unleashed upon the Atlantic. Submarines attack at 3 and defend at 2.
5 – Nebelwerfer rocket packs delivered to the front. All artillery can support 2 infantry or mechanized infantry.
6 – Waffen SS divisions now attached to regular army divisions. “4+1” For every 5 infantry in a combat or defense. One attacks and defends at +1. With an attached artillery the attack value is increased to 3.
7 – V-2 Rocket is developed. Airbases may now conduct one industrial or naval/air base attack on a zone within 4 spaces. One die of damage is rolled per German controlled operational air base.
8 – Long range aircraft. All aircraft flight range is increased by 1 movement.
9 – Advanced radar. AA guns hit at 2 during strategic and tactical bombing raids.
10 – Improved mechanized infantry. All mechanized infantry attacks at a 2. Artillery do not boost.
11 - Improved aviation engineering and manufacturing. Fighters now cost 8 IPC.

12 – Atomic weapons. A new age of terror begins as the Nazis harness the power of the atom.
Atomic bombs cost 24 IPC to build. Only two may be built per turn. May not be built on same turn as breakthrough turn.
Move as infantry by land or sea. If loaded on a strategic bomber, it can move the current range of the bomber
Due to a lack of trained technicians and engineers, a nation may possess no more than 2 weapons at one time.
Due to the size and nature of the airburst associated with the nuclear warhead, no attack roll is required to score a successful hit.
No air defense, such as fighter interception, is allowed due to the altitude of the strike plane and surprise of the attack. Only upgraded fighters may intercept. Long range aircraft or jet power technology must have been researched to perform interception.
An atomic weapon is treated as an AAA gun if the territory in which it is stored is attacked. 
No AAA guns are to be fired due to the altitude of the strike plane and surprise of the attack only normal AA gun with factory can fire. Airbase and naval base do not fire AA.
Any industrial complex is attacked with 4 dice disabled to maximum value of 20 for major and 2 dice disabled to maximum value of 6 for minor complexes.
Any airbases or naval bases are attacked by one dice of value.
One dice is rolled and that number of units of defenders choice eliminated. AAA guns may be chosen.

If used on a naval assault:
The nuclear strike cannot be combined with surface vessels.
Due to the altitude of the strike plane and surprise of the strike, aircraft on carriers and loaded troops on transports are considered to be cargo and provide no defense. The 5 hits are assessed and the attacking bomber returns to base. No 2nd attack is permitted.
Transports chosen last.

USSR is not permitted to develop weapons until they are in a state of war.
1 – IL-2 Sturmovik rolls off the line. All fighters now attack at 4 when paired with a matching armor.
2 – T-36 rolls off the line. Tanks now attack at 4.
3 – Katyusha rocket packs to the front. Artillery can support 2 infantry.
4 – Russian home guard. “4+1”, for every 5 infantry on defense one defends at 3.
5 – 6 Roll again

Japan
1 – Kaiten submarine is unleashed upon the Pacific. Submarines attack 3 / defend 2.
2 – Improved ship building. Battleships cost 17 and carriers cost 13.
3 – Ship radar. Battleships now hit and defend at 5.
4 – Improved capital ship design. Battleships and carriers now require 3 hits to destroy.
5 – Long range aircraft. All aircraft flight range is increased by 1 movement.
6 – Improved aviation engineering and manufacturing. All air units cost reduced by 2 IPC.

USA is not permitted to develop weapons until they are in a state of war.
2 – B-29 is developed by Boeing. Roll 2 dice for each strategic bomber in a combat or strategic raid. Range is increased to 8.
3 – Improved factories and manufacturing methods. Cost of all units except infantry, reduced by 1 IPC.
4 – Ship radar. Battleships now hit and defend at 5.
5 – Improved capital ship design. Battleships and carriers now require 3 hits to destroy.
6 – Improved ship building. Battleships cost 17 and carriers cost 13.
7 – P-51 Mustang rolls off line. Fighters now have a range of 6
8 – Rocket barges developed. Destroyers may now conduct shore bombardment at a 2.
9 – Improved mechanized infantry. All mechanized infantry attacks at a 2. Artillery do not boost.
10 – Long range aircraft. All aircraft flight range is increased by 1 movement. P-51 is not increased.
11 – Jet power developed. Fighters defend at 5 during defense and scramble and 4 during strategic and tactical bombing raids.
12 – Atomic weapons. See German section.

United Kingdom
1 – Sterling bombers developed. Roll 2 dice for each strategic bomber in a combat or strategic raid.
2 – Ship radar. Battleships now hit and defend at 5.
3 – Improved capital ship design. Battleships and carriers now require 3 hits to destroy.
4 – SAS Commandos. On first round only, of an amphibious assault infantry hit on a 2. Matching artillery boost to a 3.
5 – Anti-aircraft radar improvements. AA guns hit on 2 during strategic and tactical bombing.
6 – Spitfire III rolls off the line. Fighters now defend at 5 during defense and scrambles and 2 during strategic and tactical bombing raids.

Italy
1 – Long range aircraft. All aircraft flight range is increased by 1 movement.
2 - Improved aviation engineering and manufacturing. All air units reduced cost by 2 IPC.
3 – Improved mechanized infantry. All mechanized infantry attacks at a 2. Artillery do not boost.
4 – Mobile artillery. Artillery may now move 2.
5 – Frogmen commandos. On the first round of combat only, 2 extra dice are rolled prior to a naval attack. A roll of 2 or less is a hit. Hits are assessed prior to the main attack.
6 – Roll again.

Australia – due to lack of industry and supplies are limited to naval improvements only. ANZAC is not permitted to develop weapons until they are in a state of war
1 – Improved ship building.
Cost table
Battleship 17
Aircraft Carrier 13
Cruiser 9
Destroyer 7
Transport 6
Submarine 5
2 – Ship radar. Battleships now hit and defend at 5.
3 – Improved capital ship design. Battleships and carriers now require 3 hits to destroy.
4 – Long range aircraft. All aircraft flight range is increased by 1 movement.
5 – Improved aviation engineering and manufacturing. All air units cost reduced by 2 IPC.
6 – Royal Marines. Infantry may be transported by Anzac cruisers and battleships. 1 per ship. Ships can still bombard in amphibious landings and attack prior to a landing.

I like the ideas of the trucks, the game does need some help moving troops

The general fix for the 2 movement for tourney rules to me is not good.

Could even limit the amounts of trucks, for countries like they do I. Battle of the bulge

@Admiral:

Hi Baron,

I know it’s been a while since you posted this, but I have been toying with the idea of increasing air-to-air combat in a way that is very similar to what you have presented here.

I think the A2 D2-3 C6 Fighter is a very interesting idea. Having them target other air units before anything else is a simple and effective way to simulate that air-to-air combat. I also like how the combat values would now be the same in SBR (makes things simple).

I also really like how you altered Tactical Bombers to be A2-4 D3 C8. The two attack bonuses really give meaning to the importance to air supremacy.

I am curious to know how these two units have worked for you.

Thanks!

It evolves into this roster:
Baron’s HR units charts and set-up for 1941, 1942.2 and AA50
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=36833.msg1469053#msg1469053

The main reason is because of too many combined arms and bonus for TcBs and Fgs.
Makes for longer combat round and more details to consider to get the correct bonus per combat round.
Since the point was about hitting directly other planes, I simplified the TcB special ability.
That way, combined arms is now reserved to ground units.
So, it is easier to focus on what is specific to Fg and TcB.
I always start combat rounds with preemptive AAA, then these two units (when present) fire, then all other units.
HTH.
Baron

anyone have any good alternate set ups? looking to change things up a bit with the group soon

I have labored in the past thinking of ways to fix the Research & Development phase. My ideas have ranged from ridiculously complex and elaborate to outright stupid, however, my final draft is both simple and balanced. The following house rule has been rigorously play tested, and none of the original technologies have been modified. This rule is balanced enough to bring the R&D phase into your games more often, while simple enough to get your fellow players to approve it.

Grasshopper’s Tech Rule

When an eligible nation chooses to enter the Research phase by purchasing 1 or more research dice, they will receive 1 bonus roll for free. Therefore…

_- if you buy 1 dice for $5, you will get 2 dice for a chance to roll a 6

if you buy 2 dice for $10, you will get 3 dice for a chance to roll a 6 if you buy 3 dice for $15, you will get 4 dice for a chance to roll a 6 etc…_

If a 6 was rolled during the research phase, you must then choose a technology chart to roll on during the development phase. However, after you have chosen a technology chart, and before you make a development roll, you may choose one technology that you will be immune from. For example…

- America chooses to make their development roll using technology chart #2, and decides to be immune from Radar (technology #4). Therefore, if a 4 is rolled, the player for America must try again until they get a result other than 4.

This process is reset after each game round allowing players to choose different charts and immune technologies with each R&D phase.

The biggest draw is NO WAITING!

The reason the UK is so heavily damaged is to incetivize Germany to keep the Blitz going.
Knock the UK up to 20 damage and watch them flounder for the next few turns. It really takes the pressure off the French coast so Germany can focus on Egypt and Russia.
Sea Lion is a bad idea. But bombing England so bad that the UK is better served building in South Africa (to try and keep Italy and Germany off the continent) affords Germany the important 3 or 4 turns of breathing room to get deep into Russia.

Russia faces some tough choices. It can back up constantly and build up a massive stack in Moscow, but Germany will get all the cash in the south and starve you to death. Its really cat & mouse on that front.

There are some glitches in the setup, being that an all transport build for the US and an attack on Europe can throw Germany out of balance (or so some have said)
Likewise, Japan can ignore everything else on its plate and go head long for India and take it.

To cure this I have been considering adding an Airbase to Holland/Belgium (so German fighters/Tacs can strike allied boats in SZ91)
And to reinforce India add another ANZAC infantry and an ANZAC AA gun

I think it would be interesting if you had any ideas on different country combos, even different time periods, perhaps a House Rule ‘Cold War’ game or something in that nature, but I do agree with Keredrex, the game was definently designed to have 5 players and has been well set up for balance.